Year end round up

It's been a great year in blog land hasn't it?  We've seen new faces, new projects, loads of motivation...What more could we ask for?

Here are a few of my favorite finishes for the year...

Row by Row from Carol 

at FunThreads

Scrappy Log cabin

Tutorial at Red Pepper Quilts

A-Z For Ewe and Me

Quilt Show BOM 2014

Summer Fun from 

The Quilt Company

Northern Exposure from

Red Boot Quilt Company

Merry and Bright

The Red Boot Quilt Company

Easter Party

Angie's Bits and Pieces

Witch Parking from

Kimberbell

My little creation...Winter Wonderland

Clip art from Primsy Doodles

A special thanks to "Island Batik" for putting their faith in an unknown

quilter with a bit of a moose fetish!

It's made my year so much fun. 

There is more to come in the new year.

A blog hop in February, will reveal the new lines coming your way.

Oh they are exciting, I can promise that!

:-)

While another year comes to an end, the prospects of a brand new year and brand new adventures are exciting.

Marian over at  "Seams to be Sew" is starting a BOM

Lets see...as she puts it

2016 Sunbonnet Sue and Sunbonnet Sam 

Travel the World Block of the Month!  

                  This is definitely going to be one, not to miss.

You can read all the info right

                                                  HERE

For those of you who know Marian, she pours all her creativity and love into everything she does, then shares it all with us!

She's one gem, of a lady!

Next up is a year long blog hop 

from Amy over at 

Sew Incredibly Crazy

12 quilters designing blocks and center medallions

depicting our gardens. This blog hop promises to be loads of fun.

Just why on earth Amy thought I had any talent for such a thing 

is my question????   But I jumped at the chance.

I can't draw and my garden is full of weeds...oh what the heck!

I'm game for anything. 

I can promise that a moose or two will be involved! 

tee hee

 ;-)

Marian from Seams to Be Sew

is also hosting this fun filled hop.

I know where are spots left, why don't you join us.

With a theme like "Nuts about ?"

anything goes!

We want "YOU" to be a part of it, with us!

There are many many other new BOM's coming up this year.

We've seen sneak peaks popping up all over blog land.

Much love and work has been poured into each and every one of them.

So many thanks to give to all! I will be updating my blog

sharing them very soon.

Thank you, thank you, each and every one of you

who take time out of their day to read my "lil" blog

and share your wonderful comments.

It's you...that makes me a better person!

I can't thank you enough!

Have a very Happy and Safe New Year.

Dear Santa

It's a couple of days late...

I just didn't get it done before the big day.

Is this "Dear Santa" just the cutest?

The pattern came with my ornie in a swap with Marlene from 

Stitchin by the Lake

This pattern is from Rabbits Haven back in 2007.

I've done a little digging for you, but not had much 

luck in finding anything but a blog post on it.

The link to the shop seems to be a dead end,

but you can see the blog post 

HERE

Such sweet faces

It was so much fun to embellish and quilt.

Ahhh, yes the "Perfect" man!

LOL!!

Thanks Marlene for the "Perfect" pattern for the holidays.

;-)

There's A New Moose in Town

And he's a big one!

Mantle moose hitched a ride for one last photo op for this year.

Then off he goes till next Christmas!

This big guy is a foot rest. Thanks to my boys, 

he has found a new home here in the MooseStash!

I do have the greatest boys!

It was a wild and wacky holiday,

and I wouldn't have changed it for a second.

Best part was sharing Christmas Eve with my son's new girlfriend and her parents, and both Christmas Eve and Christmas day with the boys friends of over 25 years!  Whew time flies, but it's like it stood still when they are all back "home" for the holidays!

I do hope each and every one of you had a blessed holiday!

His heart is full

While he's been a handful, especially when he and Sparky got together...

the hatchet has been buried.

Sparky gave him this beautiful gift...that just warmed his heart!

Their antics will always be remembered!

May the Spirit of Christmas warm each and every one of your hearts!

Blessings to all.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Pattern Testing with Mantle Moose

I really just wanted to sit down and do a little bit

 of quick pattern testing for BeaQuilter.

All was in order until Mantle Moose decided to get involved.

Sigh........

It was all supposed to go so smoothly!

While I can't share just yet...

I can tell you, this guy is a part of the project.

And yes, he has been "moose" approved!

Now would that make it Mooseproved?

????????

Anything to keep Mantle Moose happy.

Now them are some Rum Balls

How dry I am.....

How dry I am.....

Hick!

Mantle Moose Approved Rum Balls

1- 6 oz package of chocolate chips

3 tablespoons corn syrup

1/2 cup rum

1 box of vanilla wafers, crushed into crumbs

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 cup chopped nuts

granulated sugar

Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler. Remove from heat. 

Add corn syrup and rum. In a large bowl combine vanilla wafer crumbs, powdered sugar and nuts. Add chocolate mixture, mix well.

Let stand for about 30 minutes. Form into 1" balls and roll in 

granulated sugar. Let season for several days in a 

covered container.

Then try to restrain yourself, from eating the entire 

container in one sitting!

:-)

Please be responsible...don't consume and drive!

LOL!!

4 More Sleeps!

The festivities are about to unfold.

The end of the hustle and bustle is near.

I soon hope you will be able to relax and enjoy the moment...

Like I will, when the floors are scrubbed, the bathrooms are cleaned, the meals are planned, the packages are wrapped, the cards are mailed, the dusting is done...

Oh heck, what am I doing sitting here writing about relaxing?

Mantle Moose, I wish I was you right now!

I guess I should have been using my time better, but I just couldn't help myself...

I just had to start, on that adorable pattern that 

Marlene sent in the ornie swap.

It's ready for some quilting and then the finishing touches.

Now if I could put off cleaning those bathrooms...

Hummmmm!

Got em calmed down for awhile!

Looks like Sparky and Mantle Moose are finally making friends and staying out of trouble. 

This likely won't last long!

:-(

#mantle moose

Not the iron again!

Mantle Moose got to spend the day with Sparky, while mom was quilting with her friends!

Turn your back and they are both into mischief again!

Did you learn nothing from the last iron event?

Gheez!

#mantle moose

How many times do I have to tell you...

Be careful around the iron.

Yes, that's the look of shame!

Good thing we had more ribbon.

Mantle Moose, what am I to do with you?

I knew keeping him busy with Stocking watch wasn't going to last long!

Sigh!

# Mantle Moose

Ornie Swap

The weather outside is frightful...

But here inside it's delightful.

We are sitting here enjoying all the treasures from 

Marlene, from the "Sew We Quilt" ornament exchange.

Are those cross stitches just incredible?

Marlene knows just how to stitch her way into my heart.

Oh, if you think you might have seen these before...

You have, I was bad and shared too soon. 

Mantle Moose and I were  "sew" excited we just couldn't wait!

Tomorrow at quilt club, I am going to start on the adorable holiday sampler pattern she sent.  

***************

This is what a frozen radiator looks like here!

But even Santa still has a smile on his face.

Even the little birds had a hard time keeping from getting buried.

Here they were carefully balancing on the tops of my pampas grass.

I'm glad we got the car all decorated before the big storm.

We got about 13 inches of the white stuff.

Yesterday I shoveled for a couple of hours just trying to get a path to drive in.  I left to run some errands and came home to a completely plowed yard. Oh what a delightful surprise.

After some detective work, I found the sneaky neighbor...

Thanks guys, your the best!

Sunset on the homestead!

Doesn't even look like we got dumped on with snow.

One thing with weather around here...

It will likely all melt off in a day or two, 

and you'll never know it happened.

Our favorite saying...if you don't like the weather, stick around...

It will likely change in an hour!

:-)

Wishing all your holidays to be filled with joy.

And a little white stuff, too!

Let It Snow

It snowed more than it has in a very very long time here.

Best thing to do is hunker down and watch.

Mantle Moose is happy snoozing in the windowsill, 

while keeping nice and warm!

One of the craziest things I've seen is this little snowball

 hanging from a spider web.

I couldn't really get a good photo of the web, 

but you sure and see the snowball.

Mother Nature at her finest!

#Mantle Moose

Festival of Trees

If your looking for that quick holiday gift...

There is still time and this one is perfect.

This is Festival of Trees from All People Quilt.com

It's a great way to do a little stash busting too.

My version is a little different from the pattern. I chose not to use the sashing in between the blocks. Why you ask?

Well, I have fallen in love with polar fleece backings.

It quilts like a dream and the texture it gives, is so much fun.

It's a little difficult to see this here, but you get the idea.

Standard Polar Fleece is 52" wide.

(or at least mine was)

Keeping my quilt under that by a few inches, allows for no piecing of the backing. I'm not to sure I would even try to piece polar fleece, but I'd love to hear from any who have done so.

I used no batting. It drapes so nice and is snuggly to curl up in on those cold winter nights.

You can find the Festival of Trees pattern right

HERE

Happy Stitchin!