A Week Ago Tonight...

 

Only a week ago and a world away...

 

Are You Ready?

 

Almost...

 

Here We Go!

 

It's You n' Me!

 

"Women!!!"

 

Their favorite pose...last time big sis made him flower antennae from her Graduation Bouquet...

  

A Beautiful Stolen Moment...

the harpist replayed the music she walked down the aisle to...

"The Ludlows" from Legends Of The Fall.

At Last...

Mr & Mrs

 

 

Sentimental Old Mom...

 

Nancie Anne

 

 

 

 

 

 

He Loved Her First...

Saturday, June 22nd, 2013

Rome Valley Vineyards

Garden Valley, California

Just A 10 Minute Drive From The Needle Nellies Quilt Show

 

Something Magical Happened

 

A Little Girl Who Grew Up In A Barn,

Went To School and Became a Doctor

To Care For The Animals Who All Gravitate To Her Quiet Gentle Hands

 

Became A Most Beautiful Princess Bride

She Found Her Prince, Who Grew Up In California When She Went There To Intern For A Year After Graduation From Washington State University...

He Too, Grew Up, A Quiet Gentle Boy, Loving Animals...Just Like Her,

And After Completing His Veterinary Studies at Colorado State University He Moved Home.

He Too, Was Quietly Looking For Just The Right Person To Make His Life Complete,

And Suddenly, There She Was...

 

They Were Surrounded This Day,

by Family & Friends Who Love Them Both with All Their Hearts...

 

Especially Their Families...

Their Parents,

Who Loved Them First.

 



 

I'll Never Forget...

He Cried The Day She Was Born Too...

 

Nancie Anne

What's a Mother To Do?!?!?!?!

Decisions, Decisions....Decisions that should have been made by now.
I've put it off...I've dreaded it.  But tomorrow it's gonna happen!
My Quilting Partner in Crime has called her daughter the Hairstylist and we're going to get my mop trimmed for my daughters wedding. 
I was blessed to have, for 25+/- years, My Cindy...who cut my hair and advised me on what would look best with my face shape and who cringed, but went ahead and cut my bangs shorter than she wanted to on many occasions...I lost My Cindy, somewhat suddenly late last fall.  My last words to her were "I understand they didn't find anything in the ER, but please don't ignore those chest pains".  My girls and I were devastated...she was like family...an Aunt...a confidante...a sounding board.  I'd known of her for years before she started cutting my hair...I went to school with her little sister and my best friend since Jr. High had been a Jr. Bridesmaid in her wedding.
I finally got to a point that my hair was long enough and some time had lapsed that I thought I could face having a "Not Cindy" cut my hair.  It was okay-ish...but sides kept getting in my face and she just didn't provide the service like My Cindy.
The next time, I went with daughter #2 to her friend...who coincidentally. works in the shop that belonged to "My Cindy".  Hard as it was to walk through that door and see her station, void of activity, we did okay.  So I thought, good...we'll go again.  Second round, not so good.  Daughters friends, Pregnancy brain had set in and when I suggested that my bangs needed to be trimmed a little shorter, she replied, "Oh dear!  I didn't even cut your bangs...I don't have bangs so I forget other people have them"  Hellooo...what are you staring at other than my head when you're wielding sharp scissors?????

So, I'm putting all my faith, hope and trust in Hairstylist J tomorrow...after all, she did trim me up once before when My Cindy was on vacation and booked into the next century upon her return... so it's not uncharted territory!

Right now...I pretty much look and feel like this...

actually...if I'm being truthful here, it's probably more like this...

or gadzooks!

this?????

So...I'm looking to the internet and our fashionable icons there to guide me to a decision.  How do I want to look in wedding photos that are going to be viewed by the masses for years to come...including potential grandchildren whose query could very well be..."why does Gramma's hair look weird in that picture?"  And here's a little inspiration I've tripped across...perhaps you can help me decide...

This style has certainly stood the test of time...







 

and then there are great American Icons...

 

one being one of the most famous Mothers In Law in American Television History...

uh well...maybe not...soon to be son-in-laws name isn't Derwood...

 

perhaps something a little more current...

 

or even more current????

my dress doesn't have a bow...maybe I could get one like this...

or add a little bling...and I do love braids...

 

 

and I admit...there are many days when I feel this would be the best direction to go...

if only, I too, had the perfect face to compliment this daring move...

 

This color would compliment the Maids of Horror Honor dresses...

 

 

and this style's kinda dressy, dontcha think???? 

Kinda like Miss Kitty meets the 22nd Century???

My three girls have often compared themselves to these three sisters...and have argued about who would portray which witch...

don't know why they don't stop arguing and just ask me...

I could settle the argument PDQ although, there is some flexibility there...

given the day...

I wonder how their Dear Mother did her hair for their weddings?????

Oh right...none of them ever got married...

 

I guess if I'm really truthful about it all...

like most Mothers of the Bride, I'd just like to have my husband look at me the way he did on the day we got married...

 

All Those Years Ago...

 

 

 

Signed,

 

Mother of the Bride in need of Guidance...and perhaps a little therapy...

 

 

Nancie Anne

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Quilt Along & Challenge...Scheduling Time

 

I decided in the interest of all the other things I need to pay attention to today that I needed to set a time limit on working on my Christmas Quilt Along project for today.  I also find that turning on a timer, whether an alarm, a familiar old movie or a CD increases my productivity.

So...in the DVD player went a pseudo-Christmas movie,...Love Actually which is has been watched enough times that I am now able to"watch" with the top of my head and not be distracted from the task at hand.

Yeah, I could do without the F-Bombs & the nudity...but I love a couple of the storylines in this patchwork movie, and the soundtrack gets me moving!  Who doesn't love Hugh Grant dancing through the Prime Ministers residence to "Jump" by The Pointer Sisters or watching Jamie and Aurelia fall in love in spite of their language barrier???  My favorite though, is when Joanna, following a typical childrens school performance, begins to sing just those first few bars of All I Want For Christmas and knocks the breath out of the entire audience.

So anyway...back on track here...  

Up came my two little cuddlers, Shooter & Maecee for their midday Doxie-Pile nap.  The pile is created in their efforts to see who can maneuver themselves into being the closest to me before they drift off to sleep.  They cuddled me right into the left corner of the loveseat under my OttLite. From there I began working away with pattern, cotton, wool, fusible web, chenille needle & perle cotton.

I broke into the BOM package that my quilting partner in crime and I are sharing to make the mini version of Lisa Bongean's Warm Winter Blessings and cut out two sets...there's still plenty left for my friend to get at least 2 more sets out of...even three if she plans well. 

Notice that the layout on the left is a bit off-kilter and the coal buttons are rather wonky...

Mr. Lefty is for the Quilt-Along while

Mr. In Balance will be used in the completion of the actual mini quilt. 

Next I thought I'd share what the larger version quilt block looks like in relation to the mini quilt block.

And lastly...this is how much I was able to get done in two hours...from the insertion of the movie to it's completion and watching (listening) to a couple of the bonus features included on the dvd.

From opening the package to cutting backgrounds, tracing, fusing, cutting appliques and getting started on the blanket stitch to hold all those itty-bittys in place.

I'm not going to tell you where we're headed with Mr. Lefty yet...

we'll save that for another day...

Now it's time I pulled birdzilla out of the fridge...

I'm more than ready for a Turkey "Sammich"!  Think I'll add a little avocado for a treat!

 

In the meantime...do whatever it takes to get you in the spirit...

be it a viewing of White Christmas or blasting Mannheim Steamroller on the stereo

or partaking in a turkey sandwich with hot apple cider and a cinnamon stick!

I'll return to tell you more about my Christmas Quilt Along & a different maybe not so Christmas-y Christmas movie next month!

 

Doing What I Love...

 

Nancie Anne

Christmas QAL & Challenge...Ruminations on Perusing...



It may be June, but there's a part of me feeling very much like the March Hare this morning, running about frantically...I'm Late, I'm Late, For A Very Important Date!  However, let me say, until I have this cup of foo-foo coffee consumed and my eyes are a bit less bleary, there will be no running about or shouting...outwardly at least.  I have a feeling, that this feeling, won't change over the next two weeks...what with eldest daughters wedding and all...but this morning its due to the Christmas Quilt-Along. 
While dangling my feet off the edge of the bed this morning, I picked up my NOOK and read Donnas post at So Sew Crafty.  She too, spent yesterday perusing all the infinite possibilities and has settled upon the brilliance of recreating Sue Garman's recreation of Classic Santa.  Inspired by the Christmas QAL logo and a huge Father Christmas doll I made several years ago, I had thought about beautiful elegant Santas in golds & creams yesterday, and I must say Donna has hit upon the perfect solution to this challenge.  I have to tell you, I love quilts (and Santas) in neutral creams and taupes and when I compare the versions Sue Garman constructed, first in red and green and then in neutrals, I find that my eye settles down and my brain can process each individual Santa for his individual wonderfulness.  Sue has brought order to the neutral quilt and I am no longer holding my breath with my eye bouncing all over...I relax, enjoy, and discover I'm breathing again. 
I had this experience at a quilt show a few years ago too.  After row upon row of bright, beautiful and busy quilts, my eye, and my heart, came to rest on a simple tumbler quilt constructed from Diawabo prints in cream, taupe, rose, grey blue, soft plum & heather green.  Then too, I realized I was breathing...
Now, as for perusing...which I probably do far too much of to be productive, I would consider that Donnas kitty and confidante, would have preferred to spend her day Purr-oozing...the definition of which is, "that which occurs about ones legs when disarticulating a freshly roasted turkey in the presence of a feline".
And that brings me full circle to Friday...I had my husband drag one of our frozen birdzillas in from the freezer to begin the thawing process Wednesday evening...Friday morning, said birdzilla was seasoned, buttered and plopped into my roaster.  I do this periodically when I foresee that life has more ambitious things coming our way and cooking is not going to be high on my priority list.  Once 'zilla was roasting merrily away,  I turned my attention to attaching the binding and sleeve to my daughters quilt, thinking about the Christmas QAL, and finally a late afternoon mad dash to town to meet the two Maids of Horror at the bridal salon to try on their dresses for the wedding.  I wanted to see them in person for the sake of alterations that undoubtedly would be required, and I also needed to compare the two organza table topper samples to the dress color so that I could dash back home, to finalize my order.  Yesterday was a full and welcome mental break from wedding concerns and Christmas QAL proved to be a very efficient distraction!
I heard from Hazel, Sunny, Reenie & Donna regarding the Snowman BOM and full circle I have come again...I woke this morning with what may be a delusional dream or in the words of Hayley Mills as Mary Clancy in The Trouble With Angels, "a scathingly brilliant idea".  We'll see what pops out when I open Pandora's box...
(I am comforted to know that I would not be alone in my delusional state however...Quilt Sue has left me a comment referring to me as Nimble Nancy...suffice it to say, she's not observed how long it takes me to get the kinks out in the morning!

Stay Tuned Fellow Crazy Christmas Chickies!  I'll be baaack...

Nancie Anne

Christmas Quilt Along...Looking For Inspiration!

Christmas Quilt-Along?  Can't Use Red or Green!  Ha!  No Problem-o! 

I had the perfect project...already started even, & I was doing the Happy Dance!

(It's looks something like Snoopy dancing with his little beagle nose in the air...just not so cute!)

Yeah...No Problem-o or...so I thought...til I read the fine print! 

What?  We can't have a piece larger than 96 contiguous inches????  Whassup with that?!?!?!?! 

 Garsh Sue!!!



A LQS is offering Primitive Gatherings BOM, Warm Winter Blessings in the larger version and I have block 1 well underway.

Quilting Partner in Crime & I jumped all over it!  We'd been waiting all winter for the release of the fabric.  In the meantime I had also purchased the pattern for the mini version of the quilt so, we put our little heads together and decided that in addition to purchasing our individual kits for the large version we'd share the purchase of a third and split it between us so that we can both complete the mini version...we've been seeing Sugarplums and Christmas presents dancing before our eyes!  Unfortunately, even the mini version exceeds the size limit...so no go, at least for this challenge...but maybe I'll just work on the blocks along with the Quilt-Along anyhow...as a super-size version of the Challenge.

 

Soooo, exit Snoopy...enter Pooh Bear...

Think-Think-Think

Take a Nap on the Couch & Think Some More!!!

 

I've been here for Inspiration...

 

And there for Inspiration...

 

 and then I went elsewhere...

and to the Crabapple Hill website which has new goodies for those of us who love to stitch!

 

AND...I've been to all these places...numerous times...on a regular basis even... 

but that's a story for another day...

 

Then I went to the Underground Stash Storage Unit...

Where I found black, gold in my Christmas Metallics box and added this awesome neutral-ish, the History of the Christmas Tree in beautiful script called Tidings of Great Joy by J. Wecker Frisch...

but shucks!...there's a little of the prohibited green holly on one of those metallics!

 

& there are these old snowman prints who still haven't found a home... 

 

and I have some of both colorways of Snow Show by Susan Winget,,,but the other one has too much red and...dagnabbit...this one has green in it!  Thought I was being sooooo smart!

 

Ah-Ha! This photo is not showing up very true colorwise but,

how about a little Merry & Bright from Buggy Barn

mixed with my awesome new hunk of silver-grey on white neutral, Kensington from Quilting Treasures?

The larger darker blue Swirl & Snowflake is an unidenitified fat quarter that followed me home from a clearance bin while shop hopping.

 

 

Now...where's that other Christmas Tree booklet that was self published by the LQS that is now defunct?????

 

Decisions-Decisions...Think Think Think!

 

Now I'm going to go link up with the other Christmas Crazy Chickies participating in this weekends Hippity Skippity Hop...

Joanna at Needle, Thread, Happiness is our fearless leader this month!

She came up with a pretty darn cute Christmas Bell block earlier...complete with a Yo-Yo clapper!

And, Omagosh!  She just posted a recipe...('scuse me while I scream)!!!

CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!!!

Next month Hazel at Hazels Quilts will host...

and my little separated by land and seas, friend, Quilt Sue at Quilt Times can be thanked for the parameters that can found by clicking on the Christmas Quilt Along link that appears right below their Blog Header.

 

Merry Christmas in JUNE?????

 

 

Nancie Anne

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Country Charmer ~ Taking The Relaxed Path...

While several Country Charmer Quilt-Along Participants have finished their gorgeous quilts, I am still toodling down the lane toward my finish & taking my time to enjoy my little birdies.  I see the wonderful finished projects and think perhaps I should be further along in the process, and then I remember the words of our leaders...this is a fun relaxed quilt-along...no pressure.  Pressure is the last thing I need right now.  I'm in the process of training the new "other half of me" at work and am looking forward to returning to my part time status soon.  Our big California wedding is now, suddenly!, just 3 weeks away and I'm realizing I have several little loose ends to tie up in short order and not a tremendous amount of time at home to do so.
I have the Brides Barn Quilt and 2 others back from the quilter and want to take the Barns to the wedding with me rather than ship it, so it's on the priority list to get bound and labeled before we leave.

Soooo...here we have the current status of Country Charmer.  Thanks Quilt Sue for the input on my sashing vs. borders.   Sometimes we all need a little affirmation that we're still going down the right path.

 

 

 

 

I find myself in a patriotic mood these past few days with July 4th just being a month away now.  

I've been looking at lots of flag designs and digging out my patterns and books that fit the theme,

so besides binding the flag quilt that Maecee is keeping from blowing away below,

I'm hoping to find time to begin another. 

Don't we all have a little Betsy Ross in us?

and Dear Quilt Sue...theres a Union Jack pattern in the stack,

 in honor of you!

 

A reminder to myself this morning before my day becomes all about hustle, bustle and deadlines...

Take the path less traveled, breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the ever changing view...

it's not all about the destination.

 

This is my wish for you too...

 

Nancie Anne