Merry Christmas Morning!

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Sssshhhhh!!!!!  It's 10:15 AM, and the house is completely quiet!  That's the thing about teenagers; they sleep in and give Santa a break.  However, due to the fact that I have to "clock in" at my desk at noon, present time has to wait until 6:00 PM!  That's the breaks.  You snooze, you lose --- just a few hours though.  

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We had a great Christmas Eve with friends who come by each year.  The house was cozy and warm.  Now, though, it is raining cats and dogs!  In six hours, the road outside is flooded.  However, I'm glad we aren't in the midwest with the snow and blizzards!  If you are there, I hope you and your family are safe and happy together.  Cheers! 

Actually, I hear my peeps coming down the hall .... Show time! 

Christmas At The Chisholms

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Welcome!  The Chisholms are ready for the holidays now.  The decorations are up.  We have a beautiful tree.  Goodies are being put together, and packages prepared for friends.  Even though it didn't feel like I was on top of our family and friends preparations, I guess I have been stockpiling and preparing all along.  After the last order was sent out on Friday, everything came together pretty quick around here. 
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This arrived in the mail on Thursday.  It's my Turning 20 quilt all quilted up!  Originally, I just wanted the stipple effect, but Margaret at Q4 has been honing her skills and wanted to try some feather and swirls (I think).  I gave her carte blanche and said go with it!  I plan to bind it as soon as I can!  However, my daughter absconded the unfinished quilt nearly immediately and snuggled under it all night.  After she went to bed, I folded it right up and put it away. 

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See how pretty my foyer scape is?  It's all about Gai and the tablerunner and other treats she sent when we participated in a Christmas in July swap this summer.  She embroidered and quilted a tablerunner, and she embroidered the sweet little doorhanger you see on the closet handle.  Perfect! 
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Look a little closer, and you can see my brothers and me one Christmas way back in the 1970s! 

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Today I'm off with my visiting father for a little shopping and drop-ins at friends.  Then more squirreling away in the studio still putting together my gifts for husband and children, which I think are coming along well.  I'm hoping for a little downtime over the weekend to catch up on the 1000+ blog posts on my Reader to see what I have missed these busy weeks. 

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Peaceful and Happy Holiday! 

One Week Countdown

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Hello!  One week before Christmas, and my house still looks like a messy Thanksgiving just passed!  My dated goals are long since missed now.  The calicodaisy holiday business has done well this year, but everything has taken a lot more time than I ever dreamed when creating my to-do list.  So, there is a beautiful tree standing in the family room since Saturday undecorated!  There are Christmas cards unopened in a stack waiting for me to open and place in the proper Christmas card viewing area.  There is a box of cards ready to be addressed and signed still waiting to be addressed and signed.  My dad has been here visiting for one week today and has been watching the mad rush of a family in this season running in and out all day and night for business, work, parties, shopping, school, groceries, fabric store, office store, post office, post office, post office, post office.  The last package is mailed now.  Today is the last day of high school. 

As the mother and Queen of this household, I decree:  TONIGHT EVERYONE WILL STAY HOME AND CREATE A LOVELY CHRISTMAS ATMOSPHERE -- WHETHER HE OR SHE WANTS TO OR NOT!!!  Thank you. 

On another note, here are some wise words that you might remind me of next year but may take heed and keep in mind this year: 

1.  It takes longer than you think.  As noted above, I've missed all my early finish dates. 

2.  TRACK THE PACKAGES YOU MAIL OUT!!!  Okay, there is an awful story to go along with this.  Would you please say a little prayer today that there are extra deliveries today to the actual post office where this should arrive, so that my new lovely customer can at least go by the post office and pick up the Priority mailed box sent on Monday but needed to be there yesterday for her Christmas party tonight?  Oh, my goodness.  I always track and insure packages, especially one this important and expensive.  Monday, there was a new gal at the counter, and she was worried about tagging the large box with Priority and didn't go through the normal questions of - Do you want to insure?  Do you want to track?  All I was thinking about was getting this package on its way on time and then getting on with the rest of the day's work.  It's not there!  It can't be tracked!  My friend is a post office carrier here, and she told me to call ahead this morning to the receiving post office and see if the carrier has the box ready to be delivered.  The post office person was as kind as she could be, and I heard her speak to the carrier, and he doesn't have my package.  However, my gal is receiving the package she ordered from NY just not from me this morning.  Remember, don't forget to ask for tracking and spend the 70 cents and TRACK YOUR PACKAGE!!!! 

EDIT, EDIT:  I called the Peoria post office again just now to see if an extra delivery was made today.  The woman who answered the phone told me that as they sorted the shipment, one of them spotted the street address of my package and pulled it!  They called the carrier back or sent a runner, and the box will be delivered today.  Whew!  Now we know how one might track a package without a tracking number, but don't let that happen to you.  Give up the 70 cents and track the thing! 
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Alrighty.  All I want to do is sit here and blog and see all the great last minute ideas, but I'm off to the .... go ahead and guess .... the post office again.  This time it's personal business.  But I will pin the above badge on my chest to be sure MY PACKAGE IS TRACKED!!!!  Feel free to make one for yourself as a reminder. 

A Good Read and 2 WIPs Complete

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The December issue of Country Living is a good one.  There are some great ideas for crafting your own Christmas and baking your own, too.  I'm loving those yellow walls in the photo. 
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Here are some etsy features.  I'd love to turn a page in a magazine and see an item of mine randomly listed there! 
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This is for Stephanie!  I have found the perfect iron for us in this CL issue -- An Amish flame-heated iron!  You're more likely to find one than me, as you live closer to the farming villages up there. 
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I finished up two WIPs for the "Joy In The New Year Challange."  Custom fabric storage buckets for a friend were delivered this morning! 
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My goal is to have five WIPs complete for the challenge.  The backing is finished for the Turning 20 quilt top I am sending out for long-arming, so that is #2 done.  The strips are cut and one set of blocks ready to hopefully quilt the first throw for my husband and son's gifts.  Those will be #3 and #4 on my challenge list and are one-third of the way done, #5 is the binding for my daughter's quilt.  I've got 14 nights to complete those three items .... maybe just the quilt tops will be done then, and I can just send them to the long-arm gal and get it done right!  We'll see how frenzied I am at that point.  AND, I've volunteered to send in a couple of prizes for the challenge.  The embroidery is done with just the sewing up to do, so I guess those can be considered #6 and #7. 

Deadline Craziness!

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My brain is whirring at 100 miles an hour these days!  I've gone from 0 to 100 in a matter of weeks going from no computer project work and few studio orders to lots of computer project work and a number of custom holiday orders!  However, there is nothing like a deadline to get my organizing game on! 

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This is a quickie post today, as I have a lunch meeting, but I need to announce the winners of the dress form pin cushions.  I had Camille draw the names the old fashioned way, and I am so suprised that both names she pulled are two new blog visitors who I met by running through the SMS giveaway list last week. 
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Michelle (another Michele/Michelle!) of Dresden Quilter.  

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Burlap and Blue -- I couldn't find her name!  However, you should check out her blog post at the end of November.  She created an Anthropologie lookalike tree topper. 

I'll be e-mailing you girls this afternoon. 
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One more quickie note.  Isn't the little design above darling?  I embroidered out a First Christmas design on a onesie for my friend's little one and a bib for my shop.  I'll have it posted there later today. 

Off to the lunch meeting now! 

calicodaisy Giveaway Day!

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Happy December! I missed the deadline to join Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day, so I am hosting my own and will give away TWO dress form pincushions to my blog pals. This darling design is one of my favorites, and I have it embroidered out on a little hanging pillow which can be used for simple decoration or as a hanging pincushion near your sewing machine.
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I think it's convenient to have a pincushion hanging on my sewing room wall, so I can poke in my threaded needles and safety pins and remember where I stowed them. You'll have a choice of fabric and thread colors, as this shot cotton is all used up!
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Let's do all the bloggy things to offer extra chances. After you've taken care of one or all of the little adventures below, be sure to leave individual comments for each task. The contest will run through December 6, 2009, with the winner announced on December 7, 2009.  (Please be sure your comment links back to your blog and/or includes your e-mail address!) 
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1. Leave a comment here.
2. Become a follower.
3. Blog about my giveaway.   
4. Become a calicodaisy handmade Facebook Fan.
5. Heart my calicodaisy etsy shop.
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Remember, if you can't wait to have one of these cushions as your own and/or don't win the giveaway, there are a couple listed in my calicodaisy etsy shop.
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If you are a sewist yourself, you can just order the design embroidered out on the fabric of your choice and sew up your own gorgeous project. The dress form design measures 2.16" wide x 6.48" tall.
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If you stop by my photo gallery embroidery designs set or the appliques and sew-outs set, you'll see a number of great designs you can order worked out on fabric to use in your own projects. Check out the "Keep Calm and Sew" embroidered panel in my shop.  Order any type of monogram design, and sew up a pillow cover like the one above.  It's so easy!  Just give me an e-mail, and we can work out the details.
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There is another giveaway going on right now. Sew Fantastic is featuring a new artist for her 12 Days of Christmas. Be sure to stop by and see who is getting chatted up and the daily prize. Jane is on today, one of my sweet blog friends.  She just got in Meadowsweet fabric to her shop, and she is giving away $15.00 gift certificates through the Sew Fantastic feature. 
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Good luck with ALL the giveaways.  I look forward to popping around to as many as I can myself, but mostly I look forward to hearing from you this week!