FANTASTIC!!!!!!
I hope all of you had a FANTASTIC Christmas as well????
Let's take a stroll through photos of my Christmas, shall we???
My best friend, Mike, came home with me to celebrate Christmas with my family.
Being a native of Brooklyn, NY, he wanted to share his traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner with us. Seafood marinara, along with fried scallops, butterfly shrimp, and flounder were on the menu.
This was absolutely delicious! I think we may adopt this tradition for Christmas Eve!
The TRUE Christmas story has been read by my father ever since I can remember!
My sister has requested he read it to my niece and nephew ever since my niece was a baby, and it is something we all look forward to.
On Christmas morning I emerged from my old bedroom to find this!
Sophia and Gracie Lu were curious if Santa had came to visit them!!!
They were really good girls this year, so Santa did in fact leave them some presents!
My mother and father are just like little kids on Christmas morning opening their stockings!
After my sister and her family arrived, it was time for our Christmas feast!
Christmas ham, chicken and dumplings, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, broccoli casserole, macaroni and cheese (for the kiddos) and rolls!
What can I say? We LOVE TO EAT!
And our Christmas feast would NOT be complete without a homemade Red Velvet Cake!
Sorry, store bought, nor cake mix will do in this instance!
My mother and sister make the best homemade Red Velvet Cakes!
Gracie and Sophia got some special treats from my niece and nephew!
Then it was time to open gifts!!!!
I can't wait to show you all what I received this year! Thanks Santa!
But, that will have to wait until next time.
I DO have to show you what Mike received from my mother though.....
You have to understand Mike likes to play practical jokes, ESPECIALLY on my mom...
He also like to run marathons......
SOOOOOOOO........
It was my mom's turn to play a joke on him!
You should have heard the laughs after Mike opened this pair of short shorts!
My momma sure did a good job of explaining to Mike that she went to a running store where
the salesperson told her that these shorts were the latest in running attire for men.
SMOOOOOOTH!
She finally let him know this was payback for all of the times he had gotten her.
Yikes! I can only imagine what Mike's next practical joke will be on her!
LOLOLOLOLOLOL
I love spending time with my family!
We had an amazingly blessed Christmas!
Bonnie shared with us Clue #5 to her "Grand Illusion" mystery quilt on Friday.
THANK YOU BONNIE!
This was a really easy clue!
4 patches done in my color scheme.
Red for Pink
Navy for Black
Blue for Aqua
Gold for Gold
2,916 pieces in this quilt thus far if my calculations are correct???
2,916 pieces in this quilt thus far if my calculations are correct???
Linking up with Bonnie's Mystery Monday Link Up Part 5!!!!!
I have a feeling there may be one more clue with a rapid fire finish that Bonnie is famous for!
I also have a feeling these gold pieces in the various units are going to be set on point or
running diagonally through the quilt somehow?
What are your guesses?
And, before you think I haven't done anything else.........
My friends Dar of Dar's Patchwork Garden and
Teresa of A Quilt and a Prayer will probably be salivating over these colors?
I am making a baby quilt for my friends that got married last June.
A baby girl is going to make her appearance in April and her momma chose
purples, turquoises, and grays as the baby room colors.
I have chosen a Bonnie pattern of course!
This is a free pattern on Bonnie's website, click the link to find it.
I have substituted turquoise for Bonnie's pink, and grays for the neutrals.
I have never worked with a color palette like this, but, I am kind of digging it!
I hope the new baby's parents will too!
Here's wishing you the very best in 2015!
What are you looking most forward to in the New Year?
Thanks for all of the encouragement!
Kevin the Quilter
This looks like so much fun! And that dinner has my mouth spurting like a waterfall. I'm so glad you had a great Christmas.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome Christmas! LOVED the start of the Christmas Eve dinner. YUM!!! My family would never go for that. They don't try new things (especially sea-food type items) (we live in the Mid-West and seafood isn't regular here unless we are at Red Lobster. Great pictures that capture all the fun. Loved the "real Christmas story" tradition! I might have to start that with my son since he gets it now. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI think those yellow squares are going to go diagonally in the quilt too! I'm also betting on the one more clue and a rapid fire finish! Whohoo!!! Almost there.
Looks like everyone had fun with the old and new traditions. Drama Teen is our practical joker, she got my brother good this year. But it's all part of the fun.
ReplyDeleteYour mystery pieces are looking good. I have to wonder what Bonnie has planned for all these pieces.
The color palette for the baby quilt is lovely, all those jewel tones will make a quilt that's radiant.
Have a very happy New Year. Safe Travels.
Wow...what a great post. I love all the family pictures! I also love your Emery's Stars...that is going to be an awesome quilt!
ReplyDeleteOh what a Beautiful Family you have..such Love.. Priceless..Love reading your posts, they are so uplifting.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting & leaving your sweet comment...Quilty Hugs, Debra in Ma.
Looks like you had a wonderful Christmas Kevin and all of the food looks yummy! My mom used to make the best homemade Red Cake too! Great job on Bonnie's mystery quilt and the new baby quilt you are working on is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteOur daughter received a couple gift cards this year, each wrapped and placed in larger boxes which were in turn wrapped and placed in even larger boxes. One card had five layers of wrapped boxes. It was fun to see her tear into the paper only to find another wrapped gift. Good work keeping up with Bonnie's pattern steps. I still have quite a bit more to sew. I can't wait to see how your baby blanket progresses!
ReplyDeleteMy guess is Bonnie is not using an on-point layout this year. Remember those four patches. She likes yellow/gold so I think she will let the yellow squares build up a diagonal grid. I bet her next clue will have yellow and black sashing to finish up the design. Remember she tends to finish up on New Years Day.
ReplyDeleteWow what a super Christmas you have with family and wonderful traditions! Happy belated Christmas and best wishes for the new year. Your blogs are fabulous and your work is inspiring. Have a fantastic 2015 Kevin!
ReplyDeleteLove Emery's star, gorgeous color combination Kevin and wonderful fabrics. Thank you for sharing your wonderful Christmas, I love when old traditions are carried on with the young ones. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteGreat family memories! So glad you had wonderful visit. Your GIMQ is coming along great. And the baby quilt - fabulous!! Someone's not afraid of color - awesome! Can't want to see that one done. The red velvet cake looks delicious - lucky you! I'm looking forward to many, more quilts in 2015.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your Christmas too. I'm drooling on the red velvet cake. If I can't get salty caramel, then let it be red velvet. I'm getting fired up for the rapid fire finish. It's been great being able to play with fabric again, over the past two weeks. In 2015, I'm looking forward to playing with fabric for 240 days, until my next journey starts. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteYour blocks are looking great. I am feeling a little guilty that I did not take picture at Christmas...your family pictures are very nice. I agree, one more clue and maybe some triangles. I am wondering if the blocks are set on point?
ReplyDeleteKevin, Loved hearing all about your fabulous Christmas. What a wonderful and fun family you have. You are very lucky.. You say Mike is Italian?? Where's the pasta dish? lol. I didn't know he was such a great cook. I haven't tasted a red velvet cake for at least 25 years. I remembered they were delicious. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it. Your girls looked like they were enjoying the party too. You are right about loving your baby quilt colors. This baby quilt is going to rock!
ReplyDeleteWow, looks like you have a fabulous Christmas with family and friends! The food sounds delish, but I must admit, I have never had Red Velvet Cake...must not be a "west" thing!!! If your mom and sister's are willing to share, could you pass on the recipe? Love your quilts - they are both gonna be fantastic!!!!! Looking forward to seeing what you got for Christmas!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you had so much fun at Christmas, what with good company and great food! Mike's Christmas Eve dinner sounds fantastic! Red Velvet Cake looks heavenly too. Your Emery's Stars quilt looks like it's going to be a fun one!
ReplyDeleteCan I borrow Mike for a meal or three? Merry Christmas - I am so glad you all had such a great time. Your Mom - what a character - I LOVE her!!
ReplyDeleteIt does look like your Christmas was very blessed Kevin - such great photos! Emery's Star is one of my favorites and yours looks like it will be wonderful! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteLooks like you all had a great Christmas! Yay for being all caught up for the next clue! Loving the colors in Emery's Stars...I just found out two of my cousins are pregnant and due in May--I am considering Dancing Nines and/or Princess Crown. :)
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you had a wonderful Christmas. Red velvet cake is my favorite. I have the best homemade recipe. I just might have to make one soon. May you have a blessed New Year.
ReplyDeleteWhat a special time with your family. How exciting for Sophia and Gracie Lu to receive gifts from Santa! They must have been VERY good girls. Wishing you a happy and healthy 2015 filled with lots of stitching.
ReplyDeleteIf Mike wears those shorts this week, he'll freeze to death;) Glad you got to be with your family on Christmas! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteSomehow I missed this post when it first appeared. Playing catch up now...I really like Emery's Stars - liked it from the first time I saw it. Your colors are awesome and the baby is lucky to have you to make it for her. All of Bonnie's patterns are just awesome and it really hurts my heart to read some of the negative comments that have been posted about this year's mystery quilt on the Quiltville facebook page. I know if I were Bonnie, I would shut the doggone page down rather than read them. Good thing I'm not Bonnie, huh?
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