Christmas projects

I love Christmas quilts. I'd rather make those than almost anything else. I've made one or two a year so far, and this is the first year I've put them all out at Christmastime. Sure did make the joint festive! One of my all-time favorites is Christmas Tiles, made from Judy's Vienna Tiles pattern. It's very special to me for a lot of reasons!

"White Christmas" by Verna Mosquera is the one currently in the works. The first four blocks are just needing to be squared and pressed. I always work on Christmas projects on 1st Weekends, so next weekend I think I'll spend the time prepping the other eight blocks. It'll be nice to have them all ready to go when I get a few minutes to stitch. And I can also move those two huge baskets of neutrals out of my sewing room and back up to the stash room when the prepping's done!

The rain is really coming down now. The traffic was horrible tonight. These folks just do not know how to drive in rain! But there's something peaceful and cleansing about rain - and I've missed it so much since I've been in LaLaLand!

I took a page from Judy's book today and started making lists. Tons of things to do around the condo. I've been living here a year and it still looks like I just moved in. Time to make it home. And I made a list of housework items to do every day. I've been spoiled for many years by having a maid, but I decided to let her go when I started a new household. She was so wonderful to have during my lengthy illnesses, but I'm healthy now and there's no reason I can't do this myself. But instead of massive cleaning on one of my precious weekend days, I think it'll be easier to do a little every night. So bathrooms are Monday's chore. I think I bought every chemical known to mankind last weekend! I hope I don't blow the place up! LOL!

Daisy dog is all snuggled up in my inspiration quilt, and I've got to get that away from her. I purchased some cute fabric a month or so ago to make her a quilt, daisy border fabric and all! I might get that cut out next weekend, too. It's just a panel that I'm going to cut apart and sash, but I think it'll look nice when it's done. She's totally spoiled rotten, so it's not surprising I'm going to take the time to make her a quilt! I wonder if she knows how much I love her?

I had some wonderful and a couple of hilarious emails awaiting me tonight. Judy has corresponded with someone who went to my high school. It's funny how I keep running into people from Sulphur, LA. In 2003 I think it was, I took a four-day workshop with Robyn Pandolph here at Road to California quilt show. She finally asked me where I was from, you know, the accent and all! When I told her, she about fell over. Her husband is from Sulphur and I went to high school with his sister. I even met an older gentleman from Sulphur on top of the Eiffel Tower! Seriously! It turned out he knew my parents, and brought Mom some pictures he took of me up there! I don't know why I'm writing all this except it constantly amazes me when I run into someone from back home, whether in person or online! Right, Judy?

And taking a page from Jeanne -- happiness is a cup of hot apple and cinnamon tea! That scent and taste makes me miss my parents. Our house always smelled of cinnamon! Dad's been gone 33 years and Mom 23, and I still miss them so much. Guess I always will.