Christmas & Happy New Year

Wow, how time flies, it is New Years Eve already. We had a wonderful Christmas and I thought I would share a few pictures with you.

First is our little tree. Good thing we went up the week before to get a tree, because it snowed nicely for Christmas, but meant we could not go up on the mountain. Bryce and Tristan had a blast playing in the snow, sledding, jumping in drifts and building forts. Rocky was so happy to have children to play with.




















Because of the very recent remodel we still have things that are out of place (or still in their old place, lol). We decorated around the old stuff. Samantha did all the decorating, it is always fun to work with someone else's decorations. She keep saying "this is going home with me".

Not having a mantel we decided to use the old closet shelf to hang the stockings, and cloths pinned the beautiful card to the garland. See there are the old closet poles, grin.
To see how this room looked just days before go to my Wyoming blog...here















Christmas morning brought lots of fun gifts, but not before the coffee (or cocoa) and cinnamon rolls were made, which is a family tradition, designed to make the morning last longer. We also take turns opening gifts so everyone can see what the others got instead of just ripping into the pile. Depending on how many are together it can take an hour or more.















This is Miss Mew's first Christmas and I am very surprised at how good she has been with the tree, given her personality, I figured she'd be up in the tree and attacking the ornaments, but she didn't. She did check things out but she was very good.......I did catch her batting at one ornament, and chewing on the tree but that is about it.




























Samantha and the boys made ornaments for me. I can not find my ornaments anywhere so they made me new ones. This darling set of trees are the cutest, and made from scrapbook paper and little clay pots, I just love them.





















The wreath turned out so pretty and just a few of my snowman collection.




















Speaking of snowmen. This is the one that Bryce and Tristan made the day before they left for home. We had such a fine snow storm a day or two earlier, with about 10 inches to play in, with nice 2 foot deep drifts.




















On Sat after Christmas we went up to Cody to do some shopping. Samantha and I found some fun treasures, here are mine. We also enjoyed lunch at the Erma Hotel, which was built by Bufflo Bill Cody. We had planned on going on Friday after Christmas but were a bit snowed in.















We sure had a wonderful time together, Andy did alot of the cooking (ya). The guys went out bunny hunting several times and did not come home empty handed. Tristan loves to eat rabbit, and begged to go out again, at which time Bryce shot his first rabbit. Both boys are going to be hunters I think, which makes Papa very happy. They also all did some crafting projects out in the wood shop, they spent a couple afternoons out there making different things.
Samantha and I enjoyed our time together, it had been a year since we have been together, we did a little bit of stitching, too. We spent an afternoon making soaps with the boys, they enjoyed making different shapes, colors and smells.

The house is very quite and "big" without the gang here, Kirk and I are still getting used to that and the dogs and cats are rattling around also, they miss the kids.

We were in hopes all of our kids could come for Christmas, but alas it was not to be. We are looking forward to their planned visits this coming summer.

For New Years we will go down to the Paintrock Inn for primerib dinner and fellowship with friends here in town.

We send our wishes to you and yours for a very HAPPY NEW YEAR, may God bless you richly in everyway.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Catchin Up - This N That

Well it has been a few days since I have posted. Just been busy doin this n that. Today I am not feelin all that great so I guess that is why I have slowed down enough to spend some time at the putter.

I have several things to share with you all. First up, todays mail brought me this beautiful ornament from my girlfriend Susan. Thank you, Susan for the wonderful surprise, I love it.
It will always make me think of you.



















This block belongs to my friend Candi, we are part of a RR group, just a group of girlfriends who enjoy working on each others blocks. Susan worked on it first, now it is my turn. I wanted to work with a painted button that I got from Jakkie a friend on QCI, last year. Then following what I have seen others do, I added a round of lime green beads and then another round of white seed beads. Isn't it pretty and fits nicely on that pretty blue patch.















Here we have the whole block so far with Susan's work. Oh......I have more work to do on the block but wanted to show you this element.














My granddaughter Destiny is having her birthday on the 11th and I wanted to make something for her. She likes it when her gifts are hand made (at least for now). I saw this cute purse in the
Keepsake Quilting catalog that I fell in love with so decided to see about making a smaller version for her.

So with a pair of to small for me jeans.....sigh......I cut the pockets out, added batting and the cutest 70's style floral print cotton for the liner, sewed it up. It is done raw edge so it is self lined, with a pocket on both side. To the pockets I have added a couple pins and she can put whatever she wants on them. The larger version has two pockets on each side, perfect for a cell phone and keys.



















Side 1

Side 2




















A peek at the inside. The strip that is sewn between the pocket panels is 3 inches wide and I used 1/2 inch seams, then clipped all the seams, washed and dried to frizz the raw edges. I think she will like it.......heck I like it. Grin.
















A couple of days ago, this little Angel arrived in the mail, isn't she cute? She was sent to me from

Angels for Hope, (www.angelsforhope.org) a group that makes these little hugs (either angels, butterflies, or smile faces) for those in need. They do this as a free service. I had not heard of them before, but a someone (I don't know who) on my quilting list QOR asked them to send me one. She, Angel, is so appreciated and will be a reminder of the love shown to me (along with my 2 beautiful quilts) by my friends with the passing of my Dad.


This is such a wonderful ministry that this
group is doing. Please go and check out the
website. It is beautiful how many are
reaching out and touching those in need.

Thank you Angels for Hope for my little
"Angel".

Comfort Quilt

Look what the mail brought me. My friends from my online group Trading Fabrics have sent me hugs in this beautiful Comfort Quilt.

I am a very bless girl to be so loved by these ladies. Just look at how pretty, all in pinks and browns and hearts. To cute.

















Some close ups of the different hearts.





































Here are both of my comfort quilts, they are so pretty. Thank you to my friends on Quilts on Review and on Trading Fabrics for the love and hugs, this really helps fill the hole left by my Dad's passing.

Merry Christmas & Judy's Block

Merry Christmas All

First I want to share a little purse that my friend Susan Nixon sent. Isn't it darling, and it is what inspired the bag I made for my DGD (2 post below). It is perfect for my camera so that is how I am employing it. Thank you Susan for this lovely gift.





















I, also, wanted to share some of the additions I have made to Judy's block.

Around the center motif of flowers I have added a beautiful antique lace that resembles tating. I think it really dresses it up. I will be adding more but not sure just what it will be yet. You will notice I have also begun the addition of french knots to the flower centers.



















Here you will see a darling seam treatment that looks like a flower border, it is a combo of arrow stitches and french knots, done in DMC floss. I really like this one.












And a "J" for Judy, made with silk ribbon and seed beads. You can also see lace and ribbon additions here.










We are off in the morning for our Christmas trip to Ca. I pray everyone has a Blessed Christmas with family and friends. I am sending big bear hugs to my friends and family who have lost loved ones this holiday season (my own dad's funeral is today) :(

Gods Blessing to All and a Merry Christmas

A Gift of Love and Comfort

Look at the beautiful surprise I received in the mail yesterday. A gift of love and comfort from my on line group, Quilters on Review. This pretty quilt was given to me, to offer comfort for the passing of my Dad. I have included some up close pictures so you can see the workmanship.

Thank you my friends for the love you've shown me through this lovely quilt.

Blessings

As many of you know the last several years have been very difficult and I know I am not alone in this situation.

But

This last couple of years has also been filled with special blessings bestowed by God's angels called...........Friends

I want to share with you all some of the special blessings that I have been given. I won't share names, because God says that if everyone knows what you did for another then that is all the blessing that you will receive, another words do your blessing in secret. I want these ladies to receive their reward from the Lord. They will know who they are.

One friend took me to retreat when I could not afford to go, and we really did not know each other at the time, we have become fast friends and she still does very generous things, like paying for 1/2 of a very expensive book so we could join a stitching class together.

Thank you!

Another friend found out I like to make soaps and lotions and sent me several hundred dollars worth of essential oils and fragrance oils, she no longer has a use for, they are like brand new, just one of them cost $36.00 for 1/4 oz........she is now sending all of her books for this hobby.

Thank you!

Next, and one that I can share a picture with you about. This friend sent me a $50.00 gift certificate as a way of showing me God's love during a very rough spot this last month. I got to go shopping at Joggles.com and here is what I picked out...............Thank you!


















I want to personally thank these lovely ladies for the generous gifts they have given to me. I am still in awe at the beautiful blessings they each have bestowed on me.

I am working on paying these blessing forward.

Thank you,
Gods Blessing to each of you.
Gail