It is the End of year and I like to leave you smiling.

It did it, didn't it?

You are smiling.

I'm just saying.

Thank you!

Ps. thanks Don!

.Update on MUG RUG CONTEST

My DH sent me this quote today..

He's at work...thank goodness..lol

( love him dearly, but too much togetherness

is too much togetherness) lol 

Oh hi Baby...( he reads my blog)

" A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something"

And I laughed..he SEW gets me...

I am never bored, never happens, and his nickname for me

is SPARKY, for obvious reasons...

But I have this HUNCH..( ohhhh he sew hates those 4 words)

cause it usually means, it is going to cost him...

ohhh not in money, but in me sew focused AGAIN...

Want to know what I was thinking????

ok, waited long enough...I am not very patient...

sadly I have faults too lol..

Ok, here is my thought, we need something to get excited

for in 2011...NO exchanges, that can be costly...

NO Tuts, too much time, I was thinking 

why not a MUG RUG contest, 

WE get to create our very own unique 

MUG RUG that shouts " ME" ...not

me as in me, ME as in YOU..

Confused?

Ok, here is my thought....Design a MUG RUG

that SHOUTS YOU...be creative or NOT..

send me your PHOTOS...I will post

them all in a flicker account this way 

NOBODY will know they are YOURS.

WE then will  HAVE A CONTEST

with PRIZES...yes yes yes...

#1 for BEST IN SHOW = Fat quarter Bundle

#2 WOWED by the creativity = 1 jelly roll

#3 my fav  ( WORST ONE) =  2 charm packs...

( it pays to be really bad)

This will take place JAN 4th  YOU CAN BEGIN
designing your MUG RUG NOW....

( you can begin to 

send me your completed Mug Rug photos anytime)

and on FEB 4th all mug rugs must be 

sent and the judging begins..

ALL of your names will be included..

Sew at least everyone will get an idea of

who is entered.... but your names will not be on

the MUG RUGS...sew no names on the photos lol...

YOU get to keep your MUG RUG.

YOU made it, its YOURS...

( I was getting size suggestions)

I make mine  6 x 9

I see them all sizes..

for me this size was small enough

and large enough..

Like that helps? lol

Cost your time,

What you WIN.

You find YOURSELF...again!

YOUR THOUGHTS.

I AM listening!

LINE Art it spoke to me, here is what I am going to do!

I am thinking anything but REDS, don't get me wrong

I just love REDS..almost as much as my new

Happy color ORANGE...

But when I came across this pattern

quite simple, and don't get me wrong...

I am not one for SIMPLE...but this

one is made from 2.5 inch strips...

and you can make a pattern within the center

add white strips (same widths) and add to colored strips 

and Ta-DAH

LINE ART and with Carrie Nelson's

fabric collection, I thought ...heck

I am going to go SPRING!

And don't get me wrong again lol..

I love WINTER, and I am still working

on all of my needle work for Over the river....

(  will send updates on that this weekend)

It is looking sew fine....

But I wanted something  full of Colour...

And I had a HUNCH this is something I 

could tackle today...I am cutting it all out today...

Yep as soon as I share this with you..

 Oh and yesterday, besides organizing my other blog...

you may be familiar with it...wink...

I made some of these...

CUPPA COZIES..

(for those who don't know what

these are...I created them back in 1993,

they are insulated with 100% goose down

and you place them over your cup and they keep

your beverage hot for 2-3 hours) 

This one I made from Lecien fabric

this  Georgia Lou collection  by Brenda Riddle...

I didn't make them with anyone in mind...

But I thought MAYBE, Brenda would like one

of them...

 ( which one do you think she would prefer?)

Ohhhh and this one... has delicate little rose buds...

The ruffles I hand gather and then I hand sew

them into the lining of these covers..

Took me all day..

I'm just saying....lol

And I am already thinking of a design for my MUG RUG.

you will never guess what I am going to do..

Ok? don't guess, I am entering the contest too..

but I promise not to pick my own name...

just saying..that would be silly!

ps I have to lay off the coffee in the morning...

lol

Sometimes it just flows...and I wake up...Now stop that JANE!

It wasn't her fault really...

In fact she had no idea,

but something came over me, 

in the wee hours of the morning

and I got up and started creating...

I could not stop...Took about 10.3 hours...

WHAT? did I do...?? 

Well, Jane was the one who 

WON  the NEW Makeover...

I looked at all those who entered,

and there were a couple of you,

that stood out for me...

I had this vision..I get them

when I am feeling someone...

and JANE"S well I could not shake it...

Sew I took her from this...

You may understand now why I could not sleep...lol

No offence Jane, and we spoke, sew she did not

take it personally either...but it was all wrong for her....

She was frustrated too...said nobody understood

what she wanted....

OK lol...

( she must have been sending pretty strong vibes

to wake me...I'm just saying....lol)

See more here

Now, I don't know Jane,....I know she is a sponsor

at the other blog I manage....

and that she liked this 1949 Margarine Girl...

I actually had the complete graphic in a file

of mine when I was working on a fifties project

for work....

I knew she was renovating her basement

and that the color she chose was blue...

I also knew she loved bubble gum pink accents...

That is all I had to go on..

Oh...she liked polka dots too...I think

I gathered that from her old blog...

but it was all sew wrong...lol

It all came together pretty effortlessly...

which is why I knew it was perfect...

( for her)

We connected and she was can I say...

GLEEFUL...lol...is that a word...???

She was full of GLEE.

She said..." Don't you dare change one thing..

not one..." We both laughed..

I added the blink to her bow...that's all..

Sew another NEW Look...sadly I wish it were MINE...lol

OK, now here is the good news for all those who did

enter...I will keep checking your blog...

and when I feel YOU waking me up from my sleep...

I will design one for you too someday....

Here is the scoop....Whatever I create,

and I cannot explain this...but whatever I CREATE is exactly

how I see you, or feel you...

It is  usually the only one I can do...I don't make changes,

you can't ask me to design it....it just flows from me,

what I feel for you...

That is it!. I don't apologize for it....

It just happens...

I'm just saying...

I don't have the Why and Why nots...

it is what it is...

Spoken like an artist, don't you think...?

I made us both  bow tags....

surely she will be ok, if I have a pink bow for me,

just for today...lol

Here is yours, complete with sparkle

BLOG MAKEOVER my Christmas gift to you! Who will it be?

Ahhh yes...Santa brought 

along  something to share with you....

" a little more creativity"

Are you resting...?

I have been, and sew much sew, 

that I wanted to GIVE one of YOU 

an opportunity for a New Look!

My gift to one of you today is a BLOG MAKEOVER.

I have done a few, this one, mine, Millie's,

Marlene's, Christel's, Carol's , Cheryl's..

I will design you a personal one that reflects

who YOU are, also a new button..

a new logo...

Usually takes me a day (a whole day)

Sew if this strikes your FANCY, 

share with me why you would like a new blog look...

( give me link to your blog)

This Blog Makeover will be announced

was to be Dec 27th, tomorrow morning...

( sew in a separate comment, please let me know

if you would like to win a BLOG MAKEOVER...)

p.s MUST be a FOLLOWER

of this blog...yes I think that is a reasonable

request..no other request that is it..

I.'m just saying!

Ü

Christmas Eve, it is quiet at the moment...shhhh listen.. I hear bells, lots of them...

I BELIEVE~

Merry Christmas !
It is Christmas Eve here in Ontario Canada
and my hopes for all of you is that your heart
be filled with sew much love that you
will have to share it with others...

My horse tale continues...

As many of you know, I embrace winter.

This is a photo of our backyard, around 5:33 pm E.S.T.

No filter was used, the sun was just saying goodnight.

I stood by our french doors and was awed by the intensity of

the sky ( great colors for a quilt) 

 ahhh the same day...( which was yesterday)

my horse tale continues...I downloaded  these photos 

from my outing at this  neighboring horse farm.

Remember the other day when the small white horse ( link to other story)

pulled the hair out of the much larger male...?

 Yesterday was a different story..

She started to approach  me, excited in fact as she

quickened the pace only to be cut off by the male

who the other day just walked away...remember?

She took notice of his rearing of his front legs

and kept her distance...while the male approached

me he let out a whiny  and approached me rather

aggressively until he came to the fence boundaries

and just looked at me... " Like what do you want?"

 or something like that?

I shared with him I had some carrots if he would let me take 

a couple snapshots of him...

Before I knew it,  my camera in hand ,

I snapped  away thinking, my he is very accommodating

to my quest... like he is posing for me lol

"How is this side, I don't think it is my best side, but quick take your shot"

( I think that is what he was saying lol)

" I think this side is my best, now where are my carrots?"

"Hey aren't you a quilter, you could make me a blanket "

or something like that...lol

 I didn't want to press him further, pleased to get these shots...

I gave him his carrots...He reared his front legs, snorted a bit,

and approached the white horse...

With what I suppose was " NEH NEH NEH" 

interpretation...." Merry Christmas to me" lol

I drove off thinking-- wish I had a horses brush and some

bows, I would have tidied them up a bit...

Give them a Christmas Do! lol

( my neighbor who owns her own horse shared

with me it is called pecking order, thanks Darlene.. )

Must run, have some family duties

now...Merry Christmas from the horses and I...

Bringing some light into your day!

I have been reminded all week as I toted my camera

with me, how beautiful this season can be...

( with using a cooling filter, I am able to get these

blues, to be more emphasized...have no idea

what I am doing really, but the results are impressive

even to me lol)

Ahh just enough light to stitch a few stitches...

Has many of you suspected I love taking photos..

Although very new at this, I am becoming

ONE with my lens...Ü

Forget the birds I want to live in this delightful condo...

I bet some of those birds are high on quilting..

I 'm just saying wink...

Tucked along side of the road..

although not very large it certainly looks like it would be

a great sewing room...yes lol

Ahhh this tree is a real one although with

the lights illuminating it looks sew white....

and yes I can see clearly the colors

of my next quilt or two...

Ahhh HOPE that you can all find some time to do some

sewing and quilting .....

( I have no idea how they got this way up high in this tree,

it can be seen for miles)

 no filter used here...I am just trying to control the depth of field..

what that is I have no idea..it just puts the background fuzzy..

again apologies here to those who really know how to use

their cameras...I am just playing lol

and yes, many gifts under the tree are for you...

One is  for JOY- may it fill your heart, sew many can feel your warmth .

One is for Hope, may it fill your mind of all the possibilities.

 and One is for Faith, that in your soul, you know everything will turn out perfectly.

From my heart to yours this Holiday Season

I don't know where to begin....and did I mention a giveaway ...? lol

It has been just a few hours since I made an announcement at my other managed Blog

AND already I am sew excited at some projects I will be tackling...

Thought YOU might be interested .lol..or not ...

1st on my list is these basket liners, now I don't have any

OLD quilts, since I have only made 4 in my lifetime...

( June this year is when I began quilting)

I don't think any of them are ready to be cut up for liners...lol

Sew I am going to make some NEW quilt liners

for my baskets out of new fabrics...

Ok, that is my first project...

2nd project 

Ok, I love this idea...for a  QUILT wrap..(18 inches by 70 inches)

out of scraps, but then again

I am too new of a quilter to have any scraps. lol

Last time someone asked me for some..

jodi @ Pleasant home...I ended up cutting

up some quilting material and sending it off to 

the winner which was Millie...( that is when we

first connected) . Sew I won't be making this wrap

out of scraps ( I have a cup full) ..I may just try some nice jelly rolls

that I see very befitting...

#3 project, cause I know my family

will be craving these...

Sew I am going to make some of my

old fashioned donuts...

( This recipe was passed down by my Nanny,

we always made this for Christmas Eve)

 Ok, that is today's list...

Do you think you will be tackling any new projects?

Oh and yes how forgetful of me....

A giveaway...

Would you like a pair?

The cuffs are made with merino wool very soft and mohair,

the rest of the wrist warmer 100@ Merino wool...

not the itchy kind either...lol

Wrist Warmers, made by me, for you...

Be a FOLLOWER if you would like to be added

for the draw...all comments already left...I manually

put you in already...just saying lol

Clearly not everyone is in the SPIRIT? lol

 Made these for Carrie, using her own material.

sew now she will have her very own Cuppa Cozie

and although she lives in the west coast she does travel

where there is snow...sew I knitted her very own

matching wrist warmers...shhhhh

think she will like them?  lol

I headed out on some errands, packed my

camera, quilt  and  stole some time to just enjoy the 4 below weather..

 "I" Love the cold...

Clearly, the snow is missing us entirely...

this is the  dusting  that I have  mentioned in previous post.

Still you get the picture, sew to speak, it is cold-

white and a great backdrop for my Creamsicle..

She had no complaints..she stated..

"colder the better". AHAhh

Took a couple shots...and headed for home

when I came across these horses...

This horse was not having

a good day...I approached the fence and she was quick

to come to me...

and she was rather friendly..allowed me to touch

her nose...and was enjoying the share..until...

this one...

came over to investigate...

Well..the white one, did not like that...sew if you look

closely in her mouth...she yanked some horse hair

out of her head..."I saw that......" 

I said to the white one..." Not in the spirit are we?"

 This one clearly much larger, possibly a male even..

thought " She's not feeling it today, walk away"...

or something like that...lol

I headed back home, which is less than 10 minutes away...

We are surrounded by vineyards...I thought this basket 

said it all...." I will be here, next year"....

Well I think you may see me before then....

But this was my morning...can you feel the cold.?

Serving up Warmth...YEP... That's her name

As soon as I saw this Pattern called

Over the river and through the woods...

I knew it would be my next quilt..

Except I am calling it simply

"Serving up Warmth"

This conjures up sew many memories..I was raised

by my Nanny, sew this one will certainly be in her memory..

And since she sew loved the color blue, I will be stitching

this up in ivory's and blues...

I have already embroidered the tag line...

(did that last night)

( the pattern called for muslin behind ...I added flannel sew

it would be super soft...of course I added stars..and the fabric

background is this lovely ivory with very faint white polka dots...

( can you see that) lol

 Outlined the second panel..which I will stitch this week

at night...love doing this at night, cuddled with my DH.

And Serving up Warmth, seems sew befitting, will share more

as I stitch...

Ohhh and I completed these 2 pairs of cafe  wrist warmers..

they will be gifted to some pretty special ladies..

 Love the butter cream...

But then again this pistachio is quite appealing  too...lol

Which one do you prefer?

I am going to prepare supper super quick...

sew I can get back to some stitching...

There is sew little snow here, I can shovel it with a toothpick..but the SUN is out for some pictures..

The Sun came out, sew I took more pics...

Here are some close ups of this lovely gift

from my very dear friend...

The blocks just seem to float, don't they? 

and will you look at the orange block..

I'm in love! lol

Here it is again, taken a few feet away...see the sun

trying to peak over the edge? It's coming....lol

And a close up of my stitching..I try for 7 stitches per inch..

and Marlene asked the distance between them...1/2 inch across...

and I have not even washed it yet...I can imagine how crumply

( is that a word?) will it look like then...maybe today I will do that....

Wash it that is..not be crumply...lol

Now my wee orange doll looks rather large on this lap

quilt, doesn't she? 

And yes MY infamous foot pocket...

now here is what I do..I measure  the length of the quilt.

( and cut that lenght and add 2 inches)

and then I measure  the width of double fleeced flannel...I fold the flannel

in half, selvages together ( towards the bottom of the quilt)

 and after I have quilted it all, the quilt

that is, I stitch the   pocket and then get ready to sew on the binding...

In this pocket I have added polka dot self covered buttons and

there are snaps holding the buttons down... when you want to place

your wee feet in the pocket, open the snaps and there you have it...

warm tootsies...

You can see the detail of the pack...very crumply lol

Ohhh and I forgot to show miss SNOW DAME with 

her Christmas Umbrella...

My colleagues purchased this for me years ago...

as I sew get into the Christmas spirit...since I am 

car less this week..( in the shop again) I thought

she could borrow it for a bit...

Now I am off to my sewing room for a project

for a very special designer for a NEW YEAR surprise...

I will show you once done...as I don't think she visits here...

at least I don't think sew lately lol...