Saturday, December 19, 2009

.........Let the Wrapping Begin

Yesterday was a delightful day.  DH had been in the Twin Cities for a few days on business so he played hooky from work yesterday.  The day promised lots of sunshine and warm temperatures so we picked up my sister and BIL and drove up to the wine counrty which is about 1 1/2 hours north from us.  It was just glorious!  The temperature soared to 78* and it was crystal clear as we drove along the beach to our destination. 

They have started to prune the grape vines so we had to get out and inspect the job.  Good job too!!!!!




Loved this old barn that had a simple Christmas wreath hanging above the door.




We also loved the look of this tree still standing proud.




We stopped for lunch at a new Greek restaurant in the area, browsed through a couple of art galleries and then headed back home.  The Channel Islands were clearly visible and just gorgeous.  They are miles out, normally shrouded in fog and are not easily seen so this was a perfect day.




Last night was the last Friday Night Sew In over at Heidi's blog and I did get a bit of sewing done.  We were suppose to go to two of the grand's birthday parties (combined), but the stomach flu was going around over there.  NO THANK YOU!!!!!  We will reattempt tomorrow.  Anyhoo.....I worked on my Schnibble project for this month.  They are small tuffets.  Mind you this little pincushion is only 4" big.  It was a fun project and I can definitely see myself doing more of these........after I clean up the spilled ground walnut shells that poured out when my funnel flipped out while filling it.  GRRRRR.  Somehow, I do not think my rotary cutter is going to like running into one of those little grains while cutting.  Now I ask, why did I fill it over my cutting table????





The cutting table is now stacked high so let the wrapping begin.  I have to make sure that I have accounted for all 21 of the grands before it is too late.


26 comments:

  1. Great photo's...I love the barn. 21 grandchildren??? Oh my goodness! have a great time wrapping....just thinking about getting mine done too.

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  2. What a beautiful day to go to the wine country. Hmmm, it is freezing here and we had a few inches of snow last night. It is sticking to the trees so looks like a winter wonderland....that's nice too!!

    Do I understand you that you used walnut shells in your pincushion? Do you buy the shells already ground or do you save all the shells from everyone cracking nuts? Maybe I should save all the debris from the kids cracking walnuts, pecans etc. What kitchen appliance do you use to grind the shells?

    After seeing all your gifts to be wrapped it is a reminder to me to get that done. Need to do that to make sure that everything is here that I intended to buy. Gotta keep it all even!!!

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  3. I have a thing for pincushions! It's adorable.

    Now put on some good music and start wrapping! oh.. and grab a glass of that wine too!

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  4. Good luck with the wrapping. I am sure Christmas will be a lot of fun with all the grandchildren. Love the pincushion. Great job. I especially liked the photo of the barn with the Christmas reef. Happy days.

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  5. Great pictures!
    Have fun wrapping!! Pin cushion is cute!

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  6. Good luck with your wrapping. I still need to get started. I don't have quite as much to do as you, though.

    I wanted to thank you for your encouraging comments on Emily's blog, www.sewingsister.blogspot.com .
    It means a lot to her to have the support of the sewing community. She's been having a lot of fun learning how to sew and sharing her creations with her sewing friends in blog world.

    Hope you have a very Merry Christmas.

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  7. Hi Mary,
    here it is lovely weather too.
    It is -10 celcius= 32 fahrenheit.
    and we have now about 10 inch snow.
    And it is still snowing.
    This afternoon I will write you an long email.
    Sorry I haven't writen earlier
    love Dorine

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  8. Looks like you had a nice day out. Very pretty country.
    No I would not go to visit when there is a tummy bug. Hope they are all well now.
    How cute is you little pincushion.
    Not a good idea to fill it over your cutting board. Why do you use walnut shells???
    Like Dorine I am sorry I have not answered your e-mail yet. Hope to before DD2 comes tomorrow. Okay.
    Happy wrapping for all your grandies.

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  9. Beautiful pictures. I love that little pincushion! I love mini blocks and I love pincushions...I need to make one! :)

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  10. Have fun wrapping! It is quite a job but once you get going it's not so bad...HA HA HA!

    Love your wine country pictures! I enjoy visiting there, but it is SO far from me!

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  11. I have wrapping too, so I guess we'll be wrapping together.

    We're in our home, and we've been blessed with an abundant supply of good helpers, but we've still much to do.

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  12. Great pictures of a wonderful get-away!

    I can't imagine buying for 21 grands - 4 is hard enough. I haven't put anything under the tree because of the littles, but have them stacked in my room. wrapped, without tags or bows or anything yet. It's driving Miss Care Bear crazy. She wants to help me label them and put them under the tree. Maybe Monday night when her mom and aunt go out for their mutual birthdays. I gave them gift cards for Macaroni Grill to celebrate, just the two of them.

    Have fun wrapping!

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  13. 21 grandchildren? Wow. Yes you have a lot to do. We are actually out of town for a little rest and relaxing after the wedding. We are in the Smokey Mountains and have snow and it is 32 degrees here. The wedding was the sweetest wedding I have ever been to. It might be because it was my daughters but everyone that was there said it was wonderful. I hope to catch up reading my favorite blogs and yours is one of them. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas.

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  14. I'd love to have weather with 78 degrees here....hating the snow. Oh, well....nothing I can do about it. YIKES.....to have to wrap during the last few days before Christmas for 21 grandkids is a daunting task. I think whoever suggested you drink some wine is really onto something! LOL

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  15. What a lovely trip up into wine country! Some day I want to see it myself. My friend Ann's daughter lives somewhere in wine country and she says it is just beautiful. I too love the old barn with the wreath on it! If my barn showed more from the road I would have my yard man put lights on it but we would be the only ones to see it so I don't.

    I finally finished my table runner and it came out fairly good. I made a few goofs but oh well.... I will put it in my next post. Now I have another one to finish up and that will take care of my UFO's. I bought a new book of patterns for winter and there are some cute things that I want to do.

    Stomach flu! I don't blame you for staying clear! I hope they all are feeling better really soon!!!!

    I have all of my wrapping done, have been doing a bit each day. If I had 21 grands I don't think I would be done!!!!

    Our evening Christmas music service was tonight and it was just spectacular! The songs were lovely, the back drop was done with lotss of big and small Christmas trees in blue and white and everyone did such a good job. I love the flameless candles that we can put all over the church now and leave the big lights off. It really sets a beautiful atmosphere. I wish I had some for here at home!

    Merry Christmas dear friend, love to you and E!!!! xoxox

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  16. I love the scenic photo...What a great puzzle that would make;) just perfect!

    what a nice and perfect weather day for the wine country!

    My oh my! all that Wrapping!
    how fun ... for you;)
    I have a few things i need to finalize wrapping today! Then i hope i can say DONE!

    love the pin cushion! Cute!

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  17. What awesome photos! Beautiful! 8-)

    Darling little pincushion... Just think, you'll know better for next time when comes time to filling one with Walnut Shells...lol! 8-)

    That is a lot of wrapping you've got to do there! Wow! 8-)

    And Mary, "IF" I get an iRobot Roomba for Christmas, and it works good, I shall be singing about it on my blog for all to know!!!!! lol!! Oh I hope I get one!!! 8-)

    Enjoy your wrapping... 8-)

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  18. 21....oh my! do you have elves to help you? have fun wrapping...it's my favorite part. i'm just starting shopping today...i know...lame, but i can do it!

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  19. Oh Lucky you! 78F!!! Love your pictures especially the sunset!

    Your little pincushion is adorable!

    You better start wrapping! :))

    Have a very merry Christmas!

    Zlaty

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  20. Small or not, those Schnibbles tuffets take all of our work space! :) Your Shoo Fly is darling! Mine turned out backwards (uh... 'cuz I wasn't paying attention!) and I decided to leave it and love it as is!!! :) It felt good!

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  21. have fun when all those packages are UNWRAPPED...have a great holiday

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  22. What a lovely day you had and ho blessed you are with 21 grandchildren!
    Micki

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  23. When Steve & I were in Niagara Falls (which is wine country) a couple of weekends ago, we drove by some of the vineyards and it was kind of sad to see everything so bare. Sounds like you had a wonderful day and I so enjoyed looking at the pictures you took! I just love that simple wreath on the barn!!

    Your little quilted pincushions are so darling! It never ceases to amaze me the beautiful work you do.

    Buying for 21 grands sounds like quite a job but no doubt it's a labour of love:-) I didn't buy very much for Lily this year because she already has way too many toys and has tons of clothes so I just bought her one little toy phone, her yearly ornament and a cheque to put into her college fund account:-)

    It's been so frigid here lately, must let the car run for 15 minutes or so to warm it up! Tomorrow night, Christmas Eve, I want to go to the live Nativity at Science North and I'm hoping it's not as cold since it's all done outside. Corey might come with me:-)

    Enjoy this wonderful time of year! Love you. xoxox

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  24. 78 degrees on December 19th Wow.

    You must have had amazing fun buying all the presents for your Grand children.

    Have a blessed New Year.

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  25. did not get to see Oliver over Christmas as he was sick as was his Dad. Lots of Stomach flu going round here too.

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