Homespun Holiday Show N' Tell

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood !!! Today is the first day of the Homespun Holiday Show N' Tell . If you trot on over to Piece N Quilt you can see the links to all the participants who have actually completed projects for the Show and Tell. We here at MBIAJ Sewing Dept (aka Santa Kitty's Sweat Shop ) are, as usual, running a bit behind schedule and feeling like ......







.........this....













So, anyhow, since none of our Christmas Sewing Projects 2009 are yet completed, we thought we'd haul out some long lingering projects (that have at least gone from the doodle on a piece of scrap paper phase to actually started) from Christmas Past to show you (in hopes that the elves will show up soon and finish at least ONE of these things in the next few days ...... and throw in a tutorial to boot !!!)

OK ..... here goes .....


.........the "Comfort and Joy" wool applique future wall hanging ...



....this Christmas stitchery




.....a hand pieced Christmas quilt with a few preprinted panels thrown in and .....







........a soon to be wool candle mat (you can click on any of these pictures to make them bigger )





So there you have it folks ..... the MBIAJ Sewing Dept's (unfinished) Show N' Tell! Don't forget to zip over to Piece N' Quilt to see all of the other Show N' Tellers and join in yourself !!!

OK ... gotta go ..... getting and icy stare from Santa Kitty who is tapping her foot and pointing to her watch which means better get back to work in the sweat shop !


Be back soon (hopefully with a tutorial on one of these projects BEFORE Christmas.....hopefully) !

Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Tick tock ......

Good Monday morning Blogland Neighbor-hood! Kitty dropped by to remind us that the clock is ticking faster and faster towards Christmas (like we really needed a reminder !) Anyhow , Miss Kitty was out blog hopping and stumbled upon the Homespun Holiday Show-n-Tell over at
Piece n Quilt ......so, Kitty has decided that the MBIAJ Sewing Dept should get their act together and participate in the Show n Tell ..... and she has also decided that the Sewing Dept needs a new boss and she's the gal for the job ..... she has made out a list of Christmas sewing projects that she wants completed ASAP ..... she plans to run a tight ship ..... LOOK at that list she made out !!!! She must be KIDDING !!!! YIKES !!!!! (at least she's providing some hot chocolate with marshmallows .....huh? .....oh.....she says that's for her ..... being the boss is a tough job and she needs the nourishment ....)

Anyhow .... if you want to join in, it starts on Dec 16th and runs through Dec. 23rd.




(by the way friends and family, you can click on that picture to make it bigger to see if your name is on that list ...... and just keep in mind that unless the elves show up it'll be "the thought that counts" !)
......OK , gotta zoom !!!! (Kitty is blowing a whistle and yelling "TICK TOCK")

Be back soon !

Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Christkindlmarkt and some sista fun !!!

Well, TGIF Blogland Neighborhood !! Continuing on our quest to be in complete denial of our lack of preparedness for Christmas (which, by our best calculations is a mere 2 weeks away .....uh oh ..... REALLY ?!?!?!!) we spent yet another day goofing off and trotted off to Bethlehem, Pa. to meet up with ....






my "sista" Boop (OK, so our parents didn't really name her that .....as I recall Karen is her original name).



Anyhow, Bethlehem is a very historic and dignified town with many beautiful and old buildings and ...



.....shops like the Moravian Book Shop established in 1745.







.....and during the Christmas season Bethlehem is also known for Christkindlmarkt.....




......a lovely old world style holiday market with ......



.....many talented artists and vendors and......



....St. Nick, of course !!!!





......and no "Girl's Day Out" with my "sista" would be complete without a few visits to Mr. John (OK so not EVERYTHING is dignified at Christkindlmarkt) .....





......oh, and look what else we found .....



.....Boop's new best friend , the lady with the wine tasting booth .......which of course, made us happy to know Mr. John was just a hop, skip, and a jump away !!!!




......and after just a few sips of wine (it doesn't take much!) we were giddy with joy to find these very festive Christmas tree glasses and .....


.....candy cane striped glasses and ....

......New Year's Eve champagne glasses glasses (that go so well with the sign that asks that all important question "Is it too late to be good?"

In addition to just having a fun Girl's Day Out, Boop and I were celebrating my belated birthday from last month .... and LOOK at the fun stuff she gave me ....


.....this beautiful Willow Tree figurine ......



....some chocolate fit for a Queen (naturally !) and....



..something that is just the cat's pajamas .... a black sparkly shower cap with a great big red flower with rhinestones right smack in the middle !!!! ..... and last, but by far least are those wonderfully warm and cozy mittens she knit for ME !!! ( my sister Boop is a very good knitter and actually finishes projects and gifts ..... unlike some people .....ahem ....)



....oh, and before we blow you all a kiss goodnight, here's Evan being a good sport modeling not just those jazzy Christmas tree glasses, but also that FABULOUS sparkly shower cap !!!! OK .... that was a LONG (but fun day ) and LONG post (yawn) .... so now it is definately time to ......






......blow you all a kiss goodnight !!!!










Be back soon !!

Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

The Twelve Days of Christmas ( oops, today's already Day 9)

Happy Wednesday Blogland Neighborhood . We here at MBIAJ Headquarters pride ourselves in being up to the minute and on top of things in Blogland ....well, actually, we're not as "up to the minute" as we'd like to be .... we're usually a day late and a dollar short ..... kind of "last minute" as opposed to "up to the minute" ...... and with that explanation/excuse, we'd like to bring to your attention (on what is already the "9th Day of Christmas") The Twelve Days of Christmas : WWC Style . Each day, starting on Dec 1st and continuing through Dec 12th you have a chance to win a GOREGOUS prize donated /made by different artists ..... and all of this takes place at Where Women Create. So, hurry and zip on over there before Day 12 rolls around and you miss out on the chance to win some really great stuff !

Be back soon!

Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Olde Time Christmas in Jim Thorpe, Pa

Good Sunday evening Blogland Neighbor-hood ! How was your weekend? We here at MBIAJ Headquarters are in complete denial about how much we are ill prepared for this Christmas season (or any other one to date actually) .....anyhow, ignoring the half naked Christmas tree in the living room surrounded by boxes of Christmas stuff, and the unbaked cookies, the unwreathed doors, the unstockinged fireplace mantel, the undecorated house, the unfinished Christmas gift sewing, the not yet thought about Christmas card writing, and the barely started Christmas shopping, we put on our long johns and some warm gloves (and that's it .... no, just kidding) and headed through the woods and over the river (in that order) to the Olde Time Christmas celebration here in Jim Thorpe, Pa. where everything and everybody are all dressed up for the holidays ! So, grab a cup of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows and sit back and relax while we go on yet another little tour (long johns optional).

Well, for starters, that first picture up there is of one of the bed and breakfasts in town ... the Rendon House (originally one of the houses known as "Millionaire's Row" .... definately NOT the location of MBIAJ Headquarters !) (by the way , don't forget you can click on any of these pictures to make them bigger)





.....OK , now we'll hike up Race Street with St Mark's Church there on the left and also Stonehouse Row (housing some cute shops and a winery too !)....



.....and there's the Asa Packer mansion off to the right (love that festive RED roof !!!.... that's so Santa can't miss it even in a blizzard !)





Say "hi" to these nice ladies dressed in period costumes and handing out COOKIES !!!! Aren't those hats THE BEST !!!! They said they are on their way to the park and train station because Santa is riding the train !!!! Maybe we'll tag along .....




.......HEY !!!! WAIT FOR US !!!!


.......How do you like that .... I think they ditched us ... they must have gotten on the train with Santa and the train is about to leave ......


.....that must be where they went .... I don't see them over by the gazebo .... well, it's FREEZING so let's .....



.....find a ride .... or hop a horse and go to....



.... The Inn at Jim Thorpe where we can .....





.....go into the lobby and sit by the fire to get warm ....AAAAAaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh...........



OK! That's enough warming up ! Off we go ... back outside .....



...ooohhhh ! it's dark out ! LOOK at all the pretty Christmas lights everywhere !!! The Inn and ......


.... the Treasure Shop .....



....and look at the shop windows all dressed up and pretty .....



.....isn't that GORGEOUS !!!!




......and there's the gazebo in the park all lit up (we know ..... it's a little hard to make out since the cracker jack MBIAJ Photography Dept is still too lazy to read the directions that came with the camera ......)


.......and the train station and Christmas tree all sparkly .....


......and another pretty corner of the park ......






Well folks, we're pooped and numb from the knees down so this brings us to the conclusion of yet another MBIAJ tour ..... hope you enjoyed it !!!! .....and now, it's back to reality and the undecoratedness of MBIAJ Headquarters !!!!

Be back soon !
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

SNOW !!!!!

Happy weekend Blogland Neighbor-hood !!! Look! Look! We're having snow here in the Poconos !!! It looks so Christmasy doesn't it !?!?! However, it would look even more Christmasy if .....




.....we got rid of the Halloween pumpkins and ......





....the MBIAJ Exterior Illumination Dept would get the outside Christmas lights up ......(sigh) oh well .... until we here at MBIAJ Headquarters get our selves organized ...




...we can bask in the glow of our very organized neighbors and their beautifully decorated house !!!!




Be back soon !

Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas ......well....sort of....

Ho Ho Ho Blogland Neighbor-hood !!! It's beginning to look alot like Christmas every where you go .....










and amazingly even here at MBIAJ Headquarters !!!





....look !!! Christmas placemats (too bad no pretty handmade quilted placemats for this sloppy crowd .... only the vinyl wipe off kind can cut it around here!) AND candy cane striped candles and a polka dot bowl .....


.....Now wait a mintue .... HOLD EVERYTHING !!!! Is it actually possible, you're wondering that MBIAJ Headquarters is ORGANIZED enough this year to be decorated and ready for Christmas on December 2nd ?!?!?!? Well, let's take a look at the big picture shall we?????.......



.......HA !!! Hardly !!!! that's one naked tree glaring at us from the living room ..... and a bunch of boxes of Christmas stuff that we'll be tripping over until the week before Christmas (or possibly even Christmas Eve).....unless of course the Moonbeams Boys just get the job done because they'll get tired of waiting for their disorganized mother to decorate the tree and house and get the boxes out of the living room...... (see if you just wait long enough some sweet Christmas "elves" come and do the work for you .....just like magic !!! ....maybe)

Be back soon !
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)