My tiny bit of sewing for Christmas this year included an ornament for Aunt Mo and finishing up a small ornament that I stitched a few years ago for myself. (Just had to had to add the cording to that one).
Ornament for Aunt MoA little dragon for me
Also in stitching news, Tuesday I went down to Hoops and Needles with my friends for their after xmas sale! I picked up a few patterns 🙂
We had a wonderful Christmas with family but got home late on Monday due to the snow storm. Tuesday I went shopping while Ryan worked, then Wednesday Ryan woke up with a cold, I have been fighting one as well but it hit Ryan harder. Hopefully the rest of our vacation is a bit better.
Some of my favorite pictures from Christmas Eve with family. Before we did presents, Ryan was holding Finley and she wasn’t quite sure what was going on 🙂
Ryan and FinleyRyan, Emily and Finley
After these pictures we proceeded to open gifts and then have a wonderful dinner.
Ryan and I celebrated Christmas Thursday night, just the two of us. He got his planer (Makita) as he wanted, along with a game and a movie and I got new pots and pans and a carport! I also got some other smaller gifts – but pictures speak louder than words :
My Christmas Gifts!
The pots and pans are Cuisinart Multiclad Pro series which I already broke in by using to make dinner tonight.
Ryan's planer
I can’t wait to put up the carport that arrives next week! And I know Ryan is excited about using his planer.
I can’t believe it’s only Saturday night, we’ve had such a great weekend already. Of course having a cold isn’t great but it’s mostly an annoyance at this point, making me sniffly and tired.
Ryan’s parents came out to visit Friday night we had dinner, watched movies, baked some cookies and relaxed this morning. After they left Ryan and I ordered our front hallway lights (chandelier and sconces) online.
I was pretty worn out after that so we took a nap while watching It’s a Wonderful Life, getting into the Christmas spirit! The nap was great, I woke up so refreshed, not cured of my cold but definitely a bit better. I helped Ryan build his work table for building cabinets, he’s also planning on building a router table but we started with the work table.
Ryan's table on wheels!
His table is a great size for a kitchen island too, so I persuaded him to roll it into the kitchen to help me bake cookies! In a few hours I had the annual neighbors’ cookie plates all wrapped up and ready to hand out tomorrow:
Christmas cookies 2010
This year I went with gingersnaps, sugar cookies and inside out chocolate chip (white chocolate chips in a chocolate cookie).
So a little more baking in the evenings this week (still got to make greek cookies to bring home) and a few presents to wrap that arrived today and I’m ready to go.
Tomorrow if I’m feeling up to it I’ll work on the electrical a bit. I’m hoping the sconce lights don’t take long to arrive because I need to figure out what kind of box will work with those before wiring them.
And I’m off to relax for the rest of the evening (which means take NyQuil and go to sleep) 🙂
Still standing - even with all the decorations on it.
We both got home a little late from work today but I managed to get the tree decorated while Ryan worked in the livingroom with me. The only thing I’m missing this year is my Christmas village I usually put out on my sofa table, unfortunately my sofa table is packed up in the “diningroom/closet” since half my house is demolished and I have no place to really put it. I may pull out the table and put it in the demolished livingroom and set up the village, I’d love to have it in front of the windows all lit up since the tree isn’t out there to be admired.
Off to bed I think, I slept late this morning, I think I need to get on an earlier schedule!
I was bummed our tree could not be decorated (or brought inside even) while we wait for our new tree stand to arrive in the mail. Then I talked with someone at work who had made their own tree stand years ago and I got inspired. A quick trip to home depot for some supplies (I had to hit the grocery store anyhow) and I was in business. I got the stand put together just before Ryan got home and he helped me attempt to secure the tree.
Home made tree stand - will not leak!
The securing part took a little while however. I was not able to get a type of wire I was happy with so went with just string. String however stretches a bit. Our first attempt to tie the tree failed miserably (i tied it too low). Ryan did a much better job the second time and it even stayed up while I got some dinner made up.
Finally I decided I would feel better if we secured it with a few more ties – however my attempts made it lean more and more. At this point (Ryan watching me tie the tree as it leans over me), we changed tacts. Ryan went for screwing the tree to the paint can around the top. We didn’t get the tree totally straight (it leans back) but it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere either.
And it stands .. on its own!
If the tree is still standing when I get home from work tomorrow I’ll get it decorated. I was so bummed we wouldn’t have it done until next week, this has made my week now. The last of the christmas decorating should happen tomorrow and then it’s just cookie baking left to go!
I got home from California Friday night in time for Ryan and I to go out to dinner and relax for the night. Ryan had to work all weekend so it was nice to have one night to relax since I had been gone all week.
Saturday I went shopping with some friends up at a cross stitch store in Grantham, NH which really got me inspired to stitch again. I actually have been stitching a little lately, last weekend while recovering I stitched a small gift for someone for Christmas and I started a small kit I got at Celebrations for the plane ride to CA. So while shopping I bought some fabric for a set of seasonal pieces I’ve been wanting to do for a while and when I got home I started on it.
Today I finished cleaning out the livingroom/diningroom area so we can start on the electrical work now. All the trim and extra wood had to be moved to the basement and then I vacuumed and organized everything else. As soon as Ryan has some free time we can get the holes drilled and run some wire.
Once it got dark I settled in to stitch for a few hours. I’m working on Autumn in my Garden by Mirabilia (there is one for each season). I’m stitching this on 40ct hand dyed linen.
Autumn in my Garden - started 11/20/2010 on 40 ct linen.
Now it’s off to bed and a short week at work. Monday is a short day this week, I’m meeting up with my sister for lunch and then watching my nieces for the last time this semester. I can’t wait to see the girls, it’s been too long!
Halloween costumes for 2010 are finished up and dropped off as of last night. Wednesday night I finished up the princess dress no problem, then attached the collar to the Black cat shirt and the sequins to the ears. Thursday night I attached the ears to the headband.
And pictures!
Maia in Arie's pink dress Chloe the black catAll threeExcited for Halloween
I love making costumes for the girls every year. They really appreciate it and now that they get to pick out the fabrics it’s something I’m doing with them. Every year I hope we have a little more time together and they can help with sewing, but we’re all so busy. Maybe next year they can sew a bit on their costumes and learn the process. Anyhow – that’s over for the year, I didn’t get my own costume done although I could bring it back to NY and work on it Saturday at my mom’s house – tempting!
That wasn’t too hard – I got the overskirt for Maia’s princess dress all done tonight. I’m going to locate the pattern for the underskirt and maybe even cut the fabric tonight but otherwise I’m pretty much done for the night.
I don’t know if this will end up really looking like Ariel’s dress but I think it’s a very cute pink dress and I think Maia will love it since she picked out all the fabric and embellishments. Tomorrow night – finish the dress and do some hand sewing to finish up the Black Cat! Thursday is my backup night but I’d like to drop the costumes off Thursday night.
Overskirt done!
The overskirt is “hemmed” with a matching pink wired ribbon Maia picked out. I think the wire is actually a neat idea because we/she can kind of form the overskirt however she wants and it should stay put.
Just getting an idea for what it will look like with a pink skirt underneath and the daisy embellishment.
I love making dresses like these! Of course I say that before attempting to put in a zipper (it’s been a while) 🙂
On Saturday we had quite a busy day. We had some visitors as well as my sister and her husband who came up for the night.
We worked a bit on the deck and used up the rest of the decking, we didn’t quite close up the gap but it’s down to about 12 inches.
Some new supports to help get rid of the sag.New decking down!stained
We had our night visitor again so we have little critter foot prints across the wet stain AGAIN. Next time I’m putting up barbed wire for the night!
Aimee and I spent the evening up in the sewing room after dinner working on halloween costumes. I got Georgia’s Gypsy costume finished up with Aimee’s help on the belt. I was quite happy with this one, it was fun. The only problem was that the belt is made of a plastic-y material that can’t be ironed which was a pain. It looks like fake leather though so it’s a nice affect.
Gypsy costume finished.
Sunday was the girls’ birthday party so after breakfast we headed over to Uncle Pete’s house for lunch, presents and cake. Georgia got her costume – the other two will get theirs on Friday…
Georgia the Gypsy for 2010
I’ll post pictures of Maia and Chloe when they try their costumes on later in the week.
When we got home I started right back on the costumes. Chloe’s black cat is just about finished after some planned hand sewing. I wanted to get it ready to bring with me to Becca’s house tomorrow night (I’m staying the night) so I can finish it there.
Black Cat costume - ears and collar left to finish by hand.
Then I started on Maia’s dress. I decided to just cut and sew the bodice, leaving the skirt for Tuesday and Wednesday night.
Pink princess dress top done
So the costumes are on track to be finished by friday at least. It’s a little late this year but they’ll get to do trick-or-treating friday and sunday in them. Then the real question is if I’ll get to working on my costume at all 🙂
Well time to call it a night, I have to get in to work at a decent time since I’m leaving early to watch the nieces – I can’t wait!
