Sunday's Rest

Every other year we spend the Christmas holidays at home in Sweden with Bo's family and my family. Last year we were in Florida and Mexico during the holidays for 4 weeks (I was on a leave of absence from my job to study Swedish during that term and my husband took "paternity days" and vacation days to be with us for that long time). Since we weren't at our home I didn't bother decorating at all ....but this year we are here so....I'm using it ALL! What fun to change the house into a Christmas cozy place! And this year Maya is such a helper with many ideas to contribute. See the little pillow in the middle of the couch? (made by Betsy, btw) Maya has tied a thread around it and made a cardboard "needle" so that the mouse is "sewing" the pillow...it's all tied together so one need be careful sitting next to it. I made all the pillow covers during my afternoon sewing sessions with Bets in Long Beach. (when I first got the patchwork bug!) Can you see the Swedish straw Christmas Goat? It accompanies the Jultomte (Santa Claus) on his rounds to take presents to the good girls and boys. We have a really big one of those I'll show you another time. My mother-in-law has great talents & ideas but she never uses them...which drives me buggy because she's always talking about doing this or that but not feeling up to it or not having the time, etc. Today as I was contemplating my stash assortment it dawned on me that I'm just like her...only worse because I'm really relatively healthy (cough, cough) so therefore have no legitimate excuse for not doing the things I talk about doing. And with that revelation (on a Sunday at that!) I pulled out the easiest Christmas project that I"ve been meaning to do for years...Christmas curtains! It's quite common in this part of the world to change one's curtains during the holidays. I'm not sure why exactly but it does give a change of scenery to the inside of the house and provides time to launder the normal curtains. The pre-sewn curtain fabric makes this super easy to do (just cut and hem) and I had my new curtains up in no time! I also hung "curtains" on the lights for an extra cozy touch.
At last I have one of the grandma's gifts ready with Maya's drawings embrodiered on the pockets. It didn't turn out quite as I had imagined but I think Farmor will like it very much.
More importantly, Maya thought it was GREAT! I think we'll do some other collaborative projects in the future!
So many more things to get done before Christmas....but one thing at a time...trying not to stress! Almost have the holiday cards done so that they arrive on time! And some of the cookies are made....but more to do! I'm regretting not participating in the AWC cookie exchange this year because it sure would be nice to already have batches and batches of different cookies made! (Note to self: SIGN UP as a YES next year! Liz: hold me to it! ;-)

Want to make my December fabric post cards too....have a cute idea in mind but don't know if I can make them in time. This may be the month I hop over...as Brenda says...ours is a no stress swap! Whatever I don't make this year I can make another year!

Hope your holiday plans and activities are progressing well!