Merry Christmas everyone!!!

My dear friend Brenda..aka Trouble...got terrific news today! She is cancer free!!! Woo hoo!

She had thyroid cancer, surgery, a super pill called 'the bomb' to get rid of any other cells...and woo hoo! Great news today!!! She's been such a trooper thru all of this...I'm so happy for her and her family!!! Us too...those that love her like a sister!!!

All this, after having a 5 way heart bi-pass about 2 years ago...so she's really been through the mill in the last few years.

It'll be a good Christmas for sure!!!

These 2 pictures were posted on my friend Marcia Hohn's site www.quilterscache.com . She does a weekly Monday newsy letter. Now, granted, this was a few weeks back, but it has taken me that long to find some trees here in TX that were also changing colors. Isn't the first one beautiful? So vibrant! I'd love to see a real fall changing of the colors someday... The 2nd picture is the very next day. Good thing she took the first when she did!!! Thanks Marcia!!!

Now we have the changing of the leaves in TX. The picture to the left is what most trees look like. They go from green to yellow. I did find the one to the right at the tax office the other day. Seeing those that are the 'reds' are few and far between here. There was the normal 'yellow' there too, so took pics of both. Okay...I realize it's almost winter (we've had a few mornings below freezing lately), but this is the best it gets here locally for 'fall foliage'.

I've never lived in an area where the trees did that beautiful changing thing...so this is the best it gets!!!

Okay...so, now I've update my blog twice within a few hours. I have much more to tell y'all...but back to bed...it's too early!!!

Sally

I've been looking forward to yesterday for awhile now. It was another gathering of the 'DFW Quilt Gang'...our 3rd annual Christmas party.

This year was Brenda and my turn to organize. And, with some help from Debi, we got it done.

Last weekend, Brenda came to Ponder to the community house that my little local guild uses for our meeting, sew-ins, etc. Here's a pic or two of us getting things...ah, together...

Looks like a mess, but I really was sewing... There is organization in that chaos...

Here's Brenda surrounded by paper...it was wrapping for the cups we were filling for little welcome goodies for the gang.

And, there she is, waiting for me to get the FQ's, nail files, cute pencils, candy canes, and the stirrers ready for the cups. Yes, she's smiling...sitting down is a good thing. We were tired! LOL!!! At least she is still smiling! Okay, so I'm not in the pictures...someone had to use the camera!!!

I am sad to say that we forgot to get a picture of all of us together at Quilt Country in Lewisville!! Slap me upside the head! We mentioned it a few times, but just never got it done. Brenda and I realized it after the rest of the gang was long gone. Sorry folks!!!

But, here are a few of the pics that I took. This is Jan (aka TXJan)...see all the FQ's to the right...she won BOTH of the L/R/C games! Lucky (well...) girl!!! It'll be interesting to see what she comes up with...as we brought 'ugly' FQ's to exchange. Knowing Jan, she'll turn them into a beautiful quilt!!! Debi had brought the dice for us to use, and Maynard, Jan's DH (and a GREAT guy!), had made a wooden set too...so we used both!

This is Jackie, Jan's DF, and now ours too!!! She is just great, and fit into our group like she's been there from the start. Welcome Jackie!!! Here are a couple pics of things she brought for either show n tell, or that she was working on.

Jackie gave each of us a panel like the above quilt on the left, and the instructions for the top. I think Jan and Debi got the background fabric to start theirs. Over achievers! LOL!!! I can't even think of starting this, until I get a few others done... Once my Christmas sewing is over, I can get back to my quilt list... Oh, and I believe the pink/white was hand quilted...I bowed to her...


This is Marje...first time I'd seen her as a redhead! Woo hoo!!! She brought a quilt to show, but I thought I'd take a picture later... Oh poo...I need to take pics when I think of it!!! She was busy sewing on her Jem Gold...

This is Debi...


And, a couple of the quilts that she brought. She finished the binding on this one I think...it had a wild pink and while fleece backing. Nice and cozy!!!

Here she is with another that she was working on...or, did she bring that one finished? I don't remember (senior moment), but she and Jackie were sewing down the bindings by hand. Now...most quilters do it that way...but with my carpal tunnel, it's just not an option...so mine are sewn...alas...by machine! Well, mine aren't going into any shows anytime soon...grin!

Here's Brenda...aka 'Trouble'. Don't know why they call her that... I don't know how she wore those Santa things on her head all day!!! And, there she is with the wallhanging she rangled...ah, talked Debi out of...GRIN!!! I know she'll treasure it!!!

Last but not least, this is the sunset from January Lane in Ponder as I was driving home. I just thought it was so beautiful, that I had to take a pic or two...

Shelly, if you are reading this...you were missed. I understand that Debi has passed the reins to you for next year. We'll all help if you need it...

We got calls from Sheryl and Dori (aka pollyanna) too. It was terrific to talk to them, and they, and the others that were with us last year, were missed so much. One of the gifties I gave to the girls were the criss-cross coasters that our dear JanJ made for us last year. We know she was smiling down on us from heaven. I taught Brenda how to make them too.

Anyway...more later...I've got lots to update, and just no time. Debi is gonna help me after the first of the year with getting things situated here...

It was a great day, I hope everyone had fun!!! I sure did! We'll all gather in March at the Dallas Quilt Show, if not sooner.

Sally