My Christmas Table

This picture shows my table just before we sat down for Christmas dinner. I wanted my dear friend Debi to see the table runner she made for me, as it was the centerpiece! The colors were perfect!

Merry Christmas to All!

I'm writing tonight with a full heart (and a full tummy) at the end of a wonderful Christmas Day. I hope that all of you had a great day, too. We hosted our children, granddaughters, DMIL, my sister, her husband, and their son. Everything I planned for dinner turned out great, thanks to my nephew, Karl, who sauted the broccoli dish at the last minute. It was like herding cats, trying to get everyone to the table! There was a phone call, a diaper change, an intense conversation about a medical matter--but they all made it in and we enjoyed our meal. The younger granddaughter stuffed her face, and the older one would only eat Wheat Thins. Everyone else tried everything!

The best part of the day was watching the girls open their presents. Avery can read her name on the tags, so she delighted in finding the ones for her. Addison ripped away on the paper. Both of them rewarded us with smiles and gasps of surprise when they saw their new toys. Then we got to play with all of them!

I received a gift certificate to a quilt shop and a bundle of fat quarters selected by Avery. It was a great day!

Donated "Away in a Manger" today!

Today I delivered my "Away in a Manger" quilt to the chaplain for the NICU at St. John's Mercy. I have made lots and lots of quilts, but this one has given me the most satisfaction I have ever felt in being able to do this kind of work.

Probably I will never know what effect, if any, it has on the parents of the tiny, premature babies, but I hope it gives them hope.

In the bottom picture of the angel, if you look closely, you might be able to see the hand quilted star in the upper left corner of the sky. I quilted straight lines radiating down from the star to represent beams of light.

New Challenge for Me--"Away in a Manger"

I have a new challenge to start on, and I'm psyched! Today was my day to volunteer at St. John's Mercy Medical Center, and while I was there, I met with the chaplain for the Pediatrics and Neonatal Intensive Care Units. She was hoping to decorate the NICU hallway for Christmas with the theme, "Away in a Manger". She was given my name by the woman who distributes my Project Linus quilts in Pediatrics. By the end of our meeting, it was decided that I would make a 34" x 40" wall hanging based on the applique patterns in the book, "Adoration Quilts". I won't be making the entire quilt as shown on the cover of the book but will use the Madonna and Baby Jesus, the angel, and several of the animals. I am on a very tight deadline, so I am starting tonight! I'll post pics as I progress.