Greetings friends! Here I am, another late night with our crazy schedule... and I just wanted to pop in and share some holiday musings. I don't know about you, but this time of year, I have a really hard time trying to accomplish everything on my list. The balancing act is real, while I try to complete work, family, and home obligations...as well as make gifts and prepare for Christmas and the New Year...why do I always feel the need to be an overachiever this time of year? I try to make as many of my gifts as possible...and this year, I am finding myself a bit behind. I am doing my best to spend this holiday season with a happy and grateful heart...and I hope things will fall into place with the holiday rush.
This week, I managed to get an overdue finishing order complete and shipped at the last minute...content photographed and filmed for my upcoming Therm O Web blog post (cross stitch ornament finishing)...two projects and photos completed for a Poppie Cotton Christmas Countdown (coming soon!)...a pile of sewing done for my Etsy Shop (if you are looking for my project bags, go take a look)...and some of my gift making complete. We had several challenging household things going on this week that hindered our sleeping schedule, that in turn took time away from my to-do list...so I am scrambling a bit. A few gifts may arrive to their recipients a bit late this year (SIGH!).
While it has been a struggle this week, there were moments of kindness and joy that brightened my week. Last Saturday evening, my neighbors had a watch party for the new Hallmark Christmas movie Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story. This movie was filmed in Kansas City in July and the city has been a buzz about it for months...hence several of our neighbors got together for a watch party. My husband was working, but it was still fun to get together with a group of our favorite neighbors and enjoy good food and a cheesy holiday movie. We had appetizers and hot cider and laughed - A LOT - it was good for my soul. We will get together with the same group, plus a few more, for a KC Christmas light tour later this month (a bus has been rented!).
...and, see that beautiful evergreen wreath at the top of this post? - my dear friend Katie gave that to me for Christmas to make my home look and smell like the holidays. I am still yet to get a Christmas tree (as we have discussed), so it is nice to have this beautiful wreath on my dining table. It is real pine and needs watering...and it smells amazing.
To close out this update - I mentioned I was gifted an incredible advent box in a previous post. This was a complete surprise and touched me deeply...not only the gift, but the very special card and note that were included. Truth be told, I have been feeling a bit down on myself and kind of like a failure (all work related) ...and the note included made me feel encouraged and loved. This is from Missouri Star Quilt Company - it is Jenny's Countdown to Christmas 2024 Box. When I tell you that each year I go out and look at this box and dream about it - even watching the unboxing videos each year, I am not exaggerating. It has never been something I could justify or afford. This surprise was definitely a gift from the heart and I am extremely grateful. Since this is a quilty/creative box, I thought I would share the box and the first five packages in today's post. This is not really a spoiler, as everyone who has this box should already have the first five gifts open - but if you do not want to know what was in each of the first five packages, stop reading/looking now...
Click on images, if you want a larger view...
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Day 1: Scrappy Fabric Card Making Kit
This kit is really sweet with lots of stencils to cut scraps of
fabric and fusible adhesive, plus the cards and envelopes
to sew them too...plus a little booklet of ideas. I love this!
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Day 2: Adorable Iron-shaped Tin with Embellishments
A very fun iron-shaped tin with cute buttons, beads, bows, bells, and pins.
A great mix of useful items! Now to decide what to keep in the tin....
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Day 3: A Set of Quilty Measuring Bowls and a Gingerbread Recipe
Aren't these wonderful?! I was sad to find the 1/3 cup shattered from shipping
(it is the one that is barely visible)...but I sent MSQC an e-mail
(which I thought was a longshot) and they are sending me a replacement
as soon as it is available...phenomenal customer service!
These may end up in my sewing room in some capacity...
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Day 4: Welcome Home Quilt Pattern and Special Fabric Panel
I think this is such a fun idea..you use doors printed on the fabric panel for
each of the houses in the quilt. Each door is different and you pick your favorites.
I would love to make time to create this mini quilt!
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Day 5: Wooden Quilt Hangers
Believe it or not, I have had sets of these in my Amazon wish list
for a couple years! I am super excited to try them out.
My husband already picked a spot to hang them...now I
just have to pick one of my quilts to hang. |
So, there you have
it - the first five days of the advent box - each day has been a real treat to
open and I am thoroughly enjoying this heartfelt gift for the season!!
For now, I am back
to my sewing room - I have another pile of project bags to sew and list. Next
up on the list will be a customer order...then gifts to make. I also must make
time to write several blog posts and tutorials...plus put together a few
videos. Here are a few dates for you to remember:
- December 13th -
I have a special project for day three of the Poppie Cotton Christmas
Countdown
- December 16th -
Cross Stitch Ornament Finishing Tutorial for the Therm O Web Blog
- December 17th -
I have another special project for day seven of the Poppie Cotton
Christmas Countdown
Finally,
this Saturday, I got tickets for my husband and I to go the Overland Park
Arboretum for the Luminary Walk. There are illuminated pathways through the
gardens, along with musical performances throughout. The gardens glow with
color, while candle-lit woodland walkways create a serene atmosphere...and the
trees, buildings, and bridges shimmer with thousands of lights. Santa will be visiting,
and the trains will be running in the Train Garden...plus hot cider and
popcorn. The weather is supposed to be warmer and nicer this weekend, so I
picked the perfect day! I am hoping to get good photos to share with you next
week...
