A review of 2014

Rereading my posts from this year I thought I hadn't posted very much, but after checking other years I did post quite a bit. This one is number 43 for the year and that is almost 3 per month, so I guess I do spend some time around here. 

This is my 58th 'last day of the year' event. When I was a teen my mother broke the law and got me some Boone wine for me and I spent some time on the telephone with a friend while I drank it. In later years I spent time in the local watering hole a time or two, then the laws got more strict with drinking and driving and I decided to stay home on this night. As time has gone on I have given up the bars to drinking at home to being a teatotaler and debating if I want to stay up and watch the ball drop on TV. I am contemplating on that ball drop tonight, but that will be decided at 11:45, if I happen to be awake then......

Lots has happened around us this year. We started off in El Mirage, AZ with me working at IMS Allergy & Immunology Specialist and Carl 'disabled'. Now we are in Cottontown, TN, with Carl 'retired', me working on Coyote Quilts & Specialties inventory and spending time with Julie and her family on a daily basis. 

In the spring on our trip across the states we were able to visit with family we haven't seen in many years. Thanks, Vince for sharing your family with us! 

Over the summer and fall we spent weekends at farmer's markets or craft fairs. We had some good days, some wet days and some great days. The best part was meeting other crafters in the area. Another couple of gals moved from Pennsylvania to get away from the cold and we spent a lot of time at the same shows with them. 

In May Carl and I went to New York for Larry and Roxanne's anniversary party. We were able to visit Carl's family also.

Then in October I made a second trip to New York with Julie to keep her company on her trip for Kristen's birthday. I managed to visit family I haven't seen in many years.

Cheryl and Larry

Jeff, his wife and daughter with Lissa and Bruce

And of course Tim and Rhonda.

I took care of Jeff, Tim and Robin many Friday or Saturday nights while a teen. It was the best paying job I had when I was babysitting....

During the summer we spent time in the pool with the grandkids, visited with Julie's friend's that visited, explored our new area, and made a trip to Georgia for camp with another grandkid. 

This fall as the leaves were falling we noticed a lot more things that were behind the leaves as we travel our favorite roads. There are a lot more houses hidden in the woods around here, LOL!

Over Thanksgiving there was a large party. Friends of Jim and Julie visit frequently and we get to join the festivities until we drop, which happens early compared to the 'kids'. It's nice to have things going on around us and being able to visit with new people. 

One of my early posts of the year was about the American Flag that I watched each morning on my way to work.

I have replaced the above site to the one below. These 3 flags can be viewed from 2 different roads that we travel and I just love it when the wind is blowing. This site still makes me pause and reflect what they represent. Over the years the number of stars and their placement has changed, but the meaning has always stayed the same.

Through the year I made several quilts and finished up a few UFO's. 

A new baby quilt

A finish UFO

Now to think about 2015. What do you have planned for 2015? Me, I am just going to plug along just like I did in 2014. No resolutions because they get broken real quick......

Until next time, 

Happy Quilting, Sharon 
Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" 
Certified Instructor since 2013

Merry Christmas, 2014!

We started this Christmas season with the usual pizza on Christmas Eve. Just sitting around the table after eating enjoying each others company. I think the girls are anxious for the morning to get here....

The traditional Christmas pajamas.

Christmas morning before the mess begins.

Pa happy with his stocking.

The girls happy with their 'together' gift. Some assembly required of course! Then they can get jumping on their trampoline.

A Mickey Mouse shirt for Pa.

I wonder which of the gifts was the biggest hit?

Happy smiles!

The end of the great reveal. 

Until next time,

Happy Quilting, Sharon 

Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" 

Certified Instructor since 2013

Mom's 92nd is today!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

I miss you.....

Until next time, 

Happy Quilting, Sharon 
Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" Certified Instructor since 2013

3 days before the wrapping paper starts flying!

Just like every other year Christmas just all of a sudden it arrives. This year is going to be completely different. This is the first year I will be spending the day with Ella and Maddi. I'm not sure what time we will have to get up to see that paper flying, but I sure hope it's not 5 am..... Photos pending!

Happy Quilting, Sharon Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" Certified Instructor since 2013

Creating memories

We had a houseful of guests for Thanksgiving 2014. I wanted to get a picture of the mess in the kitchen, but this is what I found. Amazing and much better than what I remember when I was a kid with the same number of people that descended on Mom's house. 

I caught a couple of my girls by surprise. 

Good friends made it down from New York State. 

 Sitting around after the food is consumed.

The older kids helping the youngest.

We had a good day with lots of yummy foods created by many hands. Thank you, Julie for our first Thanksgiving in 15 years! Love you!

Until next time,

Happy Quilting, Sharon 
Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" 
Certified Instructor since 2013

Memories!

I was playing around in my photo software this past week and came across these 2 pics. The first one is a picture of a picture that my sister, Lissa has. I remember my mother having this picture. From left to right is Lissa, Larry, Joe (Alfred), Loretta and Norman. This was way before I came along to pester everybody.... I doubt if my mother labeled the back of this picture so I have no idea when it was taken, but they all look like such good kids..... 

This one was taken many years later. Joe (Alfred), Lissa, me (Sharon), Loretta and Larry. Lissa is holding a picture of Norman and his wife, Kathy. This picture was taken in 2006. This was the first time that we had been together in years. 

There are 4 of us left, Loretta, Larry, Lissa and me. Hopefully we will all get together again to have a 'family' picture taken.

Until next time,

Happy Quilting, Sharon 

Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" Certified Instructor since 2013

Last month of 2014!

Here it is the first of December AGAIN....

Another Thanksgiving is gone with all of the yummy foods and visiting friends and family. I did the 'black Friday' thing for the first time ever. I went with Julie and am so glad that she didn't want to get there when the doors opened. We only had to wait at one store and it was fun talking with 'strangers'..... 

Now to get some more stuff done for my last craft fair of the year. I am working on quilts, towels, hot pads and wine bottle vests. 

Also, all of the items on my ArtFire site are on sale through the 20th of December. 

So, enjoy your last few days of this great year!

Until next time, 

Happy Quilting, Sharon 
Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" 
Certified Instructor since 2013

Evening! What are you thankful for?

It's getting to be that time of year when you start thinking about the guy in the red suit. Julie has already started planning her 'black' Friday (which is now black Thursday). I'm so glad I don't do that type of shopping. I think the last time I did the black Friday shopping was about the second or third year that it was started and labeled. I wish them luck, but their bottom line will not include my green stuff.....

Next week is the week we should all be thinking about what we are thankful for. Some it can be just to have a home or a job. Some have a long list and others have a short one. This year I am most thankful for Carl being here to celebrate another holiday season with me and that I am able to celebrate with Julie for the first time in about 15 years and the first time with her family. The smaller things I am thankful for are my health, talents and knowledge. I hope you all find at least one thing you can be thankful for during this season. There are so many people that this time of the year is the hardest for them to get through. Some are missing loved ones, others feel guilty they can't do more for friends and family, others don't feel they have anything to be thankful for.

Please remember to smile at the frazzled mother in the grocery line, let the 'idiot' get ahead of you on the road and excuse that rude person you just encountered. May we all remember to be polite and forgiving during this stressful time of year.

Until next time,

Happy Quilting, Sharon Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" Certified Instructor since 2013

We're off to see the wizard!

Oops, I guess it's not the wizard we are going to see. ... Ella,  Maddi, Carl and I are on our way to the Harvest Craft Show in Portland, TN. My little helpers are amazing with set up, take down and everything in between.  Since the first show, Ella and Maddi know what to do and jump right in. I really enjoy having their help and company at these things.

Until next time,
Sharon

Going through e-mails and find cool things sometimes

I keep trying to weed out my e-mails so that it won't take me hours to go through. It does help, but I still spend way to much time on this endeavor. Once and awhile I get something I really like and today was one such day. I get a daily group of blogs from BlogHer and this one from Simply June was a good one. It is good advise for all ages and genders. 

Happy Quilting, Sharon Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" Certified Instructor since 2013

Day 31 of NaBloPoMo challenge!

Today is the last day of this challenge. I'm not sure how I stack up against the other NaBloPoMo bloggers that signed up, but I have shared more of my thoughts and happenings this month than other months. 

I didn't say 'Happy Birthday' to my aunt Jenny (the 25th) or my sister Loretta (the 30th). So here is both of your 'Happy Birthday' from me, LOL!

One thing that I have finished is my 'Blue and White Spin' quilt. I think it turned out great! Now onto my next project!

Thanks NaBloPoMo for the challenge! Let's hope that I can keep up the momentum!

Until next time, 

Happy Quilting, Sharon 
Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" Certified Instructor since 2013

Day 27 of NaBloPoMo challenge!

Good evening! 

Today I put the quilt on the frame and of course my second pass the tension was off. It is really quick to stitch across but forever to 'unstitch'. I shall finish it tomorrow I hope.

Here are a few of the sites we have seen during our walks. 

Here are future suppers :)

Check out this tree. Not sure why it grew this way.

Many of the trees have a vine growing up and around them. This one looked like it was a vein all the way up the trunk.

What natural sites to you enjoy each day?

The question of the day is:

Do you enjoy being scared such as watching horror movies or reading scary books?

My answer to this is that I don't read or watch horror movies. I'd much rather watch a western (Sam Elliott, yum...), action (Harrison Ford), and sci-fi (The Mummy and Star Wars). I don't like Stephen King books, the Saw or Halloween movies, but I don't mind haunted houses.

How about you, do you like horror movies or scary books?

Happy Quilting, Sharon 
Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" 
Certified Instructor since 2013

Day 26 of NaBloPoMo challenge!

Good evening all!
As usual I am behind on my posting. Yesterday Carl, Ella and I went to Beech Lodge #240 in Hendersonville to a craft fair. It was a long day with little return. At least I got a lot of tips and ideas while we were there yesterday. Next step is to make a list on what to get somethings done.

1. Find a lab to get Carl's lab work done
2. Quilt the quilt that is on the design wall
3. Take a couple quilts to the store in White House for consignment
4. Work on potholders
5. Get online to new site 


I think that's a good start. 

What is on your agenda for the week?

Happy Quilting, Sharon 
Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" Certified Instructor since 2013

Day 22 of NaBloPoMo challenge!

Today we walked on another part of the walkway that White House has made through town. It is a very pretty walk and a lot of people use it. No fear of tripping and they have different trees marked along the path. I'm not sure which section we will check out tomorrow.

The question of the day is yesterday:
Orange is a colour that people either hate or love: tell us how you feel about it.

Answer: My favorite colors while I was a teen was yellow, brown and orange! Just about everything except clothes was one of these colors. I didn't look good in those colors at all. I remember one of the dresses that my mother made me was brown with orange and white flowers. I shall have to look for it. I may have a piece of that fabric in my stash somewhere. I was very lucky that my mother was a great seamstress because I sure would not have had the fantastic wardrobe that she provided without that talent. I think I was the best dressed kid in school thanks to her.

How about you, did you like the color orange?

Until next time, 

Happy Quilting, Sharon Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" Certified Instructor since 2013

Day 21 of NaBloPoMo challenge!

 Whoops.... I missed a few days. The past couple days have just flown by for me. Today wasn't any different as I almost forgot to get on here and bug everybody again....

Our rain date for the craft fair was this past Sunday and we did okay. What surprised me was that there was only 2 crafters, myself and Scents by Suzi. Suzi was at most of the same farmer's market days with us also. We shall see if we set up next year at this show. Our next show is at Beech Lodge #240 at 3198 Long Hollow Pike in Hendersonville, TN this Saturday. Yikes, it is from 8 am till 4 pm. Long day..... They are also having a pancake breakfast! Yum!

Today Carl and I started walking again. There is a trail through town that is a nice easy walk so we went there. We would walk along the road, but there are no shoulders on the roads here in Tennessee. Then we came home and I started working on some more craft fair projects. I have been trying to think of new things I can add to my inventory that are easy. So I dug out my fall and Christmas fabrics and am making potholders. I gave a couple to Julie so that she can heat and wash test them for me. I want to make sure that they don't fall apart in the first wash. The other thing I accomplished today (besides my writing here) is helping a grand-daughter with her homework. I can't believe the amount of homework these kids have now. It just amazes me!

Well, I am off to hit the hay. I am pooped!

Until next time,

Happy Quilting, Sharon 
Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" 
Certified Instructor since 2013

PS. You can also find me on FaceBook! Click on the tab above and 'Like' me to keep up with more of my shenanigans!

Day 18 of NaBloPoMo challenge!

Happy Saturday! Not much going on around here today. We did go looking for a new secondhand store in Hendersonville. We actually managed to find it with the directions I was given several weeks ago. Of course we didn't get there before it closed for the day, but at least we know where to go now. Carl & I love visiting secondhand stores, estate sale and garage sales. We usually find things that we can use for a fraction of the retail cost. We use to have a regular route and stores we visited when we were looking for things when in Arizona. The estate sales aren't very good around here, but we shall keep looking. 

We have been seeing the advertisements for holiday movies and Carl wants to see 'The Bishop's Wife'. We can get it on Amazon free so that is what we shall be doing next. So I am off until tomorrow.

Until next time,

Happy Quilting, Sharon Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" Certified Instructor since 2013

Day 17 of NaBloPoMo challenge!

Another October birthday today.... Happy Birthday, Jodi! Sure hope you have a great day!

Today was the day I took more pictures of my items to download them into my online shops. I have been posting to VarageSale as well as ArtFire. There are multiple areas that are on VarageSale and it is like an online garage sale. It is like CraigsList, but much, much better. In my area it is only females that can join and this is mostly for safety. We meet in a public place to buy/sell what we have posted. It is amazing when we are all meeting in the local Target parking lot. I also updated my ArtFire site. Then this weekend I will be at Pumpkin Festival at The Streets of Indian Lakes. 

The question of the day from NaBloPoMo is, When was the last time you went to a campfire/bonfire? 

Answer: It has been so long ago I can't even remember.... I went to camp when I was kid and that was probably the last time for me. 

How about you?

Until next time, 

Happy Quilting, Sharon 
Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" Certified Instructor since 2013

Day 16 of NaBloPoMo challenge!

No family birthday's today, but I have been working on kitchen towels all day. I have gotten all of these done since I returned from NY last week. These will be on my rack this weekend just begging for a new home. 

NaBloPoMo question of the day is really 3:

What is your ideal hayride? I really don't have an ideal hayride. I think I have only been on 1 hayride in my life.

What would you bring? Well if I did go on a hayride I would probably take a warm blanket if the weather was cold.

Who would be there? I, of course would need to have my hubby with me and because there are 2 of my grand-daughters in the house I would have to include them too. 

I have never been a cold weather activity person. The most winter sports that I have participated in my life is one time ice skating and I stopped sliding down hill when I was in jr high school. I have always loved snuggling down in the covers with a good book. That sure hasn't changed any for me. No matter if it is raining, sunshine, cold or hot you will always find me with a book. 

What is your ideal hayride?

Happy Quilting, Sharon Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" Certified Instructor since 2013

Day 15 of NaBloPoMo challenge!

First thing I have to say is, 'Happy Birthday, Joe'! My brother would have been 72 years old today. It doesn't seem it has been 7 years since I heard your voice and I sure do miss you!

The NaBloPoMo question of the day is, Do you usually run late, early, or on-time?

I have to say, I am usually early, but there have been times that I am late. I really hate to walk in someplace and have to jump right in the first second I get there. How about you?

Until next time, 

Happy Quilting, Sharon 
Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" Certified Instructor since 2013

Day 14 of NaBloPoMo challenge!

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Today's question is: What do you always put off to the last minute?

Answer is that I do less of this then I did in years gone by. Currently I have put off going through my e-mail, making new signs for my next craft fair, cleaning the house, and picking up my quilt cutting area. In the past my daughter can testify that she had many outfits that I never finished sewing for her. It is a joke between us quite often. 

Today I did manage to apply for my state craft license, cleaned out some of the e-mail and searched for a nursing job. I have been on this computer for the past 4 hours.... frustrating at times. Now I am off to get some more towels done for my craft fair. 

Don't forget to subscribe to my posts or add your e-mail address in the follow by e-mail area on the right to get all of my posts. 

Until next time, 

Happy Quilting, Sharon 
Permanent "Quilting the Kaye Wood Way" Certified Instructor since 2013