Where Are You, Teresa?

Where am I? Not sure. LOL Just have been busy, not in the blogging mood, spending time doing other things than blogging. You name it. I'm sorry I have let my followers down. Please forgive me.

I believe a big part of my not blogging for awhile is that I got tired of trying to figure out why I was no longer getting notifications of any comments and not being able to fix the problem.  I love hearing from my followers who would comment, but unless I checked back daily, I would not know that you  commented. I do not know how to fix the problem, but it wasn't always that way. If anyone can help me figure out how to fix the no notifications problem, I would greatly appreciate it. Just email me the answers, or possible solutions. If I don't get it figured out, I may wind up starting another blog and transfer my pictures, etc. to that one, and just start over. If I do that, I will notify you all where to find me next where you can move over there, hopefully.

I have been doing a lot of sewing, but I've only made/finished one quilt. I have made several handbags, diaper bags, some rag quilts as gifts, etc. I made a few ornaments yesterday, but stopped for the afternoon since I slept only a few hours the night before. I have plans to make my dog and our grand-dog a rag quilt for Christmas. My grand-dog loves to lie on her mama's quilt I made her, so I think she needs her own. LOL I have other holiday creating plans, but not sure how much I will get done. My embroidery supplies (stabilizer) has been used up, so I'm having to wait on that to appear before I can get back to embroidering. Also, we took my machine in on Friday to have the bobbin winder fixed, hopefully he can just reset the sensor, and to have it cleaned. Hoping it doesn't take long.

Are you ready for Christmas? I'm not sure that I am even in the spirit for Christmas, yet. I know it will improve while with our DGS. He is such a blessing. Just wish we could see him more often. We had a wonderfully blessed Thanksgiving! I pray you did, also. We had our children here and it was such a fun time!

This is all for now. Not sure why I even started this post since it has been so long in coming, and it being Sunday morning, and I need to get ready for church, but it just felt right. Have a blessed day!

Keep Sewing!
Terea

Happy New Year! What's Happening?

Happy January! How is everyone doing? I pray you had a blessed Christmas and New Year with family and/or friends. We had an awesome Christmas holiday. The only thing that would make it better is if our DS and DIL would have been with us. We were able to spend Christmas with our grandson and his parents our DD and SIL That makes it all alright when we are with him.

We almost didn't get to go due to some sudden, unexpected health issues with my husband. Thank God, he improved enough that the doctor allowed him to travel. He and I both have been sick off and on for several months, but this situation was definitely something we were not expecting. Thankfully, he continues to improve. I on the other hand either have a sinus infection or allergies flared up that won't go away. LOL I have another tooth, on the opposite side from the one pulled in early June, that will be pulled today by the oral surgeon. My dentist had surgery on his shoulder and hand, so he isn't pulling teeth for awhile. I'm not looking forward to this, but I want it gone where hopefully, I can eat more normally again.

Well, have you been creating lately? What have you been working on? For several months, I was working on Christmas gifts, and being sick off and on, I did not feel up to blogging. I will share with you now what I made. I didn't have a lot to talk about, so I let you all down. :(

                                                               

As you can see this is picture loaded. I made myself the purse at the top. The pattern is Phoebe, and it is a free bag pattern. Just Google "Phoebe" and you should find it easily. I made a microwave bowl for each of our children and one for the grandson. I made wallets for the girls, mug rugs for everyone. Except hubby wanted a coaster sized one. I made him one out of the Navy fabric since he was in the U.S. Navy. Not sure why I didn't get pictures of all of the kitchen towels I embroidered, but I made a set of towels for each family. They were embroidered or had fabric for Alabama or Auburn on them. They all love red, so that is what I went with. I made a messenger bag for my daughter. That is the last photo. I know, it isn't a great one. I will share more in a later post. I also made her a matching wallet. Here are the straps. She loved it! I plan to make myself one for my laptop. Yep, it is that big. I found the pattern for this on Pinterest and it is also a free pattern. The wallet pattern is called Fiona by Clobird Designs. I purchased this on Craftsy. She has a new bag pattern that was released yesterday. It is called Fallon. I really want that one. 

I have discovered some awesome purse patterns. Not free, but very reasonable priced. One thing I like about them is that one can make and sell these bags without worrying about getting in trouble. :D They are called Swoon Patterns. They have a website, or you can get them on Craftsy. I would love to get the subscription for them which is very reasonably priced, but I just don't have the money at this time. I plan to purchase one of the patterns this week, though. 

The lady for whom I was making the disappearing nine patch quilt (you can see it here), passed away the end of October. I had the top and the back finished, but had not gotten it pinned and quilted. It was sudden, and I was just devastated. I told her children that I would finish it and give it to them. I plan to get it pinned soon. I need to take my machine in and have her cleaned and serviced, so I may not get it finished before then. 

Well, I guess this post is long enough for today. I hope to be back on a fairly regular basis soon. I plan to add some of my Bible devotions, continue with the Family Christian reviews, and just share my heart. Please forgive me for being so lax in my posting. May God bless you all!

Teresa

Sixteen Days and Counting

Dear followers,

I want to tell you that Christmas is getting here too fast!!! At least it is for me. LOL I guess you know that, though, don't you? Oh well, maybe there is someone out there who doesn't realize how close Dec. 25, 2013 is. I am not finished or really even close to finished with my gifts for our children for Christmas. I had also planned to give a few homemade items to my extended family, too, but that won't be happening this time. :( 

As you know, I was without my good sewing machine for two months. Then I was so blessed by the Janome company and sent a brand new machine. I almost have my grandson's quilt quilted, and praying I can do that today, then make and add the binding. I still have the pinning and quilting to do on a queen sized quilt and making, pinning and quilting of a king sized quilt. I doubt I will get them done by Christmas. One reason, I only have my domestic sewing machine to quilt on. The other reason, is I don't do a very good job quilting. I am trying to learn to do some free motion quilting and I'm getting some practice on my grandson's quilt. I am not happy with what I've done, but hopefully he won't look at it too closely. He is seven years old. I'm hoping he will be so excited for what I made it of and that it is for his bed, then how Mimi's quilting looks. Then there is a Carpenter's Star by Debbie Maddy that will be pinned with help from my awesome Bama Belles quilting group after our Christmas luncheon. I'm still trying to decide the best way to quilt it. Then, I'm making a Night and Day quilt by Eleanor Burns and will need to pin and quilt it. That one scares me the most. 

I do want to tell you that I'm loving my new machine! I does a beautiful job and runs so quietly! I am so excited that God blessed me so much through Janome. Yes, I believe God blessed me. He knew that I would not be able to afford another machine like that. He knew that I had purchased it using money from my Daddy and Step-Mom's house sale. They passed in 2008 and 2010 respectively. So, it means a lot to me just because of that. This machine has 250 stitches, an 11" harp area, thread cutter, up and down button for the needle, a knee lift for the presser foot, and the Accufeed walking foot system. It is soooo different than my Walmart Brother which is a good machine, too. It only has a 5" harp, so it makes if very difficult to quilt on it.

I am excited about a new adventure that I will do my best to undertake in the new year. A fellow blogger friend Caroline Heinrichs from British Columbia and can be found at http://goodearthquilting.blogspot.com/ is having a crazy quilt quilt along starting in January. I want to learn more about crazy quilting even though I have made two pillows using the crazy quilt method. So, I told her I would give it a try and participate. Keep your fingers crossed that I learn what I can and that I can keep up with her. Check out her blog.
She is also on Google+. 

I didn't share any pictures last time of my machine. Isn't she beautiful? The extension table doesn't come with her. It was from my Horizon, and I was told I could keep it. 

I pray you have a blessed day. Keep me in your prayers that I can get as much finished as I possibly can. Hugs to you all!!!

Teresa

Christmas is on My Mind

Yes, you read correctly. I have Christmas on my mind. Christmas presents, that is. I have been planning and searching and planning for just the right fabric and pattern to make our children and their spouses a quilt. Yep, they know that is what they are getting, because I needed their input on fabric choices and what they desired. I chose the pattern for our son and DIL's quilt. They chose the colors. He has the most beautiful blue dress shirt that we have all loved seeing him in. You see, he has beautiful blue eyes. And this shirt makes his blue eyes pop! He has always loved blue, so I am not surprised about the color choice. I will be making the Day and Night Quilt by Eleanor Burns that you can see here: http://www.quiltinaday.com/shoponline/books_display.asp?i=20490

The colors will be Kona Cotton's Surf blue, Kona cotton black and Kona cotton white. I know it will be a beautiful quilt when it is finished. I am nervous about making it, but I don't think it will be too hard once I get the fabric cut into the strips I need.

For our daughter and SIL, I will be making a Carpenter's Star quilt designed by Debby Maddy
seen here http://www.keepsakequilting.com/productdetail/6391.htm?scode=KDGSHP&utm_source=Googlebase&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=Feeds&zmam=91142768&zmas=1&zmac=7&zmap=6391&gclid=CNCzkLq_z7cCFSU6QgodZngA8Q



I found my fabric at Joann's in Hoover on Monday. It is beautiful! I have two batiks that will be my blues. I bought Kona Cotton chocolate brown solid for the dark brown color, and I bought a pretty lighter brown fabric with vines on it for the light brown. I just have to get the background color which may be Kona Cotton  Ivory or Snow. Whichever goes best with the fabric I have. I can get that at Hobby Lobby. I would show you the fabrics, but I sort of want them to be a surprise for my daughter. LOL She has seen pics from my phone of the blues, but not the others.

I want to make our grandson a jungle quilt focusing on the big cats. I have a panel for the center but I need to add to it with just the right big cat blocks. Still looking for those. So, as you can tell, I have had a busy brain and online looking, but haven't done a lot of sewing.

 I did work on these blocks Tuesday and plan to do more on them today.

I have fourteen blocks done so far. I need maybe 21 more. That shouldn't take too long once I get in there and get started. 

Well, this is what I've been up to lately. Hope all is well with you and yours. Bless someone with your creative juices today. 

Hugs,

Teresa

Merry Christmas Eve!!!

Have you been good all year? Tonight is the night Santa visits your house! Yes, I know Jesus is the reason for the season, but Santa also is a special icon for Christmas. Love the spirit of Christmas and how we do the best we can to show love to one another. Remember the less fortunate!

Can't wait to see what Santa is bringing our grandson!!!

May God Bless each and everyone of you!

Teresa

What Does Christmas Mean to You?

As we approach Christmas, I was sitting here wondering what Christmas means to me. I thought I would ask you this question to.

Christmas is:
1. The birth of my Lord and Savior
2. family- husband, children, children's spouses, and especially my grandson. I also include my siblings and extended family.
3. Friends- I have made many new friends in the past couple of years since I started quilting. Friends on Facebook are included here. I have met a few of them in person, but have become as close as I can to others online.
4. Kindness- some people are more kind and loving during this time of the year than any other time. That is sad, but it is true.
5. Love- for all
6. Food- my hubby's wonderful ham he cooks each year; carrot cake with pineapple, nuts, and raisins added in that our daughter wonderfully makes; pickle/olive plate; pecan pies. Those are our mainstays on Christmas Eve.


These are a few that came to mind as I contemplated what Christmas means. Until this year, Christmas also meant stress about getting the family gifts. What to get, money to get them something, how much to get, making sure we spent about the same amount on each child, etc. But this year, we got the k ids the same thing for the couples together. We were able to get our grandson something he really wants, too. We haven't gotten each other something, but you know what? It is okay. We both need a pair of shoes, so we will probably get those for ourselves. Our money is tighter this year than it ever has been, but God has blessed us so much in the past year that the "not much money" is okay with me. I am learning a lot about myself and our lives together during these times. We lean on the Lord and each other.We are blessed to be celebrating our 36th Christmas together.

Now, it is your turn. Tell me what Christmas means to you. Is it giving and getting presents? Is it celebrating the birth of Jesus?  What does it mean to YOU?