My Trees

 People are putting beautiful snow or sunrise pictures for Christmas Day. I know that California is thought of having the best in weather and like many parts of the country it got a change as well. While I was gone on my trip to Minnesota we had a week and half of freezing temperatures. In the nine years I have been in this area, we have perhaps had one day or two each year. I had just planted some new trees in October. This is my avocado tree. Spring will tell me if the roots are still alive and my trees will live. While I was gone someone put on the internet that this was Florida Hate Day. It showed a map of the US with only Florida having nice temperatures. I do have a friend in Florida that said that they had cold weather too. So I will be going out in my garden to begin to get rid of the frozen parts of plants and look to the spring to see what has made it.

These are my sweet peas that I planted before I left and they made it through.

Purse

 This is the purse that I made for my sister Mary for Christmas. The body of the purse is silk from a kimono. I used my Dad's old silk ties for the decoration on the flap. I also added a couple of pieces of silk kimono. Then I used the labels from the ties and buttons from my Grandfather's shirts. I think my Dad bought ties on his travels and these were from different parts of the world. My sister was very pleased.

Hope you are all have a nice Christmas and have God's Blessings come your way this new year.

Minnesota

 My sister Mary and niece Amber visited the Como Park Conservatory while I was in Minnesota. My parents visited almost every holiday. Usually the poinsettias are specially developed ones from the University of Minnesota. We were quite surprised how many buildings were built on now and it was so much bigger then we remember it. I think it is called change.

Red Hats

Stepping out today with the Red Hats for our Xmas lunch. Wearing a hat, shirt and pants that I made.

Vogue 8817

 Just finished Kathrine Tilton's t-shirt pattern. Really like it. I will make it again. I watched Katherine and Marcy's t-shirt Craftsy workshop and learned many tips. I used rayon jersey from Emma One Sock Online Fabrics. I have never sewn with this fabric before and love the soft feel of it. It is a little hard to sew with as it rows and thin. I would sew with it again though. I don't know what I was thinking but I got into all kinds of problems with matching stripes. The side seams were impossible to match. It has a princess line front and back, which I really like, but I should not have picked strips to make this shirt. I love the back insert at the neck upper back. I used mesh on the sleeves and back piece. It makes the shirt very fashionable, but not warm. I am leaving tomorrow to see my family in Minnesota and was thinking I would take this shirt. The temperatures will probably be below 0. So I had to rethink what I was taking.

We are dealing with freezing temperatures here as well. We have had to cover our new trees and move many potted plants to a covered area. I have about 50 potted plants that I use through out the garden to decorate, so this was so easy task.

Will be back in ten days. Maybe I will have some snow pictures to put on while in Minnesota.
Have a creative day.