Christmas Decorating

The tree is up, the lights are on. We have hundreds of lights on our tree, starting with the strings and strings of tiny colored lights, and finishing up with bubble lights, snowball and bell lights. This is Don's job - he's always done it and loves to arrange everything perfectly. Tomorrow the strings of beads and ornaments go on the tree. And then the outdoor decorations.

Don put the wreaths - with brand new bows - on all the windows outdoors, Santas are distributed all around the house and the christmas dishes have been brought out of the pantry to replace the every day dishes.

Some years Miss Kitty would help us with the lights . . .

And some years she liked to help open presents - we miss our old lady . . .

Decorating the house up brings back sweet memories - like when our kids would sing christmas carols for us . . .

And sometimes those pesky bears would get into a lot of mischief . . .

The biscuit wreath is on the coat closet door. A friend and I made these when we lived in Kansas and our kids were in early grade school. It just wouldn't be christmas without it.

Memories of many christmases past - this was our tree one year, I think the year I was in 7th grade. We placed each of those strands of icicles one by one - it took hours.

Some years Lori would bake pretty cakes . . . and delicious too . . .

I have lots of Santas (more about them another time) - these Santas in the china cabinet are making the peace sign with their little green gloves - oh so cute!

Two Santas - they change where they stand each year. But they are always on duty, watching over christmas.


So the holiday season starts - have you put up any decorations yet?

A Christmas Quilt Show!!!

Now here's some fun - a Christmas Quilt Show - over at SewCalGal - run over and have a look - I'll wait for you - there are lots of fun Christmas Quilts to see.

Mine is a wallhanging - I made 7 of these for family and friends one year - and yet I don't have one for myself. They are all hand appliqued and hand quilted, while the flying geese borders are paper pieced.

I used tiny, shiny red buttons for the holly berries . . .

And if you have a Christmas quilt - be sure and enter it - click the link at the top of this post - or the badge on the side bar to learn how to enter - and get chances at winning great prizes.

Lunch with friends - and some shopping

A small group from our Anacortes sew-ins got together last month at Applebees for lunch and some show and tell. We also brought our UFO lists and our lists of projects we want to make. It was fun - with lots of laughing, talking and good food. We ate our food so fast that I forgot to take pictures. I rarely get pictures of food at restaurants - guess I'm always too hungry to think about it.

Daisy is making magnetic paper dolls for her granddaughters for christmas. The dolls are fabric, glued to magentic sheets and then cut out - and the she does the same with their clothes - such cuties. . .

Susannah is making a crazy quilt - this is her first beautiful block.

Ursula's cute ghostie is almost finished. . .

And Susannah is hand quilting this Baltimore Album block to go in her newly redecorated guest room.

I didn't have any show-and-tell, my current project was too big to take to the restaurant. I probably would have just gotten food on it.

We had a lovely lunch - and then we went to Sewer's Dream after lunch. It is in the outlet mall and sadly it is going out of business.

Everything in the store was 30% off - and their prices are great to start with - and better with the discount. Their flat folds are 4.20 a yard usually - and I found a few that I liked a lot.

I have a project that I want to make - for next fall. It is this Pumpkin and Spice quilt.

This one was made by my friend SueBee - she makes the most wonderful quilts. She gives away her patterns after she is finished and I missed being the one chosen for receiving it - but we found the pattern online. The company that sells the pattern has discontinued it - and when they discontinue a pattern they put it on the internet and you can download it for free. (click those words for the free download) Isn't that the nicest thing? I thought so - and quickly downloaded the pattern.

Here are some of the fabrics that I found at Sewer's Dream - and they were $2.92 a yard after the discount.

And more - I think all these will be great in the Pumpkin and Spice quilt. Next year - when I've finished hand quilting my current project.

Two boys

We've had a lot of fun with the boys - they are always such fun . . .

Ben comes over once or twice a week while his parents are at work (on the days when he doesn't go to kindergarten) and we have a grand time. We got him a pillow pet dog - he named him Bark-Bark. It seems that Bark-Bark loves the computer.

Bark-Bark likes to play in the living room too . . .

And Grammy likes to take pictures . . .


AND THEN HALLOWEEN

Jahn as Dr. Who (the 10th Dr. Who) and Ben as Star Wars Clone Warrior Commander Cody . . .

I think we all know something about Star Wars - but Dr. Who? Here is some info on Jahn's favorite TV show . . .

Doctor Who is a British science fiction program produced by the BBC. The program depicts the adventures of a mysterious and eccentric humanoid alien known as the Doctor, who travels through time and space in his spacecraft, the TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimensions In Space), which normally appears from the exterior to be a blue 1950s British polic box (looks like a big blue phone booth). With his companions, he explores time and space, faces foes and saves civilizations, helping others and righting wrongs, as well as improving the way people, aliens and robots choose to live their lives.

The program is listed in the Guiness World Records as the longest-running science fiction television show in the world, and as the "most successful" science fiction series of all time.

The program originally ran from 1963 to 1989. After an unsuccessful attempt to revive it in 1996, the program was relaunched in 2005.

So there you have it - Jahn's favorite show - and his favorite is the 10th Dr. Who - played by David Tenant. And Jahn could easily pass for a younger version of Dr. Who.

David Tenant - as Dr. Who

And Jahn as Dr. Who

He's got all the poses . . .

He's a natural - and Lori gave him a Dr. Who haircut . . .

Saturday before Halloween the downtown merchants in Bellingham put on a great trick-or-treat time - and there are hundreds (estimates were for over 1,000 this year) kids who dress up and come trick or treating. Ben met up with his classmate, Cian (in the back) who was dressed in Star Wars costume as Luke Skywalker, and Cian's 3 year old brother, Merrick, who insisted on being Princess Lea. This is the cutest Star Wars team around . . .

Jahn went for a sleep-over at Ben's that night and then they switched costumes. What could be cuter??!!??

It was a great Halloween and candy was enjoyed by all!!

Pizza and brunch

Ben and his family came over the other night - for pizza. Since it was Halloween time, we got a pumpkin pizza. They say it was as yummy as it looked. (I don't care for pepperoni, so I didn't taste this one - but he sure is cute). I had some of a different pizza - sausage with vegetables - yum.



Now we're back at the Oboe Cafe - that is the restaurant where we had our anniversary dinner - and we decided to go back for the Sunday brunch. I actually got a few pictures of the food.

Platters of pastries - I forgot to try any - but they look delicious . . .

And the prettiest platter of fruit - and all of it was scrumptious - and displayed so artfully . . .

My plate - before I dug in - it was a fabulous breakfast!!!