ALL READY! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Well it's December the 23rd and as of 11 am this morning I am completely ready for Christmas.  And considering it's been "in the works" for over three months now, I would certainly hope so, lol.  I wrapped the last of the Christmas gifts I had to wrap this morning, and finished up the fabric tree I decided to give to my cleaning woman who is as busy as a bee as I type this.  I've ended up making 7 of those trees this year and honestly I could just keep making them.  I find it wonderfully relaxing and therapeutic for some reason, and I can keep my hands busy while watching TV, or talking on the phone too, so it works really well.  I also got Capri's outfit made, and Vinny's pj's done, and so it is officially time to COMPLETELY relax until after the first of the year.  I put the sewing machine to bed under it's cover, and cleared my work table of EVERYTHING, and here I sit.  It's been raining since about noon yesterday, pretty much non stop, and I've enjoyed every minute of it.  I'd love to do some baking, but honestly I am going to refrain.  I have proven over and over again I simply have no discipline.   Let me show you my final projects for 2016...

 

THERE IT IS....I AM STILL JUST USING LEFT OVER FABRICS ON THESE....IT DOES TAKE ALMOST AN ENTIRE YARD OF FABRIC TO MAKE ONE OF THESE TREES, AND AT LEAST 300 PINS OR SO.  SO I HAVE HAD TO BUY PINS, AND THE STYROFOAM CONES FOR THE TREES,... BUT FOR THE TOPS I AM STILL CUTTING UP EXISTING FLOWERS I HAD ON HAND, AND VARIOUS OTHER THINGS I HAVE AROUND LOL.    SO STILL FAIRLY INEXPENSIVE TO MAKE.  TAKES ME ALMOST 4 HOURS THOUGH FROM START TO FINISH TO MAKE ONE.

JUST A LITTLE CLOSER LOOK AT THE FABRIC.  I TRIED TO SWITCH THE STRIPES FROM GOING UP AND DOWN TO SIDE TO SIDE FROM ONE ROW TO THE NEXT JUST FOR A DIFFERENT LOOK.  IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF FOLDING ONE OF THE SQUARES ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, BUT YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE HOW HARD I HAD TO THINK TO DO THAT, LOL.  DON'T THINK I WILL USE A STRIPE AGAIN.

HERE IS CAPRI'S OUTFIT.  YOU MENTIONED CHERYL HOW YOU COULDN'T IMAGINE MAKING THIS SO QUICKLY, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS HERE I AM SURE YOU CAN SEE WHY.  THE SKIRT HAS ONE SEAM AND THEN A HEM AND A WAIST BAND.  AND THE TOP IS ALMOST AS QUICK.  SOO SIMPLE

JUST A LITTLE CLOSER LOOK AT THE SLEEVES.  IT LOOKS LIKE LACE, BUT IT'S JUST A KNIT.  THESE FABRICS WERE NO WHERE NEAR EACH OTHER AT THE STORE EITHER, BUT THEY MATCHED PRETTY GOOD I THOUGHT

AND VINNY'S PJ'S....THESE TOO ARE SOOO SIMPLE.  BARELY ANY SEAMS.  QUICK AND NON THINKING.  JUST THE TYPE I ENJOY MOST OF THE TIME

CLOSER LOOK AT "MONSTER" FABRIC.  IT'S WONDERFULLY SOFT

Hubby is off tomorrow, and through next Monday so we have a nice 4 day week-end coming up with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day right in the middle of it.  I am soo looking forward to it.  We are going to travel down to San Diego and stay overnight down there so we can spend more time with my youngest son and his family and hit both his Christmas Eve and his Christmas Day services with his church.  We miss the church members down there, and seeing my son and family every week like we used to, so this will be extra nice.  After lunch on Christmas Day we will head out to Upland to spend the rest of the day and evening with my oldest son and his family, and my middle son and his wife. All of it is wonderfully relaxing for us as we are simply guests and usually get waited on hand and foot. We handed the baton so to speak to our kids about 3 years ago for them to carry on hosting the holiday gatherings, and honestly it was one of our smarter decisions, lol.  Soo much easier for everyone.  Easier for them not to have to hurry around with all their kids and make their way over here, and easier for us to just pop over and enjoy.  I do wish we would ALL be together, but we did do that the sat after Thanksgiving, and it is what it is.  It's just hard when there are soo many of us, and their are in-law times to consider too.  Melody is only in California every other year for Christmas, so we will just have to ALL be together every other year.

I do have some plans with various different grand kids coming up for sleep overs etc. during Christmas break, and I am looking forward to all of that too.  I have already been reflecting on this last year (I usually do that AFTER Christmas, lol) and I have as always sooo much to be thankful for. But right at the top of my list I am thankful for that baby that was born over 2000 years ago in Bethlehem.  We celebrate HIM on Christmas and all He has given to us.  Wishing all of you, my dear blogging friends, a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!  Debbie

As always just some more fun pics...

LUKE AT HIS PRE SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PARTY....HIS FACE SAYS IT ALL

MEL AND LUKE.  HE IS JUST THE SWEETEST THING.  HOW I LOVE HIM!

SAM THIS MORNING BEFORE LEAVING FOR HIS PRE-K CHRISTMAS PROGRAM AT SCHOOL.  HE WAS SOO EXCITED.

And if you have a minute and can get to a computer you just have to see him singing Noel.  The look and expressions on his face are just priceless

JD AND VINNY BRINGING HOME A LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE FOR THEIR ROOM

CODY MADE MASTER YELLOW BELT THIS WEEK AT HIS DAD'S STUDIO.  HE HAS WORKED SOO HARD FOR THIS.  SOO PROUD OF HIM!

AND FINALLY, A LITTLE VIDEO OF DONATELLA PERFORMING IN HER LITTLE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM.  SHE IS CENTER FRONT WITH THE BLONDE HAIR AND THE LITTLE BLACK AND WHITE DRESS.  SOOOO ADORABLE.  HOW I THANK GOD FOR EASY ACCESS TO VIDEO'S AND RECORDINGS ETC THESE DAYS, OR I WOULD MISS SOOOO MUCH.  ENJOY!