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Archive for December, 2012

It Was A Very Good Year

Monday, December 31st, 2012

yellow-green 31

 

Happy New Year! Things are winding down here in Congdon land. Paige and her parents tried to leave this morning, but their flight was canceled and they ended up on standby for a flight at 3:15 this afternoon – scheduled flight was 10 am. They are home now, with out luggage, but home. I miss my little mini-me so much. We really had a chance to bond and get to know each other. We will for sure be going to California for her first birthday at the end of March.

This was such a good year for us — I almost hate to see it end. I prevailed at doing a daily art exercise, Paige joined our family, Mr C and I took some great trips and spent some wonderful time with family, I had several quilts juried into shows, the 12  X 12 quilts continued to entertain people, Obama got re-elected, and I got to have my work featured in Art Quilting Studio.

My word for 2012 is Forward, the word that the Obama campaign used. To me, it means continuing the work and the progress I have made this year.

Here is yesterday’s 3 x 3:

yellow-green 30

 

This is the complete December collection. I really enjoyed working with yellow-green. I have tons of it in my stash!

yellowgreen3x3

 

And here is the complete year!

20123x3s

 

My plan is to finish the edges, perhaps by coating them with gel medium, then I will stitch them into a complete installation which will look different than the photo above.

Lisa and Clay are at Stephanie’s tonight, having a movie marathon and eating fun food and sipping bubbly. Mr C and I went to a 5:30 showing of Les Miserables and then came home to a light supper and bubbly. I don’t know if we will make it until midnight. The movie was every thing I had hoped for. I was riveted and did not bring enough tissues. A triumph of the human spirit.

Happy New Year to all of you.

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Tired, Busy, Happy

Saturday, December 29th, 2012

yellow-green 28

 

I am coming to you from The Congdon Infirmary and Day Care. Jayme is quite sick with a head cold and cough. Mark is doing a little better. Neither of them is getting enough sleep. Paige, on the other hand, is having a good old time, keeping us and the dogs on our toes.

paigeplaying

paigemrconfloor

Tonight, she was in rare form, and was not ready to sleep at her normal bedtime.

paigebigblueeyes

Mr C and Mark took turns walking her around, and she finally got sleepy.

I keep running out of food. I am not used to feeding so many folks. I made a huge pot of soup tonight and it was gone. Clay helped me make vegan apple crisp. Just means that you use vegan margarine instead of butter.

I thought I would share some of my great Christmas presents. This is a lovely little hanging of Chinese zodiac animals with wonderful embroidery on them. My sister-in-law, Ann, got them when she was in China last spring.

zodiacanimals

 

I collect ethnic and folk art crosses. Steve’s brother and wife gave me this one. It is Haitian — made from a steel drum and then painted. It is really wonderful.

haiticross

 

Lisa gifted me with some great fabric. Indigo cotton from some friends in Oakland who dye and sell fabric.

indigocotton

 

She also gifted me with a set of fat quarters of Jay McCarroll’s design. He was the first Project Runway winner who designs fabrics as a sideline. I am in love with the colors and patterns in these.

jcarrollfabric

 

This is my favorite because I think I would love to make a quilt that looks like this.

favjcarroll

She also gave me this lovely striped and very soft wool stole/wrap. Love the colors.

woolstolelisa

Stephanie and family gave a beautiful woven stole. I love the colors in this too. I guess I will be staying warm and stylish this winter.

wovenstolesteph

Scooter is a little bit jealous of the time I spend with Paige. Sometimes, he just comes and sits by us and stares with those eyes you can’t see!! Then he will come up and try to put his head on my lap next to her. She loves him and loves to grab his fur and ears and tail. Overall, he is very gentle with her.

scooter12-29-12

 

Here is today’s 3 x 3.

yellow-green 29

 

Only two more to go. Then what? I have some ideas, but have not settled on one thing yet. Sometimes, I think I should give the daily thing a rest for a year.

 

 

 

Checking In

Thursday, December 27th, 2012

yellow-green 26

 

The day has flitted by. I spent  the morning in my PJ’s, playing with Paige helping Mark take care of her as Jayme got sick during the night. She was not getting enough sleep, taking care of Paige, who was not sleeping well. Today, Paige turned a corner and seems much improved from the ear infection.

Paige had fun with my kitchen colanders.

paigeandcolanders

Tonight, Steph invited us to her house for vegan spaghetti. Paige was back to her entertaining ways. She looked so cute in the sweater that I knitted for her.

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Here she is with Aunt Lisa. I just love the little knitted sweater dress she is wearing.

paigeandlisa

 

I found time to get some SDA work done and to get caught up on my 3 x 3’s.

yellow-green 27

 

A Bounty of Goodness

Wednesday, December 26th, 2012

yellow-green 24

 

We have been having a wonderful time with the family here for the holidays. Paige Ada has added so much joy and fun to our celebration. She arrived with a cold and ear infection and on antibiotics, but has been such a happy little girl through it all.

This was the calm before everyone arrived.

anticipationxmas

 

I had purchased some baby friendly toys for Paige and she loved knocking over a tower of the soft blocks. She is so fast on her hands and knees, now.

knockdownblocks

Don’t you just love the little tutu? She loves Scooter and chases after him and sneaks up behind him and grabs his tail. He is a little frightened of her, but she is not scared of him, one bit. So cute.

markpaigesteph

Later in the day, the Portland family arrived. Here is Paige with her Daddy and Aunt Stephanie.

Here is beautiful Mia with her new asymmetric hair cut. She is 5′ 9″, now.

miaxmas2012

 

Paige was quite taken with her cousin, Miles and climbed onto his lap. He didn’t know quite what to do with her.

paigemilesxmas2012

 

She quickly got into the whole idea of opening presents.

paigexmas2012

 

It was a wooden ring game from the Portland cousins.

 

paigeringgame

 

Another photo of the cutie, Miles.

 

milesxmas2012

 

 

We gave her this small version of a Radio Flyer wagon. She enjoyed going for rides in it.

 

paigeandwagon

 

In the morning, she got to see what was in her stocking.

 

paigeandstocking

 

She really liked the knitted dolly that a friend of mine made.

paigeandknitdolly

 

And then, she promptly fell asleep with it.

paigeasleepwithdolly

 

Later, we went to  Stephanie’s for a delicious brunch. She set up a little play area for Paige with the heart quilt that I made Mia about 10 years ago.

paigeandmiaquilt

 

We made a big dinner for the family back at our house with beef tenderloin and delicious side. Stephanie made brioche which was delicious.

 

This was taken when she woke up from a nap this afternoon. Love those big blue eyes.

 

paigeblueeyes

 

Lisa and Clay and Wilfredo arrived safely today and didn’t have any trouble with snowy or icy roads. We all went out for Vietnamese food – which works for the meat eaters, the vegans, and the grandkids who love Asian noodles. Then we had another Christmas, opening gifts with them. I got some great stuff, which I will share in a later post.

The bags that I created for everyone contained a black or navy blue J. Crew sweater. I hope to get a photo of the whole family wearing them. Paige and I are the only ones who don’t have one. They don’t make them large enough for me or small enough for her so we will fake it.

Here is yesterday’s 3 x 3. I am running a bit behind.

yellow-green 25

 

 

Christmas is a Comin’

Sunday, December 23rd, 2012

yellow-green 21

 

I am so excited because our sweet Paige Ada and her Mom and Dad are arriving tomorrow morning. I have all the gifts wrapped. I finished her stocking. This is before blocking.

paigestockingdone

 

I ventured out to the grocery store and the fish monger to get all the ingredients for our celebration. Tomorrow night we will have seafood chowder with clams, shrimp and salmon. On Christmas Day I am making a beef tenderloin with roasted potatoes, the family broccoli-cheese dish, roasted brussels sprouts and a fennel, arugula, and apple salad. There will be lots of small sweets – cookies, mint brownies and mini-pumpkin cheesecakes.

minipumpkincheesecakes

 

The Amaryllis is going to be in full bloom by Christmas Day:

amaryllis

Santa has multiplied on our neighbor’s porch:

santasgalore

I am caught up with 3 x 3’s, but will probably fall behind over the next couple of days.

yellow-green 22

 

yellow-green 23

 

I will be back on the other side of Christmas with some cute Grandchildren photos!! Happy Holidays to all of you.