LaVieEnRosie

Ho Ho Ho...

Dear Santa ~

Carrie has been a very bad girl. 

Please bring her a lump of coal.  A really really big one.  Maybe two or three.  When we went outside to find my rock, she told me that we were going to play.  Instead she put this thing on my head and made me sit on the cold, wet concrete.    

 

For letting her do this to me, I think I deserve a big box of treats.  A really really big one.  Maybe two or three.

After this, Carrie is going off to work and she'll be gone all day.  When I ask her if anything interesting or exciting has been happening there, she just rolls her eyes and starts grumbling about grouchy shoppers, parking lots, cellphones, last minute shoppers who get mad that everything they want is out of stock and peppermint bark.  I didn't know peppermint could bark.     

Carrie told me a story she thought was kind of funny, I think she got it in an e-mail.  It was at your expense so please note that I didn't laugh ~ another reason Carrie should get some coal this year! 

According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer of each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of Winter, usually in late-November to mid-December.  But female reindeer keep their antlers until after they give birth in the Spring.  So according to every historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, every single one of them from Rudolph to Blitzen had to have been a girl.  Which makes perfect sense because only women would have been able to drag a fat man in a red velvet suit around the world in one single night and not get lost!

Merry Christmas!  I hope you and everyone at the North Pole have a very happy, safe and Merry Christmas!

Love and big wet kisses from me!

Rosie

Gift related...

I'm glad you liked the cookie rules.  I meant to tell you that I got those from Ramona.  She sends me some funny e-mails and those rules were too funny not to share. 

I don't have anything special today, just a couple of things that have had me chuckling the past week.  Like this quilt that I'm trying to find a binding for.   

It isn't the quilt itself, it just reminds me of something that does make me laugh.  The pattern is Wrought Iron Fence by my friend, Monique of Open Gate Quilts.  It was made by another friend, Judy Adams.    

 
While at Quilter's General Store in Rockford, Illinois about four years ago, I saw this beautiful kit.  I loved everything about it, that the pattern was Monique's, the tan fabric, the litttle blocks.  So I bought it.  I brought it home, I fondled it, I dreamed about making it... and then time got in the way and the beautiful kit found a resting place on a shelf in my sewing room.  Where it got buried under a pile of other stuff, including kits.  Fast forward to last Fall when I was cleaning out my sewing room.  Every drawer, shelf, bin I cleaned out, there was my kit.  It was a sign... it just had to be.  This kit needed to be made now!  So I put it aside with the intent of putting at the top of the "to do" list.  

A few weeks later, Judy asked me if I had any ideas of what she could work on while she was at a quilt retreat.  Since she loves reproduction fabrics and the precise piecing necessary for a quilt like this is exactly what she does best, I offered her my beautiful quilt kit.  She made the quilt in a weekend ~ how annoying is that? ~ and then when she got home, she gave me the finished quilt top.

I know... big "awwwwww". 

And then... about a week later, I called Judy and asked her if she would promise not to laugh at me if I told her something.  Being the very smart woman she is, she declined.  Not a chance.  "So Judy, you know that quilt top you gave me?  Do you really like it?  Do you want to make another one?"

It seems I liked the quilt and kit so much, I bought it twice.  No wonder I kept finding it!  I bought one of the first kits cut on my first trip to Quilter's General Store, then bought the very last one in the store about six months later.  I remember being very excited about that.  I know I'm not the only one who has bought the same book or fabric twice, but have you ever bought the same kit without realizing it?

And yes, Judy plans to make the second one.  But she's not getting this one back!  It's mine now.  And it's been quilted.  It just needs a binding. 

Can I ask you about "Gift Etiquette".  I'm not referring to re-gifting.  (Did you see NCIS: Los Angeles last night?  They had a funny little side-story about that.)  What I want to know is this -- is it wrong to buy a pre-wrapped package from a store and then remove the original ribbon and replace it with something else before giving the gift? 

 
Thy shall not covet another's ribbon.  These packages are from Pottery Barn and I love this ribbon.  I mean, I LOVE this ribbon.  (Judy likes it too.)  She agrees with me that it's pretty wonderful.  It looks like linen and then it has that red embroidered running stitch sort of thing on the edges.  I want to buy rolls and rolls of this ribbon... except that it isn't for sale.  I've told the managers at the neighboring Pottery Barn store that I would "work for ribbon" when they do their floor set change after Christmas.  All I want is the ribbon off the faux packages.  I've even tried to kick a couple of those empty wrapped boxes out the door but they're watching me too closely.  Would it be wrong to buy a couple of the really big pre-wrapped presents then return them after Christmas?  The thought of all the customers who will throw away the ribbon after unwrapping their PB packages, well, it's keeping me up at night.  Landfills full of this beautiful ribbon!  Can I start a Facebook campaign for "Save the PB Ribbon"? 

And no, I don't have a clue what I would do with the ribbon.  As if!  What difference does that make?  You don't know exactly what you're going to do with every single piece of fabric you buy, do you?  Remember... Santa's watching!  

I'll also share something that Rose, one of my managers at Williams-Sonoma, gave me... if the Three Wise Men had been Three Wise Women...

They would have asked directions.  Arrived on time.  Helped deliver the baby.  Cleaned the stable.  Made a casserole.  Brought practical gifts, and there really would be Peace on Earth. 

Until later... I'm off to work tonight.  Can you believe Christmas is just ten days away?

 

Cookie Rules!

Christmas Cookie Rules

1. If you eat a Christmas cookie fresh from the oven, it has no calories because everyone knows that the first cookie is the Test Cookie and thus calorie free.
2. If you drink a diet soda after eating your second cookie, it also has no calories because the diet soda cancels out the cookie calories.
3. If a friend comes over while you're making your Christmas cookies and needs to sample, you must sample with your friend.  Because your friend's first cookie is calories free, Rule No. 1 means that yours is too.  It would be rude to let your friend sample alone and being the friend that you are, that makes your cookie calorie free.
4. Any cookie calories consumed while walking around will fall to your feet and eventually fall off as you move.  This is due to gravity and the density of the caloric mass.
5. Any calories consumed during the frosting of the Christmas cookies will be used up because it takes many calories to lick excess frosting from a knife without cutting your tongue.
6. Cookies colored red or green have very few calories.  Red ones have three and green ones have five - one calorie for each letter.  Make more red ones!
7. Cookies eaten while watching "Miracle on 34th Street", "It's a Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Story" have no calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel.
8. As always, cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breaking the cookie causes calorie leakage.
9. Any cookies consumed from someone else's plate have no calories since the calories rightfully belong to the other person and will cling to their plate.  We all know how calories like to cling!
10. Any cookies consumed while feeling stressed have no calories because cookies used for medicinal purposes never have calories.  It's the rule!

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Cookies!  I've been baking some Christmas cookies ~ or rather, my Mom has been baking cookies and I've just been pulling out the mixer, going to the grocery store, washing the Silpat, tasting the samples and so on.  Today's recipe was a terrific one, it is for Dark Chocolate Chunk and Dried Cherry Oatmeal Drop Cookies.  The recipe came in a can of Schokinag Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks.  When it comes to chocolate, always use the good stuff whenever possible.

This is a funky picture caused by flourescent lighting but don't let that keep you from trying these.  They're terrific.  Really, really good.   

 
Dark Chocolate Chunk and Dried Cherry Oatmeal Drop Cookies

I wish I could tell you that I've gotten a lot of sewing done this past week but I've been working.  While you were snug in your bed at 6:00 am this past Sunday morning, dreaming of sugar plums and long winter naps, I was taking down a Vitamix display so that I could replace it with one featuring Nespresso espresso makers.  The only thing I miss about doing visuals is that I don't get to interact with customers... uh, not.  I would miss so many precious moments...  Like the woman who came in and after snapping her fingers at me to get my attention ~ I was helping another customer ~ stated that she wanted me to get her "that Italian waffle pan you've been advertising." 

A 'pizzelle'? 

"No, that's not it." 

That's good because we don't carry those anymore.  She was a little annoyed that I didn't know immediately what she meant, she actually started tapping her toes and rolling her eyes.  She then tried to describe the pan... it was at that point that I figured out she meant an ebelskiver. 

Do you mean an 'ebelskiver'? 

"Yes!  That's what I asked for!" 

Right.  When she said "Italian waffle pan", how could I not have known that she meant the Danish filled-pancake pan?  I'm such a twit.  

Of course, my favorite is still the woman buying a hand mixer.  The box states "For Household Use Only"... as in, this doesn't have the power for a commercial kitchen.  That's kind of obvious, right?  But while ringing up the sale, the woman gasped and asked... "Oh no, does this mean I can't use this in my RV?"  Without blinking, I told her that she could definitely use it in her RV but not while she was driving.  She promised me that "no, she would never do that."  

Where is Bill Engvall when you need him?

One last thing... I still haven't heard from Cynthia in Lake Tahoe or Susan J. about their prizes for the blog hop giveaway.  Ladies, if you'll check your e-mail boxes, you should have an e-mail waiting, asking for your mailing address.  Or you can contact me through the website on the Meet & Greet page ~ www.missrosiesquiltco.com.  If I don't hear from you by Friday night, I will pick two more winners. 

The winner of the Blog Hop Grand Prize should be announced in the next day or so.  Stay tuned. 

And that's it for today. 



 

T'was the end of the hop...

It's Day 7 and we're just about done... 

 
Isn't that beautiful?  I almost wish I was there.  If I didn't have to go through all that white stuff to get to that little red building, I would go today!  It's a wonderful place and I love going there... but more on this in a moment. 

The first order of business is the Grand Prize!  It's super simple, to be eligible to win, you need to post a comment on the Grand Prize post at the Henry Glass blog before 8:00 pm EST on Thursday, December 9th. 

Your comment needs to include:

• Your first and last name.
• Your e-mail address.
• All 17 "special words".  

That's it.  That's all the comment needs to include.  You don't need to specify who had which word, you just need all the words.  Just make sure you're on the Grand Prize contest post.   

Now about those words... I promised a little help and boy, are you going to wish I hadn't.  After having so much fun re-writing a hip-hop classic, I decided to try my hand at re-writing a Christmas classic.  So here goes... I think you can figure out what the "special words" are.

Note: With e-mails going back and forth, the group of us seem to be having some differences in what our "list" of words is... not to worry.  If you've got this list or one by someone else, you're good to go.  Think of this as a game of "telephone"... you had to know the list was going to change. 

‘Twas the day of the 7^th, and all through the hop,

There had been prizes and projects, and just two more stops.

My stocking has been hung by the Christmas Tree with care,

In hopes that Santa Claus soon would be there.

 

The angels were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of a poinsettia danced in their heads.

Rosie was chewing on the tree skirt while I hung a wreath,

What we both really wanted was a long winter’s sleep.

 

When out on the patio there arose such a clatter,

My big plastic Rudolf had fallen from the roof and shattered!

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Until I slipped on spilled eggnog and fell on my sash.

 

But the mood of the day was still very merry,

Despite the noise of dogs barking Christmas carols,

When what do I see… yes it is I believe…

The pink neon North Pole is still on the roof!

 

With a little more holly and a few candy canes,

I knew in a moment, the Noel decorations would look just fine!

No more presents were needed and just one more word

So I whistled and shouted and finished this up with a big Ho! Ho! Ho!

It's okay.  When I read it to her, Rosie groaned too.  I could tell she was ecstatic there were only seventeen words. 

Now the really important business of the day ~ today's hostesses are, first... Pam and Janet, the lovely sisters from The Buggy Barn in Reardan, Washington.

 
I've been to the Buggy Barn a few times and it is one of my favorite places.  It is outside Spokane, Washington on a real wheat farm... not that you can see that under all the snow in the picture at the top.  (Just so you know, I shamelessly swiped the picture from their blog.)  I love going there and I always meet all sorts of wonderful people, including a couple of bloggers. 

It was at The Buggy Barn that I met Kim Diehl ~ the second hostess with the mostess for today.  Kim is posting on the Henry Glass blog and you'll want to leave a comment for her on her post to wish her a Happy Birthday!  And then leave a comment on the Grand Prize post.     

 
I have to tell you that if you have ever have an opportunity to take a class from Kim, go for it!  You'll be glad you did.  She's a terrific teacher and an even nicer lady.  (And if you get her a Starbucks White Mocha, maybe she'll let you get close to her gorgeous yo-yo quilt.)

And there you have it. 

Just remember ~ leave a comment on the Grand Prize Post before 8:00 pm, Thursday, December 9th.

Note:  There has been a technical difficulty with the comment part of the Henry Glass blog.  It's being fixed but don't worry, if you're having problems, we'll still make sure you're entered.  It wouldn't be a blog hop without a mix-up and technical foul-up or two.   

 

 

Happy Sunday!

What?  Monday?  Are you sure?

Dang.  I was hoping nobody had noticed that I missed a day.  Or that I'm a little late this morning.  But I'm here now so let me get to the really, really important stuff. 

Day 6 of the Henry Glass blog hop!

Leanne Anderson of The Country Caboodle!

 
And Dana Brooks of Lazy Daisy Cottage ~ did you know that Lazy Daisy is a quilt shop in St. George, Utah?


And just in case you missed it yesterday, the lovely ladies who hosted Day 5 were:

Brenda Pinnick of Brenda Pinnick Designs ~

 
And Chelsea Anderson of Pink Fig Patterns...

 
I know there have been lots of terrific projects and giveaways but it isn't over yet.  There are are two more projects and blogs tomorrow ~ Kim Diehl and the Buggy Barn sisters.  And there's a Grand Prize drawing to enter. 

To enter the Grand Prize drawing, you'll be leaving a comment on the Henry Glass blog between December 7th ~ tomorrow ~ and December 9th.  The comments will not be visible after you've posted them so don't worry if you don't see it!  Your comment will need to include:

• The seventeen "special words" ~ and no, you don't need to include which word goes to which person.  You just need the words.  (And not to worry if you think you're missing one, I've got a little something to help refresh your memory tomorrow... yes, go ahead, you can call it a "cheat sheet"... but shhhhhh, don't tell the others I'm helping you out!)
 
• Your full name ~ there might be more than one "Judy".
• Your e-mail address. 

I can't think of anything else for now. 

 

Surprise!

You didn't think I would make it back on time, did you?

Did you know that my friends laugh about my timeliness?  I'm either very early or really, really late.  But if ~ okay, when... ~ I'm running late, I always call to let you know that I'll be late.  Except when I'm early, then I don't call.  I just show up... or I drive around until I'm not so early but then I get side-tracked, which usually results in my being late when I was actually early!

It's Day 4 of the Henry Glass Blog Hop and today brings a little bonus ~ four lovely ladies squished into three blogs!  There's Laurie Bird of Rose Cottage, Barbara Jones of Quilt Soup and Beth and Liz Hawkins, the girls from Lizzie B Creative.

 
This is Laurie. 

 
This is Barbara and that's her way-cool Hip Holiday fabric in the even cooler quilt next to the sign.  While I had met Barbara a few times before, she was a neighbor in Houston and I really enjoyed pestering her and her sweet husband, Mark. 

 
Beth and Liz.  Liz and Beth.  Nah... I know who is who.  Elizabeth is on the left and Elizabeth is on the right.   

Have you made any of the projects yet?  If you have, don't forget to post a picture on the Flickr page!  I've got fabric picked and letters printed out to make one of Linda's Jingle Rock pillows.  And yes, I'm keeping it for myself... though at the rate I'm going, I might finish it in time for Christmas.  2012.  But 'tis the season of hope, faith and believing... so I hope that I will finish... I have faith that I will finish... and I believe that I will finish.  Thankfully, it's also the season of miracles because I'm going to need one of those.

The last thing on my "to do" list for today is winners so without further adieu...

The winner of the fat quarter bundle of Fresh Palette is No. 167 ~ Cynthia.  And the winners of the Hip Holiday rolls are No. 295 ~ Quiltmom and No. 26 ~ Susan J..  Ladies, check your e-mail!

I'm off to work today.  Even though we get crazy busy, this is my favorite time of year at Williams-Sonoma for one reason.  Hot apple cider with mulling spices.  It's on the stovetop all day and the scent is amazing.  You can even smell it outside the store... actually, I think that's the whole idea.  I just hope I don't have to make any more cellophane gift packages... I've made enough of them this year that I have a recurring dream of being wrapped in a cellophane bag and tied with a bow for my "journey" to the hereafter.

Have fun and I'll see you tomorrow... but just in case, I'll cover my bases and tell you to make sure you go over and see Pink Fig's Chelsea Anderson and Brenda Pinnick!

Until tomorrow...

Kiritimati Time...

Oops!  I'm late!  I scheduled this for the wee hours of tonight?

Kiritimati is in the Christmas Islands.  They're three hours behind me... about when I should be posting this... except I should have posted it earlier there for it to be on time here...

It's Day 3 of the hippity-hoppiting and I know some of you are overjoyed that I'm not trying to re-write any more hiphop classics.  And no, P Diddy and Puff Daddy haven't called yet.  His loss.

Have you been to visit Jacquelynne Steves ~ The Noble Wife ~ and Jill Finley of Jillily Studio yet?

Hint:  Giveaways going on over there.  No tricky bribery or anything... I'm just saying...

 
Jacquelynne was my across-the-aisle neighbor in Houston and she survived the whole three days!  Of course, both of us were out and about a bit so it wasn't like she had to put up with me the entire time.  She's a big fan of trims, buttons and fabric. 

 
This is Jill.  If you do any kind of applique, you should know that she does a terrific applique glue. 

I'll be back later... tomorrow... sometime with some winners and whatever. 

But just in case I'm late again, make sure you go see Laurie Bird of Rose Cottage, Barbara Jones ~ Miz Hip Holiday Quilt Soup ~ and the Lizzie B girls ~ aka Beth and Liz ~ on Friday.

From the North Pole... just kidding.  It was actually 70 degrees yesterday! 

Kati, Kari and Rosie... sort of

I've been getting in the mood for the holidays... or rather, more in the mood.  It's been quite easy the past couple of days because it's cold.  Very cold... North Pole kind of cold!

 
Okay, I'm being a little bit overly dramatic... just a bit  Those of you in the more northern parts of the hemisphere are thinking I'm nuts if I think 50 degrees is really cold.  But it's a relative thing... for me, I might as well be living at the North Pole!

If you're thinking that "North Pole" just might be my "special word", you'd be right. 

Today is Day 2 of the Henry Glass Holiday Project Parade!  I am sharing today with Kari Ramsay of Fresh Cut Quilts and Amy Hamberlin of Kati Cupcake ~ neither of whom live at the North Pole.   

 

So why do you need to remember North Pole?  There is a Grand Prize giveaway coming up next week ~ starting Tuesday, December 7th.  To enter to win, you'll collect all seventeen "special words" and then you'll leave a comment with the words and your name on the Henry Glass blog.  Comments won't be visible so you'll have to find all the words yourself, and entries must be posted by midnight on Thursday, December 9th.  But not to worry, I'll remind you all about this again next week.  In the meantime... I'm getting ready for Christmas here at the North Pole.

When it comes to Christmas decorations, I'm a little late this year but the truth is that I've never really been an over-the-top sort of Christmas decorator.  Both of my parents liked things simple ~ one big tree instead of three or four little ones.  A couple of big poinsettias in the entry hall instead of a greenhouse full of them throughout the house.  A nutcracker here, a santa there... just not a dozen of them.  Collectibles were just that, something you kept one or two of. 

I wonder if that might explain why my "collections"seem a little "different". 

 
I have this thing for Christmas coffee mugs.  I can't explain it.  I don't understand it.  I can't resist them.  If I showed you all of them, you'd be worried.  I have enough cups and mugs to serve coffee to the 101st Airborne... and nobody would have a matching cup.  I also have a thing for Christmas music, specificallyChristmas CDs... almost everything except the barking dogs and Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.  I have to draw the line in the snow somewhere and that's where I drew it.  My favorites are some of the silly compilation CDs that you can get at various stores, including Starbucks. 

I am getting a late start with decorating this year.  The tree isn't up and I still haven't started digging through any boxes.  Do Christmas-y flowers count?  I got these yesterday.

 

Only one snowman has managed to escape the closet so far, this goofy looking fellow.  A few years ago, a lovely little tea shoppe in the East valley part of Phoenix would get the most terrific snowmen for Christmas.  They were ridiculously expensive except that two years in a row, I just happened to be there in mid-January when they finally marked them down for clearance.  Instead of being ridiculously expensive, they were a ridiculous bargain.  

 

I also have to start pulling out a few of the quilts I use at Christmas... which reminds me, that is my project for today!  A new quilt that I've decided to call "Shiny Brite."  I used Barbara Jones ~ of Quilt Soup fame ~ terrific holiday collection, Hip Holidays, and since the gorgeous clear colors remind me of vintage Christmas ornaments, that's how the quilt gets its name.  Now it just needs quilting and a binding... I'm thinking that pretty turquoise blue.   

 
Shiny Brite ~ Instructions

Note:  The pattern states that the Tri-Recs ruler will work.  It doesn't!  The shape is right but the angle is all wrong.  I will have an updated pattern shortly.  Thank you to Carri for catching the error!  Not this Carri... that "e" means that this Carrie is geometrically challenged. 

The quilt measures about 31" x 37" and all you need are 17 strips of fabric -- 5" x 21" and 1/2 yard of background fabric.  About this much fabric...

 
Hmmm... those look suspiciously like prizes.  What do you think?

So does this...

 

I also have some books that Leisure Arts sent me and a few other goodies to include with the fabric goodness. 

Since I've got three prizes, I'll pick three winners Friday evening.  If you want a chance to win, just leave a comment here before Noon pacific time on Friday, December 3rd. 

And you don't have to go to the North Pole to get your prize!  I'll send it. 

Now go say Hi to Amy and Kari!

Tomorrow ~ it's Jacqelynne Steves of The Noble Wife and Jill Finley of Jillilly Studio! 

 

Ready? Set? Hop!

Today is December 1st. 

Can you believe it is December already?  I can't believe it is December already?  Weren't we all worrying about that Y2K bug like... last week?

But since it is December 1st, it must be time for Heather, Linda and the Little Quilts ladies to get busy!

 

 
 
That's Mary Ellen, Alice and Sylvia.

Por quoi?  Because it's time for this...

 
Here's what you need to know:

The hop starts today and runs through next Tuesday, December 7th. 

Each day there will be two or three new Holiday projects for you to see, covet and grab the pattern for.  Really cool projects like this...

 
And this...

 
And this...

 
Linda, Heather and Little Quilts.  If you click on the picture, it will take you right there!

On her project day, each of the ladies posting will have a "special word" ~ think of it as a KEY word ~ in her post.  Keep track of the words ~ there will be a total of 17 words.  You don't need to remember which words go with which person, you just need all the words.  All 17 of them.

Why do you need the words?

To win the Grand Prize!  Think of the words as the "keys" you'll need to win the prize... but more on that later.

For now, just get hopping. 

Tomorrow there's going to be a Kati Cupcake and two Kari's... okay, one Kari and one Carrie. 

Have fun!