2008

Happy New Year! I hope it's a wonderful one for you. Heck, I hope it's a wonderful one for me! 2007 was full of a lot of challenges. I am grateful to my family and to my gaggle of friends who helped me through it. Also, I am grateful for my Curly. He's awesome. And, no, that's not the NyQuil talking.

Here's to a new year full of love and laughter, and lots of stitching.

Angels We Have Heard on High

Notice how her voice begins to crack, but like the consumate professional she is, she keeps on singing. Sparkly angels, indeed.

Finally Caught Up

The sickness I have been dodging finally caught up with me. I have had the aches, pains, chills, sweats, coughing, sneezing, fever, etc etc. The kids and Curly have been sick, too, but are feeling much better today. I don't hurt today, but I still have chills and the other stuff. All I can say is, I am glad I got this after Christmas. I cannot imagine getting Christmas ready feeling like I did yesterday.

This week I discovered bloglines. Well, Jean discovered it and told me about it. For people who check a lot of blogs (like myself), it is invaluable. It tells you when one of the blogs you read has a new post. Check it out. You won't be sorry!

Now I am going to find a blanket and wrap up in it. I am freezing!

Birthday Box

The gift we gave to my family was a birthday box. It's a fabulous idea that I hope works really well for us. I took unfinished cigar boxes that I got at Michael's, cut out some fabric for the top, and then used Mod Podge to put it all together. I had to sand down the tops when we were done, since the glue dried bumpy. Mini-me was my big helper on this and did all the painting of the glue. The box can be used to store a calendar in the lid, along with cards and stamps for mailing. Genius! Hopefully they will contribute to a well organized 2008.

Two Projects

This Christmas, I worked on two projects that took up most of my time the week before Christmas. I also did some smaller projects that were quick and easy. Here is what Gracie would do while I sewed the binding on the quilt:

It made is slightly difficult to work. The green/blue quilt was for my SIL, Melissa, and the green/brown/purple one was for my SIL, Becky. They opened them today, and I think they liked them. The fun thing for me was that I was able to put my new Molly Patch labels on the back. I took a picture of the labels on a set of burp cloths, but it came out blurry. I did not get a new camera for Christmas. Oh well. Maybe next year I will be a nice girl and get some electronics.

Happy Christmas to All!

Projects

I have been working my little fingers to the nubs, but I can't so anything yet. Christmas is coming! It's coming a little faster than I wish it would, but you work with what you've been given. I have a couple of little stitching ditties that are done, a couple of quilty items, and maybe some fun stuff made using my favorite thing, Mod Podge. Photos to come after gifts have been received. I have had a pretty bad head cold, which has slowed my progress and modified some plans, but other than that, I am on target. Happy Holidays and good luck getting your projects done. If you're like me, you'll be working like an elf until the big day.

Decorating

I have finally put out our Dickens houses. They look great. If I get anymore, I will need a new place to put them. I have been very slow getting the decorations going. It's so much work, and I haven't been feeling too great. Today I woke up with a stuffy nose and sore throat. But, if I wait until I feel great, the decorating will never get done.

Today in the mail was a letter from Auntie Ree. In the letter was a photo of 2 year old Curly. It took me a minute to figure out who it was, because it looks just like Patch, but with curly hair. Crazy. Thanks, Auntie Ree! I wish I had a scanner so that I could post it. Maybe if I take a picture of it. We'll have to try it.

Sunday Morning

I am listening to James Taylor Christmas while the girls play nativity with their Playmobile set. Patch is climbing on the furniture. Oh, if only we got snow instead of rain, this scene could continue all day.

Child Labor

The Perfect Tree: A Photo Essay

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Broken

I have a broken toe. It's my middle one on my left foot. It hurts. I did it yesterday afternoon while trying to avoid mowing Patch down. It was actually feeling better this morning, but someone trod upon it. Now it kills.

We have wet, cold rain coming down. Patch didn't sleep well last night, and Curly was up with him (on account of my broken toe), so I drove Flower to school so Curly could get a little more sleep. What was wrong with Patch, you ask? Well, he didn't want to go to bed. He cried from 9 until after 1, and then started up again at 5:30. He's a stinker, yes sirree.

Did I mention my toe was broken?

Teacher Gifts

My aunt used to cross stitch little gifts for my cousins teachers. I always thought that was so cool, and wanted to do that when I had kids and they had teachers. The Ex takes care of gifts from Flower, but this Christmas, I got to show off for Mini-me's two teachers: Miss Kelly and Miss Terri.

The pattern I used is called "Noel" by MeMe's Everlastings by Trail Creek Farm. I also did one up on its own, to be placed on a cool polka dot star pillow. I think these turned out really cute. They were fast and easy. Hopefully Miss Kelly and Miss Terri will love them and use them in their Christmas decorating.

He Speaks!

Patch said what I consider to be his first real word yesterday: Tree. He pointed right at the Christmas tree, and spoke. He did not speak clearly, but it was very clear what he was saying. It's a Christmas miracle.

Patch also discovered the joy of climbing over the weekend. I don't know what made him so bold, but it's driving me nuts. He climbs in our blue leather chair and stands there. Sometimes he jumps, but he always sits when I tell him to.

Flower learned the hard way why it's important to speak clearly. She was using her baby talk to say "Sit, Patch." It came out a little more offensive than she intended.

Mini-me learned the hard way that even when we're in a hurry and we're feeling tired, it's still important to take the time to take off your tights and use the toilet. Times were out and bottoms were spanked.

Sad News

The Primitive Sampler will be closing its doors on December 22. I am so sad. I will miss having a cross stitch shop within walking distance. I will miss having a shop within reasonable driving distance. Wendy, the owner, said a woman will hopefully be opening a new shop in downtown Frederick that will include antiques and stitching. Did I mention I am sad? When Curly and I got married 5 years ago, I was a little hesitant about moving here. It was far removed from where I grew up, where my friends were, were my family was, and even where I worked. When I found out Frederick had both a Talbots and a needlework shop, I knew I could make it work. Now, I rarely shop at Talbots and there will be no needlework shop. Should we move?

In a perfect world, I would open up my own place. I have so many ideas for a needlework shop. It would not include antiques. It would include classes and retreats and lots of store models. It would include fabric for finishing and lots of kits. It would be like the Shepherds Bush of the East. Maybe someday.

Cookies

Today, Mini-me and I made some sugar cookies while Patch napped. It was a fun bonding time, even though she didn't quite grasp the concept of cutting the cookies from the edges. Oh well. The cookies are pretty silly. They are gingerbread men that look like they have a bite taken out of them. I have never piped icing around the edge before, and I think it turned out pretty well.

Patch and Mini-me are spending the day and night with the Ex. I know, it surprised me too. I'm a bigger woman than I gave myself credit for. Mini-me wanted to take some cookies with them because, as she put it, "It's polite." Anyway, Curly and I will be performing and setting the mood for the National Tree Lighting ceremony with some other folks from Way off Broadway. Don't look for us on TV, though. Our part ends when that part begins. Our purpose is to create a festive holiday ambiance. And, as we all know, the best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear.

Must Be Beautiful in Frederick This Time of Year ...

All that snow.

It's coming down at a pretty good pace. They did not cancel school, which is a bummer. Driving out to get Flower this afternoon will also be a tad treacherous. So, not quite the "snow day" I was hoping for (where we are all socked in and I can sit and quilt or stitch and watch movies and make hot cocoa and grilled cheese sandwiches). Instead, it's a messy day of boots and heavy coats and trudging around.

Lauren had her baby boy last night at 8:30. Her contractions started about 1 pm. That is a short labor and I am appropriately jealous. She is part of my quilting group. We make a baby quilt for every new baby for the members of our group, and for the playgroup we're all a part of (I say we, but I'm not as active. My kids are a little older than theirs). Lauren had already made 3 quilts for baby Graham before we could even get started on one! We decided on an "I Spy" quilt that can be used for her older boy as well. I finished the binding on it last night, and now it's ready to take over to her. She'll be so surprised, since we work on these quilts in "super secret" meetings.

Drama

We have our fair share of drama here. Between Flower and Mini-me, hardly a sentence is spoken that does not need an exclamation point! This morning, I exacted a harsh sentence of time out on the stairs for Mini-me. In her distress, she yelled "I never want to see you again!" I sent her to her room. Poof! Her wish was granted.

Since it was quiet, I had a chance to head over to Camille's blog. I don't get on it as often as I would like, because it's really slow to load on my computer. If I understood computers better, I would know why. Anyway, she designs really cute quilt patterns. She's doing a give-away for some of them. Hope I win.

My friend Lauren is having her baby today. Hopefully everything will go well for her so I can visit her tomorrow :)

Snow please?

The weather forecast for today included snow and freezing rain. That did not happen. I am ready for a little snow. Not so much that we are stuck inside for too long, but just enough to delay the start of our day. The next chance for snow is Wednesday. We are planning to get our Christmas tree Wednesday after picking up Flower from school. Cutting down a tree while it gently snows on our little family would just be too picturesque.

I am off to watch White Christmas for the first time this holiday season. It's the perfect movie to stitch to, since I already know it by heart. I don't have to have my eyes on it to know that the best things happen while you're dancing, or that it's cozier to sit girl boy girl boy.