12/23/14

Furry Cats and Cat Quilts

The grocery store was a madhouse yesterday, made worse by the elves that populated the aisles, nooks, and crannies doing their restocking. The greater madness, liberally seasoned with sheer panic, is yet to come. I'm glad to have gone yesterday and escaped to the safety of the Three Cats Ranch. I won't be venturing out again until after Santa has come and gone.

When I got home from the grocery store yesterday, I had a few housekeeping tasks to do before getting to work on my sewing. I finished the rest of the applique on the Quilter's Helper mini.


The top-stitching was all marked and mostly stitched when I had to stop for the day.


Today I need to finish stitching the eyes and nose, and then the spools of thread and the pincushion. The cat was the most detailed part, and so I'm thinking this one is close to being finished. I still need to add borders to it as well.

This morning, I finished all the embroidery on the stitchery I've been working on.


We're heading over to Bend on Saturday where I'll give this as a housewarming gift for some friends, and so I need to finish this up today as well. It shouldn't take too long

Smitty had the worst day of his life yesterday. He brought in a mouse yesterday morning, took it downstairs to the sewing room (as is his very bad habit), and then immediately lost it under the doors to the utility closet (also his very bad habit). He sat  there all day, taking an occasional break to come beg for kitty treats, then returning to this very serious mouse-monitoring mission of his.


He worked all day until he'd practically worked his paws to the bone.


Then, wouldn't you know it? Dad came home, caught the mouse and took it outside. All that work...all day long...and not a thing to show for it. Rats! I mean, Mousies!

Today I'm baking a cranberry cheesecake for our dessert tomorrow, and I'll probably make a white bean dip too. We are a Christmas Eve celebrating family, and so our dinner is tomorrow. The tradition originated with my family. We always opened gifts under the tree on Christmas Eve, and when I still believed in Santa, there was more loot the next morning. That, of course, was the stuff Santa and the reindeer brought during the night while I was sleeping. It's worked out well for the adults of the family because it makes it easier to divide one's inlaw time.

For our dinner tomorrow, Matthew and Valerie are bringing an appetizer and Erik and Mae are bringing a salad. I'm making some roasted root vegetables, mashed potatoes, and a prime rib roast, as well as some Burgundy mushrooms that will stew on the stovetop all day tomorrow. Since we are all gainfully-employed adults now, we've given up the gift exchange for the first time this year, opting instead to plan a family weekend together. It's an experiment, and so I'm hopeful we can make it work.

How are your Christmas plans shaping up?

13 comments:

beaquilter said...

adorable block, just raw edge?? looks great

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Love the kitty block! Cranberry Cheesecake - oh, my that sounds good. I do like the blackwork with the bit of color better than the plain. Yes, mousies loose in the housie - know that game. Although I had a bunny yesterday - a lot easier to catch than a mouse.

Teresa in Music City said...

I have that book and have put aside fabrics to make a quilt from it someday ... who knows when? LOL!!! Lovely little stitchery :) Poor Smitty... maybe Santa Paws will bring him a shiny new mousie for Christmas?

Linda M @ Pieceful Kingdom said...

The mini is turning out great. I have had that same book for several years but haven't made anything from it yet. Our Christmas is usually quiet too...just the three of use and my MIL. Have a wonderful Christmas!

Snoodles said...

Love that project with so much purrrsonality! Merry Christmas!

WoolenSails said...

Love both projects, you are always working on something fun. I need to clean out my room and reorganize the ufo's and things i want to start and make a plan.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful CHristmas.

Debbie

Christine M said...

Your cat looks wonderful, Barbara. Wishing you a Merry Christmas. Hugs, Christine

Sher S. said...

love your Book It quilt, sure looks like someone we know and love in spite of the mousies. I had a little green frog in the house a month ago but he left willingly by hopping out the door that was open just for him. Just had our daughter and 3 grandsons here for 8 days, now to recover from all that we did. Christmas will be very quiet this year, no one is coming due to our move across the country. That means I can play with my accuquilt that I got from our daughters.

Scooquilt said...

Love Smitty's quandery, happens here a lot. Interested to know more about your lack of gift exchange. On the cusp of that here, w DS on college and elderly Mom. A wonderful season except for all that buying and wrapping, you know?

Kate said...

You are moving right along on both projects. Your kitty looks great.

We do the Christmas Eve gift opening as well. This year we won't be doing the in-laws since my MIL passed last September. It's going to be a sad year for My Guy.

Carol Swift said...

The kitty is beautiful...both the applique and the real one! Your stitchery is looking amazing, too. Merry Christmas!

quiltzyx said...

I do hope that Smitty's paws have recovered & that Santa brought him something good!
The kitty block is turning out so cute - and love the stitchery! The red adds just the right touch.
Spent Christmas Eve hanging out with BIL Walter & then Judy when she got home from work. Made some fudge for the first time that will be gifted tomorrow when we go to my nephew Jeremy's home.

Merry Christmas my friend!

Brown Family said...

Your Smitty Kitty quilt is looking good! He was really worried about his mouse!