Another Fun Friday…

Elaine (no-blog) and I took a trip to Tammy Tadds Designs Shop. We are lucky we live about 30 minutes away. I held back today, all the Christmas Fabric was 30% off so, of course, I got more! Who knows I might need a blue cottage in my town. I am also collecting pink fabrics for my pink town. The tiny ones are called Taddies, and are 11 inches squares, a perfect size for doors, windows, etc. I then pick up a Yo-Yo maker, I want to make a ton of Christmas ones for out tree (next year). Of course, it was fun, she has a wonderful store. We stopped for lunch did a little shopping and headed home.


When I got home, I picked up the mail and guess what? You are right, a new neighbor from a sweet girl Pratima. Look at the Christmas carolers in the window. Thank you, I just love it!!!

Have a nice weekend!

Cookie advice….. In addition, a giveaway!

CLOSED

Everyone loves homemade Christmas cookies, our family does as well. They all have their favorites and I try hard to have them each year. Here is the problem; I tend to try to make them all the weekend before Christmas so they will be nice and fresh. The problem, what was once fun has now become a chore. I noticed on some of your blogs that you were starting your cookies now. I really would love to make a cookie a day and not be so overwhelmed. What is your trick to keeping them fresh? I do not get the whole "if it is soft put it in here, if it is hard add bread" thing!! Can’t I just put them in a zip-lock bag and freeze them? Help! I would be grateful for your advice and since my 100th post is near, if you can help me out with this problem, I will enter you in “ my few days early, 100th post giveaway” giveaway.
Rules---I know :0(
1. Advice
2. Remember I need an email.
3. Only people with advice will be entered.
4. Here is what you can win.
5. 20 of my 1930 fat quarters and the pattern Sunny Days by Darlene Zimmerman.

Winner will be posted December 19th Good Luck!!

A new kid on the block.....

As in a previous post, I cannot seem to get enough Christmas Cottages, by the time I am done it will be King size, note “by the time I am done”.
I was lucky to get a beautiful cottage from Nanette, but really wanted one from Terri, so we did a private swap. Look at this new addition! She knows I love pink and this is awesome, it will look great in the neighborhood.

Now Terri and I are friends, look at how my Cottage came, not in a flat envelope but in a box with all this great stuff.
PINK, PINK, PINK, everywhere. Pink buttons, Pink thread, Pink yo-yos, Pink pins!! Cute socks with Pink presents, Pink fabric (which I will use when I make my completely Pink
cottage quilt) a darling pincushion, with, what else Pink pins. I also will keep all the Pink
ribbon! WOW!!!!

But there was one other special gift in the box, an angel, a soft sweet, perfect little angel, to be with me at all times, in my sewing/office while I work and play. I have decided that the vintage quilt it was made from was my great-grandmother’s. I used to play under her quilting frame. Sadly, there is not one of her quilts to be found, but now she is here to watch over me. Thank you Terri for your friendship and your kindness, it means so much.

Really this time I mean it.....

Well at least for a while! Here is my latest batch of Japanese fabrics. I just love them so much and I now have quite a few. I have no idea what to do with them, but we buy fabric because we want to , not need to, right?

Look at that sweet face.......

This will be great for my pink cottage quilt!!!!

Just because!

EDIT, I get most of my fabric from the etsy shop Sweet Flavor

Oh look!!!

Everyone knows what great kits and patterns Nanette from Freda's Hive has in her etsy shop, so I got a purse kit and thought I would give it a try. Later in the week I saw her American flag pattern, OK, I know everyone knows I love pink but I also am an Americana freak (nerd); don’t you just love Benjamin Franklin?! Anyway, I got her flag pattern because it is a great take along project, my YD still plays sports and there is down time between games ; she runs off with her friends, and I sit, stitch, and chat with the ladies. This is the perfect pattern. Now, I will say that Nanette has become a very special friend, so look at what else I got from her besides the pattern. Not one, but two of her handmade ornaments, look at the detail! They will be on the tree this and every year after. She also sent one of her beautiful linens, I will NEVER use this, it is too beautiful, but I will proudly display it in my home for all to see. Thank you dear friend.

PS Now I get to start to save red and blue scrapes!!! More fabric!

A Surprise........

I got a wonderful surprise in the mail from Stephanie at Loft creations (she is having a giveaway for 4 lucky people). She makes these wonderful pillowcases and sent me one. Not just any case but in my favorite color Hot Pink . Thank you so very much, I love it and I am going to use it in my office for when I sit in my chair and quilt and watch TV. Thank you again for this very thoughtful gift. Check out Stephanie's etsy shop and see them for yourself.

This little froggy is saying "Oow I love it here" thanks for sending me Stephanie.

Thank you,

Grab a cup of something warm and curl up for our weekend of fun……..

Thanksgiving started out bright and early. We headed to downtown Chicago for the Thanksgiving Parade. Our MD lives only a few blocks away, so we walked. Nice day, sun our, not to cold, no snow, all in all ,for November quilt nice.
This picture downtown is of the “Pants”. I know random art, Pants.




The parade was jammed packed but a lot of fun. We did take a few pictures. (One)

Arthur!! I love Arthur!




After the parade, we walked a few more block to the Christ-Kringle Market, which is held in Daley plaza. You would thing we would not eat, being that is was Thanksgiving, but that did not stop anyone!! They have the best Hot Coco, potato pancakes, bratwurst, and many other Germany delicacies. It was decorated so pretty. Here are a few pictures of the splendor were got to enjoy.





A Bull Dog



Now this is a picture that did cause us some speculation, why were there men cleaning windows on a high rise building on thanksgiving? Kinda gives you the creeps!!




Now it was time to head back to MD apartment for Thanksgiving dinner. Mom,” Let’s take a cab”. MD” let’s walk, it is nice out”. Mom” ok, it is nice out”. Mom and YD “are we almost there” every 2 minutes. Next year CAB!!!


Our MD and her fiancé made their first turkey dinner, it was outstanding, I had two helpings, and I usually do not eat!



My YD collects matryoshka-nesting dolls and this is the one she got this year, I love the blue!




After dinner, off to OD home for dessert, homemade pies she and YD made on Wednesday. Raspberry, Apple/Cranberries, Pumpkin, and YD cookies. Yes, we still all had room for dessert. After that off to our annual Thanksgiving movie and then home, to the best night sleep ever!!


Friday-Black Friday. We go every year but we do not get up at 4AM, we all met at 9:30 (so I was a little late) at OD home and set out to Woodfield, (which is a huge mall in our neck of the woods) found a great spot to park and off we went. We found several deals and left 4 hours later with more bags than the four of us could carry without whining (I was whining) Another great sleep.


Happy Saturday, where we put up lights outside, laid around, I worked and sent out several orders, the only sewing I got done was two potholders. (not really finished)


Sunday, oh my Heavens, I slept until 11:30 and only because the phone woke me up!! We headed to the Radio City Christmas Music show, how much fun was that!! The Rockettes are everything they say they are. The lights, the music, the costumes, the seats (great job DH). They did not allow cameras, but it was just wonderful. They ended the show with something I had always wanted to see, A Live Nativity, it was mesmerizing. What a wonderful way to end out thanksgiving weekend. Oh, yes it started to snow. Ba Humbug!!!
I really need to sew and work the next few days and catch up from all the fun we had this weekend. What did you do?