From Arlene's Kitchen - our book update

Allyson and Michael looking at our book From Arlene's Kitchen

Alan and I made a lot of progress on editing the third edition of my recipe and story book From Arlene's Kitchen in the last three weeks. Using Picasa I was able to create collages of the food and family pictures. I now have 105 photos and just finished the list of illustrations. Yeah. Alan has done a lot of formating and editing. The index and layout of the recipes look fantastic. I want to finish editing and then we can get it printed and bound. Update January 2, 2011. We were able to get it finished and gave it to Allyson and Michael on January 1 at the Family holiday diner at Gary Danko. I was very pleased with how it looked this year. Alan did an amzing job on the index. Next year we need to take the paper and pcitures to kinkos before we print and they will trim the paper to size.

 

Back Cover 2011

Our Christmas Trees

Our Chjristmas Trees and Allyson and Mike's Christmas Tree.





Howard's Christmas Window

 


Howard's Dining Room - Angel and Snowflake Tree with my Mom's hand crochet ornaments.

Howard's Kitchen - Christmas card tree made from tomato cages by my neighbor Cindy.  It has our first string of lights on it that we bought in 1962. They still work.





Allyson with their Christmas Tree



Howard's Kitchen window



Saint Luica's Day

Had a nice morning yesterday with my quilt group. I think I am making a friend. It is always so hard to do this. I am keeping busy trying to get the 3^rd edition of my From Arlene’s Kitchen book done for Christmas. I made a lot of progress this year. This week I am working on the photos and it is a major effort. I am making an attempt to get them done in Picasa rather than have the collage done by Costco. All I can say it is no small task. Alan is busy with the formatting, no small task either.

Yesterday was Saint Lucias day (Swedish holiday); I always make a ham and pea soup and I serve it with small thin pancakes and ligonberries.

Had a nice Christmas letter from a friend named Betty who lived in the apartment below me when we lived in Hayward. I have never known her age and in her letter yesterday she told me she will be 98 in May. She still swims every day, has for about 50 years and still drives and plays pool with the guys. Betty is amazing. I am so inspired by her. WOW!

Christmas Quilts

Here are my Christmas Quilts.

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December Dear Jane BOW and Wedding Ring Quilt Update


Got sleeves on two of my Christmas quilts; got one hung. Got wedding quilt laid out. Update January 23, 2011. The following are all of the December BOWs for Dear Jane.


I-1 Ralph's and Nelda's Weddding



E-2 Rising Sun for Christmas Ornament

I-3 Family Album





I-2 Kaye's Courtyard





A few of my Christmas Santa ornaments from 2009, 2008 and 2007

Here are some of my Santa ornaments that I make each year for gifts. I try to personalize them to whomever I am giving them to. Posting these on the blog makes me realize I should take pictures of all my little Santa children.

2008 Santas given as hostess gifts



2009 Santa's sent to pen pal Barbara in Australia - in remembrance of her dogs.



Wedding Quilt and Block of Week

I picked up the wedding quilt from Karen and it looks fabulous. Here it is before all the quilting was finished. My next step is to get the cutting table cleared of Alan's Ahwahnee quilt so I can lay it out and trim it and put on the binding.

Here is my alternate block of week: I-1 Ralph and Nelda's Wedding. I have completed 65 blocks and 964 pieces.