Holiday Pillow Cases

This is a quick and easy little project I'm working on this week.

I usually give these out early to kick off the holiday season. My family and friends love getting their new Christmas Pillow Cases the first part of December.

This does take a lot of fabric when you're making so many but I was able to find this fabric on sale. I stayed away from the reds and greens this year and went with a more winter look...maybe they will use them long after the holidays are over.

These make great gifts if you need a hostess gift, a gift for co-workers, or that unexpected guest that may surprise you during the holidays.

I have 8 more sets to go, back to sewing!!!

Cute little tote!!!

Love this little tote.

This is a new pattern by Robin Gallagher of Two Wacky Women. Two Wacky Women called "LLB".

The small one measures approx. 8'x8'x2'. I adjusted the pattern just a bit to make the medium one that measures 10'x10'x2'.

There is a pocket on the the inside, just the right size for a cell phone. The out side pocket adds style and will keep things handy. There is a long strap that can be adjusted a couple of ways for comfort.

The first one took me much longer to make but found the second went together with ease.

Won't these make cute little gifts!!

I actually got my fabric from Two Wacky Women as well but this pattern is Fat Quarter Friendly. There is also a pattern for a larger tote.

Just another favorite of mine.

This is just another one of my favorite patterns by Robin Gallagher of Two Wacky Women called "Wacky Nine Patch".
Reference: Two Wacky Women

The main blocks are made oversize and after cut down to the correct size using the stack and slash method. The quilt does go together pretty quickly and with very little difficulty.

I have now used this pattern twice. My daughter got the first one made out of flannels and I made this one out of batiks.

Click on comments below, I would love to know what you think.

Kwitchyerbellyakin

I can only imagine what it was like for my parents to raise six kids. Yes, I have two older brothers, than came my twin sister and I, and four years later another set of twins, my brother and sister. Thank goodness they had my grandmother, who lived next door, to help them out.

Of course I remember a lot of fun and great times, but there were those times when my parents had a lot of whining kids on their hands. What I remember about those moments was my Dad's favorite saying "Quit your belly aching."

When I was around sixteen I found the saying written, kwitchyerbellyakin and decided to make it for my Dad in a wall hanging. I'm not sure if this was a printed cross stitch or if I did a counted cross stitch. He loved it!! It hung in their kitchen and would create some interesting conversation to say the least. Most could not make out the word, but when they did, would just laugh.

I have made several of these little wall hangings now and sent them to my brothers and sisters and my own kids have them hanging in their homes. Just thought I would share with you.

This is the one that hangs in my kitchen. The word kwitchyerbellyakin was done on my embroidery machine and piece with batiks.

This was the original one I made for my Dad. Remember our parents were into avocado green and gold.

Just a great little conversation piece!!

Pumpkin Cookies

Don't you just love when you go to pull an old cookbook down, that belonged to your Mom or Grandma, and the pages are all torn and yellowed. You just know a those books hold some of the best recipes and there were a lot of great family dinners where people just sat around taking about how great the food was.

The thing is, you just never think it's going to be your cookbooks that will yellow and look old. Well it looks like it has happened to one of mine. The kids and grand kids reminded me over the weekend that October is fast approaching and they want their Pumpkin Cookies, something I make for them every October. I went to get the book down that holds that famous recipe and it's starting to look a bit tattered and yellowed. Now I know I bought that book brand new and it seems like only yesterday. I just smiled and had warm and cozy feeling come over me as I know these cookies will always be one of the kids favorites.

I would like to share the recipe with you and yes, I did make the Pumpkin Banner but have to admit it's one of those "cheater panels", just put it together and quilt it. Think I was too busy making cookies that day.

Pumpkin Cookies
1 Cup Shortening
1 Cup White Sugar
1 Egg
1 Cup Pumpkin (I use the can pumpkin)
2 Tsp. Vanilla
2 Cups Flour
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Soda
2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Cup Nuts (I use walnuts)

Frosting:
1 Cup Brown Sugar
3 Tbs. Margarine
4 Tbs. Milk
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp. Vanilla

Cookies: Combine and mix first ten ingredients. Add Nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Frosting: Stir and boil first 3 ingredients for 2 minutes. Cool. Add last two ingredients. Frost cookies. My family usually does not wait for the frosting...they like them plain.

Enjoy!

The Button Box

Look how cute this is.
My sister, Patti, made me this out of porcelain, remember she is the potter in the family. Not only did she make me the button box, she also made a lot of the buttons inside. Love love love it!

The trivet is something I made by taking cotton rope and wrapping it in fabric and zig zagging it together.

Just another way of crafts coming together in one family.

Meet Marcus

Marcus, our youngest, and his family.

Turn on the music and watch him go, Sebastian loves to dance and has better rhythm and moves of any dancer I know and he is only 4. He also loves soccer.
Natalia loves to play board games, help her mom, and loves to play dress-up and make-up with her friends. She is such a little princess, tiny and petite.
Our daughter-in-law, Raquel, is our little Spanish girl, she came to the US in 1995. We get so many complements on her, she is sweet and full of natural beauty. I can count on her for anything. We just adore her.
When he walks in a room you know he's there, Marcus is a loud and crazy guy and will get the party started...even if it's not his party. His brother and sister will just shake their head and laugh...and may say he's a little spoiled. Well he is the baby after all, cute and very smart.

Together they love to travel, explore, try new adventures and enjoy the simply pleasures of life. All four speak Spanish and English.

Meet Michael

Michael, our middle son, and his family.

Madison is the one you would love to have a Tea Party with. She is so beautiful and very sweet. She loves to swim and spend time with her friends and family.
Evan is all around boy. Loves sports, especially swimming. His passion is planes, there is not one plane that can fly overhead that he won't know the make, model and and when it was made. Amazing! He loves spending time with is Dad.
Erin is one if you need something done, give her a call. She can organize some of the best parties and you will find her on the dance floor at all of them. She's a great Mom, a great daughter to her own Mom, and I love that she is our daughter-in-law.
Michael is the rock of the family. He sets his goals and achieves them. He holds a Masters Degree, participates in triathlons, loves to sail, bike, and is the one the family turns to most for advice. He has a great sense of humor and is loved and adored by all.
A very busy family!

Meet Alicia

This is Alicia, our oldest, and her family.

Meggan is known as the family "sweetie". She started high school this year and is off to a good start. She loves to swim and play soccer...and of course, use her text message service.

Olivia will make you laugh and bring a smile to you when ever you look at her. She may be the family's next quilter, she is very crafty. Yeah Livy!

Jimmy would like me to introduce him as my one and only, crazy, fun loving son-in-law. He really is a great guy and fun to be with.

Alicia works hard at what she does in life, team mom, room mom, but most of all a wonderful Mom to Meggan and Olivia, she can do all this and still work a full time job. Her greatest joy in life is being with her family, camping, biking and swimming. A beautiful person inside and out.

A very busy family!!!

Alicia never has picked up sewing. I often say the one common factor we have together is we love each other very much.

Meet Carlos

The kids call him Pops, the grand kids call him Granpie, his students call him "Mr. O", and me, well he's just my Carlos.

He actually could start a blog of his own as he has a story to tell. Born in Peru, came to the United States in the 60's and we married shorty there after.

Carlos works at an all girls school close to our home where he has taught for many years. He does not teach anymore but still works at the school as their sub-teacher, is in charge of the AV Room, and started the school's very first, all girls, Mariachi Band. He is just so proud of them and will talk about them for as long as you will listen.

Carlos is the biggest fan of my quilting. Good, bad or ugly he loves it all. When I go on my quilting retreats there is always a surprise waiting for me when I get home. Usually this is new flowers in the garden, one time a water fall in the garden....but this last retreat he told me over the phone I was coming home to three green accent walls in three of our rooms. EEEEEEEEEEEEK. I have to tell you I was a bit worried, but I loved them. All is good.

He is a very caring and loving person. He treats everyone with equal respect and he is loved by everyone.

I think our biggest and greatest accomplishment together would be our children, Alicia, Michael and Marcus. Let me show you why, next blog.

Pamela O.

One of my favorites

I would love to say my quilts are so famous that you can find them around the world, but that is so not true. The truth is, I have given my quilts to family and friends around the world. You can find some of my quilts in Canada, Spain, France, Peru and of course the USA. My friend Terri will often tease me and say, "every time someone comes to visit, you send them home with a quilt".

I love to give my quilts in hopes they will be used over and over again. However, this happens to be one I did save for myself.

The pattern is called, "Magical Slice and Dice" by Robin Gallagher. Robin is a friend of mine who is also one of the Wednesday Wackos. It's so amazing, after making a four-patch kaleidoscope out of just one fabric, add some sashing and assemble the blocks straight, you make to two strategic cuts, sew it back together..and magic it's set on point.

Both Robin and Marilyn (also a Wacko) have formed their own business called Two Wacky Women. Visit their website http://twowackywomen.com/ where you will find this pattern and others that Robin has designed.

Pamela O.