great planning technique, rosemary - i'm definitely adopting that one!

my main problem at the moment: what to name my new car - i'll get him (yes it's a he) in a week - and he'll need a name - i already have the obligatory canadian flag to put on the bumper!
my previous cars:
my dad's oldsmobile that i learned to drive with: angus (named after angus young of AC/DC)
my little Chevrolet Chevette that i used for college: Billy
my first car in switzerland - an old mazda i bought off my grandfather: Johnny
Johnny was killed by an old lady who tried to commit suicide by leaping off the roof - unfortunately she didn't look down first and landed on Johnny - Johnny dead - lady only broke a rib - when i went to visit her in hospital she yelled at me for saving her life - last time i do that! (and then the insurance would't pay for the car because "suicide is exempt"!
my first brand new car, a little mazda 323 - love, love, love, loved that car: Johnny-two
Johnny-two was murdered by my mom when she fell asleep at the wheel (never ever ever drive when you're too tired - pull over and have a rest - call a taxi - call a friend - take a hotel room - sleep in the car - it is all much much much cheaper than a new car / the replacement of the motorcycle that gets hit on the way / the replacement of the motorcyclists knee that needs to be reconstructed because it got tangled up in the rear bumper / the cost of the motorcyclists salary because he couldn't work for a year - oh yes - the insurance did pay - but there is that ten to 95% of the cost the insurance can get back from you - NEVER EVER EVER EVER drive with alcohol or drugs in you (then the part you pay is much closer to the 95 %), with the tiredness we/my mom were/was very very very lucky and only got stuck with the minimum of 10%).
Sam: was a second hand Opel (Vauxhall) Vectra i got to replace Johnny-two - needed a new car quick - and one where i could put a wheelchair in the trunk and have the back-seat passenger(s) get out to help my grandmother get out of the car and into the wheelchair...
sam rusted away on me and needed to be "buried" 4 years ago. sam was also the first car i owned that did not have a violent death (angus was driven by my younger brother without "noticing" that the oil light is on - motor dead; billy was a gear-shifted car - my mom being used to automatics "non-shifted" the transmission death; johnny and johnny-two you already read about...).
shortly after sam needed to be put down, i inherited my aunt's old subaru: Pepe-le-Pew - yes he was named after the Cartoon Skunk Pepe-le-Pew - because he "smelled".
and now it's poor old Pepe's time to go - he'll be given his final rest next week and he'll be replaced with a brand-spankin'-new Ford Fiesta Titanium... but what to name him, here a few ideas:
Timmy
Mike
Rick (of Casablanca fame?)
Jimmy (i kind of like this - Jimmy the feisty fiesta...)
any ideas?

I don't know how people in Italy exchange gifts nowadays (because my Italian relatives exchange gifts at midnight on Christmas eve, unlike what they did a few decades ago), but when I was growing up there, on the eve of the Epiphany (5 January), the Befana (kind of a good witch would come along and fill our stockings (actually socks), with candies and small gifts, or a lump of coal if we had been too naughty during the year, so gift exchange happened on 6 January. In parts of southern Italy, the exchange was tied to the arrival of the three Magi (wise men) bearing gifts. So, Maureen, this might be a good way to extend the gift preparation period... just trying to think creatively!

Hey Maureen, if you don't manage to get it done by the 24th, just remember you will have lots of spare time after christmas to finish things up in I've been using this planning technique for years and it works for me

I hope everyone is feeling a bit better now. Lottie, enjoy your new car.
Everyone is sounding quite busy. I have been stitching fabric to be dipped in the Indigo vat in my garage but have had to put the dipping off at the moment as it is so cold here that my vat died. I will need to use the one at the Studio after the holidays. In-between shibori stitching I have been making a few small items as stocking fillers. Some small Japanese drawstring bags and a few pouches to carry chargers and plugs in. Just one more to make and they are done. I am also making a wall hanging for my daughter; hopefully I will finish that by Christmas.

Wendy, You crack me up, big time! Lotti, I see no evil in your smiles! I hope everyone gets well and on with their Xmas projects. I need to get started on Christmas. I am way, way behind. Hope I have some photographic evidence of having gotten started by the end of the day. I love that everyone is sharing what they are up too. Rosemary, I'd like to see the ornaments you are making. Lotti, do we get to see your brother's birthday quilt? Please! Rita, you mentioned some Christmas projects. I am missing others and certainly don't mean too. Let's share our Christmas preps since we can't talk "Whisper Quilts".

Congratulations on your new car, Lotti, and all the other new goodies you will start the new year with. Wendy is right, you look way too happy with a chain saw in your hands... stick to Bernie! Happy holidays!

get well quick ladies - santa is just around the corner and the winter on his heels

i JUST BOUGHT A NEW CAR - literally just - said yes at 11:15 this morning - only just walked back into the office from a short trip to the bank to arrange for the money to be transferred tomorrow - so all paid ! :shock:
now have to arrange for the insurance and should get my new little fiesta in a week or so - just in time for xmas

it's been an expensive 2013 - but hey - now all set for the next 15 or so years: new car - new sewing machine - new toothbrush - new suitcase; whatever else could one possibly need (please don't tell me - or my empty bank account will have a major snit-fit)

now i'll have to make sure all my bday & xmas prezzies come in fabric & thread form

I've been making some little tree ornaments. Got my maths completely wrong and ended up making far more that I planned, still I am sure I will find homes for them all eventually. Trying to catch up with my Gimp class, done a little bit more planning to my reels, had to do some unpicking on the made up reels, because I decided that some of them need to be the narrow width for the border, so now they are waiting to be trimmed and re-sewn Trying to get organised for christmas. If I hadn't eaten cake for the last 2 Saturdays in a row I would probably be at 10 stone (or maybe even under :shock: ) instead of 10 stone 4 and getting a bit fed up with a sore throat which has been hanging about for a week.

Stick to the sewing machine Lotti, you look way too happy with a chain saw in your hands

Hope you poorly people feel better soon xx

My older brother has his 50th b-day tomorrow, andI decided on my birthday that he's getting a quilt... Had a few little issues with Bernie, all fixed, and hope to finish on the weekend, he'll get an 'in process pic on his card... Busy at work getting a soup day ( raised just over 1000 $ for caritas projects to supply clean water), st. Nicholas day and our office Xmas tree set up.



This Friday is our office Xmas dinner, then I can get back to regular work, finish up the year end budgets, get next year's marketing budget fixed and approved... Will not be bored in next few weeks...
And, never buy a car in December, it's been so hard getting cars to test drive as we've had so much fresh snow and tons of road accidents, but yesterday we managed ( of course it was snowing again, but we managed to go out before there was too much on the roads, and today is probably the day I buy a new car - well commit to the purchase and arrange full payment (ouch), then it'll be a few days till all the insurance and everything is sorted! But I'll have my new car for Xmas and won't be stranded without a sled as I need to scrap the old one by end next week.

I've been scurrying to finish Christmas gifts and had a little tussle with illness myself, although mine was the stomach variety. It was my turn since it's been 4 or 5 years since my last illness, but it took several unexpected days away from my elf work so I've been in a bit of a tizzy since. I leave for home (Kansas City) on Sat, 12/22 so I only have 1 weekend left to finish things, so I need to keep my nose to the grindstone! But it'll all work out in the end....

Nancy

Sorry to hear you've been under the weather, Rita...but sounds as tho' projects are cruising along!!
I love hearing what everyone is up to in their lives ! I put my spools aside for a bit...still not sure how
to set them and not end up with a quilt bigger than I want ! Have some Christmas gifts to finish wrapping
and packaging for the post. Sewing group gathering on Weds. lunch and gift exchange...will be a nice
afternoon. Temps are cooling some but still no snow to speak of...Skiers are unhappy ! Oh well..not scooping !

Marilynn, I was out in your neck of the woods being very busy playing with 20 month old Zachary. Before I left for that trip I got roped into designing and making banners to be used in the Advent and Christmas Eve worship services for my church. It was rather a last minute request. I don't know why I think I can just whip stuff out. I am so bad at figuring out how long something will take to get done. They turned out well, but I was worried about getting them done before I left town. Just before I left I was able to complete the introduction assignment for Fabric Fancification, as well as, cut out the applique pieces and today I worked on that just a bit more. Now I need to make my home look like Christmas and I need to start my Christmas shopping. Good luck with your "Whisper" quilt Marilynn.

Keep thinking of you Marilyn but didn't want to disturb you in your creative phase.