Christmas Celebrations

Oh - we have had two really lovely days, celebrating the holidays with family.

I've finished up my Bonnie Hunter Mystery Step #5

 and decided to start another Christmas Tree skirt (for next year).  As I already have the box of Christmas fabrics sitting out, this is a good time,

Enjoyed a charming day with the youngest grand,

(enjoying a chocolate cupcake).  The three big grands were there too,

Today we went to the big kids home, to see what Santa left

Got home about mid afternoon.  Have enjoyed a tasty, easy Dutch dinner, stamppot

[mashed potatoes with onion, bok choy, baby kale and turkey kielbasa.]  Oh so yummy.  Finished up the last of the Lemon Pie, for some dessert,

Now just to hang out for the rest of the evening.

Our church has been hosting a group of 14 homeless women and children over Christmas.  They leave early tomorrow morning, so we are on the clean-up committee and due there with rags and rubber gloves at 8am.  No lazing around.  :-)

Hope you have all had a blessed Christmas time.

Merry Christmas to one and all

We had a lovely day with all the grandchildren and both of my children.  We only exchanged gifts with my son and family.  Tomorrow morning we are off to my daughter's to see what Santa has brought for the children (7:30am - phew!) and to exchange our gifts with them.  We didn't buy for each other as we got new blinds for the living room and dining room (something that got put off when we had to replace the sewer line last summer).  Next will be the poor, tired rugs, but that's another year.

Hope you have a warm and wonderful holiday with all your dear ones close by.

Two weeks to go

Well, yes the big day is coming - oh so quickly.  I have been working to be sure that I have finished everything.  Well - everything isn't done, but I know what's still out there waiting for attention.  These are finished:

These are for folks in our group that adopt a family for Christmas.  Yesterday at CTA we made paper origami:

Janet (the gal who taught us) also provided us with some heavily stiffened fabric, so we can give this a try with fabric.  Of course, we had our usual cookie exchange - YUMMY

(well, yes, a few vegetables, too, so we can't say we didn't have anything healthy).  I have also been working on the latest Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt - check it out.  Thus far, 3 clues,

Won't this be fun?

No - I have NOT expired

Things at Casa Nana seem to have been QUITE busy.  So this may be a bit disjointed, but here to catch you up:

We finished up the work at the Boat House and the new tenants took possession the first of December.  They were overjoyed (and frankly, so were we) - it looked so good.  Clean and bright and cheery.  Makes you feel good to be part of a project like this one.

Meanwhile, I shipped off my next group of blocks for the Storm Sandy Quilts, not to mention to Christmas parcels needing to get in the mail.  Bonnie Hunter clues were provided and flying geese by the jillion were made.

A new clue came out this morning and I have to start on that this week-end.  On Tuesday we went and saw Zoo Lights at the local zoo.  It is definitely much smaller than the event at the Defiance Park Zoo (or perhaps in Bellevue as well) but we had a fun time even in the pouring rain.

We followed our adventures with a very tasty burger and some folks even had a milkshake.

Thursday evening was the 3rd and 4th grade musical extravaganza.  Our favorite 4th grader was part of the recorder orchestra, who were followed by the 3rd grade singers.  A fun 45 minute event.
[and oh so reminiscent of similar adventures when my kids were small!]

[He's on his knees - he's not that small]

Lastly,  Casa Nana got some new blinds.  The drapes were original to our purchase 15+ years ago and they were getting pretty "tired".  So a new look,

And there you about have it.  See, I told you we've been busy.  Throw in a couple of U.W. Volleyball games and there you have life lately.  Been working on getting ready for the holidays, as well as our Adopt-a-Family adventure, coming up next week.  Ornament Exchange and Brunch this week-end, CTA Christmas lunch next week, and a tea date with my daughter after her finals this quarter.  Keeping up with the calendar is quite a challenge some days.

Adventures in blogging

Wellllll - this seems rather silly but I cannot figure out a work-around to allow me to upload photos to my blog.  There being more than one way to skin a cat - make a new blog.

So welcome to Casa Nana (same ole place).  Last Tuesday Nana got to babysit for little Miss B.  She is such a sweetheart - a really easy kid to take care of.

I like to hold my own spoon

I like to skoot around on the floor

Thanksgiving day was held at Casa Nana.  We had the whole group (except for my DIL and Baby B - she was sick)

A really lovely day for one and all.

Meanwhile I have been continuing working on my Sandy Blocks.  These are being organized by Michele at Quilting Bloggers.  I have mailed off the first 4.  Today I finished the next 6.  Not huge numbers, but thus far there have been enough blocks committed to make more than 45 quilts.

The next fun project is that I have begun working on the latest Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt.  She calls it Easy Street.  I have done two previous mystery quilts with her guidance, but they were VERY complicated.  [Roll Roll Cotton Boll had 70 pieces per block!]  Bonnie promised this one to be easier, thus Easy Street.  I followed Bonnie's suggested color scheme.  Remember this is not rocket science - color is what you want.

The grey polka-dot is my consistent fabric

Friend Ronda is using a red for her consistent fabric

So what is "Black" Friday?  Around Casa Nana it was rainy, wet Sewing Friday.  Wonderful.

192 4-patches.  (actually this is about 174, but I will have 192 before the next clue is given on Friday.  I'm not sure how many weeks this will go on, but each Friday a new set of instructions for the next step of the quilt.

I forgot to show you the terrific wooden spatulas that our friend Diane made.  Isn't she so clever?

I can't remember all the different sorts of wood, but they are impressive, for sure.

Hope you had a great Thansksgiving.  And now it's time to get our game on for Christmas.  Oh my!