Greetings from Brrrrrrr!

I took my camera and trudged through the cold and snow last Friday into the park that adjoins to my backyard for some winter pics.  People thought I was crazy as it was cloudy, really windy and a feels like temperature of -2 out.  Little did they know that I was smart enough to take this little trip in the warm balmy weather as today we started out with a temp of -12 with a feels like temp of -40.  Even I am not sure there is a picture worth braving those temps.  Let's be honest if I thought my camera would operate in that kind of cold and there was something I really wanted to photograph I would probably put on my Carhartt coveralls and go for it for a short time.  As I've grown up hearing, I'm from Iowa and come from good sturdy stock - LOL!

 Of the 100 plus photos I took on Friday I would have to say this one of the covered bridge is a favorite.  I can actually see this bridge from my kitchen/dining room during the winter months as there is no foliage on the trees.  

This is the little boathouse on the lake.  I always get over to the park in the Fall for photos but this is actually my first trip over with snow on the ground.  Next snowfall I'm hoping for warmer temps as I think a picture of the bridge with actually snow falling would be super.

 Last Thursday Belinda and Mary and I finally managed our holiday exchange/gab fest/laugh fest lunch.  Laughing started early as the first thing I managed to do was knock my tea over on the table.  I can't believe it didn't soak Mary who was sitting across from me.  Somehow it managed to miss her, her coat and the gift bag sitting on the seat next to her.  I used my cloth napkin to wipe it up and when Mary told the waiter I needed a new napkin I got the cocktail paper napkins.  I didn't behave myself well enough to get a second cloth napkin.  

I finally get to share a couple of items I made for gifts for my friends.  I know it doesn't seem very original that they are both the same but I had limited time for making gifts this year as I got such a late start.  They both received quilted table runners and stitched bread cloths.  The one on the left was for Mary and the one on the right for Belinda.  Belinda received my first ever binding and Mary received my second.  I know these ladies would never be critical of my efforts and only encourage me to improve.  Belinda had a great idea and that was to take a photo of my binding (which I did anyway) and then in a year compare it to my binding at that point.  She thinks I will see improvement.  Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

I too received something handmade from each of my friends and could not have been more delighted.  Mary stitched A Friend Indeed which was a complimentary chart from 2006 that was designed by Belinda (Blue Ribbon Designs).  How special that this gift had a little something from both of them in it.  Belinda who never ceases to amaze me with her talents designed and created this pillow for me.  She used Blackbird Designs fabric for Moda in some of my favorite colors and it looks awesome on my dark brown sofa.  These gals always make me feel like someone special and I love them for their friendship and encouragement!

I still have two stitched items out there waiting to be opened by recipients so you still have to wait to see the finishes and the designs.  I'm thinking one of them should arrive today at its' destination and will be opened this evening.  I'll keep you posted!

I took the time this morning to have the last six months of my blog published into a book (this is the one for Jan-June 2013).  I started doing this December of 2011 after the second instance of losing all my blog posts completely earlier in the year.  I decided upon publishing every six months for a couple of reasons.  First I just didn't relish the thought of possibly losing an entire year of posts again and secondly it keeps the cost pretty reasonable.  Today is the last day that you get 15% off your book so it was time.  Surprisingly I find I do refer back to these books on a fairly regular basis.  I've a pretty good memory for month and year when I have done something and just pluck the book off the shelf to remember thread colors I used in a project I want to use again.  I pulled the one from a year ago off the shelf just to see how we rang in the New Year last year to discover my husband had been terribly sick with a cold and rang in the new year in bed asleep.  Keith was up all night watching the celebrations on t.v. and I rang in the new year stitching.

Well it is time to fix my son his lunch!  Kept him home as it was so cold and he is on his bus so long and with the door opening and closing at every stop I just didn't see how they could possibly keep the bus warm.  Bill went to work at his usual 5:30 AM but was home by 7:30 AM as they closed the building in which he works - only one other guy showed up so the two of them went home.