Winter Flowers

   These are just a few of the flowers we saw...some of them at the Botanical Gardens.  They were just amazing.  I can just hear God saying..."I like it, but let's just tweak it and see what happens."

   Wish I knew their names, but most were in Hawaiian or their Latin names--all too hard to pronounce.

 These last two were just outside our hotel.  The yellow one came in a variety of colors.

 And I loved this!  Now I know how to get rich--package our snow and send it to Hawaii to sell!  Just a little logistics problem of getting it there. 
               Jolyn

Christmas in Hawaii

  Now tell me...does this look like Christmas?  We had a hard time realizing that it was the Christmas season when we were in Maui.  This was the topper!!  Hearing the usual Christmas songs (some with a touch of Hawaiian music added) about "Dreaming About a White Christmas" just didn't seem right.  Like it or not--the snow and cold put us more in the mood!  If you can't get the picture to enlarge...that is a sleigh with Santa wearing Hawaiian shorts and 3 hula dancers all being pulled by three dolphins.
                      Jolyn

Para Sailing

   As this was our second trip to Maui, we tried to do different things from the first time.  I suggested going para-sailing.  After Wayne picked himself up from the sand (I don't like heights, flying or things where I don't feel in control) we went and got signed up.  The day we went was the last day they were offering rides as they have to shut down until May because of the whales.  (No one seemed to understand why -- as everything else out on the water continued)  anyway--we loved it!  We went up quickly, but not jerked...it just got quieter and quieter as we got away from the noise of the boat.

   We gave my camera to another person on the boat and took Wayne's up with us.

   I don't know how to switch order on pictures.  This is us getting ready to take off.  We just stood up and the ropes did the rest!

  We were up 800 feet...this kind of gives you an idea of the height.  Our hotel is in the background.
(Don't pay any attention to the dates on these pictures--Wayne's camera chooses the dates and usually they're no where near the actual date.)


  We took off from the boat and landed right on the boat again.  Other than them lowering us down and dipping our feet in the ocean, we didn't get wet.
  I do confess I had one moment of WHAT AM I DOING?  when the one guy was helping us on the boat and told me not to sit on the parachute as it was made of tissue paper. 
                     Jolyn

Aloha

   It's hard to know where to start.  December 10-21 we were in beautiful Hawaii celebrating our 50th Anniversary. Top picture is of Wayne and I having our Anniversary breakfast.  Our start to our get away was an adventure...our flight was canceled because of engine problems.  So instead of landing in Maui at 10 at night, we were just leaving Minneapolis!  Got to a hotel in LosAngeles at 3 in the morning and got up at 5:30 to head back to the airport.  We were so thankful to get out of Minnesota as on December 11th--big snowstorm. 

   This is what winter in Hawaii looks like!  Beautiful beyond words, but the Christmas decorations just didn't look quite right.  There is something about snow for the season!  (Course--now it can go away!)

  Wayne took this picture of me at a Luau in Lahina.  Doesn't seem possible today to look at this picture and realize how warm it was there! 
  So I'll be boring you in the next few days (or weeks) with pictures from Maui, our Anniversary and Christmas.  
  It's good to be home, but someone needs to tell my body to get with it!  
                Jolyn

The step-down bedroom

 The north bedroom and this bedroom each have a double bed and a single bed.  This room is the one the grandkids usually choose to sleep in. (you have to remember 9 of them are boys--do those pastel bedrooms look like boy's rooms?)  This room also has a big closet that the kids, when they were little, liked to sleep in.  Think it might be a bit crowded for them now.  The quilt on the double bed is called a Row by Row.  Way back when we still had the Quilt Company, we and a bunch of other quilters each made a row for each other.  It's always been a favorite of mine.

   There's a little nook formed by the closet where this bed fits.  This is a cowboy quilt that Jill and I designed for Isaac.  (He has his own--this one is mine...until claimed)

   Looking out towards the hall...I do love houses and Sawtooth Stars. 

   Just a couple of small quilts.  Lots of times I just make some blocks  I like and turn them into quilts.

  This is the whole gang wishing you a Merry Christmas!  We are so blessed to have family!!  Holidays are a house full of family and food (of course) and fun. (and usually a football game...even at midnight on New Year's Eve in below zero weather!)
   I'll be taking a leave from my blog until after Christmas.  Hope you miss me! 
  aloha---Jolyn


  (The kiss  was Wayne's idea........he said that's where this all started.)

North Bedroom

   And this is the north bedroom...again all pastels.  I've made all the quilts except the antique ones. (altho I am old enough to qualify as an antique)  You can see one draped across the smaller bed. 

   Two miniatures above an antique one.  The upper left one is a miniature log cabin and the smaller one is a disappearing star or something.  Don't know what the name of the antique one is.

   The yo yo quilt over the back of the rocker was a "find" at a garage sale.  I thought the price was a mistake and hauled it up to the gal taking money and found out it was correct.  I "almost" felt guilty paying so little, but soon got over it. On the rocker seat is a pinwheel quilt designed by Darlene Zimmerman.

  The quilt on the bed is another one designed by Darlene Zimmerman.  In fact, she traded me 30's material for a bunch of feedsacks.  I was happy ...she was happy.  The one on the chair is leftovers from another Darlene quilt.  The draped one on the bed is a double nine patch antique...one of my favorites.
  More of those little Gathering Hearts on the wall.  I really like the looks of the two pastel bedrooms...they seem so restful. Not very masculine, but restful. The third bedroom suits the guys more.
   Jolyn

Little Bedroom

   Here we're touring the "little" bedroom.  It's the smallest one in our house -- about 10'x12'.  The walls are sloped upstairs, so it limits the size quilts I can hang there, but I do pack in quite a few.  I've made all the quilts I'll be showing in this room.  The Churn Dash quilt on the bed is hand quilted. 

 I've made a number of miniature Double Wedding Rings and used up a lot of orphan blocks for pillows.  The quilt on the chair is called Gathering Hearts. Another pattern I love and have made several times.

   Have made two of these embroidered Sunbonnet Sue wall hangings.  The other one is in redwork (all red thread).  The two quilts on the rocker are hand quilted.  The one is leftover blocks from the quilt on the bed.

   I love the Dresden Fan.   Because I taught this particular pattern, I have about half a dozen made (or should say...started.)

   The center part of this wall hanging is made up of bowtie blocks. 

  Here's another sample of the Double Wedding Ring.  I love teaching this class, even though it isn't the easiest one to do.  Accurate cutting, pressing and sewing make it possible.    
  Well, that leaves two bedrooms.  They are about 15'x15', so I can really pack in the quilts!  Right now with the freezing rain and cold temps, we need more quilts!!!!
   Jolyn

Keep walking!!

   The first 5 pictures are of quilt from our bedroom.  I took out extra quilts for the Tour and when I went to put them back into storage, I didn't have enough room.  Figure that!  Where did I have them?  Total quilts that I displayed was over 135.

 A new woolie project I made.  A small version of the "Ten Minute Table Runner."

   I love houses on quilts as you might notice.

 The quilt on the bed is made up of civil war reproduction fabrics.  The blocks were taken from several books on the Underground Railroad.  I made it in memory of Wayne's Great-Grandfather who served 3 years in the Civil War.  Our grandson, Isaac, got one like this.

   Now we're upstairs in the hall.  This was leftovers from a larger quilt.  I think the squares are 2 1/2".  I hand quilted it.

    Even the carpet is a quilt!  ugly!!  Not my favorite!! 

  An antique one.  Someone kindly called it the "peach" quilt, but in real life it is really orange!  Love all the hand quilting they did on it.
  Jolyn

After the Party

   Our Tour of Homes is over and all that's left is a CLEAN HOUSE!!  If only I could bubble wrap the house and keep it that way until Christmas!   




   It was a fun day and in spite of the roads not being perfect we had over 50 people come. The first picture shows the gift I gave out - a little decorated notebook and testamints.

   If you didn't make it here, I'll try to give you a "walk through".  This sat on my kitchen counter.  I've always loved the peppermint candles!

   Hanging on my porch door is this woolie.

  Into my dining room -- this is the buffet.  The hanging above it is new from a catalog that one of my friends uses for parties called "Blessings".  This will stay up long after Christmas.  The table quilt is another of my designs called  "Pine Haven".

   On my dining room table is "Home Sweet Home", the very first pattern I designed.  

  I don't think anyone knew that this woolie wasn't done!  On the other end is another set of gifts that I had just started the blanket stitching.  (Now you all know)
  We had people from Albert Lea, Alden, Kiester, Wells, Bricelyn, Frost, Blue Earth, and Fairmont all in Minnesota and Lakota, Ledyard, and Buffalo Center in Iowa.  It really was a fun time!!!  


              Jolyn

It's Here!!!

   Today is Dell's  (our church) COUNTRY CHRISTMAS TOUR OF HOMES !!!  9-12.  We are doing this to bless our neighbors---the Frost Community Club. (All money raised will go to them.)  Next year is Dell's 150th Anniversary and this is one of the events we're doing to celebrate that.   We've been planning and preparing for this for weeks and weeks!  5 homes, each one unique in it's own way, reflecting the owners tastes.  These are a picture from each home!  Sorry--you have to go on the tour to see all the rest of the fun stuff! (plus get a cookie and a gift!)
   Jolyn
(Bet you can't guess which picture was taken at our home!)

Mittens

  Our daughter, Jill, has been busy making mittens out of recycled wool sweaters!  I love the combinations she has put together!   They look so nice and warm!  And "NO!" I don't need snow to test them out! 

I would have a hard time picking out a favorite pair!  Today she is hosting the "kin" to a kringla and cookie making party:  cousin Denise, sister Janeen, sister-in-law Karen, nieces Morgan and Karissa and great-neice Vivvi.  Wish I was there to at help sample!!

Jolyn