Monday, December 19, 2011

I have a new camera!

So I got the Olympus SZ-10.....it's very compact, and has a LOT of features....most I will probably never use.  But I'm looking forward to the next quilt show that I can get tons of pics of beautiful quilts, and they will be the colors they are supposed to be!  :o)

Of course, it's night right now, as I'm trying to 'try it out'.....so I'm still not getting great stuff!  But I managed to take a couple of pics.......

Here's the tree on the screened porch.....I just love coming home at night, and seeing it from the bottom of the hill.  Makes me happy!



We aren't putting a tree inside this year (3rd year in a row!), because we aren't having any company, and we are working most of the time.  Several years ago, all the kids would fly in for the holidays, and we would all ski like crazy, and it was totally fun and chaos, and their flights would get all messed up with the weather, and we would make umpteen trips to the airport (over an hour away!), and it was fun, with tons of food, and running around, and people in every room of the house, but it was crazy!  They've all decided that it is better to try and visit when the weather is more predictable, and we can do more visiting, instead of crazy, frantic, pack-it-all-into-a-week kind of visit.  I agree!

So we don't put up a tree now.   I think John may even be working on Christmas day......so we aren't home enough to enjoy it.  Plus, it's about 3 days to put one up, and 4 days to take it all down.....so there's a week's worth of sewing I can do instead!  Yay!  And I'm gonna!

A few years ago, our grandson was staying with us over Christmas, and he was helping me to put up the tree.  I handed him the first box of ornaments, and he put those on, and figured he was done!  HA!  He had no idea.....we counted that year, and came up with over 800 ornaments!  More than half are special ones, that are tissue wrapped in the boxes.....so you can understand why it takes a while!  My motto is.....if you can still see green, there aren't enough ornaments on the tree!  lol

So this white tree (my first ever artificial tree!) was just the ticket since I've been missing having a tree each year.  It's simple, but so sweet to see from the road!  Love it!

And I have been doing a little sewing......managed to get the sashing, cornerstones, and the pieced backing done on our group's charity quilt.  It's all in homespuns that several of us had lying around.....the gals in the group all took a stack of the 5 inch squares and made big 4 patches with them......I squared them all up, and added the sashings and cornerstones.  Before the 5 inch squares were cut from the pieces, I cut out the 10.5 inch squares for the backing.  Still have almost enough to make a second quilt.....I'll just need to add a few pieces for the front and back to make it.

Of course these pics were taken at night, so the colors are off......the 1st pic shows the true colors for the fabrics we used on the front and back......it's really a nice deep-toned quilt.....perfect for a man, if the need arises.  And it will finish at about 75 x 55, nice for a single sized bed or to cozy up on the couch.


Front.....

Back......

Please ignore the mess in the room......I don't even see it anymore, until I take a pic!  Sheesh!

I'm hoping to sandwich and quilt it sometime this week.  But my T-W-TH days off this week will be spent baking cookies!  I usually make about 12 different kinds, but this year I've acquired 3 new recipes for something totally different to add......so I'll definitely be busy all three days!  Perfect timing to deliver my cookie trays on Friday!  Yay!

Hoping you all have a very merry Christmas!  Give big hugs to all the people you hold dear, and spend every minute you can with them!  Oh.....and eat lots of cookies, too!  :o)

regan

14 comments:

  1. I agree the tree looks gorgeous at night - a very pretty welcome home. Hope you will share some of the cookie recipes. Happy baking!

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  2. I love your white tree glowing in the darkness. I just have 1 decoration hanging this year. Not 800!! I love your motto of if you can see green there's not enough decorations. I really love the quilt your group made. The colours are so earthy and comforting.

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  3. Your white tree looks great!

    Merry Christmas and enjoy the time you have off.. whenever you can.

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  4. I'm only putting up a little tree this year...I sort of rotate ornaments now. Last year it was a German tree this year I may use the nautical ornaments...we'll see. Good luck with the cookie baking. I sent off some trays this morning...

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  5. We will also be baking on Thursday. Best to you and your family during the season. Enjoy!! Lane

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  6. That is a great guy quilt your group made!
    We will have all four children at our house Christmas day and 3 of them will be staying with us. I have the tree up and decorated, and I also have 6 sets of the three alpine tree groups throughout the house. Some of them are large sets and some are small, but they all just have white lights. I have lighted garlands on the piano, hutch and loft bannister. Most of my decorating these days is just greenery with white lights. I love the glow it gives to the house--like your little white tree, it just makes me smile!

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  7. YAY for the new camera, and YAY for not decorating so you can have more time sewing,YOU are my kinda woman!!! I always love your designs. But blue is my favorite!

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  8. I think you did well with a tree on the porch, it looks pretty at night. A new camera sounds exciting, a must have for quilty photos, I hope you enjoy it. Have a fabulous Christmas

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  9. Outdoor lights are awesome to come home to.
    I like a loaded tree, too!
    Love those plaids and how you set the blocks. Good to think of others at this time of year.
    I've taken care of the cookies - made and eaten!

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  10. Love the tree... so cheerful and the quilt is just so warm looking....
    Happy Christmas
    Hugz

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  11. Merry Christmas! Your white tree is beautiful! What a great location for it :-) I'll be baking some cookies today too.

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  12. I love the quilt, love plaids, and I have a question. Is that batting just tacked straight to the wall? I've been trying to decide what to do about a design wall, and that looks easy!

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  13. Merry Christmas to you and your family! Love the quilt on the design wall, great man quilt I agree!
    I can't wait to have a porch again to put a tree outside, I love riding around seeing trees lit up!
    Kathie

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  14. Cookies are eaten and the hugs have been delivered... I love your "new" photos, well done! Happy new year.

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