A little end of year project

Maybe it is more of an early start on 2008's first project. I know it won't be completely finished tomorrow but the top might be done. This is my impression of a snowflake. I think I will add a little border yet, before calling it good, or at least adequate! This is my offering for the winter installment of the Four Seasons Quilt Swap, unless I change my mind or decide to try a second one and see which one turns out best. I have until January 30 to get it in the mail.

Last one for 2007

I did it! I finished my Christmas quilt. Granted, it wasn't by Christmas but only 3 days later. We slept under it last night and I will keep it out for at least a couple of weeks before it is put away till next December. I am quite sure that will be the last finished item for the year so my total comes in at 57. Not to shabby. It will be interesting to see how well I do at finishing things in 2008!

We had a great week here. Larry took the week off and the grandbaby brought his mom and dad over for almost a week and we just goofed off. Things did get done but nothing major - mostly chasing a certain 2-year old from one near disaster to the next.

Now we need to work on all those year-end things to get ready for tax time. Larry is doing inventory today and I need to get November and December information into the computer. Then we wait for all the year-end papers from banks, etc. and we should be able to get our paperwork to the accountant by the end of January if all goes well.

Yesterday after the kids left we did a little tidying around the house and I did laundry and ironing. I also got my birthday fabrics prewashed and pressed so they are ready to go once I figure out exactly what I am doing with them. First on my agenda, however, is a little quilt for the Four Seasons Quilt Swap. Winter is the theme and I am still at a loss as to what I will make so I need to really focus if I am to get it finished by January 30.

Merry Christmas to all!

Our company is here so there is lots going on all the time so I haven't had much time to post. Besides that I got a pretty new car yesterday so there was the negotiation and picking up thrown in there. Not really a Christmas present though. I got a new car so our son can use my previous car. He thinks he is having a pretty good Christmas also in spite of being turned down for the exchange program to New Zealand.

Right now the grandbaby is w-w-w-watching his new movie with everyone, tucked under his new quilt. Princess Lucy got two new toys so she is having fun. Everyone else is allowed unlimited Chex Party Mix so life is good around here!

The birthday is over

My final birthday gift came yesterday from my sister. A Christmas story book, not the Christmas story but a Christmas story about a little girl, a monkey and an organ grinder. I might read it to Layden but it might be a bit beyond him yet!

I have been keeping busy. Thinking about what to do with my birthday fabrics and working on the quilting of my Christmas quilt. I have 9 more squares to quilt and the sashings and borders around them. Then I can get the binding on and use it on Christmas Eve or maybe Christmas Day. I have baking to do but luckily my family doesn't expect too many goodies. Mostly its the Chex Party Mix that needs to get made so they will not starve on Christmas Day since my rule is that I don't cook on Christmas! That ended about 20 years ago when I was busy making Christmas dinner in the kitchen and the children and their father were having fun in the living room and dining room watching movies and playing games. Now we lay around all day and it is awesome!

We did some food shopping today so we should have most of what we need for next week. Larry is done with work for the rest of the year. The grandbaby arrives on Monday (as long as the pass stays open!) and life is good!

Still more birthday!

Last night at craft night we celebrated my birthday in Sally's fancy dining room with cake and ice cream. We didn't really get much crafting done but lots of great visiting. I even got another present! This beautiful packet of fabric. It isn't really something I would have chosen for myself but Nadine thought I needed to step a little further outside the box. Now I have two more quilts I need to make!

Yesterday we also got our propane tank delivered and we started up our new stove for the first time. The bad news is that in the fine print it says that you must run it for four hours the first time you use it as a part of the paint curing process. In real people terms, this means that the stove will smoke a bit and cause smoke alarms to go off. Some of our alarms we could remove the battery from, but the one up at the top of the cathedral ceiling we can't reach easily so every 8 minutes one of the boys had to use a dowel to make it shut up! I was glad to leave for craft night! We were a little concerned when we turned it on this afternoon that we would have a repeat performance but it has been on for several hours with no beeping. The boy and the dog are enjoying the fire.

The birthday fun continues tonight when we go out for dinner and I have been told that there should be one more package in the mail tomorrow or the next day.

An excellent day!

At least so far! You see, it's my birthday! I got packages ready for mailing first thing this morning and then went out to run an errand and when it was done I stopped off at a LQS to use my birthday coupon entitling me to a discount of half my age - the one place that values age!!! I saw this quilt online this morning and decided I would use my discount on fabric to make a similar one. Mine will be in blue, yellow, green and white instead of the orange, green, brown and white since they are my favorite color combination! I told my husband that he did a great job of picking out my birthday present this year! His only question was "How generous was I?"

My two best friends (and drinking buddies) took me out to a very nice lunch which included a bottle of champagne and a lovely dessert. They also gave me these two lovely gifts which they are planning to share! We are hoping to have the "Perfect Hot Toddies in front of the gas stove sometime after the holidays and I am sure we will manage to work the Kahlua chocolate fondue in sometime soon also! We are nothing if not willing to try new things!

When my little boy got home from school he presented me with a lovely gift also - a Paul Potts CD One Chance.

We will go out for my birthday dinner on Wednesday since that is the last day of school before Christmas and the boy doesn't need to get home so early!

Tomorrow our new propane tank will be delivered and we might be able to have fire tomorrow night! I won't be home since it will be craft night and I am bringing a from scratch German Chocolate Cake for a treat! I hope to spend the day getting presents wrapped so they can move out of my sewing room!

...a lot...

Ornaments are on the tree, boxes are back in the attic and I am tired! I probably don't even have half of my ornaments on the tree but it is full enough. I still have a couple of little trees I will put somewhere for a bit of extra color. There is also some tidying to do but I have at least 5 less boxes going back into the attic than I took down. Two are definitely going to the thrift store, some was trash (lights that don't work, anyone?) and some I might decide to put on eBay (Christmas Corelle and various mugs and glasses). There are still various items that need a little glue or ironing or whatever, but a good day all in all!

We are heading to a Christmas party tomorrow afternoon and are supposed to each bring the requisite white elephant gift so while I was in the attic today I brought down a couple of priceless treasures from the white elephant gift box. Several great things to choose from. Tomorrow I will post pictures of what we took to the party and what we are forced to bring home! You can decide whether we traded up or down.