Holiday Muff Tutorial

Part 2

   I hope you were able to make a fur edged pillbox hat, or at least save the project for a later date.  Today I am posting the fur muff to go with it.  Enjoy!  Kathi

Merry Christmas

It is Christmas Eve!  It is not snowing here on the island, but there is a quiet settling.  It    belies the last minute hustling to get things complete, yet still feels like things are definitely slowing down.  The shopping is complete.  Still, there is some wrapping to do, and some surprises that need to come from hiding places.  I can still sigh in relief as I made it through another year.  It seems like Christmas is always just a few weeks away.

 We are settling in for dinners, friends, and reflections on the purpose of the Christmas Season.  I want to take some time to thank all of you who read the blog and are interested in sharing our hobby.  I appreciate so much that of you who leave comments.  I still have difficulty responding to them.  I posted my first ever blog without Michelle’s help with the hat, so we are lucky I can do that? 

It will be Christmas in a few minutes.  A very special day to remember those we love.  Remember it is not about the gifts, it is about THE GIFT.  Merry Christmas

Kathi and Michelle

Merry Christmas From Michelle and Kathi

  Wishing you all the joys of the holiday season!

The year has been a rush for me, first with the sale of our house and the move to the new one.  I admit I am a bit overwhelmed still with downsizing.  I thought I was a super organized person, but am finding faults.  We shall overcome it, and have everything down to manageable soon.  The house has taken a festive tone with our tree in place, a lighted wreath on the door, and some pleasant arrangements around.  I hope you are having a wonderful season as well. 

For me it is a time of year to count my blessings and tell people how much I appreciate them.  So, in the gift giving mode, I will be sharing my pill box hat and fur muff tutorials with you.  One this week and perhaps one next or the following week. 

Usually Michelle does all the posting, but I am going to give it a try.  Enjoy!  Kathi

Giving Thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving All!!  Hope everyone is enjoying a day with a bountiful bird and much thanks.  A special Thank-you to all of our readers and customers.
Michelle Mahler
Kathi Mendenhall

 This one was my idea not Kathi's! Michelle

Edwardian Style

 
 

Where I have been and what I have been doing!

I decided to take a necessary break to talk about what has been going on here with me. I say look here and join me in my mess!

It was last year about this time that we decided to sell our house and make a move to the coast of Georgia. While at an Alive Leverett workshop (http://www.justalice.com/) hosted by the Golden Isles Doll Club, I fell in love with St. Simons Island. Skipping ahead past the boring bits, I will tell you the highlights. It has been some year. Our large house we occupied for 15 years was cleaned up and cleaned out, placed on the market where it languished for some months. While it was being kept all spic and span, we were looking for a new house to downsize and get ready for “retirement” years. (We are not yet retired, but soon. We are lucky my husband’s company is such that a person can work from anywhere.) We wanted a couple of houses with more room, but they were under contract, sadly fell out, while we contracted for some new construction. Our goal, be moved by the next Workshop, All Aboard for Baden-Baden! This would be held in February 2013. As things go in life, nothing happens and then everything happens all at one time. Like Morton Salt, “When it rains, it pours.” It became quite an emotional time. My sweet cat Jack was diagnosed with diabetes, nothing abnormal for many older cats, but we did have a time of it getting his insulin right. Our house new house was scheduled to close in January, but as with new construction, it was delayed for three more weeks. Our house had not yet sold. Mid January, Jack had a stroke and his heart was giving out. We had to euthanize him. In hindsight, it was probably better as he was a sensitive kitty and the move would have killed him I am sure. I have to admit I had a place for him to sun all planned out and it absolutely broke my heart not to bring him with us. I miss him still. Two weeks later while the movers were in the house packing and loading the truck, our agent brought us a contract on the house. Amazing! The movers finished on the sixth and I drove down to St. Simons. On February 8, my birthday, never mind which one, we closed on the new house, the movers delivered our household goods, and we began the box emptying process. Duane went headed back to Franklin, to finish cleaning the old house and getting ready for it to close at the end of February. Following the workshop, which was wonderful and exhausting, it has been boxes, boxes, boxes and quite overwhelming. We thought we did a great job of cleaning out for downsizing. Apparently not! We have taken three boxes of books to the library, two trips to Goodwill with a filled SUV, and weekly trips to recycling for all the boxes. I am anticipating the need for a yard sale or a consignment shop as soon as I decide what to give up. I have bought all the supplies for the Workshops I am giving in Washington DC for the UFDC Convention in July. As I am improving the projects and hope, they will be a success. I am excited about going and will probably blog about it as well. All the while, I will keep squeezing into the house in time to make family and friends comfortable for visits later this year. I have promised to be done for a beautiful decorating for Christmas this year. We missed it last year. So, watch for more notes, I’ll try to do better keeping up.
Kathi

Happy New Year!!