MOVIN RIGHT ALONG WITH--

 Well--I believe I am finally getting things moved around in this apartment so that soon I can get back to a routine in life and some sewing--

But first we will talk some 'sewing'--

I got this counted cross stitch finished to this point--

if you look closely there is alot of 'snow' to stitch in--both under the crow and sled--and in the sky--so this one is going into 'timeout' and into my --Christmas in July tote--it will have some company there--I know of a gingerbread quilt top that needs layering and hand quilting that month--too!!!!

Because I needed--yep--needed to get to work on this cross stitching--

This is a new design by Melisa--and she has already given us '6' of the little cross stitches for 6 of the 9 boxes--so I am way behind--there was 2 hold ups--first being the project above and second waiting on the fabric to stitch this one on--

a bit of history here--I am a self taught Cross stitcher from the 70's!! Then some where around 2003 or so--after getting into the computer 'life' and seeing alot of cross stitching I got back into it--only I decided I liked the look of linen--28ct linen and that is all I have used the last 20 years--I have done alot of stitching on 28 ct--but am finding it harder to work on these days--so decided to order some Aida 14 ct fabric for this project--and the first thing I discovered is how many colors you can get, now, in Aida cloth--and---don't tell anyone--it is so much easier to stitch and count your stitches on--so  I bet this 'old' lady starts doing more and more on Aida 14ct!!!!!

And evenings I have been working on a little crewel kit that I got for Christmas--

And finished this last night--all ready for framing--or???

This week I have been doing alot of rearranging--and first up is a new sewing corner--

Here I can keep the big ironing board up all the time--or use the little wool mat to iron smaller pieces--and my desk is also a cutting table on the other wall on the other side of the door way to the kitchen!!  Even got a new ironing board with an Amazon gift card I got for Christmas--

the Chair is a freebie that another resident no longer wanted--it will be used at the table when company comes--I will still use the desk chair for sewing!!

And --yesterday--this was the freebie from someone moving out--

Have wanted one of these for a  long time!!!!

Now on the wall where you seen the sewing machine and table a while ago--I now have my quilt display stand--

and yes there is still a small pile of things that need homes in front of it--and this is still the big oven I had in the old apartment--I have had it under my bed--but decided I wanted it out where I could use it--am hungry for a batch of blueberry muffins--sooooo!!!( remember--I had to get a smaller toaster oven for the kitchen--as this one is too big for the counter space I have now!!)

And my fabric stash shelf unit is now here beside the bed--

I had to take it out of the closet here--it just did not fit end to end like in the closet upstairs--and it took up way too much room in the closet--(we really only have one closet here--for everything--one with the 2 folding doors--so you have to be a master planner to fit everything in the apartment and not have a 'stuffed' looking apartment!!!

Here is a couple things I have done in the bathroom--

The top photo is my new towels and over it is one of those rub on decals--and this little white stool I just put together this week so I have a place to sit to put on shoes--well--that was the plan till my snowment decided differently!!!!

Here is the stand for the kitchen--

Can you see the 2 full shelves of all the different kinds of loose leaf tea????  My daughter got them all for me for Christmas!!!!

And here is some photos of the snowmen for January--

OH here is this months bed--

Oh remember this rabbit--is Frannie--and she used to help me sew--not sure that will work out this time--so now she sits here and can keep on eye on me where ever I am in the apartment!!!

Here is my window sill lit up at night--notice the reflection of the lights in the bottom of the glass container!!!!

And--

This is my buddy beside the TV and in front of my computer table--Should I leave him out all year--or does he need to be put away with the rest of the snowmen things????

WELL--I DO HAVE ALOT OF WORDS I COULD SAY ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPEN'N TOMORROW IN DC--BUT I THINK I CAN SUM IT UP INTO ONE WORD--SCARED--AND VERY WORRIED--AMERICA--

BUT I PRAY EVERYONE HAS A GREAT WEEK AND LOTS OF SEWING TIME--AND JUST KEEP ON HAVING GOOD THOUGHTS AND ENJOY THE LITTLE MOMENTS IN LIFE--

HUGS, DI

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