And another jigsaw puzzle!

OH MY --- I'm at a loss on where to begin this morning! So much to say - let's just grab a picture and start! 

I called my parents and, while chatting with them, decided to tackle the next jigsaw puzzle. I know— but it was a mindless task, as all I accomplished was laying out the pieces. These pieces seem BIGGER than those in the previous puzzle, and while the shapes are NOT identical, they are much more regular than in the last puzzle. 

The pieces are laid out for the next puzzle

OK -- I did a bit more, I sorted out the border. I always do that when placing the pieces on the table, and I managed to get it together. I also pulled out some pieces for the top section of the puzzle, and last night, before going to bed, I managed to get a bit done on the top. No picture! 

The border is done! 

Here's the puzzle I'm working on. I love working on puzzles that represent places, especially if I've been there. I was at Whistler MANY years ago, so I wouldn't recognize the place now. 

Whstler puzzle

This is another 500-piece puzzle, so it should go relatively quickly. Then two 1000-piece puzzles, and then I'll have to retire my puzzle-making for a bit. However, I'm already prepping presentations for January's classes, and will start on some homework soon. I only have TWO classes to prep for homework, and it feels fantastic to enter the new year with that reduced workload! 

DH and I started another EXIT Game last night. A four-circle puzzle that is even harder than the previous one. While I was out shoveling the snow, he managed to solve one puzzle, but it wasn't the correct one and not with all the tools, so back to the drawing board! 

I had no choice but to finish reading my book yesterday. The book was "The Black Ink Heart" by Robert Galbraith. A typical ebook is about 400-600 pages. Some more, some less. But this one? It was 2,500 pages. And that is NOT a typo. It was crazy long. Granted, some of the length was attributed to how the story was presented - a lot of Twitter posts and so on. But still! This is part of the Cormoran Strike series, and I checked the next book (there are two more in the series I haven't read yet), and the next one is EQUALLY as long. Good grief!!!! 

That equates to 33 hours of audiobook! I've only listened to one very long book called The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (32 hours). Does a novel need to be that long? Perhaps the Lucinda Riley - Seven Sisters books were as long as well. Nope --- those are less than 20 hours! 

I had to return one of the ebooks on my shelf that I wouldn't get to touch, and I've put it on hold so I can get it when I have more time. I see they have changed the system so you can put a book on hold while it's on your shelf. That makes a lot of sense, and then you can return it without having to search for it again! 

I NEED to tackle this office, and I NEED to get that new computer up and running. The first thing I did was to put all the crap on the floor and ONLY put what I can deal with in a couple of hours in the tiny space beside my keyboard. My space does NOT work for me, and I'm well aware of it. I don't want to buy anything new, so I've got to put my thinking cap on and figure out how to use my existing furniture better. If I were left-handed, this space would work perfectly, but I'm right-handed! 

My small desk space

That means clearing all the paper crap off both desks so I can use the space. And that means I've got to face the final bit of paper! Once and for all! I must get this current writing assignment out of the way and then perhaps take an hour a day to sort through the paper. I'm sure that most of it will go in the recycling bin, so get it done! 

Of the stuff I went through yesterday, I found this. 

A note to myself

Obviously, it's some instructions for a quilt, but what? It's great to make notes, but they must be in context!!! The note is now in the recycling bin. 

One of the things on my to-do list was to reorder some labels for my quilts. I put this small identifying tag on all the personal quilts I make. I believe I had ordered a bundle of 100, and I was down to the last few. 

My quilt labels

I could NOT remember the name of the company where I had ordered them, and I remember it being so easy. Back to the blog to see if anything there would trigger my memory. OH yes -- I remember seeing these labels on Sew Fresh Quilts website and with a bit of digging, I found the name of the company and a discount code!! The way they have their website set up makes ordering labels super easy. You can insert a small picture, as I did, or create wash/care labels. The company is IKAPRINT, and they are the best. Right now, they are having a special - buy 100 and get 100 free. Guess what? I ordered 400 labels. That should last my lifetime. Don't forget - there are tubs of personal quilts to be quilted! 

You'll find the ones I ordered here. Scroll down, and you'll see the label size options with the template right on the screen to fill out. It's so easy, it's child's play! I'm glad that I found that website! 

And if you want the discount, here's the link to Lorna's blog (Sew Fresh Quilts) to get the discount code. 

I put the remaining labels in my little tray under one of the sewing tables, so I will find them when I want them. 

A home for my labels

It was a snowy, blustery day, and just that little bit of snow made the sidewalks treacherous. I walked both girls in the morning, but did not venture out in the afternoon. It wasn't worth it. I know where the non-slippery streets are, but it's getting to them that is the issue!

Walking in the snowstorm

Miss Lexi didn't mind the weather at all. 

MOM - This weather is perfect for dogs! 

Murphy is beyond herself! Yes -- there is another rabbit in our backyard, and in the morning, she can barely wait until 7 AM to be let out. She drives me mad with her little mutterings at the backdoor! 

MOM -- there is a rabbit, and I'll find it!

Mom - I'm on guard duty! 

Mom - it doesn't matter how cold and windy it is - I'll catch that rabbit

And then she sat beside the deck last night. Waiting for what? The rabbit to spring out and say BOO? 

Mom - I can sense the rabbit under the deck!

She's been so cooped up that I'm throwing the ball for her in the house to tire her out! She is a big dog and over ten years old. Will she ever slow down? I doubt it! Then she has a good sleep, and then starts fussing all over again! DH - just thinks she wants to go out, and then two seconds later, he has to get up and let her in. He doesn't get it! 

Sad news -- a helicopter crashed on Mount Kilimanjaro on December 23rd and killed 5 people. Two hikers, the pilot, a doctor, and a guide. I remember the guides pointing out the spot as we walked. That was the last stop to be rescued by helicopter. After that, the air is too thin. No idea what happened, but it's sad when people are killed rescuing people who want to experience extreme conditions. I know I've climbed the mountain, as have many others before me, but should we? 

 I've got another play date lined up today! I can't wait to try my new skills (digital cutting), and we're working on a new material today (new for me), so let's see how we do! 

I worked on my projects yesterday, and all I can say is that the final project, which you'll see in January, is amazingly CUTE!!! I would change a few things next time, but because I forged ahead and made one, the next one will be even easier!!!! It's all about playing! I don't need a pattern - I just use my imagination. 

I have to laugh because that sounds like my Dad! He loves to rebuild stationary engines. The ones he's working on were made in 1918 or thereabouts. Only a few of this model were made, and at that time, engines used magnetos, not spark plugs. These two have been converted to use spark plugs, but he is determined to convert them back to using magnetos. Only one problem -- you can't buy those parts today. He has checked everywhere! So he's going to make them! The man is 93!!! He had just found a picture of what he wants to make! Inspiration comes from everywhere! 

I placed an order for something yesterday and wasn't expecting it to be processed until next week. Nope -- the order is in the mail! How's that for service? If you are into machine embroidery and need supplies at a reasonable price, check out Monfil.ca. A couple of people I know buy from them, so I'm anxious to see the stuff when it arrives. Free shipping on orders over $100! 

We have a Virtual Retreat tonight and tomorrow. Here are the links. 

Saturday, December 27th --- starts at 6 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82693702241?pwd=QpQkm8Ppppy1XwCPOqva1bcgJCWKdP.1

Meeting ID: 826 9370 2241
Passcode: 795071

Sunday, December 28th - starts at 3 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81073536036?pwd=uxRqMnK1aSKrmrcSO78w8QQs5g44eA.1

Meeting ID: 810 7353 6036
Passcode: 596838

And on that note, I'd better get myself organized for the day!!! 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!

Christmas Day movie!

Some of you beat me to it! I was going to post about the QUILTsocial cover today! I'll do that later in the post. Thank you!!!! It was the one day that I wasn't wearing my orange headband! KU had made me a dark purple one, and I was wearing that! But no worries -- you all know who I am without the orange hairband! It's the people that I meet infrequently who remember me by the flowers!

HEY --- I never even thought of chocolate croissants for breakfast. WAIT -- can we rewind the clock? I ate chocolate (my daily weakness - but I control the amount and the kind), but not in a croissant! BTW -- did you know that 69 pilgrims arrived in Santiago yesterday? Imagine that -- there is snow on the Camino! They are braver than I!

I've been working already this morning, and I'm working on something that needs to get done sooner rather than later. I procrastinated a wee bit on it because it's something new. Well, technically not new, but anyway—that doesn't matter. I'm rejigging stuff to make it work for my project. I need not have been afraid! This is the one thing that I swear makes life easier. 

The more you do, making experiments and mistakes, the more you learn, and then when you need to do something, it's a no-brainer. That was what happened. Now the rest of today SHOULD go smoothly! And sometimes, you just need to ask the question OUTLOUD - even you or your dog are the only living creatures around for you to get your answers! 

It was a great day, as our Christmas always is. We almost didn't make the movie, though! DH said the reviews were bad, so I thought, " Who is going to see the movie on Christmas Day?" I didn't pre-purchase tickets. When I went to buy them in the morning, all the decent seats at our local theatre were gone! So I scoured the internet for the next closest theatre, and they had tickets, but there wasn't much choice in seats. We still got aisle seats (I hate being in the middle), and we were far enough back. It worked for us. 

What time should we leave, since we were going to stock up on goodies (popcorn) before the movie, and I hate being in a rush. I remember one year, DH booked the tickets and then got confused about the time, so we arrived at the VIP theatre and the movie had already started. GRRRRRR    The servers had delivered our popcorn to the seats, but we didn't know it, and DH hit the bag (no night vision for him), and it spilled all over the floor. A nice mess and no popcorn for him! 

Granted, it was the opening scene of a Star Wars movie, and it was black, so the visibility inside the theatre was nil. 

Hmmm -- I tried to find other movies we've been to, but the only one I remember is The Wolf of Wall Street -- that was the first movie we went to. Gosh - that was over ten years ago! And I don't think we went to the theatre last year because we couldn't agree on a movie! 

Anyway, we made it to the movie theatre, and at first I thought it had closed. It was DEADZONE inside and out. We got our popcorn and other snacks and made our way to the seats. OH --- we have a lot of time to kill. I must be getting old! We were the first ones in the theatre, but that's OK. It was a calm way to get there, and we had our phones to keep us entertained. OH wait— I yack like crazy, so there was no time for the phones! 

A very empty threatre

And that screen is absolutely giant!!!!

The giant IMAX screen

The only problem with getting to the theatre so early was that there was no entertainment on the screen. When the preshow started, there weren't many movies advertised. A lot of advertising for using the rest of the theatre's facilities, like the games. And how many times did they tell us that experiencing a movie in IMAX was the ONLY way to watch! I get it! They need the business! 

BUT when the preshow was getting underway, I needed to go to the washroom. I might as well, as the movie is LONG. Thank goodness, because the film was also 3D and we needed glasses!!!! I got those on the way in. PHEW -- that would have been embarrassing to not have the 3D glasses. 

What did we watch? Avatar - Fire and Ash. The visuals were breathtaking, especially in IMAX and 3D. Makes me think back to some of the first 3D movies I ever saw, and it was such a concept to see it in 3D. Now it's pretty commonplace. We would NOT have seen the film in IMAX and 3D at our local theatre, so I guess it was a good thing I waited to buy the tickets. DH would have been disappointed!

The story was heartbreaking -- humans want to conquer new worlds at any cost, which I find very frustrating. It drives me mad because it's happening in the real world today, and DH and I do NOT see eye to eye on that! As mentioned, the movie was long, and technically it started at 2:10, but really didn't start until 2:40. DH had plans to cook dinner when we got home. DUH? That's not going to happen. 

We arrived home at 6 PM and ate leftovers! No big deal. I'm glad we went, and YES - I remember the characters, but not what they did in the first two movies, and I'm OK with that. I'll forget the details of this one soon enough. If it's not essential, I don't have room in my brain for it. I just like to be entertained. 

How did I make out on the jigsaw puzzle? Well, it was a challenge. This is what the puzzle looked like after my morning tea! And procrastinating on my project. 

Progress on the puzzle

Then I decided to eat a quick lunch and head up to work on the puzzle for a bit before leaving for the movie. OH  -- I was so close to getting all the non-background pieces in before we had to "rush" off. Technically, we could have left 30 minutes later. Oh well! And still missing something for that border! 

Progress before leaving for the movie!

After my dinner of leftovers, I decided to forego reading last night to see if I could get any more done on the puzzle. As mentioned, the light in that room is NOT good. I quickly found homes for the pieces (or most of them) for the Santa sack, leaving only the background (sky and tree) pieces. 

OH MY -- it wasn't until I had completed that and focused on the background that I at last found the final border piece. 

Found the last border piece 

This is what I mean by the shapes of the pieces! They are all cut very bizarrely, which made it a challenge to find some pieces. You want to put the trees upright, but that's not the right angle! 

The final border piece

Those last pieces were challenging, and not because of the light. And I was sure that pieces were missing - a lot of pieces. However, I persevered, and LOOK— it's done!! Just in time to save Christmas! 

The jigsaw puzzle is done! 

I would never have thought I would get it done so quickly, but once I got some good light and got the hang of those curved and odd shapes, I was good to go. Sorting by color definitely helped, and I needed the picture to guide me on many occasions. 

I borrowed a 500-piece puzzle and need to finish it so I can return it. I am going to offer the other two puzzles I just completed, as long as this person wants them. Otherwise, they will either go back to the thrift shop, or I know a couple of other people in my neighborhood who do puzzles. OR -- there are two seniors' residences near me. I should check whether they want jigsaw puzzles. I hate to give it to anyone if they're just going to stockpile the puzzle because they already have loads to do! 

Speaking of jigsaw puzzles, I got one from M and Dillon. I knew the shipping box contained a puzzle, but I decided not to open it until Christmas morning. At first, I went, "OH, that's a nice puzzle." Then I read the name, and I laughed and laughed. What an appropriate gift!!!! Some of you might recognize the picture, but here's a hint. My next adventure awaits!!!

Another puzzle!!!

The girls and I are taking some different paths these days to avoid some of the ice in the forest. The path is not maintained in winter, and many people use it. So when we have snow and then mild temperatures, it becomes a skating rink! Look what Lexi and I passed yesterday? Yep --- they keep their fountain going all winter. I love how the water has frozen into an enormous dome. The two little things at the top are the water jets!!!! 

An ice dome!

Well, I've got a big day ahead of me: I've got a couple of projects to finish, and then I can write about them. It's so exciting to use the tools at my disposal to create. As long as my imagination works, then I can make! It's super exciting! 

I have some paperwork that I should polish off as well. I hope to finally finish reading my book today—I'll tell you more about that one when I'm done. Sewing, embroidery, a jigsaw puzzle, and well—it's going to be a jam-packed day!!!!

Before I leave, here is the link to the QUILTsocial magazine. Yep -- I made the cover! Typically, we only have pictures of projects, but my project happened to be a jacket! If you don't want to purchase the magazine at half price, you can always check out the blog posts and print them off. Having said that, it's way easier to buy the magazine as it also has another project of mine in there - a quilt I designed and made using my Creativate tools - software (crafting and embroidery) and Momento digital cutter. 

If you go to this website, you can view the entire magazine for free online. If you want to see the original posts, check out this link: Day One for the jacket. The links to scroll to the other four posts are at the bottom of each post; they link to each other. 

And if you want the links for the other project done with the Creativate tools, here's the link to Day One. Not all the posts in this series are linked - give it a day or two, or early next week, and I'll make a note to the webmaster to link them.  

Remember that we have a Virtual Retreat tomorrow and Sunday. 

Saturday - Decmber 27th - starts at 6 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82693702241?pwd=QpQkm8Ppppy1XwCPOqva1bcgJCWKdP.1

Meeting ID: 826 9370 2241
Passcode: 795071


Sunday - December 28th - starts at 3 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81073536036?pwd=uxRqMnK1aSKrmrcSO78w8QQs5g44eA.1

Meeting ID: 810 7353 6036
Passcode: 596838


Since it's dark outside, my weather gauge is to touch the dogs when they come back in the house from their morning romp in the backyard. Lexi is cold and wet. ICK!!!

Have a wonderful day!!!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!!

It's Christmas!!!! While we don't do a lot for Christmas these days because it's just the two of us, we still have traditions! They are just different. Like all of you, I have so many Christmas memories, but one in particular that I'm sure my parents will never forget. 

I was pretty young and was fast asleep in my bed when something woke me up. Likely, my mom was putting out the presents. I sprang from my bed and ran into the living room, shouting, "he's here, he's here!" Yep -- I thought Santa had arrived and I wanted to meet him. 

Sadly, I was told that Santa had not yet arrived, and somehow I managed to go back to bed and fall asleep! 

With M, our bedtime story on Christmas Eve was reading The Night Before Christmas. It's the same book we read as kids on the farm. The poor book is falling apart, but I still have it! I sent her a text last night as she celebrated with her adopted family! 

DH made onion soup (and croutons) from scratch last night, so we ate like kings and queens. Only once yesterday, and I don't even know what made me think of it, did I think of all the Christmas candy and cookies that I have eaten over the years. Did I miss it? For about 10 seconds, and then I was over that and thinking about something else. 

Christmas doesn't have to be all fuss or over-the-top. Christmas is about spending time together, chatting with loved ones, and doing something that you enjoy! It's about PRESENCE, not presents! And that's what happens in our house!

I decided to tackle the jigsaw puzzle in the morning, when I can open the blinds and let in some natural light without the sun glaring on the pieces. This is what it looked like after my morning session. Santa is starting to take form. 

Progress on the jigsaw puzzle

Then after I walked to the grocery store (again!), I ate my snack and worked on the puzzle instead of reading. Oh my --- the natural light sure makes a difference, especially for this puzzle. It's still NOT an easy puzzle as each piece appears to be a completely different shape. And you can't just identify a shape and find a piece to match, because sometimes, that opening requires two shapes to fill it! But I"m making good progress and I think I'll tackle it again this morning after I walk the girls. 

Even more progress

Last night, we decided that we NEEDED to complete that EXIT Game that has been languishing on the table for weeks. We were basically stuck on a puzzle, so we decided to look at the clues. There are three clues for each puzzle, and we had figured out everything they mentioned in Clues One and Two. But when we got to Clue Three with the answer, we still had no clue how they got to that answer. NONE!!

The current EXIT Game

There is a guy in the UK (I think) who films all the puzzles while he and someone else solve them. So I looked up the episode. Hmmm --- Just a random thought got them to the answer. But I wonder how much of the film is edited out. How long did it really take for them to come up with that? These games have 10 puzzles, and we were totally stumped on TWO of them. But it's done and will get passed along. 

Now the big question is - will we start another one right away? 

Yesterday, we had a Virtual Retreat, and some of us stayed until 3 PM. What a great way to spend time with friends, even if they just popped in to say Hi. It's such a great way to stay connected, and it kept me motivated to do a mindless job. 

Oh shoot—I forgot to take a picture of the quilt I was working on. Well, you'll have to wait until I get more work done on it. But I had a lot of flying geese to make. I calculated the square sizes for the no-waste method and cut a bunch of squares. But only after I did a sample to make sure they would be the correct size. 

I hadn't really paid attention to how many squares I had cut, and so I was hoping that when I finished all these, I would have enough. I think this is where I ended last night. 

Making flying geese at the Virtual Retreat

And this is how many I was able to finish with what I had cut. I was short by ten units. 

96 flying geese units

Well, I'm sure slacking on taking photos this morning. I did get all 106 made! Yeah!!! But then I realized this quilt has FOUR borders! Well, the worst one is the flying geese one, and I've made tremendous progress on it! I can't work too fast - this is on the list of things to complete in 2026, and I can't possibly finish it BEFORE! 

I see my large spool of thread is almost finished! Time to dig out a new one. There are no worries: the bucket of neutral thread contains multiple spools of thread from various brands, so it's no big deal to get a new spool started. But I haven't run out yet!!

Going to need a new spool of thread

As I was working yesterday and this morning, I'm planning and prepping the next small project to write about. And I needed some buttons. Actually, during our Monday Sewing, someone asked if anyone had anything suitable for a snowman's nose. WAIT -- I have buttons. Well, when I dug out my extensive button collection (of course - it's extensive - I used to buy a lot of buttons), I found FOUR bags of snowman nose buttons. I sold one bag to the person who needed the noses, leaving three left. 

Part of the button collection

Well, imagine my surprise when I dug back through the button boxes this morning for different types of buttons and found ONE more package! Good grief - I'll never have to buy button noses again! 

FOUR packs of buttons, after selling one! 

So if you're ever looking for a random button, ask, because I might just have one I can spare~ I am NOT actively getting rid of the buttons, so don't ask if you don't need one! 

I picked up the mail yesterday and got my copy of A Needle Pulling Thread. I've been preparing a project for them for quite some time. This is the current issue - Number 71.

A Needle Pulling Thread

The theme for that issue was to remake one of our previous projects. Someone had suggested a quilt that I had made, and I was all excited, but for some reason, no inspiration came to mind. It just wasn't going to happen. So I rethought the project and picked this one instead. A fabric tub made from recycled wool that came from Eaton's!!!

My first idea from Issue 50

I kept with the recycled theme, but this time I used denim. And instead of making a fabric tub, I made a fabric BOX!!! 

My fabric box

The tub had machine applique on it, the box had machine embroidery - a technique called FRINGE Embroidery. I LOVE the box - it's so bright and cheery and perfect to put stuff in that sits on the sewing or cutting table. I hope to swap the tray with the half-square triangles and such for the box when it arrives back home. 

I love being able to create ANYTHING that I want. And this had some tricky spots, but I McGivered it to work, and I show you how in the magazine article. If you don't want to purchase the magazine (in Chapters/Indigo, or online), you can also just buy the pattern. And if you don't have an embroidery machine, why not embellish the box with hand embroidery, applique, or whatever you wish? But the box is very sturdy, and it's gorgeous!!!!

It's the time of year when every service you use is sending you a recap of the year. I got this from WeTransfer, which I use to transfer large files. I'm not done with all my transfers yet this year, and there's still a week, but here's what they sent in the recap. 

Of course, there's the total amount of GB, which is quite a bit, I suppose. 

Total amount of data moved

Which, I guess, it is, when you see it broken down like this! 

HMMM -- now that I can relate to!

But this is the one that gets me. I use the free version of WeTransfer and don't think I send many files. But they make me feel important by saying I'm in the top 5% of users. Hmmm --- is that for real, or is that a marketing gimmick to make me feel like I should buy a subscription to the service? 

Am I really in the top ten?

Oh well, I'll never know! 

OH -- the good news, I found a CANADIAN company that I can purchase the KAM snaps from! It's incredible how much I can learn by asking questions at the Virtual Retreats!! Someone out there knows the answer to everything! 

Remember, we have a Virtual Retreat on Saturday, December 27th, starting at 6 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82693702241?pwd=QpQkm8Ppppy1XwCPOqva1bcgJCWKdP.1

Meeting ID: 826 9370 2241
Passcode: 795071

And on Sunday, December 28th, starting at 3 PM. 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81073536036?pwd=uxRqMnK1aSKrmrcSO78w8QQs5g44eA.1

Meeting ID: 810 7353 6036
Passcode: 596838

And on that note - enjoy your Christmas Day, whether you are with family or friends, or choose to spend a quiet day at home. Eat cookies and chocolate today! I'm going to the movies, mainly for the popcorn! 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!

It's almost Christmas and the elves have arrived!

I totally get the hungry feeling after eating oatmeal. I have tried hemp hearts, and they work, but they are sometimes hard to find. And then my big question is, do you want whole hemp hearts or ground hemp hearts - which one provides more nutrition? I'm going to use my protein powder because I have it and need to use it up! But first, let's use the carbohydrate powder. It's time to clean the cupboards! 

So many choices!! I laugh about eating oatmeal for breakfast, because when I was chatting with my aunts earlier this year, most of them will NOT eat oatmeal. It was a staple when they grew up, and they were "forced" to eat it because it was the only thing available. I get it! We ate porridge every morning as well -- at least my Mom cycled through the flavours -- oatmeal one day, then Red River (flax, wheat, and rye), Cream of Wheat, and, hmmm, there may have been one more. But I like oatmeal! Even though, as a kid, I hated it because that was what "poor" people ate. The "rich" kids got to eat boxed cereal laden with sugar! 

Now that my gift has arrived and opened by the recipient, I can share what I made. 

These are two elves (a boy and a girl) that I made on the embroidery machine. The legs are one hooping; the arms, then the body; and the head is also one hooping each. So when assembled, they are about 2 feet tall. They are adorable, and I had loads of fun experimenting with various materials to make them. 

The girl elf

The boy elf

I still have one pair of legs left, and I think I'll make the elf girl for myself using the legs. You can't let a pair of legs go to waste! The instructions called for buttons to join the pieces, but I used my KAM snaps! And they worked like a charm. KU took the items with her, and I just barely finished them before her flight! M picked them up yesterday and sent me a note that they like them. Dillon is a nut about Christmas, so I'm sure they will be hanging up by now! 

The pattern is from Designs by JuJu. 

Thank goodness, I like these, because somehow I seem to now have a pattern for a witch, a snowman, a nutcracker, and several other door-hanging people! How did that happen? 

The same way that it is now Christmas Eve. Where did the time go this year? Slow down - we need to slow down and savor every moment! I have loads of memories from 2025, so I don't feel like time totally slipped away on me. 

We had a big snowstorm the previous night, so when I went out, I decided to wear my new winter boots. Oh my -- what a joy to put on boots that didn't squish my feet. No wonder I never wore winter boots before! OK -- I'm an idiot, and I know that! I detest shopping for shoes, which is probably why I had so much difficulty on the Camino. But the snow was wet, so the boots helped to keep my feet dry. 

Murphy approves of the new boots

And all was good on the walk, until Lexi and I came to Tim Horton's driveway. A car pulled out as it was going to merge right into the traffic. She was on the sidewalk, but I was watching the traffic, and a lot was coming, so Lexi and I forged in front of her. Lexi was on the OTHER side of the car - the driver's side, and I was RIGHT on her front bumper when she decided to move. Let me say that I'm sure the entire neighborhood heard me yell! I hope it scared her! She rolled down her window to apologize, and well, I let her have it! I was fuming. 

Yes, I know that pedestrians should make eye contact with drivers, but her windows were tinted, so I could not do that. So I watched her like a hawk. She didn't look right when turning right, which is a HUGE issue. The only thing people care about is merging with oncoming traffic from the left. She didn't even sense me in my bright orange coat, even when I was right in front of her! How could she miss that? She only stopped when I yelled. At least she wasn't on her phone that I could tell. The rest of the walk was uneventful! 

Miss Lexi, after the excitement

Here's the saga of my two girls. The Husky wants in - too much snow, while Murphy is lying flat out in it! Sigh.................

MOM -- I need to come in—too much snow! 

But Miss Muprhy likes the snow because she is hot and likes to cool down in the snow! 

MOM - I wish we lived where there was snow all year round

But it was peaceful with the snowfall, and as soon as I got back from walking the girls, I shoveled the driveway. Our sidewalks were plowed, and I think the guy struggled with my stakes - I have no idea why - just drive beside them. We live on the corner, but the curve is very gentle. He ran over my neighbor's small walls by the side of his driveway. Thank goodness, we got rid of those several years ago. Silly things! 

And when the plow came later in the day, I watched how they avoided putting windrows at the bottom of the drive. Holy - that sure slows the process down a LOT. There was only a little snow in my driveway, so after he left, I went out and removed it. I know -- I can't help it. And then I laughed when I returned to the house to see all the dog hair on the floor. 

Walking through the forest with the snow

In the afternoon, I walked to the grocery store to do DH's groceries. I guess he didn't want to tackle the madness that was the grocery store. Just because the store will be closed for ONE day, why was it total chaos? I have no idea, but I carried two bags home, and all was good! I wore my running shoes because by then, the sidewalks were clear and dry. Only a bit of snow in the forest. Did I mention that the snow was wet, so it was very heavy to shovel? 

I did my shopping in the morning, and OH MY— I got pie!!! Somehow, this ended up in my shopping bag. I swear I didn't stop at Michael's, but when I got home, there was pie! The crust is broken, but no big deal. I want the dish, not the candle! Someone was with me the day we bought those pie patterns, and perhaps she will like the second dish. Or I might just want to keep both! 

A pie candle

But Michaels' wasn't busy, and everything Christmas is 60% off. It's been 60% off for over a month. Then I went to Fabricland, and it wasn't busy, so I quickly got what I needed. 

Then I went to Staples to get three things done. Good grief - that place was a shambles!!! Many of the copy machines were down, and one of three photo printing machines was down. They also have new instructions for using the copiers, which didn't make sense to me at all. Apparently, they didn't make sense to many others either. 

I also wanted to get that book coil-bound, and I was sure I would have to leave it. Nope - the job was done while I waited, which was amazing!!! Now I can transfer my notes from my book to this book, and I'll be set!! I'll have to keep the book beside the digital cutter, so I'll know where it is when I need it. Hmmm -- I should make a cover and put a pocket in it to hold this book! 

My book is now coil-bound

I will confess I struggled to get my documents printed, and it was entirely my fault. I don't know what is happening to my brain. I think because so many people were frustrated and waiting for machines, it rubbed off on me. Let's hope it was that! 

I asked for help. I nicely told the staff member that I was frustrated, and she helped me! But the changes they are making have come about because many people go with things to be printed, and it's on their phone. When I go, my stuff is on a USB. Nothing has changed for printing from a USB drive, but I thought it had, which confused me to no end. Anyway, now I'm good for the next time I need something copied or printed, and I might try printing from my phone, but I don't know. All these new-fangled ideas for technology!!!! It tests the senior brain for sure! 

However, I got all the pictures printed (my home printer needs some TLC) for my 2026 goals, so I hope to get them organized today! I'm very excited to be getting some of this organization done! And it's not even the end of the year - I still have one more week! 

But I also got some writing done (about time!), and my plans for the rest of the writing look good. I'd love to get that off my plate ASAP, since I've been procrastinating about it. 

I sat in a chair in the living room to read last night, and guess who was there? Her thought process was that if the left side of the chair doesn't work, let's scoot around the back and try the other side. That dog is insistent!!!

MOM - I WOOF you!!! A LOT!!!!

Meanwhile, this is Lexi hanging out beside DH's chair in the family room. Sigh......... Why do I get the hyper dog? But she is dang cute!!! They are both adorable! 

Lexi just quietly hangs out with DH

Then I headed upstairs and thought I would drop in on the crazy puzzle. As you can see, I've got a few more pieces added along the bottom. The colors are very dark and similar in tone, so it's hard to tell what is what. I'm mostly going by shape! I guess I'll be working from the bottom up. I've tried to isolate some sections, but can't seem to make head or tail of that like I could on a "regular" puzzle. But that's OK. A little bit every day and I'm good! 

Progress on the jigsaw puzzle

There was no spin class this morning, and while I could have gone myself, I decided not to. Lazy!!! But I'm OK with that! I should do some stretching later this afternoon. 

Remember, there is a Virtual Retreat this morning - we start at 10 AM and go until at least 2 PM. If you are with family, that is good. Many people don't have family nearby, and rather than sit alone at home, we can all gather together and sew. Here's the link. 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88421755791?pwd=alembPc4qQybCv1ElwMvrqc400FolX.1

Meeting ID: 884 2175 5791
Passcode: 720274

Zoom will be sending me another notice that this is NOT a good idea, but what do I care? I've never had an issue, and I can kick out someone who isn't supposed to be there! 

Well, I'm off!!!

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!