Early Winter Has Arrived

The snow came overnight, then the rain, now the fog is all around us as the temperature rises!
There is odd weather everywhere & this is the first year for us to not have to shovel the snow first!
Alberta had snow early & Ontario is in gridlock right now with their snow, us it is a snow day for the kids & a 'sew day' for me! lol

With Christmas 43 days away, I really need to focus on sewing the flannel PJ's for the family.

I've been working on the FREE 12 Weeks of Christmas with Farmhouse Threads and Olde Green Cupboard, week nine was just released & FREE  Little Red Hen's Wooly Mysteries which I have one more block to make this afternoon. The last instruction will be putting it together to finish it.

Here's what's been done so far...

I've been enjoying the 12 weeks primitive ornaments by Farmhouse Threads, which are worked onto an old green wool army blanket giving it a warm vintage feel.

 Block One - All the blocks that I'm showing you are still not done. I will be cutting around the design leaving 1/2" & then blanket stitching around them & added hemp string to the top.

 Block Two - I added real cat whiskers to the cat!

                                                                   Block Three

Block Four

   

Block Five

Block Six - not finished embroidery or embellishments

Block Seven- not finished

Block Eight- Not finished 

Block Five in the Wooly Mystery, with just one more yummy block to make. 

I do the quilt-as-you-go with each block & will be creative on how to put it together to finish the little hanging quilt for the kitchen.

Using Fusion Paint On Furniture

 Bill was busy this weekend adding new life to some of our older Bombay pieces with black Fusion paint. I cannot say enough good things about this easy to use paint!
Bill was even impressed with the furniture when it all dried.

 This Bombay chair & stool had seen better days & even the coat of white paint was worn out.

I've been auditioning this toile print by Waverley fabrics & I think it is going to look great!

It has now been added to 'My Honey Do List' for Bill when he gets home. My hands are sore & weak with arthritis,  I'm getting bloodwork done for rheumatoid tests, my father's hands were filled with deformation from that disease. A crafters nightmare for sure, I use my hands daily creating something beautiful or functional.

 Bill painted the oak veneer bench & it hides all the Boston's teething marks on the arms! Bridget & Baxter will be three next month, where does the time go?!!

Bill also painted the foyer table pillar & the glass was stored away giving more room for next month as all the kids will be here this Christmas! 

Christmas Hobo Bag

 The Christmas Hobo Bag is now finished & I love the weight of it, it's as light as a feather!

 The wool appliqued pieces on one side, I love my Boston wearing its festive wreath.





































 A snowman with snowflake buttons & an angel is on the other side.

 I had removed denim epaulets from a coat knowing I could use them as closures later & I did! lol

 There are two large 10" pockets on each side of the bag to help organize the inside & the epaulets secure the contents.

The bag closure is just a tied bow on the top using the lining fabric which is one of my favourite RJR designers called Thimbleberries.

Late Fall Construction

 This is Bill's garage that is being built this late fall.
Jocelyne & I went to Boisetown Christmas open house on November 3rd during a horrific wind & rain storm and this is what she first noticed coming up the lane later that afternoon...

 OMG, I could not believe my eyes!

 My stress levels were really being tested and Mother Nature had a nasty temper that day.
The next day several of the construction men came & sorted the lumber pieces out & by Monday, everything was back on track.

 This was done by lunchtime on Monday morning!

 And the top structure had a boom crane to speed the process up!

Everything went together quickly as a snowstorm was heading our way the next day.

The steel roof is on keeping the inside dry. The garage door, man door, & window still need to be installed. The siding & cement floor are waiting in the queue too. Winter is coming and it will be a long one as I usually lose the last of the snow on the lawn in June.
More was happening that day of OMG too...

Pranksters the night before Oct 31st - Halloween, thought it funny to push garbage bins over, ours was literally ditched! Bill got it out when he came home the next week. Funny? NOT!!
So whilst all this was going on with me...
Bill & all three sons were in Texas at the NASCAR race, here's a pic of them in the PJ pants I made them, they're wearing them at the race track motorhome.

 Mitchell, Bill, Donny, & Nicholas wearing their beaver pants with Buc-ee's T-shirts.
This trip was for Nick's 30th birthday celebration with lots of adventures in Texas to go with it!

 No one was arrested & loads of fun was had every day in Texas!

 Bill has done a wonderful job as a dad, raising these boys to men! XO s

 Donny & Nick going to the rooftop of the motorhome.

 Nicholas set up for excellent photos of the race & area.

 Inside the rented motorhome, it was Travis? country/western singers tour bus. It was a luxury bus for sure!

 Six bunks with a master suite that was for Bill. lol

 Oh the shenanigans  that went on with Mitchell wearing his Buc-ee's beaver costume on Halloween

 He looks so adorable as a beaver!

                                                                     Priceless! XO
I'm glad it will be a few years before they attempt a trip like this one again. I had quite the week on my own with a double shot of 'S' in my stress! lol

On a happy closing note, look what came in on UPS today!

Santa is holding a LED light, I love Jim Shore designs & years back made Nicholas a quite from his wife Jan's quilt book.

Thank you for stopping in for a visit & sorry life had gotten in the way of getting this blog brought to life. I hope late fall is being good to you & you are taking your vitamin D with the loss of sunshine & daylight these days.

Wishing you Health & Happiness,
Cynthia


 My 24" Jim Shore from the Costco USA, Canada doesn't carry Jim Shore yet.