You Would Not Believe The Stuff I Got Done In December!

WARNING:  This post may be lengthy, but extremely informative, fun, and creative.

December was a busy month, and I should have posted this prior to the New Year, but I was busy.  I belong to a small exclusive group of ladies, who have been getting together somewhat regularly since 1997.  In the early days, we met every Tuesday evening to work on projects and solve world problems.  These days we are fortunate to meet once a month, on average.  Each December we meet at a favorite restaurant (one with gluten free selections on the menu), and we have a little gift exchange and tons of conversation.  A couple of years ago, I was rather in a rut or complete oblivion as to what to give these wonderful ladies.  I have managed to pull my creative-self up, by my bootstraps, these past two Christmases, and create meaningful gifts.  In 2023, I finally took the leap into Spoonflower, and I created some fabric with the photographs I took during the year.  First, H gave us all some Zinnia seed packets.  I planted my Zinnias, and they grew.  I photographed them throughout the summer and fall.  I photographed my friends, all members of the Cloverdale Ladies Society (CLS), with their curler hats on.  I melded ladies with curlers and zinnias into some artful botanic beauties.  My very smart daughter assisted me in getting my fabric design sorted out.  I plunged into Spoonflower and uploaded my design.  I ordered two yards of fabric and waited, with hope, that it would be usable.  It was!  I made the pillowcases for five travel pillows, which were gifted to my long-time friends.  

I have to admit, in the event of the fabric thing falling apart, I made a back-up plan, which actually fell apart, instead.  I have actually successfully completed my back-up plan, but since I did not need it, I am holding it hostage for a little while longer.  Meanwhile, my very smart daughter, on December 3, celebrated her 20-year anniversary for being in the Air Force.  Since she lives on the opposite side of the country, I pulled out my creative hat, again, and made a meme with my husband's "old" G.I. Joes, and my Air Force stuffed bear.  It is amazing, so I have decided to share it here.  

Much of what I create has to do with being amusing.  This peaceful living room scene is taking up half of my cutting table.  All the items used to make the meme, I already had on hand.  The wallpaper is actually 1.5 yds of Army man fabric that I pinned to the quilt that is hanging on the wall behind my cutting table.  I have decided to take this little project and make a calendar out of it, thus more business in December, because now I have to pose the scene for twelve months of the year.  I confess, I have only eight months completed so far, so I have to keep this set-up on my cutting table a couple of weeks longer.  Then, I have to order the calendar, so we are sure getting a late jump on having a calendar for 2024.  

                                    I never imagined I would ever sew something for a GI Joe.

Because of the necessary creativity to make twelve G.I. calendar layouts, I had to make a Hawaiian shirt for one of the G.I.s for Shark Month. Shark Month also needed some decoupage and of course a metal spatula for flipping burgers.  These G.I.s need a lot of accessories.  H came to the rescue again, by providing leftover clay from a CLS project we did last spring.   Currently, the clay things are curing, so they can be painted.  I better decide if I need more clay things, so I can make them so they can cure and be painted and not hold up the reclaiming of my cutting table.  I will likely not keep you updated on this activity.  I actually have been piecing some quilt tops as well.  I have three in the making!  

I decided yesterday, mine has pictures represented from all letters of the alphabet, starting with alligator.

This Eye-Spy quilt is nearly finished.  My friend, A, and I got together during Christmas week and worked on getting these UFOs completed.  She whizzed right through hers, but of course, I have to make mine a certain way and with all different sizes of spy blocks.  Eye-spy quilts are a great way to use up a very few of your scrap heap.

The string-pieced top on the design wall, I started in November, with eleven of Betty Rays blocks, then I made 41 more blocks to make this top.  Four of the blocks are for corners of the outside border, which I have not made yet.  I have an idea though.   Then the one on the table needs only ten more inches on this end for it to be finished.  I hope to get it done this coming weekend.  I took this photo a couple weeks ago, so it does not reflect the true state of the table at this time.  It currently has nine American Girl Dolls on it, standing in their winter garb.  In December I cut up a garage sale sweater that I made two 18" doll sweaters out of, two doll hats, and three GI Joe stocking caps, and an additional two GI stocking caps out of another old sweater.  That is all part of why December has been so busy.  The other reason is playing Scrabble and building a puzzle with my husband.  He tries to suggest creative layouts for "his" GIs, but I tell him to "not interfere with my creative process."