Christmas Tour Part 2 . . . .

Now for a little Christmas tour of the Living Room.

Here's the living room tree. It's a tall one.

I had a hard time getting a good picture of it.

It's mainly decorated in red, silver and gold.

Here's a better view of the top.

Here's the mantle.

I only decorate these window ledges at Christmas.

One of my favorite things in this whole room is Santa's hat on the bannister. He left it last year, but he'll be back so I'm leaving it out for him.

Sometimes the simplest things are the best.

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Tree Update and Mail Call . . . . .

I'm squeezing in a little sewing every chance I get.

I could not be happier with the first 5 rows of "Oh Christmas Tree". Only 68 more to go!

My row/bargello method of piecing this quilt is working out great.

The pattern called for one fabric as the background, I'm going scrappy and am pleased with my decision.

After I got the first 5 rows together, I decided instead of using a solid fabric for the border per the pattern, I would add more 1 1/2 inch squares with a scrappy red zig zag pattern. So now I'm making red and cream strip sets.

This quilt will have almost 5,000 squares. I don't think I've ever made a quilt using such small pieces but I really like it. And it's easy, but don't get easy confused with fast, it's not fast, but I'll take easy.

I've had a couple of amazing mail days. I won these lovely things for posting a comment on Rene's 50th post on her blog Rene Creates.

She sent some Thimbleberries charm packs, some great red fabric and some cards that Rene made herself. I already raided the charm packs of their greens, I was really needing some greens for "Oh Christmas Tree" and these were a perfect match.

Isn't this the coolest card, it matches Rene's blog. Go check out how she got them.

Rene also sent THIS!!

It's the first time I've seen this, how perfect is that, a cupcake calender!

Here it is, all ready for the new year. Thank You so much Rene.

I also got a box of goodies from Allyson at Fat Cat Quilts. Allyson and Nicole are hosting the Red and White Snowball Challenge. I finished my challenge top before Thanksgiving, making me the first one done.

Allyson sent all these goodies for finishing first! I vaguely remember Allyson mentioning prizes as part of the challenge, but I didn't expect to win all this!! The ornament in the upper right says "Alaska". This is the first ornament on my tree from Alaska. I'll think of Allyson every year when I decorate the tree.

I put my "Quilting Queen" sign right here, for everyone to see first thing.

Have you ever seen chocolate letters? I hate to eat it, it's so cute. I guess I could eat the chocolate and save the box! That's as close to getting something with my name on it as I'll get!

Allyson, thank you so much. I feel like a double winner, to have my quilt done and to get all these wonderful things.

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Another Christmas Quilt . . . . . .

Here's another Christmas quilt.

This is the tenth quilt I made.

I must have bought entire bolt of that Santa fabric, have you noticed it keeps showing up? Anyway, I like this side of the quilt......

It's this side that I have a problem with. This is that Turning Twenty pattern by Tricia Cribbs. I'm not sure why I don't like it.

The fabric is cute

And I used a family of fabrics so it all goes together nicely. Maybe it's those big blocks...I just don't know......I do know this is my least favorite of all the quilts I've made.

It looks pretty good folded up here in the sunroom. Who would guess that an ugly quilt hides beneath those folds? This is the room with the red furniture.

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Oh Christmas Tree . . . . . . .

Finally, some sun, I was able to get some pictures yesterday. I could probably have a post with no pictures but I tend to babble, and I think the babble is easier to take when it's broken up with pictures. See right now, I'm babbling and you're thinking "where's the pictures, Thelma get on with it"......

So when I'm not decorating, or shopping, or baking, or doing all the normal things I need to do when it's not Christmas, like walk the dog, I'm sewing! I'm not getting a whole lot done but every little bit helps keep me centered and balanced and happy, most importantly happy!

Now before I go into what I'm working on, let's pause for a little commercial break.......I'm probably giving you all you need to know to make this quilt, you could probably look at the pattern on the designer's website and figure out how to make this quilt, but here is a little reminder.......

'nuff said.....OK, back to normal programming....

So here is what I'm working on now. As I mentioned before, I'm in the mood to work on a Christmas project. I saw this quilt on the Temecula Quilt Company's blog and fell in love!

This pattern is by Ardie Skjod, of Farmhouse Threads. I immediately ordered the pattern, I live in Illinois, the pattern was coming from California, but I was wanting to start on this pattern now. It's Christmas, who wants to make this pattern in say July?

So I took a good look at the pattern picture and thought, oh this is easy, this is a bargello pattern. Is that what you thought too? Just a few strip sets in cream and green and I'm good.

So I started cutting and sewing, confident when the pattern arrived it would tell me how many greens and how many creams to use in each row.

So the pattern arrived, and guess what.....Surprise, Ardie had a whole different way to make this quilt!! She makes this top using 9 patches!! Yes, nothing but 9 patches! That's how they are arranged.

But I had already made beaucoup ( that's French for boo coo ) of these strip sets.

I made all sorts of sizes so I could easily assemble my rows without much repetition in the fabric.

Same with the greens. (See the red squares, I'm adding a few here and there, surprised? I didn't think you would be.)

And in my mind I figured once you pieced the correct number of greens, all you needed to do was add a little half square triangle to each end, then you would have the angle you needed for the branches.

Ardie goes about making those branches a whole different way! I imagine Ardie is real nice person, and you can tell by looking at this pattern a very creative person. But there's no going back for me. I'm sticking with my bargello approach. I had to figure the number of creams and greens in each row myself, but in the end, all that matters , is that I have a Christmas Tree. Stay tuned for further updates!

Can you stand just a couple more decorations......

This is just a little knick knack box that I set out on an end table. I just love the detail of Santa's beard, plus his expression is perfect!

When you remove the lid there's a little surprise, (no not chocolate, does everything have to revolve around chocolate!) a sweet little teddy bear...why I don't know, but he's sweet just the same.

My daughter gave me this pudgy, Victorian coat and hat wearing, skate carrying snowlady. She has sparkles all over her, and when I get her out, I get sparkles all over me, we're a sparkling pair. She's one of my favorites!

Thank You Baby Girl!

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It's Baaaack..........

I got my quasi "Jellystone" quilt back from the quilter, just in time for holiday gift giving!

It's a quasi Jellystone quilt because I started with Miss Rosie's Jellystone pattern, but made a few small changes.

This is quilt # 49, all the details of its assembly are here.

I went with an overall stipple pattern. The backing is beige Moda flannel.

I'm still decorating but I finally have one room done!

The dinning room, Ta Da!!

The wire in this ribbon really helps give the bows a nice shape.

This little present......

Is a place card holder.....and

stores a sweet little surprise.

I received the pattern for the project I started. What a surprise, the designer and I are going about this two totally different ways! The pattern is "Oh Christmas Tree" by Farmhouse Threads. I hope to have better light for pictures so I can blog about it tomorrow.

Stay tuned.........

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