The Stockings Were Hung....

Good Evening Internet Friends!

The weekend is over!!  It was a very productive weekend and I feel a bit accomplished on top of that!!!  

Friday was my day off so I got EVERYTHING that needed to be done then so that I could stay home this weekend.

Yesterday was a bit of knitting, and the rest was housework.  Every surface in this house has been washed, vacuumed, dusted, oiled and in some cases more than one of these may have been done!  

There is a possibility that I may be ready for Christmas with the exception of baking that will take place on my week off before Christmas.  

I started the day by baking a loaf of Banana Gingerbread.  Used up cupboard bananas so a WIN!!  

 

Finished the hand binding on a table runner I made for my brother for Christmas.  I did attempt a machine binding but still not a fan of this type of binding.  Back to hand sewing.....

I picked up a Stocking Quilt Panel at Sew Divine recently with the intent of making the dog and cat their own Christmas Stocking.  The doggie stocking is really cute, but alas my dog is way TOOOOO big for his treats to fit in there.  I decided to use the other stocking panel with a dog on it for him and the smaller stocking will go to our family friend's new doggie who is that size:

Now it is off to walk the Montyster doggie for the evening and then get to bed as tomorrow will be a long day.

Hope this inspired your own creativity and wishing you all the BEST Day EVER Monday tomorrow.  Stay Safe out there....😷

Kathy

Boot Scootin' Christmas...

 Good Evening Internet Friends!!! 

Busy day at work today.  Made a quick dinner out of gnocchi, steamed broccoli, red onion, mushrooms and a cream sauce topped with Better Than Bacon Topper.  Turned out yummy and left overs for kiddo's lunch tomorrow. 

After dinner I decided that I should get going on the Christmas table runner I am making for my brother.  Bought this kit several years ago and decided to assemble this year.  The news at dinner also reminded me of the dates to mail things for Christmas delivery so maybe I should get going...

Super excited about this as I used what might be my new FAVOURITE product:  fusible batting.  Sooooo, much easier than quilt batting!!!  Picked this up with help from Pat and staff at Sew Divine.   Stitched around the borders and a few of the boots in the center this evening.  If I do a couple each night I just might be able to get the binding on it this weekend and post before the Christmas deadline for postal services.

Hope this inspires your own creativity.  Wishing y'all the BEST Day EVER Tuesday out there tomorrow and Stay Safe😷.

Kathy

Hello!!!

Good Evening Internet Friends!

After a whirlwind fall I am going to return to my blogging.  Lots of activity around here and in my world.  All of it positive and I shall share that over the next bit😃.

Crafting has taken a bit of a back seat for a bit but I have a beautiful dedicated space in which to sew and craft.  🧵

Over the last week I have again started to work on my Lush quilt.  Love this quilt because it is in my favourite navy colour as well as the design is a Wing and a Prayer original.  Anyone who knows me, I kinda fly through life on this mantra.  This evening I started to put some of the block parts together:

Love how this is coming together and hopefully over the next 2 weeks of Christmas vacation I shall get more completed.

Til later.....wishing you a BEST Day EVER Saturday.

Kathy

Merry Christmas To All.......and to All a Good Night

Good Evening Internet Friends.

I will post a little earlier this evening than is typically usual for me because of Christmas Eve service this evening.

We will be joining with friends and neighbours this Christmas Eve for church service and then going out for dinner.

I did not do a lot of crafting today as my son and I spent the day watching Christmas television programs, playing  a few games and eating "weigh" too much......

I did make one more block for my Flock of Geese Blocks.  I believe I am now only about 20 behind.....

I wish everyone a wonderful and safe Christmas time with family and friends.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Me Want Cookie.....

Good Evening Internet Friends!

I LOVE vacation days.

Slept in this morning and in general had a very uneventful day.

This afternoon my son and I made Peppermint Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies:

Yes......we ate TOOOOO many.  But they were delicious.

I did not want to spend a lot of time decorating the cookies or losing the flavour of the cookies so we simple put icing decorations on the mittens.  

My knitting, I mean baking is done.

This evening after dinner we watched A Christmas Story.  It is my most favourite Christmas movie and yet somehow my son has not seen it!  Well, I think I have a convert to loving this movie as well.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Christmas Vacation!!!

Good Evening Internet Friends!

The long awaited Christmas vacation started for me today and for my son after school today.  For the next two weeks we are not on the clock!

A few last minute errands today, and a car wash for Christine my Toyota Highlander and I am ready for Christmas.  Any baking that I do (not like we need it) over the next few days will be a BONUS.  

My son and I went out for dinner to Swiss Chalet for the Festive Special Dinner to launch the official start to Christmas.  I was super excited to find out that I had the option of Roast Beef as I really do not like the chicken there.  

Getting home late this evening I decided to make gift bags for the last three gifts that were not wrapped:

TAH DAH!!!

The blue bag I made from scratch and stamped the design.  The other two I used cut outs that I already had lying around in my craft room.  So.....not a lot of effort, but I put some of my creations to good use.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Christmas Cards!

Good Late Evening Internet Friends!

In typical Kathy fashion I was crafting late last night.

I realized yesterday evening after getting kiddo to bed and everything ready for work that I did not have enough Christmas cards for today.  I did not have enough Christmas Cards for everyone at work, but I decided that I should at least have enough for my colleagues with whom I share office space.

So, late last night I made:

TAH DAH!!!

As of this evening all Christmas cards have been delivered at work, posted or are ready to be delivered to people as I see them over the Christmas Holiday.

I am SO excited for Christmas!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

It's ALL About......Me????

Good Evening Internet Friends!

Day off today in the middle of the week just before Christmas!  BONUS.

I was at the mall shortly after 0900 hours.  Parking lot virtually empty as was the mall.  YAY.  No line ups, no fragrances being effused, it was AWESOME!!!

Now, I went for a few things for stocking stuffers but apparently I am a tab self-centered.....I got some amazing things.....FOR ME!

One of those was actually craft related.  I picked up my copy of Vogue Knitting Holiday 2017 and then picked up my Scandinavian Sock Kit:

Now, although I really want to get started on these I am also super excited to get Christmas presents wrapped, a little more Christmas baking done and I really need to find my Santa Hat for tomorrow.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Wrap It Up.....

Good Evening Internet Friends!

This evening was all about starting the Wrap Up of preparations for Christmas including of course wrapping presents.

"Sew" in typical Kathy fashion there was an awkward to wrap gift that I decided that I would not wrap.  Rather, I would sew a gift bag panel pattern that I bought almost a year ago:

TAH DAH!!!

Pull cord on the top so that I could cinch it up after getting the object inside.  LOVE IT!!!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Ready????? Set??????

Good Evening Internet Friends!

Well it's Ready.....Set....Get Ready for the week day.

Kiddo and I slept in late this morning.  Too much excitement after being out to the movie last night I guess.

Had to get all the usual house cleaning, laundry and long dog walk in today.

Lunch was Cream of Tomato Soup from the frozen tomatoes in the freezer along with mozzarella sticks.  YUMMY:

While the laundry was going I decided to make Christmas cards.  These are to replace the 17 that were experimented on by "Lab" Dog and his trusty assistant The Madeline Kitten.

I used up an old kit that I had and love how they turned out:

If you look closely you will notice that these cards are only kind of the same.  That is because when I found a French Greeting I decided that these would be my son's teacher cards, and of course there is one specially made for his French Teacher.  

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

All is Quiet on the Home Front???

Good Evening Internet Friends!

One might think that all is Quiet on the Home Front as I have not blogged all week.  That would so NOT be true!  In addition to work, extracurricular activities, physio appointments, and all the other things that I do I did a LOT of crafty things this week.

The first of these that I will show is the 135 Christmas Cards that I made for my own mailing this year as well as for the Quilt Guild I belong to and am on the Membership Committee:

Of the 135 cards I made 17 did not survive a "Lab Dog" and Kitten experiment....🏷🐕🐈

For these cards I used my "stash" of supplies.  I was super proud of that, until I  realized I was running low on paper and out of envelopes.  Fortunately my friend who is big into a certain stamping group let me know there was a BIG sale promotion on earlier this week and I was able to save on GST and postage.  😎  Fun mail will be here shortly.

As part of the Membership Committee for Quilt Guild I also decided to give everyone a fudge sample with their card.  I made three pans of fudge and cut into 1" pieces 125 squares of fudge.....YUMMY...

"Sew" that was part of my week.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

I LOST the Weekend....

Good Very Late Evening once again Internet Friends!

I had BIG plans for this weekend but not sure where they went.

On Saturday my son and I got out all the Christmas decorations, the tree, ornaments, dinner ware etc and made the house pretty for Christmas.

The Madeline kitten had great fun with this:

After dinner on Saturday we went for a walk to Candy Cane Lane.  The weather was perfect and the light displays were beautiful:

Today was my son's Christmas Piano Recital and afterwards our "City Family" as my son calls them (family friends) went for brunch.  Great to catch up with everyone and celebrate another year of family friendships. 

Now to get some sleep and start the work week again tomorrow.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

How is it Sunday Already????

Good Afternoon Internet Friends.

Not sure where this weekend has gone, but somehow it is already Sunday afternoon ☺

Spent a fair bit of time trying to see if I could kitten proof the Christmas Tree.  I think that may be a lost cause.....

I did finally get around to making my weekly star block:  

TAH DAH!!!

Now it's off to get ready for the work week.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Sweet Dreams.....

Good Evening Internet Friends!

"Sew" much going on today that I did not spend much time at all in my craft room.

My son and I spent most of the day finding and organizing all the Christmas boxes of ornaments, the trees, the decor etc into one storage portion of the house.  That of course meant the random items like one alpine ski boot (no idea where the other is and or whose boot it is.....(might be mine but not sure from when) all had to find new storage as well.  A full day or organizing, laundry, dinner prep and homework assignments and I can say that the basement looks more organized.  We also have 4 garbage bags of stuff to be dropped off for donation (with the exception of the 1 ski boot).  

One of the things that I recently discovered in my craft room while on my mission to start completing things from there was this flannel pillow case kit:

"Sew" late this evening I sewed it together in time for this Christmas season.

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy 

Day 3....

Good Looooong Evening Internet Friends!

Nothing exciting at all today.  

Stopped by a quilt shop this morning after dropping my son off at school.  Then had a nap, lunch and read a book my colleague brought over for me and watched a wee bit of tele.

After dinner this evening I thought I would try and see if I could do some quilting with my paw.....

TAH DAH.

With a lot of Ouch and Ewwweee I managed to sew (not well mind you) six pre cut strips on to a fussy cut block.  

I give up for today.  Maybe tomorrow my hand will be all healed....😿

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Christmas In July...

Good Evening Internet Friends!

The first week back to work is complete and for the next almost 2 weeks I get to go to work like a regular person every day until my next vacation.  🌴🏖

After dinner and before taking horse puppy for a walk I made:

I decided it was okay to get this fabric because everyone seems to be having Christmas in July sales or themes right now so why not me?

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas Internet Friends!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful day with your family and friends.

This morning my son and I (and even the dogs) slept late.

My son wanted Ebelskivers for breakfast.  While making these a friend of mine stopped by to drop off fudge.  She partook in some fresh from the pan Ebelskivers too:

After breakfast we opened up the remaining Christmas presents.  Always so fun to watch the fun of Christmas in a child's eyes!

Then I started about the dinner preparations.

First I made a poppy seed cake:

It was dressed up for Christmas Dinner Dessert with a cream cheese frosting:

So YUMMY!!!

While the turkey was in the roasting my son, dog and I walked down to the river valley to find some sledding hills.  The snow was more of a powder we found out though so not very good sledding conditions but the walk was beautiful!

After dinner we watched a couple movies and now it is time to retire for the night.  As my son said when I tucked him in "only 365 more days til Christmas"!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Merry Christmas Eve!!!!

Good Evening Internet Friends!

Well it's HERE!!!!!  I LOVE Christmas.  I wait for it all year and it's arrived.  I LOVE everything about Christmas and I feel incredibly blessed to live in Western Canada where Christmas usually contains the picture perfect snow.  That was actually today!!!  We slept late but awoke to snow that had started yesterday evening.  My brother stopped by on his way home to Saskatchewan and informed me had been driving most of the way from Fort St John in snow.  Although I felt bad for his road trip I have to admit I was excited for a Christmas snow storm ☺

This is my front yard this afternoon:

The streaks in the picture are snow flakes falling!!!  It's so beautiful outside.

I have been busy finishing a couple of last minute gifts the last two evenings but I finished everything today in time to go out for a late lunch early dinner with my son.

 A Fisherman's Wife Cowl for my colleague and friend.  We will be attending church with her and her family this evening.

A grocery tote bag for my neighbors sister.  She seems to think that if she drops off fabric I will just sew it up for her.....it was Christmas "sew" I did.  

Home made (of course) Chocolate Toffee for friends and neighbors all packaged up. ☺

Lastly, the very last of the baking; Cookies for Santa:

Classic Shortbread cookies for Santa.  So YUMMY!!!!

Hope this inspires your own creativity and wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas!

Kathy

Three Days....

Good Evening Internet Friends!

This evening after getting my son to bed I went to my craft room again.  

I chose to make a few more Christmas cards.  Again, nothing special, but I got to have fun making these cards!  I am not trying to keep up or impress anyone with these cards so they were just fun to make!

Yes....I put glitter on the branch berries!!!!  I thought it looked fun!

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy

Four Days Before Christmas....

Good Evening Internet Friends!

It's officially 4 days before Christmas according to the count down calendar on the buffet and I have decided to start my Christmas cards!  Yup.  You read that correct.  

For the past few years we have been in the mountains for Christmas and I would mail my Christmas cards from there so that they had a Banff post mark.

This year my son and I are staying home for Christmas and making our own traditions, which I believe this year will include getting my Christmas cards written, and walked to the post box.  Seriously!  

Here is what I have made so far:

Nothing "over the top" fancy or talented, but simple and classic and I like that.  I actually had fun making these.

Over the past few years I have to admit that I lost interest in card making as everyone was making bigger and better and all I wanted to do was make something that made someone else smile and feel special.  These do that for me.  I love the sentiment, the thought and the overall simplicity of these cards!

Now to do a bit of knitting before bed as still have three more days of work before Christmas Holiday Vacation ♫

Hope this inspires your own creativity...

Kathy