As the end of 2014 draws near 

and 

you begin your family traditions
 and gatherings, 

make sure and take it all in.....

the sounds, the sights, the smells, 

and

 count your blessings big and small.

You all are a blessing to me and I am so thankful for  

your support and encouragement throughout the year.


Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!!! 

Good Monday Morning to all of you! 

I hope that you've been able to following along and are having a great time with

 A Primitive Christmas Blog Hop!!
Don't worry if you've missed a day...you can just 

click on the logo for the line up and links to everyone's blogs. 

It's day eight of the hop!!!!!

Would that mean ........it's HALFWAY over
 -OR-
 it's HALFWAY  to go!!?? 

AND.....
 Would  that make this HALFTIME? 

Time to go get snacks???

SO GO GET YOUR SNACKS!!!!........its' OK.....I'll wait.....

but make sure to come right back!!!

_______________________________________________

Today I am about to burst with JOY...it's my day to share!!!

It's common to hear that Monday's typically are not peoples most favorite day....
especially in the middle of winter!! 

Of course .....I guess that depends on which clock you live by and what season you live in....

but wherever you  are, I'm hoping to add some JOY to your day!! 

I have a very special friend named JOY whom I met when I was just out of high school. I met her at a time when I was young, insecure, and thirsty for a great friend!! She embraced that need with open arms and has never let go!! She has laughed, wept, and shopped with me, eaten pizza, chocolates, and drank with me. She's listened to me, witnessed my wedding, loved my children, and what else does a good friend do....

she stitches with me!!!  

She is my JOY of a friend! !!
______

________

While working on my project I thought a lot about how and what I see JOY in......
 and how I can better share JOY with others.

I love hand dyed wools and wool applique!!
When I see it, touch it, and stitch with it,
 it gives me JOY!!

"SO....with no further ADO....

Here is my little JOY banner for you"

 Click HERE to download 2 pattern pages
(alternate link)

This banner is super easy and doesn't take much time or wool at all!!
Make several of these banners and spread some JOY!

Now..... what better way to spread  MORE JOY
 around this season than to bake up some
 Favorite  Frosted Sugar Cookies,
package them up, and take them to a neighbor
 (FAST....before you eat them all!!)

click here to print recipe

I'm hoping by now you are all leaping with JOY to get started on this project!!!

But wait.....before you go....leave a quick comment
 and
  randomly I will draw a name at the end of  this blog hop and send someone a
" bundle of JOY "

(aka - a kit for the JOY banner)

And don't forget to chuckle, laugh, and giggle!!! 

It's a JOYFUL bonus!!! 

Welcome December!!!! 

It's the most wonderful time of the year.....

and the busiest it always seems!!! 

Take a little time the next 14 days and join in the fun with 

all of us at the 

Primitive Christmas Blog Hop!! 

Quilts by Cheri is the first up!!! 

I got to hang out with her for awhile in August during a class in 

San Diego at The Country Loft!!

It's cold and windy here in Oregon.

We are turning up the heat stoking up the woodstove. 

I'g looking forward to a GREAT month filled with 

fun, friends, family, and WOOL!!! 

It helps keep a person warm too!!! 

Gotta LOVE WOOL!! 

Beginning December 1st....

 Stacy West of Buttermilk Basin 

has planned and organized this very special blog hop!! 

14 days of fun!!

14 days of projects!

14 days of recipes!! 

Join us as we count down the days until

 Christmas and treat yourself

 for 14 days to a little fun!!  

Dec  1st * Quilts by Cheri

Dec 2nd * Plumcute Designs

Dec 3rd * Gail Pan Designs

Dec 4th * Woolen Willow Designs

Dec 5th * Ali Strebel Designs

Dec 6th * Cottage at Cardiff Farms

Dec 7th * Blackberry Primitives

Dec 8th * Wooden Spool Designs

Dec 9th * Homespun Quilts

Dec 10 * Notforgotten Farm

Dec 11 * Kathy Schmitz Studio

Dec 12 * Crabapple Hill

Dec 13th * Primitive Gatherings

Dec 14th * Buttermilk Basin

Dec 15th BONUS SURPRISE!! 

The beginning of the week brought a couple of cold and windy days. 

Warm enough to go outside and

 kick around the blanket of leaves that was covering the ground. 

Then.....Winter decided to arrive a bit early!! 

WE where hit with strong winds 

depleting the trees of the

 remainder of their golden leaves

swirling and tossing them

 into drifts of leaves in every corner. 

The clouds came and as the temperatures

 dropped we are now having a

 very cold, windy and wintry mix of snow and ice. 

Now its hard to keep our outdated drafty house warm when the winds blow....

so a good place to be

is in the dye room

 with the pots heating,

 the wool mixing,

 and the colors changing!!! 

The best job.....

taking the OHHH  SO WARM  piles of wool

 out of the dryer and folding them!!

Sure to warm anyone up!! 

Coming Soon to a blog near you!!!! 

Stacy West of Buttermilk Basin 

presents another Christmas Blog Hop you won't want to miss!!

A primitive

 Christmas 

handwork blog hop 

will begin

 December 1st and continue until December 14th!!!!

Each day a different designer will post a blog post 

with a FREE Holiday Project, 

and favorite recipe!! 

Mark your calendars so you can follow along!  

October

I LOVE the month of October 

and 

it just went by way too fast!!!

 Even though I started the month out with a nasty cold,

 I was able to pull it together in time for a weekend trip to

San Diego to teach a workshop at
 The Country Loft in La Mesa, California,
What a great time I had and met so many wonderful new friends
 plus got a good dose of sunshine!!!

If you live in the area I suggest you get out and visit the shop this Satuday!!
 I believe they will be all decked out for Christmas!!!

Next it was off to teach a workshop at
 Terri Staats' 

Sweet Treasures Studio
 in Keizer Oregon,
More fun and new friends!!!

Lynne, Diane, Linda, Terri, Loretta, Laura, Cynthia, Sue, and Amber!!

A quick trip up to Puyallup, WA to speak and have a trunk show

 at the Comforters Quilt Guild......
these ladies were so wonderful to me!!
We were so busy we didn't get a photo!! :(

Then I was able to sneak in a couple of 24 hour quick trips to the Oregon coast with the kids,

 and to top it off we had a couple of birthday celebrations,

 overnights with NANA,

and of course another cold!!!

Whew!!! That was a lot!!!