Can't Hit a Moving Target Tour - Christmas 2010

 First, we are here...

Then we are here...

And we bring in the New Year here...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

At the last minute

I needed to come up with a quick gift, so I raided the stash and found this Knit Picks "Get Away" yarn (picked up for 1.00/skein at the local Goodwill). 3 skeins later, the simple YO lace scarf is done, wrapped, and gone.

We received this paper cutting as a Christmas card in 1991 (it's signed and dated - which is the only reason I know when we received it!) I've had it stashed away since then and last week, decided to actually do something with it. I found a dollar store frame, some dark blue fabric (with light blue stars) and a little spray adhesive later, I have a print I can keep over my kitchen sink until February - or when I can't stand looking at snow anymore!)

Advent Week #4

Star Queen Galaxy photo courtesy of Google Images, saved to my server.

This week, amid all the to-do lists and work to be accomplished before we travel, I am planning to look at some stars and think about the first Christmas Eve and Star.

Remind me not to do THAT again!

A pompom garland for a niece's Christmas present. Things were going swimmingly until I set it down for a second and Izzy tried to make it her bed. Cue immense tangling and frustration. But now it's wrapped up and safely tucked away from heat-seeking feline missiles.

These projects went a whole lot quicker. A baby hat for a co-worker's great nephew and a tiny sock that I have since added to a key ring and gifted to another co-worker who just bought a new car. The yarn was leftover from this project.

Yeah, I think I'll stick to using my yarn for knitting.

Advent Week #3

My mother was very wise - as we were growing up, she bought her Christmas ornaments and decorations in groups of 4 so each of us kids would have a 'starter kit' when we moved out onto our own. Right now, the CatMan and I don't have a tree since we both work long hours and then are gone the week between Christmas and New Years (and then I jump right into inventory-chaos time when we get back).

But that doesn't mean that I don't set out some decorations for the holiday. Little strings of light here and there, a switching-out of the china hutch in the kitchen, and this little space next to where I sit when I knit and/or watch TV. The little red reindeer is not my original one - I found it in a thrift store somewhere - but it looks just like the ones we had growing up. I think mine might have been white...or green...or maybe it was red after all. The green metal bucket holds our Christmas cards, and the small black frame holds a piece of sparkly green scrapbook paper with a Christmas tree sticker. 

Meepus appears to be the only thing in this picture not decorated for the holiday.

And I wonder why I can't get out the door on time?

Seems Pip loves my sweater as much as I do.

Chair, deconstructed

So this is what the Viking chair has looked like for the past 1 1/2 weeks. I've ripped off the vinyl (which I saved as a pattern for the new material), thrown away the old batting, and stripped the exposed wood of the nasty nude/pink flat paint. I don't even want to know what was going through the mind of the person who painted that color onto a chair covered with green vinyl. Preppy is was not.

I found some interesting things when I deconstructed the chair. The frame that is covered by upholstery is actually thick plywood and the chair back? Is...wait for it...heavy pre-formed non-corrugated cardboard. With the right tools, this chair would be a cinch to DIY.

Izzy was truly fascinated too, but I don't think it was for the same reasons!

Advent Week #2

This weekend, I had a full page of to-dos and have accomplished most of them. I didn't get the Viking chair stained (more on this in an upcoming post), but I did get all the Christmas gifts wrapped and the Christmas cards addressed. At the risk of sounding like a Scrooge, I do not enjoy wrapping presents -  at least not in the quantity this holiday normally entails. About halfway through, I lose steam and a small headache starts right behind my eyeballs and then my lower back begins to ache. Thankfully this year, the actual number of wrapped gifts is low, so my dread lasted longer than the actual wrapping session.

This little angel band was tucked in a corner at the Apple Hill Antique Mall in State College last Christmas. I'm pretty sure the white angel is new to the band - the original percussionist must have dropped out to join Mannheim Steamroller. The little glittered cottage was another antique store find in PA.

I've perched them on the upper frame of this picture next to my side of bed. So far they haven't attracted the attention of any of the cats and I enjoy waking up to them each morning. Now if they could only wrap presents...

Instant gratification

I've got a co-worker who loves to preface his ramblings with "Quick and dirty..." I'm altering that slightly to say "Quick and crafty". And I mean it!

I'm including a few of these little minifolios in the Christmas cards to my girl friends. I found the idea here. The cost was $0.00: everything was in my stash.Time: about 1 hour from pulling out the supplies to putting it all away.

On my most recent trip to Junk and Disorderly, I found a straight-sided glass jam jar (I love the straight-sided ones and can never seem to find them!) I brought it home, pulled another one from my recycling bin and used this concept to make them cute! They really are 'gleeful'. Total cost: 0.00 (again, scraps from my stash), total time: about 1/2 hour each (I'm not a crocheter so it was a little futzy, but nothing too distracting).

 

The Mary Engelbreit Christmas card was from forever ago. I love the colors and the quote, "We shall find peace, we shall hear the angels, we shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds." (Anton Chekhov: Uncle Vanya)