Here's to the New Year...

Mommy, Baby, and Quilt

Here's mommy Rebecca, and Bronwyn holding the quilt ~

All is right with the world...

Bronwyn's Joy

"surrounding the child, released by the woman, return to the elder" ~ the butterflies on the quilt appear to be fluttering around the flowers ~ each of the blossoms is made up of 3 hands.














a detail of the knotted pearl cotton, some sewn on buttons ~

















a detail of one of the butterflies ~


hand-dyed cotton lawn, commercial cottons, rayon thread, buttons, beads, swarovski crystals, hand-dyed pearl cotton Artfabrik: Extraordinary hand dyed fabric and threads
quilted with a straight stretch stitch (2 forward stitches, 1 backward stitch),
30 inches by 48 inches

This quilt was commissioned by my sister, Sharon, as a gift for her grand-daughter. I shipped it just in time for Christmas, and I can't wait to hear about the unveiling...

We thought we were finished shopping...

Price of an mp3 player for Jason: $100.00








And an iTunes card: $25.00

















Oh, and...our computer died unexpectedly Friday evening, so...


THE PRICE FOR A NEW COMPUTER SO THE MP3 PLAYER/iTUNES CARD COULD BE PLAYED WITH RIGHT AWAY CHRISTMAS EVE: PRICELESS (yeh, right)

Holiday Funny for Saturday

Holiday Funny for Thursday

Quilt update: finished, and shipped to Minnesota! Can't post a finished photo yet-not until Christmas!

Children's Advent Program

This photo is from our children's program this past Sunday. I have always wanted to put together something that wasn't "all Christmas, all the time."

I selected three Advent poems and readings, and there was only one Christmas song - "Go, Tell It on the Mountain," in which the children did motions, including one where they had to shake their bottoms and extend their arms at the same time. It was so much fun...

Of course the costumes were the same, but with learning the Bible stories that speak to the coming of the Christ child over the course of the past three weeks, they understand.

It was wonderful! And that "Miss Leavey" thing (see a previous post) - well, Julaine has been vindicated...

Quilt update: Bronwyn's quilt will be shipped to Minnesota tomorrow! I'll take some pix before I pack it up ~

Holiday Funny for Tuesday

Mr. and Mrs. Fenton are retired. Mrs. Fenton insists
that he go with
her to Walmart. He gets bored with all the
shopping. He prefers
to get in and get out, but Mrs. Fenton loves
to browse. Here's a letter sent to her
from the store.

Dear Mrs. Fenton,

Over the past six
months, your husband has been causing quite a
commotion in our store.
We cannot tolerate this behavior and may ban both of
you from our
stores if it continues. We have documented all
incidents on our video
surveillance equipment. All complaints against Mr.
Fenton
are listed below.

Things Mr. Bill Fenton has done while
his spouse was shopping in Walmart:

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes
of condoms and randomly put them in people's carts
when
they
weren't looking.

2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks
in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

3. July 7: Made
a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the
restrooms.

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in

an official tone, 'Code 3' in housewares and
watched what
happened.

5. Aug 4: Went to the Service Desk and asked to put
a
bag of M&M's on layaway.

6. Sept 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET
FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.

7. Sept 15: Set up a tent in
the camping department and told other shoppers he'd
invite
them in
if they'll bring pillows from the
bedding department.

8. Sept
23: When a clerk asks if he or she can help him, he
begins to cry and
asks, 'Why
can't you people just leave me alone?'

9. Oct 4:
Looked right into the security camera; used it as a
mirror, and picked
his nose.

10. Nov 10: While handling guns in the hunting
department, asked the clerk if he knows where
to find
the antidepressants.

11. Dec 3: Darted around the
store suspiciously loudly humming the
"Mission Impossible"
theme.

12. Dec 6: In the auto department, practiced
his "Madonna look" using different size
funnels.

13. Dec
18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browse
through, yelled
"PICK ME!" "PICK ME!"

14. Dec 21: When an announcement came
over the loud speaker, he assumes the fetal
position
and screams "NO! NO! It's those voices again!!!!"

And last, but
not least ...

15. Dec 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the
door waited
awhile, then yelled very loudly, "There's no toilet
paper in
here!"

Holiday Funny for Sunday

Bronwyn's quilt

Grandma Sharon...Grandpa Bob...Mommy Rebecca...Daddy Brad ~
Here's an early photo of Bronwyn's quilt before the stitching began -
There's a story, you know...the butterflies...the hands as flower petals...the vines below. I guess you'll have to wait until Christmas to find out~

Untitled, so far...any thoughts?

St. Nicholas...

a.k.a. Jeff, my husband! I just got this photo yesterday, but it was taken at Emmanuel's annual St.Nicholas Feast on December 3rd.  

Just call me Miss Leavey

I looked for a picture of Miss Leavey, the kooky Sunday School teacher from the movie Simon Birch, but couldn't find any...

It's that time of year when Julaine is in the last week of preparations for the annual pageant at church. If you saw this movie, you'll remember the scenes from that pageant, and the teacher, who was going a bit CRAZY !!!

That's me!!! Every year it always works out; every year the children are so excited; but every year since 2004, something happened...

2004: a parent started changing the location of some props.
2005: the sound system decided to stop working, so solos were not heard.
2006: our accompanist couldn't rehearse with us today, because she had to play for worship.

Okay, so I haven't had any angels throw up on me, and I never have any problems with casting the parts - so I just need to focus on the children, and realize that it will be wonderful, right?