~ Every One Indeed ~

So ... it's crunch time, people. In one week my belongings will be on a truck. It's been a crazy December to say the least, but I am bound and determined to remember to celebrate December for exactly what it is: Jolly and Joyful and ... Blessed.

So I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, knowing we won't be in touch until sometime in the New Year. I am very excited for my New Life in my New State in the New Year. But don't think for one minute that I'm not counting my blessings from This Year. Such as ...

* I have travelled all over the country to see all of my children and grandchildren ... and they have travelled to see me.
* I have enjoyed the company of fabulous friends who have done way more for me than they should have ... but I must admit that I couldn't have done it without them.
* I have been blessed from the start to finish (and we're not finished yet, but I'm feelin' the blessings in the midst of the [back breaking] process) of this move.
* I have felt and heard and received 100% support from every single person I have spoken to about my new plans ... even though lots of those people were less than thrilled that I was leaving.

* I am spending Christmas with (most) of my children (the others are so tightly packed in my heart ... it's like they are right here) who will forgo the after-Christmas sales and other forms of relaxation to help me pack, clean and drive.
* I have lived such a wonderful life here in the Land of AZ that it's heartbreaking to leave.
* I am so excited about the future that I'm thrilled to leave.
* I have been kept from going completely bonkers despite the aforementioned conflicting emotions.
* I feel love and support from the PDaddy.
* Ditto for that Baby in a Manger.

Try not to forget about me all together until we are next in touch.

Love,
~ Mary ~

~ Calm amid the Chaos ~

So ... I have judiciously chosen not to show you more of the chaos. Trust me ... it isn't pretty. But I do love my teeny weeny little center of Christmas that helps to keep me from freaking out altogether.

Oh yeah, that and the bounty of friends who are guiding me through the baby steps of this move until family gathers next week.

Yep ... there's no place like home for the holidays. And don't get me wrong ... it is still home.

~ Sounds of the Season ~

Bah.

Hum.

Bug.

Oooooh ... fa la la la la, la la la ... la.

(It's nice to know that there is more to Christmas than boxes ... wrapped or not.)

~ I'm dreaming of a ... boxed ... Christmas ~

So ... it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas all right, but let's just say that the view is much better at the Gee's house than my own. I am considering stacking my boxes in a tree-like shape and draping a green blanket over them. What do you think?

I sure had fun being "roommates" with this Li'l Guy, who took his tree decorating duties very ... very ... seriously. ("Mom! Is it time to decoration the tree yet?!")

His Li'l Sis looked on and gave occasional critiques, utilizing her uber high fashion tastes.

And some spit-up.

I do plan to create a small, peaceful Christmas area amidst all the chaos. I do believe that was the purpose of the stable, was it not?

I wish you all a lovely season and the chance to decoration to your hearts content.

It's Beginning to look a LOT ...

So ... remember how I wouldn't do anything in my sewing room because I didn't want to mess it up and then how I sold my house and immediately messed it up big time??

Yeah, that's what I did. But, trust me, it was worth it.

I agreed to do one more sample for my BC Quilter's Club that would serve as the November/December project. The minute I agreed, I realized that it could prove to be a rather idiotic mistake seeing as I really, really need to keep packing and I already took that little New York detour.

I tried to make up for it by simplifying the applique portion of the pattern (found in Lori Smith's Fat Quarter Quilting on page 46) ... and that did help, I'll admit. I also just plowed through and did the lion's share of the work in one day ... something I rarely do ... and something my lower back informed me just last night was not something I should ever, ever do again.

On top of that, I finished one more project (to be shown later). One more, Arizona grown project. The best part of all is that the 24/7 Christmas music has started in my town and I listened to it the entire time.

And to those who scoff at the wisdom of playing Christmas music in the middle of November, I say ...

Be very, very careful ... Bing is listening.

~ I {Heart} New York ~

So ... don't think for one single minute that my lack of blogging activity is due to my need to pack, organize and ... pack.

No sirree ... in the middle of the TONS of things to do right now, I took a week off and spent some time with friends and family in NYC.

I have not a single regret and I do have a plethora of fabulous memories. (I won't say exactly how many of them involve food, but just think ... plethora.)

The occasion for our trip was the 20th Friend-a-versary of my daughter, Mrs. Dub and her bestie, Mrs. Jay. Mrs. Jay's mother ... my bestie ... rounded out our foursome. Sonny Boy and the Mrs. served as our local tour guides. And by "tour guides", I also mean "heavenly food guides."

But don't be expecting much from me in the near future.

Seriously ... I have GOT to pack.

The Big Reveal

So ... I have hinted for sometime about a "project" in my life that has caused me a bit of anguish not to mention the inability to mess up my sewing room. My back has been sore but my faucets have nary a drop on them. Can you guess what my project is??

Yep.

I put my house up for sale.

After almost 20 years in this house, I am moving to something small and fun and cozy. Like ... half as small. Like ... "downsizing" has been the key word for over 4 months. Four long box-filling, charity-giving, trash-overflowing, paper-shredding months.

What this picture above doesn't reveal ... is the SOLD sign.

Yep ... it's a done deal. I will move in a couple of months.

"To where?" you innocently ask.

What you don't realize is that I have been giving you hints for some time now. Haven't you noticed a distinct increase in ocean -related posts? Haven't you noticed my obsession with all things blue and beachy? Do you know I'll be just a short hop from the Gees? Can you guess?

Sigh.

~ Costume Gems ~

So ... I'm sorry to run this grandchild thing into the ground but ... please. When you have an Asian Princess, a Cowboy, a Flower and a Ladybug as cute as these, they demand to be seen.

(And if they were at your door, they would demand you give them some candy.)

Since they are not at your door, I see two alternatives:

1) Send me the candy ... or ...

2) Indulge in the eye candy for yourself.

Happy Nanny Day to Me!

So ... today marks four whole years that I have been "Nanny". In other words ... today is Miss Dub1's birthday. Her fourth birthday. Four years that I have been the luckiest Nanny in the whole wide world. Happy Birthday to my precious Dubster! You are smart and funny and wise and talented. I. Love. You. I love this picture above which so accurately depicts her "Pippi Longstocking-ness". It seems to say, "I have got some serious moxie going on here."

Since I am celebrating my Nannyhood, let's see what the others have to say:

Miss Dub2: "Yes, I am a lovely fairy princess who just happens to indulge in the occasional marker for a snack."

L'il Miss Gee: "Power to the Babies!"

Lil Mr. Gee: "Seriously ... what IS that smell?!?"

I sure do love being Nanny. Can you really blame me?

~ Coral Singing ~

So ... furthering my goal to keep my sewing room neat and tidy ... I have resorted to hand work.

Specifically, hand applique on these colorful blocks ... the final design/destination of which is still a big mystery to me.

I just like 'em.

And you?

~She told me so ~

So ... you may have noticed (if you actually care and you may or may not ... care) that there has been a distinct lack of posts about sewing. Or anything else that is interesting. Truth be told I sort of packed everything up when I had my sewing room painted over a month ago (do you miss that pink and green stencil from the early 90's?) and I haven't had the heart or the gumption to find everything I need. Or to mess it up.

Or to sew.

But I did have this one project on my to-do list that was mentioned here. It involves miles of sewing straight satin stitched lines on a bedskirt.

Mi-les.

When I first blogged about this project, my oldest daughter warned me that it would be the most boring project ever.

E-ver.

And boy, was she right. Of course this is the girl who would not be deterred by such a project, and in fact when faced with one ... taught her Bernina to Sew. By. Itself.

The proof is here. See for yourself.

And I don't know which is worse ... the fact that she can so honestly tell me "I told you so" or that I never could find my seam ripper and had to resort to using my embroidery scissors instead.

Huuummmph. I should have just left well enough alone. That room was so dang clean before I started messing with it.

Please tell me it will be worth it.

~ Fall Forward ~

So ... I hope I'm not premature in saying so but ... believe it or not ... we may actually be saying good-bye to the blasted heat that was the Summer of 2010, here in the Land of AZ. Last week: still in the triple digits. This week: rockin' the 80's. You won't hear too many people bemoaning the absence of the 90's in this equation. Let's face it, the 90's are so overrated.

This evening we are even enjoying a bit of light rain. Not summer "the wind blew my neighbor's pool into my pool**" monsoon rains, but a lovely light mist.

Along with the aforementioned advantages to Fall, look what I picked up today at Marshall's on sale because of it's obvious summer overtones? Sweet. (You know how much I love dots! And you know how much I love blue!)

Welcome Fall. Please don't toy with my emotions and revert to your old sweltering ways. Please don't make me beg.

'Cause I will.

** There was an evening this summer when I came home to find a rather large inflated child's pool ... floating in my pool. No lie. Some of my patio furniture was also at the bottom of the pool. It was a pretty big day for my pool.

~ OCD: One Crafty Diva ~

So ... my friend Kelley ... aka Glamma Fabulous has started an Etsy Shop. Kelley loves Halloween like no one I know, in fact it just may border on the weird. But who cares! She has channeled her obsession into these fabulous paper mache pumpkins and as you can see no detail has been left unaddressed. Go ahead ... you know you want one. Just click here.

Then start your own Halloween obsession. It's the perfect time of year for it.