Post 463 It's beginning to feel a bit like Christmas

It has been an incredibly busy week. I've had medical appointments, pre-Christmas catch-ups, Book Club, World Embroidery Study Group, hairdresser - and lots of preparation and project finishing.

After a bit of experimenting, I managed to establish the air plants I bought last week. I glued one to a mineral paperweight I've had for years, and the other to the side of my wall garden. I try to spray them with water at least once a day.  So far so good.

After a discussion with the green-fingered receptionist at Pilates, I realised that plants in clay beads need to be in transparent glass containers to access light on the beads. That means the handleless cup won't work with beads. I got out some glass vases and used up the remaining beads I had with some philodendron cuttings and another begonia.

Worth a try. 

The World Embroidery Study Group final meeting for the year was last Wednesday. There were two last minute apologies who were COVID close contacts. We were all appreciative of this consideration. Most members are vulnerable and cautious - but still enthusiastic to meet. The 9 of us who made it had a terrific session with Junette talking about Smocks. I took the opportunity to wear a top I smocked years ago and rarely wear - along with the crystal Denise gave me last week.

There were lots of examples of smocks to examine and a really interesting history. About 6 of us stayed on for lunch - keeping our distance and with doors open - and enjoying the chance to share and catch up. It's a fabulous group - and next year's program is looking good.

After WES Group, I made a quick trip to the Yarn Trader at Port Adelaide to pick up a tube of wooden darning needles, then on to a Guild friend's place for an early dinner. She had cooked a delicious salmon meal to go with the bottle of Stan Ivanova's wine that Nelly gave me when the Guild Museum accepted some of Stan's mother's embroidery. I've been saving it to drink with these friends who need and appreciate organic wine. It was a lovely meal - and lovely wine. Other than half a dozen or so glasses of prosecco, this is the first wine I've drunk in over a year - and it was worth waiting for. 

On Thursday I had an extended dental appointment with the lovely Clemmie - an Xray and tricky filling. All good. I made it to  Pilates where there were only two of us and the anaesthetic eventually wore off.  Friday was a rarity - I had lunch with a friend and dinner with other friends. I try hard to follow my nutritionist's advice to have only one main meal a day, so avoid eating out for 2 meals, but I chose carefully. It was a privilege to be able to do it - and to have such friends.

In between commitments I have been preparing for Christmas. Last year I bought re-usable crackers, so needed to remake them. That involved sourcing and purchasing snaps, downloading and printing this year's Christmas jokes and riddles (which bear a striking resemblance to last year's) and finding fillings for them. It proved a bit tricky and took a couple of hours or so, but I got there in the end. Two have gone in a parcel to Canberra and the rest are now ready for Christmas Day in Adelaide.

While preparing the parcel for Canberra, I decided to get all my presents organised. A couple of months ago I bought a basket of Christmas fabric from the Guild Trading Table, with a view to making more of the drawstring bags I use in place of wrapping paper. While I could have managed with the bags I have already, it seemed timely to use the fabric now. Realistically, if I don't, it will sit there for another year. So I took the plunge. It turned out to be more than I had bargained for. There was A LOT of fabric. I cut out and machined what I needed for this year - maybe 10 bags. For several days my sitting area had piles of gifts, fabric, beads, ribbon. 

Eventually it transformed to this.

During the process, it dawned on me, that there might be something in the advice of my one-time dressmaker several years ago, that it was more efficient to prepare and iron the bags I cut out, rather than just zooming them up on the machine and tidying them later. 

So I gave it a go. 

Last night I cut out a further 30 bags from the Christmas fabric. Some are quite large, some small. When I got home from the hairdresser today, I got out the iron and pressed the side seams and turn-overs.  They are sitting on my machine - hopefully tomorrow's task - more professional than my usual effort - and hopefully efficient.

On Sunday I took time out from bags for a commission from Veronica - two Christmas stockings for family visitors.The wool felt is left over from the coat I made a few years ago and the rest is felt and bling left over from felt Christmas ornaments in past years.

Book Club was relaxed and fun. I had managed to completely read one of the books - Exiles by Jane Harper, listened to half on another The Tilt by Chris Hammer, and read 20% of Day's End by Garry Disher. All good reads - but I just ran out of time this month. I'm trying to finish them.

A couple of other books arrived this week (just what I need!) I ordered Fabric after it was lent to me in hard-back. It was available at a reasonable price in paperback and I thought it would be useful for WES Group. I read her Jewels  when it was first published in 2005 and really enjoyed it. I've looked for it a few times without success. It too has just been published in paperback. 

Maybe in January I'll have time......

The other adventure this week was a visit from my friend Cathy. She called me seeking directions from Frome Rd, around the corner from me. I (irrationally, I realise) assumed she was heading south and gave her instructions accordingly. She was, of course, heading north. By the time we worked out the problem she was crossing North Terrace, so ended up touring Adelaide University before retracing her path and arriving in one piece, with a pile of embroidery books for me. Several, on Candlewicking, are reviving my once quite intense interest, and another, by Helen Stevens,  has great chapters on Anglo-Saxon and Medieval embroidery. A Guild friend is enjoying the two Jane Nicolas Stumpwork books. It was a very generous gift. We had a good catch-up, in spite of the directions drama. 

My local Post Office has moved - same great staff, more convenient to me, expanded and with parcel lockers! I have my access code!

Finally, my second order of Christmas cards arrived.

I have made my own Christmas cards for many years. In recent years I have had cards printed with a run-down of my year. I still add a personal note but the broad news is printed. I no longer send them to friends I see regularly, or many who keep up with my news online (don't want to bore them silly!). Cards are a bit of an anachronism in an age of social media, and every year I ask recipients if I should stop. There are some friends and family who like the annual connection and news, so I continue.  This week Jeremy Ng posted a link   V&A post on Victorian Christmas cards to the Guild website. The history is interesting.  I'm not sure of the purpose of Christmas card greetings in 2022. I have come to see cards as a vehicle for catching up and communicating with absent friends but  I was so pleased with this year's card,  that I decided to have it reprinted without the lengthy text for a few people who like cards but don't need the news. Now these have arrived I will send a couple tomorrow and hope they arrive in time. Evolving traditions.

I do hope your Christmastide is Joyful.