Christmas Dinner

 

We had a very merry Christmas!

 

 

 

We enjoyed Turkey and Dressing, Green beans, Cranberry sauce, (you like the nice carving I did on the Turkey Breast?)

 

 

Sweet Potato Soufflé, Mashed Potatoes, and Gravy,

 

Deviled Eggs, Rolls, Carrots and Celery,

 

Candy Cane Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, M&M Cookies,

 

Buckeyes, Chocolate Pie, Eggnog Pie, Pecan Pies, Pumpkin Pies, and Pretzel Candy.

We also enjoyed a dessert our future son-in-law made (not shown).  It was an Oreo-Peppermint Ice Cream-Hot Fudge dish.  Yum-O!

I think that was it.  Waddle-waddle, me-O-my-O!

We had a great time with our family and watched two movies afterward. 

 

Hubby is taking down our out side lights now, because it's suppose to get cold tomorrow.

I think Christmas is over for this year.

 



More Rag Dolls

I made two more dolls and shipped them to my friend. 

 

I used cotton yarn for the hair this time instead of acrylic, and I think I like cotton better.

Their hair looks thicker, and maybe it is. 



Rag Dolls

 

I made a couple of dollies for our grand daughters.

 

 

These dollies are very huggable.

Our youngest grand daughter, Sophie, was very interested when I was making these back in September for her and her sister, Evelyn's birthdays.  Sophie kept asking who I was making this doll for, and I told her it was for a little girl I knew, not wanting her to know it was for her.  When she opened her present (the doll) she said, "I knew it was for me".  She was so tickled to get it, and I was so tickled to give it to her.  Evelyn loved her doll as well.  I love our grand babies--big ones and little ones.



Hurting

 

I hurt my back on June 11, and I have been struggling in pain since then.  I was listening to the radio today, and I remember singing this song in the choir at our church--It means a lot to me right now. 

 

We Will Remember




I'm trying to make some decisions regarding my back with surgery being one of my options.  Not an easy choice to make, but God is my helper, and I am depending on him.

Doll Clothes Finished

 

 

 

I got some of the doll clothes made.  I think she looks like a cow girl kind of.   Front view......

 

and back.

She still needs some bloomers, and shoes, but I need to make another pattern for a dress for my grand daughter's doll first.



Grand Son's Graduation

 

Last week we made a trip to Iowa.

 

Our daughter Erin went with us and her dog, Mac the co-pilot.

 

 

Cyle graduated from homeschool with 40 other homeschoolers--it was pretty neat--very personal.  We weren't allowed to take pictures during the ceremony, but it was way cool.  Here he is with brother, Cole, and Sister, Brittany.

 

 

That afternoon there was a party for him--this pic was taken after the party died down somewhat, but quite a few came.

 

Our daughter Jen and her hubs have two graduates now.

 

Cole will graduate in a couple of years--here he is in blue playing b-ball with his friends. 

 

Fun trip.  It's always good to see hard work pay off.

 



Doll Tutorial

 

I'm going to try to do a tutorial of sorts on this doll.

 

Here is the pattern.

I cut the pieces out and traced around them on the doll fabric.  That will be the sewing line, be sure to leave 1/2" between pieces.  (You will need to trace one body, two of each leg part and two of each arm part, two feet and two hands, and finally one head back---these will be pinned to another piece of fabric on the back before sewing; after sewing on the line, leaving an opening for turning, cut them out with 1/4" seam allowance.)   You will need only one face, but cut it out with at least 1/4" of seam allowance.

 

On the legs and arms sew from dot to dot following the arrows, and leaving the area for the gussets to be attached unsewn.  Cut them out with 1/4" seam allowance. This pic below shows how the gussets are attached.  Be sure to leave an opening to turn the pieces right side out after sewing, I left a 3/4" opening when attaching the gusset.  Stuff them very well, but only stuff the gusset area lightly.  I used hemostats to stuff them.  Sew the opening closed.  The picture below also shows how to attach the body parts together with buttons and very strong thread.  I used carpet thread, and a doll needle.  Squeeze the buttons together when tying the end of the threads together, you may need help with this.  I tied the square knot between the button and the outer area of the gusset.

 

 

The back of the head pieces are sewn together down the center back, with an opening, then sewn to the face.  Stuff it firmly after turning, then close the opening.  The caved in area on the back of the head is where the head attaches to the neck by stitching them together.

After the body parts were all attached I added the doll hair that I bought at the hobby store.  Next the face--I just used a macron pen to make the eyes and a little blush for the cheeks.  My grand daughter had her sister add the face by painting it on.  I'm anxious to see it.

 



Doll Making

 

 

I've been making a fully jointed doll.  Our grand daughter wanted to make one, so I made up a pattern from a pattern of a doll I had that only had joints at the hips and shoulders.

I couldn't give her the pattern if I didn't know if it would work, so I made one.

This dolly needs some clothes now.  I guess I'll be designing some doll clothes next.  I'm thinking a raglan sleeve blouse, full skirt, slip, vest, cumberbun that laces up the front, and a scarf. 

Maybe decorating them with a few seed beads also.  We'll see.

I added a tutorial here.



Sampler Quilting

 

 

I finished quilting my sampler blocks, got them joined together, and now I'm quilting the sashing between the blocks.  I have 3 done and 37 to go, so that will take a while, but I do want to get it finished.

 

I started this quilt in 1986, and it's been on hold for a long time.  It's all hand pieced and hand quilted.  Believe it or not, I actually have quilts older than that I haven't finished.  One at a time is my new motto.  I still need borders on this, but I'm not sure what kind or if any at this point--we'll see.  It's about 82 inches square now.  I know the names of all the blocks except one.  The first one on the left, on row two from the top is my mystery block.

 

From the top left: Row one: Drunkards path, Storm at sea, Honey bee, and Churn dash.  

Row two: MYSTERY BLOCK, Order number 11, Ohio star, and Star and crescent. 

Row three:  Dresden plate, Turkey tracks, Tulip wheel, and Bear's paw. 

Row four:  Eight point star, Stamp baskets, Grandmother's flower garden, and Double nine patch.



Spring's A Comin'

 

 

It's a beautiful day here suppose to get in the seventies--so nice.  Hubby is trying to make it rain, ha-ha!

We got our pick-up worked on, so yesterday he tried to power wash all the oil spots off of the driveway.  The truck was leaking oil a lot and messed up our driveway, but never fear, hubby will take care of it. He loves to clean.

 

It's so nice to have a break in the winter weather.  We just recently got rid of our last snow.  I love the snow, but I also love warmer weather, and I'm ready for a change.  Spring is almost here..

 



More Teatowels

 

It's been a while since I posted--my life is no longer my own.  Everything is shared when you're retired.  I finished another set of tea towels--now I need to find another hand project.  I sew while hubby reads.

 

My Bible study is going well, and I'm getting the hang of our new retirement.  I'm the nerd of the family, and hubby is the free spirit in our finances, according to Dave Ramsey.  I handle it and he checks in occasionally to see how it's going.



Sister Birthday Luncheon

 

 

We had our Sister Birthday Luncheon yesterday--too much fun.  I think the waiter had a lot of fun trying to be one of the sisters--ha-ha!

I also think he was wondering if we were ever going to leave--we like to visit.

 

Lookie what I got!  Boy am I going to have fun with these.

This is from both of my sisters--I arranged the groups of colors for different projects--my head is swimming with ideas.

 

 

It's starting to snow again--my Bible Studies are canceled today, because our schools are closed.  We are expecting 2-5 inches today.

I love the snow, and about the time I get tired of it, it melts--how great is that.

 



B-day Fun

 

 

The kids pitched a party for me---with lotsa good food.

 

We had Tacos with our choice of meat--regular beef or Beef tongue.  I went with the tongue--interesting and it tasted a little like roast only milder flavored.

The Trifle was really good too.

 

I made some more tea towels.

I finished these today along with 4 loads of laundry and 4 days worth of my Bible Study, as well as cooking--always cooking.

 

We finished the Bible Study in the middle, Amos, before Thanksgiving, and now we are on lesson three of  Hosea (on the left).  In a couple of weeks we will be starting on the one on the right, Micah, Nahum, and Habakkuk.  These are very good.  I get started on a lesson and can't stop until I've done several days lessons.  Love them!!

 



Birthday Tea Towels

 

 

I've been embroidering tea towels.  I had another one done, but forgot to take a pic before I gave it to our middle daughter for her birthday.  It was of a hen and a basket of eggs, if I remember right. These two are the rest of the set I was wanting to get done for her birthday.  It was three days ago, oh well.

 

Now I've finished them, so Celeste, if you see this, they belong to you.

 

We are still waiting for all the details of our retirement to be worked out---Ahhhhh---it goes on and on.  Every once in a while I get a little stressed over it all, and have to turn it all over to God again.  The details that have worked out so far--He's done far better than we expected, so I remind myself of all He's done for us.  Thank you, Lord!



Frigid Weather

 

Frigid Weather here; we're in the deep freeze.   It's up to -5 this morning from -8 earlier this morning with horrible wind chills.  We have a forecast of 2 degrees for the high today.

 

(I know my patio door is smeared--we had some little munchkins over New Years Day to eat.)

 

 

This is yesterday at noon when it was snowing.  All the churches were canceled, so we went to my sister and brother-in-law's house to play cards and eat soup.  I shivered all the way home--the car just wouldn't warm up much.

 

It drifted quite a bit with the winds we were having.

We are suppose to get a new dryer delivered today--the coldest day of the year (at least I hope it is the coldest day).

 

Saturday Night we went to our grand son's B-day party.  I love the bear hugs he gives.  Our daughter made that cute cake.  It had a center layer of brownies. I'm sure it was delicious--I'm on a diet, yuck!



Happy New Year Dinner

 

 

Well, we had another dinner, and this time our middle daughter and her family got to come, as well as our youngest daughter and her boy friend, my sister and hubby along with one of their daughters and kiddos.  Jam-packed around two tables we were.

 

 

Fun times, and I'm tired.  Our daughter Celeste insisted that she take one with me in it--I think I broke the camera--it gave me a blue dot on the side of my head--weird.  Well it matches my shirt--like I said, I'm tired.



I'm ready to get some projects done, and I hope that works out.