CELEBRATE! Only a Few Hours to 2017!

Sorry I am so long getting my Christmas post up.  I have had computer issues and internet issues and putting the Christmas decorations away issues.

Finally, I am peacefully relaxing under my Terry quilt in my Edmond home, and I am ready to share my Christmas pics with you.  If you haven't already seen the latest video, here it is.  It spans three days, so expect it to be choppy and strange.

Loren cut out her pattern, and we got it P&P'd on her body, but that is as far as we got.  The guys wanted to go fishing or shoot their guns, and Lauren went with them.  Then there was the cooking and the eating and the bowling and the fact that they had to leave a day early.  

We did find out, MUCH TO MY DELIGHT, that Lauren and I have practically identical measurements.  She really liked the blue floral knit top I was wearing, so I just took it off and asked her to try it on.  It fit her perfectly, so I gave it to her.  So she did get a "new" blouse for Christmas.  It is the one I am wearing in the pic below. 

We were at Dollar General when I snapped this.  We were running up and down the aisles looking for half-price Christmas boxes.  It was so much fun!  There was another customer there who had arrived five minutes before we did.  She was there for Christmas boxes too.  Her name was Connie.  We kept comparing carts with each other and exchanging boxes.  

Lauren said, "How long have you known that lady, Grandma?"  I said, "ten seconds".  Some people just "click" with my personality, and we immediately talk like we've known each other for ages.

Other people see me coming, and they hide behind the tallest shelf in the store!

I left with a cart overflowing with boxes, and so did Connie.  Can't believe I didn't take a pic of that.

Our Christmas was on Monday night.  The kids arrived late because they had a long drive, and John stopped to use a gift card on his way.  The kids were so excited to leave their house to come to ours, they forgot our presents.  They felt really bad.  We'll get them next time they visit.

Here is a picture of me holding up the CUTEST dishtowels and potholders (by request) from my friend, Margaret.  She always says, "I have no idea what to get you."  I told her I was really easy, and my potholders were 20 years old and ragged.  She found the nicest ones I've ever seen, and I'm holding a couple of them up in this pic.  That adorable young man is my grandson, John.  He has on the jacket we gave him for Christmas.  

While we were working on Lauren's jacket pattern, she noticed my jewelry table and this pair of earrings I had made.  They are really cute Christmas earrings, but too big for me.  She put them on and said she loved them. 

They are hers now.  Sorry you can't see them very good.

This is a picture of Jerry just to show you how much fun we were having.  We laughed so much.  It is such a good feeling to be totally comfortable with your guests.  Notice his new waterproof boots.  We got John a pair of them, and he really liked them.  They were so cute walking around in their matching boots all weekend!  

The next day, we all drove to Sherman, TX to have dinner at Texas Roadhouse with Princess Di, her husband, Marty, and their son, Nick.  Another super good time and lots of laughs.

Here's a pic of us girls.  It is dark outside and we are standing under street lights, so pardon all the shadows.  Do you see the blouse Lauren is wearing under that jacket?  I was so pleased that she liked it.

And the following pic is of Jerry with John's little sister, Lindy.  We were at her house in Edmond on Christmas Day.  That was my Christmas miracle!  Not the picture, but to be with my daughter (Lindy's mother).  That is Lindy's kitty, Milo.  It is the only pic I took there.  Lindy left shortly after we arrived.

So that was it.  I put the rest of the decorations away this morning.  

I just washed the sheets to our bed here, and I've got to get them out of the dryer and onto the bed.  Hence, I must go for now.  I am in FAST INTERNET LAND again, so maybe I'll get some more videos made.  I had a special request for a tutorial.  ALSO, Phylly is coming tomorrow to spend the night and play all day Monday.  What a great way to break in a brand new year!

God bless you all, and I thank you for so many wonderful, nice comments this past year.  You have no idea how you "hold me up" through the tough times.  Special hug to you, Helga.  

I pray you have the best year of your life in 2017!

Hugs, Joy

Is Everyone Ready?

Hello everyone!

If you are like my friends -- super busy -- you probably haven't noticed I've been gone so long between posts.  I know all of us are finishing up last-minute preparations for Christmas.

I was sitting here on my bed looking at a new Craftsy class by Gail Yellen on Cover Stitch Machines, when I remembered I have a BLOG.

I KNOW!  My lightning fast mind.

Next to me, on the bed, is my very quiet, non-beeping, non-clicking, non-ringing cell phone.  No Marco Polos at all.  No texts at all.  It makes me sad.  I guess everyone is busy getting ready for Christmas.  The Cuatro Quilters have stopped quilting-in-common so all that fun has stopped.  Looks like it is me and Millie again.  Thank goodness, I have lots of charity quilts to put on her.

My hubby is at the other house checking on the new offices we added to our building in OKC.  I asked him to text me some pics of it as I haven't seen it.

I WAS going to spend the day with Terry tomorrow running to JoAnn's and various other stores, but found out it is going to rain ALL DAY and the next and the next.  That put a damper on that fun day because I don't want to do it in the rain and under cloudy skies.  I'm like Princess Di when it comes to that.  I am like a wilted flower on cloudy days.  I like sunshine.  After all, I grew up in Phoenix, AZ where you could fry an egg on the sidewalk.

I did do a VLOG last week.

Here it is if you haven't already seen it:

Christmas doesn't start for us until next Tuesday when my Grandson, John and his wife, Lauren come to stay for a few days.  It may not feel much like Christmas by then, but we will figure out something to do to fill up our days.  I asked Lauren if she would like to make a cape/jacket with me.  She said she would, and she really did enjoy sewing the cell phone stands last time she was here.  This is the pattern we are going to use:

I think it will be pretty easy since #1:  It SAYS it is easy, and #2: we will use fleece.  Actually, that is what I was going to get tomorrow since it takes almost 4 yards.  Maybe we will end up making vests as I probably have enough fleece on hand for that.

Going back to the Craftsy class.  I like to watch them right away in case I don't like them.  Then I can get my money back and go on to the next class.

If I don't get back before Christmas, PLEASE have a blessed, wonderful Christmas at your house.  I pray you get all you ever dreamed of in blessings, good health and happiness.

Jesus is the reason for the season!

Hugs, Joy

Happy, Merry ALMOST Christmas!

So MANY things going on.  I've been so busy, I haven't even thought about my BLOG and how far behind I am.

Last Friday, we had our first company Christmas lunch.  We went to Zio's.  It is an Italian restaurant with AMAZING apple pie that has a hot brandy sauce on top and ice cream on top of that!!!  WHY-OH-WHY didn't I take a picture of that!?

Only one employee didn't make it.  Evidently, somebody forgot to tell him about it.  GUESS WHO saved a seat for me?  You all remember her, I'm sure:

Yep!  It is PHYLLY!  We had SO MUCH FUN!  We started laughing the moment I sat down, and we never quit.  Next to Phylly was Sheila.  You HAVE to meet her!  The lighting was awful and most of the pics were too fuzzy to even fix.  I'll get her next year.  She laughs all the time too.

Everyone was in the best mood.  My husband was just going to hand the stack of bonus envelopes down the table and have people fish theirs out of the stack.  I said, "NO WAY!, Jose'"  Give them to me.  So I went down my side of the table passing out envelopes and giving hugs.  THEN, he decided he wanted to do the other side of the table and give his OWN hugs out.  WAY FUN!

On the right in the pic is Kodi.  Kodi was a teenager when we hired her to work a few hours a week. She has been with us 11 years now!  Everyone loves Kodi.  Especially, the customers!  The other lady is Kathy.  She just started a few weeks ago.  I had never met her.  I liked her immediately when I mentioned we needed pictures, and she JUMPED UP and ran to the end of the table and started snapping pics with her camera.   Unfortunately, they were all pretty fuzzy, and I can't use them.  She is personality-PLUS!

Here is ONE-HALF of Sheila.  Goodness.  The pics are just so fuzzy, this is the best I could do with all the other employees.  The guys were completely fuzzed up.  To the left of 1/2 Sheila is Misty.  To the left of Misty is Diane.  I had never met her before either.  On the end is our wonderful, sweet Carol.  Carol has quit at least twice, but she keeps coming back.  We all cry every time she says she is quitting and she takes pity on us and stays.  I think she is down to one day a week now.

Tomorrow is our Christmas lunch for the Kingston crew.  We are going to Chili's in Durant which is the most exciting place within driving distance down here.  I will TRY to get some pics, although it is difficult if there are other people within view of my lens.

After that, I will get ready for what MAY or MAY NOT happen this year with my family for Christmas.  I am hoping for a BIG TIME Christmas miracle, and I'm sure you can guess what that is.  Joel Osteen says to "pray BIG prayers", and I really am doing that.

Trust you all are enjoying your holidays and getting prepared for a FANTASTIC brand new year!  How wonderful that we keep getting "overs" on what we do with a brand new year.  I'm going to try really hard to not screw anything up this time.

JESUS is the REASON for the SEASON!

Hugs, Joy

Friendly Friday Hello!

Good morning my friends!

I am a happy girl this morning -- well, happier than usual -- because my hubby arrived last night.  We slept in until 7:30 this morning which is super late for him.  He is usually up at 5:00.  He said he really missed me while I was in Des Moines.  That is always good to hear.  (-:

I did not make it to JoAnn's yet, and I can't go today.  We have a funeral to attend at 2:00, and funeral attire isn't really comfortable for shopping a Joann's sale.  I will go tomorrow.

And to answer the question from the lady who thinks there is Brandy in my coffee:

No, just caffeine.  I am just a bubbly (some say "loud", some say "annoying") personality.  That is why I talk to cameras.  They do not care how I act or what I say.  No reaction.  Sometimes, when I talk to people, they look at me funny, and it makes me think I'm ugly or loud or fat or weird, or all of the above, lol.  So I just shut up and suck myself back inside.

Thank you, Helga, for your Christmas advice.  You are SO RIGHT.  My good friend, who also happens to be Jerry's first wife (she introduced us), lost her husband this week.  The funeral is today. This Christmas, she will not have her beloved husband of 40+ years in their home and in her life.  I will have mine.  I can't imagine a more wonderful blessing to celebrate our Lord's birthday for.

Remember the blouse I was making in my last video.  I was able to add the collar I was "seeing in my mind", and I am very pleased with it.  It took some figuring because the collar is a woven and the blouse is a knit, but I was able to do it.

Power Tools suggested I leave it plain, but I already have a lot of plain tops.  I wanted to experiment with something new.

It LOOKS LIKE I have a scarf on, but I don't.  And like most scarves that I remove before leaving the house because they drive me crazy moving around, this one STAYS PUT!

Time to go get ready for my day.

You all have a nice one, and I'll be back to show you how many things FALL into my cart when I go to JoAnn's to look for Terry's patterns.













Hugs, Joy

Home Again and VLOG About APQS Visit

Terry and I drove into my driveway about 4:30 yesterday.  Terry hurriedly pulled all of her things out of my car and packed them into her car, and she was off again to her home in Kingston.  I am still in Edmond due to some other events happening here.

I made a VLOG for you about our visit to APQS:

It is kind of crazy that now that I KNOW HOW TO USE QUILT PATH, I am at the house that doesn't have my longarm in it.  I can practice on Quilt Path though even without it being attached to the longarm, so I may do that.  I COULD make a quilt to take home and use to embed what I have learned in my brain.

MAYBE, I will do that.  I told Terry I might make another table scarf because that would be a fast project to learn with.

We shall see.

I tried to show Dawn my owls, but I couldn't figure out how to find them.  So I am putting them here in case she stops by, and for you, in case you didn't see my WONKY hang-up job.  The bar is too long.  I will have Jerry fix that when time permits, but for now, the bar just sticks out on one end.  PLAY LIKE you don't see it, okay?

I have to go.  Jerry will be here this afternoon, and this house needs some attention!  Being here only a few times a year leaves a lot to be addressed when I finally return.

Be back soon.

Hugs, Joy