Christmas 2014

Whew - what a day! All that build up and usually at our house there is a flurry of activity in the morning and then it is pretty calm for the rest of the day. NOT SO yesterday.  I am not sure what happened, but I was exhausted by the end of the day. And I woke up exhausted which is why this blog is late. I had to go back to bed!!!

I think it was almost TEN AM before we even started to look at the presents. Yep - that's how excited everyone is in our house.   And at last - I get to reveal some items that have been in the works for a LONG LONG time.

Here are my SANTA SACS..................   These are patterns by Quilts by Jen. I picked them up at the CreativFestival in 2013.  I had two of them made for Christmas 2013. And then well - I didn't use them so they went back into the Christmas box with the stockings. I was DETERMINED to get the last two done for this Christmas and I am happy to say that I completed them a couple of days ago!!!!

Our Santa Sacs (replaces our stockings!)

However one of the bags I made last year - well let's just say that we couldn't use it this year so I made a patch for it so we could use it.

The Girls' Santa Sac - initially they were NOT going to get one

And do you think I could find the fabric in my stash that I had made the bags out of? Nope!  Wasn't' in the quilt stores either so I found a substitute. And then - yes - you guessed it!!!!  I found the missing piece of fabric in a project box!!!!   Oh well - I will leave that fabric with the Santa Sac and in the event that I need to change this name again - I will be prepared!!!!  Oh - I should leave some of the applique fabric as well!!!!   Now that there isn't a rush - I may take it apart and redo the lettering. I know - it is just a Santa Sac but.....

So do you want to hear my families' comments?  "So cute" and "Where did you get those??"   Seriously????   Where did I get them? Oh well.............   at least they did appreciate them.

M with her Santa Sac - oh yes - those sacs were loaded with great stuff - bulky stuff like socks and underwear. 

Then it took forever to get the requisite Christmas photo in front of the tree. I don't know how many pictures I snapped and NONE of them were good.  But this is what I got!!!!

Sammy definitely did not want her picture taken!!!!

Sammy: do we have to have another picture. I just want to open presents!!!!

Ooops - where did Sammy go????

And then Sparky had to stick out her tongue. Oh yes - this was a comedy of errors

Sparky: "it's all Sammy's fault. She keeps moving!"

OK - everyone smile and it's a wrap!!!!!

Oh here is another with just the girls. 

And my majestic Sparky!!!!   She is exhausted today! Wait until you see what happened.

Here is M and me in our new Christmas PJs which I finished in the morning.  NO - I did not make the T-shirts. Just the pants. 

Opening the Santa Sac. Hurry up!!!!!!

Oh my! Those treats are for US!!!!

Sparky with her Christmas dog cookie

M opening her Santa Sac - notice she stole my Christmas bow

M and Sparky!!!

Sparky: Hey - do you want a picture of me now? I'm ready

Sammy having fun with her new Santa toy!

So the box that M is holding in her hands has a story. I probably tell the story every Christmas, but here it is again. When she was almost two or maybe three, I was making a quilt for her for Christmas. I knew I wasn't going to be able to get it completely done for Christmas. And I have always loved boxes with the wrapping on the lids so you could just plop the lid on and the present would be wrapped. As predicted - I spent that Christmas morning sewing on the binding. when I heard her get up - I simply folded the quilt - put it in the box, plopped on the lid and the present was wrapped!!!!

M with the ANTIQUE wrapped box - OK - not an antique but about 17 years old!!!

And look - it's a quilt!!!!   (by the way - the binding is completely sewn on - but still needs a label!!!)

M: "oh it is fuzzy (plush) on both sides!!!!"

Do you think she likes it????

I got that quilted up last week or the week before. And the binding on. I stitched a lot of it while I was getting my new All-Season tires the other day!!

Sammy just taking a breather!

M opening her last present. 

By this time it was getting late and we had to juggle a late  lunch, dinner and a movie.

I made some snacks for lunch.  We had shrimp and mushrooms.  I know - not very balanced, but it is Christmas after all!!! Hey - it could have been chocolate and wine!

Mushroom appetizer

Me in my TWO matching scarves. I got a purple one and an orange one. My new PJs just happened to be pink, purple, yellow and orange. Both scarfs matched my new PJs so I wore them both for the rest of the day - yes the tags were still attached. 

As we were working in the kitchen - M was reading out the recipe while I made it - I happened to glance out the window and NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!    There is Sparky, proud as punch, walking around the backyard with something in her mouth. A rabbit - a BIG rabbit.  Seriously???   I thought she would be too old to catch a rabbit.

Sparky with her rabbit

She was looking for a hiding spot for it. Eventually she found one and came in. Then I caught her with it again and managed to trick her into coming into the house. (there is NO WAY she would let me take it from her). Then I proceeded to get rid of the rabbit.  While I hate doing that kind of stuff - I did live on a farm so that task did conjure up a couple of unpleasant memories.

It was a beautiful day and she was determined to find that rabbit again. So she spent a large portion of the day outside. And for some reason, she was very interested in this green bush.

Sparky having fun in the backyard

Oh yes - she got right in the bushes. I didn't look to see what was in there

Even little Sammy had to get into whatever was going on as well

We had to try out the new family gadget. An automated tea maker. Yes - we are becoming a tea snob family. We have so much tea in this house!!!!  This is the Breville tea maker. You put your loose tea in the strainer, then you set the temperature and the timer and when it is time - the tea maker boils the water and drops the basket into the (correct temperature) water.  Then the tea is steeped and ready to drink!!!!   All automatic!!!!   How cool is that.

Automated tea maker

The control panel

I gave Sparky a bone to keep her occupied during the day. Of course, she had other plans and then I could hear her gnawing on it. But when I went upstairs - what did I see????    Oh yes - that would be Little Sammy gnawing on the bone with her few remaining teeth!!!!

Sammy gnawing on her (I mean Sparky's bone)

Then back to finishing dinner. Christmas dinner isn't such a big deal for us. I let M choose the menu since she doesn't want to eat the turkey.  So we had vegan shepherd's pie which is very good, quinoa and cauliflower and I did a small turkey breast for those that wanted turkey.

I had not given much thought to it - but all the food was the same colour!!!!!!!!!!   Oh well - we had fun and that is all that counts. 

M had one of her friends (Y) come over for the day. It was all great fun and then we got ready to go to the movie.

Y and M

We changed our minds several times over the preceding days as we picked the movie. Finally settled on Interstellar. Yikes - it is almost three hours long and of course - I had NO idea what the movie was about.

Let's just say that our brains were spinning when we got out of the theatre. The girls really enjoyed it. There were times when it was frustrating, sad, but above all - it was THOUGHT provoking.   If you haven't seen it - you should go.

And then home and to bed. I was exhausted!!!!!


On that note - it is almost lunch time! And I have barely done anything today!! Since I did nothing yesterday - I have a few things that must get done today.


Have a great day!!!

Ciao!!!!

Best laid plans..................

Yesterday I talked about spending certain amount of time working on various projects. Well - this is the kind of thing that extends the time required for doing anything!

I was loading a charity quilt onto the long arm. I got it partially loaded and then saw this...........

Can you see???   There is a HUGE worn spot in this backing!!!!   

I debated - I really debated fixing it. Then decided that YES - I would fix it. Then it was HOW? Leave it on the long arm and just fuse a patch?  Or take it off and patch and sew with the sewing machine. I decided to take it off and put on a patch and stitch it down.

First - I cut out the loose threads

Then I put a patch on the wrong side and stitched it down with the sewing machine. It doesn't look pretty - but at least the quilt is functional! 

While that wasn't a huge set back - it still took time to unload the backing (and YES - I should have seen that spot especially since I gave it a quick press with the iron).  However I have to say that I was listening to my audio book and I was on AUTO PILOT!!!!


Oh yes - I just read one of the BEST THRILLERS I have ever read.  Well - technically I listened to it on my iPod.   It is called Invisible by James Patterson and David Ellis.  

  I haven't read a James Patterson in a while - I found that they were getting too predictable. Well - this is NOT predictable. I won't say anything more other than if you want a good thriller - this is it!!!  

I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying the audio books. And Invisible - well it is so well read.  Very creepy!!!!!!   If you get a good "reader" - the voice, the music or sound effects and the tone can bring a book to life!!!!    E-readers????   Nope - but audio books - you bet!!!!


Once the backing was fixed - then I got the quilt back on the long arm and got the quilt done.

Charity quilt - DONE!!!!

Thank goodness these are small, but I have a huge stack of them to do!!!!   Good place to practice quilting or try out threads!

M and I were hanging out in the living room (the FRONT room) as my mother would call it. Well in our case - it is the room in the front of the house - so I guess we could call it the front room!

Sammy was hanging out with us and although she is technically NOT allowed on the furniture - have a look...........

See the adoration in her face for ME!!!!   How could you refuse a little cutie like her when she wants to climb on your lap?   She doesn't do that often so this was a treat for both of us!!!!

Sammy with a few of her remaining teeth. So fierce looking!!!!!  

See - she sleeps in the chair in the front room ALL the time. Even though she knows she is not supposed to.  I hear her jump down as I come upstairs or in the front door. Then looks at me "ME?  I would never sleep in the chair!"   Too late Sammy - you're busted!!!!

Sammy loves her "stress" bear.  It is actually a cat and she got it for Christmas last year. She loves to carry the darn thing all over the house!!!   She doesn't eat it, rip it or chew it. She just likes to carry it!!!!

But Sammy has issues. M calls them PROJECTS in the backyard.  It is like Sammy is trying to dig her way to freedom. why I don't know - since she has a pretty cushy life here!!!!

We managed to get our Christmas tree up and decorated last week. 

And M dramatically puts the star on top!!!!!

I had glanced out the window the other day and WHOA!!!!   What the heck is that???   Who the heck is that????   Oh my god - it is the UPS guy delivering packages with a hand cart!!!!!

UPS delivery by hand cart!!

It was a perfect day as it was fairly warm and NO snow on the ground.  Must have been fun!!!


 Yesterday - I decided that I had better get myself in gear and get the next blog posts for QUILTSocial up.  I am so excited with this new sewing machine.   I am going to have loads of fun with this and tons of projects (oh - more projects) to work on. The trick will be - how can I incorporate MY projects with the projects for the blog?????   My posts won't start until January which meant I had to make folders for my pictures for 2015!!!!   Ack - it is just around the corner!!!!

So even though I am NOT done Storm at Sea (and now it is covered up with the backdrop for the blog sewing machine)

- I wanted to get started on the next project which is a bag. It is called Professional Tote.

Professional Tote by The Creative Thimble

The class will take place at The Hobby Horse on February 1 and March 1. That is TWO SUNDAY afternoons - 3 hours per day.  I am putting together the class requirements for the classes (hopefully all done by this week).  It is an AWESOME bag - and I got everything cut out yesterday.

Everything is cut, prepped, labelled and ready to sew!!!!

The first thing is to insert a ZIPPER.  I grabbed my big box of zippers and there is NOTHING in there in the right length or colour to suit either of the two bags that I am making!!!!!

Loads of zippers, but not what I want!!!!

No worries - I will make my list and go to Fabricland tomorrow to get the supplies for the TWO bags that I am making at the moment.


Well - I am off to read more of the sewing machine manual.  Did you realize how much interesting stuff in in a manual????  I had no idea!   But I have learned tons from reading all these manuals. The big issue - retaining it!!!!   Then take more pictures, edit pictures, load pictures and write the text. Oh yes - fun fun fun.   So much prepped and ready to work on and just not enough time!!!!!!!!!!!!  


On that note - I am out of here!!!


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!