Trying

Back in VA and trying to get back into the groove.

We drove all day Monday, unpacked and sorted and washed on Tuesday. On Wednesday we got Jimmy and Schatzi from the dog hotel. Sarah and Wade were on vacation this week and we had promised to have the grand dogs.

They are both good dogs but it started out with Jimmy finding a bag of gingerbread cookies. I found just a little of the bag left. Did that innocent looking dog really do that?

Well, a long time before each meal Jimmy would wait next to his bowl. If you would ask "where is Jimmy?" the answer was probably "next to his bowl"

They never refused going for a walk ... but the weather was so awful that week.

Cold!!! Nevertheless, one or two times each day. That was good for us.

And the daily visit to Edy to give her some loving. She did her nickname proud "Needy Edy". She purred so loudly you probably could hear it two blocks away.

Saturday I left a little welcome snack since Sarah and Wade were coming back around midnight. Not sure whether Edy approves or whether she is going to do like her brother Jimmy would?

Since I am not used to the dogs and they wanted to follow me whenever I got up to just get something, I settled down and did some lace projects. Finishing up some tatting I had started traveling.
This pattern "Heart's Desire" is from Susan Fuller.

This patter "Rosemarie's Heart" is from Rosemarie Peel.

Thanks to both for generously sharing!!!

When I made the first heart with this pattern my thread was too thin and it was very small. But I like delicate thread so I made it again and added a row before I made the edge (as the pattern suggested you could do). I felt though that I needed to add some extra stitches/picots in some places of the edge to give it a rounder look. You can see the difference because the right side has only three picots in the middle and the left side five. Some areas at the sides too.

I am very excited about this project ... Chrismons in Lace!

You can read all about it in the HLG newsletter.
(Actually, I posted that page on the left but unfortunately it is a bit fuzzy)
Info about the Heartland Lace Guild here.

The Butterfly is the first in the series of "Chrismons in Lace".

Yes, the second one is ready.  The Six-Point Star of David.

And the third too. The Dove of Peace.

Since the dogs are gone I am trying desperately to get some order into my "queendom". Some progress has been made! And the weather is helpful.
It is the 6th of March!
In like a lion ...

And now ... no more blogging! I have to work on the church anniversary banner. Wish me luck!

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Busy but great ... Advent time

Love it. LOVE it! I love being busy. Sometimes it is overwhelming what I WANT to do but of course that is self-inflicted. Luckily, dear James is not only understanding but also supporting the things I like to do. And quite often he helps.

The Chrismon effort! As you know it started more then 20 years ago in Paducah, KY. And when we moved to Virginia, our new church let me do it here too. I make a Chrismon ornament for every child in the church. This year it is an angel for St Martin's. 

80 angels are made and wrapped = check!
The ECW ladies helped make the boxes. "Chrismon Sunday" this year is 2nd Advent Sunday.

The Christmas-card-ornament is made for the HLG Christmas card swap  = check!
I had the bobbinlace heart made some time ago. When I found out after the drawing that my recipient is my friend Lise (a very accomplished bobbinlacer, much better then I ever will be) I included a tatted ornament as well (because that is one thing she doesn't do).

But it is not all work and no play. First Wednesday of each month is the CrossRidge (our community) women's meeting. December of course is the Christmas Party. A delicious free luncheon preceded by mimosas and followed by entertainment.
For a taste click here!

A week later James and I go to our CR Pavilion for a concert by the Glen Allen High School Choir. It was so great and uplifting. We decided that we can not miss this in years to come.
I took three short videos:
A
B
C

James and I usually walk to the Pavilion for things like this ... and we walked home with a swing in our steps.

Advent greenery arrangements made for ourselves, friends and the St Martin's bazaar = check!
The bazaar took place December 8. I sewed a good number of my "over-the-door-card-displays" which sold quite well and so did my Chrismon books. (Gosh, I have to work on #2)

After the bazaar I didn't feel like cooking. Sweet James took me to a Chinese restaurant and we had "Szechuan Hot Pot". We had it in Beijing and Chongqing. This was alright and awoke many memories. James had beef and I had seafood mix. I had mild broth and James spicy. If you look close you can see that the pot is divided. Don't be in a hurry when you want to do it.

And then one day we came home and our crape myrtle in front was decorated. We "accused" Sarah and Wade but it actually was our nice neighbors Betsy and Robert.

 Such a surprise!

O.k. it was time to decorate the house. Second Monday of each month: Colonial Lacemakers meeting! December 10 again in my house.
First I decorated the "big" tree in the dining room bay window (by the way, dear James set up all 4 of my trees in the house). The big tree is full of memories. All the accumulated ornaments of the many years including ornaments from my parents etc. With every ornament I  hang a flood of thoughts slow me down ... but that doesn't matter. I enjoy it very much. You can guess what this ornament is about? William's first Christmas.

Then there are three little trees. This is my Chrismon tree in the sunroom. Every one of my designs in small (for the church children or home trees) and the same in bigger for church trees.
Then there is a tree in the living room corner decorated only with straw ornaments = a very German thing.
And then there is the lace tree in the loft. I ran out of time to put the ornaments up before the lace meeting. James asked me about it and I said if my friends were bothered that the ornaments are not hanging, they would do it for me ... and James told me that he liked my attitude. Christmas is just so much more enjoyable if you don't stress. So what that my floors were not totally dust free?

I was able to make an apple Santa for each guest. Something we used to do a long time ago when my children were very young, and probably when I was a child too.

The table is laid. James did that. He put a Santa on each place too.

So I didn't know where this guy ended up. He was the one with his eyes closed and gave away the door prize.

This is almost our whole group. Unfortunately there is always somebody who can't make it.

After the lunch (which was my special mixed salad and my enriched "real" Turkish lentil soup) the ladies are making that year's Chrismon for themselves to take home. And if they want to, they may take the directions also to make more at home. Everybody did a good job.

We were so busy that we almost forgot to use the crackers on the table. Lali is reading her joke.

It must have been a good one.

Christmas time brings so much joy like my blooming amaryllis. How my father liked his amaryllises every year.

This year we managed to defend our camellia from the occasional frost so far too.

Gosh, one  just has to look around for all the beauty and enjoy the world. Isn't this gorgeous? Of course it helps when the sky is blue and the sun is shining.

Our CR community has so much to offer for everybody, we can't participate in everything. I do like the monthly "knit, stitch and chat" gatherings on the second Wednesday of the month. I saw this which gave me an idea (just a simple log cabin pattern) and a lady came in showing the place mats she was making in a very interesting technique I didn't know. Definitely have to try that first chance I get. I was very excited to learn about that.

What is NOT helpful to me are all those goodies everywhere around.

Have to take mental notes though. Doesn't this look nice? Couldn't really partake though because ...

... because straight from that meeting I went to my friend Julie's house who had invited several friends to a luncheon, a wonderful "sit-down and be served event". The funny part: she is one of my avid blog-readers and had enjoyed this one. Right after she had read it, she called me to tell me that she had to get back into her Christmas boxes to pull this little guy out. She had wondered what he was doing in her Christmas stuff and was happy to know now his story.

YES! My HLG Christmas card swap mail had arrived! Carol O. had made her card special and had included a tatted and ...

 ... a bobbinlace ornament. The spider (besides the hedgehog) is kind of an mascot for lacemakers = weaving a web! Carol included a note with the story of the Christmas Spider.

And right on time my (several) Christmas cactus(s) started blooming. 

And the latest ... I needed new glasses. I had not had my eyes checked for a while too.

The young lady doctor thought it was cute to take a picture.