Old Town Quiltville Mystery and More

Just wanted to share the game gifts I crafted for my honorary daughter who lives in Norway.  Rachel is very appreciative of anything I send her but mailing to Norway is EXPENSIVE.  I sent  her a quilt last year and it was almost 90 dollars to mail it (nevermind what it would cost for fabric, time, and longarming if I did the math).  This tiny box had what is pictured along with one books sleeve with "Harris and Me" in it and cost $33.00 to send.  They may have had to pay to pick it up to as they have a new law taxing things coming in.  UGH.  Anyways, my budget is small this year so I chose a game for each member of the family and made it for them.  I like all of these games (band aid match is for the two year old and Rove JR. for the seven ish year old.  Anyway, I hope they really like the games and do not think it is too odd of a gift.  It is the thought that counts right.  

I did the RSC and A Quilting Life BOM in rainbow for November.  The last block and setting instructions came out today.

I started working on this cute mini sweater wallhanging, but now that Bonnie's mystery has started (and prep for NYE/NYD mysteries, it is just in the wings).  The pattern and template and fabric for this came from the Missouri Star box from last year's advent calendar.  I may get it again in the future, but this year's budget just did not allow for it.

I decided to make some more microwave bowls since I had all I needed (Barb gifted me some of the inside stuff since she did not want to make any more).  I made one for Dad, Jay, Kathy, me, Angie (Jay's girlfriend) and some for who knows who.

Barb also gave me two panels with princess capes on them so I made this for Hazel.  She is really into dressing up and has quite a selection. She wears a scarf for the cape though so I think she will love this.  I will make the other one for Indie, but it is way too big for her this year.

I did a book swap with my Retreat Readers online book group. Pam and I got each other.  She spoiled me.  I made her the above book sleeve, but forgot she is also a sewer/quilter.  She made me two!  One is purple and one is Christmas.

Here is clue one in progress for Old Town (Quiltville Mystery).

Here it is complete.  

Here is clue 2 complete.

 I chose colors from someone's quilt block on Quiltville for the Unity quilt.  Hoping I love it when it is done.  

Mysteries and More Mysteries

These are my fabric choices for Grassy Creek along with the cards I am using them for of Bonnie's.  So where she has orange I have dark blue, etc.  I went with what I have though I LOVE her colors this year.  

Clue one is all ready except I should trim the dog ears off tonight.  Next clue comes out tomorrow already!  I love this time of year as I have so much to sew and have a high motivation to do it.  With my fatigue it is nice to feel PULLED out of bed even for awhile.  

I made some hand warmers for Coleman and his crew for stocking stuffers.  Really on a budget this year with me barely working.

Used my leftover churn dash block to make a tiny pincushion too.  I put it out with my handwork in the living room.  I am enjoying sitting in my new lazy boy rocker and stitching on my hexies.

I realized I posted about the same Halloween box twice...there were two different boxes and I though I was telling you about each of them but nope..the same one twice.  Anyway this was the next one "The Midnight Library" and I had already listened to it but liked it so much I went ahead and reread it.  I discovered that while "listening" I miss A LOT!  I do too much other stuff while listening (right now I have on an audiobook while typing this for example!) so I was glad I reread it.  Had only been a few weeks too so not like memory faded.  Good book and great gifts.  I really should not splurge on these boxes (though we are reselling some of them) but I need all the good mail days I can get right now.  That is the highlight of my day.  Covid is getting to all of us!

I got to see Hazel three times this past week and I enjoyed every minute.  I am happy if she is sleeping in my arms or smiling at me!  She rolled over already (at 8 weeks!) and has now found her hands and can bat at the toys over her head purposefully.  Brilliant, of course, lol!

For Thanksgiving the kids stayed home so since they are our circle we went to their place.  Hannah is a vegetarian and Jeremy is a trained chef (works in IT now but loves to cook) so he wanted to cook dinner.  We cooked a turkey at home Tuesday and spent Thursday morning making pasties with the turkey, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and a little stuffing.  That way would would have our wine gravy to bring over and lots to freeze to eat with our pasties.  We also brought canned cranberries (I am the only one that eats them) and pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie. Hazel slept though all but the end of dinner!

Kathy and I took a road trip about thirty minutes away to get this Seven Wonders Duel game used at less than half the price of retail.  Met a nice gamer guy and I tried the game out before she packed it up for Christmas!

In between clues I kept busy by sewing more string blocks for Geese on a String.  I have quite a few made now!

I also made a little twister.  Have not done one in awhile and usually Kathy helps me (she was working on Frolic) so I had to cut my twist squares and keep them organized one by one but I did it.

This face!  She is looking at a book on her changing table here!

I also made some more capes.  Sent two to Norway for the honorary grandsons and one for Saxxon the step great grandson in Ohio.  Hopefully they will all love them.

 Today I am sewing the next clue for the Morewood Mystery.  I cut all the clues for Merry Meyham's New Year's Day mystery the other day and another day did for the FB group's New Year's Eve mystery so I currently have four mysteries in progress.  I do love mysteries and think it gives me an extra motivation to get on it before the next clue comes out!