Days Before Christmas

Days "before Christmas and all through the house..."

"the stockings were hung by the chimney with care..." 

I'll stop there because that's not a picture of my house! We haven't decorated for Christmas. We aren't having company. We aren't visiting anyone. No need to spend time putting out Christmas reminders when my heart and soul know the true reason for the season. This morning I completed The Wonder of Advent Bible study, so I'm gratefully embracing and appreciating the hope, joy, peace and love that the birth of Jesus Christ is to me - to all of us. 

Therefore, quietly anticipating Christmas, my activities have been as usual with pauses to give thank-you gifts - homemade zipper pouches, fabric bookmarks, knitted dishcloths, and travel trays - to activity leaders for their year of volunteering.

Progressing toward a finish of this 63" X 83½" Tilted Tiles, I have completed custom domestic machine quilting on my Bernina 770QE with designs I chose as I went along. 

While machine quilting, dozens of tiny bits of batting covered the quilt top, especially evident on the dark burgundy, claret solid. When I began big stitch hand quilting and I saw more little bits, I resolved that issue by going ahead and binding the quilt. Binding is made with three different fabric colors. 

Hopefully I've done the right thing! I don't think the big stitch quilting I'm continuing to add will distort the finished quilt. I'm moving forward with no quilting plan other than to pick one of five colors of #8 perle cotton and add stitches wherever I think they look good.

As we've had cooler (50℉) mornings and gloomy, rainy days, it's been nice to sit with this quilt across my lap as I stitch. 

On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights our temps are supposed to get down to the mid-20℉. We're planning to cover temperature-sensitive perennials with blankets. This area of Central Florida may set a new low-temp record, set in the 1930s! Still, there'll be no ice or snow, and that's a blessing. 

Book Recommendations

Send Down the Rain is another great book by Charles Martin @storiedcareer, my new favorite author. (Iowa author Heather Gudenkauf @heathergudenkauf books run a close second.)

Allie is married to a truck driver who spends more time away from home than with her. While she has worked hard to keep her parent's popular Florida Gulf coast restaurant open, she doesn't have the money to keep going. When her husband's semi-truck, loaded with fuel, misses a curve in the road and explodes, she envisions a different future. But her dreams are crushed.  

Joe has removed himself from his past by living in a remote mountain cabin. But when he hears cries during a snowstorm, and ventures out to investigate, he finds a mother, two children. A little girl has fallen into frigid water. His heroic rescue and return to his cabin with the family reveals more of their story. Yet Joe has the ability to improv their circumstance. When he does, his life and Allie's, changes for the better... until some bad men find them, with the promise of revenge. Joe's past then catches up to him, and the reader understands he's not covering for himself, but someone he loves. 

I can't say enough good things about Charles Martin stories. Every one has been entertaining, enthralling, and tinged with faith in God that gives subtle understanding of each protagonist's true character. 

Linda's score: 4.3/5.0

So as to fully savor Charles Martin books, I'm continuing to alternate his titles with other authors, The Covenant Child by Terri Blackstock was my next read. 

Twin baby girls, adored by their parents, are left with their loving father when their mother dies in a car accident. Raising babies alone, he falls in love with Amanda. Just as their marriage is getting started, he too dies. Left with three-year old twins, Amanda becomes the mother she was meant to be. Yet, knowing of the family's fortune, the twins' maternal grandparents lay claim to the girls who are taken from Amanda to live in squalid conditions where they're slapped, told to stop crying, and locked in closets. The girls grow up in filth, with little food, and not knowing love or how to care for and respect themselves. They grow and come of age, while Amanda continued to love and care for them from a distance, remembering them on every birthday. Yet their greedy grandparents tell the girls lies, and assure them that a billionaire's fortune is theirs for the taking. 

Though this book too is written with an underlying faith theme, the story bothered me because it was obvious that a judge made an incorrect ruling - awarding custody to nere-do-well, greedy (for money) grandparents. Even though a happy resolution to the story was coming in the end, it took a frustratingly long time for the situation to be set right. I'm wondering if such a mistake, so apparently wrong has ever/could ever really happen. 

Linda's score: 3.9/5.0

Merry Christmas to all my blog-friends in my MacBook Pro computer! I'm leaving you with this delightful video of the Christmas story, as told by children and enacted by adults. Only three minutes long, and I guarantee it will make you smile.

Christmas blessings, everyone! Linda

Fun Stuff and IG Wins

Right after Christmas our kids and grandies are coming to visit! This will be their first time here over the holidays, since we moved in 9½ years ago. We're pretty excited about them coming - four boys between the ages of 7 and 12 for six days? How chaotic could it be?! 

This also means that, for the first time since moving to Florida, we're putting up Christmas decorations! Recalling exactly where everything went in our Iowa home, I've had some challenges finding places to put things. The focal point - the tree - is this six foot-tall artificial bamboo tree in our chat corner.

We've never owned an artificial Christmas tree, and decided not to invest in one this year. For one thing, they're expensive, and for another, it goes against traditional to have anything but a real evergreen tree.

So maybe this bamboo tree looks a little hokey, but it works because it holds many special ornaments, and is alongside a favorite counted cross-stitch nutcracker, and a 24"-tall kneeling Santa. 

Our kids fondly refer to him as "touchdown Santa." 

Sewing-wise, I finished making a total of seven Inside Outside Pouches and Boxy Clear Pouches. They're wrapped and ready for gifting. 

Last weekend I also made a ukulele pillow for my "Peace, Love, and Ukulele Club" leader. I posed it with my own ukulele. Did you know ukuleles come in four sizes? Mine is a concert; the pillow is a soprano. 

I used a dotted fabric to make the bridge (at the bottom of the strings). Strings are a strand of cotton string that's been satin-stitched with light gray-colored thread.

The top tuning pegs are buttons. 

I intentionally positioned this colorful peace symbol in the center back, and you can see where I added my label (with my name and FlourishingPalms).

The big difference between the pillow I made and the free pattern from Sew4Home is that I made my version with box edges, rather than a knife edge. Mary, after unwrapping it.

In other fun news... If you're an Instagrammer, you've surely noticed that a number of companies and small businesses have been hosting giveaways - "12 Days of Christmas" sort of things. I enter most of them, as do many of my Instagram friends. 

What a surprise to learn this week that I won two of them! 

 One prize is a set of square-in-a-square paper packs and the Geneva quilt pattern from Erica Arndt

The second prize is even bigger - $100 worth of products, of my choice, from Bethanne Nemesh of White Arbor Quilting, who is also a quilting instructor (!). Her quilting style is very decorative, and feathery. Bethanne told me she had more than 900 entries in her contest.

I'm choosing four of Bethanne's quilting rulers. Because my Illinois friend Michelle @bacontheneggs and I tagged each other for the giveaway, Michelle also wins a set of Bethanne's quilting rulers. Some prizes, huh?!

Audiobook listening hasn't gone smoothly. I listened to at least a third of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue before returning it. Too sci-fi, and unbelievable with part I flat-out didn't like. But I'm into a good one now. 

Also, I'm third in line to listen to the newest Outlander book by Diana Gabaldon - Go Tell the Bees that I'm Gone - the ninth title in the Outlander series. If you haven't yet read Outlander, you're missing out on reading the best book of the century! Diana's latest book, read by the fabulous Davina Porter, is 49½ hours of listening! Wowsa! I'm fearful my library turn will come up while family is visiting. Even if I am able to listen, can I do 49½ hours of listening during the 20-day checkout period?! 

Outdoors, our weather has been looking less than December-ish. In fact, it's been gorgeous - perfect temps and low humidity. When I was power-walking Sunday afternoon, absorbed in an audiobook and looking down, I nearly stepped on this guy! He's a pretty ugly Florida soft-shell turtle. Only a mother could love it. 

But, our scenery is beautiful! The flowers have been especially showy in the round-abouts.

I love December in Florida!

Linda

Sewin' Away

My sewing room has become a bit of a sweat shop in the past couple weeks as I've focused on garment sewing for a little while. That means dragging my Bernette serger out of the box in the closet, and arranging my sewing space a little differently.

I've made three tunic tops for myself, as I'm trying - quite belatedly - to get into the leggings/tunic top phase. What I've discovered is that: 1) I feel somewhat exposed if the top isn't long enough, and 2) I definitely have a pear-shaped figure. Each top I made fits perfectly on the upper half, but is somewhat snug through the hips. Sigh. Hence this picture of the tops, and no picture of me wearing them!

Thankfully, I can make flannel pjs for little boys without worrying too much about a good fit. Baggy is fine, and if the pjs are too big, they'll grow into them. Thus far, I've been able to make only two pair  for two grandsons because I'm waiting for a fabric order from Canada to make two more pair for two other grandsons! It wasn't my first choice to buy flannel from a Canadian website, but JoAnn Fabrics very quickly sold out of suitable designs during their Black Friday sale.

Also, I sewed up another "The Essential Wristlet," a favorite pattern by DogUnderMyDesk. The outside fabric is Blueberry Park.

This is the fifth one I've made, and each one is a little better than the last as I've added an interior zipper pocket; exterior zipper pocket, and a clear vinyl exterior pocket to handily hold a Villager's ID card, needed to get into any rec center.

This wristlet is for a line dance leader who told me her most worn colors are red and blue. The zipper and wrist strap are blue. The inside fabric is a combination of Good Neighbors by Amanda Jean (CrazyMomQuilts), and a favorite Cathy print "blah, blah, blah." The latter is perfect for the cell phone pocket!

An unexpected surprise in the mail was this little Lego creation - a sewing machine! It was put together by my Orlando quilt-y friend, René (RenéCreates). I've admired and wanted one of these cuties, and hoped a grandson might come through for me - perhaps it's a bit challenging for an eight year-old. But this is adorable, isn't it? René is so thoughtful! 

Last Friday evening I attended Advent By Candlelight at Amazing Grace Lutheran Church, Oxford (FL), where we have recently been attending. Twenty-five table hostesses set beautiful Christmas tables for seven other guests.

I sat at this table, invited to it by the hostess who is a quilt-y friend. We heard a message, sang carols, listened to a vocal soloist, and enjoyed Christmas treats.

Now a series of Christmas parties is coming, and I don't understand how they all managed to be schedule nearly on top of one another!

Monday evening (11th) I'll be with members of the Central Florida MQG at the home of one of our members. It's a bring-treats-to-share and a gift-to-swap sort of thing.

Tuesday morning at 8:30 am is the Line Dancing for Exercise Christmas party that's also a bring-treats-to-share event.

At 12:30 pm Big Cypress Quilters has a Christmas party with bring-treats-to-share.

Wednesday evening is a neighbor's open house. Whew. Early December partying could prove exhausting! Linda

Christmas with Family

We've been away from home since December 16, and returned with a head cold I can't shake. It started Christmas day. No whining here, but suffice it to say I'm still feeling pretty miserable. Blocked sinuses make for a relentless, dull headache that doesn't coordinate with my plans to sew.

Anyway, our 14 days away from home were spent driving to/from Austin, Texas, where we stayed with our son, daughter-in-law, and two grandsons, and also spent two nights with former-Iowa friends living in Boerne, Texas.

Prepare for people picture overload! 

Five year-old Austin liked the flashing Rudolph nose I brought for him.

He's a Legos kid (like his dad was) playing in his room for hours at a time.

This sweet-looking fella, Luke, doesn't take well to everyone. He'll turn two years old next week.

The only time he would let me near him is when I had the juicer going in the morning, and let him drop in the vegetable and fruit pieces.

In this picture I was on the receiving end of "the hairy eyeball" as I was attempting to cajole him into letting me put him in his crib for a nap.

Luke and daughter-in-law, Lyn.

One long morning, Lyn and I made awesome sugar cookies... if we do say so ourselves.

While in Boerne visiting Patty and Greg, Patty and I treated ourselves to mani-pedis. What a great way to spend time with a friend. A margarita and cranberry vodka don't hurt a bit either!

The four of us spent an evening on the San Antonio Riverwalk. It was decked out festively for Christmas. And so crowded for a Tuesday evening!

This is our just-bathed, dear, 12 year-old Hogan who has been having health problems. While in Austin, he saw a vet who diagnosed his incessant scratching as a subcutaneous skin infection. We had to give him a medicated bath - oh how he hates getting wet - antibiotics, and daub a topical steroid on all the lumps he had scratched open. The ones near his eye socket, and eye, were the worst. But, of greater concern is a growth on his chest. Several weeks ago our vet in The Villages found abnormal cells. On January 6 he'll have surgery.

Christmas is always an extra special time when children are involved. We shared it with Darth Vader and Stormtrooper, sporting their new pajamas.

Off to the right you can see the "fireplace" our son put together from a cardboard box, and various colors of construction paper. The string of lights are meant to give it the glow of warmth. He made this last year, and it's just special. Our Brent is a pretty clever fellow!

Each Christmas seems to unerringly follow an unplanned theme. This year was the year of "drinking." It took the form of cups, bottles of alcohol, and mugs. We were tickled to receive these 30 ounce Yeti mugs - the hard-to-find, hot Christmas gift of 2015.

Best of all, Christmas is about sharing time with someone(s) you love. 

I hope yours was happy, and that you shared some love too. Linda