Final Countdown to Christmas Packages

Greetings friends - happy day after Christmas! I hope your holiday was merry and bright and filled with love and joy. It was a quiet day here, just me and my hubby - lounging and watching Chiefs football, pizza and wine, a little extra sleep, and a good movie - all in all the perfect holiday. Today it was business as usual, a few errands to run and back to work.

Before I share the last presents from the Countdown to Christmas Advent Calendar, I have to share what my hubby got me for Christmas. My regular readers know that our household is still on a night schedule...and my sleep tends to be all over the place (yeah, it's been almost two years and I am still not a fan of this schedule!). My husband sleeps like a baby with his eye mask and ear plugs; I don't feel comfortable wearing ear plugs to sleep (I want to make sure I wake up if there is an issue or the dogs need out, etc.) and my eye mask is pretty flimsy (it came from an airline on a recent overnight flight). My husband knows I put in one AirPod and listen to a book every night to fall asleep. He loves his Manta Sleep Mask...and gifted me the Manta SOUND Sleep Mask! It has super-thin Bluetooth headphones, nestled within a ventilated strap and has raised C-shaped eye cups that enable me to open my eyes, while providing a blackout seal. At first I thought it looked cumbersome, but once I got it adjusted for my face and set-up the Bluetooth with my iPhone, I found it to be super comfortable and the sound quality is wonderful. I used it last night and it works so good (even for this side sleeper!) - and I did notice a difference in the quality of my sleep. Let's hope this is a game changer for my sleep patterns!😴😊

Onward with the advent countdown. I wanted to stop in today and share the final 10 days from Jenny's Countdown to Christmas Box with you. It has been so much fun opening a stitchy/quilty gift each morning in December through Christmas...and every day has been useful and special! If you are not familiar with this box, it is a sewing advent calendar from the Missouri Star Quilt Company with 25 numbered and wrapped presents. I previously shared the first 15 days. Today's post includes days numbered 16 through 25. Before I go any further, this is not really a spoiler, as everyone who has this box should already have all the gifts opened - but if you do not want to know what was in each of these packages, stop reading/looking now... Click on images, if you want a larger view...

Day 16: Reusable Bowl Huggers Pattern with Fabric and Elastic

Day 17: Jenny Makes Quilting Sew Easy Button and Stickers

Day 18: Bellissimo by My Mind's Eye for Riley Blake 5" Fabric Stacker

Day 19: Chenille Star Pillow Pattern and Chenille 
(uses fabric from day 18)

Day 20: Sewing Machine Brick Building Set

Day 21: Felted Wool Gnome Pincushion

Day 22: Monogram Accessories Felt Kit with
Page Marker Leather Blanks.

Day 23: Love in Every Stitch Ceramic Mug

Day 24: Jenny's Holiday Quilt Block Patterns (4)

Day 25: Cutting & Pressing Mat Travel Folio
(each side is 12" x 12") - FABULOUS!

That's a wrap on the 2024 Jenny's Countdown to Christmas Box from Missouri Star Quilt Company. A HUGE thank you to my stitching sister that sent me this incredible gift - I am still blown away by your kindness - what an incredible month it has been!

Tomorrow, I will be back with my final Christmas post - I will share photos from our annual Christmas Eve outing and give a bit of history on our tradition.

Beyond Blessed

A couple weeks ago (right before our vacation), I celebrated a birthday...and while I am still adjusting to life in Kansas and feeling a bit out of the loop, my close friends and family certainly made my day extra special - they made what was an ordinary day (a doctor's appointment, a trip to the pharmacy for a vaccine, a WiFi outage at home, and my husband working long hours) a joyous occasion. I received the sweetest messages, notes and cards...and several packages from my loved ones. Although "my people" are all far away in distance, I felt loved and special. I wanted to share a few of the gifts I received - especially the creative ones...my friends and family showered me with the perfect gifts and cards...they spanned my loves of cross stitch, sewing, quilting and gardening...and they were all wrapped beautifully (in fact, some were almost too pretty to open)!

One of my friends wrapped my gift in owl fabric
and tied it with vintage sewing tape...
How cute is that?!

Inside the owl package was a gorgeous hand crocheted
market bag and a kitchen towel...now I am SUPER excited for
farmer's market season!

Another dear friend sent the most amazing pile of
pretty wrapped packages...

Including all this gorgeous fabric!
A fat quarter stack - Home by Kathy Schmitz for Moda...
and three colorways of adorable squirrel fabric:
Bramble by Gingiber for Moda

Plus, three wonderful needle minders!

...AND this gorgeous cross stitch piece...seriously - it is incredible!
It is on display in my studio where it brings me joy daily!!
Design: Oktober Feast by Brenda Gervais

Another special friend - send my gifts in this fun project bag...
that included fun sewing bandages (plus a plethora of presents not shown)...

...and this fabulous camp mug!! Isn't it perfect?! I have received a TON
of questions on this - it is from Stitched Modern...

My momma sent me two gardening books from my Amazon wish list...
they are two of her favorites that she had recommended to me - she
is a prolific gardener with a remarkable green thumb! She also sent me a
VERY generous gift certificate to our favorite online plant nursery:
Bluestone Perennials

...and Travis's parents sent me a lovely botanical box with a special
bath and body gift set inside...which will definitely be put to good
use after my stressful days!

Yes, I am blessed with an extremely thoughtful circle...and while they aren't located in Kansas, they are all close in my heart.

For now, I am headed to my studio - I will spend my afternoon working on needlework finishing - the piles are growing - five packages arrived yesterday and three more today...my clients are keeping me busy and I couldn't be more grateful...what a joy to be creative every single day!

Side bar - I spoke a little too soon yesterday - I am still feeling the effects of the stomach flu and not at my best today (last night was rough!)...the nausea continues...I truly appreciate all the well wishes...💓

Joy To My Heart

When life is challenging, it is always reassuring to have family and friends that love and understand you (good days and bad)...and I am blessed with an incredible circle of loved ones.

It was the best therapy in the world to spend my birthday in Florida this year with my mom and Dan, who treated me like a queen and made me feel extra special. We spent the day exploring Silver Springs State Park - we took a lovely St. John's River Cruise in the morning, then had a delightful picnic lunch in the park (and my mom even had a cupcake with a birthday candle for me!). That evening, they made dinner reservations at Jiko - The Cooking Place, a restaurant in Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, serving African cuisine. It was an exceptional meal - and I was served an amazing dessert (again, with a birthday candle!) - it was Mulva Pudding featuring ice cream and a tuile cookie in a bird's nest-style presentation inspired by the birds of Africa - it was so unique (and perfect for me)! I also received a Mickey Mouse birthday pin and a phone call at the restaurant from Goofy (singing "Happy Birthday to You"). These will all be memories that last a lifetime. This day brought joy to my heart...

...and the joy and healing continued, when I returned home and found a couple packages/cards waiting for me from faraway friends...and I had a scheduled lunch with my dear friend Mary. I had to share a few photos with you - I have the best friends a girl could ask for - talented, generous, thoughtful - the list goes on and on. These incredible women (you all know who you are) make me a better person - they inspire me and fuel my creativity...they lift me up!
(NOTE: It's still all about the squirrel! 😊- insert squirrel emoji here...)

Arbre ecureuils by C en Roussillon
Complimentary design on her blog...
https://cenroussillon.wordpress.com/gratuit-quelques-grilles/
A special thank you to Robin for this information!

....and I have to show you how I use the Moda tins in the last photo (which I ADORE!) - they are both sitting at my sewing machine table where I use them every single day. The long one has the tools to clean my machine (which I do every time I change a bobbin or needle) and the smaller one has my most used presser feet, screwdriver, and needle changing tool. They work perfectly and are super pretty too - they both make me smile. I need to purchase another smaller one (or several in every size!) - I would really like to use one for my project sewing labels....

I also was able to celebrate my special day with my in-laws - my kind-hearted mother-in-law made her scrumptious homemade pizza (it's SO GOOD) and even baked me a BEAUTIFUL heart-shaped cake...isn't it wonderful?! Our afternoon together made me feel loved...

I guess I am sharing all of this because...there is light, even in the darkest of days. The moral of today's post - surround yourself with those who build you up and make you better - those who challenge and inspire you...and those who support you when it rains, not just when it shines...

“Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers, the believers and thinkers, but most of all, surround yourself with those who see the greatness within you, even when you don't see it yourself.”   -Edmund Lee