Monday, January 11, 2016

Feliz Navidad, Quiltmama style!

What a night...delicious food, good friends, great gifts and more laughs than can be described! Thanks to LA for a wonderful evening...your home is lovely as always and so many delicious things to eat! We had nice chats and caught up with things as we sampled all the scrumptious treats. Let's get right to the show & tell:

This is the star - evidence for when it gets returned next year....and it will get returned, right?


Marianne received a lovely scarf from Consuelo...


and a gift card!


Lois received a beautiful, knitted scarf from Mare...


an Ott light!


A 'Create' mug rug...


and a beautiful stone for her garden!


Lois made LA a beautiful disappearing four patch quilt


here's the back...


a cute mug,


and two beautiful pot holders.


Dolores got the floral quilt from me..


She seems happy!


Is this dream better than the regular dreams?


Not so crazy about the star...as you can see...



a Christmas table topper.


Lori had Cathy...


She made her a beautiful redwork hanging...and it has angels!



Cathy had Consuelo...who needed a new apron....and got three of them! This is for spring/summer


and two for winter.


Styling!!


Lori came late...glad she could make it! Dolores gave her a beautiful ornament...


a cute wreath and a cool picture to hang in her sewing room with a beautiful frame!


LA gave me some lovely gifts.....this Irish angel to watch over me while I drive!


This rocking wall hanging - I truly love it and hung it up when I got home last night!


She also gave me a mug and a cute sign for my sewing room.....thanks so much!

A truly fun night... the sex ed part in the middle was wholly unexpected and hysterical! Wish I'd known some of that before....hmmmm. It was wonderful to see everyone. We've been doing this for quite a while now and I hope it continues for years to come. Stay tuned for an update on Facebook for our next adventure! Peace.

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all the mamas and their families. Can you believe it's 2016? I feel like the whole Y2K hoopla wasn't that long ago....but then I just looked at the pictures that Kelly took on Christmas morning and Burkie and I look like old heads! So there's no denying it....I hope you all had a wonderful holiday break - visiting friends and relatives, relaxing and just being. I made a couple more zipper pouches for last minute gifts...


The more you make, the easier they get - honest! Any resolutions? I read this list by Fr. James Martin, SJ online. I printed it and hung it on the fridge...now hopefully, I look at it from time to time and remind myself to use this as a guide....

New Year's Resolutions for Absolutely Everyone
1.) Be Kind. That means...
2.) Always give everyone the benefit of the doubt. After all, why not? Everyone is carrying around some sort of burden. Usually one that you don't even know about. So give them a break. Even if they're being unreasonable....
3.) Especially when you're talking about them with someone else. Honor the absent, as the saying goes. Spiritually speaking, it's essential. It's part of charity. Practically speaking, it makes sense too. Why? First, because you'll feel crummy about yourself afterwards. Second, because the person you're complaining to will probably see you as negative. Finally, it will inevitably get back to them. More to the point, it's mean.
4.) Don't be a jerk. There is simply no need to be. At all. Zero. Just because you're having a rotten day doesn't mean you have to pass it along your misery to someone else. It's important to share your struggles with friends. Essential. But being in a bad mood is no excuse to be a jerk. If you feel your moving into that territory, ask yourself a simple question, "Am I being a jerk?" If you're somehow unable to discern that, the look on other people's faces will tell you.
5.) Give a call, pay a visit, or send a note to someone who is sick, lonely, struggling. It will cost you nothing, but will mean everything to them. Think of how you feel when someone reaches out.
6.) Release yourself from that grudge. In other words, forgive. It's ridiculous to hold onto things for so long. It eats away at you like a cancer, and it poisons the other person's life. It also, most likely, serves to turn them against you even more. You think you are justified in being mad? You probably are. People can be jerks. But there are probably people justified in holding a grudge against you, too. So just let it go.
7.) Stop being so sarcastic. A little of that goes too far. You may think you're being Oscar Wilde, but you're often just being mean. Sarcasm can be an effective antidote to pomposity, but sometimes it's just cruel.
8.) Listen patiently to someone who is long-winded, or boring, or, especially. complaining. They're usually insecure, lonely or in pain. Your listening is a gift to them. It may mean that you're the only person they have to talk to. Yes, it's hard. But God sees what you're doing. And, after all, people have to listen to you.
9.) Help someone who is really needy. A homeless person. A poor person. A refugee. A sick person. A grieving person. It's not hard to figure out how to do it. And if you don't know anyone like that, write a check. That's not so hard either. Helping doesn't require an advanced degree.
10.) Be kind. Did I mention that? It bears repeating, because if you are kind, then you'll make a lot of people happy in the New Year. Yourself too. And God.

Wishing you peace....