Mini Quilts Everywhere!

There are mini quilts everywhere in my sewing room. I have finished about 10 of my ornaments. I think they are so cute. You might not be able to see it in the picture, but I am lightly quilting each little picture. I bought several panels of this snowman design. I have cut out as many of the individual pieces as I could. Unfortunately, some of the pictures were not usable because I had to cut seam allowance for each picture, and that took away from some of the other designs. But I managed to get about 20 pictures from each panel.

I am having so much fun with these ornaments. They are a little big for the tree, but they can be hung on a door knob or the wall. If I have one left, I am going to hang it on my potholder hook in the kitchen. My goal is to have them done by this Thursday since the last day of school is Friday. Then we have two weeks off for winter break. Whoopee!!!

During those two weeks, I must get 12 exchange blocks sewn that are due in January. Actually, they were due last summer, and I was totally ready to get them done. Then the date was moved to this coming January, so I didn't start sewing them during the summer because I wasn't under a tight enough deadline! (It seems that I work better with a tight deadline!) Two days of that first week I will be baking my Christmas cookies, maybe Tuesday and Wednesday. Then there is Christmas. So maybe I will get going on the 26th of December. What better way to end the year than with an block exchange date looming on the horizon!

I think I am my own worst enemy when it comes to getting things done. My mother used to get so upset with me because I had so many things to do, but would never get them done ahead of time. She would say that I always waited until the last minute to do things, but I always would get them done. That is the part that would drive her crazy! She always did things in a more timely manner. I think I like the adrenaline rush that comes with the process. It's like cramming for an exam, or the final for your grade. You pull an all-nighter, and just get it done! Although, I am getting too old for pulling an all-nighter. Maybe I should call it a late-nighter. Since I have to work the next day, I must get some sleep. I remember one year I sewed until 4:30 a.m. Went to bed for an hour and a half, then got up at 6:00 a.m. and started getting ready for work. I was functional most of the day, but I started to wind down about 2:00 p.m. that afternoon. I was making Santa stars for my ornaments that year. They really turned out great. The staff really liked them.

Several staff members have told me this year that they have thought of me as they decorated their Christmas trees. They kept pulling out ornaments I had made and given to them. Ladies (and I say ladies, because I do not think any men are reading my blog), that is why I do this crazy thing. I like the idea that I am participating in their Christmas with them. They will remember me for years to come. OMG, does that mean I am becoming a legend, sort of? Maybe someone will write a book about me and I will be called, "The Ornament Office Manager, A Christmas Legend"! Oh dear, my heart is all a flutter! (I hope that doesn't mean something medical is about to happen!)

Well, back to reality. I need to return to my sewing machine, flutter or not. I have only 50 more to go, so I must find my speedy mode. Also, I want to take a quick trip to Oakland today to the Gift Gallery. I want to get a pair of "insect" earrings for my Secret Santa person. We are into our Secret Santa week at work, and my person wants something insect related. I know the Gift Gallery has lots of unique gifts, and I consider that something quite unique. I also want to bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies to take to a birthday party we are going to this evening. Then tomorrow I want to go to In Between Stitches in Livermore and get what I think is the last block of the month for my Mary Engelbreit dots quilt. Of course while we (DH and I) are there, we will have breakfast at our most favorite place, the Railroad Cafe, which is next door to the quilt shop. Convenient, huh?

Next week I have a doctor's appointment, Friday night is the UFO/Christmas party at One Quilt at a Time in Newark, then Saturday is LAFS (Ladies Academy Finishing School, or UFO night) at the church for Piecemakers Quilt Guild, three Secret Santa gifts to get ready, 50 more ornaments to finish, and five days of work. Seems like another busy week. Thank goodness winter break is coming soon! If you don't hear from me until next weekend, you will know why!

Have a great weekend ladies, and get those sewing machines humming. After all, there are only 11 days before Christmas!

Happy Quilting