Making it Monday-Projects Coming and Going

Do note that I have added quite a few blogs to the sidebar everyone, I encourage you to check them ALL out. Also, please bear with me as I slowly adjust the blog design and background a bit for the new season.

I'm really trying hard to hold hard to my own personal "day after Thanksgiving decorating rule" but I'm not sure I'm gonna make it. Today I went searching for my Christmas quilts to cover the tables and tomorrow we, like much of the country plan to be snowed it more or less, so I plan to have my son start dragging up everything that is not tree related. I mean really, what's a few days here or there? Besides (or so I tell myself) I need to do that organizing of decorations thing I talked about before, no?

I spent one day this weekend with my cloth napkin project. This is really lazy sewing for me. Cut the pieces, sew the pieces, turn them inside out,  and then press and top stitch (still to be done). But l needed a lazy project because I was re watching (after many years) the first season of Babylon 5.  Lazy or not, they make easy gifts that can actually be used, and I will keep at least two of these sets for myself (probably the flamingos and the trucks, but not sure yet)

 Each set of four napkins cost between $5 and $6.25 to make because of fabric sales. Not necessarily cheaper than paper or thrift store napkins (although no more expensive) but definitely cheaper than store bought napkins. They fit my gift criteria of being inexpensive, useable and sustainable.  On another lazy day, I may use some other fabric on hand and make non-holiday napkins that match the decor of family and friends. I had at least a yard and a half of each fabric, so I have enough to also make coasters and who knows what else! All I need is another lazy day and another TV show (that is not hearings or politics).

Today I'm going to pull out my extra large knitting needles and continue to work on the throw for my brother and sister-in-law. I have nowhere to go or be, plus beef stew (see below) and football so it's a perfect knitting day. If it's not done on Christmas day, it will be finished enough to show them what it is. Their living room is kind of Americana colors (blue, red and beige). I'm in no way attempting to make all my gifts, but I do want to make the "small gifts" for my various group parties and a few things along the way.  B and SIL are one of those people who truly need nothing so my gifts to them are always food or handmade (usable handmade) or experience gifts. I expect the throw to cost $40 at the most for both of them. Hopefully I'll have a good in progress picture by the end of the week.

I've dilly dallied on the Liquor gifts and food gifts, so I am starting now. For those who were interested in what I'm looking at for this year, cranberry orange liqueur, chocolate liqueur,  compound butters, and flavored fudge recipes (I'm starting with the dark chocolate bourbon)!  Of course there's no guarantee I will get this many things done, or that I will make these recipes. What will be will be and all that......

I also want to experiment with a couple more complicated Christmas mini quilts just for fun-whether for me or someone else I'm not sure. I plan to start with the one below and change the colors out and then add beads and buttons and such for decoration. When that's done I'll be braver and start on a true landscape quilt. Now  that I've become more adventurous in my quilting and art, I'm thankful I kept all the fabric pieces and beads and buttons I have saved or collected. Not gifts but maybe I can get one finished. 

This is about as simple a quilt thing as you can do, but I'm going to use it as a base for buttons and do beading around the eddges and decorate the tree. I may even stick with the color schedume and make the tree turqois or blue,

Now, lest you think too much of my lazy creative skills, I'm also doing a "faking it while I'm making it" job of beef stew in the slow cooker today. I ran into the store this morning to get a couple things and had to escape as quickly as possible. Boy, am I glad my only Thanksgiving contribution will be pecan pie (purchased from the local bakery).  So my beef stew, based on things on hand includes Italian style cut beans instead of regular, Italian style tomatoes, mushrooms, and a frozen bag of what they call stew vegetables (potatoes, carrots, celery and onion) thrown into the mix in the last hour or so. Added to meat,  broth, wine and various seasonings, of course. We will see, people, we will see.