Happy New Year

Wishing you the very best in 2010!

The Last Border!

I got up early this morning to work on my quilt before work. I got an idea and I couldn't wait to see what it would look like. I decided to add another blue border and then make a zig-zag from all my scraps of browns and golds. I didn't figure out the dimensions of the pieces correctly, because now I have a border that is to wide. But, I am going to make it work.

Also, a word of warning don't use your rotary cutter when you are in a hurry. My rotary cutter jumped off of my ruler. This is the first time that has happened in my six years of quilting. But, I will remember because it hurts. :(

Easy Hot Chicken Spread

I've had this recipe on a piece of paper and I thought I would blog about it before I lost the recipe. I tasted this spread (it's hot) and I loved it. Here's how you make it:
8 oz Cream Cheese
1/2 cup Blue Cheese Dressing
1/2 cup Hot Sauce
2 oz Crumbled Blue Cheese
1 1/2 cups Chicken (shredded)
I used an unseasoned rotisserie chicken because it's easy and the meat just falls apart. Once you get the spread mixed up put it in a crock pot on warm. Serve with crackers or bread.

I'm taking this to my sister's house. Nebraska plays Arizona on Wednesday night and my family will be there. Christmas was the worst this year. We got 10 inches of snow! So, I'm looking forward to spending some time with family. My sister and her family will be here from Georgia. Can't wait!

It Sounded Like a Good Idea.....

We got more snow last night and I thought it would be fun to make snow angels for Christmas. But, the truth, it's cold outside and the snow was deep. Conan volunteered to fall back in the snow and make the first angel.



The face says it all, it's cold and still snowing.

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all the joys of a wonderful Christmas.

Giveaway from Rebecca for Vintage Living

I was reading blogs this morning and found this giveaway from Rebecca for Vintage Living. Rebecca is having the giveaway because she has a birthday one week before Christmas and she heard that all her life, from her parents that she was a lucky little girl because she shared her birthday with Jesus.

Funny thing, we have the same name, but spelled a little different and we have the same birthday. I thought that was pretty neat!!! I also know how it feels to have a birthday so close to Christmas.

So, Happy Belated Birthday to Rebecca. Stop by her blog it's beautiful!! Especially her Christmas photos.

Working on My Safari Quilt...More Triangles

I must like those triangles, because I'm planning on making more. I'll have to make some smaller ones for what I'm planning for the last border of this quilt. I found some additional fabric from Africa to add into this last border. I think I would like one small, thin border of blue before I add the last border, so I better decide. I'm making up this last border and I don't fully know what I'm doing until I start cutting and sewing the fabrics together. The video below was sent to me by a friend and I love it!!! I have watched the video over and over. I'll call it my inspiration for the quilt. It's the main reason I want to add the blue border.




I tried all the blues in my stash and I think this one is the best. It's a batik and I hope it wasn't for another project. :)

Christmas Lights

Today was my birthday and my only request was to look at Christmas Lights. These photos were my highlights of the night.

Inspirational Book!!

A favorite quilt artist of mine is Mary Lou Weidman and she has a new book called, Out of the Box. Her book is filled with beautiful photography!! There's a lot of photos of her famous story quilts and a lot of good information. One of my favorite sections of the book is when Mary Lou writes about color and fabric. She writes about the fabric you have in your stash and what you need to think about when you're out purchasing fabric for your quilt. I took a class from Mary Lou and fell in love with her style!! Below is a section of a quilt featured in Mary Lou's new book and I got to see it in person. I can tell you the quilt is beautiful and it has so many details in it. In her book, she gives you everything you need to know about making your own story quilt.

Today on Mary Lou's blog she wrote about teaching art to second graders. She's making an auction quilt and it is featuring 20 birds from her student's drawings. I can't wait to see it finished.

Mary Lou's blog post gave me an idea to make a small quilt from one of my niece's drawings. Kate drew me a house with a bird on the roof tonight. She said that you need to make the grass meet the sky when you're drawing your pictures. :) Good tip from a young artist. I really enjoy making art with Kate. She shares with me and I always learn new things!


Here is another one of Kate's beautiful rainbows. They always make me smile, just like the girls in the drawing.

Odette the Owl

I had so much fun making the first owl for Robyn's owl challenge I just had to make another. This owl is a girly owl and I tried some new things. I used a lot of little stitches around the eyes to look like feathers. Then, I added some flowers to the top of the head, some beads for wings, and a stick. (A girl has to have a place to rest.) Below are both of my owls.

New Bunny Pics

I've been wanting to take new photos of my bunnies, Sprite and Fibbi. I needed to update my blog photo since Pippi (she was 10 years old) is no longer with us. I wanted to take advantage of the white backdrop. Thanks to my sister, Connie, she came over and was my photographer! I think the bunnies were happy to get back inside, since they changed positions every time the wind would blow. It was hard to get them to look and not bury their faces. My bunnies only go outside, from the house to the car, to go to the vet. So, being outside makes them nervous. Both of my bunnies are small. Fibbi, a black Netherland Dwarf, is 9 years old and weighs 2.6 pounds. Sprite, a white Polish Dwarf, is 7 years old and weighs 3.4 pounds.

We're in a Blizzard Warning

We closed our work department early today. On my drive home from work I got stuck on a side street. I think I would've been OK if I didn't have to stop and wait for a car. It has been snowing all day and is supposed to continue snowing tonight. The weather reports are that we have between 4 to 6 inches of snow. I'm guessing 6 inches right now, because I went on a walk in a pasture close to our home and it was tough walking. Everything right now looks so clean with a fresh blanket of snow!



I liked this manhole cover because it shows how much snow we have at this time. Let's see what the morning will be like.

Otto the Owl

Robyn from Daisy Quilts is putting on a challenge to make, Otto the Owl. Click here for the Link. For the challenge, Robyn asked us to use her pattern for inspiration. Then, make our own version of Otto. Here is my owl made from felt, cotton fabric, rick rack and a couple of beads. I'm going to make mine into a brooch to wear. It's fun to make a small projects, and I think I might make another. :)

Thank You Terri for the Knitted Stocking Ornament

Thank you, Terri!! I love the knitted stocking ornament! Terri, from Wisconsin, was my swap partner for the Handmade Ornament Swap, hosted by Daisy Quilts.

I appreciate all those little stitches it took you to make the stocking, especially since I can't knit more than a simple scarf.


Terri, thank you also for the card, very cute mouse candy cane holder and the adorable Christmas fabric. I like the little kitten in the fabric. It makes me think of you and your two cats. Thanks Again, Terri!!!!

I Got A Secret

Today I got an email from my cousin, Mark Gocke, and I just had to share his photography. This photo was taken in Nebraska by Mark over Thanksgiving. I love it!! I don't know where he took the photo, but it could be any country road where I grew up near York, Nebraska. When I saw this photo it brought me back to my childhood and riding down the road on my bike. This is what Nebraska looks like this time of year. The leaves are all gone and the weather is turning cold.

Mark lives in Wyoming and the next photos are stunning. Mark sends me emails with his photos and I always love to see what it looks like in Wyoming. Mark works in a park and sees beautiful scenery and wildlife. Enjoy!!






I love this photo. It's like the bear is playing hide and seek. Thanks, Mark, for the images you capture.

Safari Quilt and Ornament Swap

I've been working on a Safari inspired quilt the last couple of days. I purchased a panel with Safari animals on it a long time ago. I didn't have anything in mind when I bought the panel, but I liked it. Then, at state quilt convention I purchased some fabric from Africa at one of the booths and have incorporated some of the fabrics. It's been fun pulling fabrics out of my stash and working them in. I'm trying to think about what my next border is going to be, but I haven't figured that out yet. I'm thinking of something not so perfect because I like a little disorganization.


This is my ornament I made for my partner for the Handmade Christmas Ornament Swap by Daisy Quilts. My partner is Terri and she emailed me that she received the ornament, so I thought I would post a photo. My ornament was made from a pattern by Hatched and Patched called, Christmas Bon Bon