Thimbleanna – Page 154 – My little online diary.

The All Points Bulletin

23 Comments / December 11, 2007 February 18, 2011 / Family

On Thursday last week, my 15 yr. old niece asked MyDadLovesMeBestSister if she could make dinner for her and 10 of her friends on Saturday night for the Christmas semi-formal. Of course, MyDadLovesMeBestSister said yes, but she was in a panic because she didn’t have any Christmas decorations up, she works full time and she was attending The Nutcracker on friday night. So, I didn’t say it, but I was thinking “Good Luck with that!”.

On Saturday morning, as TheManoftheHouse puts it, the APB for help went out, LOL. MyDadLovesMeBestSister didn’t really ask for help, but things weren’t going particularly well, so TheManoftheHouse, MeMum and I all went over to help with the preparations. When we got there, my first assignment was to finish the table, in particular the napkins. She gave me the napkins and candy canes and told me to do something with them. I thought “Where is that napkin folding book (that I don’t own) when you need it?” But wait. We have the internet. And the internet has everything on it. (I love you internet.) I told my 10-year old niece to google “napkin folding techniques.” We needed ideas. She was back by my side before I even got the word “techniques” out of my mouth. She found this fun site and we used the “candle” napkin idea.

We all had a great time and decided we should help each other clean and decorate more often. After a break to go Christmas tree shopping (can you say “picked-over”? — it was only the 8th, what’s up with that??? –I know nowadays that’s late, but back in the day (and I AM still back in the day) that was early) I went back to take pictures of my niece and her friends. Her date brought her a pretty little corsage for the evening.

I had a fun time watching the kids. And especially watching from the girls’ family perspective. I told MyDadLoveMeBestSister, in spite of all the work and panic, how lucky she was. I’d always wanted to make dinner for the groups my boys went with, but that seemed to be something that the girls arranged. The boys did the asking, the girls did the arranging. This group was pretty cute. The original plan was for my niece and her girlfriends to go to the dance together. Then this boy asked her. What to do with her friends? She just invited them and a few other boys along. My niece had the only official date — there were 7 girls and 4 boys. And what really cracked me up was when it was time to sit at the table they lined up — all 4 boys sat along one side and the girls were at each end and down the other side. So funny!

So, anyway, not much decorating got done around here. But it got done somewhere! Here’s a cute set of ornaments from MyDadLovesMeBestSister’s tree.

She has two little poodles. We call them TheYappers. Put them together (8 lbs. each) and they don’t even weigh as much as TheEmptyNestChild (17 lbs.) I’d love to see the three of them together. A family portrait: TheEmptyNestChild with a Yapper sitting on each side of him.
Sharon suggested that I’m so late decorating, that maybe I should just bag it this year. Sharon! I’m appalled! I’m working on it. Really, I am!
XOXO,
Anna

Checking In.

27 Comments / December 7, 2007 February 18, 2011 / Chat

Just a quick note to check in. I’ve had lots of piddly little things to do this week, but I don’t seem to have accomplished much. I’m even afraid to look at my bloglines — I haven’t had time to check it since Tuesday. I hate it when I get behind on reading all of your blogs. I did get the formatting for my blurb book done and got the order shipped off last night. Yay! And I found out that MyDadLovesMeBestSister is making a book for her hubby too. She’s using Shutterfly or Snapfish so it will be a fun experiment to compare her service with blurb.com’s service.

I’m finally going to get some time at home tomorrow. Hopefully I’ll get some sewing done. I really need to do a little Christmas decorating. What you see to the right is the sum total of my decorating so far. Pretty pitiful, huh? I couldn’t help myself though. I was shopping in Williams Sonoma last week and decided I should treat myself to festive dish and hand soaps. I thought maybe the peppermint smell would take the drudgery out of doing the dishes for the next month.

Am I the only selfish little shopper out there? Have you had a little extravagant purchase while you’ve been Christmas shopping?

XOXO,
Anna

Happy Birthday Gurney!!!

19 Comments / December 4, 2007 February 18, 2011 / Chat

Happy, Happy Birthday to my old friend/quilty peep Gurney! And you know, that’s “old” as in we’ve known each other for a long time, not “old” as in advanced in age LOL. Poor Gurney, I have the hardest time remembering her birthday — it being the holiday time of year and all. We used to always have our friendship quilt group Christmas get-together (say that 5 times quickly!) right around her birthday and that would help me remember. But now, we don’t have that anymore and since I am getting old (as in advanced in age) it’s really hard for me to remember. Anyway, Gurney, I hope you’ve had the BEST of days!!! A special birthday for you this year — your first as a Grandma (marrying at 10 years of age makes you a very young grandma LOL) and with a second new grandchild on the way, what an exciting year you have ahead. My birthday wish for you is that you and hubby will come to your senses and move back to our fair city — this “see each other twice a year” state of affairs is for the birds. I miss you! My other birthday wish is that I hope you have a headache (in the best way), no matter how you got it LOL!!!

There’s been pitifully little crafting or holiday merry making going on around here. I feel like I’m in things-that-must-be-accomplished limbo and I can’t get on to the fun of holiday prep until they’re done. We spent ALL day on Saturday in leaf hell. We raked and mowed until we were half frozen. About 30 minutes before we would have been done, mother nature decided it would be fun to have a little snow storm. We tried to work our way through it for about 15 minutes, but once the snow started to accumulate, we abandoned ship. Have you ever mowed your lawn in the snow? Yeah, I’m sure you’re smarter than we are. Anyway, we got close enough to being done and now the leaves are just waiting to be picked up. In the meantime, I fully expect the wind to come along and blow them back all over the yard again. I figure abundant and troublesome leaves are mother nature’s way of making you thrilled that winter is here. It works for me — I do love winter!

And then on Sunday, I worked on a blurb book for a gift. What a lot of work that’s turning out to be. Their tools are fantastic, I’m just having a hard time figuring how I want the book laid out. Anyway, since there’s no real fun stuff to post about (not counting Gurney’s birthday), I’ll recommend some fun stuff of others:

The Scottish Lamb has found a really fun knitter’s advent calendar.
Like many of you, we’ve had the tradition of giving the children an ornament each year with the intention of sending them of into their adult lives with a collection of Christmas ornaments. I LOVE this fabulous ornament box and may have to think about making some after the holidays. This is the year I’ll separate TheFirstChild’s ornaments from ours so that he and SweetiePie can take them off into their new life together and they’ll need a fun container to accompany them. {Sniff}{Sniff}
How cute is this hat??? I love it! Stay tuned, he promises to post a pattern when he gets time.

Nighty-Night!
XOXO,
Anna

Blame It On Rebecca

26 Comments / November 29, 2007 February 18, 2011 / Holidays, Travel

A few weeks ago, Rebecca posted a pretty picture of the Empire State Building all decked out in red and green for the holidays. I knew then, that if I got a trip to New Jersey, I’d have to try to go into NYC in the evening to see such a beautiful sight. (And btw, long post warning!)
As soon as my meetings were over yesterday, I jumped in the car, drove to the NJ Path Train, and hopped on for a ride into the city. I managed to get to Tinsel Trading just 10 minutes before closing time. I saw those cute little clown snowmen last year on the cover of a Mary Englebreit magazine and knew I’d like to try to visit Tinsel Trading during the holiday season. The other picture below is for Sarah and Pam — bottle brush trees ala Tinsel Trading.

In an e-mail, Rebecca mentioned that I should try to visit the shops in Bryant Park. When I read that, I was confused — the last time I was in Bryant Park, there were no shops. Apparently, they put them up just for Christmas shopping. It’s much like a European Christmas market full of lots of artist and handcrafted booths. There’s also an ice skating rink in the middle of the park. Thanks SO much, Rebecca for the outstanding suggestion. Without your help, I would have never known to visit Bryant Park.

After I walked around the park, I remembered that Rebecca had mentioned that the big Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center was up, so I thought I’d wander up there and see it. Now, as she’s reading this, Rebecca is probably thinking….”No, please tell me you didn’t go up there last night.” Oh. Yes. I. Did. How was I supposed to know that they were officially turning on the lights LAST NIGHT???? (In her defense, Rebecca sent me an e-mail yesterday morning to let me know that little tidbit of information, but I was without access to my e-mail all day.) I was merrily walking north along 6th avenue thinking to myself, “Wow, there sure are a lot of NYPD out tonight.” And a little later, “Boy, there sure are a lot of people out shopping.” Pretty soon, I found myself in the middle of a mob. A very well-controlled mob, I might add, but still. It was incredibly crowded. Here’s the view looking north and south along 6th Avenue.

This is still a very long block away from Rockefeller Square. They had jumbo tv screens in the street and the NYPD guys said those TV screens were as close as we would be able to get. I decided I didn’t need to stand out in the cold for two hours, so I bailed out. I retreated across 6th Avenue, and took a picture of some really cool giant ornaments. I love this sort of stuff about big cities.

So. No big beautiful tree. Strike One. I headed back south and found myself in front of Macy’s, looking at all the fun window displays. I especially liked the windows depicting the story of The Miracle on 34th Street. I love that movie! Here are just a few of my favorites:

I was a little sorry I hadn’t gone into Macy’s to find the real Santa Claus. There must be one in there, right? That’s part of the story — the Macy’s Santas! I also didn’t check for any Martha ornaments — btw, Rebecca, we want to see your ornaments!Â Anyway, I wandered down the street for the whole reason I came into the city in the first place: to see the Empire State Building in red and green. And here to the right, she is. Do we see red and green anywhere???? No. We. Do. Not. Strike Two. Apparently they have a lighting schedule and we are not in a red/green/white cycle. In fact, it won’t be back to red/green/white until somewhere around the 21st. Just in case you’re traveling to NYC, it will be white/white/white for roughly another week, then it will be blue/white/white (blue/blue/white? white/blue/white? whatever, it’s not red/green/white!) for Hanukkah for another week or 10 days or so. Then it will go back to white/white/white until the 21st, when it will go to red/green/white until after the New Year. How Rude! I should have called ahead LOL!

By now, it was getting late and I still had a 1 1/2 hour commute. On the way back to the Path train, I passed the Border’s at Madison Square Garden and decided I’d attempt Strike 3. My search for the elusive McCall’s magazine with Holly‘s blogging article in it. Bingo! No strike 3 — they had the magazine! Holly’s contest to be the first to find the magazine is over, so I was spared the indignity of taking a picture of me holding it. I took a picture of it as it waited next to my Sheraton pillow for me to read it last night.

Thanks Holly for including my blog header with the pictures — there’s lots of fun info there! Holly also has an adorable quilt in the magazine made from her Lakehouse fabrics — be sure and check it out!
If you’re still here…thanks for sticking it out. In spite of two strikes, I had a great time. There’s nothing like the big city during the holidays! Until next time….
XOXO,
Anna

P.S. Quilty Peeps — I missed you — NYC isn’t the same without you!!!

Over-Achievers

31 Comments / November 27, 2007 February 18, 2011 / Sewing

Ok, I’m thinking of starting a 12-step program for all you over-achievers out there in blogland who have your Christmas decorating all done. You guys are making the rest of us look bad! What the Hey! I still have leaves on the ground. A TON of leaves. They came down so late this year, it’s ridiculous. In fact, some of them are still in the trees. We spent all day yesterday with BigDaddy’s Big Leaf Blower, in the sleet and rain, cleaning up leaves. And we only got the front yard done. This means another wasted Saturday to get the backyard cleaned up. Assuming snow or ice don’t beat us to it. I think I’m going to be sick.

So, here’s Step 1 for you over-achievers. I have to go on a work trip tomorrow. While I’m gone, how ’bout you guys come and get those *^%$%#ng leaves out of my backyard. Deal? ‘Cause I have things to do. I’m WAY behind on the making gifts list. My giftees will probably get half-finished projects with IOUs in their gift boxes. And I don’t even want to talk about the decorating yet — the house is dirty. It’s a never-ending cycle. I’m starting to feel the panic in the pit of my stomach. Just another week or two and I suspect it will float to the top. Aaack!

Anyhoo, enough complaining. Because I need a picture to cheer me up, I’ll show you a project I completed a few weeks ago. I needed some baby gifts and I had to wait until they were received to post them.

When I heard last spring that Jill was having a baby, I thought how fun it would be to make her a little treat. I hadn’t made a baby gift in years and I missed it — baby gifts are my favorite thing to do. Then, shortly after Victor was born, I received a baby announcement from an old work friend, so I made two hooded baby towel sets.

I also hadn’t played with my embroidery machine in quite awhile, so that was fun too. (If you have an embroidery machine, the little duck design is a freebie available in the baby section of Ann the Gran’s free designs.) The towels are made from a 36″ square piece of terry cloth. The hood is made from a 14″ square that has been cut on the diagonal. The whole thing was edged with bias binding, just like you would bind a quilt.

Naturally, TheEmptyNestChild had to get in on the action, checking out the new baby. I briefly contemplated having him be the baby model, but thought that the recipients might not appreciate a new baby towel covered in cat hair!

I’m off to throw a few things into a suitcase. Over-achievers — Chill Out! LOL!!!

XOXO,
Anna