Christmas Is Coming - EEEEKK!!

I've stopped visiting some of my favourite blogs at the moment, not because they've upset me or because they're not interesting ... but because they're showing me the Countdown To Christmas ... AND I'M NOT READY!! EEEKK!! We head off to the beach for just over a week tomorrow and there still seem to be a LOT of things left un-ticked on my "To Do" list, even though I've been buzzing around all weekend like a bumble bee on caffeine injections! :0) I HAVE finished a gift for one of the nieces that I thought I would share with you ... the gift ... not the niece! :0)

No, no, no!! You're not hallucinating and you haven't had too much Christmas cheer (or HAVE you?!?!?! And where's mine!! Tee! Hee! Hee!) You really are looking at a photo of a purple monkey! :0) This is from a pattern by the clever clogs Melly of Melly & Me designs, although the pattern is for a boy monkey named McGoo. I've had this pattern tucked away for a while now, ready to pull it out to make a whole tribe ... troop ... squad ... flock ... hmmm ... what DOES one call a group of monkeys?!?! I was intending to make a few of them for Christmas presents for some of the younger nieces and nephews, but time has got away from me and this is the only one finished. I MAY get another done in between our beach trip and getting together with my beloved Geek Boy's family (the source of nieces and nephews!!) but the way THIS week has gone ... I'm not holding my breath! I had fun making this little lady monkey, though and found she was very quick to make. My dancing buddy, Lynda made a boy version a little while ago for her son, too ...


Isn't he handsome! I promise to take photos if more monkeys manage to be born.

The other thing I've been madly trying to finish is the quilt I'm making for my Mum. I've had it and the wedding quilt back from quilter-extraordinaire, Rosalie, for a couple of weeks now, but life just kept interfering to keep me from getting the bindings on. So yesterday, I locked myself in the sewing room ... well ... not LITERALLY, cos that would make me sound like a klutz! :0) I managed to cut and machine stitch both bindings and although I'll take the wedding quilt on holidays with me to finish, I really had hoped to get Mum's done so I could wrap it and keep it a surprise for Christmas. Well ... the best-laid plans of mice and men ... and silly stitchers whose ambitions outweigh the time available to her!! It's not quite finished - one and a half sides left to stitch down, but I pinned it in place and got GB to hold it up for a photo so you could see what it will look like ...


Ta Da!! I'm really happy with how it all came together! I managed to find some meterage of the same range of fabric as the charm squares I used for the coin stacks and joined it together for the binding to tie all the colours in. And of course, Rosalie's machine quilting has come up A TREAT!!! It really makes the quilt pop! Thanks Rosalie!!! Here's a close up of the quilting ...

I LOVE the Celtic design in the outer border!! and the dainty rosebud design in the white borders fits in with it so well. I was a bit stumped when it came to what to quilt in the coin stacks, but Rosalie picked the swirly vine (bit hard to see) that ties in perfectly with the other two quilting designs. In fact, it's come up so well ... I'd love to keep it!! Ah well, at least I'll get to visit it when I go home to Mum and Dad's place! :0) And I have two items I can add to my OPAM list - Mum's quilt WILL be finished for Christmas day, I'll just have to stay up and stitch a little after every else is in bed so it stays a secret ... just like the Christmas elves! Tee! Hee! Hee! In amongst the busy-ness of Christmas, don't forget to list your finishes - May Britt will be conducting the prize draw at the end of the month, because, as she pointed out, lots of people will be stitching over the holiday break. And when I come back from my beach break, I'll be sharing some exciting news about NEXT YEAR's OPAM Challenge! Yes ... it will be on again, but there's a few changes and a surprise or two in store, so stay tuned!

So there you go ... the week became a little more productive once it hit Friday - which is good or I'd only just be ready for Christmas when the Easter Bunny was warming up his hippity-hop!! Tee! Hee! Hee! We head for the beach tomorrow for 9 days (the house/dog sitter popped in to collect her destructions ... er ... INstructions this arvo!), which we are SOOOOOOOOOOO looking forward to! And I can't wait to catch up with my family - that's the BEST part of Christmas for me! Although I won't be blogging for that time, I will have access to email, so I'm sure I'll catch up with a few of you. But just in case I don't 'chat' to you before then, I'd like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of my bloggy buddies a very happy, safe and joyous Christmas. May you be surrounded by lots of friends, family, love, laughter, good food ... and PRESENTS! :0) And remember to take time to say a "Thank You" for the PERFECT gift given on the very first Christmas! Til next time ...

CHRISTMAS BEAR HUGS!!!

CHEERS!
KRIS