Monday, December 28, 2009

Christmas Wrap-Up


Hope your holidays are going well.  We had quite a nice (and very White) Christmas here in Maryland.  This is how we spent it.    First, we did some grilling:


Then, off for a bike ride:


Finally, we just relaxed on the deck:


We probably got about 22 inches of snow on the weekend of the 19th. Made for lots of sledding fun for the kiddos - even your very own Cupcake went down the hill a few times (yes, I'm a big kid at heart).  We're lucky - this hill is right behind our house, at the high school.  We got there early!



Here are a few crafty things I couldn't show because they were presents:
The In-Law Quilt That Almost Wasn't
(see Podcast Episode 20)


And Cupcake, the Sock Monkey for my sis:


And, finally, if anyone has successfully made a gingerbread house (and you're not Martha), I'd like to know about it.  I even got the "EZ Build" that claimed to be idiot-proof with a base for holding up the sides.  It started out great, as shown below:

Then, things went horribly awry, and it ended as all my GB houses have - it was condemned, and the eating crews were called in:

I'm hoping to get alot of crafting done this week - how about you?  Any big crafty plans to share?

6 comments:

Ellyn said...

I have started 3 new projects in the last three days & I need to STOP or nothing will get finished! I am appliqueing heart blocks for a swap, crocheting a little bag & designing a birthday placemat. whew. I'm tired just saying it!

raebethriv said...

I've done many GB houses in the past. The last 3 years I've done the mini ones w/ my girls & their friends. Royal icing made w/ Wilton's merange powder has to be stiff enough to work like a dryer thick glue, not an elmer's glue consistency. I make them out of graham crackers. They are big enough for a couple hours of decorating fun!
I enjoy listening to your podcast since just finding it recently. About the Apron dance at weddings that you mentioned many podcasts ago, I am of Polish decent & we did it at our weddings when the bridal veil comes off & the apron goes on signifying that you are now a housewife, not a bride. Pretty sick, huh? Baby charms & tiny pots & pans were traditionally tied to it. My mother put babies & airplanes on mine, I was a flight attendant at the time.
The Best to You in 2010!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Jean! We got around 16 inches in my part of Southern Maryland. Made for an interesting weekend. Your in-law's quilt turned out great, I'm sure they loved it! Happy Crafting in the New Year!
TiffanyfromMD

dokiquilts said...

hello! i'm also a fan of your podcast--thanks so much for doing all that work for us :-) re: gingerbread house--the key is to let the frosting set when building the house. i usually build the house the night before decorating it to make sure the frosting gets rock hard. i learned the hard way when a couple of years ago, built the gingerbread house right before the decorating party and had to deal with the sliding roofs and falling down walls while trying to placate the 3 year olds who wanted to work on the house RIGHT NOW :-)

Karen said...

omg...love love love the purple and green quilt.....great colors!!!

Robyn said...

I love that quilt!!!!!