Yep, 2018 is finally here!! I hope everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!!! Let's make this our year and do some amazing things, agreed?

I don't know what happened to the month of December!! I know I was busying stitching and enjoying the holiday celebrations. First some pictures of our decorations.

Then at night when the lights are on....

Well, as much as I love decorating for Christmas, tomorrow it all gets put away! Hubby already took advantage of our low snowfall this year, and removed all of the outdoor decorations.

 That's not all I accomplished in the month. First, the 18th was our 35th wedding anniversary, so I made my husband a special gift. His mother has been in heaven for 20 years now, so I took some of her fabric, didn't know she was a crazy quilter till after she had passed away! Then I embellished four blocks with some favorite pictures...needless to say, he loved it and had some tears!

Celebrating Mom in Heaven for 20 years; Sandy and I being married for 35 years; and I have been crazy quilting for 20 years!!!

Sandy graduating from college.

Mom playing with a string and Sissy, our deaf cat, who lived till age 17.

We toasted mom's life after the funeral at the Tony's Fish Market on the Beach. When we were back for Sandy's 50th reunion in September we stopped by again, just to get a picture of the setting sun!  

Front of his gift, with all four blocks sewn together. I used her fabrics again for the backing, did each block individually and then sewn together.

 

Needless to say, he loves it!

Now, it's time to see how my Gospel in the Stars quilt is coming along. As some of you know I am doing this with Sharon Boggon's 2020 Crazy Quilt Challenge!

Each one of the squares have now been backed individually, and will be sewn together. Here are pictures of the constellations and their backs... starting with Virgo...

Libra...

Scorpio...

Sagittarius...

Capricorn...

Aquarius...

Pisces...

Aires...

Taurus...

Gemini...

Cancer...

Last, but not least, Leo...

Then the four corners...first one is called Creation Day 4...

 Next I call Treasures...

Next, on the lower left, is Prince of Peace...

And last corner...God's Glory...

Now this puts me a little over 800 on my count...so I had to keep going! Since there are  48 constellations, 3 for each of the original 12, I knew I could add more...

Virgo, is stitched but not yet backed..

then Libra has been stitched...

Scorpio is also stitched..

And as you can see, they cross the whole top, with Sagittarius and Capricorn coming down the side...The center keeps evolving...these are paper patterns laid out for contemplation.

Well, I am at the point that I will continue making the blocks to go around the quilt again. Not sure of exact count, but am sure over 1000. I have it written down, just haven't added it all up. I will before I start the center, because it will become critical by that time!! 

Thanks for following on my journey. I hope it blesses you as much as this project is blessing me!!

Happy Stitching!

Christmas is just around the corner....who is ready for that? Not me!!!

The picture above is a Christmas ornament that I made many years ago.  I entered it in the Idaho State Fair in September and it took First place!!!  I will have a tutorial on how to make one for yourself in first issue of the Crazy Quilt Quarter early spring. That way it will give you all year to make plenty for  gifts! This magazine is not only the best crazy quilt eye candy, but the only one!!! Pamela Kellogg is the publisher/owner and we all love her. The publication is a print-on-demand, which means you can order any of the back issues!

 Well, let's get caught up on where I left off on my2020 Challenge. I left off with four corners pieced to be embellished! 

I call this one, "Creation Day 4".  In Genesis we are told God created the stars on the  4th day!

  "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:  And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.  And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.  And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,  And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
Gen 1:19  And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. " Gen. 1:14-19

Why this is amazing to me...God created His Redemption Plan BEFORE He created Adam and Eve on the 6th day!!!

So, I have at least a dozen patterns of using four! Obvious, is the yellow star in the lower right corner. The four white stars, four stitches in the Maidenhair stitch, etc. The total count on this block is 36. I have used Pearl Cotton threads not used yet, along with stitches, combos, and beads, etc. that I have not used yet!

This block's challenge is to do all stitches with ribbon embroidery, all white originally, and then painted with ProMarkers after stitching! The flower spray at the bottom, was in a stitch book, and it's called "The Treasures of the Garden." So I chose that as the title of this block! The two trees are the trees in the Garden of Eden.

"And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil." Gen 2:9 

Of course, the tree of on the left is the Tree of Life and the tree on the right is the Tree of Knowledge. Again, just like the first corner, the fabrics, the stitches, embellishments have not been used yet in this challenge. The count is 41!

The star in the upper right corner symbolized Sirius, which is in the sky at night, just below Orion. Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky, and it means Prince. Orion, right above Sirius, in ancient languages means Coming Forth as light! 

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isa 9"6

So, I used a star lace from Nicki Lee Seavey.

Then the two"streamers" are from Cathy Kizerian .

This star represents Sirius, and the block is called Prince of Peace!

http://earthsky.org/tonight/orion-heralds-return-of-sirius

This block finished with a count of 40!!!

And finally! The last corner! I call this one, "Stars of God!" I love this quote from Job: 

  "Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?  Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?" Job 38:31,32

God is asking Job is he able to control the stars in the heavens?  Mazzaroth is a Hebrew word, meaning:

Mazzaroth [N] [H] [S]

"prognostications, found only Job 38:32 , probably meaning "the twelve signs" (of the zodiac), as in the margin (Compare 2 Kings 23:5 )."

 This block total count is 30.  Which now brings my total for 16 blocks 771! 

Thanks for following and enjoying this journey with me. I hope it blesses you as it is me!

Happy Stitching!