Still Laughing?

Are you all still laughing at me?  Ha ha.  What a dummy I am.  "Anyone know the block pictured here?"  "It sure looks like the one on your blog header Nicole..."  Honestly.  Sometimes when I put these posts together it's late and I am definitely done with my day.  I swear chardonnay had absolutely nothing to do with my confusion.

So, on to another project.  This is Eva's Christmas placemat, one she "helped" me put together.  The pattern is one from Lori Holt's recent Christmas Sew Along.  She gives you the instructions for making the individual blocks and you can put them together to make a Christmas themed quilt or use them however you would like.  I thought the gingerbread boy and cocoa cup together made a cute placemat.

Eva chose the buttons for the Gingerbread Boy, proudly informing me "These are just perfect".  She is such a sweetie.  This year everything is even more fun that it was last year.  She has been enjoying opening the envelopes for an Advent calendar her mom got for her--last year it would have been beyond her.  This season I think we are going to skip the whole Elf on the Shelf thing.  We all found it a bit creepy last year, and there are other tradtions we like more, so that is that.

We are slowly getting the holiday decorations out.  We have two trees up, but no ornaments.  I put out a few table displays, but my husband needs to bring in a lot of heavy boxes for me to really get into my decorating frenzy.  I took all the autumn pumpkins to the dump this morning (our trash service won't pick up things like that), and the attendant kept exclaiming "You are the third woman this morning wanting to dump pumpkins".  I patiently tried to explain to him that of course women want the pumpkins gone, now it is time for Christmas decorations.  It was a very troubling concept for him.  He kept shaking his head like there was some kind of Appocolyptic Event causing this strange phenomena.

Today was Eva's first day at the new preschool, and hello, there was her BFF from the old school, plus her favorite teacher Kelly from the old place.  I arrived early to pick her up and sat at the lunch table with the kids and teachers.  It was a nice way to get to know people and the routine.  Getting involved with your kids' teachers and schools is never a bad idea. 

Monday being Cyber Monday, the shop where I work was slammed with online orders to fill. Today and tomorrow I will be up to my eyeballs filling orders and packing things up for mailing, so things will be quiet on the sewing/blogging front.

Thanks for all your well wishes due to my flu.  I am happy to say I am much improved, but there is sure a lot of stuff rattling around in my chest.  I have what they call a "productive" cough.  At least I have some strength back and don't look quite so much like I should be in the infirmary.

Comments

[Barbara Anne]

Hi honey!

Don't beat yourself up about not recognizing the block pictured in yesterday's post. That quiltmaker put a different fabric in wherever there was a seam, so your quilt has 4 fabrics plus white and his/hers has 8 fabrics plus white. Just goes to show how different fabric choices and placement make identical quilt blocks look very different.

Love Eva's December placemat!! What fun!

I am happy dancing that Eva's BFF and a favorite teacher are both at her new school!!! What could make things better???

I've tiptoed into Christmas decorating, too, but have no tree up yet as that is the major undertaking. Yesterday Christmas mugs went thru the dishwasher and I've never done that as early as Dec. 1 before!

The Christmas tea cozy (gift) is finished!!

Hugs!

[Janet]

I was at a quilting retreat and one of the ladies was basting her quilt. I was gushing over how wonderful the quilt was and asked to take a picture. As I was taking the picture she asked what I was working on so I showed her and she said " you know this is the same quilt I am basting. I felt very embrassed. Oh well it happens.
I love seeing what your working on.
Janet

[Jan]

Yesterday, I re-read your post about Eva's school closing to check the date for her new school start. I was hoping you would tell us how it went…sounds pretty wonderful to me!! YOU get the credit for being proactive when disaster loomed! I'm sure you breathed a sigh of relief when you saw Eva's BFF, a favorite teacher AND had time to sit & get to know everyone at the lunch table! I love happy endings!!
PS Love the finished placemat…it IS 'just perfect!'

[Sue Babich]

Sounds like it was fate for Eva to go to this new school :-D
That placemat is ADORABLE !!!!!!!!

[Anita]

Love the placemat! Your posts always crack me up, its so something i would do. Glad Eva is doing well at her new school, sometimes things just fall into place :)

[Kathy]

What an easy transition that's going to be for Eva at her new preschool. Awesome!

I love her placemat, too ... too cute! How could it not be with she helped and found you the perfect buttons. I love it!

[Jennifer Gwyn]

Great placemat - I hope to see you publish more as the year goes along each season/holiday! Maybe you can bookmark these posts for easy retrieval later? So glad to hear that the preschool worked out for you and Eva!

[Sarah]

Love the placemat. I agree with you about Elf on the Shelf. The idea of kids believing something is spying on them is not what I want to promote. It is creepy.