end of year baking

Cookies!  My sister sent me the new Gourmet Cookie Cookbook and so I decided to embark on a cookie making binge.  Here are the results.  All turned out quite well, but the strawberry thumbprints.  I didn't work the dough nearly enough and they came out a bit crumbly....

My two helpers!!!

See ya round the (cookie) corner!

XOXO

O Christmas Tree...

Well, we finally got our tree! 

It's all I really wanted for Christmas and it makes me so happy.

Other projects:

I went and bought 4 yards of red felt to make a tree skirt.  I pulled out my Grandmother's circa 1936 Singer and started in.  The fun part is getting to the edging. 

It was a really simple pattern that yielded a nice size skirt.  I'm not going to do anything other than a simple blanket stitch with some stashed white acrylic yarn. 

I'll probably come back and edit this post with the finished skirt...

Last week I had some fun making some crocheted ornaments... not bad for my first attempt

The stars didn't come out that well.  Not very pointy-points, even though I sprayed a TON of spray starch on them... suggestions anyone?

and of course, I've been working on grannies... this past week was a cushion cover. 

I just love all the ends that all my grannies have made;

 so much so, I just had to take a picture.

 (these include those from the popsicle blankie)

blocking on a towel in the kitchen...

 Now to find a pillow to cover.

I also made my mother-in-law a warm hat (should winter ever decide to arrive- 58 degrees F yesterday?!?), using yarn she chose herself at Michaels.  How nice it was for us to spend last Saturday together in Santa Fe.  She suffers from both Alzheimers and macular degeneration (loss of vision), so it was a joy to take her to see the Christmas decorations in all the stores and let her pick out new boots that fit her high arch and yarn for a hat and scarf that wouldn't be scratchy against her sensitive skin.

Anyway, I love, love, love this yarn! 

LBY, Nature's Choice, Organic cotton in macadamia and walnut,

 the "Ugly But Warm" pattern by Dot Matthews, Copyrighted 12/28/04,

although I really don't think it's ugly at all.  In fact, I think it's quite cute... maybe one for me in a nice peacock blue?  Must have a look in the stash...

De-cluttering update:

It's my last week to "declutter."  I think I set a deadline of December 31.   Did I say 2010?  What I meant to post was 2011.  ;0)

Ahem.  Anyway, I told a friend of that silly idea, that if I posted that deadline on the blog it might help motivate me to get it done.  The whole idea of "people are watching you" might actually help me get it done... um, that hasn't really happened.   But, I did get a little re-motivated after putting the tree up.  J worked until really late (he said he came home at 2 am, but I peeked at the clock when he was brushing his teeth and it was really 2:30 am- BUSTED sweetheart, ha ha) so I spent until about midnight sorting through "stuff."  That all needs to get out of the house, into the car and over to the free box before I loan my car to a good friend for her Christmas travels.  Goodness, what a car full.  I shall take photos before it's relieved of it's cargo.

Well, I must go and get some real work done... one day left to hand in a quarterly report at work... oh, reality can be so crushing sometimes. 

See ya 'round the (Christmassy) corner...

XOXO

simplify: chapter two

I took the first step and started hauling crap out of rooms.  Once it was all in the living room, I started putting things back.  Not much went back in.  I should have taken more photos.  Quite a bit went into the dumpster including my bouquets from the wedding.  So did the fake cattail arrangement that caught fire at the reception.  As J said after I told them of the elimination, "We're still married."  That made me feel better.  It's not an easy thing to let go of things.  This whole water leak thing has really helped me do just that.  I still have boxes of photos and letters to go through, but at least I have the two spare rooms put together in some fashion.

  The second bedroom has been rearranged, the bed away from the window and I put in the bookshelves from the living room.  I think they look much better in here...

And for the room I've been just dying to put together, another bedroom complete with single bed and some of my Finnish fav's....

 I can't wait to sit in the glider and hook away....

In all the mess, I found some old Christmas decorations; the nutcracker that my Mom painted to resemble a Michigan State marching band member (my alma mater) and various tealights and candles that were hidden in a box.

And our nativity that friends gave us last year as a wedding gift.

and a not-so-bad looking fake holly wreath for the door.

So, little by little it's coming together.  I still have 23 days to finish the first serious round of simplification.  The tree we'll get together this weekend.  Christmas cards and gifts are still on the list of things left to take care of. 

See you round the (simply Christmas) corner....

XOXO