No Progress

Well, not much progress has been made on the Christmas presents.  This is the one year I'm seriously lagging behind.
I was 'childless' tonight, I didn't pick up Matthew and Jessica.
So I went home and washed the curtains/shades in the computer/sewing room.  I had bought some fabric I really liked at a garage sale (of course), and I've been saving it for a special purpose.  Which just didn't come along until tonight.  And I decided I was the special occasion and I covered the washed fabric shades (from Ikea) with the saved fabric ---  I think I like it, see for yourself:

One curtain/shade covered

And on the left/top is the original curtain, on the bottom right the replacement.  Unabashedly romantic.

Oh, and the header photo is a photo I took three years ago (!) in Colmar, France.  A truly romantic place to visit a Christmas Market for sure!

Rain

We are not really busy at work.
So I made myself two fleece jackets.  I like fleece because it keeps me warm, and it's easily washed, it's inexpensive compared to wool, which is also harder to take care of.  And it's dirty and dusty were we work, so fleece and warm underwear in winter are the ideal work clothes.
It also appeals to me that some of the fleece is made from used water bottles - recycled.  While cotton is wonderful, breathes, etc., it's also one of the dirtier ways to manufacture cloth.  Cotton workers may get 'white lung', which is the same thing that miners get, except it's from working with cotton.  And it's no longer processed much in the States, it grows here, gets shipped to China, or other countries in Asia, and then gets shipped back.
I guess unless you keep your own sheep, shear it, spin it into knitting wool, and make it yourself, there is not much that is friendly to our earth.
Anyway, I made two jackets.  I have been bored with the single-color fleece jackets, it seems like I'm putting on a uniform every morning.  I found some printed fleece on sale over the long weekend, and couldn't resist.  I made the jackets without a pattern, I just copied the design of a jacket I was wearing, and since I have  a long(er) torso, and it looks better on me anyway, made the jackets longer.
The zippers I had found a while back, they were on sale for $1/piece - separating zippers are usually expensive, so I'm glad I found a use for them.
Take a look:

Not bad, right?

Pre-Christmas

The walk around the pond this morning was accompanied by a call to my cousin Marianne in Germany.  We talked the entire 40 minute walk, and had a great time chatting, Happy Birthday, Marianne!

Matthew discovered my webcam and google-chat yesterday.  We video-chatted with Cathie and  Thomas, saw the pigeon that lives in their Christmas wreath on their door (I want photos, please).  Thomas went and got it, and we saw it with our own eyes!
After that chat, Matthew wanted to chat some more with someone else. And requested a web-cam.
I got back, and he already tried to chat with me --- see above, I was out.
I created a chat-addict!

On another note, I follow a very interesting blog Annekata, and in this entry she makes these beautiful stars.  I remember making them as a child for the Christmas tree out of gold paper foil, and her blog entry reminded me of that.  I happen to have 12" square white craft paper, and I made two stars so far, and they came out beautiful.  All that's left to do is to attached red thread (of course!), and to find a place to hang.
Thank you, Annekata!

Advent, Christmas, presents....

And it's Sunday.  I'm working on Christmas presents.  I am making crib sheets for Evan, as requested by his Mom.  He spits up a lot, and she has to change the sheets constantly.  I got some cute flannel fabric for $1.29/yard, and am making them (how hard could it be to make a crib sheet?).  Good thing I told his mother, because the first thing she said was 'you are putting elastic all the way around?'.
No, I wasn't, but now I am!
A friend was over yesterday, not feeling on top of the world with heartache, and as she was resting on the couch, I got my artificial Christmas tree up.  All done and decorated.

And I'm making bibs for the spit-up baby, and maybe..... well, I better not give all my secrets away!

 Hungry squirrels that came to my door.  The big chunk of birdseed fell apart, and they came to eat the leftovers.

 The crib sheets, bundled together with strips sewn together from the corners, totally green!

 My Christmas tree

 vintage ornament

 Some of my favorites

And.... it's done!

Table before everyone came, and then Jessica was twirling in the kitchen for us.

Gert

Jessie and Evan

Having dinner, pass the rolls, please

Chuck, me and Greg 

 The original four

Enough turkey?

Beth

Jackson - just woke up