Quilting and cookies! Seriously, what doesn't go better than those two? Carol really knows how to bring out the best of the holidays with them, that's for sure.
This year is very different for this household. There is a wedding coming up next spring, and this girl has finally gotten her act together and really buckled down on this diet thing, so there are NO cookies around here this year. No candy either. LOL!! Just to keep hubs happy, I will make him, his all time favorite Chex Mix". There is just so much I can expect him to give up at the holidays.
I really have been good about sticking to the plan, I'm down 38 pounds and honestly, I'm finding it very easy to do. But it is a cookie exchange hop, so I do have cookies to share!
There was "that" little trip to Vegas to visit with my friend Carol last month...
She took me a place named "Pop Drinks" just for a cookie. I would love to tell you I was kicking and screaming all the way there, but I would be a big ole liar if I did!
Oh my goodness, they are to die for!
I borrowed these photos from their web site.
So many incredible choices, it looks like I am going to have to go back many times to try them all!
(Heads up Carol, you best lock your doors or just move! tee hee hee)
Along with these incredible cookies, they have customizable soft drinks, and popcorn.
Be still my heart!
If you are lucky enough to live in Las Vegas NV, St George UT, or Farmington NM, you need to check them out. There are new ones coming soon in Utah, Idaho and Arizona.
We had a howling good time that weekend, and the best way to commemorate it was to pull out a pattern that has been in my "to-do" pile for a very long time.
Introducing, in Christmas card form...
"Oh Howly Night"
The is a "Java House" quilt pattern. I absolutely love their whimsical designs.
These sweet guys just warm my heart.
The background was very interesting to piece. The stripes were pieced, and the circular center was an applique. It was kind of mind boggling how they put it together, but the instructions were great and if you follow along, step by step, it comes out beautifully. It was definitely something out of my wheelhouse and a fun little challenge.
As a blogging quilter, I share the good, the bad and the ugly. It's keeps me humble.
LOL!!
So, I must confess...I am on a "use it up" kick, in my sewing room and I found an old bolt of polyester batting that was the perfect width. I spent hours quilting it on my domestic machine and love the dimension it has. But it's polyester batting and nothing I do, will make it lay flat. I should have known better.
So, I think the rest of that bolt is going to have to find a new home or the trash.
Well, it's a big ole poop (lets call it reindeer poop) for this project, for me!
It's a perfect for a Christmas card photo...
...maybe won't irritate me nearly as much if it's a bed runner.
On the bright side, I use a machine I bought 2 years ago and never really made friends with. We have finally bonded and I love it!
After seeing a pillow at the Garden of Quilts with Carol, I remembered a hop in 2012, when we made pillows from a "Jillily Studio" pattern "Holiday Lane". The free pattern is still available HERE.
You can find a kit on her website as well.
This pillow now lives with friends up in Alaska.
Oh what a blast to the past and yes, poor Carol has had to deal with me a lot this year!
:-)
Please visit my fellow bloggers today and see what's cooking in their virtual kitchens!
December 6
MooseStashQuilting (your here)
You can find the entire schedule for the hop HERE.
Wishing you happy holiday season, filled with joy!
til next time...
Keep on Stitchin'
Joan, Oh Howly Night is fabulous, even it if won't lay flat. Those animals all howling--love it! I really like that bench pillow too. And another place in Henderson to put on my list for whenever we get to visit! :) Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletePS Congratulations on losing so much weight! Wow!
ReplyDeleteOh I love your runner! It is way too cute! The joy of using poly batting, don't toss it use it in a quilt.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your diet results, awesome!! My downfall is I love sweets. Your projects are so adorable as usual Joan. Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteI love your whimsical critters singing! The whole piece is just so fun and festive to look at. All around great fabric choices.
ReplyDeleteWell, YOU impressed me! 38 pounds off is outstanding but NOT doing cookies at Christmas is fantastic! One cookie in Vegas has to be a record! The 'Howling' quilt is just adorable. It so sad that the poly batting was a b----; get rid of it or use it scrunched up in a pillow. All that work doesn't deserve crappy batting. I always thought I'd make that Holiday Lane pillow but haven't...yet! Will it ever happen? Cuter than cute and those pictures of Carol's make it the best. How she'll fit in another child, I can't wait to see. lol
ReplyDeleteThat is such a cute quilt, even if it doesn't lay flat. I just used poly batting, cut up, to make a pillow form. It worked really well! Congrats on the weight loss!
ReplyDeleteIt turned out soooo cute! The detail is fabulous. You will love it even if it does lay flat. Love your pillow too.
ReplyDeleteIt was pure torture to have to deal with you this year. LOL Nope, it's been a blast! I love those howling cuties even though it wasn't fun to use that batting. So adorable! You've totally beaten me with that weight loss. Maybe I need to stop those green tea lemonade things. Yuck! LOL Thanks for kicking this day off with sweetness and laughs.
ReplyDeleteHooray for the Howlers! Congrats, too, on your weight loss; it is never easy. I am down some too, and I know the struggle!!! So many other good projects too....and now to dream of those treats you shared with Carol!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your amazing weight loss! Great going! I love O Howly Night, it is adorable! In Northern CA we have a thrift store called ReCreate. Nonprofit ReCreate works with individuals and businesses in our region to keep clean usable items from entering the landfill. They use these items to teach hands-on lessons in Science, Tech, Engineering, Art, and Math.
ReplyDeleteWow, 38 lbs. is tremendous! Good for you! O Howly Night is so wonderful, love word plays. We have a similar cookie place here, different six cookies each week, called Crumble. They are good, but oh so much sugar! =)
ReplyDeleteWell, Joan, Oh Howly Night came out fantastically, despite the batting problem!! There is one poly batt I will use and have used for many quilts that I love and it is by Quilter's Dream. Congrats on your 38 lb loss. That is an amazing feat!! I have that Jillilly pattern and now may have to break it out sometime in the near future! Great projects. Thanks for the recipe...we love Chex Mix!!
ReplyDeletegreat quilt it's fantastic and great pillow too, I remember that pillow pattern and blog hop, my pillow is way floppy, we might have tossed it now or my 18yo daughter has it still- she had it last.
ReplyDeleteHowly night is too cute! Those cookies look fantastic. I remember those pillows! A fun trip down memory lane.
ReplyDeleteOh Howly Night is so cute, and the quilting is phenomenal! I have a runner that is "wavy" and won't lie flat, but I'm using it anyway - lol! Congratulations on your weight loss, and it's wonderful that you are finding it easy - yay! I love your pillow.
ReplyDeleteYour Oh Howly Night is just too cute. I have the pattern for Holiday Lane and would love to get it made.
ReplyDeleteIt's is so adorable, I love this. Congrats on the weight loss, it can be a struggle. Just ask how I know.
ReplyDeleteSew adorable! I wonder which Christmas carol they are singing; maybe "O Howly Night"?
ReplyDeleteThis little quilt instantly brought a smile to my day. I love it. All of the animals are darling but that raccoon is precious. Woo Hoo! on losing weight. You go girl! Happy quilting.
ReplyDeleteI love Oh Howly Night!! Your quilting is perfect!!! Congrats on your weight loss!
ReplyDeleteOh Howly Night is just too cute Joan. I love your pillow as well. You always amaze me with the projects you come up with! Congrats on the weight loss. That is amazing. I’ll have to check out that cookie shop when we head to Vegas in February. I’ll have an extra cookie for you since I always walk miles and miles when I’m there. 😉
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun quilt and the quilting is amazing. Use it on a bed and no one will know it doesn't lay flat. I have found that with fleece backings too. But they are so cozy...
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the weight loss. It's so tough to do and you are rocking it!
As usual Joan, you choose to make the fun quilts! Did you try pressing the quilt gently? Polyester batting can melt with too high a heat, but keep the iron moving and press from the back side and it will flatten it. Some poly batts are just too puffy, but poly battings and wool battings will keep you warmer than cotton. There are good quality poly battings and of course fusible and sew-in fleece is great to use in place of batting (Therm-o-web comes to mind as having great fleece products...which you know all about, lol).
ReplyDeleteHi Joan! Congrats to you on the weight loss and persevering during the holiday season. Seeing that success on the scale helps you to keep the motivation and just say "no". Great job. I love the bench pillow. I've been jonesing to make one and they seem to be making a comeback. Happy holidays to you and your family and stay the course as best you can. {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your diet plan! Kudos to you for cutting out all the sweets. I wish I could lose some of my excess. I walk into the kitchen and gain a pound. (Of course, my stop at the refrigerator might be a contributor. Who knows?) Love your Oh Howly Night quilt. It looks perfect to me. I have always loved the Java House line. I am definitely going to try that free pattern for the house pillow. Love it, too!
ReplyDeleteWell done on the dieting. I only lost 10 pounds prior to my son's wedding last April, but I have sadly gained it all back. Now I am having a hard time to lose it again. I love "O Howly Night". I have never tried something like that. It is so whimsical! Enjoy your stitching.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the diet success. The quilts are really pretty. Yeah, I also do not like polyester batting either though. Daryl's advice on pressing gently sounds like that would work.
ReplyDeleteSo much going on in this post!!! Looking at the positives!!! Great that you have used that new machine and have liked it. Great work with the diet - I am super impressed with that one. Love the howly night, lots of fun there.
ReplyDeleteShame about the wadding. Turn it into bedding for a pet maybe?
Good luck with the run up to Christmas.