NEW YEAR GOALS - PREVIEW

As I stated in an earlier post, finishing UFO's is one of my 2 main goals for the New Year.
It is going to be a huge undertaking as I keep finding partially done projects.  It will be a daunting task.

Here is a sneak peak of one block of one project I came across.  Put it this way, there are going to be a lot of people getting quilts NEXT Christmas...

I have come across interesting things so far this Christmas season.  I thought I would share.  I took photos with my phone.  Sometimes I wish that I had a flash, because the photos don't always turn out so great.  But I hope that despite the quality, you will still enjoy looking at them.

Last week I went to my favorite quilt shop MILLER'S DRY GOODS .  They had a tree in the shop and it was decorated with notions and these little Moda strips

I thought it was really cute.. an idea you could do yourself if so inclined.  No, I haven't put up my tree yet, and as time wears on.. I figure, why bother?

Another thing in the shop was this quilt made out of Minkee. What a wonderfully soft and expensive quilt to make for a favorite person.

I went to my husband to a Christmas party at a friend/ co-workers home.  Dianne always goes all out decorating for the holiday.  I just love visiting and for a short time.. until I walk out of the door to go home, I think that I should do the same thing.  This year was a bear themed Christmas

First off, she picked up this fully decorated tree, for pennies a couple of years ago.  I have to say it was a conversation starter.

This is one half of her mantle.  The entire mantle loaded with Boyd's bears.  Notice that iron stand on the right?

Baskets of bears.

She had this gigantic bear.  She said she bought it because the ladies at the Hallmark store said the bear's name was 'Duke", and since she is a John Wayne fan, she just had to buy him.  I decided not to tell her that the bear's name tag didn't say Duke...

 

Another room, another tree, and a wagon of bears.

This is one side of the dining room.  3 trees on one side, and one on the other side of the window.

It was just lovely and cozy.  I adored all of it.  But me being me, the first thing I thought of is how much money she spent on just the bears ( I have a few.  I love them, but I am practical)

The other thing I thought of is how much time it took to decorate, and ultimately un-decorate, and  considering other themes have been snowmen, I wonder what her attic looks like.

I would love to have her energy and enthusiasm, or her husband, that pitches in to help.

Seen in a gift shop window:

Gee... a Christmas Rat.