Snow Fun

This past weekend we got as many family members together as possible to have some snow fun.  Our oldest daughter's boyfriend is here visiting from Australia and this winter is the first time he has experienced snow.  So we wanted to show him how we play in the snow around here. 

Brothers and sisters in next group of pictures.

Getting pulled on the sled behind the snowmobile is every ones favorite snow time.

And just some random happy faces.

I will be the first to admit I am not a winter person but I sure love to see happy faces having a great time.  Blessings from our home in the woods.

Brenda

First Finish of the Year

As I mentioned in a previous post I did not finish the my father-in-law's afghan in time for Christmas. We decided to wrap it unfinished and finish as quickly as possible.  I delivered it yesterday, he was very happy with it as you can see in the picture below.  A little posing going on here.

Took a couple of pictures in our family room before delivering.

I used the tutorial that Attic24 shares here.  I have made quite a few different ripples over the years but I really love how Lucy of Attic24 instructs on the edging so the ends are changed from rippled to straight edge.  You can see this in the next picture.

I have one more crochet project to finish off before I start the CAL that I plan on joining this year.  I am working on a prayer shawl that I want to get sent off to a friend that is fighting cancer.  I hope to finish it and get it sent out by next week.  

Blessings to you from our home in the woods.

Brenda

The End of 2014

I wanted to share the remainder of our Christmas pictures before moving on to the new year.  I am sure most of you have already moved on but I am behind this year.  So these are just a few pictures that I did not want to fit into the last two posts.

This young man is our next to youngest grandchild.  He really enjoyed a train gift he received.

I do wish these pictures were better.  This is our oldest daughter and her young man.  We just met this young man the day of this picture.  He is visiting from Australia.  We really enjoyed him and hope to spend some more time with him before he has to return home.

My sister in law, really enjoying something but I am not sure what it was now.  Love my husbands families smiles!

Our very youngest grandchild.  His first Christmas, but not his first Christmas gathering of the year.  Time out for a snack.

Just some busy pictures.

Out of 8 grands we only have 2 grand daughters.

One last handmade gift to share:

I made quite a few of these hot pads for Christmas presents.  We put a set in baskets along with our homemade jams and salsa.  Forgot to get a picture of any of the baskets before we gave them out.  The next picture is a set that is waiting to be delivered to my best friend.  I am pretty sure she will not be checking out my blog before I see her this next weekend so I am going to go ahead and share.  The teapot is mine, just using it to demonstrate the tea cozy.  The jar has some homemade hand lotion in it.

So there it is, all caught up and ready to post in the present again.  Hope you are all having a great week!  Blessings from our home in the woods!

Brenda

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The Woodworker

I am always posting about the crafts and sewing that I am working on or have finished.  But I am not the only one in our home that has the creative bug.  My husband is a wonderful woodworker and always completes a couple of projects for Christmas gifts,  This year he made 7 banks, 5 for grands and 2 for a niece and nephew.  This is his design and he has made a few of these in the past.

It is hard to see but the backs slide out so they can retrieve their money.  There is a normal slot for the change.  The woodworker wood burnt each name on the backing piece.

Busy putting change gifted from the great grandparents in the banks.

And for this young man.

Who has learned the game of cribbage that the woodworkers family plays, a cribbage board of his own.

The woodworker has made a few of these, also a design of his own.  As you can see it is built in layers and you can lift the top two layers off to get to the spot where you store a deck of cards.

This is a past cribbage board gift, made for the woodworkers brother.

Pegs were hand carved to look like Easter Island statues, the smoker was special for the brother.

The latest project is still setting in the shop waiting to be delivered.  Built for our oldest daughter who has just moved out of sharing a home with room mates into her own apartment.

Her request was for a small cupboard with a vintage look to hold teapots and cups. The backing in the upper cabinet is bead-board.  I recently went shopping with her to pick out the paint colors and the hardware she wanted, she is going to use this paint to also paint her dining table and chairs to match.  This again was the woodworkers own design.  One of the drawers is divided for storage of tea bags.

Always buys the best hinges and hardware so we expect the pieces he builds will last for a lifetime.

If I had pictures available of the beautiful cedar chests he made each of our daughters when they graduated from high school I would share those.  But alas that was when we were still using cameras when film needed developed and it would take me hours to find them.  There has been many pieces of furniture and other small items built for family and friends. It would take a book to show everything.  But I thought it was time to give you a small sampling of what the man in my life does with his spare time.

I have a few more Christmas pictures to share in my next post and then on to the present.  Hope you are all staying warm during this cold snap.  Blessings from our home in the woods!

Brenda

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The 2014 Christmas Afghans

Hello all!  I hope you have all had a wonderful holiday season.  I know it is late but Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!  I have missed blogging but family and home has had to come first and the time has been limited for blogging. So instead of writing posts I have spent the time I have had to visit and read your blogs, although I have not always commented I have enjoyed seeing what you have all been up to the last couple of months.

In case you do not remember, because it has been so long since I have blogged, last year I crocheted along with Moogly's biweekly 12 inch block.  I crocheted in two different color ways and managed to get two afghans put together in time to gift for Christmas.  This first one I gave to my Mom-in-love.

She was pretty happy!

Some close ups.

The second one was shipped off to my mother just in time for Christmas.  It arrived by mail with just a couple of days to spare.  I think my sis forgot to take the requested picture of mom opening but here is what I took before I sent it out.

It was hard to take pictures of these afghans.  I stood on a chair to get the complete picture and then decided to take pictures of sections.

I also started an afghan for my father-in-law for Christmas.  It did not get finished but we wrapped and then I had to take it back. It is getting close to finished so I can re-gift it back to him.

I have missed you all and have a few things I hope to get back to share with you.  Hope you are all having a great week.  Blessings from our home in the woods!

Brenda

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