Winter Trail Ride

I did not get this posted very quickly, it was taken just the weekend before Christmas. The weather was warm and it was snowing with no wind. The world seemed so claim and quiet with the snow falling. My son is on the left on his horse Honey, then me in the middle and my dad to the right. My husband took the photo so is not in it. I love the snow on our heads. We really did get a bit wet that day. We have had a good amount of snow and lots of drifting. We had to push the horses though some snow that was up to their bellies in places. It was so much fun. The horses enjoyed getting out of the smaller winter corals.
Here is my husband and my son. See how much snow has fallen on us. This is a path though the thicker evergreens. What a beautiful little path.

My husband and I have been out riding a few more times this winter.

Christmas aprons and my quilting friends

This is me modeling an apron I made for the Leduc Quilt Guild gift exchange at Christmas. My friend Jean got my apron and have a great time modeling it. She is a great cook and wears aprons in the kitchen. The pattern was a called a Saturday Night Apron.
This is my friend Liz at our quilting bee group Christmas party, I drew her name this year. She loves to entertain and loves Black and White. She was very pleased to receive this gift. I made two other aprons as gifts this year. One black and white for my sister in law Gaylene and a Blue cupcake one for Joni in the Betty swap 5 baking exchange.
I hold up my gift I got in the bee group exchange. My dear friend Marge drew my name. I guess she was really stuck was to what she was going to make me. She called this her 8 day project because she worked on it for 8 days before. If you have seen my blog much you will know I love my horses. Marge's Kids that are my age also trail ride horses. I love it and was in tears to see what she had made me. Marge used a piece of hand painted sky she made, she called it one of her best pieces. The tree branches are lots of fine thread play.
Here is all of the Bee group together holding our gifts. My mom, Betty is in front on her knee. We have been meeting in each others homes for at least 12 years now. We meet about twice a month on average. The last few winters some of the ladies are traveling to warmer climates so we have been meeting in the summer and sometimes have a month or two in the winter were we do not meet. I am the youngest of the group. These ladies are some of my best friends. I love them all dearly. We have been through a lot together. My babies being born, death, skin cancer and one new marriage and many many other life happenings. We are all masters of the needle and thread.

25 Days of Christmas swap

I was in a swap on Two Peas were we each made a small gift 25 times and exchange with others. We get back 25 different little gifts to open. I was day 12. I made this altered candy tin with the candy cane earrings inside.
I love seeing them all lined up and finished.
Here are some of the supplies I use: Ranger Alcohol Inks, sealer, glue for metal, paper flowers and metal brads.

More Charms

Here is a photo of many different charms I have made in the last month or so. A few of the charm swaps I am in are Valentine's Day themed. The little blue puppies are for a Kawaii themed swap. I am off to work on the next batch of charms.

Started Project 365

I have started Project 365. My plan is to take a photo every day this year and place it in one album. I have the first 9 days done. I like this so far. I am planning to make up a kit for the month with the paper I have on hand. I hope to do a two page layout for each week. I do have some sleeves were you can pop the photo in quick for those crazy weeks. There will be room to journal with those pages too.

I have a calendar to keep track of which photo I took and and to record some details about the day. It is turning out to be just as much about the journaling as the photo.
I have felt I needed to do this project because I am years behind in any kind of scrap booking. I know some days will be about work - customers quilts. I hope not to many. I plan to post some of my pages here when they are done.

Quilt for Christmas

This is the quilt I made for my husband for Christmas. I did not post it till after becasue I did not want to spoil the surprise. I started the patchwork in June 2009. I worked on it mostly when I was away for the house sewing at sew days. I was to go to a retreat in Nov and finish the top but the retreat fell though. My mom and I still got together and sewed at her house one weekend in Nov. I got the top down in time, then on Dec 21st I quilted it and got started on the binding. Mom helped my finish the binding in time to wrap for Christmas.
The surprise was almost spoiled. I took these photos on Dec 21st and that night my husband asked to use the camera. He down loaded the photos and I thought "Oh No, he saw the quilt"

He loves the quilt. He says he did not see it on my camera as there are so many quilt photos he does not know which are mine quilts and which are my customers quilts.
This photo is the quilt on the long arm frame.
Some of the plaid patches on the go.Here is the book I got the pattern from. I do not do many quilts from a pattern but this quilt will not be dragged off to quilt shows and truck shows. I just wanted a quick to do quilt.

Fruit Themed Exchange

I am in a Fruit Themed Exchange. This is just one of the groups I am in. I have made five paint brush rolls. I used a jean pant leg for each roll. I used what hems I could and added the strawberry and a ribbon to tie it closed. Inside is narrow pockets to put your paint brushes or other handle type tools. I hope the ladies like them, as they were more work then I thought they would be.

Block of the month exchange

I have been in a block of the month exchange at the Leduc Quilt Guild this past year. I was a little bit behind and did three in Dec to get caught up. Here are the three. The block name is sister's choice. I have three blocks left and then the exchange will be done. I have not seen my blocks yet.
The exchange rules were to do one of your own blocks (12 1/2" square) and then add some of the fabric you want used into your box. Most of us used a 12 " square pizza box. We could do any pattern we wanted to do. One of the boxes, the quilter has asked us to do basket blocks. Some of us have included a book for each quilter to right in. Some people want their blocks signed.