Mark always gets me the best presents. Really. But this year, I gave him a little help. We will be upgrading to smart phones in the next month so we were keeping Christmas low key, nothing extravagant, just what we felt we needed.
To that end, I asked for a couple of tools to make quilting a little easier for myself. Since my accident in 2011, the arthritis in my hands has gotten much worse. Holding anything in my hands for a period of time really wears me down. I asked for a portable iron for pressing the seams on my piecing and a contoured rotary cutter that was smaller and easier to grip. Low and behold, that's exactly what I received!
What a difference the "right" tools makes! Yesterday I did all of the cutting for the cupcake quilt I will work on tomorrow and I did not need to stop once. Color me happy!
First thing tomorrow, around 11 I think, I will be able to get straight to work on the cupcake quilt that has been in my stash for about 3 years. Cutting it was a dream with my new tools! Here's hoping that I am able to get all of the piecing done in one day.
This really is a short break and I am feeling the pressure of needing to complete everything before Friday. Too much to do in so little time. Each day I write out a lengthy list and so far I have been able to complete most of the items each day. Today was a little more difficult because my time out of the house was compromised by long lines at the DMV. I am not sure how I got a December 31st expiration date but it seriously has its drawbacks.
Today's list included the writing of my final thank you notes and a couple of notes to long distance friends. I think the last of the holiday returns went back today and there was a short trip to the library. Lesson plans were written and I downloaded a few interesting math ideas for my class. There was the preparation for the quilt I am going to sew on New Year's Day and a bit of visiting with a friend.
Tomorrow's to-do list includes a trip to Goodwill as well as a trip to the supermarket. Other than that, it is a stay inside sort of day. So grateful for days like that! Friday is getting closer and closer and I, for one, am just not ready!
This tree, the one that sits on my dresser, is probably one of my favorite trees in the house. I bought this tree on the day after Christmas, 2009. I was getting ready to head to Seattle to spend my winter break with Mark. We had only met in April and we had not spent all that much time together before he moved back to Seattle. Shopping for holiday gifts was hard! I had spent a bit of money at Macy's and a few other shops buying him gifts that I didn't know if he needed or would even want. I was frustrated.
Suddenly, it dawned on me, what we needed was memories, not more stuff. So, I returned the gifts that I had bought. I purchased this tree, the small ball ornaments and 1 frame ornament. I decided that we would begin a new Christmas tradition. Each year, where ever we were, we would pick a day to celebrate "our" Christmas together. Each year we would buy an ornament frame and hang a picture of the two of us together on the tree. This year we added our sixth frame ornament.
Year one: Ornament bought at Target, photo taken in Mark's room at Paolo's house in Seattle.
Year two: Ornament bought at Biltmore Estate, photo taken on the grounds at Biltmore.
Year three: Ornament bought at The Sampler in Haddonfield, photo taken on our wedding night in Pittsboro, North Carolina!
Year four: Ornament bought at Restoration Hardware (2009), photo taken in NYC, Central Park in December.
Year five: Ornament bought at Restoration Hardware (2009), not sure exactly where this photo is taken, but I love that it is a selfie that Mark took while I was trying to take a photo.
Year six: Ornament bought at Target, photo taken at Anthony's on Dec. 22nd of this year, before heading to the Ritz to see Scrooge. I love that Mark took this photo looking into a mirror so that we are both in it!
I remember when I first concocted this idea. I remember setting up the tree for the first time when I arrived in Seattle in 2009. I remember Mark saying, "I don't know. It's an awfully little tree to hold an ornament for each year that we are together, can you imagine how many that will be when we're 80?"
Well, perhaps in 20 years, a new tree will be required!
Clue 5 of Bonnie Hunter's Grand Illusion Mystery was released to the world on Friday. I do not know what time, I slept in. Imagine my relief when I discovered that only 29 blocks needed to be made for the entire clue, really. We were charged with creating 25 teal and gold 4-patches and 4, 4-patches that included black, pink and gold. Even with my crazy schedule, I was able to finish the 29 blocks. Seriously, it is the only clue that I have completed!
The first block I completed was the 4-patch with the pink and black. Since I wanted them to be scrappy, I cut 2 1/2" squares from 4 different pinks and blacks. Then I sewed them together and voila!
I did a modified strip piecing to complete the 25 4-patches of gold and teal. I cut the strips shorter and also included some piecing of individual squares to keep the scrappiness alive!
Since I have yet to start clue 4, perhaps that will be my next step. Since I have completed only one block of each of the other clues, I still have quite a bit of work to do. It is all good, I cannot wait to see how this quilt comes together. It has been interesting to see how Bonnie used the colors she found in the Grand Hotel to influence her color choices for her quilt and the blocks she chose to create.
Friday I returned home from my trip to Brooklyn to find packages at my front door. I was so excited! The first, an album that we had purchased for Jason for Christmas. We knew that it would be hard to get it here by Christmas, but the day after Christmas was not bad. So grateful for the seller's willingness to help us make a Christmas wish come true!
The next gift, was something for me! I played along with Mickey Depre before Christmas and her 7 Days of Swag. Turns out that I won Day 3! Woohoo! I am so excited about this gift. I can't wait to make the little bags with the mesh opening, but I think I am most excited about the trim tool that I can carry on a plane! It is just too exciting!
Mickey is working on building her following on her Facebook page after losing followers in the change from a personal to a business page. If you are so inclined, please head over and give her a look see. I have learned so much from Mickey and have stolen a couple of ideas also. Perhaps, if you like what you see, you make like her page also!
The day after Christmas included a drive north to take Jessie back to Brooklyn. There was just no way that she was going to get all of her gifts back to Brooklyn on the train so, late this morning we packed up the car and made our way to the New Jersey Turnpike!
A part of our ritual is a trip to Wawa for sandwiches and Wawa half and half, lemonade and iced tea. The drive was relatively uneventful, very little traffic and mostly smooth sailing. To top it off, there was a parking spot right in front of her apartment!
We unloaded all of the packages, the liquid libation and, of course, the sandwiches. It was a great day for a drive. We talked and talked. Solved all the problems of the world and then moved on to our own issues! A trip to Jess' apartment also includes a brief visit with John, how could I resist! I left my baby in Brooklyn, and made my way back to New Jersey. It seems strange for the house to be empty and quiet.
Jessica snapped this selfie of her and Em just before we left my sister's house this Christmas evening. It was a wonderful day that started later than usual. Family gifting took place first with a scrumptious but simple breakfast after. We had a relaxing afternoon before heading over to Jen's for Christmas with the extended family. So very blessed to have had such an awesome day.
Tonight it is just Mark and I in the house. Jess is spending the evening hanging with Jason in Philly. Something about setting up his router and getting his wi-fi going. Jess will be working from home tomorrow so that we have a little more time to hang out. I love it when my children spend the evening with us. So much fun sharing that morning time together in our jammies, just relaxing!
Creating holiday memories is important to me, much more important than exchanging gifts. We try to take the time, every year, to experience all that the holiday offers and to spend quality time with friends and family creating memories. Last year we traveled with my mom to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and that was a wonderful holiday excursion. Several years before that, we experienced New York City with my sister and her family.
This year, instead of planning a family getaway, I accepted an opportunity to teach a teachers' workshop in New Orleans. I spent a good part of my weekend working and, during my "off" hours, I spent some holiday time with my daughter Jessica. But Mark and I had not planned any "holiday" type experiences for ourselves.
So, on Saturday, we planned a festive evening, just for two. Tickets at the Ritz to see Scrooge and early dinner reservations at my favorite local restaurant, Anthony's.
Our favorite table is in the front window and that's where we sat. I loved having a view of a very "Christmassy" Station Avenue. The twinkle lights set the mood for a very romantic and festive dinner.
Then it was on to the theater for Scrooge. We won free seats to this performance because Gypsy Rose Lee took a liking to Mark. I know how she felt, I couldn't resist him either!
We picked up a tree ornament in the theater shop, had fun taking photos and catching snowballs! It felt good to take the night to create some special holiday memories.
Today's story is all about pushing football aside to focus on Christmas. My house is not yet fully decorated and that is really unheard of! Usually I host my holiday party the first Saturday of December and the house is fully decorated at that time.
There are also a couple of holiday gifts to finish that require hand quilting. So today, I turned off football and turned on my old Christmas tape, recorded in 1988. I sewed, did my Sunday chores and then decorated the trees. As I sit here making a to-do list for tomorrow I must acknowledge that the two large trees are still not quite decorated. There is one very large box of Hallmark ornaments to unpack and hang! I think I might need help!
Tonight I also wrote out all of our Christmas cards. We do not send all that many, but it is a job that does take time and I am happy to say that the cards are done!
Next I wrapped up some smaller gifties to take to school on Monday. Finally, a bit of organizing before heading upstairs. I am definitely feeling better about the state of our house this evening!
Christmas needed to take a front seat today. And, while it is never easy to "not watch" football, today the Giants weren't televised so it wasn't so bad. I was able to keep up with the score on my laptop while the Christmas tape played on the television and I decorated the trees. All in all, a very productive day! Mark has just run out to the post office to put all the cards in the mailbox and I am going to vacuum just a bit before heading upstairs. Yup, a very full day here!
Well, the story of this December may just be how to catch up with Christmas when it gets so far ahead of you. Really, looking around the house there is still so much stuff to clean up, set up and prepare. I'm not complaining, I am just a wee bit overwhelmed. One of the reasons I usually have a holiday party the first Saturday is so that I can relax and enjoy our decorated home for most of the month of December.
At this moment I am still working on quilted gifts, shopping and getting the trees decorated. A quick trip to Target helped with some of this, but right now, I still have so much to do! Tomorrow is another day.
Today, well, I have to be done. I have a hot date with my Santa. A trip to my favorite restaurant, Anthony's and then Scrooge at the Ritz. What a wonderful holiday celebration tonight will be!
So, I will continue to delight in the things that are done and not stress about what isn't done. Still festive, still Christmassy, still so much of what I love.
