Between Holidays

I trust those that celebrate it had a Merry Christmas?  Now we are into the gap between holidays switching from the "eating events" to reflecting on the past year and making plans for the next one to come.  I know I am trying to wrap up those long pending quilting items so I can make a new list.  Really I could put quotation marks around new since many are carry over items or UFOs of various vintage.  While I work on these donation quilts, I will ponder the weightier matters, LOL.

As I have stated previously, I received some holiday shopping money from both my husband and my quilt group.  Bless them both! It is easier for DJ to let me pick out my own stuff as he hates to shop though he often will get me a little something to stuff in my stocking.  With his surgery two weeks ago, that didn't happen.  (He had not driven until today actually.)  I have a few of my shopping choices here to use and enjoy but others are going to be shipped.

From DJ:

• The Kay Buckley medium sized applique scissors.  I hope these will eliminate some of those itty bitty hairs that drive me nuts with fusible applique. 
• Mary Ellen's Best Press---you can see that I have already refilled my spray bottles, LOL.  Joann's dot com had it for 21 bucks a gallon and even though a little leaked out in transport I went for it. I recently paid 8 buck for a 16 oz. sized Lavender fields at the quilt shop.  While I would have preferred the other scent, at this price, Linen Fresh will be just fine! 
•  My stocking stuffer gift was the glue bottles and metal tips which I have already pressed into service.  Make a note there though----I was squeezing for all I was worth and even cut a tad off the tip of the applicator.  They stuck a piece of bottle topper type stuff in there and I didn't see it till I tried to put a pipe cleaner down from the top of the applicator and hit resistance.  I need not have poured the glue out of the Elmer's bottle after all. 
• Ordered is a more substantial Hemline Studio sewing machine hand tote  for the Singer machine. It is supposed to be dropped shipped from the manufacturer.  I have a Cotton Ginny machine cover but the machine itself has no handle on it so handling it is a bit awkward, picking it up and carrying it on my arm near the opening part. (whatever it is called, LOL).   I'll still use the cover when any of my machines are in use on the sewing table. 

From the Bama Belles---

• in the first picture, the Set G Perfect Patchwork Templates from Marti Michell but Joann's had them for about 5 dollars cheaper.  This is for 1 and 2 inch sided hexagons and related bits.  Set H is for larger ones with measured sides 1 1/2 and 3 inches and their companion templates.  Maybe come birthday time??
• 2nd picture, I got one of the Snapware Snap 'n Stack units 6 x 9 to hold a recent addition of threads when Connecting Thread had the sets on markdown.
• Ordered---oh how I love Connecting Threads!  I have a Pow-Wow Quilt kit on the way---apparently one of the last ones as they are selling the pattern download now but not the kit. This will probably be a pro bono for next year although..........we have recently learned there will be an addition to the family so you never know!  The fabrics may show up in a different configuration but I still like the pattern!
•  Also a set of Karen Buckley perfect circles in the smaller size are coming.  I already have the larger ones on hand.  
• Just a little bit of fabric is coming---Nana's Pantry Stack layer cake of 30's repros.  There is a pattern in one of the Carrie Nelson books that has captured my eye that I may try but it will require augmentation from my stash to complete.   This adds a bit more ammo, so to speak.

So anyway, I feel more blessed any one person should be.  Thank you so much to my husband and my dear Belle buddies.  You sure know how to shop!

I also had to order a replacement to my phone charger----you'll see why below!  Vacuuming and me are never a good mix.

Just that quickly the cord completely tore loose, stripped the wires and wrapped around the beater bar before I even knew that I had sucked it up.  The receptacle case broke in half and I found wired section about 2 feet away under the night stand.   Had I not just charged up the phone, it would have been stashed away in the drawer.   I debated about replacing my tracfone with a newer model just to get the charger but it turned out to be cheaper just to order one online even with the shipping costs.  I also didn't want to risk losing my existing number or transferring all the numbers I have programmed into it.   Till the new charger comes, I am going to limit how much I have the phone on.  Translation: use the house line, LOL.  One of us is almost always home so it rarely has to roll over to the cell. 

DJ and I had a fairly traditional Christmas meal though he was hoping for turkey and trimmings.  I insisted it was ham and scalloped potatoes, LOL.  He was also hoping for pecan pie.  Never my favorite but I promised him that sometime in January, maybe around our anniversary even, we would have the "spoil your husband" meal.  I've been stocking up on cranberries and pumpkin so I'll be ready!  He was with me when we picked up 3 turkey breasts so he knows we've got them!

I spent part of the day yesterday quilting on the first pro bono in the stack Modified Chantal after seaming two sets of binding.  I had cut two out for the quilt thinking I would use the darker of the two prints.  Oh oh, short about about half a strip and no leftovers to be had or if there were, I sent it in the scrap bag box that I shared with my left handed quilter friend.  Striped binding, it is then.  I also had to do some minor marking on it.  I finished the quilting about 9 last night and called it quits with trimming and binding to go.  I think I'll wait to bind and label the quilts till the end.   So today, I'll plan on quilting up the Prairie Stroll.  After lunch---DJ is apt to be asking me if we are going to eat soon about any minute.  Best quit blabbering and get lunch rolling.  Stay on task to reach my self imposed goals.  

And sew it goes-------