More cards

Yes, I do make cards rather frequently. My mother enjoys receiving them as much as I like to make them, as do some of my friends.

These were fun because I cut up some old security envelopes that I received from banks etc. to use as the patterned bands. They can easily be colored but I liked the black, white and yellow.

Curiosity

I was making some cards yesterday and heard a bump on the window and looked out to find this lovely dove stopping by to see what I was up to. I love doves and lately the song birds have been back and singing full force. I can't blame them. Our weather has been worth singing about! Windows open in January! You sure can't do that up north. Trust me. I remember the winter in North Dakota when mom opened our bathroom window a crack and it froze open.

At any rate I enjoyed this curious visitor so much I took his picture instead of what I was working on! LOL

Much anticipated

My daughter told me she was making me something for Christmas that she had seen on Pinterest but was having trouble getting it to work and wished she could ask for my opinion but of course couldn't.

And when she finally got it finished had it packed and shipped to arrive on Saturday but it did not make it here until today! I was so excited I got her on the phone to listen as I opened and took photos. This was my first glimpse and I was puzzled even more!

When the bubble wrap came off I first wondered if she had covered a helmet with buttons. But I sold my motorcycle many many years ago.

So then I turned it over. Isn't it pretty? And interesting? So fun to look at all the buttons and appreciate the texture created.

Here is a side shot so you can appreciate that these buttons are glued together.

Forming a wonderful bowl!

Of course it was the type of 'glue' that gave her trouble. I would have started with Aelene's myself and would not have guessed that good old Elmer's White Glue would actually hold up better. It was done over an inflated balloon. What a wonderful gift. This really was a neat Christmas!

The baking is done!

I always cook dinner for my family on Christmas Eve. Christmas day is then an easy day for me to enjoy my family because we have our traditional salami rolls for lunch and then leftovers later on.

So I have spent the last two days baking. Here is the traditional red velvet Christmas cake. The snowman cookie jar behind it is filled with the Andes Mint Cookies that my granddaughter favors.

The rest is currently on the dining room table which will of course need to be cleared for tomorrow's dinner. You can see the snowmen sugar cookies, Chex Mix, fudge and meringues and the leftover mints, a candy bar sent by my friend Darlene and the marshmallows dipped in chocolate and crushed peppermint candy for the hot cocoa. Under the tin foil are the almond joy brownies (a new recipe this year).

There are also two kinds of M&Ms and in the tins a second type of meringues as well as pinwheel cookies which are also a new recipe this year. And of course the See's Candy from my daughter. Let the snacking begin!

So all that is left to do tonight is to make the Salami Rolls. Then tomorrow the cooking begins. I can almost smell the turkey already. You would think we would all be full of turkey still from Thanksgiving but not so. We all look forward to a repeat performance. Somehow my family doubled in size this year though so I think in the future I may start needing more help!

More Christmas Sewing

I saw this scarf online made with t-shirt material (actually old cut up t-shirts) and thought it was interesting but worried that the edges would roll so I decided to give it a try with fleece. Came out kind of cute and wild and warm.

I quickly discovered the glue stick I purchased and never used on another project was a must have. And from 1/4 yard of fabric managed 21 or 22 squares.

I actually bought two pieces of fleece.

Here is a sample as I tried various decorative stitches from my machine and discovered that this is about the only one I could get to work. Hmmm time to either get that sewing machine in to the shop or replace it. It is 40 years old and I would love a new one...

Anyway, I decided it was most helpful to glue the pieces together first before stitching.

I showed the zebra one to my granddaughter last night and told her I had cut out the polka dot and she knew exactly who would love one. And no it wasn't her although I suspect she would like one so will have to see about that.

But for now the gift making is complete with the sole exception being that afghan I am still crocheting. Will I finish in time?

Gift Baskets

I decided to give my two older grandkids gift baskets this year as it is their first year basically on their own. I am giving them now to enjoy before Christmas. This first one is for my grandson the musician. He mentioned getting a tree so he gets the ornaments I made this fall with the sheet music inside.

The tin behind the box of ornaments is filled with Chex Mix.

This basket is for his sister whose tin is filled with Muddie Buddies.

They both got jars of hot cocoa mix and bags of Christmas marshmallows and of course Christmas cookies.

She spoke of getting a small tree so she is getting the smaller ornaments that I crocheted over.

One more gift to sew and still working on the crocheted one. Then cleaning, cards and lots more cookies.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Sewing for Christmas

I have been making pj's for the family this year. They like the flannel bottoms but prefer t-shirt tops which I love! For the girls though I decided to gussie up the t-shirts a bit using rick rack. I just wove a package of red and a package of white and sewed it around the neckline. The ones for the boys had mooses and grey t-shirts that I left plain.

Then I saw this fleece and had to get some for my granddaughter who is applying at UTMB and has been working so very hard on her classes.

The serger with some black and metallic gold thread made fast work of this cape. My kind of project!

Some Angel

I just realized I have not shared with ya'll about my house guest. I am watching a dog for my daughter. Her name is Bow. Also known as the beautiful brown angel (aka arnery old dawg).

She has some bad habits that I have just not fully adjusted to; the worst being getting into the kitchen garbage if she thinks no one is looking. I know this so, it really is my own fault when I forgot to hide it before I left the house. But really? Does she really have to drag the can into the living room and perforate it? You would never know I feed her 4 times a day!

The good news is these cute little glasses that I found at Target today. This morning it occurred to me that this year we will have little ones joining us for Christmas Eve dinner. My other grandchildren are in their twenties now so they have been eating on the good china for some time but this year we will have 4 and 6 year olds joining us so I decided to come up with some age appropriate dinnerware for them. It doesn't really show in the photo but they are double walled and have glitter and snowflakes that float around. (I hope that does not encourage spillage!)

Maybe I should ask Santa for a locking garbage can?

Christmas Candle Lampshades

Darlene has been going to town with these little lamps that we made a couple of months ago. She uses a lot of wrapping paper to make her shades so I decided to give that a try. Very easy to do and just for some added glitz I used a straight pin to poke holes in the snowflakes on this pattern.

You don't notice with the lights on but with the lights off it adds a very neat effect. Unfortunately I am unable to get a decent photograph, so you will have to use your imagination or try it yourself.

This is the other paper on a goblet, whereas the blue is a slightly smaller shade on a flute. These just continue to be so much fun!

Tis the season

I just finished making four sets of pjs and other than running a little behind on crocheting figured I am pretty much on schedule. I usually do all my baking the last week. Then again it 'tis the season...

Let me begin by saying that I have the perfect front yard for kids to play in. Nice low climbing tree and bushes absolutely made for hiding in ambush under and behind. I was a tom boy - I remember and know what they look for. So as you might imagine my yard attracts boys by the handful! And I rarely complain even though it makes the dogs crazy in the house. I love to see kids playing outside, using their imaginations! So as long as they leave my car alone and don't break things I don't complain.

Well, some one of them did take glass ornaments out of the neighbor's garage and broke them all over my side yard. Yeah, I complained. And their mom was even madder since they were her ornaments! The other neighbors driving by and seeing me out with a shop vac vacuuming my lawn may think I have lost it though. I just told the mom I wanted them to stay off the yard for a bit as I worried I might not get all the little pieces. One large chunk pierced her flip flop as she walked away driving home my concern. Thank you Lord.

So fast forward a few weeks and the boys are back playing in the yard though I think one is no longer joining them... Yesterday I saw them scooping leaves into piles by hand in my yard and I figured they would jump in them (who wouldn't) and they would scatter back where they began. WRONG! Today I saw that in fact they had raked them up and bagged them. And one of the boys pointed it out just in case I missed it! I told him I was grateful and he proudly announced that they were going to rake some more today. He was so proud of himself so I told him that I would give them some cookies next time I baked. His little face lit up and he promptly shared his find with the others who thanked me.

Later I saw them out there with rakes working like mad and they came as it got dark to let me know they would be finishing tomorrow. So I promised to bake cookies tomorrow to which the youngest (first grade - just ask him!) wanted to know if I could make ginger bread cookies. And told me all about the one his teacher brought the year before.

Oh yeah I did. I said I would see what I could do. I wished them a Merry Christmas to which they eagerly responded in kind. So now I am not only baking cookies tomorrow but the kind that have to be rolled out and DECORATED! But 'tis the season.

The time when we are maybe more aware of how much difference a kindness can make. And ever so grateful that Christmas isn't all about shopping.