Busy hands...

The book I've selected for this week is "pretty little pincushions" from Lark Books. It is a compilation of projects by many different contributors. The book is full of pincushions of all kinds - I think you could make one a week and never run out of ideas from this book! I'm planning on making the ones on the cover from the scraps of felted sweaters I have left from other projects.

On another front, the new issue of Belle Armoire includes an article about a round robin project I participated in. We all made capes and passed them around for embellishment. The article includes plenty of photos, check it out! It was a fun project and I love my finished cape.

I spent much of my weekend baking Christmas cookies. My Mom used to make hundreds of cookies every year, always making sure to bake everyone's favorites. After Mom passed away, I made cookbooks for everyone using Mom's recipe cards - I photocopied them so they would have her handwritten versions, including little notes in the borders. They were put into blue notebooks with a collage on the cover that included photos of Mom's dining room and kitchen. It is a treasure and a reminder of her love. It was nice for me to spend part of my weekend following her baking tradition.

I am still working on the quilt from the "Crossroads" book. I've got it pinned up on my design wall and have spent a lot of time re-arranging the strips. I keep thinking I'm satisfied with it so I take a photo and prepare to stitch the pieces together... then I leave the room for the night, revisiting the next evening after work... and change my mind! It remains a work in progress though I think I'm almost there...

In the meantime, I'm going to move forward with new books & projects. Check back next week to see what my little pincushions look like!

Until then, I wish you & yours a beautiful Holiday season - whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanza, I hope you have joy-filled times with your family and friends. Spending time with those you love and making special memories is a lovely way to wrap up a busy year.