New years eve reflections

It has been freezing cold here this christmas. This morning it was minus 23 cold degrees outside. I'm so happy I have my fire burner that keeps the house warm. But this is not the coldest we have had. I remember many years ago we had a new years eve with almost minus 40 Celcius. Brrrrrrrrr THAT is too cold.
It has been so cold that I forgot to get my post before last weekend, so this package from Sharon had to stay in the mailbox for a couple of days. Sharon and I have been talking about what to have behind our stitcheries, and we have swapped some samples. And look what she sendt me as a christmasgift, a lot of patterns and a charmpack. Love those transfers :)

This gives me a reflection on ALL YOU WONDERFUL BLOGGERS I have met through 2008. And that is the reason why I continue blogging. I have learned to know so many nice and wonderful ladies all over the world. And you all give me inspiration and joy. Thank you :)


I have had almost 14 days off from work this christmas and it feels so good. Spending time with my DS and DD has been the most wonderful. But I am also happy that I have had some time to sew. So these days I have been working on a block in the Joy of Life BOM. I have enjoyed doing the applique on this and have had some great evenings sewing together with my DD. She has started to do cross stitch and have been working on a table cloth.

Did I manage to finish everything I had planned to in 2008.

Oh no !!!! But I guess I am in good company with a lot of others LOL

The adventcalendar is still hanging in my sewingroom without the binding.

I did not finish quilting on my Leannes House.

My new flanell quilt for the sofa is also in need of a binding.

And sorry Stina. I did not manage to even baste the Angel Story Book quilt before deadline des 31st. I have now agreed with Hanne about a new deadline July 1st.

And what about these to Leanne B stitcheries. They are finished and I even got the frames for both.

And I know I am going to start on new projects like this one. Annie Downs new BOM Pockets of Posies. I am going to make this together with Hanne and we start now in january.

And not to mention all the other projects in my sewingroom. And all the fabrics in my stash. And all the books and patterns and magazines.

But don't you agree: What would we do without all this.

I just love it all.

I have one big new years resolution. I want to finish a lot my Ufo's or what I like to call them WIPS's (Work In Slow Progress) And I want feel bad starting new projects, because that is what makes me (us) happy.

And now I will wish all of you my blogger friends a happy new year. Take care!!

Saying for today:
Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve.
Middle age is when you're forced to.

~Bill Vaughn

The Christmas Heart Project

During these christmasdays I have been receiving photos from ladies that have stitched the christmasheart and made something out of it.

Here are the photos I have got so far.

Sølvi was the first one to send me a photo of her finished heart. She has made it into a christmas cushion.

And then there came a photo from Bev C. I love the use of ric-rac on her version of the heart.

And Jeanette has made a stuffed heart filled with lavender . She has also stitched the heart instead of applique a heart.

Love the green version of the heart made by Bea.

And look at these two christmas pillows Anne Grete has made. Love the idea.
Corinna from Creativity with Corinna has made it into a christmas ornament. Like the way she has stitched 2008 in the heart.

If there is anyone else who has stitched the christmas heart I would love to hear from you.

Saying for today:

I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit
in jars and open a jar of it every month.
--Harlan Miller (Better Homes and Gardens)

Christmas bird

I have got a new cellphone that can send photos to my blog! This is my first attempt!

And then came Nissen

Gjesåsberg nissen (the santa from the mountan nearby) came by yesterday. The children and the grownups as well was so happy to see him. He was so quiet, did not say so much, but he left a big pile of christmasgifts for all of us.

We spendt almost 4 hours opening all the gifts.

And this is how it looks after all the unwrapping.

I must have been a nice girl this year because Santa brought a lot of quilty presents for me + a lot of other not quilty presents.

Lise have knitted the mittens for me, Anne Ida have made that little blue sewingpurse, and Hanne has stitched the little snowman. I also received tea, patterns, liqueur from other quilt friends.

My DD and DS had bought me some new quiltbooks. One was on my wishlist, but the other one was totally new to me so I was so surprised by that one. And I got the two christmas cd's and the Mamma Mia dvd I had on my wish list + a lot of dvd movies to watch.

Stina had made the little cute lavender pillow for me. Nancy had made two lovely hearts, a bag to keep my tea lights in and a new tablemat. And look what's laying on the blue towel together with the lavendersoap (that smells so lovely).......my own abyquilt thimble.......

Look, isn't it so cute. One of a kind and it is mine. Laila's mother have handpainted this one for me.

Another fun present is this one. When Bjørg and I was preparing the next block on Joy Of Life BOM we joked about having bias on our wish list for christmas. Because there is a lot of bias on these BOM and we both hate to make them. So Santa brought me 3 long stripes of bias.

And this is some other wonderful things that has dropped in my mailbox these last days before christmas. I appriciate so much to recive these little goodies from friends.

Thank you all of you.

Now I am enjoying a quiet moment on Christmas Day. My new christmas CD of Peter Jøback is in the background. I am reading blogs and mails. The candles are lit. (got this wonderful candleholder from my DD). And I am just enjoying som quality time. And now I will find my stitchery or the next Joy of Life block and start sewing.

Enjoy your Christmas time.

Saying for today:

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world,

and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful

Christmas Eve

The tree is decorated. The christmas gifts is under the tree. I am having a quiet moment early in the morning with tea and scones. I have lighted the candles and some christmas music on the radio. Both children are still sleeping and I am so happy to have them both home. Later today we are first going to visit my mother and spend some time together with her. And then we are going to my brother to celebrate christmas together with his family.


Yesterday after the tree was decorated my DD allowed me to open my SSCS package. I have been a clever girl and have not peeked at it. It stayed in the big envelope until it was placed under the tree. Look how beautiful they are wrapped.
My Secret Santa was Anita R from Australia. Look what she have sendt me. A wonderful butterfly bag in beautiful fabrics. The inside of the bag is the same fabric as the butterfly. Love it, and I will for sure use this one as a summer bag. She also sendt me some beautiful australian fabrics, a pattern and Tim Tam balls (yummy yummy). And the country threads christmas magazine which has a lot of tempting projects. Thank you Anita for being so generous to me.

There is so many presents under the tree this year. And I imagine how many more it will be when we bring them to my nephews house later today where we will be nine people total. It will be so fun with two small children (7 and 4 years old) and I think santa will be visiting us.

Christmas time is my favorite time of the year.

Take care and enjoy!!

Saying for today:

From Home to home,
and heart to heart,
from one place to another.
The warmth and joy of Christmas,
brings us closer to each other.
- Emily Matthews -

Merry Christmas

Some days ago I showed you a little sneak peak of a christmas stitchery I was working on.

And here it is finished. It says GOD JUL which means Merry Christmas. I am not sure what to make of it yet. Perhaps as a stuffed heart or as a applique on a bag. Will make something of it this holidays.

I have also made a Merry Christmas version of this pattern. And I want to give it to all of you dear bloggerfriends as a little christmaspresent from me. So to all of you from me

here is the pattern of the Merry Christmas heart.

Thank you Helen for helping me do this. Blogspot has no way yet to store and show a pdf file. So Helen was so kind to help me with this.

I will be happy to receive a photo what you make from the finished Christmasheart.

I wish you all a merry christmas and a happy new year.

Hardanger heart

Look at this wonderful hardanger heart my niece have made for me. It is so beautiful made and she also have sewed tiny pink beads on it. Now it's haning in my window together with the beautiful hardanger angel she gave me two years ago. Thank you Linda :)
I am now cleaning the house for the christmas holidays. My DD surprised me when I came home yesterday. She had cleaned the bathroom all over from floor to roof. I am so happy she helped me with it.
And one of these days we will bake some gingerbread cookies. Have to have that smell in the house to feel it is christmas.

Saying for today:

This time of year means being kind
to everyone we meet,
To share a smile with strangers
we may pass along the street.
--Betty Black ("This Time of Year")

We have a beautiful country

These photos was taken some weeks ago, but I have forgot to show them to you. Don't you agree we have a beautiful country. I guess this place is even more covered with snow now. And I imagine if I look very good among those trees I can get a glimpse of a little red cap. Perhaps our nisse (santa) is hiding behind the trees watching us.

Maybe this little cute fellow.

Saying for today:

Christmas is doing a little
something extra for someone

Adventpackages

Today it is the third sunday in advent. Only 1 1/2 week to christmas. I still have a lot to do before I can relax and call it christmas.

I have opened my adventcalendar gifs today and I forgot to show you the one from 2nd sunday in advent.

This is my gifts from 2nd sunday in advent. A pincushion cat from Nadine. A lovely tin filled with pins from Hanne. And a lovely little pincushion flower on a peg that stands in my thread from Nancy.

And todays adventcalendar gifts was: From Nadine a washcloth with cats on. From Hanne a lovely scissor, I love this one and it is so good to cut with. And from Nancy a tag for my luggage and a cute thimble from the Golden Shears World Championship 2008.
Look how cute this one is. It is handpainted and I don't think there is that many of them, so this is special.

And this is what I have been sewing on today. My own design for christmas, but I can't show you anymore yet LOL

Saying for today:

May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,
The gladness of Christmas give you hope,
The warmth of Christmas grant you love.
~Author Unknown