little baskets...of what?

This little basket quilt is one I found in among the UFOs(what UFOs?) in the closet of shame. It's one of a couple that were done several years ago and before I got a 1/4 in. foot and didn't think it made a difference(wow). Of sourse it means everything or at least the difference between a piece you are proud to have displayed or one that someone will one day refer to as naive or country-crafty or some other words for something not very well done. The fabrics are much like the ones in the little houses I showed the other day. It was bits and pieces of really nice fabric I hated to throw away and so I paper-pieced these baskets with the intention of eventually doing some sort of applique or needlework in the baskets. I'n not sure that I can manage to do that now since my hands are geting more arthritic by the day and embroidery and applique and even hand quilting are not high on my list of things I can do comfortably now. That's not to mention the eyesight. I take a medication that effects my eyesight and there's no way around it. I have a lot of trouble focusing sometimes. It's not too bad but just bad enough that it makes trying to see small work a struggle sometimes. Can't see up close with the glasses on and can't quite focus with them off. I've gone the bifocal route and it made me crazy. Maybe I'll just fuse some flowers and call it done.I'm in awe of you ladies who do the beautiful crewel and french knots and such. How pretty would that be? Any suggestions?
Among the many things I plan to do very soon is learn to machine quilt and I think it will make life with sore hands a bit easier.
I signed up for the 12x12x4 challenge today and my theme is going to be Asian shoes and purses. I have seen a lot of really fun quilts this year that have a theme of handbags or shoes and I have a large amount of Asian fabrics so I'm going to have fun playing around with that idea(cause I really need something else to do-heh) It's good to venture into a new area though and I need to loosen up in the art area so I'm hoping to incorporate those two things into these pieces.
Well...packages to wrap-tea to drink-cookies to eat. Have fun everyone.

Little wooden artist- for Janet

What??? two posts in one day, what does she do with her time???? Not a lot today-yay!!!

Janet left me a comment that asked to see the wooden-soldier-artist my husband gave me years ago-it's a favorite of mine and I'm tempted to keep him out all the time except I get such joy from unwrapping him once a year. It's small & so hard to get a good shot so pardon my pic. Click for a larger shot but pardon my dust. Just warning you.

WIP Wed.

Here is a Wip that I unearthed recently. I love making houses. These are paper pieced and made from left over bits of fabric that I just couldn't bear to throw away. It's a mixed bag of everything and I will quilt feathered wreaths in the blank bocks-eventually. In it's original form it had a checkerboard around the edges but I was a bad quilter and left the top in a place where it got something spilled on it. I think it might have been sewing machine oil and thank goodness I found it when I did because all that was required was removing the borders. As long as I had to do that I decided to take the whole thing apart and put the plain blocks separating each house. Anyway, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

The window is one in my living room. I don't know if it was the time of day or the camera but I couldn't get a good shot no matter what. These are little houses that my husband bought me several years in a row. on the right is a wooden soldier but he's holding a big brush and artists palette. It's one of my fav. Christmas things that my husband got for me. Well, I'm off to do some errands and think of some type of finger food to provide for the Christmas Eve dinner that we go to at our friends house. I've been charged with making a salad and an canape. I will be making a pasta salad that's basically tortellini with antipasto ingredients included=tortellini,diced salami, diced capicola ham, diced provalone, green and black olives, diced celery, strips of roasted red pepper, and Italian dressing, marinate for a day(it's delish but even better a day or two later.) Along with that I'm making crab stuffed mushrooms. See you tomorrow.

Giving thanks

I had so much trouble with blogger yesterday that I never really got it together. Try, try, again. I have read what a few women have written on their blogs about the season and all that comes along with it-the pace, the over-hype, the seasonal frenzy, and so on. It would be really good this time of year to be removed a bit from all that and just appreciate what we have. It's very hard to keep the focus but all we have is right now with a prayer for more tomorrows. This morning I was in full panic mode and very grumpy. Most of this was brought on by my own personal lack of focus and excuses for not having done things in a timely manner when I had the opportunity. Back in September-everything seems possible. So we say to ourselves-I can do that, and that, and that and so on. I remain ever the Gemini psycho personality. I work really well with my back against the wall. Well, for me that is. Not so much for my family, who really deserve this Oscar.....Oh! where was I? I'm married to the most thoughtful and kind man who has ever lived and together we raised a great kid. We all have a wicked sense of humor and so why is it that I put myself into this panic and completely loose that sense of humor when simply delegating and organizing a bit would make life easier for everyone? Possible New Years resolution here?

Anyway, my January is starting to look a little more ick than Jan usually looks. We have a trip the third week to celebrate the 90th birthday of our Aunt in N.C. not far from Charlotte. To drive or to fly, nothing to wear, dealing with my least favorite family members socially. All things to look forward to(not). We go because the delightful Uncle has asked us to and there is nothing we wouldn't do for him-even face some of my least fav people. I keep thinking it's only two days-then I remember what one day is like with a couple of these relatives and I feel the need for Valium or large quantities of liquor. Good thing I don't like drugs and I can't drink more than a couple of glasses of wine. Hey! Maybe that's the ticket...Drink wine going-drink while there(a lot) and someone can tell me how it went when we get home!

On a much brighter note, I want to thank you lovely ladies who comment and say such nice things. It really does make my day. I wish you all Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah or Kwanza or Druids Day etc. Don't want to leave anyone out and the way Blogger has been working(or not working) I may not get the chance to wish blessings upon anyone before the 25th. How fortunate are we to have each other to bounce ideas off of, give value to our creations, and generally be hear to listen to each other. What a gift!

Not sure why this came out so blurry-I'll blame it on Blogger-everything else is their fault...Click for a close up if you want it's an old one from 10 years ago or so.