Sharing the Christmas Present Pics

Now that they have all been gifted to their owners, I can share my "makings" for this year.

First is the Jeffrey pillow. Jeffrey is our "grand dog" and this was hooked from his adoption photo.
Matt and Theo - his owners - were thrilled to receive this and have even shared it on their Facebook stream.

Next up, the "beer" pants I made for my son, son-in-law and grandson. Jackson's are made from the leftover fabric of his dad's and his Uncle Matt's. They are the funniest of all. If you look closely at the red ones on the left, you will notice that I cut the fabric upside down - look at the bottles.

Home made socks are always on the list for my family. They all love them. So here are two pairs I made. The first are "leftover socks" that are knit with 10 rows of one yarn followed by 10 of another, with no real plan of colour order. They are a great way to use up leftovers. The next pair are from a skein of yarn I bought in Fredericton. I had no idea they would turn out like this - I thought they would just be striped. I think they look like the background for lettering in Marvel comics. Rick loves them!!

Here is a little mug rug that I gave to a dear friend in Fredericton on my visit. I decided to give her this instead of an ornament so that she could use it all year long. It looks completely different in every orientation - kind of like a rorschach test.

And to end this post, a gift that I didn't make but have permission to share. On Christmas Eve I received an email from someone sharing the Jeanius Bag that she made for her grandson's girlfriend. I am sure she was thrilled.

Two days left of making in 2016, which will have some sewing and hooking in them. Then a whole new year to create more treasures.

Happy New Year to everyone. May the year be filled with health and happiness for all.

Wonky Little Tree, Freddy Beach and Counting Down.

December 13th!! Wow, that came quickly, didn't it.

Here is a little gem that came in my email last week from a student at Apps Ridge. This was in the doodles class and I think every home should have some of these little "wonky trees" for the season.

Luckily, my "to make" list is getting shorter. A few glitches along the way - like an upside down print on one pair of PJ pants - but headway is being made. I think I will get everything done, except Rick's socks. The yarn will be in his stocking with an IOU.

My mini sojourn to Fredericton last week took away a few days of production time, but it was worth every second! Big thanks to my sister Nancy for prodding me into a long overdue trip home. And we sure squeezed in a lot of stuff into what I am calling the Whirlwind Freddy Beach Tour of 2016.

It seems like we spent a lot of time eating lol, but there are some favourites that just don't taste the same anywhere else. Fried whole clams and lobster rolls are at the top of the list.  I sampled both at our arrival lunch at the Blue Canoe. Apparently, it is a tradition that brother Bill and Nancy have shared for years.

There were many highlights during the tour. A big one was a hike across the old railway bridge. There is a new micro brewery and restaurant cafe on the "other" side of the river, which is where we started. It was a brisk day, but the walk was invigorating and there were shops and galleries beckoning from the other side, so there was a nice interlude before heading back across. Apparently, in the summer, the bridge is packed with hikers, bikers, roller bladers, dogs and just about everyone who wants a good walk with a great view.

An Advent Choir Recital was the other surprise highlight event. It happened to take place in my old church, St. Paul's United, where I haven't set foot since my Dad's funeral 40 years ago. A nice reason to go back and enjoy an evening that for me kicked off the joy of the season.

Catching up with a high school pal and seeing her wonderful new apartment on the river was neat too. So much development (like everywhere else), but there seems to be a split between condos and rental units there. And, also like everywhere else, the big box stores are reproducing like rabbits "up the hill" in Fred. I couldn't think of a store that wasn't there.

A nostalgic trip around the old Pony Club was the event of the last day. The horses have been gone for over a decade. The indoor ring apparently collapsed a couple of years ago because of the snow. And now it appears to be a shed for all the equipment for tending Odell Park.

So, in hindsight I learned that you can definitely go home again. The one take away is that in the 25+ years since I have been there, a lot of residential development has taken place. And where our old Golf Club Road house once seemed to be on the "other side of the earth", there are now streets and houses all over the place, which make the house seem further down the hill and closer to the road - neither of which are true. Perspective is everything.

Thanks Gaye for being the best hostess ever. Sorry about that teapot lid. Will find a way to get another one to you somehow. And thanks for arranging your "deer" visitors during my stay.