so that was Christmas

So Christmas is over.

Even the cricket is finished for now...

but this was what was keeping me busy leading up to Christmas

You may have already seen them on Instagram

but I have decided I find blogging (and reading blogs) more satisfying

so from now on I am going to try and blog more.

What are your thoughts on this dilemma?

I mounted lots of these as my Christmas cards (here's hoping they don't end up in the bin).

Lots and lots...

(i did put some on Etsy if you are interested)

So what have I been doing?

 

I sold this quilt...

 

We hardly had time to get to know one another.

Sad and happy.

 

And I have been getting ready for Christmas:

putting up some decorations,

 

and making cards.

I drew them myself with my new fountain pen.

That's the one I did last year.

I bought the blank cards because I just love the recyclable envelopes.

Hmm what next?

 

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Not surprised

Well my little kits are done and given away

so I can unveil my Christmas stitching now.

BUT

I have edited this photo

why does blogsy not show that version?

So so annoying.

But look...

I fixed it this morning.

Trying not to panic

Well in 2 weeks time I hope to be relaxing after my big lunch.

In the meantime I am trying to be slow and steady

in my Christmas preparations.

Today I made some cards!

I bought these plain from Kmart.

It was the old fashioned envelopes I wanted.

I thought they would be good for my journal to keep things I don't want to glue.

I hope my friends love these envelopes like I do.

 

Now, what else did I have to do......

 

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Christmas: the guilty season.

I have been thinking tonight about all the phone calls  I wish made in the last few days.

 As the cards arrived in the letter box I have been wishing I started on the cards earlier.

Christmas again and I wish I had got in touch with my friends more often this year.

We have all had our ups and downs this year.

I hope there have been more ups than downs.

I also think you can only do so much.

I try not to spread myself too thin but rather be thorough in what I can do,

Taking care of what  I must.

So...
even if you haven't heard from me,
 I am thinking of you,
Wishing you all the best,
and hoping you stay safe.

Angelic

I was thrilled to bits to see I have been given a mention over at les soeurs anglaises

I have travelled over there a couple of times to do workshops. 

This year was with Janet Bolton.

My series of little angels is inspired by Janet's methods. 

  Remember I started them back here and here?

Christmas is coming ready or not!

Sunday night already

This week I have:

finished a quilt top

and started a new one

and drove more than 1500 kilometres, 

on my own,

to go to a funeral.

You know what I like about hand sewing?

It is portable,

and small.

Did I say I would stop?

With Christmas so close we are all getting a bit excited

but the other day I noticed

my tea cosie 

didn't fit the season

so....

Meet my Christmas tea cosie!

( I might further embellish if time allows)

Best wishes to all of you...

keep cool...

keep warm....

And stay safe.

I'm not the only one

I'm not the only one I'm sure who likes to make their own gifts at Christmas

So this is what we had a go at...

The mountain climber and I.

Some petunias. 

 

They looked good for a short while but I have already given them away.

A couple more

Class day today and we were working on these trees

I wish I knew how to do a collage of them.

There's a new French patisserie in town.

A first, as the town is not very big.

So we taste tested it for afternoon tea. Yum.

It's ready....

Christmas is just around the corner!

A Change

After working on all those indigos for a while a felt like a bit of a change this week.

 So I made this tree.

It's from a pattern dated 1998

from Animas Quilts

which I have tweaked a bit because I didn't like the shape.

 It involves a lot of folded squares which makes it quite heavy

but I do like it.

And it's a great stash-buster!

And the roses are out here!

Do you like the placement of the mundane (washing the floor)

with the beautiful?