New Year's Eve!

 

I don't want to brag or anything but I've already picked out the pajamas I'm wearing for New Year's Eve  😄

My husband gave me this shirt for Christmas and I love it!  It's really warm too!

We always stay in New Year's Eve but there are a lot of fun things we can watch on the tv.  Bethlehem is the home of Just Born Candies including the Peeps that most people know.

In Bethlehem they have a 400 lb. Peep and it drops instead of a ball.  This happens in early evening so kids can see it!

In Allentown we have the puck drop outside of the hockey stadium.  The puck is 20 feet long and has to be powered by car batteries because of the long fall:

I doubt I will watch the puck drop though.  That happens at midnight and I will never make it.  This is the joy of being a senior.

I'm currently cooking some of our dinner tomorrow at Mom's. 

 Wishing you safe and happy New Year's Eve!

Poodle Tree and a Long Year End Summary

 

My dog loves my brother Jim.

Lucky will jump onto Jim's lap, even if it means jumping into car.  I didn't know what to make Jim for Christmas this year and then decided to make him a poodle Christmas tree.  I was reorganizing my sewing embellishments and found a small bag of poodle charms.  I have no idea where I got them but I've had them for a long time.  So I made Jim a poodle tree!

2025 was pretty tough in so many ways.

But sewing wise, the most important thing was that I started hand sewing again--without pain!  I'm going to focus on that as one of the good things this year.

I also reduced my scraps this year and that is very satisfying.

Specific gift quilts.  One for my brother and one is a memory quilt for Jenny:

Kids' Quilts:

Baby Quilts:

And lots of smalls (many I didn't photograph).

As I already mentioned, I just want to have fun with my sewing now.  No resolutions just sew as much as I can.  That is not always as much time as I like but I'm happy it does relieve some of the stress.  

Wishing you a safe and happy day!

End of Year Countdown

 

How are you doing?  So many of us aren't excitedly celebrating the holidays but just "getting through" it.  Hope you are doing okay.

We had an ice storm on Friday night.  People in the neighborhood are already grumbling.  We had a lot of ice last year and I wore out a pair of Yaxtrax last year.  Yaxtrax are chains you add to your shoes that act like cleats and...most importantly, work.  Lucky won't go to the bathroom in our yard.  He'll only go if he walks so Yaxtrax are indispensible.  

This is the time of year I like because so many people are sharing what quilts they made this past year.  I might do that tomorrow.  I am sure I didn't take photos of everything.

I'm excited to start the new year and new projects.  I've been doing some clean up and finding projects that I would like to finish before 2026. I'm binding a Christmas quilt that I'm pretty sure has been sitting here for at least 11 months. 😮

Are you working on cleaning as well?  Are you going to have any resolutions for the New Year?  I'm not, just more having fun with my sewing.

Have a safe and happy day!

Happy Boxing Day and Happy Kwanzaa!

 

Happy Boxing Day to our friends in the UK, Canada, and the other Commonwealth nations!

Happy Kwanzaa for all of you who are celebrating!

How was your holiday?  Ours was quiet and fine.

Today we are preparing for the impending storm.

Unfortunately the storm includes not only snow but freezing rain and sleet.  Ice upsets everyone.😟

This morning I will make sure Mom is settled and has everything she needs.  The precipitation isn't beginning until late afternoon so we have some time to make sure she is doing okay.  The whole family has agreed to stay home tomorrow and be safe.

I'm praying we don't lose power and I can sew a bit.  What is the weather where you are?

Have a safe and happy day!

Merrry Christmas!

 

Merry Christmas!

Have a wonderful day!

Christmas Eve

 

Happy Christmas Eve!

I'll be finishing wrapping presents today and baking some more cookies for dinner tomorrow.

Above is a vintage postcard from Bethlehem, PA where I was born and spent most of my childhood.  I know I have mentioned before how magical the city seemed to me.  

Bethlehem is considered "Christmas Town, USA" and really goes the distance for the holiday.  I found a video about the holiday here and thought you might enjoy seeing some of the magic.

You can watch all the festivities here.

Have a safe and happy Christmas Eve!

Officially Winter!

 

Well it's officially winter!

One of my friends said the other day that she just wants the holiday to be over.  I know she is super stressed right now.  It's different now that the kids and even grandkids are grown.  We'll spend most of the holiday with mom and my brother. 

I'm looking forward to the hibernation season (January to March).  It might as well be called the sewing season because we seem to get so much done during those months.

I'm not really sewing right now but putting together kits of projects for the new year.  First up is two sets of orphan blocks.  I'm just cutting fabric and putting everything in baskets until after the holidays.

I've decided against doing a temperature embroidery piece.  I decided I didn't want to do that because there are so many other hand pieced items I want to make even more.  My husband said, "just put the data in you calendar."  It's a good idea so I will.

One of the things that really amuses me these days is the upset over the Pantone Color of the Year.  I've been seeing a lot of rants about this because the color they chose was "Cloud Dancer" aka "White".

"Bits and Pieces" is a youtube channel I enjoy.  Michelle  has a lot of free patterns that she demonstrates.  She also offers free patterns on her website.  One that I would really like to make in the new year is called "We Will Remember".  You can see here patterns here and her channel here.

What kind of projects are you looking forward to in 2026?