Another month ...

 It seems that time is getting misplaced around here. My intentions to do this and that get lost. Since our last visit, I have been having physical therapy for my right knee. I had a fall and landed right smack dab on the knee. I am almost finished with PT and it has helped, but, with the arthritis it is not going to get much better. The goal for 2025 is not falls. This last one was because I tripped over the vacuum cord. My carelessness. anyway, if you really know me, I keep busy. One of my favorite designers is Ann Wood. I buy her patterns and enjoy the free ones. Recently she began a "circus" set and now finally for sale. You know I had to make the elephant...

Love, love it. She will release the others; a monkey a lion and a cat periodically. Oh sign me up! I added a pipe cleaner to the trunk so I could bend it up. Maybe another Elephant will appear.

My felt Christmas tree is "redecorated" for the holiday. It is a tree that is always in my room and holds many handmade items.  I made the tree some years ago from a pattern by Donna Bayless. Another wonderful designer.

This year, I added decorations on top of my curio. I will add pictures of our tree and mantel and kitchen tree soon.   Our shopping is really complete and I have just 3 packages to mail this week.

I know you are all busy with holiday preparations, but remember to take moments for yourself. So glad you stopped by today. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.

Pumpkins and an angel

 We are having having a cool down. Can not believe the temp today (Thursday) is under 110! Murphy and I actually got to take a short walk today.  At the moment he is napping on the sofa. Yesterday I made wine biscuits...they are sooooo good.  Tonight I will be making chicken pot pies.... yum.

Just made this towel to display with my mixer. It is from a design by Jacquelynne Steves. The original is to embroider which I may still do another. This just called to me as an applique. I also signed up...including Lisa to the next sew along. Pictures as we go. 

This is the other angel that I made.  I like it so there will be a few more made. Did you think when I typed angel that it was Murphy????

Well he is an angel. We are lucky to have him in our home. Today he took to growling (all of a sudden) at the curio. I recently, days ago, changed out the Southwest items and now it is Autumn. So, it is not like he has not seen it before.

Finally after letting him put his head inside on both sides and all the sniffing, he stopped. A real character. If you click on the picture you can enlarge it....the gold colored plate on the top shelf  is from Italy and belonged to my maternal grandma for whom I am named. One of my treasures.

Did I mention that Lisa and I will be going to the quilt shop to get the fabrics for the project next week? I am very much enjoying sewing with Lisa.  She is off tomorrow...what will we do? Wait until you see what The Brother Alan is going to make for me.....

So nice to chat with you. Time for me to watch Women's tennis. Glad you stopped by. Thank you for your kind words and thank you for your friendship.

Ho Ho almost

My days seem to start later...no rush to get going especially when I have nothing planned. I think I am slowing down. I can enjoy this... not feel like I must be doing something all the time. Yesterday was cool enough to actually turn off the AC and open doors for the morning. Actually so is today.

Glenda was nice enough to pick me up when I dropped the car off to have the auto starter installed on Thursday. Since it would take about 2 hours we went to the mall. I found this beautiful ornament in Dillards….it measures about 5 inches and catches the light or anything else. Can not wait to see it on my Christmas tree under the lights. For now it is on an ornament display hook.... a very tall hook. Speaking of Christmas...

Yesterday I made the first of 5 parts of the Santa Star.... oh my I am loving this pattern. I really enjoy making these dimensional stars. So many great patterns available to purchase. All of them copyrighted to protect the designers. I have also found some free patterns that are very pretty. I do not sell my creations, they are always gifts. You can guess that this will be my weekend project. There is an adorable snowman star that I am thinking of getting...just thinking.
When we left Dillards, I spotted this Cowboy angel in Hallmark...

I had to have it. Dennis bought me a few other pieces from the same artist, Ekholon…. All are signed.  I just thought of him immediately. He now sits with the others in my curio. The statue  to the far right is not an angel but still by the same artist. All of them stand 6 inches tall.

I probably should get a few things done around the hacienda before I settle into my comfy chair to bead. Glad we had the time to chat. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind words. Most of all, thank you for your friendship. 

It's all about the curio today

Last evening came the pouring rain and a bit of thunder. I do not like these storms! Today is beginning with very overcast skies and muggy. Actually there is a light drizzle falling. Now I have dirty rain water in the pond...and that means another morning (not today) cleaning it out and I better finish the cleaning this time and get regular water back in so this will not happen again. I am hoping that the waterfall connection is clear and I can figure the rock formation so that it will fall properly. For now, I may have to just put it back as a fountain. Two steps forward and one back. But, what I want to show you is my new curio

Doesn't it look lovely next to my chair? On Saturday Don took me to get it  and yesterday Glenda  (they are a team) and I arranged this and that for the shelves.

It is a perfect size; 59"x32"x13". This is the top of the curio. Both the angel and the dragonfly piece at the far right have a battery candle. So very pretty at nighttime. The stitched piece of violets  and the ornament is a piece of turquoise and copper.

 Remember to ignore reflections...mirror backing can be difficult! This is shelf one with angels, fairy and angel wings with a piece of tatting. On shelf 2, is my Cinderella...a couple of glass blown pumpkins as well as the coach and glass slipper and the Disney glass coach pin. Of course my stitched coach too.  In front of the Angels is a glass ball sitting on frogs. The front left is a Lenox dragonfly and sitting on the velvet slipper pillow is a beautiful hand painted needle box that I received as a gift from KimM.

On the third shelf is my needlework doll and the two Victorian ladies that Mr H bought for me when I first visited Arizona. They look lovely with the mirror to reflect the intricate back of their clothing. I decided to put the rose trimmed mirror here to help preserve it. In front of the ladies is a lovely dish with raised roses around the top from Italy. It was given to me 47 years ago ...a gift from Denny's cousin Tootsie that I treasure.  On the bottom of the curio are two Faeries sitting pretty and in the center is a fairy  atop a glass bubble. So pleased with this curio purchase as well as how Glenda and I filled it. Totally feels feminine with my treasures.
This weather has me feeling tired. I was ambitious yesterday morning and I made delicious Pizzelles. Today not ambitious at all. Maybe some teddy bear sewing as it all ready for the machine. Right now I need to finish my coffee. So glad to chat with you today. Thank you for the kind words and for your friendship. Let's have a good day.