Year End finishes New Year Plans.

Last two little finished for the year. Since surgery I have only been doing hand sewing.  And with all my wool projects, I have plenty of it.  Hubby wants to wait and see what the doctor has to say about me sewing and quilting on my machine.  I don't think it would be strenuous, but they said no pushing, pulling and lifting so I think he's really taking that to heart.  :)  I love that he loves me that much!   
In October - I got a book of embroidery patterns with snowmen.  Well I took a couple of the designs and made them into this wool candle mat for my Sister. 

Then  I worked on this wool wall hanging or table topper.  The pattern made it into an oval penny rug, but I liked it better this way.  

Aren't they Cute?  I think so!  

Hey it's the last day of 2017 Wow.   

So the planner in me is already thinking of the hundreds of items I would like to work on in the new year.  

*I really want to work on Christmas items through out the year.  I have so many  Christmas patterns and ufo's I want to get some them done. It seems like there is only a few months to work on Christmas items each year as you gear up for the big day and then poof it's over.  Then you're left with the items you didn't get done and ah hmm the few new items you acquired that were cuter than cute.  So this year I want to work on one Christmas item as a time through out the year in hopes of getting more of them done. Here are a few of them. Some are started and are UFO's and some are want to do's. 

And if that isn't enough, I want to make this pattern 

Using this fabric.

Oh and there is more. I have this fabric to make place mats and a topper just not sure if I'll do it this way or differently.

But one project at a time. 

*Then beyond my Christmas stuff.  I have one UFO that I started probably maybe 9 years ago.  It's called Wool Ark Crazy.  I'm sure I've listed it as one of my UFO's before - Well I sew each Friday at the Cottage.  So I am taking it every Friday that I go and only working on it until it is done.  

Here is the background -  I'll be doing the crazy stitches between each wool piece  first and then I'll be doing the animal applique.

*Keeping with the theme of getting things done and cleaned up - I want to use up some of my scraps.  I'm not really a scrappy quilt person but I've been looking at a few coordinated scrappy quilts and so I want to do a few of them to downsize my scrap drawers. This will help with Charity Quilts.

*Then for my other projects through  out the year - I want to make a few quilts for family.  

The Bear quilt is definitely a big one I will be working on. And some of the kids haven't gotten quilts from me, Bri, Filip, Jorden, Zach, Taya. And a couple got baby quilts but they need bed size ones now.  Carter will be 8 this March. Not sure how many of those I'll bust out but want to try.  

* If I have any time left - I have a few other patterns and kits I want to make.  Plus....there are still embroidery UFO's, there are quilts to be quilted ....

I'm sure I wont be lacking for things to do this upcoming year.  

As much as I love my sewing - and I'm incredibly blessed to have so many projects that I want to do - my biggest wish for all of my friends and family this next year - I want everyone to be healthy and happy and blessed.  Have a super fun safe New Year's Eve - God Bless you all!

Lynn 

Post Surgery Update

I worked on an old UFO before I went in for my surgery. It is so old that I don't have all the fabric I would need to complete it the way it was intended with all the extra sashing and borders, But I believe I can sew it together add a border and make it a nice charity lap quilt. 

Hard to see in this picture but the colors are green, brown, tan and wine.

This is the last bit of sewing I've done for several days, and could be even a little longer.  I actually am reading a book, while I'm working on recovery. Usually I listen to my books so I can keep my eyes and hands free to sew.  :) 

Okay now on to the surgery update:
 Well if you were patient enough to read through my last post with my rants and struggles you'll know i was trying to get my surgery approved.  Well it got even worst - my primary doctor flat out refused to give me a referral to the heart doctor for surgery clearance.  NO I'm not kidding. They wanted to give me clearance... and the surgeon wanted didn't want the liability of a primary doctors approval. So unless I got the referral and clearance from the surgeons heart doctor my surgery would be cancelled.
We ended up paying for an office visit at the heart doctor out of our own pockets, just to get it done.  Other wise I would have had to start over with a new ENT doctor/surgeon, new testing and delayed surgery.  No couldn't do it.
So all got done the surgery wasn't cancelled thank God.  The surgeon said the surgery went very well, however there was a lot of infection by the time he got in there.  Whew, glad it's done, and I am now recovering.  
Here are a few pictures of how it's going so far. 

As  you can see - it was not a little tiny thing I was trying to get rid of. 
I had to keep the drain in for 7 hours then they took out and taped me up.  

It has derma bond over the incision and then the little hole at the bottom is where the drain was. So in some ways it looks worse than it is - however it is big. 

Then we went to the motel, I ate a little and crashed. 
We came home on Saturday afternoon, I've been good about sitting and relaxing - hubby has actually cooked for us (never cooked anything in his life) and I am recovering nicely. 
I don't have any high hopes of finishing anything else for the rest of the year.  Rest, relax and recoup. 
However, I am already thinking of what I'd like to focus on this next year and I'm sure I already have too many plans and Ideas. Family quilts, holiday quilts, UFO quilts, and quilting the quilts.  Oh well, it fills my days with joy. 
Until next time - Blessings to all, 
Lynn 

Hello December

Hello everyone - Wow another year almost over.  I always get amazed at this time of year how quickly time goes by.  
So starting off the month some of my sewing friends and my Sister and I were getting together for lunch because our/my friend Gloria has a birthday on 12/3. Now I have made some gifts for my friends for Christmas but the night before the lunch I get this text telling me that they all want to cancel gift giving on Birthdays and Christmas we'll do lunches.  That way there is no pressure for gift giving.  It's a good thing.... But... So we all agree that we can give gifts off an on as we come across things we see or have that we know the other would like.  And in honor of the fact that my Sister and I give each other "Pillow Gifts" we now call these sporadic gifts - "Pillow Presents" - we're funny aren't we? 
I originally made this for Vickie.  She was President and I was Vice  President for the last 2 years at the SNR guild. This was a combo thank you for help with our 2 year run, and a Christmas present for her. 

It's wool  on wooly flannel.  
Next is the squirrel bag I made for Cheryl.  

Then for the Birthday girl Gloria - She loves 30's fabric.  I'm not really that big on it.  Well years ago I bought this pattern and started collecting material to make this little quilt because I liked the pattern - But I've never made it because I don't really like the fabric.    SO....  I gave it to the Birthday girl - with the offer to help since she doesn't know how to do fusible applique.  

There was a couple 1/2 yds, 3 - 1/4 yrds, and at least 1/8 yrd cuts  so with that and her stash of 30's it should come out cute. 

They all seemed to like their "Pillow Presents"

So what's up for December? 

That is a good question. 

My Goals - work on some guild projects and since my Sister is in town  work on her bear quilt.   For now that is it.  

 My goals lately have been a little vague and will probably continue to be so for a while. 
Below is a rant and an update why I've been a little out of the loop.  It is a long rant - feel free to skip to the bottom. 
** I've been dealing with some health issues and as much as I don't want it to - it becomes a big focus in my life.  I have what is called a 2nd Branchial Cleft Cyst.  Which means I have a lump on the side of my neck, that is pressing on things in my throat and resting against my jugular.  It is over 5x4x3 cm which is a little over 2"x2"x1". What it also means is that I am going to have surgery on the 15th.  What has also been going on is that I have had a horrible time dealing with my primary Dr. office staff forwarding paperwork to get my referrals in. So to back up a little: I originally noticed this sometime between April - June and thought it was a swollen gland since I was dealing with allergies. I brought it to the Dr. attention the middle of August when I had my physical.  At the end of August I had an ultra sound in the doctors office and got results first week of Sept. It took them until 10/17 to get me in for the CT Scan that the Dr. directed them to set me up with. On 10/24 I went in for the results and she said I needed to see the ENT specialist. She put in the reports that I was to be referred STAT.  - and I waited 5 weeks for them to get it done - even to the point that I had to go pick up the paperwork the night before my appointment with the specialist (that had already been canceled once due to lack of referral)  to take with me to the appointment.  
Next up my surgery is pending on them faxing the referral to the cardiologist so I can get cleared for surgery on the 15th.  
I found out on the the ENT couldn't refer me to the Cardio Dr. - I had to have my PCP do it.  And they couldn't just take that at face value I had to go in for another visit (I'm sure so they can collect another 100 bucks for an office visit) 
We went in on Thursday the 30th and talked to the primary Dr.  She wanted to do the clearance for the surgery, but said to call the ENT and ask if that was okay.  She said if it wasn't to call back the next morning and she would have them put the referral in right away.  
So I called the ENT and they explained why I needed to go to their cardio Dr.  So I then called the primary Dr.  They wouldn't let me talk to the referral personnel.  They said they'd have them call me.  Then when they didn't call me I called back. The receptionist wanted to know what it was concerning I reminded her I was there the night before and what it was about and said she'd give them the message.  
In the mean time - I pray they get the paperwork in so the surgery can go as scheduled.  
So .. as much I don't like to be obsessed with my health, it is a little overwhelming and consuming.  Because not only am I dealing with all of the paperwork stuff - I am also dealing with how it feels. Not only does it look bad - I do have a lot of pain associated with it.  
** Thanks for listening to my rant - Blessings to you all.  Lynn