Keep Smiling

Keep Smiling

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Cheap Decorating Idea & Steve's Christmas Quilt

I had this wonderful idea,
that I just have to share with you.
It packs a punch and costs very little.
 This is one of my paintings.
It is hanging in one of the bedrooms.
Well, I am in the mood to start decorating
 for Christmas, so . . . 
I wrapped it, made a big tag
and hung it back on the wall.
No need to find a place to store it until after Christmas 
and it fills the wall with Christmas cheer.
Why didn't I thinK of this years ago :)
I wanted to do just a little to make the room
look festive.
All that I did was change the blue bedspread
 for this red and tan quilt.
Sew one Christmas fabric pillow case . . .
and sew some of the ribbon that I found at Walmart 
to a set of white pillow cases. 
 This is how the bed looks right now . . .
waitng for Steve to get home from work,
to start his vacation and open his 
Christmas quilt. 
I won't bore you with a lot of words . . .
but Steve asked me for a Christmas quilt
this year.
One that he can get out each Thanksgiving
and put away each New Years.
This is it!
Finished and ready for giving.


 My sweet man loves Christmas.

 I tried to incorporate everything he loves about it
in this quilt.
There are 39 different fabrics in this quilt.




 All of the embroidery patterns are from Oregon Patchwork designs.
Except for these trees.
I found them in a book that I have called
Redwork from The Workbasket by Rebecca Kemp Brent
~~~~~***~~~~~ 

 The fabric was a mix of some purchased from JoAnnes, 
some scraps and a jelly roll purchased from 
Green Fairy Quilts



 This is the back side.

 You may have noticed that this is a quilt as you go quilt.
I did the entire quilt on my regular sewing machine,
except for the embroidery of course. 
This is the label.

~~~~~***~~~~~
I know that he will love it . . .
and that I can give him a big 
Christmas hug everytime he wraps
up in it, for many years to come :)

~~~~~***~~~~~ 

Have a lovely weekend.
&
whatever you do,
Keep Smiling!

~~~~~***~~~~~ 

Your blogging sister,
Connie :)
 

60 comments:

  1. What an absolutely wonderful gift that quilt is!

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    1. Thank you so much. He opened it this evening when he got home from work. He loves it :)

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  2. I did not know you painted. Please show us more. The quilt is so pretty and what a wonderful gift. Love the label too, how did you make it?

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    1. Hi Betty, I used to paint all the time and had several gallery shows. I was hoping that it would be a side line to drawing social security. I just got busy with other things and stopped and then injured my hand. I might get back to it someday, but it just doesn't seem like the thing to do right now. Yes I did make the label, I used iron-on transfers to make it.

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  3. What a beautiful quilt, Connie. I love how he embraces the holiday, decor and all...how wonderful!

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    1. I do too . . . he makes Christmas fun just my his contagious excitement :)

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  4. You have made an amazing quilt! Wow! What a blessed hubby you have!

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  5. Oh my gosh Connie! This is so sweet! I love the quilt and what a special special gift! And your genius idea of wrapping the painting and putting it back on the wall...I just might have to copy this :-) Enjoy your visit! The room looks amazing. He's going to love it. Have a great weekend friend!

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    1. Hi Sherry, I don't know why I never thought of doing that before. I am always hanging something else and then seeking out a place to store wall art without damaging it. Wrap it up and put a bow on it . . . sometimes the simplest of ideas take us the longest to come up with, LOL.

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  6. The quilt is stunning and made with love, such a thoughtful gift. I also love the simple but effective idea of wrapping up pictures for the season. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. I'm delighted that you like my quilt, it was fun incorporating all his favorite things about Christmas into it. He opened it when he got home from work and will be covering up with it while watching TV between now and New Years. The best part is he loves it . . . he even shed a tear, but I'm not telling anyone about that, LOL.

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  7. Oh Connie, I have tears in my eyes from this post. Your quilt is absolutely gorgeous, and such a work of love, and tenderness.I'd be a weepy mess if I was given something like this. I wish I could hug you.What a dear you are!

    Thank you for this lovely post.
    Judy xx

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    1. Oh my goodness Judy, what a very sweet thing to say, you have made my evening :) Thank you.

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  8. oh Connie, that quilt is awesome. What a great gift. I love your idea of wrapping the picture too. I was in the dollar store the other day and saw some wrapping paper that I really liked the looks of but I didn't buy it. Now I need to go back and see if they still have it because it would look good wrapped around a picture and hanging on the wall

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    1. Hey Ann, I am so happy that you are going to use my idea. It's so simple; I don't know why it took me so long to think of it, LOL.

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  9. Oh WOW! What an amazing quilt - so much detail. I love that you've used so many different fabrics, just beautiful! xx

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    1. Hi Liz, thank you! He was so excited by it and has thanked me many times this evening . . . it's wonderful when you put your heart into something that is appreciate so much :)

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  10. Such a pretty quilt Connie....you are very talented. I like the way you made your house a home. Wish I lived closer to you....I'd visit you quite often.
    Louise

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    1. Hi Louise, I wish you did too . . . my welcome mat is always out. I think we would have fun together :) Thank you for the sweet compliment on the quilt, it was a lot of fun to make . . . many hours of work, but everyone enjoyable :)

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  11. Oh Connie....that quilt is gorgeous and I know Steve will love it! The love you put into it is so sweet. The tag is the perfect finishing touch and made me tear up a little. Your bedroom lloks great...love the ideas! I hope you have a wonderful Friday and enjoy your time with that sweet hubby of yours.

    Hugs, Vicky

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    1. Hi Vicky, Steve is off work until the Monday after Thanksgiving, so I'm sure that we will be doing a lot of things together. Because this starts his vacation, I let him open his quilt tonight, he loves it. He even shed a tear or two . . .and said it was the nicest thing anyone has ever made him. That sure makes all the hours that I put into it very worth it. The truth is each and every hour was a pleasure and an enjoyment. He's my sweetheart :)

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  12. Oh Connie, I love your Christmas quilt story!

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  13. I have a red and white monkey wrench quilt made by my grandmother. The white part is feed sacks. I bring it out at Christmas.

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    1. Hello Gail, I do hope that you take a photo of it and share it on your blog. I would love to see it. When I was a little girl, flour came in pretty printed cotton sacks. My Moma would let me pick the sack that I liked and then she would make me a dress from it. She was a wonderful seamstress and I was dressed very prettily in my printed flour sack dresses.

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  14. I love your quilt and the new tradition you have started! What a wonderful piece to go to sleep with every night and to wake up to every morning.
    I have wrapped my pictures in the living room like presents before. I do not have "Christmas" pictures to hang, not enough room to store the rest of the year. A little paper goes a long way with a pretty bow. I do love the tag you put on yours.

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    1. Hi Tete, I knew that there would be some talented ladies that had thought of doing this way before me . . . it's so simple, I don't know what took me so long to come up with it. He opened his quilt tonight after work . . . and he loves it :)

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  15. This really is a work of art....and a work of love. It will give him pleasure for all of the winter months to come. How talented you are my friend. Hugs, Diane

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    1. Hi Diane, thank you so much. He's my Christmas sweetheart . . . he opened it tonight and he loves it :)

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  16. Hi Connie, I come by from time to time to admire the crafty things you make but I don't think I've ever left a comment before. Today I just had to because that quilt is simply lovely and so meaningful too. I don't sew or quilt or do any handwork so I am in awe of those who can do so. Keep on enjoying life!

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    1. I am delighted that you extended your visit and added a comment, this is the only way I know who visited and the only way for me to reach out and say thank you. I do have a lot of hours into this quilt, but each and everyone was done with love. I am blessed with a very sweet husband and he is overjoyed with his new quilt.

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  17. What a wonderful gift of love. It will keep him warm inside and out! You did a great job on that quilt!

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    1. Thank you so much Lorrie . . . he loves it :)

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    1. Hello Jill, it is always a pleasure having you stop by, and thank you for your sweet comment :)

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  19. Hi Connie, Steve's quilt is so pretty and looks so special which I am sure he will think it is. Love what you wrote on the tag on it. Something to be cherished forever. Your bed looks very festive now that you have decorated it so nice. Nancy

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    1. Hi Nancy, thank you so much . . . you are so sweet :) Steve opened it Thursday evening when he got home from work and he loves it. Now he'll have it to warm up in through the holidays :)

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  20. This Christmas quilt is so beautiful...Steve is absolutely going to love it! I can only imagine how much love and care went into making this most special gift. I love the label you made, too. Like icing on the cake. :-)

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    1. Hi Melanie, you are so sweet. My Steve loves everything about Christmas and I did my best to incorporate all of his Christmas loves into the quilt. He would probably have loved a plate of cookies, too . . . but that didn't happen, LOL.

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  21. Connie what a lovely gift - and what a lovely man to have requested such a thing! This is how Family Traditions are made! You've made such a great job with it as well, it will be a family favourite year after year. And I love what you've done with your bedding too! We shall be somewhere lovely and warm for Christmas so very few Christmas preparations going on round here; lovely to be privy to everyone else's though! Lxxx

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    1. Hi Lynne, sounds like you have a trip planned. It is always a treat to escape the cold weather in winter :) I'm sure that your Christmas will be merry wherever you are. You're the kind of lady that brings joy into a room, just by being there.

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  22. Oh Wow the quilt is absolutely Gorgeous he is going to love it, such great embroidery and fabrics!! I also love the homespun feel to the quilt you put on your bed for the winter, the extra touches you gave to the pillow cases are so pretty too!

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    1. Hi Connie, thank you for all of your sweet comments. That bed room is normally in blues and greens, but I thought a little red would be pretty for winter. Besides that, that red quilt that I put on the bed is much warmer than the blue one that I took off :)

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  23. The wrapped Christmas "gift" on the wall is brilliant, Connie. I love Steve's quilt, but what really moved me was the label. Now that's LOVE! You two are models for a happy marriage! xo

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    1. Hi Nancy, I'm afraid that we are like all marriages, we have our ups and downs, but the longer we have been married the easier it is to realize that the downs need to be taken care of quickly. When we argue about anything our arguments usually last about a minute (not so in our younger days, LOL). Isn't it funny, how you marry this person you love, but through the years you realize that the love you felt way back then is so small compared to the love that has grown and matured through the years. I feel very blessed :)

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  24. Fantastic! Such great decorating ideas, Connie and oh, my, that quilt. Wow. You hubby is going to be over the moon when he sees his special made quilt. It's wonderful!

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    1. Hello Katherine, thank you so much. He opened it Thursday evening, so that he can enjoy it through the holidays . . . he loves it! He even cried when he read the label. Have a lovely weekend, sweet girl :)

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  25. Connie- That is an absolutely beautiful quilt. Every stitch put in there with love and caring. It will be a treasure for him all his life. You did a fantastic job. I love your choice of fabrics AND your label. Beautiful work. xo Diana
    ps. Cute idea for the picture, too, wrapping it like a gift.

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    1. Hi Diana, I am delighted that you like it . . . Steve opened it Thursday evening after work and he loves it. He even cried a little when he read the label.

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  26. Connie,
    I love the quilt! And Steve will treasure it. Handmade gifts are always the best!
    I used to wrap all of my pictures. I think I stopped because I started getting Chtistmas pictures for gifts. But seeing Steves gift wrapped on the bed gave me an idea to wrap our decorative pillows with Christmas material and ribbon! Lord knows I have a stash!

    Cindy Bee

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    1. Hi Cindy, that is a brilliant idea . . . I might use that, too . . . I love how one idea can snowball and grow into many more :)
      Thank you for sharing!

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  27. Oh that is such a wonderful quilt, and I love the label ... just perfect.

    Have a good week ahead.

    All the best Jan

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  28. I think it's funny that you post all your beautiful projects, but what I am taking away today is a simple project. I love the anchor trim on the pillow case. I love white sheets, but I am going to sew some pretty white trim with blue stars on the edge of some pillowcases. Thanks for the inspiration.

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    1. Hi Carol, this is funny, because as I was sewing this grosgrain ribbon onto my pillow cases I was thinking of you. I knew that this would be something that you would appreciate :) The fact that it is nautical and a primary color is something I thought would appeal to you. I'm looking forward to seeing your pillows :)

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  29. Amazing quilt and great label! That's a wonderful present as for me. I like to give presents to my husband too, but the most thing I can't wait for is to give first ever Christmas present to my son. It would be his first Christmas) He's our little miracle as I kept on doing the tests which were negative, but still had some pregnancy symptoms and only in some time I've found this article: http://rocketparents.com/pregnancy-symptoms-but-negative-test/.

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    1. Congratulations and have a wonderful first Christmas with your son, how special :)

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