A Few of My Favorite Things

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I love how the world is all dressed up and puts forward it's best foot. I love the decorations, the Christmas music, the plays and the books. Most of all I love the reason why we celebrate and the hope it brings to our life. I'm grateful for the knowledge I have of Christ's birth, His life and his Atoning sacrifice for us.
The pictures below are a few of my favorite things. Bubble Candles that don't seem to bubble like they did when I was a kid. Mini souvenirs of things I frequently saw while I was a missionary in Bolivia. I have lots of hats, a few llamas and a couple of clay pots and some shoes made from tire tread. Hand made ornaments I made over the years. Ornaments from friends, some are lambs because I collect lambs, some from patients that I cared for over the years, so I have some nurse ornaments.
My collection of Nativity scenes is growing, some are gifts from friends, some I purchased and one I made in ceramic classes way back in 1973. Poor Mary has lost her praying hands, but I still put the set out in the place of honor under the tree.
Part of the fun of decorating is to relive the memories of times past of family and friends.
My prayer is that my children will some day have good memories from the ornaments and quilts I have given them.

A Few of My Favorite Christmas Things

New Signature

I finally did it I found a way to add my signature the way I like, without a frame around it and with a clear background so my page background show. I found it on My Live Signature, http://www.mylivesignature.com/. This was much easier than the other two options I had tried. One I did four times and was getting an error message every time I changed the code. I still have to paste the code every time I post but that is OK. I found the link to Live Signature from a blog called Moms Who Blog, http://momswhoblog.blogspot.com/. She has lots of interesting articles on how to tips for bloggers. I see lots I want to learn but I can't do it in a day or a week so I have to pace myself.
Friday and Saturday I added some new gadgets to my right side. One is fun links to a site that has links to a lot of free quilt patterns. Check her blog out http://with-heart-and-hands.blogspot.com/. I also added pictures of the books I have been reading. I added Christmas Bling at the bottom.
I have spent so much time checking out blogs. It is fun to see each person creativity. Well I must go do other things.
Have a Great Day!

Up in the Middle of the Night

Why am I up? I'm on call tonight for work and had a page. I can never go right back to sleep so I'm playing on my Blog. I have added my Christmas background. I must have tried four before I found one I like. Plus I decided I had to change my template to make it look better. Plus I have added a signature. My test signature has a box around it, which I don't like but it will do for now. I'll have to work on it more another day. Well it's time to go back to bed. Night all!

Sunday Night Quilting Updates

For many years I have been taking pictures of whatever project I have been working on as a progress report. I have a little calendar that I write down what I did during the week and on Sunday I take the pictures and some I post on Webshots and others I just keep on my computer. Well now I have my blog to do both. On Saturday I started loading a new quilt on my quilting frame. I had the batting on and worked on piecing the backing. Today I loaded the backing and top and started quilting. I'm using a free motion landscape design, of course on this top it represents snow drifts. The quilt is a 9 Patch Pizzazz.

I haven't worked on my Santa since Thursday but I have the binding about 1/4 done. I also started working on a mini wallhanging for a friend for Christmas. She is a skier and the pattern is of a skier. I have to change some of the fabric around. I'm going to make the ear muffs & mitten the same as the sweater.

Can someone please tell me why I thought a pre-lighted tree with mini lights was a good idea?? This is the tree's third Christmas and the whole bottom of the tree lights won't come on. I swapped out two branches worth of bulbs that were burned out, and it still won't come on. I'm really wondering what I was thinking?? I also decided after the first Christmas I don't like only white lights so I put a couple of strings of colored lights on any way.

At least I have my fall quilts down, my big Christmas quilt up and the tree is up. Bear but up.

My next blog goal is to add a signature and change my background for Christmas.

Good Night to all!

Having fun on my Blog

OK I can tell this can become very addictive. Today I added a couple of links with the help of my friend Jan. That was while I was at work this morning. I usually work hard, but today was very quiet so I had some fun. After work I added a slide shows of the Thanksgiving day pictures and added a site meter. I just found a error in my header so I have to go fix that. This is fun.
It is also fun to see blogs of other friends and co-workers that I found today. Boy can you spend time looking and reading. It sure is a nice way to get to know people better.
Richard just came home from work and he is impressed with my blog.

Thanksgiving Day Pictures