So much ... settle in! Merry Christmas!

I know - some of you may have thought I fell off the holiday truck and was stuck in the city of "I'll never get it all done". Well, I have done quite a bit (like most everyone) in the past couple weeks. So - get your reading glasses out, settle in and here's a lengthy update - some stitching and some not....

Finished; yes, pieced, quilted, bound and now wrapped. I did a bit of wrapping tonight and this is one of them - my nephew is a University of Michigan fan - not necessarily the sport part, but the school part. He is a freshman in high school and this is where he would like to attend once graduated. It is his turn to get a lap quilt from Aunt Sherry (and family). Hope he likes it!

So have you felt like this? Cody was tired - he's allowed on the couch in the basement, a.k.a. the wrapping center these days. He was watching me walk back and forth, organize and make lists upon lists last week - not to mention watching the laundry efforts happening at the same time.

So if you're a regular follower (and welcome, by the way to my new followers - I am looking forward to seeing what Jodie picks as her 15 projects now that she's on break from school)...so if you're a regular follower, you will remember I was excited to go out to dinner with my group of bestest friends around - we went the first week of December. I had veal piccata, a wonderful salad with arugula and mandarin oranges and tiramisu for dessert - but even with as delicious as the food always is, the friendship and company is 1,000 times better. We draw names each year and here is what Peg gifted me - I am so lucky!! These two pin cushions are tiny, tiny pieces. Peg had a quilt from this fabric earlier this year that I admired. I believe it's by Moda, French General...I think. Aren't they sweet!

If you know me at all, you know I love me some Blackbird Designs. I have this book and loved this pincushion - Peg is an awesome stitcher and finisher - I love this one too.

There are a few (okay, more than a few) things I love & collect - snowmen, chocolate, stitching, reading/books - and Halloween. So here is a really cool banner Peg stitched and then "framed with fabric and buttons. The rod across the top is an actual stick, from her yard. It will look great above the mantle this next Halloween. She also included some chocolate for me - YUM!

When it was my turn to give my gift, guess who I had! Last year I drew - Peg! It's funny, we have had that happen several times where people have each other. I made Peg a Shepherd's Bush pin cushion with silk ribbon along the edges. Now I am not a very confident finisher, but this finish was not that difficult. The other item I made is a scissors case with scissors - it's a Shakespeare's Peddler pattern. It was a fun stitch and I did get it together.

I also gave her the cookbook from The Attic (in Arizona), some food items and sweets and a candle.

The gifts the others exchanged included quilt, table toppers, stitched pictures, hand stitched/crazy quilted santa, lots of goodies and talent abound. Before we left, we drew names...hmm, another project already being planned out in my thoughts!

I won a giveaway I talked about a couple posts back. Thanks Susan! It's a project bag -with a zipper - something I don't really do much of in my sewing! It already has a project stashed inside. I love being a winner - don't you?

Here are some pics of my tree, favorite ornaments and the cookie trays after the marathon baking session the past couple days. Our tree went up last Sunday during our first snowstorm of the season (more on that in a bit).

The little boy and lamb is hand painted by my mom - the year I picked this one as one of my ornaments, my son was little...I love this one. The silk ribbon heart was made by Hospice - my sister sent it to me from the hospice center who helped us through my dad's death a few years (wow, few...) ago. As you can seen in my banner posting (my tree last year), it always has a prominent place on tree!

The feather tree ornament I made a couple years ago - it's one of my favorites that I have stitched. Yes, that is a stick on our tree; when my son was about 7 or 8, his Grandma asked him what he wanted for Christmas - he replied a stick, joking of course. So that year in his package (I think he received a Harry Potter book and $$ from Grandma & Grandpa), he got a stick - it has been on the tree each year ever since. I am so glad my son has an awesome sense of humor and what a story that will be to tell his kids when I pass the stick on to them! The cookies are baked (or not in the case of the no-bakes), frosted and gift plates are done - so now we can gobble up the rest over the next week or two. The past couple years I have cut way back on what we (or dare I say, I bake). My husband makes the no-bakes each year - no matter what I do, I can't get that recipe to work out; they either are hard as can be or runny. This year he made the no-bakes, I baked peanut butter kiss, cherry-chocolate shortbread and sugar cutouts and then my husband and I frosted them last night. We used to do the piped frosting and did very elaborate cookies - not so much - they taste the same...maybe next year I will do the piped again.

The snowstorm last week left snow on the ground and it hasn't been above about 25*F since. I love the cold weather and snow. It certainly has helped inspiring me to get a move on with the holiday prep. I am now done with about everything except wrapping. I did some of that tonight and hope to finish the Christmas Eve wrapping (my mom, siblings and their families) tomorrow night. Then some elves have got to get busy on the wrapping of presents for my husband, and Santa has a bit to do too! I have the gifts mailed that needed to be - cards are all mailed (early for me)!!, baking done, decorating done as much as it's gonna be. I have some food prep to do, but not until Wednesday or Thursday. I have to stop by the grocery to pick up fruit and bread...then it's relax and enjoy. My sister is bringing lemon drop martini fixings Christmas Eve - they are so good.

If I don't post before - have a Merry Christmas. I hope the Hanukkah holiday was awesome. I am looking forward to relaxing with my sisters and their families and my mom. Of course, can't wait until Santa visits this house - I think my son will be very surprised. John and I are excited about his main gift. I am really looking forward to Midnight Mass this year - we missed last year and it felt like a vital part of the Christmas holiday was missing. Count your blessings all, I am very blessed in so many parts of life and am truly thankful!

Peace to all,

Sherry