Christmas in Pictures, Colorful Veggies, and The Free Store

 

When Darling Daughter was home over Thanksgiving, we made a run to the Free Store.  Believe we had 13 afghans, a spread, duvet, drapes, and personal care items.  Normally I've made Homeless Families Foundation as our primary charity to support; but a friend was telling me about the Free Store, they serve a very underserved population of folks in need in a different area of the city.  They were appreciative of the donation.  I encourage you all to see if your local has a Free Store.  You've seen the pictures of the afghans throughout the year.  I generally make deliveries in the fall or early winter when things like that are in need.

The veggies I took to the family Thanksgiving gathering.  Always think they're so colorful before you cook them.  They loose some of their brightness after cooking.  Brussel Sprouts, Butternut Squash, Cranberries, and a tart apple make a really cook mix.

Gearing up for Christmas, no doubt many of you are as well.  Many of our ornaments have been purchased during our travels, so it's always fun to remember our trips as I unwrap and place them on the tree.

A Christmas long ago, when both hubby and I had full heads of dark hair, and our Darling Daughter still believed.

Still pictures from the way back machine.

We're getting older

Mother and daughter sweaters on Christmas morning.

Christmas quilt I made for Mom, many many years ago.  She's been gone a long time, I now put the quilt on the sofa back during the holidays.  She loved Poinsettias.  

The photo's aren't in date order, obviously.

And in the truly way way back machine.  Check out the old tv in the background.  I'm not sure how old I was here, but maybe 3.

Merry Christmas to you all.  And if you're traveling for the holiday, safe travels.

Christmas

 

Not sure why the tree looks different on the bottom then the top.  I tried taking the picture from several different angles, but it didn't seem to help.

Crocheted snowflakes on the french doors from the dining room leading out onto the deck (I didn't crochet them)

Dining room table

The fireplace, candles, wreath and nativity (hand painted by my Mother in Law, many years ago.  She did a fantastic job.

Close up of the nativity

A Merry Christmas to you all, Happy Hanukkah and whatever special holiday you celebrate.

Merry Christmas, AND

 

Our tree is a bit smaller than normal, shaped nicely.  Lots of ornaments from places we've traveled, some special ones from when our daughter was young representing her school days, and plays she performed in.  One ornament left from when hubby was a child.  So each ornament has meaning.  No designer tree here, but a rather old fashion one.  The candy canes are always the last I add as a special tribute to my Grandfather.  My Dad's Dad loved candy canes and he would sneak them to my brothers and I while Grandma would scold him about us not needing candy.  

Dining room, but I don't know if you can see the snowflakes on the window.  No need to make it look like snow now though, our rain yesterday turned to snow as the temperatures dropped mid afternoon and into the evening on Christmas Eve.  Only 17 now that it's warmed up, so the snow isn't going to melt anytime soon.  Boooooooo

There are tiny lights in my pot design that weren't on when I took the photo.  And battery motive candles inside the candles on the mantel which we only turn on at night.

I've continued to work on Coffee Latte, the afghan, but haven't taken any new pictures.  It's measuring about 19 inches now, so good headway...considering I've not had as much time to knit of late.

This is one of the books I've recently listen to as I walk.  I found it rather enlightening and recommend it for some insight into Racism in our country.    I used the library's Libby app and find the time goes quicker in my walks then it previously did.  I've found the selection for audio books to be very good.  I've read/listened to:  The Room Where it Happened (well almost all of it, need to get it again to finish), A Warning, Unhinged and both Michelle Obama's book and one of Barak's earlier books, Dreams of My Father.  Was on a political bend for awhile then switched gears to 

which I really enjoyed.  After finishing this one, I read another from the same author, Everything I Never Told You.

Then moved onto 

A fascinating read that is both sad and uplifting.  I highly recommend this book.  Next on my reading shelf is another by the same author Cilka's Journey.  But, I'm a bit boggled down as I'm using a 30 day free trial of Audible so I can listen to Obama's new book.  It's long, so hoping to get through it before my trial runs out.

****85 Days til Spring

The family and I did not get together for a family Christmas, all choosing to do our own thing and not mingle to stay safe as we await the vaccine.

Knitting Continues on Cardiac Collage, Vote !!

I'm a bit delayed in posting the next stage of this knitted afghan, Cardiac Collage.  It's named (for those who may not have been to this blog before), Cardiac Collage, because I started it while sitting in the ER while my husband was having a cardiac event.  The first square made is the middle top.  You can see each square is different in what colors are used, how many colors were used, as well as how big each section is.  Truly no pattern...much like an unpredictable cardiac event.  Since this photograph was taken, the 9th and final square has been started.  As I'm working on it, am trying to decide what color I want to use to edge and join the squares with........AND whether I want to stitch them together, or crochet them together.  Leaning towards blue...the medium blue you see in the middle square bottom row closest to you.

Yesterday by way of my absentee ballot.  I like voting from home, where I'm not rushed, can double and triple check myself and look up issues and people on anything I'm not sure about.  Did you know?

• You might be able to track your vote? Through on line registration in your county.  I was able to see the date my absentee application was accepted, the date the ballot was mailed out, in a few days I should see the date my ballot was received, followed by the date my ballot was accepted
• PLEASE remember if you have any trouble when you try to vote with your name, being listed, address etc.  Ask for a provisional ballot.  They must be law give you one.  Don't leave without voting.
  
  I was surprised to learn this a few days ago.  Time is getting tight; but please check what the situation is where you live and vote.  It's important, even if not a Presidential Election.  Many people have sacrificed for us to have the privileged of voting.  Don't shirk your responsibility.

For my cross stitch friends.  This counted cross stitch was a Christmas gift for older brothers wife many many years ago.  Just came across a picture of it.  It's so appropriate for her, she loves kids, her's and others.

**Hey did you notice, I added a game for you in my right sidebar.  Try your hand at Sudoku

Cardiac Collage, Toilet Paper Advent Calendar and Christmas Quilt

Cardiac Collage is coming along.  I played with placement today, thus the delay in getting my post typed.  8 squares/rectangles done, 9th one started.  Need to think a bit more about color now, as I'm out of some of the colors, and am still wanting to spread the color.  There's so much give to the squares, I'm currently thinking 9 squares will do it by the time I get them edged and attached and then a border of somekind.

More ideas of what you can do with your toilet paper rolls.  I think the advent calendar idea is pretty cute.  You could paint each roll, or cover with paper (construction paper or wrapping paper), to make it less brown and dull.  Cut cardboard to fit the ends.  Glue one then fill with trinkets, gum,candy etc, attach the top so it can be easily removed.......I won't be doing this, have no little ones at home or grands...but I think a pretty cute idea.  What say you?

One of the Christmas Quilts I've made.  This one for my younger brother's wife.  She has a huge Christmas Village she puts up every year so thought this fabric was perfect.  I am not a "real" quilter..I mean I don't do special cuts or traditional designs or have a special machine etc.  I just find fabric I like, tear or cut pieces and stitch them together.  Then quilt by going around the designs.  She puts this quilt out every year.  I think Christmas is at her house this year...from memory anyway.

From Socks to Veggies at Christmas

 Do you sport fun Christmas socks?  This is a pair my Darling Daughter got me a few years ago.  LOVE them.  Please click to see the Martini Glass.

 This is a pair I've had for awhile, but hey...no holes yet soooooo

 Cute, Cute idea for a veggie tray.  Perhaps less variety than many veggie trays though.  Might give some thought about how you could change it to use a bigger variety of veggies!!  Thoughts ideas?  I've never made this, but saved the picture from Facebook either from last year or the year before.

And did I mention Kitties at Christmas?  

Totally off topic, does anyone know how to change the font, the default font on blogs?  I know I can highlight and select after the fact and change to what I like .....but, how can you do it without having to change it each time you post?

Christmas Eve Memories

This isn't the best of pictures, it's small and granny.  Most pictures we took with those little Instmatics with a cube for a flash were.  This was Mom long ago in front of the fireplace on Christmas Eve.  My family always did the family exchange on Christmas Eve while Christmas morning was saved for the presents from Santa who came during the night.

I don't know what year this was, she looks so young.  The afghan she's unwrapping was one I made for her that I had sorta forgotten about until seeing this picture.  It was really heavy I remember as it was made with rug yarn.  It was really colorful though all you see here are shades of brown.  It had blue, red, green and gold I think from memory.  The afghan was made with octagon's and sewn together.  No idea what happened to it this many years later, it could still be there at home somewhere I guess.  She used it for awhile on the sofa which was brown then later as a rug to coordinate with her oval braided rugs.  Remember those?

I love looking at old pictures and remembering the details, particularly nice when Mom isn't with us anymore.

Got memory?  Please share.  Post your picture and story, add this badge to your post

and link back here.  Add your name and url to the linky, visits others and have fun.  Apologies for those I couldn't visit from the last Memory Monday.  I was having blog issues.  I will visit you all.

*If you get here before the linky, it just means you've beat me.  Please pop back, as it will be posted when I get up.  Wish you could post them ahead but you can't.*

**You can also visit any of the previous Memory Monday's by clicking on the Memory Monday Tag**

• Had issues with my old blog and had to change templates.  Not thrilled with this one, as my other one was a 4 column style; but trying to make it work
• Anyone know how to make the facebook, twitter etc logo's in the upper right go to my pages vs where they go now?

The Magic of Cardboard and Tissue Paper

Join me in the way back machine again for another round of Memory Monday.  Long long ago, when make believe was truly magical.  Mom used tissue paper to make a fire place.  We had those cardboard ones later...prefab design, but here Mom use a book case and turned it into a Christmas Fireplace so we had a place to hang our stockings and a place for Santa to enter the house.  I loved having tea parties, big brother Chuck was playing along.  Shouldn't there be a rule against wearing ones pistol at the table?  lol  Younger brother Mike in the jumper seat.  Oh those were good times, not because we got alot at Christmas, we didn't ...money was tight; but oh the magic of make believe.  Mom was sooooooooo good at it.  She was so very creative.

This was in an old house on Johns Street in Marion, before we moved into our new house on Lilac Lane.  If memory serves this was really an old house we rented, there was an open furnace right in the living room.

What's your memory for today?

• Write your Memory Monday Post, add our badge, and link back here.
• Leave a comment so I know you were here
• Visit others and have fun

Teavana Tea Time

My special tea corner, thanks to my fabulous Darling Daughter, Christine.  One of the cool, really cool Christmas Gifts she got me was this Teavana Tea Set.  There are the foil bags of loose tea which are pretty heavy duty foil packs for freshness and can sealed...like a zip lock.  You get cute tea canisters, a special tea measuring spoon, a cool pouch of raw sugar cube.  The bags and the canisters have the information you need to know about much tea to use and how long to steep it.  You can write the name of the tea right on your canister, wash it off later if you store a different type of tea in it.  This nice wire basket was from another Christmas gift from Stacie and Megan.  Wanted you to know, all the goodies from it may now be gone; but the basket is being used.

In addition, you get these awesome tea pot.  It holds a nice large mug size amount, and or two nice tea cups worth of tea.  The diffuser is in the bottom of the pot.  Notice the little legs holding the pot up about 1/4 inch?  The bottom of the pot is pressure sensitive....so, after it's steeped, all you do

 

is sit it on your cup/mug and it starts to drain,

leaving you with a nice cup of hot yummy tea.   I generally leave the loose tea in the pot in case I want another cup.  Sometimes you can get a 2nd round...depending on the tea and how long you let it steep.  Sometimes I add just a pinch of fresh loose tea to make the 2nd cup.  Awesome gift.  I've used it almost everyday since Christmas.  Even took it to Hilton Head with us several weeks ago for vacation.  Enjoyed a cup after being out and about on the bike tooting around.  Thank You Darling Daughter.

Three in the Works

 It's Sunday, time for another Year of Projects Post (badge and links in tab across the top of the blog).  Got 3 afghans going at the moment (well really 4 if you count my on going knitting on Sea and Sand...even though it's been idle this week, so no updated picture to show you).  Pushing forward on my list it says 10 afghans from donated squares, 2 down and 8 to go.  Well...here's the next 3.  Several thoughts on this, it's really red, made me think of candy canes and almost thought of edging with wide white and joining and bordering in white...but, I thought it would limit it's use due to dirt, and how it might not be real versatile.  Sooooooooo, how about Buckeye Blitz?  After all, Buckeye colors are good all year long, and the large percentage of the people in the state do follow the Buckeyes.  Sooooo, current plan is to edge squares in the dark heather gray (2 rows), then re-measure and either add black or lighter gray...depending on how it looks and how it measures.  **Since photographing I've made headway with a handful of squares being edged**

 This will make a wonderful welcome home for a family moving from the shelter into permanent housing as we're in the holiday season.  I don't think there's a need to edge these squares at all, as the size will be appropriate as is.  I will crochet these together with white, and check my stash for perhaps a dark green for the border..or at least that's my current thought.  **Since laying this out, have made some headway, in that it's all tied together ready to go. Hoping to start crocheting it together either tonight or tomorrow**  Christmas Time is this one's name.

This is the same picture I posted previously, My Granny is the name of this one, but it's almost finished as I post this morning.  Only have 2 more rows to join and then will work on the border with black of course.  Might get this finished yet today.

All 3 are being made from donated squares through Bridge and Beyond, and all will be donated to Homeless Families for Project Welcome Home.

Work continues on Sea and Sand (knitted afghan), and the jewel tone traveling scarf.

Columbus, Aruba, Cleveland and back

Isn't it loverly!  Sigh, much more un-knitting got done then knitting, or perhaps that's not true.  The same amount of knitting followed by un-knitting got done.  This awesome yummy yarn is soooooooo soft, so pretty, so shinny.  It's to become something for my DD who LOVES purple.  It's Berroco Bunsai.  Bamboo and Nylon, mostly Bamboo 97%.  Not sure what my problem was, but I couldn't keep count.  Finally after the 2nd try realized the pattern wasn't quite right and tweaked it and figured that would do it.  And it would, if I could have concentrated.  Perhaps getting up at 4am to depart the airport and head for Aruba was the problem.  I was both sleepy and excited.  So....really nothing to show you.  Then I left my bag with my counter, pattern, stitch markers, and scizzors in the seat back in front of me when I disembarked.  ARGH.  I've never done that, left something behind.  Apparently this project was doomed, truly so.  I don't even remember the name of the pattern so...at some point I'll look again and hopefully manage to pull it off.  I also lost a different size needle from my Denise set in the bag.  As I had 2 sizes to work on different projects during the flight.  Sometimes, you just need a change.  After all, the first flight was 4 hours, followed by 1.5 hours in the 2nd leg.  This is named as project for Christmas for DD on the year in progress list.

This was started on the way home from Aruba on the flight.  Something much simplier was in order I thought, plus I needed to go with the size needle I had on hand.  I LOVE LOVE this yarn and the colors.  It's Mochi Plus, Crystal Palace Yarn, 80% Merino Wool and 20% Nylon.  It's lovely to work with, slides so nicely and is soooooooooo soft and light weight; but will be warm with that amount of wool.  Just blocks of different sizes of good olde garter and sections of stockinette stitch....just wanted a bit of texture.  The yarn is so lovely, not sure much detail is required.  This could perhaps become an object for Christmas for DD.  So, am naming this "Traveling Scarf".  It went from Aruba to Columbus via plane, and Cols to Cleveland and back via car.

And while, I've not shown you Sea and Sand in awhile, I have made progress.  When I last posted a picture HERE, I was working on the brown variegated section.  Finished that and the larger light grey section and am now on the next variegated section. 

Hoping I can get one more row with these current variegated then will do one more section of the light grey, variegated and then the dark grey...soooooo feel like I've really turned the corner on this.

I've been busy and haven't blogged as much, missed lots of WIPW, FOF, and YOP post.  Hopefully, I'll be seeing you all more.  I was out of town for an extended time.  I was enjoying the Aruba weather as the title suggests.  Sadly though, my friend in Cleveland had a huge tree fall on her house, thus the trip there.  Not that I can do much, but hubby and I wanted to provide some moral support for a long time friend.

YOP list, badge and link in tab on blog top.

Family Christmas Quilts

This is perhaps a bit of cheat post, in that this finished object was made years ago. I made this (my first quilt) for Mom who loved Poinsettia's. From looking back through family Christmas Pictures, it seems it was probably made sometime before 2002; though I can't say for certain. It's not a traditional quilt pattern, in that the pieces weren't cut to any specification, nor was it stitched in known quilt pattern. I cut pieces basically the size I wanted (actually thinking back I don';t think I cut them at all, I believe I tore them...based on what an elderly quilt maker told me). I hand sewed the pieces together, used solid red for the backing with batting in-between and green basis tape for the edge. I used a circle quilt frame.
Mom always put it out as part of her Christmas decorations. The last couple of years, since Mom's death it stayed in it's zippered bag. This year I mentioned it to Dad, and after Christmas he gave it back to me to use and enjoy. The stitching/quilting portion was done around all edges of the separate pieces, a Zig zag was used on the red striped which you can see, I did x on some of the squares. Basically each different fabric had a different design in terms of stitching. The Poinsettia's were all stitched around to make them pop a bit.

The year (whatever year it was), after making this quilt I made one for my 2 brothers and their families. My older brother always liked Norman Rockwell and I use a famous Rockwell Christmas print for the center of his quilt, though I didn't take a picture of it. Need to ask him to do so. My younger brother and his wife, love blue and Olde Time Village Christmas decorations so this is the one I made for them. I was able to photograph it as part of their traditional Christmas Decorations several years ago.

I always intended to make one for myself, but never quite got around to it. I do believe I still have fabric somewhere. Perhaps one day I'll find the fabric and make one for my DD. There are nice to display year after year. I'll now be able to do that with the one I made Mom and Dad.

**Since most who visit this blog are crafters (knitters, crocheters, quilters etc.), could I ask that you scroll back to the previous post. Would love some insight, thoughts etc. on repairing an antique afghan.**