Visions of Sugar Plums

 I had planned on spending the day sewing down the binding on Daddio's Christmas quilt but I forgot I had some holiday baking to do.

 I've got a real authentic plum pudding mold and by golly, I am going to use it. I know I should have made it weeks ago so it could age but I forgot.

 I also had mince pies to make. I found this coconut oil that is supposed to work like butter for baking and gave it a try.

 It was awful. I struggled through the pie crusts but tossed the cookie dough and remade it with a mix of Crisco and margarine.

 The pies look promising. They are my Christmas breakfast each year. I use the jar of mincemeat in case you are wondering. I've never made mincemeat in my life and I'm not really sure what it is. I just know I like it.

Rolling cookies was no fun. It was hot and humid and it rained so nothing was behaving like it should.

I used the leftover dough to make some Mexican wedding cakes and they are really yummy. Messy but yummy.

Ta da.....plum pudding all dressed up. I used Jamie Oliver's Nan's recipe this year. Right now it is resting comfortably back in it's tin after a nice bath of brandy. It will be for Christmas night when we return home from seeing the Grands.

In between baking tasks I also knocked out some gift tags since The Mister couldn't find the ones he bought. He was doing all the wrapping while I was doing the baking. Thank goodness because I am about Christmased out. I did finish the poinsettia mini quilt late last night while watching Mr Magoo's Christmas Carol but that's a tale for another day. Whew...

Not a Creature Was Stirring

 It's been like an episode of the Midnight Quilt Show around here all week.

 In order to get my holiday projects done I have had to burn the midnight oil.

 There were a few glitches along the way but all in all it was a pleasure. I love the new Juki. Quilting was done in a flash. I meandered the heck out of the log cabin and echoed the poinsettias while I enjoyed listening to Jacob T. Marley from Audible.

 Now I've got Daddio's big Christmas quilt and the mini quilt all ready for an epic hand sewing session to get all that binding sewn down. I've got nothing to do all weekend and The Crown to binge watch so I've got pretty high hopes that I just may get these done before Christmas.

I also want to thank Sandflies for the sweet treat that showed up a few days ago. It was the fuel that kept me going on my late night sewing frenzies. What perfect timing. How nice it is to have such wonderful bloggy friends. Thanks again Sandflies!

Dog's Day Out

It's pretty sad when the highlight of your week is going to PetSmart.

With 7 cats, 2 dogs and a parrot we spend a lot of money for animal food.

 This was a special trip. We got food but also presents for all the critters. Pup looks unimpressed in the photo but she was actually hysterical with joy. Today she got to pick out a toy to go under the tree-well, to be honest she got four.

 Old Doggie is far from able to play anymore but she still appreciates a good squeak.

As for that photo op in the holiday booth. Forget about it. She wasn't cooperating this year. Sitting still just wasn't an option.

Deck the Halls

 I came home with some new things for the tree from my birthday field trip courtesy of Daughter.

 I am getting quite a herd of stick critters on the tree.

I also found some tinsel. At Walmart. I wasn't looking in the right place. It was with the gift wrap of all things. Although it looked gorgeous it didn't last on the tree 24 hours because I noticed a certain very naughty kitty trying to eat it off the tree. I was not happy.

 Redecorating the tree with the new doodads made me remember this ornament in progress. I thought I would have this finished by now but no....I tucked it away and forgot about it until now. Maybe next year. I still have all the beading to do.

I also want to thank Judy for this beautiful scarf. You can't see it but it's sparkly-perfect for tucking in my coat on New Year's or anytime I am feeling a little glam. Thanks again, Judy. It was very thoughtful!

Happy Llamakkah!

I am an equal opportunity celebrator and look forward every year to Hanukkah. I do not however enjoy making Hanukkah cards for my friends. Every year I seem to churn out the same boring card using the same boring stamp set.

Not next year. Look at what I found on my field trip on Monday. It's hard to see but that's a card with a white llama carrying the menorah. Now I just need a llama stamp and I'm all set.

Birthday Field Trip

 Daughter works on the weekend so we celebrated my birthday yesterday with a trip out to our favorite Christmas store.

 Daughter takes her Christmas ornament shopping very seriously.

 She actually found a red skate ornament for her tree. She wears red skates for coaching

 This place is room after room of gorgeous decorations. You could spend a week there.

I was very happy to see so many woolly and knitted type ornaments this year.

 The back shops are filled with plants. I wish my cats didn't eat them.

 Then there is the room full of trains. I was surprised to see so many toddlers there on a Monday morning.

 The pet room had this beautiful hooked kitty rug. I love it.

 In the outdoor shop they had this giant light up Santa. I want him.

 Outside you can warm up by the fire while they pack your tree up.

 There is also a giant sleigh for photos.

 The surrounding fields are full of critters like sleeping goats.....

 ...and chickens in holes. Can anyone explain why there are chickens sitting in holes all over the chicken yard?

 There was a field of alpacas....

...and very noisy but very sweet piggies who wanted a scratching. I had a wonderful time.

We had lunch at Panera and then we went to see Daddio who is in a care home right down the street from the nursery. He was having a good day for a change and seemed to enjoy his visit with Daughter. He called her Summertime which is what he used to call her back when. That was the most I have heard him say in ages. There were lots of tears on the way home. Lots.....

Sticks and String

 In addition to all my holiday endeavors there has been knitting going on. It's of the frantic variety as the clock ticks down to the New Year. I hope to finish something by then.

 The new shawl is only this big. It is my late night knit and I fall asleep after a couple of rows. I can't wait for the morning I wake up tangled in it.

Speaking of tangles, my main yarn obsession at the moment is making mini skeins out of all my leftover sock yarn. Note I don't have one made but I do have a few handfuls of yarn barf and the mini niddy noddy in the basket ready to go and waiting patiently for whenever I can find some quiet time to just sit and wind.

As for the bathroom remodel, we had a setback this week. We were squaring and leveling everything in anticipation of starting the wall tile when we noticed the area behind the headrest of the tub didn't look quite right. The tub had also developed a nasty squeak in that vicinity so that whole sheet of cement board had to come out. Tomorrow we will try and figure out what went wrong. Oh, bother....