Michele's Stuff

My daughter Michele decided to jump on the gift making band wagon and make something for her cousins.

She made these post it note holders. Are they super cute or what?

Gifts

I've been busy as a beaver making Christmas gifts and I finished with a day to spare.

These are for my sisters, sister-in-law and nieces if they want them.  Most of them are hand towels and the two red background are pot holders. Then I decided the guys shouldn't go home empty handed so I bought a bunch of thin mints and chocolate covered cherries.

I have this little assortment of potholders and a hand towel for my next door neighbor. I am also giving her  pictures from her garden that I took when she wasn't home, then attached them to cards especially made for pictures.

Foodie Tree

Last Wednesday my friend Marsha had the coolest post with pictures of her kitchen tree. I just couldn't get it out of my mind so I decided to make my own miniature version of a kitchen tree.   

I brought my Charlie Brown tiny tree into my kitchen and started digging out some little charms and miniatures that I had brought to attach to an apron quilt I'm working on.

Now I'm going to be scoping out places to see if I can find some food and super cute stuff like she has. Then  perhaps someday I'll get a bigger tree and I can give Charlie back his tree.
If you haven't been to Marsha's Blog you are missing out so hop on over there right now and check it out.

This old cupboard

If there is one thing I'm known for it is taking a long time to get things done.   I start things with the best of intentions, get board, get tired of it or something better comes along, my excuses could go on and on.  This is one of those projects that should and have been started and finished in a timely manner and if it wasn't for the fact that my family is coming for Christmas it probably still wouldn't be done.


This is the project for I worked on for months.

These are the before pictures. I sanded it down to the bare wood, then painted it white.

But then I didn't want it to look too nice, so I sanded the paint off the edges to make it look a little distressed. It seemed a little crazy  but I like the way it turned out and my kitchen is white so it doesn't look as out of place as it did before..

Cupcakes

In honor of National Lemon Cupcake Day, which just happens to be today, I made cupcakes.  I'm not a cake lover by any means but I do love my sewing machine.

My friend Jeanette made one and I thought it was just too stinkin' cute so I made one.  Then like with all my addictions, I couldn't just stop with one so I made five. Opps, I almost forgot, they are pot holders.

Our last get-together of the season

Our super fun little group had to get together one last time before the snow birds leave so Kathy had us over to her beautiful home for a wonderful meal.

 She is such a wonderful cook and it's always such a treat to go to her home.

 They are such a hard working bunch.  See how diligently they are working?  See my hodge podge mess in the front of the picture? That's how I roll.

And then there is Evy.  She's the one that worked like a crazy woman at the retreat and made 154 cards! She's still making cards like a crazy woman.  Then poor Kathy couldn't get a thing done, she just roved around helping some of us in need.

What a difference can make.

This is the view I have from the window of my three season porch this morning. I am hoping our employees can make it to work today so I can stay home a accomplish some things off my ever so long to-do list.

Straight No Chaser - 12 Days (original from 1998)

This just made me smile so I had to post it.

Getting in the Christmas Spirit

 This weekend we headed to Minneapolis to the 31st Annual Augsburg College Advent Vespers. Our daughter goes to Augsburg so we thought it would be a great way to get into the Christmas spirit.  It really is a great service with four different choirs and an orchestra.  No over weight Elvis impersonators, no Santa's, just good Christian music and the true meaning of Christmas.
We spent the night then Sunday we went to the Guthrie Theater and saw A Christmas Carol. We didn't have tickets so we did the rush line thing where you show up about 45 minutes in advance get in line, then about 20 minutes before the show starts they sell unsold tickets at bargain prices.  We got 58.00 tickets for 25.00.  At the Guthrie there really isn't a bad seat in the house.  Pictures aren't allowed in the theater but here are a couple with the wonderful view of Minneapolis.