Retreat Show and Tell

Hand Lotion

My hands are VERY dry.  Cracking at the finger nail corners, white and dry, calloused, sand paper fingers.  My kids and husband have told me at one time or another not to touch them with my fingers because they were like sand paper (true story).  No matter how much lotion I would put on, they would stay exactly like they were all winter long.

Then I started using Vaseline and it changed my hands.  They were miraculously mended.  But alas, I read how bad Vaseline is and stopped using it.  Now, I found this.  All natural, made by me so I know exactly what is in it and it works perfectly.  I wont tell you it is not greasy though.  Because it is, but it works like a charm.

I will tell you this stuff is kind of greasy.  It is not the kind of lotion you put on repeatedly through the day and hope to be able to touch things without leaving a greasy mark.  This is the kind of lotion you rub on your hands before bed. Or before you spend the day in your mittens playing outside in the snow.

Lovely Healing Hand Lotion

1/4  cup almond oil or olive oil
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup beeswax (melted)
1 teaspoon Vitamin Oil
2 tablespoons shea butter
drops of essential oil, such as orange, lavender, rosemary

Melt bees wax in a pan.  Remove from heat and add the remainder of ingredients.  Beat together with a whisk or a mixer. Make sure everything is incorporated before stopping. Let cool a little, beat again. Let cool completely, beat again.  Pour into jars and enjoy!

February Retreat

 The view out our window above and below.

 This day was foggy- could not see the lake that is just beyond the trees.

I love taking pics of knotty trees.

After some overnight wintry mix, there were these beautiful crystals on the branches.

Almost makes you want to pull up a chair and have tea.

 I did not mess with the color of this photo.  Isn't the blueish tinge beautiful!?!

I have more pics of projects that people did.  I will show you those in the next post.  Here are some hexie quilts.

Not hexies but done the same way hexies, just a different shape.

Love Is In The Air

I made one of these heart blocks for my daughter.  The plan was to make just two- mug rugs for my girls.  And then I kinda got carried away making heart blocks.  I guess I was in a Valentine mood.  I may make a table runner out of it.  Its not really my decor style but maybe I will give them away to someone who would appreciate them.  They are so stinkin' cute.

This mug rug I started a while ago and finally put some binding on it- just in time for Valentine's

Heart Block Recipe

small squares 2 by 2 inches
4 blue
5 red

corner square in white 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches


corners for the side rectangles 2 x 2 inches

side rectangles 3 1/2 x 5
1 blue
1 red

Buffalo Ridge Nearly Done

A week ago I was at a retreat. Lots 'o' snow all around.

My friend Kathy peaking out from her modified Buffalo Ridge... I really like what she did with it!  Love the borders too! I kinda wish I had done the same but I went for a different look.  More on that when I show you the finished piece.

If you are not familiar with Buffalo Ridge, it is a pattern from the book Nickel Quilts.

Buffalo Ridge Beginning

A couple friends and I have decided to do a scrap quilt together.  The pattern we will be using is called, Buffalo Ridge.  It is from a book called More Nickel Quilts by Pat Speth.

This is a quarter of the block.  I am doing mine in Batiks.  I have a bunch of scrap batik pieces.  I have never made a batik quilt before.  So how did I end up with all these scraps.  Mostly from making bags, purses and scrap bags that I buy from a local quilt store.