Barn Quilt Gifts

As most of you know, we make homemade gifts for my side of the family for Christmas.  It really has become quite a fun, challenging, family tradition.  This year, I decided to make each family a barn quilt.  I love to see barns with painted, wooden quilts blocks. I can paint, and with the weather so nice I could keep the paint mess in the barn... wonderful plan! NOT!  All started well, the girls and I primed the boards in the barn.  We would put on a coat of primer every night, two coats on each side, 4 nights of priming and we were ready to paint.  The next night I put on the first coat of paint... this was great, a few more night and we would whip this project.  We took a few nights of with a Christmas program and Whirlybirds to attend, but we still has 10 days to complete the painting.  This is where my plan "went south."  First, it snowed and the wind blew 50 mph, so the snow blew in the barn and coated my barn quilts with a fresh dusting of snow.  Next the temperature dropped, so the snow would not melt and wood wouldn't dry off.  Don't give up!  We moved the projects to the basement on old sheets to dry and warm up,  The next 2 days I finished the base coat of painting and was ready for color,  On one of my shopping trips I picked up the colors of paint I needed from Wal Mart; light blue, dark blue, green, yellow, burgundy, red, and turquoise.  I was prepared for painting before I needed it... weird, I know!  So Friday before Christmas on Tuesday, I opened the paint. YIKES! I had four pints of yellow paint.  After cussing the Wal Mart workers for an hour, I realized I had the primary colors and I know the color wheel therefore, I can make my own colors! They were not perfect but they worked and I finished painting the barn quilts on the 23rd, two days before I needed them... weird, I know!  I can't wait to see all 4 of my projects hanging on the barns!

 Smith's Sheepfold

 Bish's Bear Paw

Utt's Flying Geese

Grandma Suzy has a Barn Quilt that is called Grandma's Garden, but I don't have a picture. 

Christmas Eve

Well it's Christmas Eve... the homemade gifts are complete (pictures and story later), ALL the gifts arrived (finally, Sunday morning FedEx delivery... another story), and we are loving our Christmas break.  Coffee in pajamas until 10, girls have played in the snow everyday a couple times a day, and made gingerbread houses.  We are anxiously waiting for Christmas events to begin!

Tis the Season

I love this time of year.

 

The anticipation of...

Christmas break, only 4 more school days,

making our secret homemade gifts,

the Christmas music on the radio,

receiving Christmas cards,

watching the NFR in my flannel pants,

online shopping,

ugly sweaters,

decorating cookies,

Christmas lights,

ceramic houses lit on the mantel,

the smell of Christmas Cottage Scentsy,

and the Christmas cheer everywhere!

 

Tis the wonderful Christmas Season!

 

70 degrees!

What do we do when it is 70 degrees in December? 

 

 

KAYAK!!!

 

I love this new hobby, and I can't wait until next spring to get back on water. 

These little beauties were the best Black Friday purchase EVER!

Chair Sweet Chair!

What do I do after making nearly 700 items for Shunem Seasons out of evergreens in the last month?  I finish up the laundry, swept the floor, have everything ready for the next day at 8:30pm, and sit in my sweet chair for hours... little TV, online shopping, finally update blog, and ordered Christmas cards. 

Great teamwork Shunem Season Superstars!