A New Generation

I have fallen behind on my blogging because I have been busy with the next generation. No not a new generation in the family but a new quilt generation. I have just finished generating the quilts for my Christmas and Fall 2011 lines of fabric.
Here is a sneak peek.

Panel for my Fall line. I named the line Grand Finale.
Fall is when Mother Nature gives us one last spectacular
show of color before everything is put to bed for the long colorless winter.

A few of the prints from the line.

Charm Pack pattern. #520 Glorious Fall.

No link yet as these will not be available until May 2011

A few of the prints from the Christmas line named Reindeer Games.


The quilt using a Reindeer Games Layer Cake.

#526 Rockefeller Rival.
One Layer Cake will do both the front and the back of the quilt.

Plus the yardage for the borders and backing.

The panel.

I really could use these guys right about now.

I have not even started decorating.

Now that I have my quilts generated I can start decorating tomorrow.

Daughter Abby has her decorating done.
Since I don't have any decorating pictures I will show you some of Abby's

Her tree - looking so lovely against the blue walls.

I think Bentley has his eye on that pretty pink bulb.
Her tree shirt is from my Just Jolly project book.

Love those blue spiky things.

More pretties.

Abby also had time to make potato soup.
Mmmmm. Looks yummy.
I will share her recipe.

Abby's Potato Soup
3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.


I am off to start my decorating.
I am sure Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen are waiting at the door to help me string the lights on my tree.
Maybe I will make them some of Abby's Potato Soup.

Happy Decorating.

From my heart,
Sandy

Making Progress

I'm slowly making progress on my Christmas Decorating. Someone asked if my home is a new Victorian. No it is an old Victorian, it was built in 1890.

The first weekend in December my sister Brenda and I met in Des Moines to attend the

Old Crow Junk Farm sale. This is a couple who find old "things" and repurpose them into cool "things".

I bought this metal tree screen. I'm not sure what it's original purpose was, but I thought it was cool.

And this was before I knew I was going to have a very short Christmas tree.
Sure does cover up the fact that my tree is actually setting on bricks.

The finished tree.

I bought some of these large pinecones at Bachman's and wired them to my tree.

The post office door is finished.

Frosty the snowman has just settled in after an ice skating outing.




This little corner is finished.
I bought the window/wheel at another one of my favorite spots,
The Painted Porch in Medford Minnesota.

I'm off to do more decorating.

Stay tuned for more.

From my heart,

Sandy

A Trip to Bachman's

Over the past weekend I went to my favorite Christmas destination. Bachman’s in Minneapolis. A company that has been in business since 1885. A Minneapolis icon oozing with creativity.

I always travel to Bachman’s (3 hours away) because no one in our area carries "natural" Balsam trees. (Natural means - just like they grow naturally - no trimming involved - branches sticking out everywhere - truly a Charlie Brown tree.)
I also prefer Cedar roping - cannot find this in the area either.

However, due to a very busy schedule and a snowstorm

my trip to Bachman’s was delayed.

When I arrived at the tree lot, I went directly to the Natural Balsam section. I was stunned - not a tree to be found. I asked the somewhat frozen stiff guy working outdoors if they had any natural Balsams - no they were all gone. ALL GONE - CAN’T BE. Whatever shall I do.? I finally settled on an 8 foot natural Frasier Fur. We have 10 foot ceilings so I was very sad to have to settle for an 8 foot tree. An eight foot tree in a ten foot room looks very small. Also NO CEDAR ROPING!

Bachman's also has a wonderful place to eat right there in the green house among the poinsettias. But after my no tree/roping discovery I was so distraught I forgot about eating. Nor did I take any pictures of the yummy pastries or the beautiful poinsettias. Here are a few of the pictures that I did manage to snap.

As you can see a trip to Bachman's puts you in a Christmas mood.

All of the 3 hour drive home I tried to figure out how I could make my 8 foot tree look like a ten foot tree.

This is the only solution I could come up with.
Hmmm, how am I going to make it look like the tree is not setting on bricks
Check back later to find how I conceal the bricks.

Although I am still working on the inside of the house the outside is done.
Just a few snapshots of the outside.

I will be decorating the inside of my house all week - I will be blogging along the way so check back often.

Happy Decorating! (Although I am sure everyone is done decorating except me.)

From my heart,

Sandy