Happy New Year

Sewing room time again

Finally some quality time in my sewingroom. 

And Rusken really enjoyed having me there with him again. Yesterday I prepped the center block for the basket quilt. 

This has become one of my favorite quilting tools.  The 1/4 inch bias maker.  So easy to make bias for stems now.

And I enjoyed starting applique on the center block.  Still have 14 basket blocks to finish.

Discovering there was only two days left of 2012 and I had no OPAM finish this month (neither did I have one in november….shame on me).  After looking through my WISPS  (have a lot of them) I choose this Christmas wreath.  It was almost finished last I worked on it.  Just had to add the backside of the pillow and sew on the binding.

And in a couple of hours I had a december OPAM finish and a new Christmas cushion.  Last Christmas I had no Christmas cuhsions, but now I have two.  And this makes me decide to make some new cushions in 2013.  I really need to change out some of my old cushions.

Will this one be the last finish in 2012???  Still have some time to sew in 2012.  And it will perhaps be the last time I am sewing on my Janome 6600.  I am waiting for my new Janome Horizon coming late january.  Then I am going to clean up the old machine, put it in a box and it is going to a lady in Oslo who have bought it to use it at her cabin.

Saying for today:

Relaxing Christmas days

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve celebrating with my brother and his family. Always nice to be together. With 13 people together you can guess there was a load of presents to open, and it was so fun watching the children unwrapping theirs.

I got a lot of wonderful presents and here you can see the quilty ones.  Calendars, quiltbooks, a new pattern my friend Bjørg have designed, some fabric and gift card at a quilt shop.

I wonder when we get some quilt wine??  Take a look at the winebootle.  It is the Christmas wine from Arne and Carlos, the boys who started knitting Christmas balls. I had no idea they had their own wine, and I love the lable of this bottle.  I got one beautiful Christmas ball from my friend Elisabeth.

The Christmas days have been spent playing games.  Every year I buy a new brick game for the family to play.  This year we played Ticket to Ride Europe.  It was so fun and I know this will be one of my favorite games.  I also bought another one, but that one is not opened yet.

Relaxing days with watching movies, doing applique on my basket blocks.  The countdown have started.  112 finished, 14 to be done.  I had big plans today working in my sewingroom, but all I have done is choosing fabrics for the center block of the basket quilt.

And as I did not have any finish in OPAM november, I have to have at least one finish in december.  So my plan is to spend a lot of time in the sewingroom the next two days.

I signed up for Chookyblue’s SSCS this year too.  But I am still waiting for my present to arrive.  Maybe Santa has forgotten my adress, or it has been delayed in the customs. So if my SSCS reads my blog, this is why I have not mailed a thank you.  Looking forward to Chooky’s show and tell, I have visited some blogs and you have got wonderful presents from your SSCS.

Saying for today:

Merry Christmas

Things have been very hectic the last couple of weeks.  I just realised that I have not blogged in two weeks.  But now I can sit down and relax.  My daughter and son is home for Christmas and the last preparations for Christmas is done.

Earlier this year I finished this Christmas table cloth.  I was going to sell it, but now I am happy no one wanted to buy it.  Because I really love it now when it is laying on my kitchen table. 

This was my 3rd advent calendar gifts.  Two beautiful fabrics and a ribbon from Nancy.  And a small doily and two ribbons from Hanne. 

And today on the 4th sunday in advent I got the last part of Hannes Christmas mystery, the circles to finish my dresden plates.  She also gave be two beautiful “Made by…….” to sew on my finished quilts.  Nancy had made me this cute little Christmas wallhanging and a little chocolate. 

Thanks to both of you for doing this Advent calendar swap.  It brings me so much joy, both to make and give you both your presents, and to receive from you both.

The Christmas tree is decorated and it have already some presents laying under it.  I still have to wrap up some more.

Rusken enjoyes his new place to sleep.  He had to move to the other side of the table to make place for the Christmas tree.  But now he is so close to my chair, so I can just reach out my hand and pet him. 

I have done just a little sewing the last weeks.  Now I have 104 finished baskets.  Only 22 more to make.  Think I will start sewing on the center piece in the next days.  I have big plans just relaxing with my sewing this Christmas, watching old (and new) movies and just enjoy some time with my family.

But I guess all the stress the last weeks will make me sleeping in my chair. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS
to all my blogging friends.

Saying for today:

Baking for Christmas

This weekend Hanne and I have baked for Christmas.  We did the same last year and we love this tradition.  We have had so fun in the kitchen, and I am already looking forward to next years baking.

Five different kind of Christmas cookies in six hours. 

Rusken was very curious about what was going on.  He hoped something will drop down on the floor.  But Christmas cookies was not his kind of favorite.

When all baking was done our traditional baking dinner.

Dinner with pinnekjøtt (salted and dried rib of mutton) and of course red wine and aquavit.

Second sunday in advent and it is so fun opening my adventcalendar from Hanne and Nancy.

Today adventcalendar gifts was this. A cute Christmas ornament kit from Nancy (her own design).  Love it.  I have to trace this and start sewing it today.  From Hanne Step two in her secret Christmas mystery.  Now I am allowed to start sewing this dresden plates. 

Have to cut more fabric for these dresden petals so I can sew the whole dresden plate together.Step one is ready and wating for step two. Love this mystery project and are looking forward to step three next sunday. 

Saying for today:

A snowman is love and laughter
all rolled up into one.

Homework

I’ve done my homework on Hannes adventcalendar for me.
Now waiting for the next step on sunday.

Saying for today:

Making snowmen

I guess Hanne and I have had the same idea this year with our adventcalendars.  You remember last sunday that I got templates to make dresdenplates (still struggling to find the perfect fabrics I want to use).  And today Hanne got her 1 1/2 adventcalendargift with fabric and pattern to make these snowmen. We both have given one another a project to work with this advent. I started earlier this week, and today I finished these three snowmen. They are so cute!!

Saying for today:

First sunday in advent

Today is the first sunday in advent.  Only three weeks to christmas.  And as usual I have swapped adventcalendar with Hanne and Nancy.

And this is what I got today.  From Nancy I got a knittet washing clouth and a thimble. And from Hanne I got some Sue Daley templates and a challenge.  I have to dress so many dresden templates as I want, but I am not allowed to sew yet.  The next clue will come second sunday in advent.  Now I have to pick some fabrics to make this……..(have no idea what I am making LOL)

Thank you Hanne and Nancy.  Already looking forward to the second sunday in advent.

Saying for today:

Christmas Expo

Today Bjørg, Irene and I visited Christmas Expo at Lillestrøm.  I have no idea how many exhibitors there was here. But there was plenty of different things to watch.  Food, decorations, antiques and of course a sewing market.

First visit was at Quiltegården.One of my favorite shops.

Always a lot of temptations in this quilt shop.

Next stop was over at Quiltefryd.  Another of my favorite quiltshop. An note that Quiltefryd now has opened a net shop.  Visit Quiltefryd here and check out all the wonderfull goodies they have in their net shop.  Always good and fast service and I know I will order a lot of stuff here.

A lot of inspiration at Quiltefryd.

I love this cute cushion.  I have some of Yvonne’s patterns,
but have not had time to make them yet.

More inspiration from Quiltefryd

Visit Quiltefryd new shop on the net.  I promise you will find a lot of goodies.
And in Aril 2013 Sue Daley will visit Quiltefryd to teach classes and give inspiration to us.
I’ll be there.  Looking forward to meet Sue again.

Did I buy something at the Christmas Expo??

Of course. I found these fabrics that just had to come home with me.

And then………………

OMG…..

I’m a still a little bit shaky……..

Late January this cutie will come to stay in my sewingroom.
Guess who’s doing a happy dance right now LOL
Now I am going to sell my Janome 6600.  Hope someone wants to buy it.

Saying for today: