Christmas past...

Christmas is past and the New Year upon us. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and the New Year is happy and blessed for everyone!

I  didn't get a chance to post the Christmas decor so, you'll find below, pretty much it. I got customer's quilt finished but, never got to mine. Isn't that the way it goes some days? I'm hoping to finish a couple this next month for myself but, not holding my breath. Had an embroidery job to do Christmas evening and have another quilt on the frame and want to finish yet this week.

The above is our entry hall table you probably saw with the fall decor. The Tom Clark Nativity is only part of the set I have, plus a manger. I decided to pare down a little this year. The quilt above it is a panel I added borders to and quilted last year. Below that is the fireplace in the living room ( now my studio). I just love the red cardinals, a gift from my long time friend Doreen. The Santa quilt is another panel I added borders to and quilted last year.

Last but, not least and after several attempts I managed to get a good picture of my grandson, Dylan on Christmas Eve. Thank you, Dylan!

January, has already started booking up, of course there are a few customer quilts to get out and my own. Then there's the quilt guild meeting, 'The Quilting and Fiber Arts Marketplace' in Sanford the next morning, a Christmas luncheon that got cancelled due to the weather, then the Carolina Longarm Assoc. will be meeting here in Asheboro. I have a quilt to make for a workshop I'm teaching for our guild and a program to give at the February meeting. Whew! Where has January gone?

Have a safe and happy New Year's Eve.

Mira's Mom

I'm still here!

Boy, did I have a week but, the quilting is done on Vicky's quilt and she picked it up Wed. evening. This is Vicky's first attempt at quilting and I think she did a wonderful job. Way to go, Vicky! The blocks came in from relatives all around the world. I told her that I would post it to my blog so, her family from France, Costa Rica and the states could see it. Especially, those who couldn't come for her mom's birthday party. It's a gift to her mom for her birthday and I know she will be thrilled! The whole quilt is made up of butterflies that different family members created themselves. The bottom example is hand quilted and just lovely (unfortunately it's hard to photgraph quilting). They are all so unique. Congratulations to all of you...

Sorry, gotta run! The weather here is yucky and I need to bring in some wood to keep the home fires burning.  Baby Girl, hasn't been feeling good the past two days so, I think I better walk her, too.

Have a great weekend!
Mira's Mom

Kind of chilly out there...

Made these wonderful muffins over the weekend and thought I might share them with you. A cup of tea and a muffin just really hit the spot on a chilly evening.

Nutmeg Streusel Muffins

Streusel Mixture

1 1/3 cups (325 ml.) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 ml.) firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml.) butter or margarine, softened

Muffins
2/3 cup (150 ml.) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp (10ml.) baking powder
1 1/2 tsp (10 ml.) nutmeg
1/2 tsp (3 ml.) baking soda
1/2 tsp (3 ml.) salt
2/3 cup (150 ml.) buttermilk
1 egg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl combine 1 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar and cut in butter until crumbly. Reserve 1/2 cup of the streusel mixture (125 ml.) for streusel topping. In same bowl add all muffin ingredients to streusel mixture. Stir just until moistened. Spoon into greased 12 cup muffin pan. Sprinkle with the remaining streusel mixture. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand for five minutes: Remove from pan. ENJOY!

I like spicy ingredients like nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger so, these are right up my alley. They are easy to make, too.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkey's thawing, squash is baked, cranberry relish is in the frig and the pie will go in the oven shortly. So, thought I'd just send you all a quick note and say Happy Thanksgiving!

I got the fall decorations out the first of September (pictures above). I love fall and I enjoy decorating for fall almost as much as Christmas.

The 'Maple Leaf' quilt hangs across from our front door, welcoming visitors. It's one that was made by my grandmother, great grandmother and great aunt, probably in the 1940's give or take a decade. There's no documentation so, just guesswork on my behalf. My aunt gave it to my mom and my mom to me. Mom told me that the three did a lot of quilting. If you are a quilter do put labels on all your quilts and wall-hangings. You might be able to remember but, those that come after you, won't know.

The other pictures are just around the house.

Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

God Bless!

Mira's Mom

Rescue dogs are the best!

Told you in an earlier post that we were going to transport a rescue dog on her 2nd leg of a trip from Wilmington to Atlanta. Well, we are back of course and things went so well. Both our dog, Mira and the surrendered dog (May, not her real name) shared the back seat of our car. Having two dogs that had never met, until minutes before leaving, in the back seat of your car can be a tad unnerving. All went well and we delivered her safely into the hands of her new adoptive parents. This morning's report was excellent and all seem to be quite happy.

May was delivered to our home about 10am, Saturday morning and everything got really chaotic, with us meeting the mom and dad, and May for the first time. Plus the two dogs meeting everyone, including each other for the very first time. I forgot the camera. But, we pulled out 40 minutes later, with dogs wondering what was going on. There was never a harsh word between them and we traveled for a about three hours to a place SW of here. When we arrived we were pleasantly greeted by four other Bouviers. To have six Bouvs all in one place was an awesome experience. Everyone got along so well, it was just amazing.

May's new adoptive parents showed up a while later and she met her new family for the first time. Then we were off!

DH had promised me if, I would ride along he would take me to Mary Jo's (awesome, awesome fabric store) on our way by. He did and I was in quilters heaven. He walked our Mira and they waited for me to return from the depths of the fabric aisles. Oh what fun! I had a fifty dollar gift certificate which made it, just bliss. Of course I spent that and a little more. We arrived back home about 7:45 which made for a long day for all of us.

Above is a picture of our Mira (Miracle) so aptly named by her foster mom. Mira weighed about 19 lbs when she was surrendered, to the American Bouvier Rescue League, last June. She had to have blood transfusions to save her life. She was severely emaciated and had hook worms. Her trauma had also included physical abuse. After being released by the vet, she received wonderful care from her foster mom Karen and dad Josh. Four days later we adopted her and took her home. She is much loved and has fully regained the weight lost and has become a pretty confident young Bouv. She still has her 'ghosties' that haunt her but, after only five months she has improved so very much. She's just beautiful, so full of life and very smart. The other photos were taken about a month ago. Mira is now over fifty lbs. and is at least a couple inches taller from when we got her.

Right now Miss Mira and I need to run some errands so, I will be back at a later date.

Mira's mom

WOW! It's over...

The quilt show is over and a couple weeks of catching my breath and catching up.

The quilt show put on by the Randolph Quilters Guild was a huge success. We had 135 entries, a new venue and nine vendors. The guild had a yard sale, boutique, silent auction and a raffle quilt. I was the lucky recipient of the raffle quilt and I managed to get two of the three planned quilts finished and entered. Receiving a second place on my wholecloth and third on my 'Ladies Night to Boogie'. Not complaining a bit. The wholecloth was my first attempt at trapunto and the "LNtB' was a first attempt at just filling a quilt with feathers.

Now if I can figure out how to add the pictures ? Well, got the pictures, just not where I expected. I promise to learn more about this blogging thing!

Hubby, Mira and I are transporting a rescue dog tomorrow on her second leg of her journey to Atlanta. I'll have a report this weekend.

Have a wonderful day.

Blossom's Mom

Up coming quilt show

Sorry, I won't have much time to post anything for a while. Our local quilt guild is having it's quilt show Nov. 6th and 7th and I haven't finished my quilts for entry. Busy practically 24/7.

Have a great day and I'll be back after the show!

No longer a lurker

Well, Guess I've been a lurker long enough... so, here goes...

Today has been about setting up this blog and I have gotten little done in the way of quilting. Tomorrow's another day and I'll be back!