Good Fences

I went on a walk with my dog the other day.  Took the camera because I wanted to get a shot of this . . .

This is the view I see coming in and out of our apartment complex. I love the white fences!
I wish it was a horse property again.  Maybe someday.
Until then I'll just get my fix at Tex's!  Joining Tex for the fun
Linky Party Good Fences.  Click Here to join Tex. 
Joining the Thursday Challenge.  Prompt: Shadow.  Click Here.

Alphabet Thrusday--Letter K

At first I thought Letter K was a hard one and then I thought about a couple of pics I had in my files . . .

K is for Kiss . . .


K is for Kite (he is flying a Kite!)

And K is for . . .

Of course I had to add Kris Kringle!

And since we're talking Kris Kringle come by my Count Down To Christmas Linky party. I would love it if you linked your Christmas post. Or just come by and visit the links. There are some great posts! Click Here to visit this weeks linky party.

Thanks for visiting my Letter K post. Today I am linking with Jenny for Alphabet Thursday. Click Here to visit/join.

Tips on Tuesday--The Christmas Book Edition

I know a lot of you are just not ready for Christmas!  

Things like getting Back to School,  Fall Festivals, Pumpkins
and then Thanksgiving have your attention.  Actually I can't wait for all these fun events! 

Back to school is just around the corner and so I was thinking about books.  

Today my tips are all about Books!

This idea I can't wait to start . . .

I have wanted to do this for years.  The idea is you buy 24 Christmas story books, wrap them and let your child open one each day until Christmas!  I figure if I really want to do it this year I need to start looking for great books!

I loved this idea for displaying the wrapped books!

 

 

I love this idea!  I have just the place for a book tree this year. 

I would love to do one in my classroom

 

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Another favorite.  I would love to do this with my class.  What a cute photo shoot idea!  

And here's a different way to wrap books! 

 My class would love these little bags!  Don't you just love the polka dots and stripes!

This one was another really cute idea . . .


Instead of buying new books just wrap the ones you have!

The little fabric tree is so cute.  Brings back memories for me. My mother used to make these! 

And one more tree this ones a little different!

I really can't decide which one I like best. Maybe I'll have to do both!

This is another one that is similar to something my mother used to do . . .


This idea is really cute. Mother use to make trees from magazines. Back in the day they really had lots of pages and made great trees. She spray painted them.

So do you have any cool ideas for Christmas?  Join me and
link up at Count Down To Christmas.  Click Here. 

This post is linked with . . .
Jess at Strangers and Pilgrims for The Art of Homaking.  Click Here.
Brenda at Cozy Little Cottage for Tweak It Tuesday.  Click Here.

Count Down To Christmas #3 LInk Up

Welcome to Count Down To Christmas
we are on Week 3 of our Count Down. 

I have a little surprise next week so I hope you visit and link this week.  

Are you like a child when it comes to surprises?  Look at the Joy on his face!  Just a simple party favor sack can bring such Joy.
Well I don't have party favors for you but maybe this will do!

 Next week I will begin featuring my favorites  
Including my favorite link (from right here) my favorite posts (that I stumble onto) and my favorite Pins. 

To get us started today I am sharing a pic from our grandsons 4 year old preschool Christmas party.  I thought these little gingerbread men faces so cute!  The teacher little gingerbread people on the hall bulletin board. It was cute seeing him and all his friends lined up!

Do you have pics from your child's school parties.  Or maybe Home School events?   I would love getting ideas from other great teachers!

So let's get on with the party! 

Blue Monday--Quilt Show

On Saturday I got to go to a quilt show.  Can't tell you how long it's been.  I've been so Blue! 
I found some amazing Blue quilts there . . .

 I've always wanted to make this quilt.  I love the Blue and Yellow.
I am Inspired now . . .

 Not a fan of the Lone Star quilt just because it is difficult to make but Bluetiful to look at!  Love the orange and Blue. 
This one was hand pieced and hand quilted. It's very old.

I enjoyed answering questions from my friend who invited me to go 'her treat'!  She is not a quilter.  She is just such a sweet 'sister'
she invited me because she knows I love quilts!

 There were a lot of Texas Themed quilts.  The theme the guild chose was "Texas Trails"

We received a Blue (should have taken a pic)voting ballet to vote on our favorite.  It was so hard to choose.  I especially liked this one because as a quilter who appliques I know how time consuming and what a work of art this one was. 

They were all fabulous!  I had a wonderful time.  I am glad I can share the Blue Beautys with you and Sally!  Click Here to join
Sally at Blue Monday

My Saturday Was Sweet Until . . .

My Saturday was sweet until . . .


If I could reach the server.

  This is what I would do.  I guess it's better I can't!   I'm sure you've all been there a time or two.  So I won't dwell. 

Back to the sweet. 

This dear sweet friend emailed me on Thursday and asked if she could treat me to a Quilt Show and lunch! Of course I said
Yes! I had a great time here's a few of the pics . . .

 I've been wanting to make a yellow and blue star quilt.  This one was gorgeous.

 I loved the colors in this fall leaf quilt.

 I had fun answering questions for my friend.  She isn't a quilter so she kept asking about patterns.  We were both surprised to see the 9 patches inside the churn dash on this one.

There were a lot of Texas themed quilts because the guilds theme this year was Texas Trails.  My friend noticed I kept taking pics of the Texas quilts and commented.  That I must like them.  I guess I do but I was actually looking for fences to share with Tex!

 I was intrigued with the Boy Scout Tshirt quilt.  Probably the best piece of workmanship I have ever seen in a Tshirt quilt!  I am working on one now I hope it turns out nearly as nice.

And lastly I want to share this one because it was special . . .

This beauty was planned and created and stitched by an 11 year old girl.  Here very first quilt!  She chose all the fabrics.  She did a fantastic.  I was proud and I don't even now her!

It wasn't a huge show but it was a lot of fun!   Followed by a wonderful lunch which my friend insisted on buying!



It was my friends first time at MiMi's Café.  I just love the how quaint the little café is.
They are famous for their Quiche Lorraine . .




And their muffins.  We chose Blueberry.

 

 

Which we both brought home for Sunday breakfast. Yum!

 

It was definitely a fun and Sweet day for me!

 

Linking with Christine for Sweet Saturday.  Click Here.

Five Minute Friday--Finish

Over at Lisa Jo's she gives us an idea(prompt) and we write for 5 minutes.  Just plain 'ole writing.
No editing.  No backtracking.  Nothing more than what comes to mind from the prompt. 

Todays Prompt:
Finish
Go...
Wow.  What a word. I almost didn't write about Finish. 
You see 'Finish' and I kind of have a thing.  It's terrible I know but I don't 'Finish' well.  When I think about it.  I think it is because I am basically a perfectionist.   I get a great idea.
I get all into it and if it doesn't come out like I expect.  I don't finish!  My family is even frustrated with me.  My Cowboy sees projects in various stages (mostly in the sewing room) 
I want everything thing to be what I expect it to be.  Whether it is a quilt or other craft item.  I don't like to make changes or substitute.  I guess it's because I constantly do that in other areas.  Settling for what I would consider 2nd best.  Or not really what I want.  But when it comes to my crafting and mostly quilting I want perfection.  I want the colors just right.
I want my stitching just right.  I want to be proud (not in a vain way) of the quilts I finish.  I just want to be able to show them to someone with no fear of mistakes being found.    I am feeling confident now in my abilities.  And all those quilts that my family think are 'unfinished.'   They aren't.  The tops are 'finished'.  So really that isn't totally unfinished is it?  I guess it is.  I am confident now in my quilting and who knows maybe I'll show them some projects that they will call 'Finished' soon!
Stop

I usually try to spend a little time in my sewing room on Saturdays.  And tomorrow would be a perfect time to Finish something.  But,
I got invited to go to a quilt show tomorrow.  So I'll go and get some inspiration to Finish! 

Linking with Lisa Jo for Five Minute Friday.  Click Here.

Good Fences--Don't Take The Girl

I remembered a post I wrote a couple of years ago.  It had the perfect pic . . .



I originally posted this on a Thursday morning  after I had a party the night before for the boys on my drama team.  Which consisted of 10 teenage boys; ex gang members, drug dealers and who knows what else.   

I had played a few videos for them that night including Tim McGraw's don't take the girl.  5 of the boys loved the video!

I was reminded of this photo and post today when our locally radio station was giving away Tim McGraw tickets. 

I thought it was perfect to link with Tex for 'Fences'!

For more fun fences visit Tex.  Click Here.

Wordless Wednesday--Texas Style

Just sayin'
 

Linking with Christina for Picture Perfect Wednesday. Click Here.

Alphabet Thursday---J is for Joy

I can't help but share the Joy with you.  What better capture for letter J? 
I couldn't decide whether to do this one first or last!  When I thought Letter J this is the first thing that came to mind after I thought of my daughter . . .

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Since I am celebrating Christmas in July (oh that's another J word!) to celebrate my new linky party I thought a few Christmasy Joyful pics would work . . .

That's some yummy Joy!
I adore this one . . .





I can imagine that what this one looks like all decorated!

Beautiful display of Joy

And one more because these faces bring me Joy

Thanks for Joining me and Jenny for Alphabet Thursday.
Linking with Jenny Matlock.  Click Here.
Linking with Count Down To Christmas.  Click Here.

Wordless Wednesday

I was invited to join a linky today.  (new to me!)

It's supposed to be Wordless.....I guess I will just have to write a Wednesday Filled With Words post.

To visit of join the linky click Here.  Thanks Christina for the invite.

And since we're talking invites.  I would love for you to visit and join my Count Down To Christmas linky.  Click Here!

Christmas Light Tour Part One

One of our favorite things to do is to have a Date Night and look at Christmas decorations in the little town where Cowboy works. 

Have you ever heard of Grapevine, Texas?  It's a small little town near us with lots to see and do. 


Here are a few shots from one of our dates . . .

We start out in the early evening.  Touring the shops and window shopping.  I take tons of pics!

He thought he was being funny pretending to be sleeping while I was browsing.  We usually don't spend anything on these dates.  Other than our meal.  Sometimes we even go meal less!
I love this tree.  I get a lot of ideas from seeing trees in stores!

Love this Merry Christmas Ya'll sign with the big 'ole Texas!

Last year they had Santa's workshop.  The displays change every

year. 


One year it was Polar Express.  We hadn't seen the movie.  And they had the train on display.  All the children and teenagers and some adults were walking around in Pajama's we didn't get it! 


There is a beautiful gazebo right in the middle of town.  There's always something going on around the little park area . . .


It's beautiful at Christmas!

Grapevine is a great place to visit.   Look for my follow up post featuring the Grapevine Christmas Parade. 

Come and link with me at Count Down to Christmas!
Click Here to Link!