I'm Going To Do It!...

Selvage From Moda's Bluebird's Nest Fabric - Kansas City Quilters

I'm going to add a wider hanging sleeve to my bluebird wall hanging. It should have been 4" deep, and I only made it 3". sigh Anyway, I don't mind one bit, as I'm going to take MA's steller suggestion and add the selvage from the Bluebird's Nest fabric and sew it onto the sleeve before I attach it. 

This sleeve will be a permanent installation on the quilt - even after I have it mounted into a shadowbox frame. It's fitting that the selvage be a part of the piece. Thanks for the idea, MA!

Work went well yesterday, and I was well settled in at home before the snow started. We're expecting 1-3", and it's going to be cold. Those are perfect conditions for studio work.

So, at this point, here's my Christmas Project list (so far):

• Grammie's Jammies x 3
• 3 table runners
• 2 goldwork brooches
• 3 lap quilts

I'll be starting these projects today, and will share them with you as I complete them. (I'll probably share sneaky peeks along the way, too.) I'm off until Friday night, so I expect to make some good progress by then.

Of course, there will be 6 - 8 dozen cookies made, too. I'm planning to bake on Saturday for the Sunday get-together. I'm determined to have this be a relaxing process this year. No panic. No stress. If it's not going to be fun, I'll do something else. There's always Amazon, right?

First is this sleeve for the bluebirds. Then on to the next thing! See you tomorrow.

Last Saturday's Online Class...

Clara Warschauer Goldwork Cross Class

This was the Zoom class I took last Saturday. Clara Warschauer (@clarastitching) was the instructor, and she taught this in collaboration with Ecclesiastical Sewing (ES) in Minnesota, USA. Kits could be purchased from Clara, and other materials are available from ES. 

This is a lovely piece, which measures approximately 3" square, and will make a nice tree ornament, box embellishment, or framed piece for someone special. I intend to stitch it in another colorway as a Christmas gift. I'll be using champagne-colored silk dupioni rather than the red, as I think the colors I want to use will look better on that color.

I am making my list of Christmas projects now, and will begin creating them this week. Sunday is a cookie exchange at my niece's, so I'll also be making at least six dozen cookies and a dish to pass for that. Handsome will need some cookies, too, so I'm planning extras for him.

I've decided to make the delicious koulourakia cookies that my friend, Kathy in Florida always made to share with the Panera's group during the holidays. They're especially tasty because of the bergamot flavoring that goes into them, plus they're not overly sweet, so I think they can be enjoyed by all.

Today, I'm working again my usual 10 am - 4 pm, but I'm going in an hour early. My boss needs to take another day at home, so Teresa will come in early to cashier, and when I get there, she can go home and let her dogs out before coming back to work her usual kitchen shift with me out front on the till.

The projects begin tomorrow, so I'll probably go to bed at a reasonable hour tonight so I'm fresh to start creating. We're supposed to get another snow dump starting after work, so I'll be happy in the studio. I've got lots of food out for the birds and critters, so I'm making sure they're taken care of, too.

If you're in the snow belt, stay safe and warm. I'll be back tomorrow with my list. You'll be able to see what the elves and I will be up to for the next couple weeks!

Date Night With Our Granddaughters...

We had a Friday Date Night with our granddaughters to see Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee. This was all their idea, which made it even more special!

We picked them up at Son #2's home and proceeded to Milwaukee from there. When it started snowing mid-afternoon, I was concerned that we'd be traveling in crummy weather, but it stopped just before we left home, so the roads were clear sailing. It did snow while we watched the Milwaukee Symphony perform the music track behind the film, but again, it stopped before the end of the performance.

The coolest thing about driving there and back was that our parking spot is almost where this photograph was taken, so all we had to do was cross the street twice to get back in the Explorer!

 

 

Directly outside the theater doors was this little area with the Hogwarts School flag, so people were taking turns posing in front of it for photographs. Unlike the time when I went alone with the girls, there were no big merchandise sales areas. They had a web address shown during intermission if folks wanted to purchase any show souvenirs.

Of course, there was a butter beer (Granddaughter #1), a soda (Granddaughter #2), and popcorn for during the performance. Butter beer, by the way, isn't beer. It actually is a sparkling beverage that tastes like butterscotch candy. It's quite enjoyable!

 

 

One more photo on the way out after the performance. We had a fabulous time, and were so happy that the ladies chose to spend a Friday night with Grandma and Grandpa to celebrate my birthday. Granddaughter #1 is engaged now, and Granddaughter #2 is a college student, so it was a real treat to know that they wanted to be with us rather than the million other things they could have been doing.

 

During the movie, all four of us took turns preempting the dialogue. We've all seen this one so many times that we know exactly what's going to happen next - and who's going to say what. We laughed about that (among other things) all the way home.

We had a great time, and we all agreed that we'll make this an annual event until all four of us (with Potter-loving additions, of course) have seen all seven movies together like this. We're already looking forward to the next one!

 

I agreed to cover an early shift today, so I'll be at work by 5:30 am. I'm sure there's a nap in my future this afternoon. Have a great day! See you tomorrow.