Countdown to Christmas

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...

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!

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....

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...

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!

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...

Wintry Week

It was a bitter cold, wintry week here in Iowa, but I have been keeping nice and warm in my comfy studio. I have been sewing, quilting, and stitching...working on a plethora of new projects. I have been adding more items to my Etsy shop for Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day...and I have been finishing some fun custom orders and magazine pieces. Plus, I finished up a special cross stitch design for The Sampler Life (a Yahoo! Group and Facebook Group with a love for cross stitch and needlework samplers) SAL - Ina has been planning this designer SAL for the last month or so and I was happy to create a complimentary design especially for this project - I am not sure when she will be releasing it, but I will keep you updated (you must be a member of The Sampler Life and sign-up for the SAL - click on the links above for more info). I have also been charting more designs and model stitching for Just CrossStitch magazine, so I will keep you updated when those will be published....and one of my quilt designs will be published in Quiltmaker Magazine in the May/June issue (I just finished up the model this weekend). In my spare time, I have been working on a few design ideas that use my AccuQuilt fabric cutters...and a tutorial for the GO! Big Blog Hop taking place at the end of February/beginning of March. Over-all, it has been a busy, but creative start to 2015!

Materials for my model for The Sampler Life SAL complimentary design...
For more details on this special designer SAL and/or to sign up, visit:
The Sampler LifeYahoo! Group or
The Samplerlife Facebook Group

Chain piecing on a cold winter afternoon....

More LOVE pillows for my Etsy shop....

Starbucks in the studio...

Custom Quilt Order - Garden Patch Cats by Helene Knott (Story Quilts) - Broc-Kitty

Custom Quilt Order - Garden Patch Cats by Helene Knott (Story Quilts) - Cobby Cat

Custom Quilt Order - Garden Patch Cats by Helene Knott (Story Quilts) - Walla Walla Kitty

More LUCK pillows for my Etsy shop....

Lock and Key Heart Pincushions listed in my Etsy Shop...

I have also been doing some baking this week...and I made a huge pot of homemade chili - in these cold temperatures, it's nice to have some comfort food on hand. I have also been enjoying hot beverages in several AWESOME new mugs I received this holiday season...when it is below zero every single day, hot cups of coffee and tea are a must...and they have to be in a fun mug that will make me smile!

My favorite molasses cookies...

New Topsy Turvy mugs in my collection that arrived from my very dear
friend Terri...aren't they adorable?!

Homemade chili in the crockpot...

A FABULOUS fishy mug with purple lips, daisy eyes, and a fin handle brings
happiness to any beverage - thanks Miss Mary!!

Today, I have a roast and veggies in the slow cooker...the dogs have been walked...and I am ready to work on some itty bitty quilt blocks (YAY!). I'll be back soon to share these small quilt blocks that are part of a QM Bitty Block QAL with a free monthly block released on the first Monday of each month...this month is a Bitty 3" Bow Tie block! Check out the Quiltmaker's Magazine blog "Quilty Pleasures" for all the details:
http://www.quiltmaker.com/blogs/quiltypleasures/2015/01/qms-bitty-blocks-adorable-small-designs/
...and I will back in the next day or two to share my bitty blocks....

Something Sweet & Simple

I like to bake from scratch...I thoroughly enjoy my time in the kitchen, especially when I am baking. Funny things is, I am not much on eating baked goods, just making them....which works out well for my husband, friends, and local nursing home residents. Although I rarely use a mix, I couldn't help but pick-up a couple of the summertime flavor cake mixes from Pillsbury...seriously...who can resist flavors like Orangesicle, Pink Lemonade, and Key Lime?? If anything, I figured I would have a couple on hand when I needed a quick pick-me-up or sugar fix. Well, tonight was that night...after the stresses of the day and mowing the lawn, I needed a little something sweet and some caffeine...so I grabbed the Orangesicle Cake Mix and coordinating Creamy Supreme Frosting...

Yep, the one for me has sugar crystal sprinkles...because I am a girlie girl and I love sprinkles! I must admit, event though I used a cake mix, these are pretty scrumptious...I may have to get a few more for the pantry...it was the perfect pick-me-up and easy peasy!

Exploring New Hampshire and Vermont...

Each time I travel to teach, I always try to make a little time to see the area and explore - it is such a treat for me to visit other parts of the country and do a little sightseeing! Lucky for me, my dear friend Ruth lives in New Hampshire and agreed to take me on a little excursion Friday morning/afternoon before the New England Stitcher's Retreat started that evening. Before we begin, I should tell you, it was pouring rain all day - normally I take a lot of outdoor photos and show you the area...but on this particular day I was only able to manage some indoor camera shots...

We set out bright and early Friday morning...our first destination was King Arthur Flour...now, you know I love to bake and I was definitely familiar with King Arthur Flour...however, I didn't quite understand how this could be a "destination"...but oh my goodness was this ever a great place to visit! King Arthur Flour has a brand new campus in Norwich, VT that houses a phenomenal retail store, a baking education center, and a bakery and a cafe - it was FABULOUS! I could have shopped for hours and easily filled a cart - however, knowing I could only add a few pounds to my suitcase, I showed some self restraint (making sure to sign up for their e-mails, grab a catalog, and write a mental list for some online shopping!). There were a few goodies I had to purchase on the spot and ship home...and Ruth did a little shopping for me too - picking me up an adorable owl kitchen towel and a jar of Maple Pumpkin Butter (delicious!). The staff at King Arthur Flour were so very kind and accommodating and allowed me to take a bunch of photos to share with you...

After a delightful morning at King Arthur Flour, we headed to Brattleboro, VT (a little over an hour away) - a couple retreat attendees had shared with us about a fabulous shop called Delectable Mountain Cloth...and all I needed to hear were the words "hundreds of crystal dishes filled with buttons" and "silk fabrics" and off we went! It was an enjoyable drive through Vermont...and yes, it was still pouring rain...but it gave me and Ruth a chance to chit chat and catch-up (after all, we only see each other once a year). Once we arrived in Brattleboro and found our destination, we did a quick drive around the area and found a place to park...then set out to explore the oldest town in Vermont. Main Street had a wonderful assortment of shops - including In The Moment Records (yes, a record shop!), Beadniks (a bead shop), Vermont Artisan Designs & Gallery, and Kitchen Sync (a wonderful kitchen shop)...and I am positive there were many more great places to visit, but the rain definitely hindered walking from shop to shop. We spent a good amount of time in Delectable Mountain Cloth...and it exceeded all of our expectations! This quaint and cozy Main Street shop was full of treasures...all sorts of textiles, silks, velvets, organzas, chiffons, and specialty fabrics...and yes, hundreds of crystal dishes filled with buttons (a feast for the eyes)...along with trims and laces...they also have handmade jewelry and large assortment of scarves. I will let the photos do the talking...

How was that for a large dose of "eye candy"??!! Seriously, if you are ever in the Brattleboro, VT area, this shop is definitely worth the trip...Ruth and I have already discussed that this will be permanently on our yearly itinerary. Oh, and I must mention, if you visit this shop, be sure to cross the street and enjoy a meal at Amy's Bakery Arts Cafe (113 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT) - it is all fresh ingredients - wonderful soups, sandwiches, and salads - DELICIOUS...

So that was how we spent our rainy Friday in Vermont - it truly was a stellar day! That evening and the next couple days were filled with event activities and lots of stitching, but we did get a few more hours together to explore on Monday. After a final breakfast with the retreat attendees, packing up, and saying tearful goodbyes, we had a few more places to see before I headed to Boston where I was to catch a flight home to Iowa. We made a final trip to ABC Stitch Therapy where Ruth got in some last minute shopping and I dropped off all my classroom materials to ship home...then we headed cheerfully to Quilted Threads in Henniker, NH. I was so beyond excited to see this quilt shop, as I had heard all about it...and the feedback was exceptional; I couldn't wait to visit a new quilt shop and find some goodies to take home! Well, the excitement didn't last long - as we pulled into the parking lot, I was quite discourage to read the sign "Closed On Monday"...how disappointing...but we weren't going to let that ruin our day. We continued our drive to Concord, NH where I was to catch a bus to Boston....and made the best of a SUNNY day! I was able to see the Capital of New Hampshire, walk Main Street and visit a few shops, and then have a spectacular lunch at The Barley House. I have already added The Barley House to my list of places I must visit again - both the atmosphere and the food were WONDERFUL - believe it or not, I had a Lobster BLT...yep, a BLT with lobster meat on it and it was scrumptious! It was the perfect way to end my visit to New England....and I can hardly wait to return next year...

An extra special thanks to my friend and chauffeur Ruth - you definitely made this a special trip to remember...thank you for exploring New England with me...I love you sis!

There you have it, my final post on my recent trip to New Hampshire for this year's New England Stitcher's Retreat - it was another AMAZING visit - I got to see more of the East Coast - I got to see old friends and make new ones - I got to share my passion for needlework - and I got to smile and laugh for several days. Now I have a full year to look forward to my next trip...it can't get here soon enough...

To see all sorts of additional photos from my trip to New England, check out the albums on my Facebook page...and smartphone users can check out my Instagram album (user: BRDGIRL)...