What Tickles My Fancy?

I have enjoyed participating in the Mountain Heritage Quilt Challenge the past few years. This year's theme is "What Tickles My Fancy?"
My answer is "Quilting, Of Course!!". And also Christmas decorations. The poinsettia in the center came from 'Another Season of Beautiful Blooms' by Susan Taylor Propst. I am so happy to be finished. And the deadline is another month away. Whew!!

Orca Bay Revealed

Because of all the busyness associated with the holidays, I was unable to keep up with Bonnie Hunter's Orca Bay Mystery Quilt. However, I was able to make some of each step. So when the mystery was revealed on Jan 1, I was able to pin 2 complete blocks on my design wall...a positive and a negative.

I I really, really like it and can't wait to get more pieces sewn together.

My Family

This is my family. (or at least the ones who were able to be there for our Christmas celebration)
Ten of the 21 grandchildren!!

More Christmas Ornaments

I did finish all the ornaments before our family gathering on Dec 31. Here they are:

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Just wanted to stop by and wish all my friends a very Merry Christmas. Remember, Jesus is the Reason for the Season!!

Orca Bay Mystery, Step 4

I've been working on my 5 1/2" string blocks. I'm using purples instead of reds. This is what I've completed so far. Lots more to do but I'm trying out each step as much as I can fit in with all the other chaos that is going on right now!! I wanted to get started on step 5 before posting this so I could link up to Bonnie's Mystery page but it's not happening today. Perhaps before the next clue on Friday?
Here are the strings I've been working from.
Last summer my granddaughter sorted my laundry basket of scraps into shopping bags by color groups. Then my sisters helped me to fine tune into individual bags of colors. From there I'm slowly but surely organizing using Bonnie Hunter's Scrap User's System. My purple bag was nearly all "strings" or pieces that I could use in my string blocks. I may still have to cut into fat quarters or full yardage pieces but won't know for sure until I get a little further along.

Christmas Ornaments 2011

Each year I make Christmas ornaments for my Grandchildren. I hang them on a special tree, let them draw numbers and pick the one they want. One family lives in Ohio and won't be here this Christmas so I'm mailing theirs this year. I had bought these kits at the Houston show last year but because of a problem with my right hand, couldn't make them. I let them choose which ornament they would like when they were here for Thanksgiving last year because normally they have to take what's left over after the others have picked theirs. I just finished these eight and wanted to share them.

Reuben - Levi -

Dara -

Zeb -

Abby -

Judah -

Asher -

And Mom, Leslie -

Eight down and 20 to go. We're not having our family Christmas gathering until New Year's Eve so thankfully I still have 2 more weeks in which to complete the remaining ones. Aren't they cute?