"Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least." ~Goethe~

23 December 2014

Let the relaxing begin...














     And with that we are finished with all the holiday baking.  There are Jam Stars, Vanille Kipferl and Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal cookies sitting around in tins just waiting for a nibble here and there.  And yummy Apple Strudel just patiently waiting for Christmas morning.

     The only thing on the "list to do" is to kick back, relax and soak up as much family time as we can within the next few days.  I'm game.


Merry Christmas!!!


~*~

Kar

22 December 2014

The feeling of calm…










     A sense of calm fell over the house this weekend.  The Christmas shopping was officially completed and the last of the handmade gifts were finished.  Such a wonderful thing to be able to breathe and relax again.  French seams are a new favorite around here.  Especially were flannel pj pants are concerned.  It takes a little bit more time but so worth the effort.  Let's just not talk about the possibility of having to take those "completed" seams out when you noticed two wrong pieces were sewn together.  yay.  But all finished well and no one was hurt.  Complete success in my book.

     This completion of sorts would not have been a success without the help of my wonderful husband I have to say.  His willingness to take the girls down to another library seasonal favorite treat event was very much appreciated.  Especially since he had to endure all the noise and craziness that goes along with such event.  Such a trooper.  All so I could get my act together and complete my sewing.  He is an absolute keeper in my book.  

     Later that evening when everyone was breathing a huge sigh of relief from all the holiday craziness, a puzzle checked out from the library that afternoon was taken out and completed by all of us.  It was the perfect finish to our day.  All the laughing and cheering each other on when a "hard" piece was found was just what was needed to put us in the right frame of mind again.  Love that.

     Then the cookie baking started the next day.  Hopefully we will get it all completed today.  Then it will be on to the Apple Strudel for Christmas morning.  Can't wait for that!  Yum!



~*~


Kar


15 December 2014

Best intentions...





















     Such well made plans were made months ago on the premise that I would be finished with handmade gifts very early on this year for Christmas.  I would have everything wrapped, packed and shipped out the first week of December and it would be smooth sailing for the rest of the month.  Then life happened, as it always does.

     Quilts were not finished in November.  I just didn't feel like working on them for some reason.  I didn't buy enough buttons for the knitted sweaters.  Apparently I can not count when it really matters.  Thanksgiving came along and some how I thought for sure I would have enough time to have some kind of sewing marathon that week in order to get the quilts completed.  Yeah, delusional at its best.  The only happenings that week were cooking, eating and putting up Christmas decorations.  No creating.  New Winter hats were on the list to be made.  Lots of hats were started the week after Thanksgiving.  Good thing they are quick to make.  The sweaters were finished after a quick button shopping trip was made.  There was only one pack of matching buttons left when I got to the store.   The pack had just the right amount on it that was needed.  I nearly pee'd my pants.  I just hope no one besides the girls so me snatch those buttons off the rack like they were some big "Black Friday" item everyone was after, well after the sale.  While at the store, a smallish person spotted the most perfect green colored curtains ever for her room.  They were bought and again the finishing of presents were put on hold just so those most perfect curtains could be hemmed and put up.  The smile on her face was well worth the delay with the creating mojo.  Apparently a vintage flowery flat sheet that was put up after the window installation just wasn't cutting it any longer.  Even homemade noodles had to be tackled later that day because they looked so easy.  They are pretty tasty also.  I have been told that store bought noodles are not allowed in the house any longer.  The quilts were started up again with a bit of help from the other quilter in the house.  She totally saved my tail.  Then after I had really got into a rhythm with them, it came to a screeching halt again.  Sure, why not.  Apparently I had totally forgotten about a certain teenager volunteering the whole day at the blood drive at the library and there was the yearly, most important, gingerbread house building event right after the blood drive that the smallish one just had to go to.  Who knew that the best built gingerbread house has to have a front porch and a side patio for one to enjoy.  Nothing really got done that day around here except for dinner.  The day after is when the sewing gods shined their light down upon me and allowed a near perfect day of sewing for me, with the help of some soda.  Dang near killed me later.  I apparently had forgotten how that stuff reeks havoc with me afterwards.  Fab.  I heard one of my crew mention how awesome it was that there were left overs from the night before and I didn't have to cook and I could just work on quilts as much as I wanted.  Little do they know it was a well laid out plan in hopes that the sewing gods would smile down on me.  One plan that worked out.  Quilt parts were pinned, sewn together and binded during the next week.  There may have even been Math assignments worked on with the smallish one while sprawled out on the floor pinning quilts together.  Then yesterday the sewing gods looked down upon me again and allowed me to complete everything that was left to do.  Yes, there were leftovers.  I just about cried during my realization that the last of the packages were packed, sealed, addressed and ready to go to the post office the next day.  It was a fine moment indeed.  Then I realized this morning that I have five more gifts to make.  Then only thing that made that moment bearable was that I don't have to mail them off.  They are staying here for my well deserved crew that I live with.  Thank goodness.

     Maybe next year will be the year that I actually get things finished early.  Yeah, and pigs fly you know.  I won't tell you what I really say around here.


~*~

Kar