Christmas 2011

Christmas has come and gone.  The decorations are all put away, but the last of the pesky cookies are still hanging around.  My resolution to lose 10 pounds by July will never get off the ground with those cookies calling me from the down stairs fridge.

Nicole, Terry and Brittany

Brittany's gorgeous ring

I think she likes it

Nikki and Cameron

Arnie with the Grandpuppy

Nicole with the Grandpuppy

Ron with Michael and Troy

Jimmy and I

My Mom and I

Aunt Louise with Cameron

We had a very ringing Christmas.  Jim bought Brittany a promise ring,  Michael got an engagement ring from Troy and I got a lovely diamond cluster ring from Arnie.

Winter Harp O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Arnie and I went to see Winter Harp in Maple Ridge.  It was awesome.  I can't wait to go again next year.  After the performance we went to Palliotti's Italian restaurant and had a lovely dinner.  It was a great day out.

Sewing for Christmas

I made a candle mat for a Secret Santa exchange at my quilt guild.  It is so cute, I think I will make one for my self for next Christmas.

I also made some little yo yo trees that are tree decorations for a ornament exchange.  A few of my friends will be getting the little trees too.

Baby quilt

I made this baby quilt for a young man that my hubby works for.  It is a first baby for him and his wife. I

UFO finished

I have been busy finishing a UFO called Spring Breeze.  It was an online mystery and I am sure glad to have it finished.  It was the first quilt quilted on my new sewing machine.  What a nice machine! I think it should be called Summer Cacophony because it is so loud! (the quilt, not the machine lol)

New Sewing Room

November has been so busy for me.  I decided to turn my son's old bedroom into my new sewing room.  I had thought of doing it a few years ago, but I loved my bright, sunny yellow room and although it was a tight squeeze it was comfortable.  Well the squeeze has gotten tighter and so I felt it was time to give my self more space.  I took the room from pumpkin orange to sunset glow. Well it is still orange, but a more glowy orange.  I don't have as much shelf room as I had in my old space, but I will figure out something there.  Maybe use up some of the stuff I have stored ha ha.  So here are the pictures of the old room and the new room.

Old room

A little hard to cut out fabric on my cutting desk

The computer will be going and then I will have a design wall here and my ironing board.

Cutting desk uncluttered, hopefully it will stay this way ha ha.

Auntie Ruth

Ruth and Arnie in 2009

Ruth'sdaughters Mary, Donna and Carol and Carol's granddaughter.

The family and friends on Ruth's patio.  Look at the view!

Arnie and I

Michael with his 3rd cousin's wife

Arnie's Auntie Ruth was killed in a car accident in early September.  It was a tragic loss to the van der Est family.  She was the matriarch who held the extended family together.  Her brothers are all gone, but she use to have reunions  as the families of her brothers scattered, she brought them back together again. We were sad to have to miss the family reunion in August and had we known it would be the last one, we would have rearranged our plans to have been there.  The church in Campbell River was packed to the rafters, a tribute to a woman who had many, many friends and loved ones. She had told her daughter that when she passed away she wanted her family and close friends to have a barbeque at her house by the river.  So we had that last get together with out her.  Her generosity was extended even after her death.