Besides being fleeting, the sunlight is not especially good sunlight these days. It is weakened and I think of how the sun is really so far away especially in winter for us in our corner of the world. We are careening, it seems, towards the 21st, the shortest day of the year. But the air is good. I compare it to the kind of air humidity creates which I complained about so much last summer and the air these days is superior even while cold. But as always grateful to be breathing still or topside as my grandparents put it.
I liked how these pears and home made honey, gifts from older daughter, looked in the pale sunlight this morning. I have a thing about pears; I like their shape and their taste.
The three of us here, Hubby, myself and the Ornament Eater, are enjoying our Advent Calendars, a gift from younger daughter each year. 
Mine is the best...Clarins. Their Rose Radiance Moisturizing Cream is beautiful but so expensive. I have a jar and use it sparingly. Then the voice in my head will say things like use it up, you don't spend money on makeup, what are you waiting for, you're thrifty in other ways, etc. etc. Do you have such a voice?
Art Gallery Fabrics has released a video of their new lines for the new year. A little bit of gorgeous is all I'm going to say about that.
I've been testing a vintage style block called Jewel Box for some Christmas machine stitching. Photos next time.
And I love how Yuletide Blanket is growing. Definitely Yuletide colours and crocheting goes well with the evening tv viewing.
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26 comments :
Your Advent calendars look so fun - what a great gift for you! And the pears, too - they really are beautiful. I love the stitching you've done on your QuiltMania blocks - so pretty! Lots of good things going on at your house, Jocelyn.
your yuletide blanket is certainly growing mine is not getting as much work on it as it should. I try to mainly use my stash all year and then restock a bit when the sales come hot and heavy in December - I have restocked some prints and backgrounds - they are always needed. I will be so glad when the days become longer again, here of course our days are longer than yours as we are in the south, darkness comes around 5:30 I think, I haven't really looked at the clock I guess
Hi Jocelyn,
I really like your header...so cute. I like pears also, not so much on honey. Haven't gotten my new calendar yet..I usually get landscapes or baby animals. I know what you mean about stash..I keep collecting "stuff", but don't really need it. I love looking at new fabrics, but I'm oh sooo tempted to buy them. Your squirrel, tree and big eyed bird are so cute. And your Yuletide Blanket is awesome. Have a great day!
What fun advent calendars!
Your little Christmas blocks are so sweet. And your daughter certainly spoils you with gifts, it's always nice to get a little something and special food items are so welcome.
Wonderful to get gifts now, and the cat, I thought the words might read " QWERTY"!!! Quite often very heavy Boris wanders over my Macbook, but seems to avoid stepping heavily enough on any key. I think it is like walking along a railing, and he picks the narrow part of the case above the keys.
Every time I say I am only going to stitch from my stash, or knit from my stash something comes along and I break that rule. Oh well, I guess I could give it a try again this year.
God bless.
Had to chuckle at the cat!
The little squirrel block is so cute with it's embroidered embellishment. This is going to be a fun quilt. The yuletide blanket is stuffing with all that color. . . I've been noticing Art Gallery Fabric a lot lately. They have some wonderful lines.
How cool, 4-1/2 pairs of pears! The blocks are all very pretty and so is the blanket. That cat has a great story in the making.
Goodness yes I have that voice! LOL. I think a lot of us do when it comes to fabric especially--afraid to use it...but then it goes out of style, or something like that. I try not to save things (and/or be so sparing with them) for "special" anymore but it was just something I learned from my Mother I guess! It's starting to soak in that life is short!
Ha ha! Such a funny kitty!
Your posts are such a joy to read! I love the photo of the pears in the sunlight, so pretty! Your advent calendars look tasty and fun. Yes, I have that little voice too, we have lively discussions often. Yes, I'm trying to sew my stash, but that hasn't stopped me from adding to it, either - LOL. Of course, the squirrel makes me smile - the cat meme is hilarious!
Thank you for this lovely post to start my day! For several years now, we have been enjoying an online advent calendar from Jacquie Lawson at jacquielawson.com. Lots of fun with animated vignettes every day along with games, puzzles, and information. You might enjoy checking it out. Your projects are coming along beautifully. Just in the past year I’ve become a big Art Gallery fan - not good! I need to use up at least some of what I have! But we want to keep our fabric shops in business, don’t we? And new fabrics often stimulate our creativity. I’ll be searching for some sort of balance there 😊.
Great post Jocelyn!! I haven't seen these cool 'adult' advent calendars. I am putting a note on the calendar to check these out for next year. Looks like lots of fun for me and my husband!
Packing the house for a move in springtime has caused me to really look at how much fabric I have. Hoping once we settle in again, I can focus on using up some of this fabric!! The kitty graphic is hilarious - thanks for sharing it.
wow Jocelyn you've accomplished the unattainable. You made me laugh so many times in this post. Starting with 'the ornament eater" (my lab took a bite out of all low hanging ornaments her first year. I was sewing a quilt for my then boyfriend (who turned out not to be quilt worthy) and had to get up to take an ornament out of Chelsea's mouth every 10 minutes. I felt her whining, "this one is No too?"
to the cat's writing, sort of like mine I suspect. Pears are so pretty but I really like your casserole baking dish lots too
Your Quiltmania Christmas blocks are so cute! I love the squirrel and the tree, but the big eyed bird is especially charming! Thanks too for sharing your advent calendars! What fun!
Beautiful pears, delightful AGF fabrics. I had to chuckle at the cat and the keyboard. Sadly, my daughter's cats enjoy sitting between me and my keyboard and sometimes ON my keyboard. The results of their keyboard exploits are sometimes like in the photo, other times my computer does very strange things because of their actions.
I always say I'm just going to use my stash and then I end up buying more fabric! Love that advent calendar! Your afghan is getting so big! Isn't that cat clever! All cats think they're very smart!
Hi Jocelyn! I'm still laughing at that Cat meme! :) Love all your projects that squirrel is adorable and so is the tree and the bird. I love your Yuletide blanket! These projects are all so cheerful and make me so happy to see them! Have a wonderful weekend! Hugs!
Way to catch that morning sun - it makes everything look so golden!
And yep - I always say I am going to sew my stash and then..... haha!! At least we keep trying - but someone has to keep the quilt shops opne!
Love the Dogvent calendar! I'm a sucker for holiday gift pears since Mom first sent me a box in the early 1990s. I stood over the kitchen sink eating one and had juice dripping down my arm. It's like where have you been all my life! I love to eat them as well as bake with them.
Those new collections from AGF are stunning, and I always look forward to seeing what they have to offer. I see there are new colorways coming in one of my favorites - Decostitch.
I laughed out loud at the cat photo - I have one of my calendar events saved on my computer that Jack added to years ago. ;)
Thank you for linking your wonderful post to To Do Tuesday!
I've been on a 'use the stash' effort for a couple of years and despite that my sewing room is still crammed full. It surprises me how 'creative' I can get with that challenge in mind and can repurpose something unexpected. Having said that, my current project sent me to my box of felt and - horrors - it let me down in some of the colours I needed. A trip to the dollar store remedied that problem but now the scraps of that purchase will be going into the box. Somehow I don't think that helps the stash situation!
I would love an adult advent calendar and was delighted when my friend gifted me with the 12 Days of Christmas teas from David's Teas.
I need to find someone to leave my stash to! LOL. All I can do is hope to finish some of it someday! Nice gifts - the calendar. Your Quiltmania Xmas is coming along great. This last year helped me turn the corner of "I should not buy this, etc...." So I just buy whatever I want (cannot say I need anything anymore) LOL.
How large will your Yuletide crochet project be? It is looking great - and OH YES - Here in South Texas I would wager a bet that we have only had about 7 days of good sunshine in 30 days!!!!! Crazy weather pattern - probably like it was in the 1950's and 1960's.
You enjoy splurging - it will make you feel great!
That is the cutest kitty on the computer!
Have a wonderful week-end! Hugs
Hi Jocelyn. As usual your post has me smiling on a cold winter day here in BC. I, too love pears. I think next to raspberries they are my favourite fruit. Your advent calendars are such fun gifts. I’m glad you are choosing to “spoil” yourself with that lovely hand cream. I think you deserve it! Your ornament eater reference had me giggling and I love seeing your blocks and advent blanket progressing. Merry Christmas to you and yours 🎄
I have used up a great deal of my stash since Covid started. Funny thing, though - I still have a lot!
The not buying and only using your stash seems to come and go around crafters. I haven't done cross stitch in many years, but still have lots of floss and patterns. I knit and crochet and my husband refers to my yarn store in the basement...so what can I say. Can you have too much yarn, or patterns, or fabric. I was doing pretty well with not buying anything new until....until my local yarn shop had a big going out of business sale. I only went twice, but found plenty that wanted to come home with me.
LOVE all the fun bright cheery colors in your granny square afghan. Your Christmas stitching is very cute.
Spotted you on a mutual friends blog and thought I'd pop in for a visit. It's always fun meeting new bloggers. Do swing by for a visit.
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