We're making progress

 Mr. Santa, a hand painted gourd by my friend Suzy has a place of honor in the toy box.

 On Friday, I went to a small, family owned nursery in Georgia to pick up my tree.  Isn't it lovely!  It's also extremely heavy, so I unloaded it into a big plastic bin in the wagon and hauled it up the steps.  We'll plant it right after the New Year.

Two Christmas quilts are hung and ready.

And all the bins full of decorations are waiting to be unpacked.

Who knows maybe even the packages will be mailed on time this year.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Wishing you and yours a blessed Thanksgiving

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Ten Minutes to Make, Tastes Like Heaven Chocolate Pie Recipe

Sorry, no handy pie pictures available.  But here's the recipe:

4 oz Baker's Sweet Chocolate
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
3 oz cream cheese, softened
8 oz Cool whip (low fat okay) (generic brand okay)
1 ready made chocolate cookie crumb pie shell

Heat chocolate and 2 tablespoons of the milk over low heat until melted.

In separate bowl beat sugar, cream cheese, remaining milk.  Add chocolate mixture.  Blend until smooth.

Fold in Cool Whip.

Pour into pie shell.  Freeze.

Let thaw 10 minutes before serving.

It always tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.  Yummm.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Monday's Musings

Dated 1860-1870.
Probably made in Auburn, Illinois

Compliments of the International Quilt Study Center.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Rolling into the weekend.

After mixing up all the preliminary Turkey Day preparations, let's go and sew something fun!

Until then, keep stitchin' .  . .

Wordless Wednesday

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Thank You Veterans

To all the sailors, soldiers, airmen, and marines, we thank you for keeping our nation free.

God Bless America

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

I've located a blog

listed as TED blog where you can find up to date information on how to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy.  

There are links to Web sites, Twitter handles, organizations collecting donations, and locations of where to volunteer.

Please keep in mind that even if the news reports are no longer covering most of the disaster, many are still without power.  Elderly are still in need of medicine.  Schools are still closed and families are in shelters.

If you've ever lived without hot water for even one day, you know something of what they are going through.

Pass the word.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Quilts are being collected for those who lost everything.

Several friends have asked if I knew of groups collecting quilts for the hurricane victims who lost everything.

Luana Rubin has information on her blog about this project.  I'm sure there are others in quilt guilds large and small across the country who are already working to provide comfort and support to those in need.

You may want to check with your local guild first, or coordinate your own sew-in.  Perhaps you can contact a storm shelter.  Check with your church to see if groups are going to affected areas to help clean up.

After the mismanagement of certain funding and resources not to mention the thievery that went on following Hurricane Katrina, I know you'll want to make sure whatever you donate goes directly to the person/family in need.  That's why I suggest finding a one-on-one contact.

If any non-quilters know of an immediate need of a family who lost everything within their community, feel free to contact the local quilt guild and let them know.

To all quilt guild leaders, if you know of a need, please blog about it so those coordinating efforts can contact you and assist.  We want to help.  

Here is one link with a lot of information on various ways to help, volunteer, or donate:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/hurricane-recovery-and-volunteer-resources/


Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

A little help goes a long way.

You've all seen the pictures of houses in ruins along the Jersey shore.  Our fellow blogger Laura has put out a request for socks, hats, and mittens to be mailed right away.  She shares an address to mail them to.  Temperatures are dropping and folks who lost everything are in need.  Even a small mail pouch with a few pairs of socks will help, perhaps a package of new underwear.  I'm heading into town to talk with store managers to see if they can assist in any way.  Perhaps there are employees in your office who want to help.  Pass the word.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

If you want to see wide coverage of the storm,

Click on the link below.
 http://videos.nj.com/star-ledger/2012/10/hurricane_sandy_devastates_lag.html

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

A friend of mine from NJ,

sent me this photo of Ortley Beach near Toms River.

There is now an inlet where a road/bridge used to be.

Click here for more photos of Ortley Beach:

http://photos.nj.com/njcom_photo_essays/2012/10/aerial_photos_of_sandys_destru.html

Here is a link to a video with news updates.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/hurricane-sandy-victims/story?id=17598687#.UJMtWY6hBFI

As I understand it, the national guard is now delivering water and food to those stranded in NYC.   The elderly living in high rise buildings are especially susceptible, as they are unable to climb up and down stairs.  

People are waiting in line for hours to get gas for their cars and their generators.  If they can't run their generators, there will be no heat.  However, electric crews from across the nation are working long hours to get power lines up and running.  God Bless America!

Please keep them all in your prayers.  

Until then, keep stitchin' . . . 

Thoughts on Thursday

In checking the news over the last few days, so very many areas were affected by the storm that it's hard to get a grasp on the enormity of it.

Having lived in that area of the country, I am very much aware of how close houses are to each other, especially in the beach communities.  The damage is unbelievable.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected by the storm.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .