Month: December 2012 | Crazy for Fiber

December 2012
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Archive for December, 2012

It Was A Very Good Year

Monday, December 31st, 2012

Happy New Year! Things are winding down here in Congdon land. Paige and her parents tried to leave this morning, but their flight was canceled and they ended up on standby for a flight at 3:15 this afternoon – scheduled flight was 10 am. They are home now, with out luggage, but home. I miss my little mini-me so much. We really had a chance to bond and get to know each other. We will for sure be going to California for her first birthday at the end of March.

This was such a good year for us — I almost hate to see it end. I prevailed at doing a daily art exercise, Paige joined our family, Mr C and I took some great trips and spent some wonderful time with family, I had several quilts juried into shows, the 12 X 12 quilts continued to entertain people, Obama got re-elected, and I got to have my work featured in Art Quilting Studio.

My word for 2012 is Forward, the word that the Obama campaign used. To me, it means continuing the work and the progress I have made this year.

Here is yesterday’s 3 x 3:

This is the complete December collection. I really enjoyed working with yellow-green. I have tons of it in my stash!

And here is the complete year!

My plan is to finish the edges, perhaps by coating them with gel medium, then I will stitch them into a complete installation which will look different than the photo above.

Lisa and Clay are at Stephanie’s tonight, having a movie marathon and eating fun food and sipping bubbly. Mr C and I went to a 5:30 showing of Les Miserables and then came home to a light supper and bubbly. I don’t know if we will make it until midnight. The movie was every thing I had hoped for. I was riveted and did not bring enough tissues. A triumph of the human spirit.

Happy New Year to all of you.

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Posted in 3 x 3, Family, Holidays, Movies | 3 Comments »

Tired, Busy, Happy

Saturday, December 29th, 2012

I am coming to you from The Congdon Infirmary and Day Care. Jayme is quite sick with a head cold and cough. Mark is doing a little better. Neither of them is getting enough sleep. Paige, on the other hand, is having a good old time, keeping us and the dogs on our toes.

Tonight, she was in rare form, and was not ready to sleep at her normal bedtime.

Mr C and Mark took turns walking her around, and she finally got sleepy.

I keep running out of food. I am not used to feeding so many folks. I made a huge pot of soup tonight and it was gone. Clay helped me make vegan apple crisp. Just means that you use vegan margarine instead of butter.

I thought I would share some of my great Christmas presents. This is a lovely little hanging of Chinese zodiac animals with wonderful embroidery on them. My sister-in-law, Ann, got them when she was in China last spring.

I collect ethnic and folk art crosses. Steve’s brother and wife gave me this one. It is Haitian — made from a steel drum and then painted. It is really wonderful.

Lisa gifted me with some great fabric. Indigo cotton from some friends in Oakland who dye and sell fabric.

She also gifted me with a set of fat quarters of Jay McCarroll’s design. He was the first Project Runway winner who designs fabrics as a sideline. I am in love with the colors and patterns in these.

This is my favorite because I think I would love to make a quilt that looks like this.

She also gave me this lovely striped and very soft wool stole/wrap. Love the colors.

Stephanie and family gave a beautiful woven stole. I love the colors in this too. I guess I will be staying warm and stylish this winter.

Scooter is a little bit jealous of the time I spend with Paige. Sometimes, he just comes and sits by us and stares with those eyes you can’t see!! Then he will come up and try to put his head on my lap next to her. She loves him and loves to grab his fur and ears and tail. Overall, he is very gentle with her.

Here is today’s 3 x 3.

Only two more to go. Then what? I have some ideas, but have not settled on one thing yet. Sometimes, I think I should give the daily thing a rest for a year.

Posted in 3 x 3, Family, Holidays, Paige Ada, Scooter | Comments Off on Tired, Busy, Happy

Checking In

Thursday, December 27th, 2012

The day has flitted by. I spent the morning in my PJ’s, playing with Paige helping Mark take care of her as Jayme got sick during the night. She was not getting enough sleep, taking care of Paige, who was not sleeping well. Today, Paige turned a corner and seems much improved from the ear infection.

Paige had fun with my kitchen colanders.

Tonight, Steph invited us to her house for vegan spaghetti. Paige was back to her entertaining ways. She looked so cute in the sweater that I knitted for her.

Here she is with Aunt Lisa. I just love the little knitted sweater dress she is wearing.

I found time to get some SDA work done and to get caught up on my 3 x 3’s.

Posted in 3 x 3, Family, Paige Ada | 3 Comments »

A Bounty of Goodness

Wednesday, December 26th, 2012

We have been having a wonderful time with the family here for the holidays. Paige Ada has added so much joy and fun to our celebration. She arrived with a cold and ear infection and on antibiotics, but has been such a happy little girl through it all.

This was the calm before everyone arrived.

I had purchased some baby friendly toys for Paige and she loved knocking over a tower of the soft blocks. She is so fast on her hands and knees, now.

Don’t you just love the little tutu? She loves Scooter and chases after him and sneaks up behind him and grabs his tail. He is a little frightened of her, but she is not scared of him, one bit. So cute.

Later in the day, the Portland family arrived. Here is Paige with her Daddy and Aunt Stephanie.

Here is beautiful Mia with her new asymmetric hair cut. She is 5′ 9″, now.

Paige was quite taken with her cousin, Miles and climbed onto his lap. He didn’t know quite what to do with her.

She quickly got into the whole idea of opening presents.

It was a wooden ring game from the Portland cousins.

Another photo of the cutie, Miles.

We gave her this small version of a Radio Flyer wagon. She enjoyed going for rides in it.

In the morning, she got to see what was in her stocking.

She really liked the knitted dolly that a friend of mine made.

And then, she promptly fell asleep with it.

Later, we went to Stephanie’s for a delicious brunch. She set up a little play area for Paige with the heart quilt that I made Mia about 10 years ago.

We made a big dinner for the family back at our house with beef tenderloin and delicious side. Stephanie made brioche which was delicious.

This was taken when she woke up from a nap this afternoon. Love those big blue eyes.

Lisa and Clay and Wilfredo arrived safely today and didn’t have any trouble with snowy or icy roads. We all went out for Vietnamese food – which works for the meat eaters, the vegans, and the grandkids who love Asian noodles. Then we had another Christmas, opening gifts with them. I got some great stuff, which I will share in a later post.

The bags that I created for everyone contained a black or navy blue J. Crew sweater. I hope to get a photo of the whole family wearing them. Paige and I are the only ones who don’t have one. They don’t make them large enough for me or small enough for her so we will fake it.

Here is yesterday’s 3 x 3. I am running a bit behind.

Posted in 3 x 3, Family, Holidays, M & M, Paige Ada | 1 Comment »

Christmas is a Comin’

Sunday, December 23rd, 2012

I am so excited because our sweet Paige Ada and her Mom and Dad are arriving tomorrow morning. I have all the gifts wrapped. I finished her stocking. This is before blocking.

I ventured out to the grocery store and the fish monger to get all the ingredients for our celebration. Tomorrow night we will have seafood chowder with clams, shrimp and salmon. On Christmas Day I am making a beef tenderloin with roasted potatoes, the family broccoli-cheese dish, roasted brussels sprouts and a fennel, arugula, and apple salad. There will be lots of small sweets – cookies, mint brownies and mini-pumpkin cheesecakes.