Happy Valentine's Day - Sugar Cookie Recipe

 Happy Valentine's Day

Sugar Cookie Recipe

My Aunt Joyce's Sugar Cookie Recipe

I hope you will make some of these cookies for yourself and someone you love.

SNOW 2024

 SNOW 2024

On Monday January 15, it began snowing and it didn't stop ...

We ended up with 9 inches of snow and a couple of snow days!

It was a beautiful peaceful snow that made the world slow day and relax for a couple of days.

Family - My Girl

 My Girl

My sweet girl is 32 years old today.

Happy happy birthday baby girl!

Family

 Family

Martha Jean Head Gibson Norris (my mother) and Cheryl Carpenter (my cousin)

This is Cheryl and Grandma Jean.  Crossville, Tennessee.  1958.  Here is my Mom's recollection 

This picture was at Pa and Granny's on Jap Camp Road, Crossville, TN. Cheryl was about 18 or 19 months old, I was 18 years old, and it was the first time I had met my husband's, Clyde Edward Gibson, family. Because Ed and I got married in June and this picture was taken in July 1958.

2024 - Off and Running

 2024

Off and running ...

I had hoped to be more organized and structured in my blog posting this year but as you can see ... here we are a week and a half into February 2024 and I've made 1 post this year.

1 ...

Just 1 ... as in singular ... just 1 ...

UGH!

The black eyed peas were made and consumed on January 1 - for health, happiness, and wealth.

So far I have not received any wealth, and I've ended up with RSV and Strep at the same time, which does not facilitate any happiness!

Happy New Year 2024

 Happy New Year

2024

My hope and prayer is that 2024 will provide time to learn how to garden and work in the soil.

I managed to get a few of my 2023 BINGO goals completed but looking back I see that I focused too much on my weight and losing weight, instead of learning new things, going to new places, and growing as a person.

I did bring a few of my goals for 2023 over to my 2024 BINGO goals card but this year the focus is learning new things, experiencing new things, and enjoying myself more.

This morning I woke up and made homemade bread. It was a wonderful way to begin the new year. Being thankful for and making our daily bread.

I am thankful for all that 2023 blessed me with.

Happy New Year!!!!

The Space Between ...

 The Space Between ...

December 26 - December 31

Setting Goals for 2024

Organizing my Christmas bounty

Puttering around in my sewing room ...

I made a couple more Preppy Whales

I got my new bowling ball drilled and bowled a game just to test her out.

She is a beauty ... A vanilla smelling Tropical Surge in green, black, and purple.

Hello Storm Nation!

Making bread for our New Year Dinner

Christmas 2023

Christmas Day 2023

Bella and Beau

From their new home.

On December 1, 2023 their parents purchased their first house!

My daughter hosted yet another glorious Christmas Eve / Christmas Day extravaganza!

Champagne cocktails and dinosaurs were on tap!

No makeup but lots of love and joy.

It was a wonderful Christmas!

Even though this was my birthday gift and not a Christmas gift ... it was the birthday gift that kept on giving through to Christmas morning!

The 2023 Advent Calendar from Stitch Supply Co. 

This is the 4th year that I have been gifted the advent calendar and every year it is my favorite gift. For a quilter this gift does NOT disappoint!

 

So ... This Happened

 So ...

This Happened ...

I celebrated my 60th Birthday

My sneaky little momma ... with the help of my sneaky little daughter ... surprised me with a birthday party!

My family drove 7 hours from South Georgia to be with me on my birthday.

I was completely SURPRISED, I never even suspected this family birthday party.

Happy Birthday!!!

As you can see in the picture, I am embracing my naturally curly hair and this shorter lengh. I've decided that 60 is going to be about embracing the "real" me. Good and bad, the curly hair, my weight, my creativity and talents. All of it.

As Popeye would says, "I am what I am..."

Red / White String Pieced Quilt - Hand-Quilting Project

Red/White String Pieced Quilt

Hand-Quilting Project has begun ... 

I used to do a bit more hand-quilting but piecing quilt tops is the quilting process I enjoy the most. Fortunately, I have a brilliant and wonderful friend who also is a brilliant and wonderful machine quilter. In my efforts to slow life down a bit I've decided to hand-quilt a quilt this winter. I'm learning to relax  ...  hopefully ...

Having the floor space to put the quilt "sandwich" together is a chore but when I was rearranging the living room in order to put up my Christmas tree, I took that opportunity to get my Winter 2023/2024 quilt project ready for hand-quilting.

Backing and batting ...

The pieced quilt top ... 

Pin basting ... lots and lots of pins ...

Marking and framing ... and now the quilt is ready for hand-quilting ...

Here we go ... wish me luck!

Congratulations!!! New Homeowners

 Congratulations!!!

New Homeowners!

This morning my youngest and his beautiful bride will become homeowners.

Congratulations!

I pray many years of LOVE, peace, and joy in your new home.