Fish Feast Tonight!

Yummy ... I can hardly wait and I have so much still to do.  But the food will be great the company fantastic and hopefully we might have a visit from Robert Goulet!  Will we be gouleted this evening ... only Santa can tell?  We will just have to be patient and w a i t ...

Merry Christmas to all.

Christmas Greeting

There is just less than a week left before the Christmas celebrations commence!  The excitement  is growing and little ones anticipate arrival of Santa Claus while others celebrate the birth of the child Jesus.  The trees are decorated and the mangers are displayed, stockings are hung, baking cookies fill the air with delicious  scents.  Our festivities begin with the fish feast on Christmas Eve, something that I anticipate excitedly each year.  What fun we all have on that day, when the children were younger they would put on a play, open gifts from aunts and uncles and Grandma. Sometimes Santa would even pay a short little visit explaining how tired he was and that he would not be able to stay as he had to head out for his nighttime trek around the globe to visit all the other children in the world.  Now the children are adults with children of their own and the family tradition continues.  One of those adults children performed for everyone last year and we are trying to convince him to a repeat performance.  We are keeping our fingers crossed that it will happen.

Anyhow in the hopes that you all have family and friends close this holiday season and remember those who are no longer with us fondly we wish you the happiest of holidays and a wonderful new year.

Appliqued block from Christmas wall hanging.

Mini Strips Project

Here are some of the mini strips that were cut for the project that I am working on right now - frantically finishing for Christmas!!! How many days?? Only how many did you say ? Why do I do this every year?  Because I unwittingly like the pressure and it's when projects actually do get finished.  That has to be the answer, what else could it be?  Anyhow there are about twenty five different fabrics in this project.  I started sewing and just kept going until I had about a forty foot length of  herringbone pattern.  It did not start out with a Christmas theme but evolved into it and I am happy with that.  So now what will it become???  The big reveal on Christmas day and not a day sooner.  Hope your Christmas season is progressing nicely.

And now I have to go and bake some cookies for the cookie party at my sister-in-laws tonight... mmm what kind of cookie shall I bake.

Sharing Information

This chart shows the dimensions of different size quilts that manufacturer's use.  It is a handy guide but it doesn't mean you can't work outside the box!

	Standard Manufacturers' Sizes for Bedding Measurements are approximate and given for standard US Mattresses Measured in Inches (Width x Length)
Mattress Type	Dimensions**	Commercial Comforter* (short drop)	Commercial Bedspread* (long drop)	Pre-Cut, Packaged Batting
Lap Quilt	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Crib	28" x 52"	36" x 54"	n/a	45" x 60"
Twin/Single	39" x 75"	65" x 88"	81" x 107"	72" x 90"
Twin/Single XL***	39" x 80"	--	--	n/a
Double/Full	54" x 75"	80" x 88"	96" x 107"	81" x 96"
Double/Full XL	54" x 80"	--	--	n/a
Queen	60" x 80"	86" x 93"	102" x 112"	90" x 108"
King	76-78" x 80"	104" x 93"	120" x 112"	120" x 120"
California King	72" x 84"	--	--	n/a
*Information is from "Art of Classic Quiltmaking" by H. Hargrave/S. Craig **Dimensions are approximate and given for standard US mattresses ***Typically found in college dorm rooms

Oh Christmas Tree!

  Today we will put the CHRISTMAS tree up!  It is early for us as we usually don't put it up until much closer to Christmas - but time is the problem.  So up it will go today.  It's exciting and will get us in the mood of the season and maybe, just maybe I will be more prepared for the big day when it does arrive.  It seems that we are never quite ready for Christmas each and every year although we know it is coming.  It comes on the same day of the year every year, it doesn't change.  I love a real tree and we have an artificial tree (as one year ours dried completely and we had to toss it out).  So not quite sure what we will opt for today - maybe we will toss a coin!
  There are some great little ornaments on the web and I may try to create one or two of them.  I also have ornaments that I have made over the years - right now there are not any pics of them but I will try to take pics and post them at some point today on this particular post. 
 
  Thanks for looking at my post and have an enjoyable Christmas season.

Happy Thanksgiving to All

  This is the view from my kitchen window as I prepare for the grand feast of Thanksgiving.  All the family will be over tomorrow.  Yes I realize that tomorrow is Friday, but I thought that it would be easier on everyone if we spread the festivities out just one more day.  Holidays should be just that a holiday, a day to relax and not have to run here and there, rush, rush, rush.  With everybody going to multiple places and eating at those places tomorrow can be a repeat at our place!  More potatoes, green beans, squash, stuffing, cranberry sauce, bread, and of course the star of the show TURKEY!
  Of course the real star of the show is the company that you keep during the Thanksgiving holiday.  Hoping everyone has stars in their show and that loved ones gather together in your hearts and thought.  Happy Thanksgiving.

November

As the air becomes cooler, 

the leaves have almost all fallen

from the trees and

The warm colors of fall 

linger 

in our minds.

The days are shorter and

our thoughts turn to 

cozy homes, 

warm meals 

spent with family.  

Grateful 

for the time 

to gather 

with the ones 

we love..

All For Show Saturday

Nashville, TN The A T & T Building with a mural in the foreground depicting the same building

Broadway,  Nashville, TN

One of the original doors inside the Frist Museum

  Here are some more pictures from our trip to Nashville.  You can see what great weather we had.  The mural on the wall shows a street/ skyline scene - if you click on it you can get a better view.  Not sure who the artist is.  The door  from the Frist Museum is just one of about half a dozen that I could see.  My pictures did not come out as well as I had hoped, but you get the idea.  It is like stepping back in time.