4 pennies ;)

I couldn't resist - I made 3 more pennie pockets last night before I went to bed, lol. Here are the 4 I did :)

A "Pennie" (pocket) for your thoughts!

Pennie pockets!! TOO CUTE, and also TOO EASY!!!

Designed by Monica, the freebie pattern is available here. I was inspire to do these in Christmas fabric by this sweet post by Sherri. I made mine a little bit bigger than the pattern - I cut my pieces 10 X 10 and 5 X 5. I can't wait to make a few more of these little cuties! Flickr group for more inspiration pictures is here --- bet you can't make just one!!! ;)

Train quilt and bibs :)

A little Christmas gifty I got finished yesterday - the flannel is from my New York shopping trip on Black Friday! I used up the last of it for the second bib - I had to piece the backing! The quilt is bound with bias binding - I made it from the Dread Pirate, Shelley Rodgers instructions :)

I've got reindeer on my mind ...

I keep finding delicious cross-stitch reindeer patterns, and I can't stop myself - I save all of them!! I even save ones where there's no free pattern available, but the picture is clear enough that I might be able to draft a pattern. Yep, it's a sickness, lol! I spotted these posts today (here and here) and couldn't resist - I had to stitch the little "solid" guy :D When I went searching for the pattern, I found the fun blog that provided the pattern -- It's Daffycat - lots of fun and eye candy!! The free pattern is available on this post. Thank you Sharon for a great pattern and a fun read!

I also made a couple of hotpads today - I had some batik scraps to use up - aren't they sweet? :)

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree ...

You were so very difficult to get done this year *sings* -- I won't go into details, but the cobblers kids don't have shoes, the bakers kids are hungry, and the electrician's wife and mom (X2) didn't have proper tree lights for quite a while --- 'nuff said!!!

I finally finished decorating the tree yesterday - nobody else in the family really cares about this kind of stuff so I do it myself. And every year I put out less and less decorations, because it's a lot of work to do when nobody (but me) appreciates it! I don't think I'm the only one that feels that way, tho - I know Barb @ So How Was Your Day? has had some Scroogey days too!! Been there, done that, go through it every year, Barb - so I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!! I don't know why I even bother with the tree and the trimmings - every year I just want to cancel the whole shebang - and that includes this year. It's pretty crummy being outnumbered by SCROOGES!

XS gift bag :)

I can't post pictures of the other items I've gotten done in the last few days - the intended recipients will recognize the "themes" and will know what's coming, hehe. This, however, I can post, as it was really a trial run to see if I could make the project - on someone's blog recently I spotted an adorable picture of a Christmas bag with a cross-stitched panel in the front - I fell in LOVE, and wanted to try my own version. Mine turned out sweet as well - I'm so happy with it! In case you can't tell from the photo, I even added jingle bells on the end of the drawstrings - just for fun :) The XS pattern is a freebie from a wonderful XS site called Cross Stitch Happy ... she has amazing and fun goodies to share - I have plans on making other projects from her patterns!

My part of the challenge!

I recently challenged Miss Lettie to get her van unpacked after her craft show - in return, I would finally get around to decorating my tree ... which has been up since the beginning of December, but which is STILL almost totally naked! There are 2 ornaments on it that I bought in New York on Black Friday - a reindeer which is hidden somewhere, and the sweet flamingo that I've photographed. Got both of the ornaments at Menne Nursery - you should SEE their decorated trees!!

She completed her part of the challenge, and threw the ball back into my court! I'm a woman of my word, so tomorrow I'll do my tree :) Here are the before pictures ... tomorrow I'll get the after pics :D Note the unlit section near the bottom - for some reason that strand of lights is out - I'll have to have hubby or one of the boys have a look at it - that's a BOY job, lol.

More goodies :)

Two XS ornaments that I finished - Tall Trees by Helga Mandl and Barbara Ana ... and Night Flyer by Erica Michaels, which is available online for free :) Notice the reindeer backing for the reindeer ornament, LOL!!!

Steno Pads :)

Wordless Monday because I have to run upstairs and get a roast in the oven, but I wanted to throw this picture up before I get busy doing other stuff.

Oh wait --- Wordless means ... uhhhh never mind!!! ;)