Christmas Goals

For participation in Holidays in Hand, I needed to write down some goals for this Christmas season.  I was totally in favor.  I find that if I write down goals, it is MUCH more likely to happen!  Here are mine:

 1.        ALWAYS remember why we are celebrating this holiday.  I love Christmas.  I love baking, buying, singing, wrapping, decorating, ribonning, garlanding, lighting, Christmas movie-ing, planning, making, sewing, gluing, eating and partying.  Really though, how much of that has to do with the birth of the Savior?  I don’t think I need to overhaul my Christmas activities, I just need to REMEMBER and REFLECT and INCORPORATE and keep Jesus at the forefront of my thoughts.

2.       Wrap presents.  No, the people on my Christmas list do not  get presents wrapped in Target bags.  However, every year I carefully plan out the wrapping paper, ribbon, tags, and other embellishments, but it’s always a hail mary effort on Christmas eve (or even Christmas Day [see #4 below]) to wrap as fast as possible because we need to leave.  I never enjoy it.  It usually lands in my husband’s lap.

3.       Be realistic.  Being out of touch with the measurement of time is an inherited trait.  I’m never realistic with the projects I take on for Christmas.  If I even think I have a free window, I just add another project.  Then everything takes me much longer and not only don’t I have that free window, I can’t finish the projects I have already started. 

4.       Finish ALL presents by noon on Christmas Eve.  Earlier would be better.  For many years now, I have been making presents up until Christmas Eve festivities, continuing them after Christmas Eve festivities, and still continuing them Christmas morning.  No wonder I feel that I’m lacking with goal #1.  I would loooooooove to sit and relax and not have presents hanging over me.

5.       Be resourceful with my current stash of raw materials.  We are using pine cones for our mass produced presents this year so that is resourceful, but I DO have a stash of fabric and paper that could be used to create many presents without the need to buy a lot more.  [Note to husband:  I didn’t say I wasn’t going to buy anything.  I said I was going to TRY to use the stash].

6.       Enjoy.  The month is so fleeting, it can be over before you say Jingle Bells.  I want to sit back and relax!

What are your holiday goals?

Eggs

Do you see when these eggs expire?  AAAAAAAAaaaaaaack!

I hope you are ready!  I'm not!

Holidays in Hand started today.  I'm looking forward to documenting this holiday season.  Did anyone else sign up?

I've got some blog posts coming this week.  Life and other Obligations have gotten in the way of blogging.

See you soon!

Contest Winner and Free Class

Sorry for the late post, but last Tuesday, as promised, I chose a winner for the bag contest. 
Random.org chose my blogging friend Tilly as the winner! 

I posted previously about a free photo editing class at JessicaSprague.com.  That class was fantastic and led to me taking several more of her classes on everything from graphic design to photography.

She is offering another free class this November all about preserving your holiday memories.  The description says you do not need Photoshop skills for this class, so I think it is a writing/recording/preserving class.

Join me! Go to www.JessicaSprague.com and sign up!

Let me know if you sign up for the class.  I will look for you in the forum!

Quick Bag Giveaway

Bonjour!

I made this bag as a demonstration for a homeschool group I'm teaching how to sew.  I thought it might be a fun giveaway for the blog!  It is fully reversible and the flower is a removable pin!

EDIT* - Changing the rules.  If you just want to enter once, leave a comment in the comment box. 
If you want three extra chances, do the challenge below.


 Here's the challenge:
1.  Go back to my last post:  A Hoot of a Tutorial
2. My owl was made out of scraps from projects that have been featured on the blog.  Go back and find the TITLES of the TWO posts containing those projects.  *Note - the green body of the owl was NOT featured on the blog.  You do not have to find that one, nor do you have to find the felt - just the patterned fabric.
3.  Send me an email:  quaintandquirky @ gmail.com with the titles of the two blog posts featuring these fabrics.  Don't post your answers in the comments - I don't want any cheaters!

On Tuesday, I will randomly draw a name from any entries I receive.  I will mail your bag on Wednesday! US Residents only please!

Hint:  The categories on the right should be helpful for you!
Have fun!

A Hoot of a Tutorial

• Ever cut out a project and have those skinny connector strips that you never cut off, but just fold in with the rest of the scraps?

• Can you think of a potential project for each and every dime size piece of fabric that snips off your scissors?

• Do you save small bits of fabric because you paid so much a yard for it so you are going to get every last project out of it even if you have to start sewing quilted coats for your pet mice?

Maybe not, but if you are a sewer, I bet you (like me) have an extensive scrap collection. This month Sew, Mama, Sew is giving you some grrrrrreat ideas on how to use your scraps. Here is my contribution: Owl (or other animal) Embellishments :D


Supplies you need:

• A long but thin piece of fabric for the owl's head. The one I used here was 3/4" wide and about 30" long. This is a perfect job for those skinny connector strips between project pieces! Feel free to cut a longer strip if needed or desired.
  
• Other coordinating scraps for the ears, claws, nose, body, and wings
• Two buttons for eyes
• Scissors, needle, embroidery floss
• Scraps of felt (wool felt is ideal)

Starting with the owl's head, take a gathering stitch down the length of the skinny strip of fabric. (Not folded)


Gather the strip until it is about half of its original length (in this case 15") and knot it. You can make your strip longer or shorter depending on how full you want the owl's head to be.

Next, cut a circle out of felt that is slightly smaller than the finished owl's head. My finished owl head is 3" and my felt circle is 2 1/4 inches in diameter. This does not have to be precise. Just find something circular in the approximate size of your desired circle (cups and glasses are always good traceable objects!) . Starting on the outside, sew the gathered strip to the circle, winding it so that it ends in the middle of the circle. (It is best to arrange it, adjust the gathers, then sew it.)
Next step is to sew on the eyes. Then cut scraps of felt and fabric into triangles. The felt should be just slightly larger than the fabric. I left all edges raw because it gives the owl a worn, feathery look. Simple, no? Sew two triangles onto the top of the head as ears and one triangle under the eyes as a nose.
Next, cut out the body and wings for the owl. Cut the wings on folded fabric so you make sure you have a left and right side. The body looks like a large U with the top closed in. The wings look like a waxing gibbous moon. Clear as mud, no?

Cut the felt for the body and wings slightly larger than the fabric. Once again - raw edges for the worn out feel.
Here's a shortcut: Sew the body felt and fabric together first. Then lay the wings down and get them into position. Sew the wing fabric to the wing felt at the same time you sew everything to the body. See the picture below for a visual explanation of that!

[ Otherwise, you will sew the wing, then have to attach it to the body and I didn't write a step for that! ;)]
Once the wings are on, then cut and sew some more fabric/felt triangles for the claws.

Sew the head to the body by running some stitches underneath the ruffles of the head
Voila! An owl embellishment for your fall projects! Attach it to a corduroy jumper or skirt. Put it on a bag. Make several and string them on some jute for a garland. The ideas are as numerous as your scrap bags! You could also adapt the pattern to make a lion's mane or fluffy bunny head! Be creative!

Here's another creature made with the 3/4" skinny strip of fabric and some felt scraps:

Have fun!

Greetings Guests

Ahhhh..... more projects! I love posting projects!

The apron went over very well for the bride-to-be. Tomorrow is her big day and I volunteered to make her guest book. She picked out a lovely mix of papers and the end result was great! The book started out as this kit from the Paper Source (Oy, I could spend my riches in there - if I had some...)

The pages are ready for the guests to write their messages of encouragement, blessing, and congratulations! (Or simply sign their names)
These are multitasking pictures. I'm taking a photography class through JessicaSprague.com and I was practicing some photography elements like lighting and focus. Constructive feedback welcome!


I love the movie For Me and my Gal and the title song. Here are some lyrics:

Ev'rybody's been knowing, to a wedding they'e going.
And for weeks they've been sewing,
they've been sewing something old and something new,
sew something that is blue so they can make a trousseau for my gal.

This is what I feel like, except I am not sewing a trousseau, but something else altogether. Another post will come on that subject! Enjoy the long weekend. I'll be back soon with a tutorial!

Sewing!

It's been a while since I've posted a sewing project. It's because I haven't sewn much. Makes sense, no? I've been doing a lot of other projects that I'll show in time. I have gotten to do some sewing this week though and I'm really excited about it! I have another big project coming soon. This project is for a friend so...........

If your last name will soon be Goldstein, read no further!

Okay, for the rest of you, I'm in my friend's wedding next week and another bridesmaid is throwing her a "personal shower" (realllllly not my thing). I never follow gift giving rules, so this is my contribution to the personal shower.

It's an apron from the book A is for Apron which this friend gave me for Christmas! She loves green, but her kitchen will be black and red, so I compromised with black and green. :DA closeup of the bottom of the apron

The apron back

The main apron body is linen and the rest is some patchwork pieces.
Yeah for getting to sew this week!!

Levi update

My baby is getting big! He's a little punk now, but he's getting to be a good, good dog. He likes to cuddle on the couch and play "Bring it back" (fetch). Taking him for a walk is like taking a vacuum cleaner for a walk though - acorns, leaves, straws, napkins, rocks, mulch, plastic all seem to end up in his mouth. Here are some pictures from a few days ago!

Ode to a Printer

Ode to a Printer

My heart soars and thumps as I gaze

Upon your lovely gray and blueness

Your top and bottom loading trays thrill me

For the possibilities they present

Your sliding paper-guiding levers ensure

Not a sheet will print askew.

You forbear through your tasks,

Taking each one is stride –

Fabric, ribbon, vellum,

None are too daunting for you.

Your skills are known far and wide

And are called upon by others.

Wedding invitations, t-shirts, and scrapbooks

You conquer all!

Alright, this might be a little dramatic, but I do appreciate my printer. I've had it for Y E A R S and it is still going strong. The print quality is great, it has top loading and bottom loading options for more control, and has been through crafting WAR! Anyone else have appreciation for their crafting tools?

Thanks Canon Pixma IP4000!!!

Life Lessons from Josh - Perseverence (or when you used your wife to dangle a 300 lb washing machine over your head)

Here's another installment in Life Lessons from Josh. Things you can learn from my husband.

Today's Lesson - Perseverence. My husband does not give up. He does not I tell you. That highly commendable quality usually manifests itself in good ways - various degrees, our house, etc. However, I have now become a pawn in his perseverence game.

Here's his latest challenge: 300 lb washer (nearly) needs to go down the bulkhead stairs and into the basement. Your tools for this job are yourself and a wife who claims to be the least strong person in the world and wants nothing to do with moving incredibly heavy washers. Despite all of your great ideas, washer is just too heavy for you to handle on your own and all the wife can do is prove that she's the least strong person in the world.


However, you will NOT give up! You will attach dog leashes to the washer! Yeah!Then you will put it on a wooden board and toboggan it down the stairs! Until it gets stuck. And then you say, "Hold this while I go downstairs" and leave your wife on the other side of a dog leash, dangling a washing machine down a flight of stairs. [ Keri interjects - I did have him bring the camera down with him because I wanted photographic proof of this ].

So you stand underneath the 300 lb washer as your wife holds it with a dog leash and you try to "help" it down the rest of the flight of stairs. Miraculously, the least strong person in the world does NOT fly uncontrollably down the stairs on her stomach and the washing machine does in fact make it down the stairs. (The washer, by the way, was one inch smaller than the door frame. Measurment is material for another post though!)

The moral of the story is Never Give Up! Even when you have to use dog leashes!

The dryer comes this week..... :(

Cupcakes!

We had a bridal shower today for my friend Carrie, whose wedding I will be in in October. It was a nature themed shower since she loves nature. I commissioned my mom to make some cupcakes in lieu of a shower cake. She did not disappoint! Her cupcakes were a hit!

Some meringue mushrooms with teeny lady bugs!

I liked the acorns personally!

Twigs and needles

Fun!

Cheers and Changes

First of all, I was given THREE blog awards by some sweet readers.

The ever faithful and encouraging YayaOrchid gave me the "Lovely Blog Award"
I am passing this on to Kim at The Way Life Should Be.

One Sarah gave me the "Kreativ Blogger Award."
I am passing this on to Mary at Scottish Folds Knits.



And one of my new favorite bloggers, Sarah gave me the "Adorable Blog Award."
I pass this along to Diane at Sustained by His Grace.

The Kreativ Blogger Award requires seven random things about myself.


1. I eat only one kind of salad dressing - Seven Seas Viva Italian - which unfortunately is discontinued. When my supply is up, I will be in Salad Deprivation.
2. I am a facebook stalker. Who isn't though?
3. The children's book I wrote has gotten one rejection letter (which is not a bad thing).
4 I won't eat bananas because of the texture.
5. When I was a baby, I had a pacifier called my "peep."
6. I started seriously babysitting when I was ten (Really parents, what were you thinking? Your babysitter was saving her babysitting money to buy American Girl doll furniture!)
7. (This is the changes part of the "Cheers and Changes" post)
I'm retired from being a school teacher. Yes, I quit my job. Now I'm a nanny for an adorable baby girl three days a week. Once I get in the swing of things, I'll be using the other two days to sew and craft so hopefully I will fill (and empty) my etsy store.

Who knows? Maybe I'll Brett Favre it and unretire, but right now, I'm loving my new career!

Thanks for reading! Have a great weekend!