Advent Calendar

I just love Christmas!

Especially now that I have three little grandsons who need all the goodies and crafty things I so love to make.
This past week I went to a really nice quilt shop,  click here to see my post on the shop.


While goo-gooing over all the inventory in the shop I found a panel to put together to make the cutest Advent Calendar.  Then got started right away to get it finish  for my Christmas box delivery to Guam.  It can take up to a month to get there depending on how speedy the trucks, planes and ships are?

Once I had all the pieces cut, over turned seams ironed flat, I began sewing it all together.

The dated pockets were sewn to create a pull out, rather than flat on the backing and this will allow me to put more than one little toy in each (with three grandsons, I can't put only one).

After finishing the front panel I then used low loft batting and muslin for the backing, then began to hand quilt around the snowman....

For the hang I used a simple red twine inserted into the top seam on both sides.

I found some cute little snowmen to put into the pockets.. for the treat, when the kids do the 24 day countdown until Christmas.

The origin of the Advent Calendar can be traced back to the 19th Century. The first styles came from the protestant area.  So religious families made a chalk line for every day in December until Christmas Eve.
The first known Advent Calendar which was made by handwork is from the year 1851

I know my daughter and her family will love to use my version of the Advent Calendar for years to come.

How cute is that!

I'm linking today to


Show us what your working with Wednesday


Spotlight Yourself Wed

Fabric Fun Thursday 

Weekend Wrap Up Party

Saturday Night Special 

Aprons History

I don't think our kids know what an apron is. 

I received this story in an e'mail today and thought it was something I'd like to share... 
The Apron is something we women can relate to weather we use one or just have one hanging on a hook in our kitchen.  (Mine is on a hook and never used)....

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material. But along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven. 

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids..

And when the weather was cold Grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow,
bent over the hot wood stove. 

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes. 

REMEMBER:

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill
to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.

I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron - but love...

Quilt Shop

I read on a fellow bloggers web site, a few weeks ago,  about a "Quilt Shop".
Not just any quilt shop but a huge shop.. She also said it was near me!

I'm really upset with myself for not saving her name or her blog! I'd love to say a proper  "Thank you!"  So please if your reading this.. send me a message!
She was so right, this shop was just wonderful.  My sister and I must have spent two hours wandering around wanting everything we saw!
  We both fell in love with "Rainbows End" quilt shop in Dunedin, Florida.

 click below on the URL for the shop... 

   "Rainbows End"

The above quilts are just three of what seemed like hundreds, you will find hanging from the rafters.  The woman who owns the shop now for 23 years makes these quilts in her back sewing room and displays them over the fabrics you can purchase to make your own.

 Accessories and notions up the waa-zoo!

Once you have walked through the first part of the shop you go into the Christmas Room and they have so much to choose from... the inventory is huge!

You can also purchase your fabrics pre -cut  in tiny to large pieces called

"Jelly Rolls"

No work involved there!

Here the clerk is cutting my fabric. I purchased enough to make myself a Queen size quilt.  I chose 5 prints in greens.  I might add, my fabric came from the 'Sale' room and was 50% off.   My quilt may take me a few months to get to,  with all the projects I have going for Christmas !

Here is my sweet sister who came to help me out for my month of recovery.

Look at all the patterns and books....

The Advent Calender was one of my purchases today.... It's so cute and has little pockets for toys or candy... it's going to my three grandsons in Guam.. hopefully I'll get this done before November comes to an end.
I also might add.. the prices are really wonderful... the Advent Calender panel was all of $6.50 and I have the backing fabric in my fabric box and  inside batting also, so now all I need to do is make it!

If your ever in Dunedin, Florida you must stop in this shop! This lady has Everything you need to do some serious quilting.....

Happy Crafting all!

I wanted to share my store find with you all, so I'm linking up with "Funky Junk" and "Alphabet Thursday" this week... link up here to see all the thoughtful people doing their thing!

Saturday Night Special


E is for Everything you need! 

                            

Saturday finds

After a few weeks of being on lock down I was able to get out today, with my sister by my side.. we went to a few garage sales, and had such a laughing good time.

I found such a sweet lamp... don't know where I'll use it or I may send it on to my daughter.. she is like me, loves boudoir lamps. This one was all of $3.00.

 Here are two angel candle sticks.. both for $4.00

Someone needs to tell me what this would be called... it's rather cute.. dish with balls? There are cut mirrors on the side and they are heavy.

 I just loved it and paid $3.00 for it.  May also be sent to my daughter.

Such a sweet little lamp.

 sorry about the fuzzy photo

I had to laugh when I bought these... I'm not one to buy just because they are cute.. but they are my finds for the week.
It felt good to get out in the beautiful weather today...I was bad though.. stopped at MackeyD's and had an Egg-McMuffin... ew ew, salt!  This little breakfast sandwich has over 800mg's of salt and my daily intake is 1000... my bad!  

I'm feeling great!