I've been staying busy with learning to crochet with the smallest hook EVER (not really as I have found out there are way smaller from my friend, Claude).  This kind of work is ball busting. Hard to keep pushing  forward on, but I insist on finishing just this one bookmark. That will be the smaller of these two peices. The one on the right.  It is halfway done...

 I've been on hikes with family.

 See birdie in tree.....beautiful!!!

 And shopping at our new outlet shoppes.  Love this on cooler evenings!

 My grands have had awards ceremonies and now in the midst (tonight and tomorrow night) of their musical performances at school.
Staying busy, having fun, and surrounded by love! What more could I ask? So grateful.
Love to you all,
Julie

My first pillowcase!

AND...this one has french seams, which means you have no exposed seams throughout the inside or outside of the case!!!  It's ultra cool!  It was my test pillow. I used some of my Princess Tiana fabric, and had left overs of the pink flannel for the cuff, and the pink and white checks for the trim.  I have to say I think it turned out really great!  It is from the tutorial by my great inspirational leader and confidence builder, Vanessa at Crafty Gemini.  The only pillows I had were king sized.  Not sure how that happened, but I guess I need some new standard sized ones!  So the end of the king pillow is sticking out, otherwise it would look more normal on a standard.  You can get the idea though.

And a close up.  I love that pink check trim with the dainty pink lined soft flannel.  Sorry the sun was streaming down on the pillow!

Thanks again Crafty Gemini!  I'm on my way to making more!
Here is the tutorial:

Mad recap of latest happenings!

My friend Carolyn, in Gainesville and I exchange handmade items each month, and look at what she made me!  A knitted cactus pin cushion!  LOVE!!!!

We visited the church where hubby and I married 26 years ago, also in Gainesville.  Love this sign hanging over the entrance!  PEACE, LOVE, and JOY TO ALL WHO ENTER HERE.

 Donovan pulling the rope to ring the bell in the steeple!  That was fun!

 Inside picture of the Kanapaha Presbyterian Church.  The members were inside cleaning and decorating for Christmas, and we met a deacon.  He showed us some of the upgrades.  The ceiling had been redone.  There were new buildings. They left the kerosene chandelier in top left of photo. The church is thriving.  If we ever move back there, this will be my church!.

 This is a huge sinkhole in Gainesville.  Called Devil's Millhopper.  You walk down a million stairs to the near bottom, and it was full of the most amazing gray, green blue water.  I had never seen it with so much water in the 10 years I had lived there (from 1980-1990).  It was magical...

 This is my DIL, Ginny, and daughter, Carolyn in front of the waterfall.

 Carolyn.  It was chilly!  We wore scarves!

 Emily posing with Mr. Wobbles outside the Columbia Restaurant where we had our Thanksgiving meal in St. Augustine.  We love this city!  Mr. Wobbles did too!

 Carolyn as a mermaid at a gorgeous park there!

 Mr. Wobbles rides the trolley around the oldest city in the U.S!

 He is happy to be back here again...ready to be stowed away until next years adventure!!!

Happy holiday season to you all.  The fun is just beginning!
XOXO- Julie