SNAP THAT

Hello friends, The year 2014 was the first year I did not post my annual goals on line. I wanted to try something different. I did have goals for the year but only posted theme or guiding words for the year.  My words were "simplify" and "streamline".  I tried to apply these words to all aspects of my life. I think I was fairly successful in most but not all areas. I focussed in on getting rid of stuff in my home (papers, clothes, excess craft & kitchen items), taking stock of the budget (which I do every year) and organizing myself a little better financially and clothing-wise, nurturing a few key relationships, working on my health and my spiritual life. I managed to find a new and wonderful church family. My health is one area where I had a lot more downs than I wanted but all in all there were a few baby steps forward. I'm grateful for that. This year I did a lot more reading than I intended to. Reading took up the space that crafting might ordina

Hello friends, Another year has come and gone and another Christmas Day celebrated. I was out of town for a few days to visit with my mom and some family members and we had a great time. My brother and I spent the first night together relaxing over food and drink and talking about former career experiences and life's lessons with my nephew. My nephew was blown away by everything he was hearing. He kept saying "how come I never knew about this?" It was too funny. It just goes to show that while you are living your life and working, there are many things even your closest family members don't know about you for one reason or another. Now that my nephew is soon to graduate and move on to do his master's degree, he is old enough and far more interested in hearing ( and learning ) about the experiences of his older relatives. All of us had a few nights to relax, eat, visit with my mom, visit with my niece and do a few tasks and things to tidy my mom's

Merry Christmas everyone. Wherever you are, may you find a joyous happy time alone or with friends and family. I want to thank you for stopping by and tell you your visits mean a lot to me. I hope to read from you more in days, weeks and months to come. Now here is a card I got from a young artist named Sammy who lives in Nakuru, Kenya. I found the Pygmy prayer on line. I n the beginning was God, Today is God, Tomorrow will be God. Who can make an image of God? He has no body. He is the word which comes out of your mouth. That word! It is no more, It is past, and still it lives! So is God. African - Pygmy

Two posts ago I wrote that I was busily working away on several sewing projects and that I would attempt to finish two quilts that I started making in Fall 2013. Hard to see the sparkles in the light Good size for one to snuggle up . This week I managed to make two half slips, one sparkly burgundy vest and have almost finished the two quilts. Finishing the two quilts is taking much longer than I would have liked. One quilt (in the photos) is complete.  The last step to finishing the sunflower quilt is to make and sew on the binding. I  remember now why I set the quilt aside in the first place. I had run out of sunflower fabric and tried to find more.  My search wasn't successful and I set the quilt aside.  Since then I haven't felt like working on it. Finishing up the quilts would have been much easier if I had used a walking foot. Walking foot When I finally remembered to use it, it made the job a lot quicker but I still had to keep un-doing and re-do

These photos were taken at different times over the last month or so.    Joining in with Skywatch Friday .  Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Hello friends, It is the final week before Christmas and I am enjoying the lead up to the big day. I finished wrapping the small gifts I bought some time ago and will be dropping them off before Christmas to different friends. I have also decided to try and finish the lap quilt for my nephew and larger quilt for mom that I was going to gift last Christmas! These have just been sitting in the corner all year and waiting for me to add the finishing touches. I have so little to do on the lap quilt but the larger quilt requires a bit more work. Lap quilt Mom's quilt-in-progress I have also just finished making two half slips for my mom. She hasn't been wearing slips for years but with the advancing age I think she feels it would be another layer to keep her warm.  When I went to purchase fabric to make the slips  they didn't have the usual colours (white and ivory) so I purchased a teal-ish green and a navy coloured fabric. These will be fine for her needs as

It was such a gorgeous, mostly clear day today.  I couldn't help but take a lot of photos.  This beautiful day comes after a week of coastal storms that wreacked a lot of havoc along the Pacific Coast. California was hardest hit but we saw some damage in British Columbia where I live. The sky was clear to the north of me. There was light cloud and a contrail above. What a beautiful, blue sky! Can you spot the small plane (photo below) between the tall ornamental grass (see the top)? It's been a comfortable week or tidying and organizing the things I will take when I visit my mom for Christmas. I have also been reading some good books. I just finished, The King's Curse , an engaging novel about King Henry the 8th and his inability to sire a legitimate male heir to his throne. This well researched biography of  the Romanov sisters, the 4 daughters of the last Tzar of Russia, is another book I am just finishing.  The