A wonderful welcome

Besides coming into such a warm and lovely home for the winter, (thanks Jan & Larry!!), we also get to look at beautiful foliage each day!

Beautiful roses in bloom!  Kalee and I love sitting out front waiting for Bob to come home from golf...especially for Kalee, since she gets to go on her golf cart ride!

I love this bottle brush tree in the front yard!







And check out the Hibiscus!  We tried to make sure to cover it last winter when the temps dropped...each winter, Bob and I are afraid we'll let the plant die if it gets too cold...the temperature does drop in the late evening/early a.m. but moves up quickly during mid morning....

The flowers and limbs are hanging over onto the driveway!!!

Lovely isn't it!  It is overcast today but we had sun earlier on our a.m. dog walk.  It's 61 one out now (@ 1:46) but perfect weather for Kalee and I!  Bob will come home from golf being cold until he gets his hot bath at night!  He's an '80' degree weather guy!  Me, not so much!

We are going out for dinner tonight , New Years Eve, with 10 others...we usually don't go out on New Years but it will be nice to see everyone!  Tomorrow is another get together with everyone at LaPlantes!  They welcome all of us into their home each year...they are the best!

So Happy New Years each and all...let's hope 2014 will be the best every for us all!

we're here!

We made it safe & sound...it was a strange trip....sun so strong on Friday that you could hardly see!   I know...we shouldn't complain so we didn't....then weird drivers, lots of rain in Macon, which makes it fun to walk  dog in!  Today an accident held us up for about 45 min.  Still more traffic than we have ever run into...then 1 mile from our exit (2 miles from the community!) There was another accident!  Fortunately, we were in the far right lane...but then our gas alarm went off...we usually make it to the exit & Bob fills up before we head to the house…we did make it...
Arrived at the house& it looked so wonderful!  A huge thanks to Jan & Larry...they always make us feel like we are at home!!!
So we unload all but my art supplies from the back seat, then I take off to the grocery store (which is right across the highway, my wonderful Publix) while Bob puts together Gracie's cage.
I come home, unload groceries, get Grace & put in her in the cage, feed her then start to put away other "stuff" we unloaded...so far so good...now to make dinner...I thought it would be fun to make homemade pizza.  Got the dough ready (pizza dough by Publix), cut up onion, green pepper, mushrooms...went to put the pizza sauce out & can't find it....hmmmmmmm.  After much discussion with Bob, which I won't go into, I went back to the grocery store.  No, they didn't have it...hmmmmmm, so I bought another container...back to the house & had Bob make his own and I started to make mine...but wait, where are my olives!  I know I bought those too....hmmmmmmm.  Oh well....I did look at my receipt & did pay for both items,so I didn' t dream I bought them!
So now I was getting our salad out and started to set the table...as I was moving around a chair in the kitchen what did I find but a bag that fell onto the seat!!!  And two guesses what was in the bag!  Plus, my two cans of tuna fish & Panko crumbs....wonder how long it would have taken me to realize they were missing too! Pizza was good, I dried dishes, put away my clothes, made the bed.
Needless to say...I just took a shower, washed and dried my hair & now I am resting!   I think I've had enough for today!
Just for my record...raining when we got here, stopped when I went to the store….temp is 71 @ 9:40 p.m.  goodnight

Christmas 2013

We had a wonderful Christmas with all the kids and grand kids...but missing Ron, MJ, Ian and Kayla...but they were in our thoughts!  Just wanted to share more pictures from our ice storm...this is the beauty of winter and Michigan!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and the best to each of you in 2014!

Winter Beauty

Beautiful to look at but....

We had an ice storm last night...in addition to Kalee, not feeling well (that's another post!), trees were cracking and branches breaking throughout the night.  I was awake until after 4:30 a.m.  Needless to say I didn't get up until almost 9!  But I had to go out and take some pics this a.m....

 Bob and I both love this tree.  It's a Lancelot Crab and always has some type of berry on it throughout the year.  You'll always see birds in this tree and the different colors of the berries certainly add to its beauty.   

Berries are loaded even in winter...just hope no branches break!

Pictures don't show the beauty of this storm...there's a positive in everything, right!  

And of course I can't turn my image!  What's up with that...I took the pic portrait style but did edit and turn it...for some reason, I won't upload the way I edit it...hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm  

Today is cleaning and laundry day...tomorrow dog groomer, final grocery shopping, library then start some cooking.  I didn't get to have lunch with Dawn and Kris on Friday so I'm looking forward to seeing all the kids on Christmas Eve!!!  

10:00 a.m. update:  Just talked to Amber...she spent the night at Auntie's andt their electricity went out at midnight and still not on!  Yikes!  Guess we are quite lucky so far!!  

Artist, Louise Saxton

I happened upon Louise Saxton's artwork from a FaceBook post.  Her work is amazing!!!!  Talk about repurposing or reconstructing from textiles...Louise's artwork is impressive to say the least!

Grab a cup of coffee or glass of wine and enjoy some beautiful artwork (click on link above)!  Louise also has a blog and I'm now a follower for sure.  You can go to her blog here.  Enjoy!

Done but not!

I know the post title doesn't make sense but this blog is for me, right...so I know what it means...first, I want to say thank you to my blog buddy, Sherry, over at Creatology for my potpourri/sachet she made for me!  I know that I took a picture of it but dang if I can find it on my camera or on my laptop!  I'm having a heack of a time with pics lately!
Well, take another picture you say but...I packed it away to take with me to Florida!!   I thought it would smell so good and I don't know what box or bag I stashed it in!  So...you'll just have to go to Sherry's blog and check out this post!  You'll get the idea on what a lovely gift she sent me!   It does smell so good!!!  Sherry is a sweet, giving lady and you'll enjoy her blog.  She is so creative....thank you again, my friend!!

So...in between lots of lunch's out (one more tomorrow with my daughter and DIL!), I've been doing some more arm knitting!  I've only made three infinity scarves and may not make any more this winter.  My daughter has made over 11!!!  She is an over achiever!
I've made two for myself and one for a gift.  This is one I made this afternoon and I wore it tonight for dinner out.

 Speaking of eating...I think I've gained 5 lbs from eating out and it's not even after Christmas, which is when folks usually gain the weight!  Geezzzz  But starting Saturday, I'll be busy, busy....getting last minute grocery shopping, groomers for Kalee, library, cleaning out the car so I can get the back seat/floor packed up with my sewing/art supplies.  I'll do that Sunday or Monday....Tuesday, kids come up for Christmas Eve dinner and celebration and Christmas Day we have Bob's daughter and hubby for our holiday time together.
Next Thursday, I'll do laundry and we'll pack our clothes.  We never do that until the day before we leave.  We know what we're taking so no point in packing way ahead of time.  We usually have the car all packed up by 3 or 4 in the afternoon then sit and wait for morning to com!
Next Friday we head south....hope the snow holds off for the kids and for us!  We've been fortunate as only one year did we have some not so nice weather driving down the x-way.  Keeping our fingers crossed!

Count down is on!

Yep..countdown for both Christmas and heading south is on.  And with being so far ahead and relaxed! this year, I've been playing!

 I finished all the applique on my Tiffany piece...so now it's time for hand stitching in addition to free motion quilting.  I might get time to sandwich and outline quilt so the piece is stabilized before we head south...

But the fun, fun thing I did is this!

I know it doesn't look like much but....my daughter called me yesterday and asked if I've ever done any 'arm knitting'...what the heck is arm knitting!!  I never heard of it....Dawn informed me she had made 3 scarves in a little over an hour!   She then sent me to YouTube where there are several videos showing how to arm knit.  Basically, you're not using needles but your hands and arms to knit with!  Check out this pic below!   You can check out this site too for instructions.  The young lady is quite clever!

I didn't have any chunky yarn so I just used some fiber yarn I had on hand!  It really looks better on than in the picture...but if you knit and have arthritis in your hands, this is the best alternative!  It's so much fun to do...BUT....make sure you have 30-60 min. of uninterrupted time!  It's hard to walk around the house with yarn on both arms!!

Now what!

I can't believe I'm so far ahead of my normal Christmas rush!  The tree is up, the presents all wrapped and under the tree, other presents are all ready in the hands of the kids in Indiana...sewing and art supplies are all packed and I even sorted through my clothes and put ones I know for sure I'm taking south on one side of the closet... so now what do I do!

Guess I'll finish up a beaded bracelet or work on my applique piece...so nice not to be rushed this year!!!

Reverse applique

Still working away on my Tiffany piece....OK,  I'm having a heck of a time with blogger lately...if I have a pic I've 'turned' in edit program, it still won't load properly...hmmmmmmm

I've reloaded, saved, yada, yada and still can't get it to load properly...so I'm off for a glass of wine!  Frustrated to say the least!!!  UGH

It's a gift week and not even Christmas yet!

Not even Christmas and look what I've received already!  

So first up is from my neighbor, Lori!  Isn't this ornament sweet!  She's given us Bichon ornaments in the past and this one is so sweet!!

Then my DIL's mom, Nancy, sent these along to me!

 Do ya think I like Bichon's...Do ya think my family and friends know I like Bichon's!

 This is a wallet!!  I think they look more like Mandy than Kalee...

How nice of folks!!!  I have been rather busy this past week...I think I was gone every day!  This week I'm only gone Monday thru Wednesday!  Woo Hoo!!  I am doing hand work on my peacock for my 2nd Tiffany piece.  I'll post pictures later this week.  Our fiber meeting is tomorrow so we'll have show & tell then we're going out for our Christmas lunch.  Should be a good start to a good week!!
20 more days then we're headed south...I'm not stressing over packing up...guess I'm getting used to it and this year I'm not taking near as much as usual.  I'll be making our grandson, who graduates from high school in May, his T-shirt quilt while in Florida...I'll still work on other projects but this quilt will take up most of my time.  I've got all the T-shirts cut up but won't back them with stabilizer until Florida.  Easier to squish them in my packing!

My 2nd QAYG!

I finished this square (24" x 24") on Sunday (Lions didn't play so I had free time in sewing room!)...it's my 2nd QAYG piece.  Am I have having too much fun or what!

This was what I started with





And....

This is my finished square.  I'm thinking I just might use this for my Ugo background....but then I'd like to do some hand stitching on it.....decisions...decisions...with only 3 weeks or so before we head south, I might just hold off doing anything (other than stitch in the ditch to hold in place) until we get to Florida.

This week I've been gone and will be gone every day!  Geezzzz  It feels like I have a job...I hate leaving my house!  So, I'm looking forward to the weekend, so I can stay in!

QAYG Finally Hung!

Yep...I finally got to hanging up my QAYG wall hanging this past Friday!  Funny, it hangs beside Bob's chair but he never noticed!  HA...go figure!

Kalee likes dad's chair and she likes the wall hanging!

Detail shows up well with the day light!

So on to another new project....I want to work on Ugo but think I might start another hand project....sounds good to me!

We did have a very nice visit with the kids from Indiana this past Saturday.  Ron, MaryJo and Ian drove over for breakfast before they  headed over to see MJ's mom and dad in Holland, Michigan.  It's always so nice to see the kids and spend time with them.  Ian is SO tall and no, I didn't get any pictures!  Dang!  I can stand under his armpit! That's how tall he is!  And what a nice young man he is!!  That's a compliment to Ron and MJ...they are great parents and have kept the kids grounded and provided them a wonderful life foundation!