Thursday 12 December 2019

Pre Christmas Preparations, Projects of Christmas Past

Lots of dillydallying going on here this morning...and coming right on the heels of the lollygagging mentioned in the last post. We had snow again but rain has wiped it out...again. Such strange weather so far this winter.  Meanwhile  I'm lingering here at the computer just writing away which is not an awful thing as sometimes my blog/writing ideas come to me in spurts and I can get a number of ideas recorded to be fleshed out later.

The whole place needs a good scrub...two old people, two big dogs. Fridge needs some deep diving cleaning attention too.  I'm still so happy we bought a new stand up freezer when we moved here. I could literally hug it...oh how I hated trying to clean out the old majorly deep box that was a freezer at the farm.

 Grandson loved the way the lights puddled more at the bottom of the tree. When I see that now, I think of him.
We had a grand day together and he really is a help and ever so careful unwrapping the ornaments. He also was instrumental in putting together this little tree for the tv room.  He figured out how the stand should go when it was totally stumping Nana because he looked in the box and saw it on the
"structions". :)
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 Here he is taking a break in his hidey nook behind my stitching chair and eating his fairy bread.  At least it is whole grain, :)
I've stitched two strip borders on the Santa Snowman piece and hand quilted it this way.
 Thought I would mimic the cross stitches with a little motif.  I have the backing material picked out so it will be a cushion top very soon.
When I opened my little Christmas fabric box, I found the fabric I had bought in a bundle from the thrift store. There was more of this particular line than I thought, unfortunately cut into shapes.  While metallic designs are not what I would buy, it is beautiful fabric. The best I've seen. Tried to find a name and it seems to be a Moda line, Robert Kaufman, Holiday Flourish perhaps.
  So too pretty to give back to a thrift store, I set about using some of it.  With some tricky strip stitching and cutting, I came up with this piece that I'm making into a little table topper.
This was fun to work on and I wondered for the umpteenth time why small projects don't appeal to me.

Meanwhile time for the hangings of Christmas past to come out.  Here is Scandinavian Christmas I finished last year. Funny, I see it now and I think it's okay...I'm not as focused on the little problems I might have had during the stitching.
While I was flirting with being in the woods after dark one day, I was rewarded with a glimpse of this fellow.  The resident Barred Owl and so happy to know they are still around. I hadn't seen one since July when he had flown across my path on route to the pond.
Sadly I don't have the equipment required to get a good photo in such light conditions.  But it gave me a thrill to watch him just the same. I soon skedaddled though because there is something about the woods in the dark...Hubby lived at the old farm for over 40 years and had never once set foot on the trails after dark.  I did venture a little distance a couple of times trying to capture stars with tree tops.  At the very least, there were lots of skunks there and that's something you really don't want to surprise.
I hope your pre Christmas preparations are moving along.  I'm reading about some great cookie baking happening and secret gifts being sewn. Such a wonderful and fun time of the year.
So fun to link with Not Afraid of ColorQuilt FabricationIt's a Small Town LifeFor the Love of GeeseThe Inquiring QuilterMy Quilt Infatuation and Paying Ready Attention.






33 comments :

eileeninmd said...

Hello, your grandson is so cute, So glad he was there helping you out with the tree. Great capture of the owl. I love the Christmas hanging and the cute Santa Snowman. Well done! Enjoy your day, wishing you a happy weekend ahead!

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I love your barn owl. Such fun you have with your grandson helping - like I had help with two young girls last week - not my grandchildren but sometimes they can be just as nice to have around. I love that Scandinavian Christmas Quilt - I thought about getting a pattern something like that and didn't but I know I have a pattern in one of my books that is nice too

For the love of geese said...

All lovely projects. I'm particularly drawn to the mini you created from the thrift store find. Lucky you on the owl sighting. They remind me they are still around with their night time mating calls. We live at the top of a long hollar and their calls echo. So glad your grandson was able to entertain and help you. Thank you for linking up to Put your foot down. I so enjoy your posts.

LA Paylor said...

the hidey nook is so so so sweet. What a grand connection you have with little man. I used to create little hidey nooks too. The owl... so handsome, and they have such a presence. I started singing, "into the woods" when I read about not going in after dark. Ever since watching wizard of oz and reading grimms as a little girl, I would be reluctant to go in at night too. Your quilts are so pretty, like the quilting on cross stitch

Julierose said...

Funny, I am having difficulties making small projects, too; but it's gotten difficult pulling big quilts through my machine these days S I G H
I like how your little project came out...I tried making flying geese this morning and it was a mess...the points that cross at the top overlapped and got sewn together...ugh..so my geese are shut up in the "failure" drawer squawking away...they won't be flying here!!
Your Barred Owl is just so beautiful...I have never seen any type of owl in the wild in person...how wonderful that you got that shot...hugs, Julierose

Nancy J said...

Beautiful fabrics, and a vertical freezer with drawers, we, too, had a massive chest freezer. I could have fallen in so many times when cleaning it.We donated it to the new owners of our previous home, guessing with a huge garden and larger family, they would be able to have better use of it.The trees, great to have that special help when needed..

Ruth Hiebert said...

I love your quilted pieces. I admire them, but don't have the patience or desire to do that myself.

Jenny said...

Lots of Christmassy goodies here today, including two new projects! Love your Scandi quilt, and what fun to have your young grandson sort out the tree for his Nana. Just read the instructions!

Jenny said...

PS, I have a Christmas project which seems unlikely to be completed in time, worked on it for an hour or two yesterday but still a long way to go. But really, I thought, does it really matter if it is finished this year or next Christmas?n

Brian's Home Blog said...

Your Christmas Tree is sure pretty and your helper is such a handsome young man. Love that owl, very special critters!

Home Sewn By Us said...

Hi Jocelyn! Your Christmas decorations are so lovely, and how wonderful that your grandson could and would help you. He looks so handsome hiding out in that fun spot. I think I have some of that thrift store fabric myself . . . at least it looks familiar. The woods after dark sounds slightly scary to me - but seeing that owl is so worth it, isn't it?! {{Hugs}} . ~smile~ Roseanne

Out To Pasture said...

Pretty trees and a very cute and smart little grandson, Jocelyn. I really love last year's 'Scandinavia Christmas'. What is it about owls, eh? Seems like a special moment when we spot them. Disappointedly, I've never seen or heard a barred-owl here. Last week I watched two ravens doing a courtship (or renewing their vows?) display. It was a sky dance, flying in sinc with wing tips only inches apart. They flew back and forth over a shopping centre in perfect unison. Most impressive!

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

What fun to have your little grandson over to help with the decorating! They love it so much at that age. I love the peak at your new projects and that Scandinavian Christmas is a favorite of mine from last year. I love seeing owls, but we haven't seen our neighborhood one this year. Instead today we've been watching goldfinches at our feeder!

MissPat said...

How wonderful that your grandson can help you decorate. They are so cute at that age. My grands are all over a thousand miles away so I don't get to spend time with them. Your Scandinavian quilt is lovely. I don't have room to hang large pieces, so I have a bunch of smaller wall hangings with trees and wreaths, although there is one panel that's a bit larger that I hung on my office door back when I worked. We had a chest freezer when I was growing up and it was a pain to clean. My father liked to hunt and fish so it was always well-stocked, but things got buried in the bottom. Hope you have a good weekend.
Pat

Michelle said...

Awww...your grandson is a cutie. What a good helper. I love the photo of the owl. They are a favorite of mine. Thanks for linking up.

Deborah said...

Did you put stabilizer on the back of the cross stitch before you put the borders on? I have a cross stitch piece I want to make into a wall hanging. Merry Christmas. Your trees and your project are very pretty

piecefulwendy said...

You captured a good photo of the owl! How fun to be able to see him. I used to walk through some words as a kid; just one snap of a twig would send me running rather than walking. Haha - memories! You have some pretty quilts for the holidays!

PaintedThread said...

Love that owl. Beautiful Christmas fabrics - I love all your Christmas quilts and cross stitch. Your trees are pretty.

Susan said...

Sounds like you both had a great time with the tree. And nice work using the Christmas fabric pieces for a small project.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Lollygagging and dillydallying sound like perfect occupations in my book! Your Santa snowman is so cute - and fun that you could use those Christmas fabrics and make something out of them.

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

I agree the light puddles are awesome below the tree. Great quilts, and love what you did with the Holiday flourish fabrics. Oh the owl. Some nights when I am out corraling kittens I hear an owl nearby. I then am wary with the kittens and Bobbin out and about. Great likes.

Angie said...

Jocelyn - I can't decide what I like the most - the rich fabrics or the owl! Lovely post. I am enjoying this season so much, and it will get even better tomorrow when our son arrives!

Lynn said...

Oh your trees look wonderful, how lovely to have such a helper. Your stitchings are coming along well And the owl is great!

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Your tree is great. Love the Owl topper. This is such a peaceful post. Nothing hectic, just joyfully enjoying the days leading to the holiday. My sewing is done and the cleaning starts today. We expect the kids here on Saturday or Sunday. We will have a circus with two kids and 5 dogs, lol.
Merry Christmas.
xx, Carol

Michele McLaughlin said...

What lovely memories you make with your grandson!!! Your trees are wonderful but I really LOVE that pillow you are making the stitches you chose to add are perfect! I love the table topper too! It's really festive! Have a wonderful week Jocelyn!

Linda said...

Love the glimpse of your grandson eating fairy bread. Looks like he's leaving the crusts like most young people. They are my favorite part! I am drawn to metallic-type fabrics but never use them much. Your post reminded me to pull mine and see what I can do with them. Your part about the woods reminds me of my favorite poem by Robert Frost. I feel a strong pull to the "lovely, dark and deep" of the woods.

Jenn Jilks said...

That's really cute! It's great to have a helper. We're still so sick, the kids were supposed to come this weekend. I'm just too tired.
Lovely trees.

canuckquilter said...

Lovely to have a helper like your grandson to get the trees trimmed. You made good use of those Christmas fabrics. I'm not much of a metallic fabric gal most of the year, but I can get into it at Christmas. It must be something about the sparkle of the season. Thanks for the peek of the barred owl!

Nancy said...

Wow! The quilting on your pillow, with the little cross stitches, looks fabulous! How fun to have your grandson's help with your Christmas tree. Your barred owl -- how wonderful to have him (or her)! Such a beauty.

Rosemary Dickinson said...

What a great picture of the owl! I love your embroidery and cross stitch projects. Your Christmas trees look beautiful. So nice to have a helper! I never make small quilts. I tend to only make large ones. I feel they're more practical. Your Christmas fabric is so pretty! I'd keep it too!

Mary in Peoria Handmade said...

You are a brave woman to go in the forest in the dark! The cat reading that book is hysterical. Sweet pillow of "joy". I so enjoy that Scandinavian piece from last year- I think it's the shape of the hearts. Enjoy!

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Any encounter with an owl is memorable and a Barred Owl is as good as it gets. We were out yesterday hunting for Saw-whets but came up empty.

Jennifer Fulton Inquiring Quilter said...

Such fun you are having getting ready for Christmas! Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss. Love that owl--he's so beautiful!