Come and look...

 Now that all the Christmas packages have been delivered and opened I thought I'd show you a project I was working on...I made these little table runners for my sisters, Mom...and a couple friends....

 I really liked this fabric when I found it...it's a light weight upholstery fabric...with some sparkles in the golden threads...I hand appliqued some Santas and trees...I like the way they came out...I used some of my wool I found while thrifting...a good way to recycle I think!

 Since I'm still very much in the Christmas mood...I thought I'd start a Santa that I didn't get to before Christmas. I got this pattern on sale last year after Christmas and just never found the time to make it...

I traced him onto heavy weight muslin and backed it with some white warm and natural so it gives a sort of quilted look. He'll get some pieces of red plaid home spun as a border and I think I'm going to add some tabs at the top so I can put a fancy dowel through the tabs to hang him...the pattern doesn't call for the tabs...but I never follow patterns exactly! I think I should have him finished in a couple days.

It is still pretty warm here...I have been gardening every morning this week...there are so many leaves to be raked in my back yard...it's incredible! But raking is very good exercise and I love being out in the nice sunshine this time of year...I'm actually wearing shorts today! I'm done in the yard for now and I need to get busy on a couple of custom diaper bags that have been ordered...lots of babies are coming this Spring! Even though I am very busy right now...I feel so relaxed...I hope this feeling lasts!! I can't believe in a couple days it will be a new year...

 I'm not big on resolutions for the year...I believe in baby steps...one day at a time...all year... every year. I just want to be the best person I can be everyday...some days I succeed...some days I fail...

So...until next time...Have the Happiest New Year!! May all your hopes and dreams for the future year come true!!

What fun with the SSCS!!

 Today I want to give a big Thank you to Shari for my swap gift in the SSCS ...this little quilt is just perfect!!

 You have captured my love for the sea and the wonderful little sand pipers that live there...

 I feel as though I'm right on the beach in San Diego with my boys walking and watching the birds...

 What a thoughtful gift...thank you ever so much!!!

 Now that the gifts have been opened I can show what I made in the swap...here is the ornament...a little owl I drew and made out of wool and buttons...

And a bag with birdhouses...the bag is a wool blend fabric and the birdhouses are all wool and more buttons...this was a fun project!

I showed the ornament I received on an earlier post...for some reason I can't get that picture to post today...technical difficulties I guess!! Thanks so much to Shari and to Chookyblue for doing such a marvelous job with this huge Christmas swap!! This was my second year and it was so much fun!!

In other news...the weather has turned very warm here in my neck of the woods...it was 84 yesterday...supposed to be nice the rest of the week...so you will find me out in the yard...gardening...what else!!

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!

Before I forget...

 With Christmas Day only a few days away...I wanted to stop and wish all of you a Very Merry Christmas before it gets too late...life gets hectic...I get too busy and forget...this time of year that is so filled with magic and faith all bundled up together has away of making you stop and think...of the present ...the past and just about everything in between...

 I suppose it's because another year is about to end...and we wonder if we've lived up to the task at hand...did we become that better person...eat right...exercise more... become a better person on the inside...or are we thinking of Christmas past...when we were young and carefree....

 Waiting for the magic of the season...perhaps our minds wander back to that first Christmas with our spouse...or children...we try so hard to re-create those memories...or forget...

 I am thankful for all my Christmas's past...they helped shape me into the person I am today...warts and all...

 I think of the loved ones I spent so many holidays with...who are no longer here...but in my heart...and happiest memories...I scatter pictures of Christmas past all over my house...to keep those memories alive...

 I look forward to the minute my children walk up to my door...to spend a little of their precious time with us...after a long day and a long drive they are tired...but happy to be here with their Dad and Mom...knowing that they have fulfilled my only real Christmas wish...to be a family on Christmas morning...in our house...like we have been for so many Christmas mornings before...

 So...while I still have so many things to get done to prepare for a perfect Christmas morning....

 I take the time to think of the true reason for the season...and what Christmas really means to me...it is love...the love of our Father...who made all things possible...to send His Son to us...out of love...for each of us...

 I think of the magic of Christmas...the people who make wonderful things happen for each other...

 Who pass around envelopes asking only a dollar for someone who might need a lot more...for those who pay off lay aways for someone else who hasn't quite got the money...for the food that goes to the food banks...and those who drop a couple dollars in the Salvation Army pots that help so many...

 I think of our soldiers...who are so far away from home...serving us...our country...

As quicly as the memories arrive...I am snapped back to reality...and the long list of things I must get done today...but before I go... 

I want to wish each and every one of you a Joyous Christmas holiday! May it be filled with good times and wonderful memories!!

Until next time...enjoy the day!!!

A Christmas Freebie...

This past week while I was sick and just laying around feeling sorry for myself...I stitched up this little Christmas bird. I thought he was really cute...I found him at Cat Havens Crafts...she got him from another blogger...he was a free chart. I think I may make a little pillow out of him...not sure ...he measures about 6 x 6 because I stitched him on 14 oatmeal aida cloth...I wanted him a bit bigger, but he would make a cute ornament on smaller cloth. For some reason I can't get the chart to come up, and my picture came out a little dark...but I've linked the site ... she is Gazette 94 There are tons of free patterns there...it's a great site!

I am feeling much better today...I do have an issue with my left eye though...I think I have a cold in my eye...is there such a thing?? Sunday morning when I woke up...I couldn't open my eye...it was all gooey and yucky...it's better today...but it is still runny....but I am on the mend and that is a good thing! I have just about everything done for Christmas...I know I said I wanted to take it slow...but geez...getting sick right before Christmas...not my idea of a good time...I guess it could have been worse...sick on Christmas! I getting very excited for Saturday to come...my boys will be here...and Selin and Lola too! They will spend the night and wake up here as they always have on Christmas morning!! Anna, sadly, will be at her sister's house in Northern California...we will miss her so much!

Well times a wasting...so I must get my last minute things done!

Until next time...enjoy the day!!!

Oh Christmas Tree...

We finally got our Christmas tree up and decorated!! It's a tiny one again this year...we decided we liked the one so much last year that we'd try a tiny one again. This way we don't have to rearrange furniture...in a small house it's hard...so we like it this way. Most of our ornaments are made or collected over the last 32 years...nothing expensive...just priceless to us! Each one I hang on the tree brings back a memory of a person or Christmas past...they are all very special. 

I have been under the weather all this week...I caught some sort of bug that first punched me in the stomach and then knocked me down...I'm on the mend though...this is the first day I've been on the computer in a while and I actually did a few things this morning...other than just lay and bed or on the couch and feel sorry for myself...It's amazing how something so tiny can make you feel so lousy!!

Until next time...enjoy the day!!!

The Twelve days of Christmas...

The last few days I have been listening to a lot of Christmas music...I love to listen as I decorate, bake and sew this time of year...there are so many beautifully done songs out there...but today I wanted to share with you the true meaning of a very popular Christmas song...The Twelve Days of Christmas.

The Twelve Days of Christmas are actually the 12 days after December 25...the last day being January 6th or The Epiphany...or as we call it in our house... Little Christmas....so hear goes!

The partridge in a pear tree stands for Jesus

Two turtle doves are the Old and New Testaments

Three French hens are Faith, hope and love

Four Calling birds are the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

Five golden rings are the first five books of the Old Testament

Six geese a laying are the six days of Creation

Seven swans a swimming are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership and Mercy

Eight Maids a milking are the eight Beatitudes

Nine Ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control

Ten Lords a leaping are the Ten Commandments

Eleven Pipers Piping are the eleven faithful disciples

Twelve Drummers Drumming are the twelve points of the Apostles Creed

This Christmas Carol was made up in England when Catholics weren't allowed to practice their faith for fear of persecution and this helped teach the children their Catechism...maybe you will look at this song in a very different way...I know I always have!

Back to my music...until next time...enjoy the day, my friends!!

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

I finally started to get up my Christmas decorations...I thought today...I would show you a few...I have a small house...so I like to decorate the tops of everything...this is the top of my refrigerator...

 This is one of my many Jim Shore Santas...I love them...they are just my style...a little rustic and yet so warm and cozy and colorful...

 And just look at his face...how can you not fall in love with him! I did...many years ago!

 This is the top of the curio cabinet that holds all of my special friends...my Hummels...we got these Santas years ago too...

 Greenery, pine cones and some natural looking berries work best for me...I love all the shine of Christmas...but not so much in my home...I think simple and homemade works best for me...

 Here is the top of the wall unit in my living room...I made that Santa about 15 plus years ago...

 This is the other side of the wall unit...this Santa was painted by Don...our first Christmas! We had very little money and of course...no decorations...so we went to the ceramic store and bought lots of inexpensive ornaments and decorations and painted them...those stores were so popular in the late 1970's. We still have a few of the most treasured items from that first Christmas...every time I see this Santa...all those wonderful memories come flooding back...actually it's that way with so many of my treasures...little memory triggers!

This is the middle of the wall unit...more pine cones...I love pine cones! There are little tiny clear lights in all the garlands...we turn them on at night and they give a nice warm glow to the room. I am still putting up the last of the decorations...I will show you more later...I have the Christmas music on now...Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby are my favorites...they, too, bring back memories of a simpler time when we didn't rush all over to get things done...so this year I am trying my best not to rush...to enjoy the season and remember why we celebrate this wonderful season...He would want it that way!

Until next time...enjoy the day!!!

A surprise in the mail!!

 Today I received a package in the mail...I love packages...

 It came all the way from Australia...it was my SSCS swap present!!

 Oh what fun!! I got to open the small package...it's an ornament for my Christmas tree!

A cute little snow flake!! I love it!! Thanks so much Shari...The big package will be the first gift under my Christmas tree when we get it next week!! 

I have been doing some decorating around the house the last couple of days...I will post some pictures later this week. I had jury duty today and our case was dismissed part way through because the clients settled out of court. So I came home and raked and raked and raked my front yard... the wind has blown all the leaves off my trees and brought leaves in from who knows where...I raked until it was just about dark and getting to cold to be out there any more! I filled up my huge 90 gallon green can...the trash man comes tomorrow...so I can rake some more! I have been asked what I think of as cold...because I keep saying it's cold...60 is chilly to me...hey...I'm a Southern California girl...we don't like cold...we like shorts and sandals! Actually, where I live it will get down to the low 30's in the night and it is supposed to warm up to the mid 60's...now...to me...that's cold! 

Until next time...enjoy the day!!

We're back from the craft show...

 This past weekend we had our booth at the craft show. I will consider it a success because I sold quite a few bags...almost all of my sales were the largest bags with wool applique on them...so that was nice. I learned a few things too...I will work a bit more on the decor of my booth...not that it stopped my sales...but I need to make the booth a bit more pleasing...maybe I will attract more shoppers...I need to look for more items to use to decorate...I also learned that I am better at talking to people than I thought...I CAN do it!

 I didn't take very many pictures...I got busy...talking with people...trying to stay warm...it was cold...and making new friends with other vendors...there were so many nice people there!

 Don was walking around looking at all the booths Friday before the show opened...see Donna in the background...she was so nice and we bonded very quickly! Donna and her husband Bill have been doing craft fairs since 1970's...they were so wonderful and helpful with advice!

 There weren't quite as many pretty decorations for this fair as for the Harvest Fair...but the lights were really pretty on Friday night...but it was so cold!

 There were Christmas trees for sale all over...and they smelled so good!

Don and I are going to stop and enjoy the rest of the Christmas season...it has been a hectic couple of months and we are going to slow down...I have a couple custom bags to make and a very sad looking Etsy shop...but I will take my time...work on finishing Christmas gifts that I'm making...and enjoy the season the way it is supposed to be enjoyed...I haven't even started decorating my house! That is in the works though...all the bins are down...today I will turn on my Christmas music and enjoy the day cleaning and decorating!

Until next time...slow down and enjoy all the wonderful parts of this Christmas season!

Something new!!

 For quite some time I have been wanting to add some grocery bags to my line of bags...I use them all the time...we keep them in both cars and I like them much better than the plastic ones...for one thing...they are good for the environment...less of a carbon foot print as they say...the other thing is...they hold so much more in them...and they DON'T break!

 So I made a few to take to the craft show with me...

 They are made of unbleached cotton canvas...

 And the wonderful art work was done by the lovely Anna...she is so talented!

 You can put lots in these bags...they're nice and roomy...

Pretty tall too....if they do well at the craft show or if any of you think this is something you'd like to have...I'll make more...I enjoyed working with Anna on this project!

Remember...if you're in the Orange County area...come on by Piecemaker's for a great kick off to your Christmas shopping...there will be lots of crafty vendors, fun, food and live music. The festivities start at 5PM tomorrow night and again on Saturday from 9AM until 4PM...I hope to see some of you there...it would be fun to meet you in person!!

Until next time...enjoy the day my friends!!!

Outdoor Wednesday...in my back yard...

I spent the morning gardening today...I worked in the front yard for the most part...I came to the back to feed the birds and decided to take a few pictures ...I can't believe it's almost December and our birch trees are finally showing their Autumn colors...these are the two in the back...I can see them from all the windows in the back of my house...I love them!

 Here's some on the side of the house....

 Oh I bounced back to the back again...putting pictures on here is not my specialty...but I try!

 Here is a close up of an new plant I got a few weeks ago...it is an ornamental pepper plant...

 The peppers are supposed to stay purple...as are the leaves...pretty I think!

 Here's a close up of some mums in a pot I moved out to the sunny area...

 I think stock flowers are so pretty too...I love the bright colors...

 A minature rose bud...yes...I am still getting roses...

 These annuals are coming back...for some reason I am brain dead...I can't think of the name...it is on the tip of my tongue...it starts with an L...anyway...they die back in the summer...start coming back when the weather cools down and soon there will be blue everywhere...because they spread like crazy!!

 Bamboo berries...they add tons of color to the yard and look great in Christmas garlands and wreaths...

 Tangerines will soon be ripe...I can't wait!!

 Here's part of the yard...I'm under the apple tree...

 It's a little bare right now...but it's almost December and I have been ignoring it because of all my sewing...

This is the walk way out to the front yard...more birch trees...I look out on these guys from my kitchen window...I always leave the blinds open so I can see them. So that's what the yard is looking like now...there are leaves everywhere...and it is supposed to get really windy in the next couple days...record winds I heard...80 mph gusts...it happens this time of year...I don't like it...but that's our weather pattern...you never know when the winds will go crazy from about October to March...I spent all morning raking leaves in the front from last week's wind...and alot of them weren't from any tree in my yard! Oh well...raking is good exercise...that's what I tell myself anyway! 

Until next time...enjoy the day!!!