And a New Year Begins

Well, Christmas has come and gone,  

we've heralded in yet another New Year, 

and this is the perfect opportunity to say thank you 

to everyone who stops in for a visit, 

whether it's from time to time, or regularly, 

whether a comment has been left or not. 

Blogging has been an incredible journey 

and I am so blessed to be a part of this online community. 

In a nutshell, 

it has kept me motivated, enlightened, 

challenged, and enriched.

Of late, I've just been playing in my stash, 

attempting new to me techniques that I've tagged, 

but never taken the time to try.  

A little of this, a little of that, 

but nothing big, nothing planned. 

Yet.

My most recent sewing frenzy is 

the Mod Mosaic Quilt Block 

from a tutorial by Elizabeth Hartman at Oh, Fransson.

So much fun, I couldn't make just one.

Crafty Daughter will be accompanying her students 

on a trip to Washington, DC come spring, 

and we've been exploring hipster bag patterns, 

trying to find the perfect one to customize for her every need.

Any suggestions?

Have a safe, healthy, and happy New Year!

Make it fun!

XO

Always an Adventure

Not much new in my neck of the woods,

well, except my neck of the woods has changed!

I am back in Texas for the winter months.

During my travels, I had a 5 hour layover,

so  I entertained myself by listening to an audio book

and making some hexies to use later.

I really wanted to try out this tutorial, 

so made a pillow.

Such fun!

If you haven't already tried it,

and like working with hexies,

I suggest you add it to your list of things to make next.

I put a zipper in the back

with a tutorial recommended by SewFreshQuilts

at s.o.t.a.k. handmade.

It was so easy peasy, I'll always finish my pillows this way!

I have been pet sitting my crafty daughter's 

3 dogs and 3 cats for a week.

It has been an interesting adventure,

to say the very least.

Hope you are on an interesting adventure

of your own!

My new motto:  Make it fun!

~karen

Just Sayin'

During the summer of 2012,
after I made and entered the Dresden Plate quilt
that's in my header picture
into a quilt challenge,
I thought to take the block a step further

and add two more borders.

Then I thought to stitch an embroidery design in the center

in place of the Dresden Plate,

as pictured here on Nola's Just Rambling blog in Dec. 2013.

I've made a couple each year to gift family and friends

as pillows and wallhangings.

Imagine my surprise when I was scrolling through 

a well known designer's site the other day 

and found it on her blog as a new pattern she launched 

just this past October 

on her site and in her Etsy store. 

I'm sure the embroidery design she uses in her center is her own.   

I don't have an artistic bone in my body, and, 

except for the word ring, 

I either borrowed someone else's embroidery design, 

or used a Dresden Plate.

I realize it's a simple little pattern and anyone could have dreamt it, 

that there really isn't anything exclusive about it.  I was just surprised.

Either great minds think alike, 

or, as they say, 

imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

I'm not a skilled and talented designer,
but once in awhile I apparently come up with a good idea.
Just sayin'.

Have a wonderful, funderful day!
~karen

Virtual Cookie Exchange Blog Hop, Day 1

The same day I was harvesting mint

before we experienced a killer frost,

Carol, at Just Let Me Quilt,
 introduced her Virtual Cookie Exchange Blog Hop.

I was quick to jump in
because I knew I'd be making my favorite cookies.

Although not your traditional holiday cookie,

Fresh Mint Butter Cookies

would be a yummy addition to that cookie plate 

that you gift your neighbors each year

(not everyone likes chocolate and nuts!)

or perfect to serve for a Christmas Tea gathering.

Or, perhaps you could nibble a few

while you are sitting quietly,

making your list,

and checking it twice!

Fresh mint?  In winter?

Most grocery stores carry fresh mint 

in the produce section year round.

At the very least, 

you'll want to save this recipe

for your summertime baking!

Fresh Mint Butter Cookies

1-1/2 cups flour                              1 egg

1/8 tsp. salt                                     2 TBS milk

1/2 tsp. baking powder                  4 TBS chopped fresh mint

1 stick butter                                  1/4 tsp. vanilla

2/3 cup sugar

Cream butter.  Gradually add sugar.  Add egg, milk, vanilla, and beat thoroughly.

Mix dry ingredients together with chopped mint.  Add to dough.  Let chill overnight.

Drop by teaspoonful 2" apart on greased cookie sheet at 350 for 

10 - 12 minutes.  (I use parchment paper.)

Makes 3 dozen, rolls out great with a little extra flour, and freezes well.

They are good to the last bite!

Hope you enjoy making,
and eating,
my Fresh Mint Cookie recipe.
Be sure to visit the other blog hoppers for more delicious,
and probably better,
cookie recipes!

December 1

Kris at Kris Loves Fabric

Selina at Selina Quilts

Karen at KaHolly (you are here)

Deonn at 3^rd Degree Bakery

December 2

Colette at What About Rheema?

Carla at Creatin’ In The Sticks

Velda at Granny Can Quilt

Mary Ellen at That’s My Home

Karen at Sugar Free Quilted Designs

December 3

Beth at One Old Goat and Her Little Farm

Carol at Just Sew Quilter

Theresa at Bumbleberry Stitches

Brenda at Brenda’s Quilt Blog

Pat at Quilting Quietly

December 4

Linda at Food Storage Moms

Susan at Super Mom – No Cape!

Kathy at Just Quilt it

Lindsay at Lin's Kitchen

Carol at Just Let Me Quilt

ALYOF Completed!

My November goal was to finish machine quilting in the ditch

on this quilt and to attach the binding.

(If you click on the pictures, they will show larger!)

I accomplished my goal with time to spare

by quilting so many blocks a day.

I'm so proud of myself this month.

I went on a road trip with a friend

and brought the quilt so I could do a decent photo shoot

along the way,

but the weather did not cooperate, 

so all I have is this clothes line shot.

This was a leader-ender project  three or four years ago.

It is my second one.

It has traveled back and forth to Texas with me all these years,

but I never got it finished.

The pattern is called Scrap-Tease, 

by Bettie Hammock for Stitch'n Kitt'n.

It is out of print now.

I embellished the centers by snowballing the squares,

appliquing hearts, and doing a little embroidery.

(The centers on the first one were left square

and signed by our quilt group members,

The quilt was gifted to a fellow member who was having health issues.)

Not only did I finish Scrap-Tease,

but I finished a Christmas gift, too.

Bright Birch Trees

by Crazy Mom Quilts

Talk about fun to make!

The solids are Free Spirit.

What a dream to work with!

I quilted it with organic wavy lines,

pretending it was the wind!

It was my first time quilting wavy lines,

and it went so quickly and smoothly.

I'm linking up to 

SewBitterSweetDesigns.

I've been having so much fun!

Hope you can say the same!

~karen

Hazel Goes to Indiana

Thank you for visiting my blog

and entering the give away

for the PiNS pattern.

The random number generator

chose Carol of Just Let Me Quilt.

Congratulations, Carol!

I've forwarded your email address to Karen.

PiNS can be purchased at

Karen's Etsy shop,

SugarFreeQuilts

as an instant digital downloadable PDF.

She has crushed walnut shells for sale, too.

I know that several of MY quilty friends

will be happy to receive a pincushion 

made from the PiNS pattern for Christmas.

Yours will, too!

On a quilty note,
not only did I find Dog Gone Cute
irresistible, the same was true for Hazel Hedgehog.

When Little Sister told me the story

of how my niece woke from her afternoon nap one day

and said to her mom, "Mummy, I was imagining I was a hedgehog..."

I had no choice, did I?

Especially since she was only days away from turning three?

It's almost bigger than my sweet girl!!

Hope you have a wonderful, funderful day.

Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit.

~karen

Too Dog Gone Cute to Resist

I tried,

I really did.

But....I couldn't do it.

So, I made one.

One turned into three.

They were just 

too Dog Gone Cute to resist.

I have three very special little friends

down in Houston

who will delight in receiving this year's Christmas gifties!

Thank you, Lorna, for yet another delightful pattern.

The Blog Hop was lots of fun.

The pups were addicting.

Wish I had more time, I'd keep making them!

What a great fundraiser idea for the SPCA.

May just have to revisit this pattern
for more quilty fun.

Linking to Sew Fresh Quilts linky party!

I'm also linking to ALYoF

I fly back to Texas for the winter in 5 short weeks,

so I'm designating my remaining time here

to finishing up everything I have started.

This quilt has been a UFO for a fair amount of time.

I decided to quilt it this summer, choosing to stitch in the ditch.

Oh, what was I thinking?

It's been sitting unfinished in a pile for a few weeks now,

but I'm back at it, and it WILL be finished and bound

by the end of the month.

There are no more butterflies to distract me!

Today is the last day to enter my give away!

Have a wonderful, funderful day!

~karen