Soon It will be a new year..

Our Christmas Moose. He sings Jingle Bell Rock when you squeeze his hoof.
Sorry I posted the picture then got distracted. This is the shawl I made for Jenny for Christmas. It was a double stranded yarn-part wool- part rayon, called Fiesta. It would have been very quickly knit on size 17 circular needles except that I did not know to double strand it-so I had to start over and when I was done, I realized that I had dropped a stitch right smack dab in the middle so I had to un knit and reknit. But the end of the story is that she was very happy with her gift and I am glad that my kids like home made gifts because I like to give them:)
I am in the process of mentally organizing myself for the next few months and i fell like my project load is managable if if if I do not add to it.
I am keeping on working on the sampler blocks-picture to follow...
and I am going to begin the 12 by 12 by 12 challenge which is to make one 12 by 12 inch block, per each of the next 12 months, which theme has been chosen, by each participant, and announced on the Quilt Studio blog ring. I have chosen 'faces' which will be fun-for me at least. I started some sketches last night and maybe it was my mood or something but they were pretty eerie. O well whatever they are what they are. I am looking forward to doing them.
Also A continuation of The Queen Anne doll class which was on haitus till January, whilste teacher Gail Wilson has been taking care of other business.
Finally I am going to do something with my Women of the Bible quilt blocks, involving combining them with some Bear paw blocks and some Inklingo half square tris that I have printed...not sure how this will work out but we will be reporting in.
As for resolutions well I will say I have been on weightwatchers since October and I have lost about eight pounds, a couple of them more than once! But I will continue to do this in the coming months.
I will not drink or smoke which is easy since I already do not do either so I am confident that I will not begin at this late date. I will not cheat on my husband-which he will reciprocate. And I may gamble a little but I will not spend the mortgage or the grocery money, All of these resolutions I think I can keep. And I will make no more.I will take some more pictures now that I have found my camera cable and I will post them later. cheers!
A word about the stupid spam messages that get planted int my comments. I like that anyone can leave a message without having to type in those stupid random letters. I hope no one minds the idiot heads that leave their spam in the comments. Just think of it as dog poop, left by inconsidrate owners on the walk, and step around it:)

The countdown

I have some festive moments....I like the lights and the tree in our living room. This year I wanted to forgo all of the decorating but my DH is just a big ole kid, so I let him do it. Working in a busy shopping mall has give me enough distraction to make the holiday fun. I have done NO STITCHING though and I need to get at least two felted bags lined and bedecked with handles. One lining is in and the second bag remains nekkid. I have begun on sleeve on my sweater project, being knit with double stranded wool, it may get done in time but then again.....we are in the final days before Christmas.
When people talk about not feeling festive, I think that maybe it is because we in the US are in a war! We hear horrible news every day and we fear for the world and our loved ones. For me -this is what comes to mind. Having been born into a military family and losing my brother while he was in active service( his birthday was last Sunday, he would have been forty nine) I can never forget that while the egg nog is being passed around, our loved ones are in the line of fire. Across the street from me there is a woman who has three sons serving in Iraq. There is a flag in her window with three stars. One of her sons looked out for Katy when she was in trouble. Now he is in the Army.
So I will not feel all that merry, but I will hold them up to God as I understand Him, or Her, or Them!!!
And all of the others who have lost loved ones in all of the wars, the military actions, the war of drug addiction, domestic abuse, racism, hunger, poverty and ignorance. We have all been blighted. I will hold them in my heart as well. For my belief is that is is only love and light that will make a positive difference, and it is my honor to be among the ones who carry love in my heart for all of us.
And that is how I celebrate the birth of the Prince of Light, the Prince of Peace. In My heart.

Little Thinkers-Unemployed Philosophers Guild

I could not resist these little dolls, Queen Elizabeth I and Jane Austen, found in the Union Square Holiday market.
There were many many others, like Ghandi, Beethoven, Freida Khalo, Edgar Allen Poe--on and on-fun presents for my teen girls who are too old for doll playing but will appreciate the personae.
I made the ornaments a few years ago and they have held up rather well for the odd bit of ribbon and scraps. I also stopped into the City Quilter fabric store and left with some fat eighths of rich purple and blue hued wool and a couple yards of quilting cotton. O lucky me!
Today we go to Riverhead-another fabric store to see,some cigars for the dad- and to dine with the mil and visit the neicies and their parent units.

Promoting Prosperity through loans-KIVA

I think this is a great idea. I am going to make a loan to one of the people on this website. Take a look and see if you agree that this is a great opportunity to help someone prosper. http://www.kiva.org
I read about them in the NewYork Times Magazine.
I have finished my cards and they are posted. I am still knitting Katy's present, a shrug from the book 'Loop-d-Loop'.I am using soft, hand dyed black wool, double stranded and it is going quickly.I may actually finish it before Christmas.
I have the next couple of days off from work so I plan on finishing up a couple of my December commmitments, namely two sampler blocks which are almost finished and a couple of felted bags that are needing handles and lining, That is all of the sewing room stuff I am going to "Name and Claim" for this month.
Pictures is of Katy and Bailey, circa 1995

"Angels we have heard on high..."

Played with water colors and photoshop today. My plan is to make these into cards but I don't know if I will have enough time to do it. One of the backrounds is a photo and one is starfruit stamp. Well if I don't go to sleep, I will never get up in time and then I will feel like I have wasted the whole morning!

Sundry notes

I have resolved to overcome my cowardly queasiness and do some journaling in my exqusite new handbound journal. Part of me wants to preserve it, keep it new and unsullied.Save it for the perfect insight, the wry observation, the poignant profile. I want to make a journal to awe and inspire and if I can't then I don't want to bother. pout pout
The better part of me says -
"Oh get over yourself! just write one or two sentences and make stick figures and play with pens and inks and paints and pencils and stop trying to be so important all the time."
There is a that grounded, sensibly shod, part of me, after all. It is her that I shall listen to and I shall fill my pages, even if I am only writing about the bathroom lines at Bryant Park
for who among us does not tinkle?