So at last writing my quilt tops had spent a leisurely week in New Hampshire, courtesy of the post office! Thank goodness they finally made it to Nebraska into the arms of my wonderful longarm friend.

Here is Mr. Rogers! He now has a quilted neighborhood. My son-in-law is definitely going to be surprised… I don’t think he really understands what I do with myself all day!

Then here is my son’s chicken quilt– I really wanted chicken wire, that’s part of the reason I decided not to do it myself. My friend thinks I should keep it! I pulled these off my friend’s business website, and I can’t wait to see it in person.

We won’t be seeing our son again for Christmas, but I’m hoping to drive it down to him next week– DO NOT OPEN BEFORE CHRISTMAS!

And here’s my Jeepers Creepers Peepers for keepers! Yes, this is for me. Proof that we can get quilt kits from twelve years ago made and on the beds. This one will have to wait a few months, though. This one has owl quilting. I just love it– got to go through my stuff and see what else is in there!

I don’t think I’ve ever had this many quilts ready for Christmas– but let’s not start the self-congratulations until they are bound, right!?

I’ve really been working the business this month– it is what it is when you work in retail in the month of December. I’m doing new sales everyday, there’s more customer service than usual, and still I’m trying to get some new sets up. It’s been work, work, work.

In moment of pride, I finished my set of monthly villages. I really wanted this last one to be special, so I played with the colors and even added “people”– which don’t often make an appearance in any of my art. It’s a tall and skinny family with great posture!

Here is the set of twelve Villages of the Month.

It’s time to make this series into some type of glorious wall hanging– just let me get through the Christmas rush first, though! I want to make blocks with X’s in them– it’s a common block type, but oh, so appropriate for cross stitch. This is my first sketch– I do like to work in Photoshop, but someday I wish I would just take advantage of EQ8 which I have and which I actually took a class for.

The entire series is currently half price, but may end at any time. It would be fun to work through next year– there’s one for each month of the year, if you couldn’t tell! I love to work by the months.

If I finished this quilt, it would be a perfect candidate for my first Maine Quilt Show entry. But I keep saying that about this and that, and none of them are moving along! Better get in gear by January because I believe the deadline for entering is in May.

Smaller Christmas gifts are in the works, but are coming along slowly! I got some bags at our wonderful local department story, “Reny’s,” for just $9.99. When you have an embroidery machine, its so easy to turn raw materials into fabulous personalized gifts!

I made two of these “2025” books. One I mentioned last time on the blog is for an engaged couple– it’s a cover for a fill-in book about their relationship. I hope they take the time to do it, because it would be amazing to take it out in 25 years!

Finally, here’s my folded star hot pad production line! They’re still taking too much time. I made a total of five so far. Loving this Deb Strain fabric from last year. These are all spoken for– then I’d love to make a set of three for myself, but my attention is starting to wander.

Now here’s a few early Christmas gifts for me– haha! I have the courage to admit it, because I think we all pick up a few little things for ourselves, while shopping, right?

I took advantage of the Fat Quarter Shop’s 15% off Black Friday sales. Did you?

The Peppermint Lane book I actually snagged free with a coupon from the Jolly Box(?) It has some cute blocks in it– I’d never make the whole quilt. I got the little project bag for next to nothing. The “X and O” pattern is from Sandy Gervais pattern for some fabric that came in the Valentine box this year. I think that’s the only thing I “needed”– and the rest was just to get to $80 free shipping!

Then I got a Jolly bar– 5″ x 10″ cuts of the new Coriander Cali and Co collection. I LOVE this collection, but face it, the fat quarters are way out of reach for me anymore. Even a layer cake takes some consideration before I buy it. The Jolly bar is just right for this Goldilocks. I’m afraid the day is coming when a mini charm pack will be all I can afford at the rate prices are going up!

The Jolly bars all come with a pattern– I like this one– potential baby quilt, maybe?

Then I bought this Cuckoo clock Cross stitch– it’s Part 1 of 5. I may treat myself to each successive part with future orders. Super cute pattern– have no idea when I’d actually make this– it is HUGE. I swiped the photo from The Tiny Modernist website, so I’m linking to it– just click the photo for more tempting eye candy!

This thing has been on my wish list to be notified of and here it is. A super cute– TINY box of fabrics from a 50th anniversary Moda collection.

I am really susceptible to small, cute things lately. It’s called “Little Wood Box,” and apparently I’m not the only one who bought it because it looks like it sold out already on the Fat Quarter Shop website. It also came with a cute pattern– but this is only 10″ big! I MIGHT make it, if I can bear to take those little fabrics out. It looks like this is going to be a series, and I’m going to try hard not to get sucked in– it’s a bit pricey at over $30. I’m just going to enjoy it on my desk for now.

Then the last thing was the finishing kit for the Jolly Box Snowman Quilt. I might make of point of making it in January, when things quiet down.

Finally, here’s my “Appalling Cross Stitch” project as I am now calling it! I took it down to my sister’s for an overnight last month. I always think everyone needs an obsessive hobby– I think she does– and when I showed it to her, she looked as disgusted as if I had held up a dead mouse for her to smell. Likewise, Mr. SFO commented something like — “that’s quite a project you have there.” I wish I could remember his exact words– he was dang funny not for just what he said but the way he said it!

Why is everyone so offended? It is small. That’s why.

But I have to tell you, I am obsessed with this thing– I LIVE for stitching on it a little in the morning and a little a night. Look at the cute baby Jesus and the little puppy! Look at Santa in the sky! I’ve been a little cranky lately with all the hard work and all the things that need doing and this is all it takes to keep me soldiering along.

Hope the Christmas season is being good to you– if the big things in life are disappointing you, look at smaller things.

xox
Carol