It's Finished!! Hooray!! :)

This one is my husband's favorite.  The happy camel!! :D

I love to collect nativities!! This is one of the reasons I really wanted to make a nativity quilt.  Overall I'm happy with how it turned out.  I will be tweaking a couple of the patterns.  Just some minor changes I want to make.  

Here are some of my other favorite nativities I've collected over the years.  

I love this one! My sister, Helen, made this for me. It's made out of wool from old wool sweaters. So great!!

I absolutely love this one as well.  It has just about been my favorite one all these years.  years ago, when my son was in nursery at church, his nursery leader made it for him.  So little, soft and unbreakable for soft little hands! :)

We got this one in Peru when we went to pick up our son from his LDS mission. 

This one is also an all time favorite!! My really good friend, Mike Welch made this for me.  He carves a piece each year and sends it to me.  It means so much to me.  Mike and Sue's daughter, Lori, died of breast cancer a few years back.  She brought joy and laughter to everyone she met. She was so loved by everyone who knew her.  She was actually my very first inspiration for my rag quilts.  :)

I think seminary has been catching up to me lately.  I've been extra extra tired! I don't feel like I accomplish much during the day because I'm so tired.  A new quilt idea motivates me and I can usually push through the exhaustion, so that's good! :)  

I will post some new patterns in a few days.  

Sherilyn

So far so good, one step closer!! 

I finished the blocks today! I'm really happy with how they turned out! I have to be careful when I ask my husband his opinion because he ALWAYS answers very honestly.  Sometimes I wish he would just lie and tell me what he knows I want to hear. Haha!! He really liked it but pointed out a few minor things that he thought were a little odd.  His honest comments only really bug me if he points out something that I hope no one else will notice but me.  So, since he didn't notice the couple of things that are bothering me, his honest opinion was well taken! ;) Overall, I'm really happy with it all.  I will have it completed by Monday for sure and will post some more pictures. 

I'm currently working on some viking quilt patterns.  Fun stuff!! Next weeks quilt project.  :)

Weekends are good for rejuvenating!! I slept in until 6:30 this morning. Woohoo!! 6:30 may seem early but compared to 3:30, it's heaven!! :) I'm looking forward to another week full quilting and seminary. 

My thoughts and prayers are with my cousin. She's a beautiful person and I love her so much. She's currently in the hospital fighting for her life. She has 7 great children who are still very young and very much need their mom! A lot on my mind these days! 

Sherilyn

Sneak Peak

I have had a lot of fun creating these patterns for my new Nativity quilt.  

I have had 3 Christmas quilt ideas this year and I'm having a lot of fun making them a reality!  I'm squeezing a Norwegian quilt in between my Christmas quilts. Fun stuff! My friend hired me to make the Norwegian quilt. I'm excited about it and will share my progress on it.  Stay tuned! :)

I'm still "tweaking" the patterns a bit.  But for starters, here they are. :)

We had some really great discussion in seminary this morning. We discussed 2 Nephi 28. The kids came up with some really great questions. A few versus we discussed were 2 Nephi 28:7-9

 7 Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: ^aEat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us.

 8 And there shall also be many which shall say: ^aEat, drink, and be ^bmerry; nevertheless, fear God—he will ^cjustify in committing a little ^dsin; yea, ^elie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a ^fpit for thy neighbor; there is^gno harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.

 9 Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, ^afalse and vain and ^bfoolish ^cdoctrines, and shall be puffed up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark.

Satan really wants us to believe that "all is well". He lulls us to sleep and hopes we stay asleep.  He wants us to think that what we are doing is justified, and really not that bad. He wants us to believe that what we are doing is "enough". This chapter also talks about Satan not even wanting us to know he exists.

22 And behold, others he ^aflattereth away, and telleth them there is no ^bhell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful ^cchains, from whence there is no deliverance.

A couple of the kids came up with a great, thought provoking question. They asked,

"What types of "good" things can Satan use to lull us away from all that is good and closer to him...all that is evil?"  Satan is so clever and tricky! He just needs to distract us long enough to wrap a few more "flaxen cords" (2 Nephi 26) around us to bind us.  Definitely a lot to ponder in these versus.  I love quilting and reading, which are both good things, but if I'm not careful they can be my "flaxen cords".  I could read and quilt all day but if I'm not using my talent for good and service to others, what good are they?

I joined a quilting guild last night. First time ever!! I'm really excited!! I've been thinking about some great quilts that can be easily, and quickly made and then shared with others.  The guild is a perfect place to generate excitement in helping make these quilts. They already have contacted many places where they can be distributed. Another idea to make a reality! :)

Sherilyn  

Yay for Christmas Quilts!

Since I began a new Christmas quilt in October my children are accusing me of skipping Halloween and Thanksgiving.  Yup! I suppose I'm guilty! I like Halloween but I LOVE Christmas and I'm thankful for Thanksgiving for all of the usual reasons but the number one reason is it officially begins my 24/7 Christmas celebrations!! Nothing puts me in the Christmas spirit more than Christmas quilting, making Christmas gifts for my loved ones, and Christmas music! And, yes!! It's true, I've been listening to Christmas music since the beginning of the creation of this quilt...which began about the last week of October.  Last night my husband came home from work and found me finishing up this quilt with the Christmas music filling our home.  I told him the music was staying on until my quilt was finished! He, surprisingly, didn't mind a bit! I even heard him humming along at times. ;)

The inspiration for this quilt came after a conversation with my older sister, Faith.  We were reminiscing about our Granny and the many Santa dolls she used to make.  Faith suggested I create a Santa quilt, so I did! :) I have an idea for another one as well.  I'm currently working on those patterns, and patterns for a nativity quilt.  Too many ideas floating around in my head.  Time to make them a reality!! 

I had fun switching up Santa's beards and hats.  I'm working on a skinny Santa pattern as well. Granny made fat and skinny Santas, so therefore some skinny Santas are a must as well! ;)

The toys were a lot of fun to create! The rocking horse ended up being my favorite!

Here are a couple of rough sketches of a nativity quilt I'm working on.  Stay tuned! :) 

Here is a couple of last years Christmas quilting projects. :)

Besides quilting, I'm staying busy reading and studying for my seminary class (Scripture study) I teach each school day morning at 6:30.  I teach about 13 teenagers and I love them! Not everyone can say they would love that many hormonal teenagers at 6:30 in the morning but I can honestly say I do! They are the reason I get up at 3:30am!! They fill my life with a lot of joy! :)

I hope to be back here soon with pictures of a new quilt! And, maybe even a few more pictures of these cute kids! :)