The Cats of Christmas Past

I have mentioned before that we foster cats for the Humane Society. I showed you some of my crafting assistants, here.
I thought you might like to see some of the guests at past Christmas celebrations at our house.
We started fostering in 2005, and Tia was here the first year.

In 2006, we had Cupcake with us.

In 2007, Jasmine was here.

2008 bought us Mabel.

Yeap, up the tree again!

In 2009, we had Joy and Jelly Bean. This was not their present, but they wanted it anyway!

In 2010,  Marilyn climbed the tree, and helped unwrap the presents.

Last year, Suzie and Red (and Wink and Blink) made Christmas lively.

In early December this year we had Fluffy and Beanie, who helped with the tree decoration.

However, they have gone on to new homes and we now have Asher. He is really cute, but we haven't caught him playing with the tree, yet. Here he is just looking cute. He is Cat 114 of our fostering experience.

Hope you had as much fun at your house.

Thanks, Heather, I think...

Heather, over at Books and Quilts, is having a link party for tree skirts. This reminded me that I have a tree skirt that I started a couple of years ago, but sadly, haven't finished. You know how it goes: you don't get it done before the tree goes up, then you are too busy to finish, then after Christmas, other projects take priority, since this one doesn't need to be done until next Christmas.
Here is my progress so far.

The rows are done, but not yet sewn together. Since the kids aren't home for Christmas, and there is just the two of us and the pets, I could probably finish this over the next week. After all, what else do I have to do except cook, eat, and knit (while watching Christmas specials). Then it would be done for next year, right.

There is only one tiny problem. I can't find the backing! I know I bought it, and it is from the same fabric line as the rest of the skirt (the skirt was a kit from Connecting Threads). Everything else is in the bag, even the scraps from the blocks, but the backing is MIA. Of course, I have other fabric I can use for the back, but if I do that the backing fabric will turn up, as soon as I finish. Then, what will I do with 3 m of fabric with snowflakes on it?

Meanwhile, there is a skirt under my tree that I bought at the Boxing Day sales at Canadian Tire when the kids were little. It is looking well loved. Here it is a couple of years ago with the Christmas foster cats.

Finished...With Time to Spare!

I have been knitting madly, to get Christmas presents finished. I would like to thank my doctor's office, last week, who kindly gave me an hour and a half of uninterrupted knitting. Of course, the other people in the waiting room where not as thankful as I was, because they forgot their knitting.

Some of this was sent on its way, in a parcel, yesterday, and might even make it by Christmas.

Here are the pictures, with no indication of the recipient, lest they read my blog (although I don't think they do).

First some Peter Pan slippers.

Next, some lovely, soft, alpaca socks.

And a hat and mitten set.

Warm hugs for some of my favourite people.

Meanwhile, the girls and I have been doing some decorating.

Fluffy was a huge help.

I think we need a red ball over here.

Beanie preferred to supervise and enjoy the fire.

Beanie is too cool to help.

Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love from our house to yours.

Kate

An Ugly Sweater?

A young friend is having an ugly sweater contest in her office. After we determined that my wardrobe doesn't contain anything that could be even vaguely called "ugly", we set about to create something.

I had given her some earrings that were cats, wearing Santa hats, so we thought this would be the idea we would go with. After a morning's work, we showed what we had to the males around here, and they told us that if our mission was ugly, we had failed. It was just too darn cute!

I finished it, and turned it into a little wall hanging, for her cubicle at work. I pulled the backing around to the front to make a faux binding and I am not completely happy with how it came out, but she loves it, so it is off to work.

Not so Ugly Cat

Our second attempt involved some old fabric panel appliques, some Stitch Witchery and some fabric paint, left over from my glitter paint period, when my kids were much smaller. The sweat shirt underneath was in my pile to go to the thrift store and has a coffee stain on it. We figured that it added to the general feel of the piece. Don't you think the colours clash perfectly!

The misalignment of the appliques add to the character, I think.

And Santa Bear is on crooked.

I think she was a little subdued with the paint, but she was quite happy with the results. We will see if it is ugly enough to win a prize on Friday.

Update: The sweater took Third Place in the contest!!! 

Snowball Auditions

A couple of years ago, I was given a Laurel Birch panel called "Bountiful Blessings". If you haven't seen it, this is the top half.

It is wonderful and bright, full of many of my favourite colours, and of course, from my favourite designer.
I put it away after Christmas, and it was forgotten last year, until too close to Christmas, so this year, I am determined to make into a wall hanging.
Yesterday, I pulled out my stash of Laurel Birch fabric, and selected some to go with the panel.
This will have to be part of it, but I am not sure how.

And I think I will make some snowball blocks. Three inches seemed like a good size, so I cut some 3 1/2" squares .

Yep, I have a good selection. Doesn't that purple just scream Advent!

Today I was auditioning sizes to use for the corners.

I think the ones on the bottom are just right, so now I am off to cut a bunch of 1 1/4" squares to sew on the corners.
Meanwhile, Mini, my grandcat, got her Advent calendar in the mail and sent me a picture of moving the mouse.

I hope she put it into the right pocket. I am not sure how well she counts, since she is only 9 months.
And her are all of my decorations.

I put on the pointsetta table cloth, and lit the first advent candle.

Journeying hopefully, Kate