Getting caught up

 Now that I have a few things checked off my To Do list for this week I feel a bit less stressed.

I chose 2 quilts from the stash in the closet, and donated them to a silent auction being held this weekend for the local safe house.  There are still too many quilts waiting in that closet.  

The stockings are all hanging on the fireplace.  

Most of the fall decorations have been replaced with Christmas.

The tree is finally all decorated.  It took me 3 days to do, a little at a time.  

* cookies baked for DAR donation to fire department CHECK!
* most Christmas gifts have been ordered online CHECK!!
*  small gifts ready for group exchanges CHECK!!!

There should finally be some sewing time in today, which will be awesome.  I may have been on the verge of withdrawal.  

One big task before the grandkids arrive on Friday for a swim meet - clearing my clutter overflow from the second guest bedroom.  I have a bad habit of laying stuff on the bed in there when I don't want to deal with it right away.  So now there is a pile of stuff to deal with so the bed can actually be used.

There is an update on my cardiac issues, and the plan for dealing with it.  I've been diagnosed with SVT, which is a weird electrical problem with the heart that causes erratic and very fast heart rates.  It's exhausting but not immediately life threatening.  I'm scheduled for ablation on January 7, which will hopefully take care of that problem.  The knee surgery - is postponed indefinitely and until the cardiologist clears me.    

A new tree skirt and an old tree skirt

Back in February I attended a 3 day quilt retreat, and making the Bargello tree skirt was my main project for those retreat days.  It was a Shabby Fabrics kit. 

I'm really pleased with how the tree skirt came out.  It wasn't as difficult as I had expected, as long as I kept the pieces organized.  It's a bit small under my big 8' tree, but it's so much prettier than my old tree skirt.

I'm nearly done decorating the tree.  There is a small box yet with some picks and other odds and ends.  The quilt hanging behind the tree is one I made about 25 years ago.  It's all hand appliqued and hand quilted - by me.  This tree has served our family well for many years, as I purchased it in 1980 with my Christmas bonus from work.  Dave hates real trees because they shed needles, so I used that $100 bonus to buy a very nice 8' tall artificial tree. He was horrified that I spent that much on it.  But hey - 44 years later it still looks good, although in those days they didn't come pre-lit so the lights have to be strung every year.  

  I also pulled out the tree skirt that belonged to my mother.  She's been gone for 33 years, and the tree skirt has been folded up in a box all those years, completely forgotten until now.  It was embroidered (and sequined) by a dear friend of hers. It seems appropriate to be circling my Cardinal Tree in the dining room for the season.  I leave this pencil tree up all year with all of my cardinal ornaments.  It's a "remembrance" tree.  For Christmas I add a few bells - and now this tree skirt. 

Design Wall Monday - Dec. 2

I haven't ventured downstairs to sew in 3 days now.  Just too much going on this weekend I guess.  On Saturday I strung the lights on our 8' Christmas tree, before running out of energy.  Then I met some friends to see the movie Wicked!  The movie was followed by good conversation over some hot beverages at the local Starbucks.  Sunday was laundry, watching college basketball on TV, and putting some of the ornaments on the tree.  Maybe this morning I'll finish with the ornaments.

A little hand stitching HAS happened this weekend - a binding on a UFO.  I've turned the corner on the 3rd side of this fairly large quilt.  This is Framed 9-patch in pretty spring colors. 

My design wall does have some things to work on this week:

*  Jonah's soccer pillowcase

*  December paper-pieced Circle of Friends block

*  lay out the prairie points on 1 Folded Star runner

And when I'm ready for some relaxing chair time I have a new small project.  Blogging friends are just the sweetest!!  Vicki at https://knitbug2.blogspot.com/  knew I've been feeling a bit discouraged with the knee issue on top of the heart stuff going on right now, and she sent me the nicest card and a little kit for a felt snowman ornament.  Thank you so much Vicki!!  This brightened my day so much!!

This afternoon I'm set to meet with a different cardiology doctor to discuss next steps.  He is an electrophysiology specialist.  From there we'll go on to watch a college basketball game.  

So, what's on your design wall today?
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