Jersey Quilt and Book Pages...

I FINALLY finished Michael's Jersey Quilt! Football jersey's from the time he was 7 to high school. Barb Hazen did the custom quilting, including a few well placed shamrocks~love it. I squared it up this morning , then spent hours binding and sleeving it. Michael has returned to school with a way to hang it in his dorm room and very pleased it is done! I want to show the reverse side....

.....it is a great football jersey print! Elaine (Quiltingnewbie2) found yards of it when she was moving. Nicki mentioned to her the jersey quilt I was making Michael and asked me if I wanted it! It is perfect! Thank you little woman!

I have been steadily stitching on Colleen's Book pages. The base is coffee dyed felted wool. I have had fun just finding things that I love and sewing them down. The thread painted winged heart was my practice piece for the CQ purse I made a few months ago; a slide frame wrapped in cheesecloth with ruched silk velvet is in lower right corner. Vintage lace, a tiny doily, a crown off an old child's shoe from Sally Ann's, beads and an old metal button are all little treasures I came across.

The second page....velvet ribbon, tea stained doily (using rose hips tea which gave all the bits in that batch a rosy tint)  lace, fish beads (I'm a Pisces), rushed chiffon, an old necklace pendant, a keyhole and a celtic knot using tracing paper as a pattern. I consider these pages 90% done...then off to Nicki for her talents!
This Book RR continues to be one of my favorite projects. Good people sharing great work.

Thanksgiving was a wonderful reuniting with aunts, uncles and cousins in Cincinnati, Ohio! I have 9 cousins but really only had contact with 3 of them when I was a kid. (3 were in Los Angeles and 3 were in Chicago and limited contact with them)

Jeff is my age, Tracy is my sister Noni's age and Kelly is almost 7 years younger than me. They didn't live in NY so we would see them intermittently, but it was always a great time~a highlight in childhood memory. As family's go, the matriarch (my grandmother) dies and things get tense between sisters and contact falls away into busy lives. I have missed that familial attachment and am happy to have reconnected with them. Besides my kids it is only my sister and her 2 offspring here in NY.  It was like no time had passed and fun was had by all!

Noni, my sister and me on Thanksgiving Day.....thankful for loving and laughing!

While in Cincinnati, my niece, Darcy posted on my Facebook that we were indeed in Cincinnati! My HGTV  message board friend, Mary Ann (McPatches) saw it and since she lives in Cincinnati inquired if there would be time to get together....Yes! We had coffee early Friday. It was so nice to see her again and chat about life. She has been undergoing chemo treatments and had recently ditched her wig for her new doo! It looked great.

I get to see her again in 5 months at this year's retreat in North Carolina! It is a real bond with my retreat friends. I truly appreciate them all. I know if I were in any city that any of them live I would be welcome. How cool is that?!

Melissa and Cory are in Florida with her future in-laws again, doing the Disney thing. I am Cliffy's caretaker this week.

A busy week awaits. Dinner's with friends, luncheon with quilting friends in Rochester, Zumba, Dr. appointment and work. December always fills up quickly. I look forward to my week off after Christmas. A Lot!

I have learned:

1. I am getting better at the camera pic downloading on Windows Essential Photo Gallery. Less slow going we will say.
2. Pedicure = pretty toes + mini spa experience. Worth more than the $20.00.
3. Operation Write Home. Very cool program for our troops. A little bit of your creative time.
4. Cook This, Not That, the second book after Eat This, Not That, is a cookbook even I am excited about! I hate to cook. The pictures are awesome. I will really make some of these!
5. I did in fact where that Fisher sweatshirt all weekend!