One Week

 Whew, what a difference a week can make! This time last week we were buried in snow and ice - this week we are looking at temps in the 70s! 

Before we entered the deep freeze, we made a trip to Houston to see the oldest and his bride. We didn't get to see them at Christmas so we took their gifts and now I can show you two projects I finished last year.

Brittany loves Halloween so her Christmas gifts included Halloween projects. This is Halloween Time by Needlework Press. I changed the fabric to 32ct Lavender Lugana (one over one) and I changed a couple of the colors. I mounted it in the Tim Holtz clock suggested after I spray painted it black. I love how it turned out and I am thinking about stitching it again for myself! LOL

I also made her a quilt. I used a pattern from Cotton Way, Emily's Garden in Blossom, with a jelly roll and charm pack from Riley Blake.

I swapped the appliqued flower out for a witches hat with her name embroidered on it.

I've made this quilt several times with different fabrics and will probably use it again. I just did (not so straight) straight line quilting.

We were pretty lucky last week in that we didn't have any pipes burst. Plumbers are busy, busy this week. The grocery stores are still bare from people stocking up last week and the lack of deliveries. We didn't have mail delivered all last week. Apparently snow and ice does keep the mail people from their appointed rounds.

I guess that's it for me today.

Happy Wednesday!

It Got Cold!

It's pretty, but it got cold! I took this from the back door Monday morning - too cold to go outside! We hit zero one night. Today is the first day it has been above freezing since Sunday, I think. We broke the record for the longest streak of temps below freezing. (201 hours) I hope I don't live long enough to see that record broken again!

We were part of that rolling blackout thing that didn't work.

The first few times the power went out (Sunday night) it stayed off a few hours then came back on for a bit but by Monday it was off for 5+ hours at a time and would only come back on for a short period of time. Never got the temp in the living room out of the 50s - and that was with the fireplace going full force.

So grateful for friends that refused to let me stay at home alone with no power. They picked me up Tuesday and I stayed with them until yesterday afternoon. (they never lost power) We were doing pretty good until we lost water on Wednesday. (most of town lost water) I was not meant to be a pioneer woman. That collecting and melting snow just to flush toilets is not for me. The water did come back on Wednesday night but the pressure was really low and we were told to boil any water we were going to consume.

Hubby has been parking in the street the little time he as been home. He has been working really long hours. He even spent the night there one night. Found an empty spot on a floor and slept for a few hours. When I got home yesterday I shoveled the front sidewalk so it would be clear when he got home after dark. (it looks like snow but there was ice under there!)

This is why he has been parking in the street. You really can't tell how steep that driveway is from a photo. When the power was out we had to open and close the garage door manually - well it doesn't  matter if you are coming up or going down, you don't stop and get out on that driveway if there is ice. Though I doubt he could have made it back up by Tuesday anyway.

I don't think I will see any more iris blooms this year.

Apparently someone used our driveway for a slide!

I scrapped off  what I thought might be enough for hubby to get the left side tires on pavement this afternoon but when I took the picture it looks like there is still enough there to refreeze tonight so he will probably park out front again tonight. (that ice was several inches thick and I only had a small shovel) The driveways across the street had enough sun today to melt but ours doesn't get full sun at any time during the day during the winter. It will some when the time changes but that doesn't help today.

Our power seems to be stable and our water pressure is almost back to normal but we are still having to boil it before using for cooking or drinking.

We haven't had mail or trash service all week. I know those of you who live in the north think 7.5 inches of snow is nothing and just the snow wouldn't have been such a problem but the ice and bitter temps were just too much. We just aren't prepared for this kind of weather. We have had a few hours of sunshine and above freezing temps today so that helps. It will refreeze tonight but then I think we have a couple of days of more sunshine and above freezing temps so it should all melt away soon. So far we haven't had issues with the inside pipes but we will have to wait a little longer to assess the sprinkler situation.

I'll need to save these photos to look at in July, August and September when the temps are over 100!

 I'll try to post some kind of crafty pictures next time!

 

Brrr - It's cold outside!

 

Happy Valentines Day!

My Valentine flag is frozen mid-wave! 

I assumed when I made my last post that would be all the snow for this year - we rarely get snow, but here we are again. This time it is coming with ice, which is what usually happens here. We have only had ice once in the nearly 5 years we have been in this house. For the most part, we (Texans) are not prepared for weather like this. We don't have the proper attire to be out in it and we don't know how to drive in it. (even though some people think they do) It's starting to get dark now and we are supposed to have more ice/snow along with bitter cold temps overnight. Like single digit with wind chill below zero temps. Brrrr. 

Why don't we take a look around inside, where it's warm? 

This is the first 'tray' I bought to decorate. I've had it a couple of years and it's pretty much the same as past years.

The galvanized tray was fun to decorate so last year I bought this tiny tiered tray at Target.

Again, basically the same as last year.

I added a new tiered tray this year. Not a lot in it yet but there is always next year. 

The white cabinet in the living room. The pillow on the left is an old Lizzie Kate pattern (I think it said 1999) I stitched it this year and made the pillow. The pillow on the right was a gift from a friend.

I replaced the bow on the flat fold this year. I don't remember what year I stitched/finished that one but it was a Secret Needle Night kit from The Silver Needle. (I know it was before 2009) The orginal bow was out of the same cording that is around the edge but it had raveled and looked awful. The piece on top is a Heart in Hand freebie - I think from last year. (again stitched this year) I have it in a little 'crate' thing I found at HL. It may stay there, may not.

That seems to be all the photos I took. Hmmm. Mostly it's the same as last year with a few new things here and there.