Advent exchange starts tomorrow!!!

 The tree is all decorated and the gifts barely fit under it there are so many!  I'm going to have to get a bigger tree! LOL!  There are the advent gifts but also there are gifts from my grandsons that they bought with their own money and wrapped themselves!  I am the luckiest grandma EVAH!  

I finished my 2nd Christmas book.  Comfort and Joy by Kristin Hannah......excellent!

I  mailed off another package this morning and did some cleaning, washed a load of laundry and made some cherry jello.  Cherry is my favorite.  Now, I'm getting ready to do some sewing....more gifts!

Santa's workshop is very busy!

Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #24 Year 12

 I missed last week as I didn't have much progress to show.  I've been busy making, and wrapping, and mailing!  I have the best Post Office in the U.S. in Franklin, AR.  I took 3 packages to be mailed and they were small and light but they were in Priority Boxes that they had given me but they were going to cost $10 each to mail!   The contents weren't worth $10 unless you count my labor! LOL!  Anyway, I wasn't going to pay that.  He said he could get some boxes in the back and repackage them for me and they would cost about $5 a box so that's what he did!  It took him an hour and I told him to stop and wait on other customers when they came in.  He cut the labels off and redid them on the new boxes!  I couldn't believe it!  He said that's what they get paid for and I said I don't think so!  He went way above and beyond the call of duty in my book!  He'll be getting a special gift along with Christmas cookies for the whole gang there.  They are the best!

I have promised myself to Final Finish something each week until I am caught up....so  here is my Prairie Schooler Santa...........I plan on making more so then they will all be gathered together in a bowl or basket.  I felt mine was too big for an ornament on my little tree.  I also need to invest in some trims and some rusty/crusty bells and  pins.

I'm all prepped for my Christmas Eve sock cast on..........

I worked on Auntie's Sewing Box SAL piece.........this is the old fashioned cross stitch with lots of color changes and outlining....it will be beautiful when done if I live long enough to finish it! LOL!  I plan on this being my focus piece but there will be a new rotation being worked out for the new year.  There are 3 different colors of gold in that little area alone plus it will all get outlined too.........it is one of those old fashioned bird sewing clamps.......

I have been working on the 2nd ornament for the grands and then yesterday I found the original material so I may start over so they match........

That's all for crafting although I did get one pillowcase cut out and I plan on working on those this afternoon. I'm jotting down ideas and plans and goals for 2023 already.  I have my word of the year and I'll be choosing my first book of 2023 and purchasing that along with a Christmas Day start, A New Years Day start and a birthday start.  Lots of excitement in the new year!  Other than those, most of my attention this coming year will be focused on WIP's (works in progress).  

This week will be another final finish, a bit more wrapping and mailing, and baking cookies.  Tuesday starts my daughter and my Advent exchange!  I can't wait!  I got my cards in the mail so I'm doing better than most years.  Plus, I can see better! LOL!  I'll finish the 2nd ornament and work on the SAL.  There's a bit more decorating to do too.  How are your plans for the holidays coming along?  Are you making Christmas gifts?  I hope you are enjoying the lead up!  I've been playing Christmas music from the old days and watching Christmas movies in the evening.

Happy Trails!!!

  

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

 It's starting to rain and I was just lucky enough to get some decorations outside before it started.  It's supposed to rain for several days now although they've been saying that for several days now!  I needed to get my potato soup made and it is on the stove so I squeezed in some decorating time......

My daughter made this wreath and I have been using it for years...it's starting to look a little bedraggled...like it's owner! LOL!

This is my Aunt Alice's work of art...........

and more of her art work...........I used to use it for Christmas cookies when we had a "gang" at Christmas time but now I've decided to hang it on the wall....I just pray it doesn't fall!

I'm reading the Christmas Wish by Richard Siddoway and it is very good.  If I had the time I would sit and read the whole thing...it's hard to put down.  

BTW....I've finally finished with the eye drops in the right eye and on the left eye that I had done a week ago, I no longer have to wear the plastic shield at night to protect the eye!  Progress!  The first one I had done is seeing great close up....the other one is still healing.

Happy Trails!!!

 

Foggy and dreary here but 56 F so not bad.....

 I found a recipe for using crescent rolls to make cinnamon twists.  I have 2 tubes of crescent rolls.  I must have bought them for Thanksgiving but I never baked them.  I used a recipe from Taste of Home and they were delicious.  They were a bit messy and mine didn't turn out like the picture they showed but they were definitely good and better than the Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls in the tube!  This is their photo.  I took a photo of mine but it didn't show up when I downloaded my pictures.

I received my first Christmas book to read for the season. It is called The Christmas Wish by Richard Siddoway.  I'll let you know what I think after I read it.  It's not very big so it shouldn't take me too long.

I received another Christmas card today.  This one was from my neighbor.

I sent Nancy a Happy Birthday wish and made a small start on the Sewing Box project.  Nancy had gotten back to me and we are starting on the long piece which will be made into a drum eventually.

I ordered the last Christmas present today and now the rest just need to be made, wrapped,  and mailed.

How are you coming with your holiday preparations?

Happy Trails!!! 

 

Sew busy!!!

 Today I prepped my material and floss for the SewnSews SAL starting tomorrow on Nancy's birthday.  I emailed her wondering which one she is starting on as there are many patterns in the book.  I haven't heard back from her yet.  We're going to do all of them I'm just not sure in what order.  I also need supplies for finishing them.

I have received 2 Christmas cards so far...very pretty.....thank you, and I love the Christmas letters that came with them!

I am behind...per usual.........with my cards but they're coming....

I also received a Thrift Book I've been wanting and they usually don't have it but they did this time.....it has so much information in it.  The only thing it didn't have was how to darn socks but otherwise it is a wonderful reference for just about any handwork you want to know about.

Mondays are always busy with weekly chores,  and now I need to go empty garbages and get the big can out to the street.  I hope you're having a good Monday.

Happy Trails!!!
 

I can see....sort of...........

 All went well and the OR nurse heard about the tape tearing my skin off and she gave me some alcohol pads and said to ease up a corner of the tape and put the alcohol tab under it and ease the tape up.  By golly, it worked slick!!!  No skin lost!  Isn't that something that the doctors had no answer for me....in reality, they just didn't care.  I'm going to tell them  the next time I see them that she deserves a raise!!!

Yesterday I couldn't see to do much of anything...just blurry but today is much better. I cleaned up the kitchen, unloaded and loaded the dishwasher, made potato pancakes and jello and even tried knitting and I didn't drop a stitch!   I've been having hot apple cider in the afternoon with a big dollop of salted caramel sauce stirred in for extra goodness.....delish!  It is 48 F but really dark and gray out...great weather for hot cider.

I cleaned the frig and I'm getting ready to clean the microwave and throw in a load of wash.  Yesterday I went back for my checkup and all is fine so it is really nice to stay home today after 2 days of going to Mountain Home.  God bless my neighbor for driving me and for the wonderful weather.  We lucked out in that department!

   My Gerbera daisy is blooming!  Such a surprise as I didn't even see a bud and then this morning there it was!

I've been watching Christmas movies on Netflix and I just ordered some Christmas reads from Thrift Books.  I've been watching Miranda Mills reading podcasts which I really enjoy.  She lives in Yorkshire, UK with her Mother and they  have the cutest coziest home.

I've got to go searching for my crochet hook that I think Miss Peeps knocked off my desk.  I also cannot find the fabric for the ornaments.   Of course, it doesn't help that I can't see very well! LOL!  Wish me luck!

Happy Trails!!!

The Monday after........

 Well, the kids are gone and they got home safely despite having to refill coolant several times....PTL!  The reason she didn't leave Saturday as planned is because we tried all morning to find a mechanic's shop that was open but nada.  No one would be open until Monday when she needed to be at work.  Thank goodness she was able to make it home alright.

Today, I filled prescriptions and picked up a few groceries as surgery is Wednesday and checkup Thursday.  I didn't want to have to go out if I didn't have to.  I did some laundry and got the garbage out.

I'm taking Tinna's Beginners guide to Mosaic Crochet.  I took #1 where I learned Apache Tears, and #2 is how to read charts.   I made a sample........so far so good.  I'm making one as a mug rug in Iowa Hawkeye colors for my SIL for Christmas.

I got treasures in the mail today...yarn for future projects.........

and my materials for the December 6th SAL for Aunt Sally's Sewing Box....

and of course the last Advent gift for my daughter arrived today.....it should have been here much sooner so now I will have to mail it.

I hope you had a good Monday.......it was about 60 today and sunny....so nice.  There are still leaves coming down.  

Happy Trails!!!