HAPPY NEW BEGINNINGS---

 I am a happy camper this week--

I got my list done for--

And so here is my list--

No 1--Cross stitch blocks (these were stitched years ago!!!

2. Frosty's--snowmen blocks by Melisa--2023

3. French Country blocks--these are older blocks to, think 2020-2021

4. Jenny's BOM 2024--

5. Hexagon blocks--2023 or 2024

6. Crabapple Hill--4 -Truck blocks 2022-2024

7. Little baskets--not sure the age on these--will have to do some research??

8. Christmas hearts--2024

9. My Favorite hearts--2024--

10. Felt ornaments 2024--

And I already havehad a 'problem'--I thought #4 was this months-which was Jenny's blocks--but it's #6 and that is the Truck blocks--which is probably better, in a way for me--Jenny's has alot of sewing to do--and there won't be as much on the trucks--and seeing it the 12th of the month--this may be 'good' news for me---!!!!

A   couple days ago a friend stopped in with a gift--

and this is the notebook I will be using to keep my Quilting records in!!!

I have been doing a bit of stitching--

here is where I am so far on my counted cross stitch piece--

I am sooo happy dancing that that big crow is all in--his Santa hat is next---

I was working on this embroidery project--

and finished up the 2 stockings--now this one is put on the bottom shelf --may come out in July!!

And now evenings I am working on this new project--from Anne --that I got for Christmas--

And some people have a basket full of ironing--but I have a basket full of--

quilt projects!!!!

And did you know that Air Ferns bloom????

see the purple flower on this one--big surprise for me!!!

Finally this past week I was finally in a good place--and was able to actually think and plan and then --just do it---on arranging the furniture and creating me a nice sewing place--but I will wait until next post or a post by itself to show you the photos of what I did--I still have some totes under the bed I need to sort though--then I can really actually do some decorating!!!!!

This apartment is different-- is the only word I can use to describe it--and it feels so different living in this part of the building--and it's a good feeling--here's hoping that feeling keeps right on going!!!

(now if they would just give us some good healthy food for our lunch we are paying $7 a day for--unfortunately-- I feel and so do others--the food is just getting worse and worse!!!!) So I only eat there about 2 times a week and have to be sure there is a day or two in between--or else I am up all night with indigestion!!!! boo!

Oh how my heart goes out to all those who are losing their homes and belonging in California--I am in disbelief of it all--at least these folks will still have the land to rebuild--whereas in NC they lost even the land!!   sad sad sad!!

 OH AND IT'S COLD IN FLORIDA--SO HOW ARE YOU DOING????  WE NEED TO JUST KEEP SEWING AND CREATING AND SPENDING TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS--

LOVE, DI

BACK TO OUR REGULAR PROGRAM--

 At least I hope I can get back into some kind of routine--the month of December was a 'rough' one for me, in many ways--with challenges of all kinds--like trying to breathe--and then busy family times--!!!

It took me '2' weeks to actually decorate for Christmas and I really did not get it finished till Christmas Eve--I was alone for Christmas Day--but I did plan a nice meal for myself--and as I still was not feeling well--it was more than okay!!

On Friday evening my daughter, Dawn, arrived from Illinois--and she was here till Thursday morning--we did alot of shopping and one day even went to the Zoo--where-- you guessed it--I took lots of photos!!!! They have made a whole new board walk around a large area and now you can see even more animals up close and that was really nice--we got there in a heavy fog at 9:45--and we had to wait for the giraffes to decide it  was 'dry' enough for them to come out--apparently they don't like 'wet' weather!!!!

While on a mini break where we were sitting at a picnic area--I notice a Dad--talking and playing with his daugher of about 10 months--I did speak to him--and I thanked his wife for the man's Christmas gift--look at his shirt--------as we were leaving--he was also leaving and I got brave and asked him if I could take their photo--

Did you notice the little girls photo throughout the Dads shirt--with sunglasses on!!!!  and later I realized the little pink coat on the little girl--reminded me of a little pink coat I had made Dawn when she was little ( I also made me a matching coat)!!

And here is one of my favorite animals--

Opps --can you tell where this volunteer worked???

Hello!!!

The Zoo was still all dressed up for Christmas--(we were there on New Years Eve Day)

Okay--I realize that this is suppose to be a Quilt blog site--

But--

with being so ill and then Family--(oh we did have our family Christmas at my son--Dan's house with my new daughter in law--Sarah on New Year's Day--only--Sarah had the 'virus' and was still sick--she was only about 6 days into it--and it's a 3 week one!!  But did gifts and then Dawn and I did the dinner and clean up and then we celebrated Sarah's birthday with a 3 layer triple chocolate cake--and we got her a Flamingo floatie for the new pool!!!  and because she was so sick --we left--on the way home I did get to see some pretty Christmas lights--so that was nice too--

Oh--wait--I am suppose to be talking about --Quilts!!!

Well--I don't know what to say--not much got done in December that was for sure!!

As for the year---I stitched every single day til Nov 1st when the move started--I lost a good 27 days between the move and illness total between Nov and Dec!!

I did get the Christmas Sunbonnet Sue all hand quilted--it is still waiting for it's binding--

I have gotten back to a bit of counted cross stitching in the mornings--still trying to fill in the big crows body--and now I see that Melisa is doing a pretty winter cross stitching--but I will need to go to JoAnn's for fabric and thread first and that won't be for  a week yet--so I will be behind on that one--

For the Chook challenge-- will be doing the binding on the Sue's top as January's finish, and I want to do something else on that one once the binding is done--haven't had time to find the other "9" projects and list them--I will try to do that by next week--!!!

I still have alot of work to do to get back to sewing and quilting--but now that the holidays are over hopefully that won't be long, now!!

ON--Friday my friend Cheryl and I went to  two thrift stores--and I found alot of nice items--nearly everything was 50 cents or 99 cents--this basket was a bit expensive--but I just had to buy it at $5.99--

I love baskets with that 'neat' latch bar on them!!

My new white basket has a home--but this new little bear wants it for his home!!!

a pretty wood bowl-plate and 2 pretty bottles one is blue the other one is pink--

A homemade cat and 2 fuzzy trees--not sure if I will use these trees with my snowmen or use them at Easter time???

2 pretty pitchers--had to have that one with the pink roses on it!!

2 nice black jars and one green vase                                                                                   

a nice square blue and white dish and cute sailboat


a pretty lunch plate for me

Well--I have chatted long enough and blogger is not wanting to work well--so will close--

WISH EVERYONE A BLESSED YEAR WITH LOTS OF GOOD THINGS ADDED IN--

HUGS, DI

IT IS HERE---

 MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERY ONE

BLESSINGS AND HUGS TO ALL--

DIANE

IT IS NEARLY HERE---

 They tell me -- and the calendar tells me that--

Christmas Day is nearly here--

I am basically --mostly--decorated--just a little bit here and there to do--

But it has been really really hard and has taken me a long time--I just this morning got the tote, and big suitcase back to my storage unit--

So why has it taken me so long--

Well--it seems that another (thoughtless) resident here decided to give some of us an early gift--

the dreaded 'flu'--or virus or whatever they call it these days--I got sick a week ago Saturday as did a couple others in the building--so that's WHY we decided it was a resident here--and I have been 'sick'--is there a word  for 'really' sick??????   Coughing and not being able to catch my breathe is the worse and scary part--I am on an antibiotic but not sure it is doing a whole lot--also am using homeopathic things--but--don't even think that is helping a whole lot--??????

And my daughter in Illinois called 2 weeks ago --to say she  has decided to come for part of the holidays--she will be here Friday night after Christmas through Jan 2nd--we will have the 'family' Christmas on New Years Day--I don't get to get together with my son and daughter in law,, now that they have the busy store, until New Years Day anyways--So--New Years Day is really my Christmas Day--!!!!   The only gift I want this year is totally be over this 'flu' thing by New Years!!!

I have gotten a bit of quilty things done--slow--but finished--

Got this months Woven Wreath square done--

And here is all 12 done--

I really enjoyed doing this panel this year--and am hoping Kathy S. does one for next year--but so far I have not seen anything??

And my Dear Melisa--Here is December's Heart block --

I love stitching these super cute mittens--Thank You Melisa for all the Heart blocks this past year!!  ps hope you are working on something stitchy for 2025!!!???

Here is where I am on my Counted Cross stitching project--

That Crow needs to go on a 'diet'--he is alot of work to stitch!!!!!!

And here is a photo of how I used my latest 'thrift' store find to display my Christmas miniatures--

My little sister, Barbara--(some of you remember her--right??) we both  decorated the little fireplaces years and years ago--about 50 years ago--even and we made the little angels on the top of the tree in the lower right hand section--the painted items I collected at craft show a couple years in a row--again 40- 50 years ago--Oh--that doesn't even sound possible for it to be that many years ago--where did those years go???????????

I am still hand quilting on the Christmas Sunbonnet Sues--only one side border to do and it will be ready for some binding--now that --binding--might be a  problem--did I already cut it and if I did --where is it??????

NOW DON'T GO RUNNING AROUND LIKE CRAZY TO FINISH UP CHRISTMAS--TAKE A DEEP BREATHE--ENJOY A CUP OF TEA OR COCOA--OR MAYBE SOME EGGNOG--AND SIT BACK AND ENJOY SOME HOLIDAY MUSIC--FOR AT LEAST A MINUTE OR TWO!!!

BLESSING AND GOOD HEALTH TO ALL--HUGS, DI