~ in memory of...

...Mommy



It's been 16 years.  Alot of time has passed.  Alot of things have changed.  I keep you in my heart...every...single...day.

~ piece work basics...

Hope everyone is staying warm!  I am busy inside doing some long overdue purging from the basement storage areas.  At least I am staying true to one of my New Year's resolutions!  Actually, another of my resolutions was to work on my quilting basics...specifically piece work -- and I am doing that also!



I am using a charm pack from the Northcott fabrics  Artisan Spirit Shimmer collection.  This was part of the fantastic bundle of fabric that I won in a Fat Quarter Shop giveaway a few months back.

If I can keep this up, I should be totally recharged and ready for some gardening by the time the weather gets warmer. :-)

~ the young gentlemen...

...Nicholas' birthday party group photo :-)

                                                        ~*~
          
                                                         ~*~

~ snowfall totals...

We were right in the middle of that big blue blob and ended up with 13 inches!  The guys were out early this morning with the snowblower and shovelling -- so all the snow is neat and tidy now.



How much did you get?

click here for Snowfall totals

~ snow day...

...early dismissal from school due to winter storm Janus.



The school busses finally showed up after Ozzy and I waited at the bus stop for an hour.  I am on the phone with Rick -- he is almost home.  Then I can relax...

~ another quilt along...

I've joined another quilt along.  I lost track of time and ended up not doing the one I posted about here: http://myhappybluebird.blogspot.com/2013/11/happy-sunday.html

This new quilt along is better!  It's for a worthwhile cause -- The Make-a-Wish foundation.  You can read about it here:http://fatquartershop.blogspot.com/2013/12/introducing-wishes-quilt-along.html

Kimberly has created video tutorials and is distributing the patterns for each block free of charge.  If you do decide to join, kindly make a small donation to the Make-a-Wish foundation -- the links can be easily found on Kimberly's blog, and, the Fat Quarter Shop website.

So here's my first block!  I downloaded the free pattern, and, watched the video tutorial while I was making this.  I made some mistakes, but that's okay because I will continue to get better as I go along.  I am using the Downton Abbey fabric that I won from Fat Quarter Shop.

~ fabric preparation -- printed pattern -- youtube video on ipad...



~ finished block one -- flying kites...

~ vintage photo Saturday...

~Circa 1972~  Afternoon ice skating at the War Memorial outdoor skating rink in Clove Lakes Park, Staten Island, NY.



From left to right:  Lauren, our friends Dawn + Karen, me.  From the looks of the scrunched up faces, it was a bright and sunny day. :-)  Anyone remember who took the photo?  You can see the shadow of the photographer at the bottom center of the photo.  I'm guessing the double breasted peacoat and fringed suede jackets were all the rage?

Am I the only one wearing a hand-me-down (itchy, scratchy wool) coat? See photo below!

~Circa 1967~  Easter Sunday  Photo taken in front of 50 Hatfield Place.  We definitely dressed up to go and eat Easter Sunday dinner at Nonna's house.  Does the tailfin of the car belong to daddy's 1957 pink chevy, or, grandpa's 1958 rambler?

~ belated birthday card...

...for Nicholas!



This year, I was guilty of not giving the birthday card(s) to Nicholas.

Usually I give a card from each of us (this also includes a card from Ozzy and the cats).  But this year, I totally forgot!

Maybe, I had in the back of my mind that they didn't matter much anymore.  Not because I do not like to give them -- in fact -- many times, I go out of my way to hand make cards and give them to others.  However, over the years there has been a serious decline in the the cards we receive... Birthday... Christmas... Thank You cards.

Yesterday, Nicholas mentioned the absence of birthday cards for him, and it made me think of that old Hallmark commercial -- the one where the person receives a gift, but NO card!  So, today, I put on my "card making" cap and hand made a cute little card for my now -- 18 year old ADULT son.  I didn't want him to remember this birthday as "the one without the birthday cards".

So, perhaps people are not saying it aloud -- but they do enjoy receiving birthday, holiday, and, thank you cards.  ;-)

~perspective...

Bright and cheery morning view from my front door...




No, not really...this is the actual lighting...



How to do this?  No photoshop necessary!  To do this with your camera, switch to the setting "shooting into backlight".  Now choose the setting "set the metering to..." -- on my camera the metering is set to a dot in the center of a rectangle.

Photo 1 -- first I focus on the little wreath at the left side of the photo.  Press the shutter button halfway down, hold it, and move the camera slightly to the right so I am looking out the center of the door.  Press the shutter button all the way down.

Photo 2 -- The camera is still in the same position (photo 1) -- looking out the center of the door.  Simply press the shutter button all the way down.

Voila!  Two totally different looking photos :-)  Sorry, I am not able to explain this in more technical terms -- if that's what you need, you're way ahead of me!

Hope the weather is cheery where you are!


 

~ beautiful cold...

...morning view of ice crystals on our back storm door.  This morning's low temperature was 3 degrees farenheit (with wind chill it was -14 degrees farenheit).



The ice crystals on the back storm door formed when we opened the inner door to go outside.  Oh, just in case your wondering...the shadowy figure is a "macaroni" wreath Nicholas made for me way back in 2001. :-)

~ better bundle up...

...outside temps are dropping by the minute! At 6 a.m. it was 57 degrees farenheit. At 10:15 a.m. it is 45 degrees farenheit. By tomorrow morning it will be 7 degrees, but it will feel like -12 degrees with the wind chill factor.

BRRRRRRR..........!

               

~ snow day...

Ozzy loved the 8 inches of snow that Hercules left for us!

                        

The photo has an unusual format because Rick took the photo with his cellphone. ;-)

~ silent movie night...

Do you watch silent movies?  I do...sometimes...  I don't plan to watch them.  Last night, when I turned on the television, I caught this movie from the beginning.  It is "The Unknown".  Filmed in 1927.  The actress ~ a very young Joan Crawford.  The actor ~ Lon Chaney.

                                                                ~*~

                                                              ~*~

Not sure if you will be able to view this without an xfinity account, but, here is a link to watch it online:

The Unknown ~ 1927

~ happy new year...

May health and happiness be with you throughout the coming year :-)



Our New Year's Eve traditions:

Put out the money jar
Play parlor games
Watch TV until the ball drops in NYC Times Square

Then we wish each other a "Happy New Year" and go to sleep :-)