Christmas Eve

I went grocery shopping with my Mom first thing today. This afternoon I went to Dufferin Mall for the first time. I went with my Dad for his last minute shopping.

I hosted a Christmas Eve gathering tonight. Allison, Len and his parents (Walter and Evelyn) came over from Oakville for Christmas Eve dinner. I made a beef stew for dinner (of course it had a red wine base). Mom took care of the appetizer. Trish (even though she is away) made dessert (chocolates).

On the topic of Trish's Christmas treats. She added two new chocolates to her collection this year. The first was an orange and dark chocolate bark, the second was a Jackson Pollack inspired chocolate with dried apricots and nuts. I have voted that they make the list for next year and so did everyone else. They are gooood.

We did our gift exhange. I got some of the new line of Kaffe Fassett fabric and from Allison. She also gave me a bracelet she made. A flower press from my parents. I gave Allison her yet to be finished sweater. I'll get it sewn this week, then I just need to get a zipper for it.

It is late and I need to get some rest. Tomorrow we go to Oakville...

I'll post photos tomorrow.

They have arrived

My parents arrived yesterday afternoon. Their room was ready for them. They even got new sheets on the bed.




The quilt on the chair is the quilt my mom made two years. Allison and Len also got a quilt. Last year she gave me fabric to make my own quilt.


The cats are co-existing. They may spend time in the same room without hissing at some point. Elizabeth is being kept in the bedroom with my parents overnight to allow Calle to wander the house. The photo of Calle is before our company arrived. Elizabeth made herself at home quickly.



I should go. I'm being a bad bed and breakfast person. Day 2 has begun.

More later.

L

The calm before the storm...

The bedroom has been refurnished. Gone is the old futon. In its place is a new mattress and Ikea bedframe and two new dressers. The room is now parent friendly. My parents would not have survived a night on the futon. They should be nice to Trish as she insisted on the new bed.

I have meet Harry the hairless dog. He definitely has an attitude. He is very adorable.

This is the coat that Trish gave to Allison for her birthday for Harry.

What is about my family now naming pets after the Royal family? My parents' cat is Elizabeth and now Allison has a prince.

Our tree has been decorated. It is a good height for our living room. Also it is a decoration friendly tree if that makes sense. The branches are evenly distributed with room for the ornaments to hang. To see the tree correctly flip your monitor to the left. I'm sorry I did fix the orientation of the photo before posting it.

I'll post photos of my cats with the tree next time.

I have a few days to finish preparing for my parents' visit. I need to finish cleaning the house, get some groceries that they eat and some activities to keep them busy since I don't have cable television. I also have to wrap Christmas gifts. I should get some rest for all that.

More later.

L

It's almost Christmas

On Saturday I dropped off 10 scarves and 2 hats at Knit-O-Matic. I still have more completed scarves and hats at work to donate. I have been taking kits that Haley at Knit-O-Matic has made up to donate to knitters to make scarves with. I have been raffling them to knitters who have completed projects.

Trish and her parents delivered our tree on Sunday. With our fancy swivel tree stand it took five minutes to set up the tree. All we need is time to decorate it and the cats not to knock it over.

I'm almost done knitting Allison's cardigan. I should have enough time to sew it together. I will need to get a zipper for it. This weekend I need to make the catnip toys for Calle and Trotsky.

I got the new Scissor Sisters' CD today. I have only been able to listen it once. So far I really like it. At work Chris' radio station is only playing Christmas songs and it is mostly the bad ones. The rarities are covers of Joni Mitchell's River and a few others. I have been listening to Aimee Mann's Christmas CD (OneMore Drifter in the Snow).

On Sunday Trish and I are going to Oakville to meet Harry the hairless dog.

That is all for now. I'll leave you with a photo of Harry.

More later.

L

Update

Okay so it has it been a little while...

I finally finished the Baby Brick quilt. All that needs to happen now is for the baby to be born. That happened last Sunday night.

I'm still working on Allison's Christmas cardigan. It should be done by Christmas. For Trish's cardigan I need to figure out what to use as a tie. Then I can sew it together.


Today I took a taxi to the Goodwill. I filled the trunk and the backseat. On my way home I stopped at Knit-O-Matic and dropped off the 10 scarves, 6 hats and 1 pair of mittens that my work knitting group completed for the Street Knits Project. There is still more at my desk. I also picked up 3 kits that Haley at Knit-O-Matic put together for Street Knits. I'll put the names of people who have completed projects in a hat and draw 3 winners.



I set up our wireless network today. This is the first post from not only the wireless network but from my new laptop. I have named it "Tinman". It is very shiny. It works on my laptop and Trish's work laptop.

I'm saving my housework for tomorrow. Also tomorrow is the Kids' Activity Party at work. I'm going to help out. I'm also going to work on my powerpoint photo show for our Holiday Gala. Another busy day.

The hockey game is about to start...

More later.

L

A Wasted Saturday

I waited at home yesterday for a Purolator delivery. At 5:00 I called the office to make sure I was not wasting my day. I was told that the package I had stayed home to receive did not make on the truck. Apparently Purolator doesn't have the capability to call customers to tell them that their package will not be delivered. I rescheduled the delivery for Tuesday night. I am now boycotting Purolator. Thankfully Indigo uses Canada Post and Future Shop's photolab has a store pickup option...

It's not that I had any great plans for yesterday. I was going to drop off several scarves and hats that my work knitting job had completed for the Street Knit Project. And I would have gone to get the papers while the news was still new.

I have been busy. I am finished knitting Trish's cardigan. I need to sew it together (my favourite part-please note the sarcasm). I am almost done hand quilting the Baby Brick quilt. I should get it done today, I hope. I may have to slack off on the housework to have the time required.

November is a busy month. Next weekend is our annual Royal Winter Fair trip. Then on the 23rd we will make our annual trek to the One of a Kind Sale. What I love about this is that both are at the CNE, in the same building. You walk through the Royal and you smell animals. It reminds me of the time spent at the riding stable. Then you go back two weeks later and the smell is completely different. It smells like flowers and incense. But too much because that would be icky.

As I write this I'm ordering more prints online for my work Christmas cards. I am six gifts away from being done my shopping. I have no idea what to get Cameron, Cassie, James and Olivia (I'm hoping the One of a Kind will have something). I know what I'm getting my Dad, I just have to find time to go to the store (as I'm boycotting Purolator). I have several ideas for Trish, but I'll wait to see if I find anything at the One of a Kind Sale. I still have gifts to make, but I think I will be able to avoid the stores during the Christmas rush.

I have not download any new photos in a while. I'll leave you a memory from the summer.



More later.

L

PS I'll try to take some photos of my current projects this week.

Nothing new

Another week has past. Not much is new. We are having a Halloween decorating contest at work. My group is called the "Smashing Pumpkins". It is cheesey. I'm working on our pumpkin this weekend. I cleaned it out already. Tomorrow I'll drill holes in it. A coworker is buying gummy worms that will be put coming out of the holes.

Knitting
I have finished knitting the front, back and sleeves of Trish's cardigan. I'm working on the collar now. The cardigan collar had 242 sts to start, so it is not TTC friendly. I started working on a hat and scarf set to work on during my commute to work.

My knitting group at work has finished about 14 scarves, 6 hats and 1 pair of mittens. I'm going to drop off our first batch next Saturday. There is still talk of a potluck

Quilting
I am still hand quilting the Baby Brick quilt. There are 12 rows and so far I have 5 rows quilted. I should get another 2 quilted this weekend.

Once Baby Brick is completed I can move on to the cat blankets. I have Amy Butler fabric for Calle and Kaffe Fassett for Trotsky. I'll take a photo of the fabric this week and post the photos next weekend.

More later.

L

Yes, I am obsessed with my holiday preparations

Hello. My name is Lesley and I'm addicted to my Christmas 2006 spreadsheet. There is something rewarding about updating the status of my gift list. Today I updated 6 items. I also ordered my Christmas cards online. They should arrive in 2 weeks. Then I need to sit down and write the ones that are being mailed. I can procrastinate on the others. Including my Secret Santa for work I have six gifts left to buy. Of course there five others I have to make. The moral of the story is that my plan is working (unlike Bush's Iraq plan).

No new photos today. Just more bragging.

I have been hand quilting the baby quilt. I have no idea how much longer it will take. I'm more a little less than half done. Then there is the binding to finish. Tonight during the hockey game I'll finish the sleeve for Trish's cardigan and have enough time to start the other sleeve.

Tomorrow is the Creative sewing and needlework show. I have to finalize my shopping list tonight.

I have to go rest for tomorrow. I'm meeting Allison at 10:15 at Union Station.

More later.

L

Is it Christmas Yet?

Okay, I'm close to being ready for Christmas. I need some time for knitting and sewing. But I have a well defined plan. Yes it involves a spreadsheet and colour. I'm still trying to figure out my Christmas card situation. I cannot find more of the photo cards, I may need to make a substitution.

Quilting
I basted the Baby Brick quilt yesterday. I started to hand quilt it last night. I was taking photos of it today, when...

I think Calle has confused Baby Brick with her Mish Mash. I have stopped working on Mish Mash to concentrate on the baby quilt. But I will start again once my holiday projects are completed (so early January). I have to prep the backing, baste then quilt...

Knitting
I have started Trish's cardigan. I have finished the back and left front so far. I bought the yarn last Friday and started knitting on Sunday during my trip to Bowmanville for Thanksgiving. I have been knitting on my commute to work and lunch hour. Now that I have started quilting the baby quilt, I'll work on that at night, instead of knitting.

Other Stuff-Yesterday, Trish and I went to see the Andy Warhol exhibit at the AGO. It was interesting. I knew of Warhol and some of his work, but I know have a better understanding of it.

Next Sunday, Allison and I are going to the Creative Sewing and Needlework Festival/Show. I still need fabric for Trotsky's blanket. I think my approach this year will be: This is what I need. Last year's was this is what I want.

Trotsky went to the vet on Friday. The Vet called with his blood work results. His blood glucose is in the normal range. His kidney function is still high, but it is much lower than before. He weights 12.9 lbs. Calle goes for her followup visit on October 31st.

Apparently the baby quilt will not quilt itself. I better get to work on it.

More later.

L

Accomplishments

Okay so it has been almost a month since my last confession, I mean post. Laziness is what has kept me from posting. I wish I could say it because I was waiting to have photos to post.

Quilting

This afternoon I finished Calle and Trish's Christmas stockings. I started them last weekend. I was able to finish the front and back of both. Today I sewed the front and back together and completed the cuff. Now I need to think of Christmas gifts to put inside them. But I have a few weeks for that!

This the stocking I made for Trotsky last year at the class Allison and I took at the Patchwork Porch.

This is the back of Trish's. There is a Christmas tree on the front.

This the front of Calle's. I still need to find buttons for the snowman's eyes. Her name is on the back.

Today I also had time to sew the borders on the Baby Brick quilt. I had not got enough fabric for the border, when I bought the batting and backing (I also got the fabric for the stockings that day). Fortunately Allison and Len went and picked up another 1/2 yard for me. Next weekend I'll baste the quilt and hopefully have time to start quilting.

Knitting

After work yesterday I rushed to Romni Wool to buy the yarn for Trish and Allison's sweaters. I was shocked when the guy (yes guy) at the check out was friendly. Maybe it was the longer hair I have (I have not been able to get in touch with my hairstylist to schedule a cut), or maybe he was lonely?

I'll start Trish's tonight while I watch the hockey game. It is a cardigan. I think this will the first sweater that I'll make using the yarn from the pattern. It is a nice yarn (10% cashmere). I'll take it with me to Bowmanville tomorrow. It is not a surprise since she picked out the pattern. I'll post some photos of it soon.

I have to finish Trish's sweater by November 16th. That is when I'm scheduled to start Allison's. So far I'm schedule for my handmade gifts. And well ahead of schedule for the store bought gifts (no Mom I'm not telling you what I got you!).

I'll leave you with a photo of the newest member of the family.

Here is Elizabeth (I still call her Rusty), my parents kitten. I think she is more trouble than my sister and I were.

More later.