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What joy the gospel gives me. I can approach the throne of God with confidence, not because I've done a good job at my spiritual duties, but because I'm clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. ~ C.J. Mahaney

If Only In My Dreams...

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Not being one to steal the show from Thanksgiving,  I wait until a day or two after Thanksgiving to put up our Christmas decorations.  But, how am I supposed to do this little give-away if I don't start well before the holidays?  So, with Christmas carols happily playing in the background,  I've been dreaming and playing and snipping and stitching up the most cheerful fabrics I could find.   It's not quite finished yet, but I wanted to get you in on the give-away now.

This quilt I've named "If Only In My Dreams."  I know...the name isn't original.  It comes from one of my favorite secular Christmas songs by Bing Crosby,  "I'll Be Home For Christmas."  The song may not be original, but this design definitely is.  I set out with the objective to evoke warm, happy feelings of home...family, friends, love, memories.  Home-- where we come together at Christmas to celebrate God's indescribable Gift of Love to us--Jesus Christ.  Home--where our families reside and where memories of loved ones no longer with us linger on in our hearts.  Home--a safe haven from the world, a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the season.

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I admit that I'd love to keep this creation for myself!  Abby tells me I say that about every quilt I make.  And I guess it's true.  But I won't.  This is for one of you.  It measures just over 26 inches square, and if it's something you'd like to have just, leave me a comment.  Or you could send me an email.  Or you can tell me on Facebook.  I'll draw randomly from all the entries and announce the winner on Thanksgiving.  If you'd like, tell me your favorite Christmas tradition, or, well, anything you want to tell me about Christmas!  And PLEASE let me know who you are!  I don't want to have to do detective work to figure out who wins!  If you don't want your name on the internet, send me an email at:

laurat1962 at yahoo dot com

I'm gonna do something else this time.  Let me know what you think I should name the snowman and the little blue bird.  I may be good with fabric, but I'm not so good with names.  Alyssa is, however.  She won my Christmas give-away a couple years ago.  

**Edited to add:  If you suggest names, I'll enter you TWICE!  :-)

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"I'm not homeless, just nameless.  Help, please!"


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"I'd sing even sweeter if I had a name!!"



I'll give Tom a list of all the suggestions for each, and if he likes your name best, I'll send you a handmade Christmas ornament.  So we'll have two winners for the ornaments.  I'm trusting there are some very creative people who can help me out with these names.  I can't wait to read all the submissions!

Remember, the quilt will be a random drawing.  Anyone can enter!  And hopefully by the weekend, I'll have pictures of the completed quilt.

OK, back to the needle and floss.


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Love,
 

25 comments:

Ann Tembreull said...

Adorable Laura! I love to make Christmas quilts and anything with snowmen has my name on it. "I'll Be Home For Christmas" is one of my favorites too. When I was extremely homesick the week of exams my first year away at college I'd put the Carpenters version on in my dorm room and sob! Obviously this quilt needs to come to my house :)

Andrea said...

Laura -- I love this! Please add my name to the drawing. :)

Laura Lee said...

Thanks, Andrea! And I need your last name please!!!

Anonymous said...

Laura,

I love your quilt....your use of colors make winter come alive, and I just love all the creativity stitched within each square......it's all beautiful! Enter me, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shanda

Lisa said...

I took one look at that pretty snowman and thought, whether it's a boy- or a girl-flake it should be named "Stitches," because it was the first thing I noticed about the piece. The black thread is a perfect compliment. As always, I will go hang my head and wish I had your talent...and yes, that sound you hear tumbling across the winds from Kansas is me, whining.

MB said...

The quilt is beautiful! Please put me in the drawing!

for the names

Snowman- blizzard
bluebird- skye

Anonymous said...

I love Christmas music of all kinds. As you know I have more records and CDs than the law allows! I was in on the "conception" of the quilt so I'd love it!.
Snowman- Melty Will
Blue Bird - Tweeter
Love,
G~Mama

Anonymous said...

Okay, add my name in the hat for the quilt. I could use a little something other than a tree and wreaths to decorate my house during Christmas!

On the names:

Daniel says Carol for the snowman, as in Christmas carols.

For the blue bird: Chirpy

Have a great rest of your week.
Rochelle

Anonymous said...

Snowman - Blitzy

Birdie - Twitter


Shanda Piercy

Karen Filaseta said...

Beautiful quilt Laura! I'd love to enter the drawing. Don't ask why, because I have absolutely no idea, but I think the snowman looks like an Ebert. I don't have a name for the bird, but the name Skye that was mentioned earlier is cute.:)

JoyinChina said...

What a beautiful design! I love it, and I love your inspiration for it. "I'll Be Home For Christmas" has always been one of my favorite secular Christmas songs, but even more so since I moved to China. I always miss my home country more during the holidays, it seems. It's a good reminder, as you said, that we'll never be truly "home" until we're with Christ. What a day that will be! :)

Every Christmas Eve growing up we would go to the night service at church and then invite the whole church to our house for a party. Usually about 80 people would come, and we'd eat, sing Christmas carols, play games, and laugh together. I loved it!

I don't know why, but the snowman looks like a Claude to me, and the bird seems like a Jeanette. Why am I drawing on French names?

Thanks for another wonderful drawing. I hope I win! :)

Joy Dexter

Abby St.Clair said...

Ma,

Can I enter, too?! :O) The names should be :

"Smells like Carrots"

And

"Jay Charles" (get it? Like Ray Charles, only a Blue Jay :O)

Thank you, Jonathan, for your creative juices. This is a team effort!

I love Christmas because of the cimminon cider you make in the crock pot. Hint Hint, better have some when I get home for Christmas, hint hint. :)

Love you!

Anonymous said...

This is the cutest quilt ever! You just keep outdoing yourself :) I'm not very good at the name game but I want my name entered twice! So here goes:

Snowman - McFlurry
Bird - Echo

Love, Sharon

Laura Lee said...

This is more like it! Keep the names coming! The ornaments are going to be the snowman and bird- named of course. And this is so fun, I may make a whole menagerie of ornaments and let you all name them, too.

Alyssa said...

Okay....I love this quilt....add the us to the drawing please!!!!!!! (And, okay, I guess I'm not REALLY back to working on my blog....but...whatever...lol)

Unknown said...

So this is how you comment on a blog! Haha
You know I love Christmas and am crazy about your quilts! My names are not very original, but I like Sugar Plum and Snow Flake. Now you can enter me twice...pretty please. ;)

I love ya, Laura!!

Susan

Diane Day said...

Laura,
I think the snowman should be called Joy! She has such a peaceful expression, as she welcomes us home!
The bird's name should be Herald. She's announcing to the world the real reason that we celebrate Christmas!

Terri said...

OK Laura, Add me to the list. That quilt is adorable. I keep saying, "One day I'll get my stuff together and start quilting" but....
I am not creative at all with names but I'll keept thinking.
Love,
Terri White

Kimberly Adams said...

I like the name Possibility for the Snowman (or Snowwoman as I like to think of her) and the name Promise for the sweet bluebird!

Anonymous said...

New name for the snowman - Johnny Thomas

New name for the bluebird - Tweetsie

This is from Sarah Grace Piercy

Jane Stephens said...

Laura,
Winning your quilt give-away would a wonderful Christmas gift!! Please enter me. My home is covered in snowmen during the holidays. You are so talented. I love following your blog! Have a great day.
Jane

Kate said...

The quilt is absolutley adorable! Have a great Thanksgiving & Christmas. We'll be in Pamlico County... Take care, Katherine Wofford

Tonya Shipes said...

I absolutely love the quilt! I am praying that I am the chosen one :) I wish I had even half of your talent.

My name suggestions are:
Snowman - Lincoln
Bird - Lila

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Tonya Shipes

Anonymous said...

Too precious! So glad to have been turned on to your blog. Please enter me in the drawing. As far as names go, what about Icie and Clara?

Lea Carter said...

Too precious! So glad to have been turned on to your blog. Please enter me in the drawing. As far as names go, what about Icie and Clara?

Lea Carter