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Tuesday, December 01, 2020

First Snow of Winter 2020


This was my world this morning!

I awoke to a world of winter white - the trees and ground looking like frosting on ginger cookies. (Which are my favorite for the holidays - and snow puts me in a baking mood!)

Snow for me is like Christmas music and Christmas decorations - it can all happen as soon as Thanksgiving is over!

In other words - you can't stop it so bring it on!

It all started last night - and by the time I arrived back at the cabin to start dinner - I couldn't help but grab a little video.

Click to Play:


I don't think it will stick around for long - the 7 mile drive down to the QPO and Quiltville Inn showed us that this only happened in the higher elevations, nothing down at the inn!

Still - I'll enjoy it! Can I call it a Snow Day Sew Day??


I figured this holiday wreath was the best way to celebrate the end of 2020!  LOL!


Can't really see the mountains in the distance -

Too much cloud cover.

But wait for it -


Oh yes!  A Sunrise after all!


Miss Zoey Jo wasn't quite sure what to do with the snow.

So she ate it.  LOL!


Sharing some Grassy Creek morning love -

My view as we made our way this morning - first to USPS to drop off outgoing mail, and then to drop me off at the QPO for the day.

This photo reminds me of the golds and greys from Part 1 of our Grassy Creek mystery!


I wish I could have seen this old house in its prime.

It is completely falling down now.


And the Christmas tree farms look completely frosted!


This is another something that happened over #mediafreesunday. Remember these blocks!?

They have to be more than 6 years old - I think I started them about the same time that I had my featherweight painted school bus cheddar. Were you reading along with me then?

The blocks have sat in a bin for a long long time - as I couldn't decide what to do with them.

I didn't want plain sashing and cornerstones, even through the antique quilt that inspired them did.  I couldn't find any other way that I liked them other than just side by side in one big chaotic jumble.

It's not very big - only about 56'' x 56'' at this point.  It's not even big enough for a couch quilt.

I really think I'd like to border it in some fashion - but just slapping something on there doesn't seem to do the 30 years of  scraps sewn into crumb pieces any justice either.

(BTW - if you are interested in piecing with crumbs, check out the Crumbs Crumbs Crumbs tutorial under the Free Patterns Tab at the top of the blog.  There are loads of ideas. You can use a paper foundation, or go without - its up to you!)


I have these.  

Solid purple and mixed neutrals.

Maybe something spikey to go all the way around?

All I know is - no matter how many people say "Just quilt it and bind it!" - until it is done for me, it's not done.  And I don't want to just finish it, and live with it knowing that I really could have done more. That it would have made me happier to do something with borders.

So this is where I am at today.

I'm not asking for more opinions. Just stating where I am with this.

And with this cold weather, I'll be spending the day hunkered in at the QPO trying to work it out the way that it speaks to me.

Any plans for your Tuesday?

And did you enter to win my Sulky Mystery Box Gift-Away??  Click to Yesterday's Post to read all about it and ENTER!


Quiltville Quote of the Day -

I set in this morning to bring a little bit of holiday cheer to my surroundings.
This photo is a close-up of a hexie table runner made by my mom. I taught her how to do English paper piecing and she has never looked back!
On it sits a winter themed floral arrangement in a vintage treadle sewing machine drawer. ⁣
Other items that mean a lot to me are being placed around and it touches my heart to realize that most of them have been made or given by the hands of those I love. ⁣
There is a definite need to be creative within the human spirit.
The things we make with our hands we also make with our hearts! ⁣
Are you letting the holidays into your homes? ⁣


 

40 comments:

  1. Your moms quilt is awesome, I recognize so many of those prints that she used. Some of them I still have in my scrap bin. It is time to get out the Christmas decorations, but I am adding to them this year. Still working on my Pine tree Point blocks.

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  2. Love the video of the snow. We here in North East Ohio did not have snow until last evening around 9PM. Its pretty till we have to drive in it. More expected today. The area around your home looks like the area about 10 miles from us. Old farm homes falling down, but so pretty in decline. Have a safe week!

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  3. Love the snow, I miss the snails trails blocks to be patterned. Enjoy reading the blog every morning as I piece my final blocks of double nine patch in red and cream. Glad Zoey likes snow, she’s going to love winter.

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  4. Beautiful winter scene. Now that I'm retired, I say the same thing, Bring it on. I can just look thru the window & stay inside. And yes, my house is all festively deced out for Christmas. Love the crumb quilt. It will speak to you. Just wait for it. Have a beautiful day.

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  5. SNOW is beautiful! The crumb quilt fits your scrappy personality. No simple border is going to do it justice. Enjoy the beauty.

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  6. Forgot to say -- 2020 wreath is perfect....in the toilet indeed!

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  7. Make letter blocks for the border and use them to say something about 2020. A remembrance of this pretty bad year and a reminder that there is good even in the bad.

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  8. Yes I was reading along when you had your School Bus Featherweight painted. I wrapped some gifts last night so I am feeling more Christmasy. My Grandchildren's Annual Christmas Ornaments have been mailed. New Hallmark Movies on the TV have been playing for awhile. Between Hubsters football games. Grassy Creek HST's are on the schedule again tonight. Got some different fabric to make my version. I didn't Black Friday shop for fabric.

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  9. Snow just to the west of us. We are so often on the rain/snow line. I'm originally from Michigan and love snow (and cold weather!) I made a small English Paper Pieced topper in yellows and greens which started with the little kits that were given away at Quilt Odyssey for a few years. It's now on the tea table that was hand carved by my husband. (He makes reproduction furniture - his UFOs - I think he has 4 or 5 - take up way more space than mine.) Now I need to make one in Christmas colors.

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  10. No snow in Little Rock this morning, but it was 25 degrees when I walked my dog Dyson and frost was on the mushrooms!

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  11. You live in such a beautiful setting no wonder you are inspired, just glad you share with all your fans. Candy making is going to happen today, maybe a little Grassy Creek blocks this afternoon. My husband's employees call this "Candy Season" and they are waiting excitedly for this year. Another way to give joy at Christmas. And my 6 year old grandson told me yesterday that they were out of Peanut Butter Balls. LOL Have a productive day working on your Crumb Quilt.

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  12. I'm with you about getting opinions from other quilters. Many people really enjoy, maybe even need, someone else's thoughts, but I never do. I prefer to go with my own gut feelings about my quilts and make my own creative decisions.

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  13. Love the tp wreath. It was a great laugh this morning.

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  14. Purple is a great idea! Or am I biased? Keep warm. Violet Withey

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  15. No snow on the ground in North TX but very cold and frosty outside. My favorite season is Fall and I'm not quite ready to put away the Fall decorations. So instead of mystery quilting, I'm working on Appalachian Autumn. The golds and oranges and reds are keeping me warm and happy.

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  16. My parents, who live on the East Side of the Smokey Mountains, got snow last night too. They live up a bit, as we say. I told them, you know you live "up" if your ears pop three times within the first minute of leaving the house. hahaha Can't wait to start my mystery quilt. Have to sell the house first though.

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  17. What a beautiful dusting of snow .. that is all I ever need :)

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  18. Ha! It’s 40 degrees here in Southcentral Alaska. We have a cover of snow from last weel, about 1.5 inches. I'm in no rush for more. I'm cutting the pieces for the first clue today. Have to go to my volunteer job at church as it’s payday. I have my own office in a mostly unoccupied part of the church.

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  19. When I see a pretty setting such as your home in the woods with pretty snow all around, it makes me think of jigsaw puzzles pictures. And isn’t putting together a quilt like assembling a jigsaw puzzle with fabric pieces. And by the way, I kind of like the purple hsts , it would look like a frame around your crazy crumbs “jigsaw”. Just sayin.

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  20. No snow here - lots of frost this morning. How about a small red border, then another border of crumbs followed by the purple hst.

    Would love to see the rest of your Mom's xmas tablerunner.

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  21. Great photos this morning. Thanks! Love the trees with the mountains. The crumb top is a perfect size for me. My feet are always hot with back and shoulders cold. I have a 50" square quilt on my bed. Happy December!

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  22. I remember watching Quiltcam when you were working on the crumb strips. That’s been a while! The snow video was beautiful! I love watching it fall, but hate after. Thankfully, we don’t get much snow in central Texas...just ice. I just stay home. Zoey eating the snow reminded me of our dogs...we had an older mix breed that wouldn’t go outside when it snowed until we bought her rubber booties to wear. Then, later we tried them on our collie and she would just stand there and not move at all. My cocker spaniels loved the snow! They waited for my hubs to make snowballs and roll them across the yard. They would chase them and eat them. They absolutely love and going to Colorado with us over Christmas break when we went show skiing. Good memories! I’m off to do m y November blocks for the temperature quilt I’m working on. Loving how it’s turning out!

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  23. Well if the snow was tractable you will have 30 snow falls this winter. Glad none here in Illinois.

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  24. Bonnie....
    Loved your TP Wreath....so perfect for this year!
    I wondered what Zoey Jo would do in the snow. Maybe when it gets deeper she will figure out how to play in it!!
    I love your mom's quilt and I loved the quote on it!! Just today, I ordered from Amazon....The Artist's Way: 25th Anniversary Edition by Julia Cameron! This book is a course on how to release yourself to be your best creative self. Lot's of good reviews!!
    Have a wonderful day!!

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  25. This is one of the things I've valued most about reading your blog for years - even back to when you were working on those crumb blocks and beyond. ;) I love that you let us behind the curtain a bit when it comes to your creative process, why you make a certain choice vs another. Even if I might not have had the same idea, given the same pieces/units, I learn so much from you sharing how/why you arrived at the idea you did. It's made me more confident and daring in some of my own quilting choices over the years. Thank you!

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  26. I most definitely agree you should resonate on it a bit and not just slap it together. Thanks again for the holiday discount on digital patterns! I took advantage of it! ☺️

    Enjoy the snow! ~M

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  27. I can think of loads of things to do with the quilt and so can you. I suspect the quilt has her own ideas and you will have to wait for her to fill you in on the plans! lol yes I was reading back in the school bus yellow days. I am sorry to say but I am looking forward to the first real blizzard here where I DON'T have to make the +1 hour commute to the office and can enjoy it from my window! The no commute also means I have extra time to work on quilts and not just dream about quilts. Don't have Christmas up yet but will soon. all my decorations are of the heartstring variety.

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  28. Your crumb quilt is incredible! I checked out the crumb quilt under free patterns, but when I click on the printer friendly link, somebody's fifth grade class photos show up.

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    1. Extremely old tutorial, and not mobile friendly. Please visit on a real computer not a phone or tablet. Thank you.

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  29. I am exactly the same way, Bonnie! I may ask for opinions on how to finish a quilt or help to pick out fabrics but I don’t care how much the other person(s) like it and 100 agree, I’m doing it MY way. I’ve went that other route in the beginning and those quilts will forever be UFOs as I’m not putting another dime of money or time into them. Well, at least we’ve learned our minimum standards! I can’t wait to see how you finish it off.

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  30. Your crumb top inspired me. I made a bajillion and am going to put them together like you did, in one big top.

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  31. When I was a little girl, my mother always told us that the number of big snows we'd get during the winter was magically foretold by the date of the winter's first snow. If your snow arrived after midnight, Bonnie, you'll just get one big snow this winter. If it came before midnight, this winter you'll get 30 big snows!!

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  32. First snow expected here in the UK today... burr
    Always love reading your blog, trying to resist the mystery quilt as I have so many other things on the go... but may succumb its so tempting. Thought of you today as I put up my Walton's Mountain Christmas tree decorations, just love Virginnia.

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  33. I love looking at your changing seasons. I lived in the mountains of northern NM for 25 yrs. I miss everything but the loooong snowy winters. I am a Texas girl and love everything but the hot summers. Ha! Here in north Tx. it is cold and gloomy today. This cold weather gives me an excuse to stay in and sew. Hubby will build a fire and I will sew grandkids pillowcases. I had the tree up and mantle decorated before Thanksgiving. Just for my own enjoyment. I am looking forward to Friday's Clue 2 reveal. This is my 3rd mystery with you. 2020 has been different. We've all been affected in different ways. I'll be picturing you stitching away at the Quiltville PO with snow outside the windows and your funny animals.

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  34. I’m with you on finishing a quilt. Sometimes it will take me a couple of weeks just to figure out what my next step will be. I can’t just slap something together...it has to hit me a just right.

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  35. I loved seeing the quilting on your Mother's table runner. I tooka picture of it. To inspire me to try to quilt my own quilts. I loved the Hexie pattern to.

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  36. Your cabin is breathtaking in the snow! Gorgeous picture. and the crumb quilt is delightful! Thank you for sharing!

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  37. I love seeing your beautiful snow and hope you get to keep it right there. We had so much rain Monday that if it had been snow, we would really have been snowed in for a while. I like snow the way they sang about it in "Camelot."

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  38. Thank you, Bonnie, you've inspired me to start pulling out Christmas decorations. So many were sent to me by my Mom, who died right before Christmas in 1996, and I miss her so much at this time of year. So pulling out the decorations is always filled with mixed emotions. The mystery helps every year. I'll start pulling stuff out today. 😊

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  39. Just a quick word I can’t hold back. As it’s said, “God works in mysterious ways”.
    The bringing together Zoey and Lily. WOW guess they were in need for each other.
    I am so happy for them and You.
    Robynlee

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