Wool Garden

Oh..... such a long time ago I participated with Karen, of Farmhouse Woolens, in Wool Garden BOM!!   It has been a flimsy for awhile now and I am working on getting it quilted.  I am going to cross-hatch the background and hand quilting around the wool border.

I have also been working on a few posts about my activities last year.   I have many pictures and have unsuccessfully been trying to learn SmileBox.  I was thinking it would be a snap!!!   Uh No....  so I guess I will pick through the pictures and show highlights.    Gonna get some catching up on outings and WIPs, is what I'm up too.....

But first I want to give anyone an opportunity to have the patterns for this BOM, so I am giving them away later this month, lets say February 29!!

It's my sister-in-laws birthday and she is 16.  So lets celebrate Jan's big day, since  it only comes around every 4 years!!   

To be entered in my giveaway be a follower and leave me a comment about what you are up to this year 2016!!   

Primitive Blessings,

Carrie 

Civil War Repo Doll Quilt Swap

My quilt made by Debbie Dodge.  "Little Red" from schnibbles times two by Carrie Nelson!     I LOVE IT!!

Thank you Lori,  I will look forward to participating whenever I can!!

Primitive Blessings,

Carrie

Celebrating is good for the soul....

Celebrating is good for the soul....this is my reflection on my May birthday trip!  I turned 59 ...... (sigh)  next year is another milestone,  my thoughts have been on what is most important and what values and goals I would like to achieve.   It has been a very enlightening and meaningful experience.   Life can pull us along like a strong current but a choosen path with a purpose brings peace and direction!

My birthday trip turned into a tri-fecta event::   First up was to scoot over to Eugene and pick up my mother have a delicious dinner and head up to Seattle the next morning.   We talked about all the places we could stop along the way,  girls talking about choices, well maybe this should have been done the night before.  We finally decided to stop in Des Moines, WA,  at Carriage Country Quilts!!!   Yes that is basically in Seattle!!

We always love this Quilt Shop,  I muse the Jo fabrics looking for old and new alike for my stash!!  We found some fun items but alas no pictures!!

The next morning we drove to Leavenworth, WA for a much anticipated class with Gail Pan offered by Lynn Reppas, proprietor of  Leavenworth Quilt Company.   This is a delightful store.  We enjoyed the selections of fabrics, wool, kits and a very friendly staff!  

Our class with Gail Pan  was so much fun, it started with an evening event where Gail shared many of her wonderful embroidered and quilted projects.  She is a delight to listen too and such a fun sense of humor!  Her story and journey into an international quilt designer, author and teacher was entertaining and left you admiring a special lady who loves sharing her "darling" embroidery style!    If you have an opportunity to attend a class with Gail do and enjoy!

We started off embroidering a journal,  Gail had the pattern printed on our fabric so we could just get into the fun stuff....

  

All printed and ready to go, she brought lollies.....yum!!  Gail loves sharing her love for embroidery,  so helpful with tips....

  

Thanks Gail we loved our time with you!!  You can fin Gail's designs  here!

The city of Leavenworth is set close to the mountains and celebrates Bavarian culture,  we enjoyed there May celebrations and wonderful shops and restaurants.  It is a very friendly and charming town, which was so appreciated!  We will visit again!

We drove back to Seattle Sunday for Mother's Day!  We enjoyed a special dinner with my sisters family with mom!  It was a special day.

Monday was spent in Seattle touring the Pacific Science Center, Pompeii Exhibit.  The exhibit was fascinating!!  

Then a lighthearted tour of  Theo Chocolate factory!    Yummy samples and hot!!!  I would find it a huge challenge working in the heat inside the factory!!  But I enjoyed the one hour tour,  and was impressed to see their efforts to be non-GMO and eco-friendly!!    Seattle has so much to offer and it was enjoyable seeing new places this visit!  Thanks Christie for a very fun celebration.

I will share my Oregon Coast retreats next......and some cute toes!

Heartfelt Blessings,

Carrie

It's time to....

It's time to catch up and keep up for sure!!!   Right?   You would think this was difficult, challenging yes but not difficult.

Sooooo this year has past the first quarter already!!  Amazing!

I am very happy to see this nice spring weather for sure, not that we had a real winter.  But the days were short and the nights cold.  I just call it the un-winter of 2014.  That is in the west anyway, I know the eastern half of our great country had the opposite. 

So what I did this winter was help my mother move out of her home, preparing to put it on the market this spring.   It was bittersweet for sure since Dad and Mom built this home and developed the land from scratch.  It is an amazing place,  30 acres of woods, wildlife including elk, deer, bear, turkeys.  Chantrelle mushrooms, lady slippers, and many other wild flowers.  A pond all the grandkids caught salamanders in and floated hand-made sail boats.

I would ask mom if she was feeling any regret each time I was there and she said No Way!!   When you know you are doing the right thing there is Peace!   Very worth noting and remembering!

Late January we moved mom into her temporary home in Eugene.  She loves it and will thrive there.   Thriving is what I believe we are meant to do, not just be!!

I did some quilting on some projects that I made before my days at Subway.  I love this wallhanging I did with Farmhouse Woolens.

A couple of Woolie mats, this Bunny is a Buttermilk Basin that I finished for Easter.

This second is a Primitive Gatherings kit I have had for some time and love having it finished.

So this is my April catch up in June!! :)     Next up my fun May birthday trip!   

Spring Blessings, 

Carrie

Merry Christmas 2014

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!  May the Love of our Saviour bless your Christmas holiday!

I want to share a finish of my Holly Quilt!  I sewed on it for many years and am so thrilled at the quilting done by Kim,  quilter at Quiltworks in Bend.

Christmas Blessing from my home to yours!

Carrie

A Little Fun

Since we were in Eugene to visit with a Real Estate Agent mom and I took the opportunity to do some shopping!  Shamrock Flowers and Gifts was so much fun with all their cute decorations.  It has been many years since I was their and they didn't disappoint!

Mom and I bought gifts for each other,  this is the snowman she bought me, except with a red scarf.  There were so many cute ones it was dilema!

I loved the one with the striped scarf!

Oh theres Mom looking real tempted.....

Isn't this an awesome display for ribbons, love it too!

We stopped in at Pottery Barn and founds towels on sale 30% off for the day,  had to get some for the guest bathroom.  And we loved these pillows.  Mom chose a little pillow for her gift!  Its adorable on her bed.....it has embroidered" And to All a Good Night"   Darn it, I didn't take a picture!

       We thought this pillow would be fun to make!   We had a car like this when I was a little girl.

Are you enjoying the holiday blog hops,  I have been following Staceys " Primitive Christmas Blog Hop"   at  Buttermilk Basin.  You can follow along by going to the link.  Have you made any of the cute projects? 

I have been stitching one up and its so fun!

Christmas Blessings to all of you, thanks for stopping by!

Carrie

It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

We are smack dab in the middle of the Holiday season so I better get posting something.....right?   Thank you to my blog friends that nudge me along,  I appreciate all the wonderful friends in blogland.   I have decided that when we travel,  meeting up with bloggers is at the top of my list.  We are planning some fun adventures in the next couple years so Mr. Cricketwood is on-board with meeting up too!   I  love that!!

This favorite quilt is off to the quilters and I am so excited about this....

I will get it back in the middle of the month and sew on the binding,  so excited to hang it this year!  This is a quilt from a Need'l love book,  I started it so many years ago and have redone the applique and wools pieces so many times, so thankful to have it finished...almost!

I spent the Thanksgiving Holiday at my mothers home.  She is selling her home of 30plus years, which is a 30 acre tree farm as well.  Whew!  What a job packing your life up at 84.  My mom is amazing, it has been  seven years since my dad passed and she is ready to be in town and have neighbors.   We packed, met with a perspective realtor, shopped and had a fabulous 5 days together.

My daughter came for dinner and brought us gorgeous Poinsettias...

Mine is pictured in one of the crocks mom gave me.  I am so far behind on getting down the pumpkins and decorating for Christmas.  I will be doing some cleaning/decorating this week along with my month-end bookkeeping!    

God bless you in all your Holiday preperations and parties,  I will be back soon with some fun quilty highlights from the long no-post year!!!   :))

Primitive Blessings,

Carrie