Christmas Gift

I have joined a quilt guild here in Colorado and have had the opportunity to make new friends, learn new things, and have lots of fun.  On Wednesdays I go to Above and Beyond, a Sewing and Vacuum shop for a weekly meeting.  The shop lets us know all the latest and greatest things going on in the sewing world, we have show and tell from those attending,  and we have some sort of demo of something we can make.  It can be a bag, an ornament, holiday pillows complete with lights or anything someone wants to share.

For Christmas we have a pot luck and a gift exchange.  The gift is supposed to be something that we have made.  We're all quilters, sewers, knitters or embroiderers so it only makes sense that we make something rather than buying something.

I was stumped as to what to make.  Then I ran across a post from The Pattern Basket blog.  They are a great pattern company and I just love their patterns.  As a holiday gift, they graciously posted a free pattern for this darling pin cushion.  You can see it here.

This is what I came up with.  I am really happy with how it turned out and I hope whoever gets it will be pleased.

I made mine with Christmas fabrics to go with our holiday theme. I can see them made up in all kinds of holiday fabrics and I'd like to figure out how to attach other types of figurines on the top.   I think I'll make myself one or two.  Maybe a Fourth of July pin cushion and, of course, a Scottie pin cushion!!

Thanks, Pattern Basket, I don't know what I would have done without you!!!

Miss Maggie

Maggie is getting ready for the holiday season with Santa Claus!

Hey, there, Georgia Bloggers!

This is a shout out to all the bloggers out there that live in Georgia (or Georgia visitors).  We have a family friend that will be in Savannah next week on business.  Do any of you have any ideas and suggestions as to any "must see"  things he can do?  So far, all he has come up with is ghost tours and the Paula Deen restaurant.  There must be some more "guy" things out there. I've been to Georgia to visit family but have never made it to Savannah.

I've asked my Georgia family but they have gotten back to me as yet.  Let me know so he can experience the true beauty and hospitality of Georgia like I have many times.

Thanks, ya'll!!

Good Golly Miss Maggie!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  It was quiet here at our house.  Just hubs and I so we went out to eat.  Spent the weekend watching movies - Seeking a Friend for the End of the World and The Iron Lady.  I had seen "Seeking" at the theater with my sister but hubs wanted to see it.  A real tear  jerker.  The Iron Lady with Meryl Streep was excellent.  Who knew all that was going on in England.  I was too busy with kids and a job to be aware of it all.  At the time I thought someone else should get the Academy Award, but that's because I hadn't seen Meryl become - become - The Iron Lady!  Wow!

The other day I took Maggie to PetSmart to be fitted for a harness.  I bought her one called an Easy Walk.  She has a nice pink tartan harness that matches her collar and leash but, as the trainer explained to me, they just encourage your dog to pull like a sled dog.  That's exactly what Maggie does and she has made me fall - twice!  Ouch!  I can't afford to end of with a broken anything so off to PetSmart we went.  After Super Great Trainer Brenda fitted Maggie and showed me what to do, we went to our local shopping center and walked.  No pulling, no stress, just a great time.  We got lots of smiles and remarks about how cute Maggie is, but the one who made the biggest fuss was a teenage boy!  How cool is that?

I'm taking Maggie back for private lessons after the holidays.  Now that we have the leash problem solved, she just has two other "issues" we want to work on.  One, she jumps on people when they come over.  Most of the time it's just for a little bit and then she leaves them alone.  For some reason, though, she took a liking to hubs' physical therapist and would almost sit on his shoulders while he was trying to do his job.  He didn't mind, as he has dogs at home.  However, for some unknown reason in the universe, not everyone is a dog person, so I have to at least make an attempt to calm her down.

The other issue she has, which is the most serious one, is that if she were to get out she would be in Wyoming or New Mexico before we could catch her.  Boy, does she run fast.  She got out a couple times in California and we were able to catch her.   However, if she were to get out and see a rabbit there would be no stopping her.  So we'll be working on her "sit, down, stay, come" commands.

I don't know if I mentioned that we have a large pet door so she can go in and out on her own.  "On your own, do you hear that, Maggie?"  She'll sit by the door and wait for me to "click" the lock.  Then she'll go out.  Don't ask - I have no idea why.  Other times she'll just stand there with her head out the pet door trying to decide if it's worth her time to go out.

I'm telling you.  Owning a Scottie is an adventure.  A big wonderful fun adventure!

Have a great week!!

Attention Bloggers

Do any of you know why I can't add anymore links to my blog?  I have found many new and wonderful blogs, but sadly, I can't add them to my list. I can delete, but not add.  What's up with that?

That Maggie!

This morning I spent quite a bit of time out front shoveling snow and ice.  The house faces northeast and ours is the last house on the block, possibly the city, where the snow melts. I swear there will be snow in our yard in August!   I wanted to get it cleared as I'm so afraid either the lawn guys, the paper delivery person or our neighbor might slip and fall.  Besides, I didn't want to fall taking out the garbage cans.  The driveway is sloped so that doesn't help matters at all.  I got it cleared up as much as possible, taking baby steps  all the time and being careful. (I did find some salt stuff later that I sprinkled around. That stuff really works!)

So Deloris, our neighbor, and I take the dogs for a walk. There was still ice on the driveway so Maggie and I walk down to the sidewalk through the our yard.  It was full of snow but at least was not icy.  We had gotten around the block when Maggie sees a rabbit, pulls the leash and......yes.....I fell!  So much for being careful.  I bruised my knee and I'm sure it's going to be sore in the morning.

Tell me this.  Why do we get embarrassed when we do things like that?  It's like we've done something wrong or anything.  I just laughed it off but I still felt silly.  That's the second time Maggie has done that to me.  I fell one day walking back from the mail box from her pulling me.  I managed to throw myself on the grass so I wasn't hurt, but I looked around to make sure no one saw me.

I'm going to have to have a talk with Maggie!  In the meantime, I think I'll go sit down.  Very carefully!

Catching Up

Things are going well here.  We spent a great time yesterday with some friends that I met through blogging, Mary and her husband Bill.  They live about three hours south of here and were going out of state.  Since we live only about 20 minutes from Denver International Airport, we had them leave their truck here and we took them to the airport so they wouldn't have to pay for parking.  It gave us a perfect opportunity to catch up as we don't see them that often.  We do plan on driving down to visit soon, weather permitting.  Go check out Mary's blog. You're in for a treat.

I've been attempting to "get out there" and do things and meet people.  When you have a hobby like quilting, it's really easy to do.  I've joined a quilt guild and have met a great group of gals there. We have meetings once a month and an open sew day once a month.  I go to a quilt shop near here for open sewing one day a month and will start going on another day for a day of needlework.  I plan on working on hand sewing my bindings on that day.  The shop is expanding their square footage so both of these groups may start meeting twice a month.  Thanks, Jeanne!!!

Once a week I go to a meeting at a local Sew and Vacuum shop for sew and tell and a craft demonstration.  Great group of gals!

 I've just learned of another sewing group I want to look into and I plan on asking someone to refresh me in crocheting.  I'm going to drop in to the local library as they have a once a month garden club meeting.  I don't want to get too involved in that, but since Colorado gardening is so different than California, I need to get all the help I can.  Lastly, one of my neighbors has invited Maggie and I to go walking with her and her friend.

I guess the point of all this is that I know it's difficult to move away from family and friends.  You have no idea how it can hurt.  But if you are in the same position as I am, get out there!  Don't just sit at home.  If you have a hobby, look into local guilds and clubs.  If you don't have a "crafty" hobby, but you read and you miss your book club, go to the local library.  Perhaps they have book clubs like ours does.  Volunteering is another avenue to explore.  I have some ideas there that I would like to pursue but want to get through a snowy winter first so I can see how that will affect my going places.  Winters are not too severe here in this area so I'm hoping I can get out and volunteer and one of the local animal rescue shelters at least one day a month. You may be thinking that I've committed myself to to many things.  True.  However, that doesn't mean I have to do them all.  I can see which ones are best for me and pare them down.   In the meantime, like I said, I'm getting out there.

I miss my family and sewing friends something awful.  But when they come visit me look at all the wonderful places I can take them to and introduce them to some great people.

Have a wonderful weekend!  We are due for some cold, rainy and snowy weather this weekend so I plan on either quilting, reading or napping.  My guess it's going to be all three!!!

Silly Post

I know, with all that's going on in the world, this may seem like a silly post.  However, I have a question.  Why, in all of the big state of Colorado, can we not find linguica? **I suppose I should have added exactly what linguica is.  It's a Portuguese sausage. There are German brats, Mexican chorizo,  and Polish sausage.  They are all good, but we like love linguica the best. We have only eaten it fried and eaten on french rolls as a sandwich or added to my baked beans.  I'm sure there are many other recipes for it.

Good, homemade, butcher shop linguica?

It's been a staple at our house for years.  It's the "secret" ingredient in my famous baked beans.

WHY!!!???!!!!!

I know I can get it mail order but I want to run down to the local grocery store and get some.  I have until next year's bbq season to find it. Otherwise I'll be forced to mail order it and pay higher prices.

While I'm at it, why don't they serve Chili Colorado in Mexican restaurants here in Colorado but they do in California?

Inquiring minds need to know!

Help!

***Well, I didn't win.  That's alright.  At least I found out what the post was.  Elizabeth told me it was from The Lettered Cottage.  Although I didn't win the beautiful-to-die-for velvet pumpkins, I'm so happy for those who did.

I love to enter blog give-aways.  I've been fortunate to have been able to win a few and that's always fun.  Well, I have got to do a better job with my record keeping.  I entered a blog give-away and left myself a note that says, "Love Fest Oct. 7".  Can I find it now?  Oh, no!  For some reason Yahoo has changed the history to only show the last two days.

Does anyone out there know what this blog drawing might be?  Thanks.

*I am still using the Hub's computer and I have found where the History is set up to only keep for two days. I've changed it to one year. With that said, I still don't know where that contest is!  I know that I don't need to win every contest I enter but this is driving me crazy.  

Winter Wonderland

Well, it's not winter, but it's a wonderland outside.  I woke up early this morning (5:00 a.m.) knowing it was going to freeze.  I was greeted by snow!!!!!!  It's now 7:30 a.m., 28 degrees outside,  and the snow is still on the ground, although it's melting off the streets.  That's good for the commuters.  For us retired folks, doesn't matter!

We are supposed to be clear until around dinner time when we might get some more flurries.  Tomorrow is supposed to be just as cold and a tad warmer on Sunday.  Monday?  In the 70's!  The saying around here is, "If you don't like the weather, wait a day!"

I was raised in Michigan so you would think that this would be old hat for me.  It's been a long time, though, and I'm sure I didn't appreciate it back then.  The great thing about Colorado snow, in particular the area we live in, is that it doesn't hang around long.  Not like the midwest and east where you can get snowed in for days and days.  That said, I plan on stocking up on batteries, granola bars, other food staples and some good books.  I've heard that the power rarely goes out here but if it does, we have a gas fireplace.  I wonder if Starbucks delivers?

My very own Little House on the Prairie!