It's snowing!

Although much of the maritime regio will be getting rain today, we're getting snow, the tiny light flakes that slowly pile up. It is so pretty.

Both inside and out.

Luckily, most of my decorating was done before I went for my surgery last week. I have added a few little bits here and there.

Some I will pack away and some can stay out for a while.

I even made time at breakfast this morning for a tiny sketch of a rose hip.

Then, I did one errand, as I need to space them out so I don't get too sore. Besides, I'd rather be sewing!

I probably won't get these made into cushion covers in time for Chridtmas but I hope at least to finish the quilting.

Today, I quilted around the poinsettia petals and leaves which really made them puff up.

I wish you all a good week and a lovely Christmas/holiday spent with families.

Maybe you can let go of the odd thing that you felt had to be done in favour of a little quiet time.

And Happy winter solstice by the way.

 

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Looks like Christmas

I got a call from the Georges Dumont hospital in Moncton on Monday. They had a cancellation for arthroscopic knee surgery. I was at the grocery store and had 45 minutes to decide. With my husband away it was a dilemma bu when the reception said they're booking from 2013 I made the quick decision to pack up and drive the two hours.

I missed the storm by a day.

My sister and brother in law graciously took me in. I missed having my husband there yesterday, however, I was happy to get it done. I had a large tear in the miniscus.

My sister in law picked me up and I'm managing with a pair of borrowed crutches. This is what I woke up to this morning.

The view from the bedroom window.

Hubby is flying home today and has booked the bus here tomorrow morning. We will drive home in the afternoon.

I can't wait!

I may not be doing much sewing for a couple weeks, so therefore I may not post much. Of course it was my right knee. Not sure if I could sew with left.

 

I'll be forced to sit and enjoy the season. No more decorating and no more baking. If it wasn't for the pain and the crutches it would be perfect! I can drink tea, knit and read!

 

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Christmas decorating and sewing

Wow, I've been slowly chugging along thinking I'd have time for this and that when I've just realized there are 12 days left until Christmas. I have to pace myself so it's a matter of setting priorities and going with the simple things.

At least cards are off in the mail except for 2 and packages to go are done, ready for the mail tomorrow.

This morning, after wrapping the gifts for the mail. I finished putting the second poitsettia top together and sandwiched it. I quite like the more subtle green on this one.

It'll be there waiting for the quilting when I have the time. Maybe I'll get the pillows made. I'm not worried either way.

I've been decorating the little Charlie Brown Christmas tree this afternoon which I opted to put into our small dining area for a change. It's still seen when you come in the front door.

While out yesterday, I found another downed bird's nest that I'm taking as a sign. I've not found so many before. My mother in law told me that my husband's nana used to say that a nest in the Christmas tree was good luck. Let's hope it's true!

I hope you're finding small ways to be creative while also keeping things simple, taking time to enjoy the season.

 

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Visiting my grandpuppies

I've been away from home and my blog over the weekend. We stayed with my son and fiance and then came home through Moncton yesterday where I had another doctor's appointment.

I'll tell you, I'm beginning to feel like a yoyo being bounced back and forth  between doctors. The last doctor, a neurologist, showed me some of my MRI pics and told me I had no pinched nerve.The surgeon yesterday showed me pics from the same MRI and said that yes there is a bulging disc at the L4L5 level and it was pinching a nerve.
This is crazy! Now he referred me to another surgeon for the back and who knows how long that will take.

At least I had a visit with my puppies (they're pretty big now) to cheer me up and make me laugh.

They get along so well together.

This morning, I was taking it easy having my tea when I spied the nuthatch at the suet. At one point he was hanging by one foot. I missed that shot.

I've been busy all day at odds and ends, doing wash, writing a few cards, and getting a parcel together to mail. This afternoon though, I did go into my sewing room to finish the stitching on the poinsettia petals. I used Sulky Hollowshimmer for the white highlights and a red metallic for some darker glitter. The Hollowshimmer works pretty well for me but the metallic always gives me trouble no matter what needle I try.

 I persevered and got about halfway when I got a major knot under the plate above the bobbin -- took me about 20 minutes to get it all picked out.

Now that I think about it, last time I used a bit of lubricant on the needle which seemed to help. 

Anyway, it's done now so I've chosen a blue batik for the narrow border and a green batik for the triangle setting corners.

I won't have time here in my sewing room until Thursday. I have a hair appointment tomorrow morning, a lunch date, I think, and then tutoring in the afternoon. I'm aiming to finish the two pillows and a runner for Christmas but may be a little optimistic bearing in mind my usual pace.! No stress.

Poinsettia stamping

Yay, I settled in today to get some things done.mThis morning, since it was raining intermittently, I went out to the garden shed and put together an arrangement for my mother in law in her brass pot. We're going to deliver it tonight.

The rain has turned to light snow which will make my outdoor arrangements more festive.

After lunch, I went to the sewing room and I finally got the black outline stitching done on the second poinsettia and started the sparkly highlights.

It's really difficult to bring out the sparkle with the camera. I used Hollowshimmer. You can just see it in the top half on the lighter parts of the petals.

I'm looking forward to getting it bordered and actually making the pillows.

 

For some time I've been thinking about how I would make a piece of fabric with several smaller poinsettias on it, so I made a smaller craft foam stamp and gave it a try.

It's hard to tell, but it's half the size of the first stamp used for the pillows. To the rights is a piece of scrap paper that I laid under the stamp to apply the paint. Then I to re-stampd onto the paper to remove the paint. Pretty! It'll probably go in my sketchbook.

I stamped the first one and then used some paper ones to lay on top. This acted as a mask so I could use Tulip spray fabric paints. It's an experiment. I just bought them at Michael's and they're new to me.

I have the lower right corner to finish. The fabric is quite long. Once done I may cut it up and make a runner.

Time to stop and take a break!

 

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Little gifty things

Would you believe that the mug rug and the poinsettias from the last post still sit  exactly as I showed you on my sewing machine untouched. There seems to be something to do every day and time is slipping by all too quickly.  This morning, I added the finishing touches to my outdoor lights before I had to leave for an appointment.

There seems to be a little something lacking. Maybe a bit of snow. Tomorrow.

I heard the blue jays around the last few days. They arrived at the feeder and heated birdbath yesterday.

They are such a pretty spot of color against the naturals hung along the deck.



These are the crab-apple branches that I pruned from a friend's tree.

I had lots of little Christmas projects in mind but I cant seem to get to them. I started this post yesterday and left it when the computer wasn't cooperating.

The only things I managed to finish are 2 pear pincushions. The middle one is mine and I've been using it for quite a while. The pattern can be found at retro mama.

I'm linking to The Needle and Thread Network.

Poinsettias and a mug rug rug

The plan this morning was to do a bit of housework and head to the sewing room; however, plans changed when the sun came out.

I hung clothes on the line even though it's about -3C and I went out to wrap two small shrubs and loosely lay some lights on a couple. I'll see if they'll be ok to hook up when hubby comes home and fix them more permanently.

I headed to my sewing machine just long enough before lunch to set up some black thread in preparation for outlining the leaves on a mug rug and the second poinsettia.

The mug rug was all quilted and waiting for the binding which is ready to go, but I wasn't enthused. Something was missing. I added some fused leaves on top.

That does it.

I may get a bit more done after lunch before heading out for my tutoring session with a GEd student.

 

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Second poinsettia print

The forecast was for 25cm of snow today. We got a few inches and it seems to have ebbed right now. Miserable to go for errands but pretty to see from the comfort of home.

I'm anxious for the lights to come on at suppertime.

I delivered a pumpkin chilli meal to a friend recovering from surgery and came straight home for tea and a rest.

This morning I also went to the camera store to try out a tri pod to photograph my work. I'll need to put it on my wish list!

I got out my second poinsettia print and added Neocolor II crayon colours around it, this time with some blue in it. I like it although it always dries paler than I'd like. I think I'll add another layer before I stitch on it.

 

Right now, I'm going to finish my tea with my feet up before I go put the honey garlic chicken breast that is currently marinating into the oven.

 

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Finally, some Christmas sewing and decorating

Yesterday, was a beautiful mild fall day, the kind that you just have to get out and enjoy. I cut my UFO day short to come home and get out to the trails to gather more branches. Hubby came to help and was the one who spotted the nest.

I'm not sure what kind of nest it would be but here were lots of chickadees flitting about looking for food. Next time, I'll go prepared.

I even got started with the boughs across the deck.

I haven't added in the reds yet and I plan to finish the corners with some boughs hanging vertically.

I picked up the sweet little Martha Stewart snowflake lights from Home Depot. They're laid out to see the effect. The wires will be better concealed.

This morning, I put a pumpkin chilli (recipe from Pinterest) in the crock pot.

Then I went to the sewing room for a half hour, putting away my things from yesterday. I've finally finished my fiber art birches! Yippee! I had a few minutes to test out the free motion quilted holly leaves on the poinsettia.

It's going nicely. I think I'd like to do the second one and make cushion covers for my living room. Time will tell.

I hope you're enjoying your Sunday.

 

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Finishing my birches, finally and some knitting

I am anxiously awaiting an appointment with the neurologist on Thursday to see what he says about the MRI and the pinched nerve. I hope there'll be a solution besides all the painkillers!

My morning began with breakfast, tea and a small sketch.

My sewing time is broken up with rest periods in between. I was happy to spend some time in the sunny studio today.

We had a very light dusting of snow overnight and the temps today were around 2C when I was out. Lovely, sunny and not windy though so quite pleasant. As many of you may know, I love a line of clothes.

Finally, I sewed the binding onto my birches. I'm so happy to be getting to the end, as I very much want to move on to some Christmas sewing and to be able to post things again. I can only show a sneak peak.

I used two colours in the binding because of the different fabrics in the border.

Here is a detail.

When I need to put my legs up and use heat and ice, I can turn to some knitting.

I'm into these owl hats which I knit with wool and line with fleece around the bottom.

I finished a pair of socks.

And started new ones yesterday. I'm even getting shoulder and elbow issues so I have to limit the knitting too, lol. I'm a mess!

 

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