Thankful For Small Things and HAPPY NEW YEAR

I am so thankful for small things!  For years we have had the world's worst popcorn popper - groan!  This year son #3 gave us a brand new pop corn popper and we are in popcorn heaven.  

My sweet daughter-in-heart has converted us to white popcorn, clarified butter and sea salt on our popcorn - yum!

DH gave me this small puzzle for Christmas and we put it together for Family Home Evening on Monday night.  

Today is the last day the Bearpaws and Hollyhocks Quilt Shop is open.  It has been a big thing for me!  With our family Christmas holiday week and then working night and day at the shop this week I have not blogged - sorry about that.  I will be back at it next week.

I am wishing you a wonderful beginning to 2011!  I wish you good health and good friends and may Heavenly Father bless you with peace and joy.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU MY BLOGLAND FRIEND!!!!

Lindy's Bearpaws and Hollyhocks is Closing

My favourite quilt shop is closing. 
 Link to Bearpaws and Hollyhocks website.  Lindy, owner of the shop, has health concerns and she needs to spend some quality time looking after them.  I wish her wellness and good health.

This is typical of the spontaneous fun we had and a memory I will always chuckle at.  She had just gotten in a very funny children's book and just had to come share it with us after one of Kim's classes last September.

Bearpaws and Hollyhocks has been a wonderful gathering place where we all were nurtured by each other and watched each others talent grow.  The friends I have made and the wonderful fun things we all did together are the memories I will always carry in my heart when I think of Bearpaws and Hollyhocks.  
For all of my special embroidery friends - we are going to go on.  Never fear, have embroidery thread and needle, will travel.  All of the Knot-y Embroidery Ladies who meet once a month will be coming to my home to finish out the Knot-y Embroidery Ladies Year.  As the dust settles on BP&HH closing and the New Year comes to be, the thoughts I have for embroidery will crystallize.  Stay tuned ... 


Tootles

Christmas Party with "The Girls"

Some of us who have been taking a wool penny rug class all year have formed a sewing circle and we had our December meeting at my home last week.  These are a few photos of our happenings - mostly eating - and a lot of good chatting with our projects.

The cake was worth making just so I could eat the cream cheese icing ...

Pam is the queen of veggies and keeping us "healthy".

Mona made theses yummy red velvet cupcakes 

- her basket and towel are so cute!

Pam's birthday on the 3rd and Jackie's birthday on the 6th was all the excuse we needed to sing ...

My finish.

I guess I better go to bed.  

And to all I wish a "good night".

Up At Sparrow's Fart

Chookyblue in Australia knocked my socks off with that phrase.  Up At Sparrow's Fart!  Yup, just after reading that yesterday in her blog, Chookyblue, what do you know, I had one of those restless nights and throw in the towel at about 4 am this morning.  I am sure you know exactly what I am talking about ... Sparrow fart.

Gotta have a picture - Winter Wishes stitchery I did.  Enjoy.

Thumbs Up

Thumb #1 goes to Dianne at  A Month of Sundays .  She had the most interesting event happen in her home recently.  I highly recommend that you visit her post.  In fact I highly recommend her blog, that is why you can always find her on my sidebar.  Thumbs up Dianne or I should say Auntia.

Thumb #2 goes to Kim for putting on Tamale Making 101.  

You can find her rendition of the event here -  

Kim's Tamale Sequel   Our Tamale making at Kim's home yesterday was a wonderful happening.

Thumb #3 - my hungry guys gave thumbs up this evening when they taste tested some of the  tamales for dinner.  I think we have a winner here and a new family tradition.  THANK YOU Kim and my gal pals.

Create your own slideshow

Got My Tamale Filling Made

My beef tamale filling is made

and I am ready to go

It won't be long 

before the big show

I am leaving in my old car

Don't know if I will ever be the same ...

Sung to I am leaving on a jet plane - kind of

This is the before picture

of Tamale Making 101

At Kim's home today.

Wish me luck getting that hot vat of filling 

across town without spilling it -

Ohhh, Right

I can hear you laughing now -

I'll be one Hot Tamale ...

Tootles

"My Soul Is Fed By Needle And Thread"

Below are some pictures from High Hand Nursery last February - 

can not have a blog w/o pictures :o) 

Today's Stash Manicure  Stash Manicure  is featuring Molly of Molly's Place.  Perhaps you read the post too, if not, the links are here for you to check it out.  Molly is brand new to me and I think she looks like fun and is going to have the cutest FREE BOM next year called Boot Boogie, and has a sneak peek in her post.  My gosh it is so cute.  I want to do it.   

She wrote, "And yes my soul is fed by needle and thread, and I am sure that is for most of you here today!~  Hi, I'm Molly from  Molly's Place.   I'm here, once again, to try to help you Manicure your stash.  I come here regularly to get inspiration from all of you and this is just a little "pay back".   It just so happens that I have had a little FREE Block of the Month going on over at my place the past year called "TREE TIME".  I started it not only to bring interest to my blog, but to challenge myself.  My goal was to learn new hand embroidery stitches and to make sure that the blocks were simple enough for everyone to do--even beginners.  In the beginning, I did not plan to use wool, but as my blocks evolved, I decided to do just that."

 Over and Out for tonight - 

been making my beef filling for Tamale making at Kim's tomorrow.

Tootles

It All Started With ...

It all started with a cup (two fists together size) of hot chocolate, that had whipped cream piled high on top.

Our server did not bat an eyelash at our choice to start with hot chocolate, and gave us time to sip and enjoy the delicious, sweet and warm drink.  In between all the chatting and sipping we decided that our next course should be (drum roll please) the Hand Made Potato Chips with Artichoke    and Lemon Dip - we got the "large" order ...  Kim had a hand crafted sandwich and I had a seasonal salad.  Oh, the conservatory is set in a beautiful nursery  that was all primped and primed for their big event tomorrow evening - a celebration of light that starts at 6 PM by flipping a switch.  We sat by the windows (a whole wall of windows that open out the the nursery when the weather is warm.) We were without our cameras - so sorry.


However, our "entertainment" was interesting.  A big man dressed as a pirate (Captain Hook style minus the hook) arrived about half way through our lunch.  He was eating alone but did manage to attract attention as people leaving keep stopping by his table to chat on their way out.  So, after going to the ladies room I stopped by the  front desk and asked about him and the lady said, "He is just a customer."  We had a little fun imagining who, what and why he was there eating and while it was funny then, you just had to be there.  


Our girl was as stiff and sore as she has reported and she was moving slow, but she was able to get out, have a nice long lunch, but when I dropped her off at home, she was already going over her list of things she had left to do.  What a girl!!!


Tootles


PS  When I got up this morning after posting last night ... 
I just read Kim's recount of out luncheon - she is so good with word crafting - if you have the time pop on over to her blog - she gives you the rest of the story ...    Kim's Blog

Something

Something I am having fun with is a Thanksgiving piece.

See, I really did take my embroidery on the cruise.  

 I found a quiet nook one early morning and enjoyed my embroidery heaven while sea bound.

The fabric is a beautiful toile called "Plymouth" from the Alexander Henry collection.  It has been out for year or two and has been calling my name.   Boy was I in luck to find just enough for an idea ...  Knowing me I had to figure embroidery into it, eh!  It will eventually be a table topper.  I am using Cosmo's Seasons to embroider the turkey's, corn, apples, pumpkins.   Someday when I finish it ... you will see the most wonderful border fabrics that compliment the subtle shades of the embroidery floss. 

Thanks for stopping by - Tootles.

PS - Thelma and Louise head to High Hand Conservatory tomorrow.  

Stay tuned.

Happy December

Just noticed the time and yup, it is December, the first to be exact.

So, where have I been for two months, eh!?  

Well, around.  Went on my first cruise!  And no, I was not on the cruise ship stranded at sea.  We were on the same cruise line and the same route, just a couple of days ahead of the sister ship. 

Our experience was just the best!

And yes, I did take my embroidery with me.  

My tan is fading, 

and I am having a hard time not reading all the ads for cruises now ...

December is looking like a fun filled month.  We are home for the holidays and gatherings.  This Friday evening is  the Quilting Books Club December Pot Luck and gift exchange.  It will be extra fun this year because three of our ladies are bringing their award winning quilts from the River City Quilt Guild Show a couple of weeks ago.  Saturday is our "Circle of Friends" and we are meeting at Kim's home - and she is teaching us how to make tamales.  

I want to be the first to wish you a peaceful holiday season.  

It is my hope that it is a time filled with the joy of being with family and friends and reflecting on the Light of the World.

Tootles