Merry Christmas!!! As I sit here tonight I have to admit that this season I have been thinking how Mary must have felt when she found out she would be having the Son of God. After watching the Miracle of Christmas in Branson, I have to say that seeing Mary so excited when she found out the news was quite a different perspective for me. Can you imagine what she felt and having to tell Joseph and her family? Wow, it is hard for me to comprehend! - My gifts are all wrapped and ready to go. I finished everything yesterday so today I focused on cooking. Things didn't start out so well. I make a recipe for mashed potatoes that takes sour cream and cream cheese. It is a great recipe as it can be made the day ahead. Anyway, I made the lumpiest potatoes I have ever made. I called my sister, Kathy, to tell her she would be making them next year, but she said she knows they will be just fine! Anything to get out of making the potatoes! Then I am making the strawberry pretzel salad. I forgot to add the sugar with the pretzels and butter. Let me tell you, it doesn't work without the sugar! I went to put the second layer on the pretzels and the pretzels were like powder. I dumped that in the garbage and started over. Luckily I had pretzel rods from cookie baking and used them instead of the small pretzels. I'll let you know how they turned out! Well, I need to grab my knitting and watch "White Christmas." That is one of my very favorite movies and I love the song, "Count Your Blessings." On this Christmas Eve I count my blessings for all of you and I thank God for the greatest gift that he gave me - JESUS!!! Have a Blessed Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas to all

I think my family will be so shocked. This will be the first time in years that all presents given will be completed before not after Christmas. They won't know how to act. Well, I must say I like the feeling. Praying that your loved ones as well as mine all safely get where they want to go over the next few days. Check our latest newsletter at our website for the shop hours and information about the sale soon after the new year! Beth for QG

Are you ready?

Are you ready for Christmas? If you are, kudos to you! If you aren't, join us here at Quilter's Garden. We have two sew days--tomorrow from 10-5 and Monday from 10-5. Come and join the fun as we all try to get ready for the BIG DAY. - We have some great last minute gift ideas ready for you. Of course, you can always make a pillowcase using our easy pattern, make a book cover out of Shannon, or give one of our neat notions. We just love the new binding tool. They are $9.99 and would make a great stocking stuffer. Since Armida's hands are getting sore, I actually had to do some bindings and I can't believe what a difference the binding tool made. No more sticking myself with pins or losing them in the chair! - I don't know about you, but I get so much satisfaction giving a gift that I made. I decided that instead of making a "bucket list", I would make a quilt list of people I wanted to give quilts to. I have already crossed off the first name on my list. My cousin, Wendy, and I don't trade gifts, but I wanted her to have a quilt. I dropped the quilt off yesterday at her mom's and my aunt is going to deliver it to Massachusetts next week. - Christmas stirs up so many past memories for me and I have to remember to slow down a bit and recall all of those wonderful times and to also remember the reason we are celebrating this season.

TaTa for now,
Carol