I Was Cleaning Out a Drawer.....

 I was cleaning out a drawer in my sewing room this week when I found a cute applique piece I'd done in 2010....signed and dated but not finished.  I don't even remember doing this piece!  Well, vaguely I remember doing several similar ones but thought I'd used them all in something or other.  I just added a border, quilted the whole thing and made a pillow.  Another Christmas present finished!  :)

Maybe a little closer to see the quilting?

I had already done the blanket stitching and added the buttons so I just did a few loops on the background and a wave type design on the border.  I've had a lot of fun doing free motion quilting since I gave myself permission to be a beginner forever.  :)

While I was in the sewing room I decided to stitch up a scissors holder I'd seen at Vicki's Fabric Creations - click here for the tutorial.

Maybe a side view?

Mine didn't turn out exactly like hers but I like it a lot anyway.  She showed hers with three sizes scissors in it....I found it will hold scissors, seam ripper, a pencil. a seam gauge...whatever you want it to.  I do like that I can slide my scissors down in it and slip the whole thing in my to-go bag when I'm headed to my stitching group.  The points won't poke a hole in anything and they are all easy to find.

Meanwhile, I'm working on a counted cross stitch piece for an upcoming blog hop - it's been years since I've done any cross stitching but thankfully it's all coming back to me!

On a family note.....our grandson and his wife signed the papers yesterday for their very first home!

Isn't it just awesome Christmas present to give each other - buying their first house?  And you want to know the best part of it all?  They are right down the street from me!  Yes, I'm thrilled!  And look at the gift the family of the former owners left for them....

Such a kind and thoughtful gesture.  We've moved several times and sold several houses but I never thought to do something like this.  I love to catch people at their best - too often we see the negative things people do.  I will remember this act of kindness and I know our grandchildren will too.