Stitching Up a Storm in Alamo City

Almost Christmas...

I found a creche online from Bronner's in Michigan that I thought would be great for the Kelly Clark/Amy Bunger nativity set.  I think it will hold a couple additional figures, and then we'll start spreading out on either side.  I put it all in the living room.  The tree in there is slightly reconfigured this year, given some of the color changes we made in the room.  

We haven't finished decorating the room yet - I'm talking the ones that stay up year round - window treatments - and reupholstering a couple of chairs, etc.  The big toile chair and ottoman are already gone to be redone - and there's more to do later.  I got tired of making decisions - so we will crank that up again after the first of the year.

This is the Joan Thomasson nativity set that I did at least 15 years ago.  My dad built the creche for me.  I still like this set very much.  Oh, actually the holy family is not Joan Thomasson.  I don't know who did those canvases - I bought them in a shop on the east coast while on vacation YEARS ago.   Then I decided I liked Joan's pieces better, so I combined the two.  

I put this under the tree in the family room.

Remember my tale of woe that the mantle wasn't going to get here in time for Christmas?  I thought maybe they could pull it off, but it didn't happen.  So I put all the Santas on the baker's rack in the kitchen.  And threw a little fir garland on it.  It will have to work.

Maddie and I took them all down the other day and she had a fun time setting them up in trains and other arrangements.  Last year we bowled with them.   She's progressed.  I can see someone else has been having fun with them - two of them are facing sideways in the picture!!

So, we're ready, I think.   Family started arriving from out of town on Monday - we have more coming today and another 2 on Saturday. 

Hope you are able to gather with people you love, as well.

Merry Christmas.
Love, Jane

Merry Christmas!

Not a lot of stitching happening these days.  I'm THINKING about it, but I'm still doing Christmas preparations.  Tonight we're having some friends over for dinner - on Saturday I'm going to start cooking in preparation for family which will start arriving in town on Monday.  

While my friend, Bobbie, was here, she took this picture of Mark and me with Maddie B.   We decided to use it for our Christmas cards this year. 

The inside of our house is 95% finished from the construction.  We found out yesterday that the fireplace surround/mantle we ordered won't be in before Christmas.  So I have to find a place to hang the stockings and put up all the Santas.  I have 30 needlepoint Santas that would have gone on the mantle.  I haven't decorated the tree in the family room yet, so I may stick a bunch of them on the tree.  We'll see.  We're just glad to be back in and that we seem to be gaining a slight advantage over the dust.

Hope you are enjoying the build up to the holidays. 

Happy stitching, or whatever you're doing these days.
Jane

Fun event in Austin this morning

 
I drove up to Austin this morning to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the new building for The Needleworks, owned by Colleen Church.

There were about 25 people on hand, plus a darling Australian Labradoodle puppy.  

Shop will be open in July 2010.  If you haven't already signed up for a class next year, you should do it, so you can see the new shop.   It's going to be FABULOUS!!

Congratulations, Colleen!!

Happy stitching,
Jane

Maddie B turned 2 this week

Maddie was 2 on Tuesday - we celebrated last night with a lasagna dinner.  We had lasagna for her 1st birthday and decided it was a tradition worth continuing.

When it turned cold last week, I pulled out a few hats that have survived multiple closet cleanings since adapting to warm weather and thought I should take Maddie's picture in one of them every year for her birthday.

She's a sweetie.   She thought when we put the cake in front of her last night that the whole thing was for her.   She just took her spoon and dug in.

Happy stitching.
Love, Mimi

A different turkey update

Right before Thanksgiving, I decided I really did want to roast a turkey - if for no other reason than the turkey soup after.  It took me a while to get it done, but we had the first of it last night.

I thought I'd seen a recipe for a turkey carcass soup that you put your leftover mashed potatoes into.  But I didn't find anything that sounded good, so I went with a Craig Claiborne recipe out of the NY Times.   This one starts with making a stock out of the leftover turkey bones and lots of vegetables.

And then you retrieve the stock and put in lots more vegetables.

Really no herbs or spices, just lots of flavor from the veggies and turkey.   And some orzo.  Same wooden spoon with the burned spot. Next time, I think I'll add the mashed potatoes, too.  They would have added some nice depth.

I made some cornbread and a little salad.  Nice dinner.  Particularly appropriate since it's been cold here lately.  Nice comfort food.

I have at least 2 more meals of it in the freezer now.   And a bunch of cornbread.  All ready for a chilly January night.

Gotta run.
Happy Stitching.
Jane