Thimbleanna

December Busy

It’s nuts here, just like I’m sure it is where you are.  If you’re even there — you’re probably too busy working to even be lurking here.  I’ve noticed it’s been a lot quieter in blogland these days — how fun to think of all the exciting holiday preparations going on out there!  I’ve been cramming to finish up some projects that need to go into the mail tomorrow.  Think there’s any chance they’ll make it before Christmas?

I made a few machine embroidered kitchen towels.  The Jolly design is from Embroidables.com and the towels are from Crate and Barrel.

Jolly Towels

Then, some Keep Calm and Carry On pendants that I did in my soldering frenzy last week.  Speaking of which, did you see this fantastic Keep Calm and Carry On knock off design?  Procrastinate Now and Panic Later.  That’s. Awesome.  (We have a big thing about procrastinating here in ThimbleannaLand.  When I made college quilts for TheFirstChild and a few of his friends, he insisted that I put “Hard work often pays off after time, but laziness always pays off now” on the backs of their quilts.  So the girls got nice motivational sayings and the boys got procrastination.  Nice.  It caused a few raised eyebrows and laughs.)  I’ll definitely have to make this new Procrastinate saying in a soldered pendant.  Too bad I didn’t know about it earlier — I would have put it on the flip side of these pendants.  Thanks to One Pretty Thing for bringing that knock-off to our attention!

Keep Calm Pendants

And I think these are going to be my new favorite pincushions.  They’re giant (see the thimble sitting on top of that first one for scale?) and they’re perfect to sit on your sewing table.  Thanks to Darlene for the awesome hint about using crushed walnut shells to stuff pincushions.  It’s great and it gives them some weight.  I made these pincushions from the Posy Pin Pie pattern by Jill Finley.  Its finished size is 6″ in diameter by 2 1/2″ tall.

Big Pincushion

So, off to bed for me — it’s pretty late here. But wait! Looky Looky….She’s Baacckkkkk!!! WooHoo!!!

Oh, and Hell might as well have Frozen Over this morning, because CrazyBIL had a heart attack. I know this is a VERY serious matter, but you’d have to know CrazyBIL to know just how crazy this really is. He’s the most … MOST fit person I know. He does EVERYTHING right. And, at not even 45, he had a heart attack. He’s in good shape tonight, and we’re all feeling VERY grateful to still have him with us. Poor guy though, he’s going to have to endure a lot of harassment — those of us who are more sendentary have been telling him for years that all of that working out was going to kill him and now…well, it happened while he was working out.

We LOVE you CrazyBIL — slow down and get well soon!!!

XOXO,
Anna

48 thoughts on “December Busy”

  1. What are you doing up so late? LOL! It’s almost midnight here and I’ve been pulling too many late nights in Mrs. Claus’ workshop. I too have procrastinated and now I’m panicking a bit. I did finish 6 aprons and a pillowcase and a few other things. I must go to bed now. Goodnight!!! Good luck to both of us on finishing all those fun projects.

    Hugs, Kim

  2. I love the towels, how festive. The pendants are darling too. You are such a creative and busy soul. I get nothing done. xoxo

  3. I love your towels, pendants and pincushion Anna! Can I ask where you got the heart pins? I’ve been looking all over for them! Curious how you did the towel also? Did you embroider cloth and then applique it to the towel? The area of the applique doesn’t appear to be the same fabric as the towel.

  4. You’ve been so busy! I love the towels and the pendants! The huge pincushion just has to be my favourite though – I always seem to ‘lose’ my three pincushions when I’m sewing. I’ll have to make me a huge one now :-)

    xxx

  5. Anna
    Had to stop reading, run downstairs and print those procrastination cards, come back and finish reading. I have one of the Keep Calm posters in my studio, but this is better. Thanks, too, for some good crafty blogs for future lurking.
    Happy Holidays

  6. Oh my gosh love love love the procrastination ideas. I work great under pressure – hmmmm does that me a procrastinator – yup Mr. Farmhouse would say so, LOL. LOVE your families humor – you all would fit in great with our family.

    Your towels look great and those pincushions are dang adorable. Yup next year is a handmade Christmas – just don’t ask me to sign anything confirming that. Hey I missed the post on the scarf – waaaay cute you little crafty thing :)

    Glad to know that your BIL is doing good. Scary stuff.

    Christmas Hugs Anna – Mrs. Farmhouse

  7. Very cute pincushion–great colors.
    Things here aren’t as busy as years past and I LIKE IT!
    So happy to hear your BIL is doing better. I will keep you all in my prayers.

  8. You’ve been busy! Everything is wonderful, love the procrastination quote! I’m glad your BIL is doing okay…maybe this will be a message to slow down? I always thought exercise was overrated…

  9. I think I need to be adopted. :-D

    So glad your BIL is okay this morning. We’ll keep him in our prayers!

    Hmm, I like the towels idea… now I know what to do for my girlfriends for Christmas!

  10. Oh my. A perfect example of why you can’t judge a (fit) book by it’s cover. Thank goodness the husband here is on the cholesterol diet already.

    And I LOVE the pendants. Man, I NEED one of those. Desperately. LOL Perhaps I should give up sleeping to learn a new craft?

    That could work. Sleep is for pansies.

  11. Love the towels. LOVE the pin cushions!! I’m sorry to hear about CrazyBIL… I hope he gets well and recovers soon!

    Jen :)

  12. I love all of your projects and will have to tell my daughter about your “Keep Calm and Carry On” pendants–she’ll love this idea. The towels look like something from a really nice boutique and the pincushion is fabulous. Great job with everything!

    I’m sorry to hear about CrazyBIL and hope all is well soon.

  13. That cute quilt shop in Bountiful has several different things to put in pincushions. I wish I had gotten some of those fillers then but I can send my daughter. Pincushions were on my list. But will I get to them?hhhmm? Your things are so cute. Good luck with CrazyBIL!

  14. What beautiful projects you’ve got going on!! I’m just plugging away on my four pairs of slippers.
    That “procrastinate now and panic later” just cracks me up – especially since I think that must be my husband’s motto – it fits him perfectly!! ; ) I’m glad your bil is ok, that is so scary and he is so young!!

  15. I love all of your stuff! Those pendants are great. I really have to print the procrastinate now and panic later – unfortunately, that is so me. I love the pin cushions! I tried to find the info on the walnut shells on the blog that you mentioned, but couldn’t find it. Can you share? I really need some more pin cushions, and I need some with some weight to them.

  16. Oh yeah! And I’m glad that you BIL is doing better. That is so scary – and it was probably a good thing that he IS in such good shape, or it could have been worse for him.

  17. You are so busy. I can’t believe all you’ve made. I love love the towels and the pincushions are awesome and the pendants are so sweet. I don’t have to time to post but I’m visiting some. Have a great holiday and good luck to your friend.

  18. Love the procrastination saying. Boy if I sometimes put as much effort into simply doing what needed doing as I do about finding other things to do I might just have more time on my hands.
    All your peices look wonderful.

  19. oh my! i had ALL THIS STUFF TO DO and got overwhelmed and just didn’t do it!! and you’re plugging along…. i’m going to be YOU when i grow up.
    i’d better grow up soon.
    i have a lot to do when i get there!

  20. Wow, so productive! I love the pendants! You’ve totally inspired to me to get on with my marathod crafting session tonight. I hope CrazyBIL gets better soon.

  21. OMG I love everything. I’ll take one of each. You really need to give me some lessons in Jan. How many days do we need? And can you come to Boo’s??? LOL!! I can have him cook for us. Ok I’ll come to you.
    Keep on keepin on.

  22. What great gifts you’ve been making! I love the pendants! Just so you know…I think procrastination exists with everyone…at least that’s what I’ll keep telling myself! Hope CrazyBil has a good recovery! =)

  23. LoVe those pendants! Your soldering is looking awesome! I so want to learn how. I have a sign that is hung above the window at the bottom of our stairs that reads: Procrastinate Now! LOL. So fits me and my boys. I’m really liking those pincushions too. Fun post! Thanks! ooxx`jod

  24. I have been so bogged down I haven’t visited for a long time. You have been sooooooo busy! Love those pendants and how true. Best thoughts to your BIL!

  25. It’s quietier in some places and busier in others! You can tell it’s close to Christmas!

    I just want it to be tommorow so I can sleep in the car for eight hours.

  26. I never know what the time is! I am up at night asleep in the dya, making pastry and frangipan topping for mince pies. I am wrapping presents, knitting gifts and writing a comment on your blog! Oooh I love this time of year! Love your work, so neat and detailed!

  27. Oh… pretty towels. Thanks for the website. I’ll check out their designs. Not much into buying cards. They are so expensive and I don’t usually like all of the designs. Thanks for sharing!

  28. Great soldering, Anna! I have a hard time with the flux seeping under and ruining the photo or whatever inside. I had a bunch of them I was going to do for etsy but I just wasn’t happy with them.

  29. I am sorry to hear about CrazyBIL, but he should heal in no time since he is so fit. What’s that about? I didn’t think those things were supposed to happen.
    Your gifties are all marvelous, you talented girl, you! I love the procrastination saying! That’s usually me, although I’ve been working diligently in the past couple of years to leave the procrastinating behind me. I do still panic, though! Aaaaaackkkkkk!!! See?

  30. Towels, pincushions, pendants….and heart attacks!? You really pack it in! Procrastinate now, panic later! I LOVE it. I’m going to insist they put it on my headstone! I hope CrazyBIL makes a full and speedy recovery! Don’t tell him that I totally cracked up when I read about him! My OC is also a fitness freak, whereas I’m fairly lackadaisical [in a word—lazy.] But he’s the one who has to watch his weight! I guess there is no justice in the world!

  31. Wow, a heart attack at such a young age. Hope BIL recovers quickly – I know it is unusual for someone like that to have a heart attack, but heart disease does not discriminate by age, gender, or fitness level. I love those little pendants. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas.

  32. I love the sentiment that TheFirstChild made you put on their quilts…too funny and the procrastinate now panic later…have to remember that…it fits me, unfortunately lol!! I love your pincushions–very cute and the colors are great :)

  33. Your KC&CO pendants are amazing! Is there anything you can’t create?!?!

    So sorry to hear about your BIL, and he’s doing better soon… especially so he can endure the harassment!

  34. oh, anna, this post made me laugh and laugh. especially the poster knock off…procrastinate now and panic later. that’s so good. and then your story about CrazyBIL. I hope he’s doing ok. but your story was just too hilarious to NOT laugh at. :)

  35. What beautiful things . . . again. :o) You are responsible, I hope you know, for exposing me to a wonderful number of lovely, lovely things. And for that I thank you. It gives this frazzled mom something for which to aim in her home. (And I’m not waiting until the kids are older–I need to keep some sanity. lol)

    Hope you’re all okay in the ice. We got an ice storm here in Portland last night, and everything is covered! Snow over most of last week, and supposedly most of this next week, too. I wish we had brought our studded tires from Idaho!

    Hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend. We’ve had a nice, quiet, “iced-in” one. :o) I’m so glad the power has stayed on . . .

  36. Oh, forgot one thing . . . I found an interesting article on heart attacks. Just tune out the more, erm, judgemental language, and pick up the interesting facts about heart health . . . it turns out that exercise isn’t the main factor in your risk factors for heart attack. It also explains why my MIL had an attack when she was 34, less than a year after she had her last baby.

    Have a good week!

  37. I’m sorry to hear about Crazy BIL and hope he recovers quickly. He probably will with being in- shape and all. I’ll bet he appreciates your humor in his situation now. But they say you ought not make a guy with his sternum sawed open laugh too much….or at least give him a pillow.

    Love the pendants and pincushions. Love em.
    And I really like the procrastination saying too.

    Merry Christmas Miss Thimble!
    Jody

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