Under the weather

Truth be told, this little guy probably looks better than I do right now.  Somewhere between Christmas and New Years I picked up a nasty little alien that has taken over my body and refused to let me have a good night’s sleep. 

I usually try to “tough these things out” with over-the-counter meds but they haven’t worked on this bug and my co-workers have been giving me sideways looks and avoiding me, communicating via email and voice mail and approaching me when they had no other choice in order to hand me something. Can’t say I wouldn’t do the same, if they had this bug instead of me.

Every time I entered the kitchen area, hasty excuses were made about needing to get back to work and my normally chatty co-workers scattered like scared rabbits so I decided maybe I better stop playing doctor and go see one.

I finally got there this afternoon.  My doctor is usually fifteen to twenty minutes behind schedule  but after a robust coughing fit in the lobby when I checked in at the receptionist’s desk, I was quickly wisked into the examining room. 

I was a little worried that I’d be sent for a chest x-ray to rule out pneumonia but my lungs are clear and it turns out this is really just a garden variety virus with a few quirky symptoms. The worst being the severe coughing spells.  My doctor said it can also cause diarrhea—and can take as long as three or four weeks to get better---doesn’t that sound like fun?

The treatment she prescribed was what you might expect for a regular cold---rest, fluids cough lozeners, mucinex and an Rx for an inhaler to help the wheezing and bronchial spasms.

Tomorrow afternoon is our company’s Christmas party which has been postponed several times already.  I planned it so I know it’s going to be fun and the food will be great—I just won’t be there and really I don’t mind---going home early tomorrow and taking a long nap on the sofa sounds like a pretty good time to me.

Putting Xmas Away

I’m a little behind…I’m just taking the Christmas “stuff” down  and I realized that I’ve never shared pictures of my “quilty” Xmas decorations so I thought it would be fun to show you a few things that I look forward to displaying.  These go back a few years and might remind you of some of your own early projects.

Remember this quilt designer?  This is a Debbie Mumm pattern that I finished in 1991.  I was a big fan of Debbie Mumm back then and made a few of her designs.  I still love her early “penstitch” applique patterns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This next quilt was a gift from my pen pal, Denise in 1998.  Denise lives in England and is an avid seamstress and quilter.  We met through an ad in the back of Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine in 1987 and corresponded via snail mail for over a decade (email wasn’t around then). 

Denise came for a visit in 1989 and we went to Lancaster, PA for the Quilters Heritage Celebration.   Sadly we’ve since lost touch but she was a generous friend and I have a few lovely gifts from her.  I usually hang this quilt on my porch entryway where it welcomes visitors and gives some holiday color to the porch.  I love the batik fabrics Denise used in this quilt. 

 

 

 

 

 

Remember these “folded stars” in embroidery hoops?    Can’t remember exactly what year I made this, but I do remember making several including one for my sister in those ‘80’s dusty blues and dusty roses.

I still  love the red and green fabrics in this folded star.  They’re all from VIP and Concord.  The quality of the fabric was really good back then cost a whopping $2.99/ yd!  Wish we had those prices again. 

Lastly,  I have this little angel made back in the early ‘90’s from a “Finder’s Keeper’s” pattern.  I think I made three or 4 of these little angels for quilting friends out of tea-dyed muslin.  Back then, folk art dolls were really popular and you could find lots of doll-making supplies like the curly synthetic hair in craft stores.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well that’s it for my nostalgic trip down Candy Cane Lane.   Hope it brings back memories of some of your early Christmas sewing projects and I hope you still display them.   Mine bring back memories of people and times past and isn’t that what Christmas is about.

Sew glad that this is a short work week!   We’re in the deep-freeze too—Woke up this morning and the thermometer said 9 degrees!

Catch you later…

Gail

Second Chance

One of my coworkers was a bit down this week after the Christmas holiday and when I asked her about it, she said the new year always filled her with regret  because it meant looking back and being reminded of  another year of missed opportunities.

I think it’s sad that anyone should feel that way about what I think of as a “second chance”.  January 1st is my opportunity to make a whole new set of resolutions and to set different goals based on last year’s successes and failures.

When I went to grade school, the last day before Christmas break was the day we had our holiday party.  It was also the day that we cleaned out our desks of broken crayons, and papers and  brought home all of our books to make new covers from the heavy brown  bags that grocery stores  used back then. 

At the end of the school day, our teacher would change our seat assignments, splitting up the chatty girls and mischievous boys from the previous term.  We would then have an opportunity to try out the new seat (while she finalized her seating chart) and see who the new neighbors were.  She passed around damp rags and paper towels for us to wipe off our new desk.  It was always kind of thrilling if you got moved to the front of the class with a good vantage point of the blackboard and hallway, unless it meant moving rows away from your best recess friend.

Like all the other kids, I was excited and impatient for Santa to come on Christmas morning.  I usually got everything on my list plus extras from eleven aunts and uncles and two wonderful godparents.  There were a few practical gifts under the tree too--new snow boots from Mom, and a hand-knit hat and mitten set or a pair of slipper socks from my Great Aunt Kate and Nana.

Over the holidays my mother would launder my army-green book bag and blue catholic school uniform and I would carefully and neatly recover all of my school books with the brown grocery bags my grandmother saved and then  helped me cut and fold.  By the time New Year’s Eve came, I was eager to see school friends again and sit in my new seat and open a freshly covered textbook.  Every year, I resolved that I would pay better attention, raise my hand more and get better grades.

I still feel the same way about new year’s today.  Just like the blackboards which were always washed down by the janitors over the holidays and restocked with new chalk, TODAY life is a fresh tablet ready for whatever new assignment we give it. 

Happy New Year! 

Gail :)

Thanks on Thursday

What are you thankful for today?

I’m thankful that my commute to work doesn’t include getting on the highway which was backed up for over an hour this morning.

Counting Down…

Are you ready for Christmas…is your shopping done?  Presents wrapped?  Tree tinseled?  Cookies baked? Cards mailed?  

Me neither….but tonight I did something that was festive, fun and softened up the “Grinchiness” I’ve been carrying around for the last few weeks.  Hope Santa was watching.

Several weeks ago, my boss managing partner of our firm asked me to buy a few hundred dollars worth of toys to donate to the Toys For Tots Program.  I grudgingly said yes because I’m not crazy about being unemployed again but I was also annoyed and put out that he asked this of me,  knowing I had to do this after work on my time. 

I only remember TFT’s when the marines collected used toys, fixed them up and re-gifted them to under-privileged kids and I don’t have good memories of that.  I was a new mother and had just moved to town when a neighbor asked if I would help her collect and clean up toys to donate to TFT’s.  We put boxes at the post office and library and scheduled a day to clean up and repair the toys together in my basement.  I got a persistent case of impetigo from that experience  which took several months of antibiotics to clear up.  Maybe that’s why TFT’s no longer accepts used toys.

The other day, when I called TFT to ask about drop off times and locations, they told me they really needed toys for older kids—10 to 13 year-olds—“tweens”.  I put this chore off as long as I could but last night, after another email from my boss, I decided to get it over with.  I had no idea what to buy.  Haven’t had any tweens or teens in this house for many years.

So at first I was watching other people shopping more than I was paying attention to the merchandise on the shelves but after a short time, I also realized I was having a good time---isn’t it hard not to have fun in a toy store?  There are so many animated and electronic toys—the last popular toys I shopped for were Teddy Ruxpin and Cabbage Patch kids.

I made several aimless trips around the store with my carriage before  ending up where they stock the musical toys and it was here that I found my inspiration.

I think I made  good choices.  The first toy I tossed into my carriage was a karaoke machine--for a  budding Lady Gaga maybe? Followed by an electric guitar—couldn’t we use another Jimmy Hendrix’s talent?.  Then I spotted a display case of cameras and with the advice of a salesperson, chose a compact video camera—maybe it will inspire another Steven Speilberg or James Cameron.   Next to the check out there was a display of MP3 players on sale so I picked up a couple of those too and a few  popular dvds for good measure. 

I would love to think that maybe these toys would be the catalyst to inspire some child’s future choices but even if they’re only play things and give some temporary enjoyment and take the slump out of a parent’s shoulders who’s worrying about not having gifts for their kids, I’m satisfied.  I doubt my boss, knew what he was missing when he delegated this job to me but maybe someone else “up there” knew I needed to do this.  

Goodbye Grinch! 

Losing my “Grinch”

As it gets closer to Christmas.  Yikes—there is less than a week to go--I’m feeling more “in the  decorating spirit” and less “ho-humm ”.  Friday night I ambled over  to Michael’s and Hobby Lobby after work looking for a few things to “festive up” the house.

I was inspired last week by a tiny set of lights I saw as I was walking around the General Stark Store in Derry.

I apologize for only taking a picture of their door and not getting any pictures of the inside of the store because those of you who love country decorating and furniture would just be in heaven. All of the furniture and most of the accessories are made HERE in the US to boot!. 

Though most of the merchandise tends to be a bit on the “prim” side which is not really my decorating style I always manage to find something that I love there and I’m definitely going back for the after Christmas sale.  They had the most gorgeous snowmen and rustic Santa's I’ve seen.

I’m probably a little behind on decorating trends because I’d never seen these lights before but I loved the way they looked and the soft glow they gave off.  I wanted something for my kitchen sideboard and thought they’d be just the ticket.  I wanted greenery too but I waited too long and the pickins were slim.  I did manage to find this winterberry garland that was just the right length and looked pretty good with my old green and red woven table runner. 

Can you see the little silicone flame tips on the mini bulbs?    They are a little on the pricey side when you think you can purchase mini bulbs at CVS for $1.99.  These  were $18 for a string of 36 but I caved when I saw them and if there’s any left after Xmas for 1/2 off, I’m getting another set.

I went up to the attic during the week and dug out the window candles but the bulbs were missing so I picked up replacement bulbs but they were the wrong size kind because as soon as I turned on the candles, they “popped”!   This morning I found the original bulbs which I packed separately to prevent breakage, I guess.  

I also dug out my Martha Stewart pre-lit tree I ‘ve had since 2003.  I’ve always put that on the porch and on a timer so that it can be seen from the driveway. I love coming home and seeing the house lit up.   No tree inside this year—I did want to get one of those skinny pre-lit trees for the living room but it’s probably just as well since the door and carpet have to be replaced.

I wish I had my pictures from last year when the house was completely decorated…oh well.  Here are a few pictures of the decorations around here so far….

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, here’s a cuteness picture of Calvin.  Doesn’t that little face make you smile?

Finding the Christmas Spirit. Thank you Mr. Grinch.

I’m looking for my Christmas spirit. I know the particulars of when, where and how I lost it, but finding it again is not that easy. 

The  cure---total holiday decorating immersion!   I’m making Christmas wreaths today.  If you want to join me, I’ll post last Xmas' wreath making tutorial.

(Side note—there are some  good things about the internet—one being that even if your laptop is stolen, your blog posts and pictures are retrievable). 

Here’s what I’ve been up to for the last month and a half since I was “liberated” from my computer.   The first photo is a UFO that I finished and will gift to my garden club friend, Sue, who really loves the country primitive decorating style. (I have the original label I made for this quilt which was dated “1991”!)  For the past 20 years it’s been sitting in my “project box”.  This was made from one of the “Little Quilts” patterns.  You can see from my fabric choices back then that I was an avid “Thimbleberries” fan.  I still have a tree skirt with these same dark greens and reds which I used to call “prairie” colors because I did a lot of Prairie Schooler cross stitch projects back then also.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remember the baby quilt I showed you a few months ago?  Well I can divulge the recipient now and show you pictures of the finished quilt.  This quilt was made for Kasey’s baby niece, Mia Louise.  (You’ll remember that Kasey is my daughter’s roommate)  Mia’s mother, Jess is the author of one of my favorite blogs, “Sweet Almondine”. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now back to lunch and wreath making.  Stay tuned—more to come. 

Gail