Happy New Year - a few days late!

Hi everyone:

Happy 2013!

Wow, it's been awhile since you've heard from me - and I don't even have any excuses. Haven't been away, haven't been inundated with relatives over the holidays (although we did have a few people over a few times), I've just been taking a few days weeks off. Here's a few snapshots of what was going on over the holidays.

A few Christmas goodies - yum!
 I had enough baking for 4 trays of various cookies and sweets.

No need to decorate when you have a Charlie in the tree!

I'm sure you can't see me way up here!

I loved watching the blue jays and flicker (not Flickr)
that visited our crabapple tree...

and the squirrels (there were 5 of these guys in the tree one day),
who love to raid the bird feeder.

While I didn't plan to make any gifts this year, I decided, at the last minute, to make an updated version of Bundle Up as a gift for my brother. In this version, I switched the stars for die-cut snowflakes using the Holiday Medley die from AccuQuilt. I added some hand embroidery to tack down the snowflakes and to add interest. I was quite pleased at how it turned out and he loved it!

Updated version of Bundle Up with die cut
and hand embroidered snowflakes 

Large snowflake detail

Snowflake details

Now that the visiting, eating and celebrating are almost over (I'm having a few quilty friends in for tea tomorrow), it's time to get back on track.

First item of business: to make New Year's resolutions - or not? I think - not! Each year I just try to do a bit better at exercising, eating healthy and being more productive - and leave it at that. No specific goals to make me feel disappointed when/if I don't achieve them. Just keep working and living in a positive manner and good things will follow. I have organized my patterns in progress and have some timelines to follow there, but otherwise ... just living la vida loca. 

While I have some patterns and projects to finish up, there are some other items that I'd like to tell you about. 

You've heard me talk about Bustle & Sew, the digital magazine, in previous posts. If you still haven't subscribed to this wonderful publication, this is the time to do it. 

Some of the many issues of Bustle & Sew digital magazine
Photo courtesy of Bustle & Sew

You won't get a better offer than this anywhere else! You receive two trial issues - December 2012 and January 2013 (current issues too!) - as well as a copy of The Stitcher's Companion book (lots of great information in this item) for just $1.00. Yep, just one toonie (if you're Canadian) and you have two issues of wonderful patterns and information as well as the very helpful The Stitcher's Companion book. If you love the magazine, as I do, you can continue your subscription for just $5.50 a month (well worth it) and if you don't (how could you not?), you're only out $1.00. This offer won't be available for much longer, so check it out as soon as you can. Don't forget to check out the free patterns available at Bustle & Sew while you're on the website. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that I have a pattern in the December 2012 issue and an article in the January 2013 that you'll be able to read if you take advantage of this offer.

Connecting Threads is currently offering their batting at 30% off. I love ordering from Connecting Threads - great prices and their own fabric lines that you won't find anywhere else. If you need batting, now is the time to buy.

Now, specifically for my Calgary and area readers, I'd love to see you at the Southwood branch of the Calgary Public Library on January 10 or 24 from 6:30 until 8:30 in the evening. I will be there with my quilts demonstrating quilt embellishments to celebrate fibre arts month at the library. I'm really looking forward to this and hope to meet some of my blog followers. If you are free one of these evenings, please do stop by to see me.

Now that you're all caught up, I'd better get back on track and work on some quilting projects. Decisions, decisions: to finish up that Christmas wall hanging from last year or work on a new project...

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a productive start to 2013!