Joys of the Season

My mother said it, my husband said it , my friend E said it.

And it is the right thing to do.

When your loved ones are gone, spread your love around to others.
When you feel sad and blue, do something nice for someone else.

And so our friend, Rich has Parkinson's
As we know, around the corner, our lives change in a second.
Jackie noticed that Rich kept coming to our WOW group with his things
in a plastic bag...I made this bag for him, so he could travel in style.

Above is Jackie's rope bowl, made for a hostess gift.
Below, after a feisty school meeting on Lynsey.
Our dear principal gave both Lynsey and me...one of these.
I wear it proudly.

The teacher group asked if I could have fidget quilts made for
two first graders in the spectrum.  Rachel, from Charlotte's
Quilter's Guild made them for our school.
The staff is so happy.  Even the teachers enjoy the fidget experience.

They are not only used for children in the spectrum, but also AD/HD
kids, and LD kids...most of the staff had never ever seen a fidget quilt before..
Thank  you Rachel...You are the best.

With my surprising new found strength, I actually did two loads
of laundry today.  I have not done laundry in 6 years.

Cleaning up my sewing room, one of my birthday presents appeared!!
A special scissor holder embroidered for me by Muggs...with a new pair of scissors.
I just love scissors.
Tomorrow is the last day of school before break.
Everyone is excited...Tomorrow the darlings will go for three days to their mother's house.
A win win win for all.

Grandma Gets Star Status

My own personal Barn star...I have always wanted one.

Em found it in the country part of far East Portland...purchased from the artist himself.

I am so thrilled

Smiling as I say good-bye to 71.

Happy Birthday to me...Born in Boston in a snow storm...Ha!..

Proud to say..that here in Charlotte, my storm still brews at 72!!!!

Evan made my cake.

 Lynsey tried to put 72 candles on the cake, but we did not have that many

and our fire extinguisher is out of date!!!

The children were absolutely thrilled with my new present!!

I am the luckiest person in the world

Had a lovely visit with Linda today...She brought me new scissors.

I just love funky little pretty scissors!!!

Tons and tons of emails and texts came my way...friends from near and far.

Presents tonight were notes of endearment from my son and my grands.

And, Lynsey...dear Lynsey put all the notes in a  little box, wrapped it in fabric from my

stash, just like granddaddy used to do...Heart felt and loving.

I took myself to a Chinese lunch.

Returned books to the library where the man waived my late fees for the holidays.

And bought myself a bottle of red wine.

Seven days to Christmas, but for me...Christmas is here already.

Moving on from Rope Bowls

To Bowl Cozies

Bowl Cozy Tutorial from Vanessa at Crafty Gemini

I do love Vanessa's tutorials.
This one, I prefer to cut 10 inches...love the two sided cozies and love the
curved instead of pointed edges.

I see that she uses regular all cotton batting.
She doubled it.
I used Wrap and Zap that I had found on JoAnn's on sale.
This product is so thick, it only needs one layer.
Started on the walker bag...How cool is this for the lining.?!

Thanks to Marie and Nicola for including Lynsey in their outing tonight.
So much fun at the local Gingerbread house display!
And...out to dinner...Wonderful.
xoxoxoxoxoxo

In this blustery day, I cuddled with the book
under the quilt I made with the shirts from my dear man.
Did not feel sad...felt cozy and loved
Wahoo.

Marie brought us cookies tonight..
OMG...They are already gone.
Food disappears around here like crazy!!!!

One of my very favorites...and...so proud of having grown up in an Air Force family.

This is the Sound of One Voice

Twelve Days till Christmas

My Christmas gift:

For two long years, I sat at the the ALS clinic with Mr. O'Quilts
With me were hexies that I hand stitched into these flowers.
Also called: English Paper Piecing (EPP)
When I look at them, I realize the love, the despair, the grief and the courage that I
have put into every one.  This year at Christmas, wool felt backs them, into coasters.
Love is best when it is given away.

The rain is furious...a day to plod through a slow book that
was due at the library yesterday, which I waited in line for, for 6 weeks...Dear me.

Making a wheelchair bag for a friend with Parkinsons...He loved/loves women..
Looking for fabric for that kind of charmer...
Oh, dear, I only have that fabric with the bottom ends of men, in jeans...ha!

The other night Carol came by for our Wednesday group.
Rushing to finish a bowl for her birthday, I tried something new to me.
I took a plain bowl, already finished, cut the finish and added the red fabric.
I love the way it turned out.

Carol brought show and tell:
A Disappearing Nine Patch

A painted back for this quilt using fabric pens, fabric paint
stencils and granddchildren!!!

A needle point Santa worked by our Mamacita, now passed on.
Her daughter, MP fabric framed it for the family.

Our widow's group of 5 years...thru thick and thru thin...

Always understanding a lament or a tear...

Never saying..be grateful or be positive.... just there listening..

A life saver!!!

Our holiday lunch.

Pat's fashion statement at Firebirds...Pat..wearing my bowl!!!!!!

Grandma O'Quilts has had two great days in a row..
WOW
Now, pain free in my sewing room, creating away.
A lovely tute I found
All About Flying Geese
Shazama....I do not have your email address to thank you for your comment...let me know.
PS:
In the mail today a present...
OMG seems like I am raising 4 babies instead of three...
Old Grandma is just mentioning that tonight is not Christmas Eve???

A Very Lazy Day

At 7 am Girls on the Run coach picked up Lynsey for an awesome run

She ran the 5K in admirable speed, leaving the adults in the dust.
The bag she received this morning reflects this year's motto
When she got home, she went to a movie with her daddy and I took a lazy nap.
This is her last year in this program as Lynsey is off to middle school next year.

Grandma got up from her nap today to futz around.
Clearly reflecting the lazy mood, is this wreath with the animals upside down????

A child's quilt with cat embroidery done by my grandmother.

That is enough of that..as I readied the last of the school teacher presents.
Olde Providence Elementary School has been just wonderful to us.
I am grateful...so grateful.
Lynsey will bring these in tomorrow..maybe her daddy will drive her.

My favorite stamp attached to each bowl with the names.

I have had this stamp for years..just recently found out it was the work of
Susan Branch
Who is my age...by the way...just a co-incidence...born in the same year..etc!!!!
Both clever?? By happenstance??

Next lazy thing was to make Rice Crispy Treats
in my mother's old pressure cooker pan!!
Repaired by Sherry a few years back..new handle..Thank you Sherry.

These were supposed to be for kid's snacks...but since it was a lazy day,
half of them are gone...gone somewhere...I do not know???
Maybe tomorrow will be more productive..
Still cold in Charlotte...any excuse for a lazy day.

Obsessed

At the midnight hour..

A gift of friendship.

Dear me...bed time...midnight thirty.

About these bowls...lots and lots of bobbins made ahead of time.

Lots of snipping and trimming in the  morning.

A bit of glue from the glue stick...very handy.

Shaping needed a bit in the morning.

As fast as I make them...off they go with a holiday tag.
Just FYI
My girl and her friends took their dog to visit Santa...hmmmm
Just so you know, I did the best I could in raising her!!

Good night xo

Holiday Spirit Visits us and Grandma O'Quilts gets Scammed

My grandmother would be pleased!!

Where are the Swedish Christmas decorations, she would say!!

Life is not all Irish😻

My mother would be pleased..About 60 years old, a well loved Santa.

Thanks to my family, Christmas decorations are started xo

The Charlotte Modern Quilt Guild had an awesome holiday party.

Diane #3, made these favors for everyone...love..

We had potluck appetizers.

Show and tell.

A game:  Bring three items of a favorite thing.

I brought..grabbers for when something is dropped!!
My winnings:

Other gifts:

Some of our "Show and tell":

A memory quilt from shirts.

Loretta's tiny piecing.

Two of Ellen's spectacular quilts:

Wednesday night Muggs gave us all holiday tea towels.

Mine is the best!!

Tomorrow Lynsey does a 5K for her Girls on the Run.

Her coach is picking her up and running with her.

Gratitude!!

Instead of going to her mother's this weekend, Lynsey stayed home with me.

She cleaned the kitchen beautifully...spotless...Wish her 14 year old brother could do as well.

I am introducing Lynsey to the joys of antique stores and Goodwill, etc.

Today we went to her second antique store, where  she found her Christmas present.

Wahoo...never mind that she already has 4 of them...she was so thrilled.

I am thrilled with DONE.

She was enchanted with this:  As she had seen it in old photos!!
and learned about it in school...ha ha ha

 My discovery: A blue candlewick child's spread with a doggie on it.

I did not need it.  It was so inexpensive.  I loved it.  It is in perfect condition.

Enough excuses???

Grandma O'Quilts learns a lesson in scamming..OMG

I decided to sign up online for a home warranty.

I looked up the references and called them up...They said, call back in the morning

In the morning, I had emails and texts from them: that made it easy.

Hmm, a bit too easy.

I gave him my credit card number.  He said , it was refused it.  So I gave him a second card.

He said he would send me an email confirmation....no email came.

I called him back..no answer..

The bank said to cancel the cards.

My daughter said to cancel the cards.
I really wanted this good deal...
Alas, all that glitters is not gold.

Sigh...tonight I cancelled the two cards...ugh..

Hopefully lesson learned.
Old dog learns new tricks...