Live Well & Be Happy. My Wish for You.

That's all we can do, isn't it? These words resonate with me. So much that I have stitched them twice. I may stitch them again.

Will make a nice pillow. Silent auction at our quilt show in October maybe? I need to cut some more wool and have some satisfying handwork at night. Love stitching it.

Busy time of year. I have conscientiously made them less hectic. I don't like that it all gets soaked up with have-to-be-here and have-to-be-there's....making sure I have the obligatory gift in exchange for their obligatory gift.  I am sure the bleak state of the economy and daily reminders that all is not well in the entire world (and this is on my limited news updates, since I don't read the paper, nor watch news with any regularity), has everything to do with my realistic attitude. I truly don't want any gifts, unless it is something made for me, with what you have on hand. Make me a CD of music you know I like...an ornament that says me to you...a little treasure you may come across in your junk drawer, that you know I would see the beauty in. Play a game of Scrabble with me. Leave me alone to create! I will enjoy my holidays with this in mind. Therefore, I will enjoy the special-ness of the holidays. You say Scrooge, I stay sane!

Last week's guild meeting was so inspired. Not only was it our annual Holiday Party, with many yummy dishes and goodies, but was the Bag Challenge reveal and Secret Sister Santa Stocking exchange. I was absolutely thrilled with the solutions to the challenge Elaine and I gave these brave participants! See this post on our guild blog (scroll down a bit to get to the bag challenge!) I was just so excited by this reveal that I didn't get pics of the wonderful stockings 20 women exchanged! Believe me, they were wonderful. I wasn't sure if the stocking thing was a good call when I decided to do it, but my friend Melanie told me to go with it and if it didn't work out, change it next year! It did work out!

I love this winged mannequin with tulle skirt and ribbon accents. Jen made it for me. She is a very talented paper artist. Melissa and I have taken some classes from her, the latest one we made 15 Christmas cards and 3 ornaments. I love her style and am so happy that she is really getting her own thing going teaching more. She knows I like winged things!

I have all 16 of my F8 blocks back now. Everyone did such a great job on them. Thank you! Now to decide how it will all go together.

After Jenn, Michael's GF, and I made a run to Joann Fabrics and Michaels yesterday, we both worked on a project at the kitchen table. This is what she made! A 94 cent composition notebook was transformed with scrapbook paper, lace and old Scrabble tiles into a mother/daughter journal. She even made a bookmark we completed with silk ribbons and tucked it inside a pocket in front cover. Nice gift option.

I posted a pic of this postcard for Cloth Paper Scissors, a few weeks ago. I knew it needed some tweaking. I  added the silver letters and used some Tim Holtz black soot distressing ink on the game card to take up some of the white space. I need to mail it now. This is for a call they have right now.

My daughter Melissa turns 29 Tuesday. 29. years. old. I remember when my sister and i found out my mother was 29 by overhearing our grandmother expressing shock at a 29 year old nun playing football at recess. My mother's twin, Kathy, was the nun. Noni and I commiserated and announced we knew how old our mother was! Sneaky little children!

At 29 I had been working for 11 years and had 2 kids and a first house. 

Happy birthday Melissa!

Clifford, Melissa's cat, has come back home. Home is here. He was running away. I am sure JJ, the little dog, had everything to do with that. I am happy to have him though. There was a short adjustment  period for Chester and Fiona, but all seems to have settled already.What's a little more food and a bit more poop to scoop?!

I have learned:

1. I don't like working in the setting triangles for a quilt top set on point. Thearica's Ronald McDonald raffle quilt in the works! Ugh. Not having fun.
2. RoCo showing members only exhibit. Really cool stuff. Worth the time. 
3. Extreme Materials 2 at MAG in Rochester. I liked quite a few pieces, but some left even me thinking "what were they thinking?" Menstrual blood belongs....well, not on a canvas. 
4. I love the singer's voice in this commercial for j'ador by Dior. "Heavy Cross" by Gossip.
5. Watching "An American in Paris" with Gene Kelly. So far, so good!
6. My SSSS stocking gift package mailed to ------------- in --------. I have received mine and we will all open them together on the 23rd!