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Mind you ... I'm probably one of the BIGGEST Christmas elves anyone has ever seen ... apart from Will Farrell, I guess! :0) Let me explain ...
Just for something different this weekend ... it RAINED! SIGH! I know we've been in drought for a long time here on top of our hill, but boy, oh boy, am I hanging out for some REAL summer weather! But the weekend didn't have it. In fact, on Saturday, it POURED again. So I wasn't going to be able to use my clothesline this weekend ... OR the mashing machine, as it turned out! The machine had a heart attack ... the pump is, according to my technically-speaking Beloved Geek Boy ... KAPUT! SIGH! Guess what exciting appliance I'm getting for Christmas?!?! THEN ... to add insult to injury, the MOWER died! DOUBLE SIGH!! Another expense we could do without right now. So, what were we to do??? We gave up trying to be grown-ups and went and had lunch with friends and pretended our appliances weren't committing mass suicide! :0) Lovely lunch enjoyed in good company took up the afternoon. :0)
So Sunday dawned ... apparently ... I wasn't awake for the event! Tee! Hee! Hee! I'd love to say it was sunny ... but it wasn't! It was humid and overcast, so after a quick outing to sing some Christmas carols with the "After Five" vocal ensemble, I came home and locked myself in the sewing room and put up the sign ...
"WARNING!! ELVES AT WORK!"
Tee! Hee! Hee! Not really, but it was applicable, as I was back on the handmade Christmas giftie task. First finish was for my Goddaughter Erin ... my bestest-buddy-since-we-were-nine Lynette's youngest daughter. (Bet Lynette is glad she doesn't have to introduce herself using that title! Tee! Hee! Hee!) Now, Erin may not have been on the miniature Master Chef reality show, but she DOES like to help Lynette make afternoon teas, so this is her late (only by a couple of days!!) birthday giftie ...
A bright, cheerful apron of her very own. I actually went looking for some fabric with cupcakes on it, but this one jumped off the shelf at me and yelled "Make an apron of me!!" so I did! :0) And added some machine applique ...
Don't they look almost good enough to eat?! :0) One of the things I love about summer is that it's CHERRY season!! Mmmmmm!! I've also found a great kids' cookbook to pop in with the apron for Erin, so I'm sure she'll be whipping up 6 course dinner feasts in no time flat! :0)
Next projects to be tackled were two personalised pillowcases for a couple of nephews.
A blue pillowcase for Luke and ...
... a white pillowcase for Cooper. I've used a couple of the applique outlines from the pattern "Peak Hour" by Kellie Wulfsohn of "Don't Look Now" which was in the No. 85 issue of "Homespun". Although, I DID make a couple of minor changes ... left off some of the smaller details and "Monster Garage-ed" the vehicles. :0) I'm pretty happy with how they turned out. I usually prefer to hand applique, but I thought machine might be better in this case as pillowcases will get washed often. These two bright spots will be teamed with a book each and that's two nephews ready for bed and crossed off the "To Do" list. :0)
The last project finished this weekend only needed a few hand stitches to finish off ... and some star buttons ... and they're now all done ...
Aren't they great?! :0) My new favourite ornament to make, these trees are so simple, yet so effective - this is the second batch I've made. They're made by stitching two circles of fabric together so you get a double-sided circle, then you fold it a couple of times and ... VOILA! A Christmas tree! :0) This was a link I received in a "Quilters World" newsletter ... they've been sending some fabulous Christmassy ideas out to newsletter subscribers in the lead up to Christmas as well as sharing some Christmas specials. There's a link to their site on my sidebar, but the link directly to the tree ornament tutorial is HERE. Have fun creating Christmassy forests! :0)
So ... a few more things crossed off the Festive "To Do" list, a few more finishes to add to the OPAM list and a way of filling in time on an overcast weekend. The good news is ... today has been SUNNY! YAY! hope it sticks around a while, but since it's pretty humid, I suspect we're in for some more rain. I'm trying not to be negative about that as our dams are still only 30 something percent full, but since I feel like I'm just about starting to develop webbed feet, it's a bit tough! :0)
Ah well, back to the sewing room for this not-so-little Elf. Bit of practical clothing alteration this time ... why to clothing manufacturers think that if we're a little on the ... errr ... RUBINESQUE side in stature, that we're also 6 foot tall Amazons?!?!? Someone needs to tell them that some of us are podgy but SHORT!!! Cos altering clothes is nowhere near as fun as sewing Christmas gifties! :0) Hope you're all having a sunny start to your week ... if not in weather, than in mood and attitude, cos THOSE we CAN control! :0) Til next time ...
BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS
KRIS
12 comments:
We've had rain here most of the weekend too - but we're suppose to have snow this time of year, not rain.
Love the tree ornaments! Thanks for the link, I think I will have to whip up some of those too. Just not sure when.
Well you were busy...and it looks like you achieved what you set out to do...very cute apron and those pillow cases look wonderful Kris....how good does it feel to get so many finishes...
Glad you enjoyed time out with friends.
Love your finishes. Thank you sharing the link.
Hope it stays dry for you. We would love a BIT of rain over this side of Australia.
Hey Kris,
Avoid replacing your washing machine with a toploading washing machine that uses front loader liquid or powder, they're crap! We've got one and several other friends of mine have them and we all suffer from soap scum attaching itself to dark clothes. I end up having to hand rinse them, then run them through the spin cycle. So much for energy and water saving! However if any of your readers know how to avoid it happening I'd be more than pleased to hear it!
As for the rain, I hope it lets up soon for you.
Hugs
Jo
Much more fun playing in the sewing room than in the laundry!
Lovely gifts you have been making - I especially like that apron and those trees are super cute.
I think you may have sabotaged the washer and mower so you could hide all weekend - dine out Sat and sew all day Sunday.........
Hey a weekend spent out a lunch and in the sewing room can't be all bad. :)
Wanna trade some rain for snow? We've got many centimetres to pass along if you'd like them. You do get the side benefit of not needing a mower for a few months.
Thanks for the link to the tutorial. They look like a lot of fun to make.
Hi Kris,
Ohhh, Loving everything you make.
How special to have you as a Godmother or Aunty and making these gorgeous pieces.
I'll have to go check out how to make those trees~how easy did you say???
Have a wonderful week,
Hugs,
Anna
I'd say that's the best way to spend a wet weekend. Well done on so many finishes Kris.
Hope the sun sticks around for you too.
Hugs ~ Kerryanne
Wow - lots of finished there, me' little Elf friend!!! :-)
Love those Xmas trees! And your GD's apron is gorgeous - so bright and uplifting. I love cherries too... they don't last long in our house... but they DO still outlast the chocolate! LOL...
Lots of Xmassy love sweetie!
Vikki xoxoxo
You have been a busy little elf!!
Everything looks great. I am going to have to try out some of those trees..they are too cute!
Hope you get some sunny heat real soon :)
Hi Kris,
I wish I could say I have been as busy on the sewing front as you. Your apron looks lovely.
My teddy table runner arrived just yesterday and it is ever so sweet. Thank you ever so much.
Tracy
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