Friendship is The Tie That Binds

My friend Erin and I have known each other over 15 years, but yet we feel we have been friends for all our lives; as we think of each other as sisters. We have watched transitions in each others lives, all along supporting those changes where we can. We know when to give each other space and when to reach out for moral support and guidance if it is needed or just a listening heart. I am truly blessed by this friendship and I sincerely hope you all have found a friend like mine. This photo is of Erin and I tying a fleece blanket that will continue to carry our memories forward, just like those women before us that shared their hopes and dreams over a cup of tea, or quilting a quilt ,sharing their most innermost thoughts.

Farm Girls Gather for Angelic Fun

Santa set the mood for the Farm Girls Angelic Gathering, we gathered on January 2, 2010 at my home, we shared our journal pages from our last gathering, also sharing our apron stories. Katy's was a gift this Christmas from her mother, the apron had been her grandmother's, what a special treasure to receive. Robin and Erin had both wore the ones that they had bought at Farm Chicks last June, mine of course this time was one that I had made, fully knowing that each of these special friends were about to receive a handmade one from me.
The beauty of an artificial tree is that you can leave it up a lot longer than a fresh one, so knowing that the farm girls were coming to my home I left mine up to keep with the festive mood of the holiday season.
Erin gifted us rolling pins, snowflake oven mitts with matching towels as well as a snowman to add to our collections. Thank you Erin.
My gift to my farm girl friends were aprons to match their personalities or colors that I thought they might like. As you can see from previous post I certainly had fun making these aprons this year, with each person in mind.
A hand stitched pillow, a cross stitch snow man, cinnamon stars, yummy treats were shared to last as long memories to come.
Our project this time was to make angels. Here are the girls hard at work creating their master pieces. Erin had already sewn and painted our angel faces and bodies to help facilitate the process. Erin found the wood angel wings earlier in the year and had the special project in mind that some day we might make angels. I couldn't resist starting the song "Angels We Have Heard on High" now mind you I am not a singer, but the mood struck me so I went for it. Some times I think that we have to just go for it, don't you?
Katy is sewing the perfect dress for her angel.
Robin is deep in thought on how she wants to string her hearts , she ends up stringing some vintage buttons in between the stars.
I think that star will perfect here, don't you?
Erin's angel is already adorning a special place at her home, I just love her braided hair.
Robin's angel was dressed in a see through lace, with a star adorning above her head as halo.
Katy's angel was adorned with batten burg lace along with a cotton lace covering her head.
My angel was so pleased to be adorned with a dress that was borrowed from one of my bears. I really like her stick arms and legs. That totally goes with my primitive theme.
We took a break from our angel making to indulge in some nourishment, so keeping with the holiday, the table was set with a winter Christmas theme in mind. Every one went home with a special bar of peppermint bark from Trader Joes.
Bare Foot Contessa's home made mac and cheese was made by farm girl Katy, it was absolutely delicious. Erin brought a green salad and I provided green beans, and the drink of choice was sparkling cranberry pomegranate cider.
This tasty pecan cheesecake that Robin made, what a delight for the taste buds, thank you Robin for blessing us with this creation.
Here are our four Angelic Angels that we put together on this beautiful day. They all went home to adorn a special place in our homes. It would be my wish that you all know that you have angels watching over you. Hugs Florence

The Gift of Handmade From The Heart

This smile says it all, the gift of handmade bring such joy to ones face. I posted earlier that my friend Erin had made these snowmen, I just love them, they all have their own personalities.
Jordan can't resist feeling these snowman, I had to wonder what he was thinking in that little brain of his.
I think Jordan was so tickled with him self, I couldn't resist posting this picture.
This is what started my romance with fleece, I made this Oregon State blanket for Roger as he is a Beaver " Go Beaves"! The rest is history, I am great visualizer and really went for it this year, I think I made 15 of the fleece blankets. I know that they have been around for a long time, but I just had not got in to them. I am a quilter so that is probably why. However they sure go allot faster than a quilt. This Santa elf was very busy as you can see this season.
Chants got a wild life blanket that was right up his alley. He is aspiring to be like his daddy and Papa Roger to go hunting with them some day.
I think Julie really liked her blanket, she has said, along with everyone else that the whole family keeps snagging it away from her.
My mom, sister Glenda and brother-in-law Gerry holding the blanket that I had done up for Glenda, I made each of my parents one, mom's in pink and dad's in blue plaid, I think they loved them. Dad right away took his and put it on his bed and mom's went on the back of her recliner.
My two oldest girls modeling their aprons, each one of my daughters received an apron that I had made.
I gave all my girls this book "Christmas Gifts from The Kitchen" so that they can have some ideas of gifts that they can perhaps make. I have always tried to instill in them that the best gifts are those that are made and given from the heart.
I think Jeremy is digging on his scarf that I made him. Don't you? Bless his heart!
Jennifer with her scarf, I made all the girls a pale blue fleece scarf with a shimmer of snowflakes on them that was embedded in the material already.
Raymond, my son-in-law checking out his black fleece scarf, he told me later that he did not think he ever owned one, he was quite smitten with it, it did my heart good to see the look on these guys when they realized what I had done. Heather who was not here for Christmas, said that Jason was really liking his scarf too.
Stacks of flannel pajamas were waiting to be sewn, oh how cozy they are, especially on a cold winter day.
Jessica holding up her jammies that I made for her, I think she was very happy. When my girls were little I always made them flannel night gowns for Christmas, so that they had something nice to wear on Christmas eve night.
The "Sister Hood" group gathered at Robin's home to celebrate Nancy's birthday and to do a gift exchange, Robin always has her home decorated so beautiful that I had to post this picture. Thank you Robin for hosting us.
Robin, Judy , Nancy and Lola adorning the aprons that I had made for them. They all said you know us well by the choice of colors in our aprons.
Here is Nancy with a table runner that our friend Lola made for all of us. We were very blessed to receive this.
I finish this post with this special photo, this is Chants and Jessica, my two oldest grand children, my oldest daughter Julie, has made it her tradition to take the kids to the down town Meir and Frank, now Macy's to have their picture taken with Santa. When my girls were little I did it with them each year I was able to. Do you have a special Christmas tradition?