12 Days of Christmas - Day 3

The Tree is Up - which is utterly un-German and a new custom in our house. Since 2005, we put up our tree on the second weekend of Advent:



It's fairly traditionally decorated in red and gold, with limited edition porcellain bells that my best friend gives me one per year as well as a few very select wooden ornaments from my childhood. We don't use candles because I'm dead-scared of torching my house. Instead we have fairy lights plugged into a switchable socket, so that I can switch the tree on and off. Very German in its practicability.

(In case you're wondering now ... the garland from Day 2 is on a timer. Very electricity efficient ... and I can override it with a switch too!)



And then there was baking, lots of baking. I even participated in a Cookie Swap. The evening was fun but I won't do it again because I liked my wares best ;-)

12 Days of Christmas - Day 2

I'm not sure if I'll make it to 12 before the End of Christmas ... but at the moment, the Christmas Mail Room takes precedent. And then the Christmas Cookie Factory ... where are all them Christmas Elves when you need them?

12 Days of Christmas: Day 1

Well, we're not going to make it to Christmas in just twelve days which - believe you me - is a massive relief! But here you go: Christmas Decorations at my house



And our first tree of the Season:

Ironing - German Style

In Germany, if you are a good housekeeper, you send your sheets and table linens away to be ironed. Usually, dry cleaners will accept your linens and steam press them on large contraptions. Much cheaper than having them ironed by hand and much less stressful that ironing them yourself.

This is what they use:


Per sheet, I pay approx $1,20 and get smooth crisp linen, lovely! It's difficult to find these places these days because it's staff intensive work. But sooo worth it.

Long Lost Fabric Finds Way Home ...

Huh? you may wonder ... remember all that lovely fabric I bought in August? Approx 6.5 yards of lovely cotton that seemed really summery because one was a floral? And I spent so much money on it ... well, I washed it and then sent it off to be ironed. And they lost it!!! $115 worth of fabric ... Oh no!

But: today, I went in to pick up some different ironing that needed doing and guess what we found: my long lost treasure. What a good day I'm having and the sun's shining too.

Edited to add: There it is, all washed and wrinkle-free ...

Did I say: two out of three?

Wrong, it's three out of three!!! Due in April, June and July.

As for all the ideas, thank you so much! I'm not much of a themed fabric person but the suggestion with four patch and uni gave me an idea that I ran with for a while. Then I had my own idea (squares, see below) that was quickly substituted by Carol ... I will make a big star, just one and line the whole thing with a fleece blanket.

This will also be the backing of choice for the baby quilt for our April baby. I've had safari themed fabric (did I actually say: I'm not much of a themed fabric gal?), namely two returns of desert animals, a sandy desert print and a grassy pampas print. I'll do a design and post it as soon as I get my Christmas act together!

Got it!

Inspiration hit! I will make a very classic quilt using a set of bed sheets I bought for the purpose of making something for baby's mum. One side of the set is striped, the other one has big flowers and I will just make a quilt of squares with a nice border in a solid colour. Machine pieced, hand quilted.