Spending the afternoon with your quilt buddies, what do you need beside cutting and ironing stations??

On December 6, 2018, I shared the post below. This post was one of my first AND is the most read and most shared post to this day. You all shared such warm and caring comments with me, appreciating the specialness of this childhood memory.  The past three years have been so very difficult with the pandemic.  I got Covid before it was cool (first week of January 2020) and was left with a life-threatening case of pulmonary fibrosis.  I missed last Christmas (2021) as I had the omicron strain. Though on supplemental oxygen, I have improved.  I’ve gotten stronger, have lost some weight (50+ lbs.) and have periods of creativity again! My Puppy Girls Emma and Gabby keep me company and well loved. And this past weekend, I brought out my Advent Calendar, to remind me of all I have to be grateful for and to appreciate these few weeks of love and peace.  For some of you, this is a repeat. For others, this will be your first time.  And for all of us, I hope it shines a light on all that can be and/or is good.  Love, Lynn

One of my very favorite Christmas memories was of the Advent calendar my Mother made at Home Bureau. It was a wonderful piece of family, of remembering all of the good that the holiday stood for.  It was made of a 2′ x 3′ piece of styrofoam, covered in gold felt and had a Christmas tree with a star at top glued onto it.  Underneath the tree were two rows of small pockets with numbers on each, where the tree “ornaments” were held.  The ornaments came from the small decoration kits, sometimes sold as fundraisers for school events.  Over the years, ornaments with special meaning were given to each of us and were exchanged for the original ones.  The calendar was always put up shortly after Thanksgiving, ready for December 1st.  It was a magical time indeed!!

There were seven of us kids – me as the oldest, my sister and then five brothers.  Each night, after dinner was served and dishes washed, dried and put away, one of us would have the honor of pulling out an ornament from the pocket and decide its location on the tree.  We went oldest to youngest and knew well ahead of time which night would be our turn to decorate the tree. Should we have company for dinner, then that evening’s draw would be granted to our guest.  With so many of us, there was only a couple of turns for each of us.  As we all grew older, there were now grandchildren and the Advent calendar went to my sister, to continue the tradition with her family.  It was very special when I was a guest, getting a chance to place an ornament.

Some years later, as I was to be married, I really wanted this tradition in our home.  Using my favorite block – the log cabin – I fashioned a Christmas tree from sixteen blocks, added the two rows with embroidered numbers below the tree and bought a small decoration kit from a friend’s school aged child. I was a very new quilter, so I added a layer of batting and glued the top to a piece of foam core board.  Always fond of angel figurines, I used angel button to top my tree. Over the years, ornaments with special meanings have replaced nearly all of the original ornaments. 

The Border Collie key ring is in memory of the original Puppy Girl Heidi, the logo for Puppy Girl Designs. The sewing mouse was given to me to represent my hand stitching.  Hallmark has some wonderful miniature ornaments each year – backyard birds and others. This year I splurged and bought both my mini bird but also this sweet puppy/kitty ornament as well – to represent my kids – the Puppy Girls Emma & Gabby and Feline littermates Jackson & Katie.  They all snuggle together, it’s sweet to watch.

And so began my own tradition, after dinner each evening, to pause and place that evening’s ornament onto the tree. Then stand back and admire, reflecting on all good in life, no matter how small.  Most of all, to remember a favorite family Christmas memory. 

Hello Quilters & Stitchers,

I’m coming OUT of hibernation and have many cool thoughts and ideas to share with you. If you do not yet “follow” Puppy Girl Designs on social media, you’re going to want to get signed up and into the action!!

http://facebook.com/PuppyGirlDesigns

http://instagram.com/PuppyGirlDesigns

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYcdFFVwTOwGCqwDOe1hHbw

There will be different info, projects, gifts and specials on different social media – don’t miss out on any of the fun.

On September 28, 2016, I commented on an article I had read in “Country Woman” magazine a couple of years before. I noted that the phrase “I can’t do hand stitching” and “I don’t have time for hand stitching” was simply not true. In fact, here was an example of a female astronaut, up in space, hand piecing quilts for her family while obviously being quite busy. Whether it is embroidery, applique, hand piecing or English Paper Piecing, there is and should always be time for creativity. You can read the blog post here –

Those of you who know me, know I’m a girl that reuses, recycles and repurposes many things in life AND I love pretty items in my home.  Using mix-n-match pieces, a coat of paint, a few useful decorative items and viola – a beautiful, compact sewing station!  Read the why and step by step directions from Susie at Carried Away Quilting.  Susie is so talented!!  I’m thinking of where I can place this in my new home!!

***Do you follow Puppy Girl Designs on Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram????  You really should as I post all sorts of different information on each platform.  Simply click on each link above, click “like” and “follow” and you’ll always be in the know!!  Until next time, keep stitching away!  Lynn and the Puppy Girls

It’s been a couple of months since I’ve been with you, feels even longer.  Like so many of us, life has been an extraordinary challenge.  I have moved four times between May 2020 and June 2021. Downsize, move, unpack and create a new home with Puppy Girls Emma & Gabby and sweet kitty Jackson. I’m very lucky I have any friends left with all this moving. The most recent was into a place I feel safe and was assured I could stay through Winter into Spring. 

With news of housing shortages and knowing that Spring will be here before you know it, I continued looking. Rentals, if/when you can find them, are outrageously expensive AND no pets. Have been a renter for most of my adult life, have also had multiple furbabies and home insurance, references from previous landlords and the vets.
When the opportunity arose to buy a mobile home and financing was arranged, I was disappointed again when the seller accepted a higher cash offer.  Cash money really does talk!
In early December, after being vaccinated, wearing a mask and social distancing, what I thought was a simple cold turned out to be a Covid (2nd time), Influenza A (2nd time), strep throat, and bilateral pneumonia (2nd time). I spent the next 6+ weeks home in bed.  I’m sooo tired of this Covid stuff!  Instead of celebrating Thanksgiving or Christmas, I focused on finding a new home for the kids and me and did all I could to get healthy. 

My soul took a beating the past couple of months and it’s only now that I have any energy for life. Am back to teaching EMS, am back looking for a place to live and am back to explain to all of you where the heck I’ve been these past months.  I sincerely hope that each of you and your families are healthy, that you found some joy during the holidays and are looking forward to being creative in the New Year. It’s good to be back!

Lynn