We have joined another block swap. This one is called Polka Dot Party. Everyone needs to use the black & white and white & black polka dot fabric, but everyone is choosing a tone-on-tone (both light and dark of the same color) in the color of their choice for the rest. So far I've seen them done in red, blue, teal, purple, green, pink, orange. Should be a real fun swap!

Just in time to say HAPPY NEW YEAR!'\

New computer set up so want to see if I can post a picture here.

Looks like I'm in business - this is the towel I did for my daughter for Christmas. I posted the others before, but didn't want her to "accidently" see this one. Everyone loved their designs.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Just stopping by to say MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone. No snow here, but there is still time to get a LITTLE for Christmas - LOL....

Looking back, there was a lot going on this past year. All-in-all, I feel it has been a very productive year and feel like things are headed in the right direction. Lots of quilts done, both for Quilts For Kids, a raffle at the Senior Center, and sold a few. Lots of embroidery done too. Towels and sweatshirts - sold quite a few of these too.

Looking ahead, Betty and I want to move forward with our home-based business of embroidery and quilting. We want to try some new (to us) items. We have lots of new ideas thanks to blogs like Missouri Quilt Co. tutorials and the forums where people show their ideas. I love places that have show and tell threads. People's creativity is amazing.

I also want to re-organize my sewing areas. I know I've said it before and I will say it again!! I did get a good start on sorting my bigger pieces of fabrics. Folded and stacked. Now I need to tackle how to handle smaller pieces. What is the best way to sort them? Size? Color? Should I cut them to uniform sizes? Want a pegboard set up in my sewing area to hang rulers, embroidery hoops, etc. I have a small dresser near my embroidery machine and want to clean out the drawers and use that to store stabilizers, threads, books with printouts of our designs, etc. That will really improve the function of that area. Right now I have a couple of large totes that I have to search thru whenever I need something. So organizing would make things a lot more efficient.

And, of course, the new year would not be complete without the "lose weight" mentality! I do need to lose weight and I know it. Yes, it will be on my list of things to do. There is hope that this will be the year it will really happen for me. I am tired of carrying all this extra baggage. It needs to be a combination of moving my body and watching what I eat. It seems crazy to me to spend all kinds of money joing a gym. I've done it before and it works for a while. Then you get tired of going and gradually stop. Walking is good, and free, but when it gets freezing cold out there, or it rains really heavy, or snows - there is always an excuse to not go. I guess I just have to make up my mind and do SOMETHING!

I hope everyone has a great Holiday and that all your wishes come true.
Talk to you soon,
Jo

A guitar for my oldest Grandson!
I hope everyone likes theirs....

Well, here is Ben's car!

LOL - I'm not sure he will appreciate the humor but we'll see....

Well we have a few flurries here this morning. Very few, just enough to give that wintery feel to the day. I guess that is good because this past week people I talked to couldn't believe Christmas was coming this week. It just didn't feel like Christmas at all with the fairly nice weather we've been enjoying. Don't get me wrong, it was nice to have mild weather and I'd love it that way all winter, but a tiny bit of snow for Christmas would be nice.

I asked my 13 yr old grandson what he wanted for Christmas and he said, "A Car." I just laughed at him and said, "One you can fit in your pocket?"
I know he was just kidding, but I got to thinking.....so I decided the design I will embroider on his towel will be a car! Not exactly what he meant, but it will do. Maybe if I hit the lottery, when he is old enough, he will get his wish.....Maybe! LOL

I hope everyone is enjoying this Christmas season and not too stressed out. As I get more things finished I'll post pictures here.

Wishing everyone a MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR.......
(just in case I don't get back here before Friday!)

I stitched this towel for my son's ex-girlfriends little girl. (My son passed away 2 years ago - that time has passed quickly!) His girlfriend has 3 girls. One is away at school so I am doing towels for Jade and her sister. The frog should have been rotated one more turn, but all in all, I am pleased with the way it came out. Not sure what design I will use for her sister's towel yet. The different color yellow is because I wet the towel to remove the stabilizer. It is dried out this morning but was still wet when I took the picture.


This will be one of the presents for my son-in-law. I still have to pick out some of the stabilized (letter A & hook on the tail of the fish). Any I miss will disolve in the wash anyway.
David takes the boys fishing all the time and I thought this would be a good design for his towel. I used one of the large bath sheets and love the way it came out.

Here is the Princess Quilt I just finished. I love the look of it. There are things I would do differently but I am pleased with it. I put lace around the outside and made some yo yo flowers to stitch in the corner of the inside border.

I've been working on some Christmas placemats. Here are a couple of them.

Next year I plan on doing a lot more of these.

I really like the way they came out. Hope I can find fabrics like these next year.