Friday, November 30, 2007

Gifts and Gift Bags

I've gotten a couple of quilt blocks in the mail. This marvelous block, which my husband says looks like one of these eye tests they give you to see if you have 3-D vision:

Can you read it? It's got a great rhythm to it and it's interesting to see Jen's brights, which are actually more muted and softer than my own.

And here's a block from Quilt Diva Julie. I love that she included the spikey border bit for me and look at that way to do a Q- I bet that's easier than the way I do it!

Both Jen and Julie are in my quilt class. Thank you!!!! I am honored that you'd send me these - I'll have to think of a great quilt for them.

Here are a couple of bags that I've recently finished. I usually put some kind of button or tassel or ribbon to finish these off, but I don't think the chili bag needs it.


Finally using my sewing-themed fabric. I never used it in a quilt because it has beige.

A look at my Christmas decorating. A mix of hand-crafted (wood, pottery, fabric) and plastic Santas, gift bags, phrenology heads and canopic jars. I bet nobody else's place looks like this.


Unfortunately I can't just decorate to make it look nice - I also have to build that kitty barricade in front.

I'm listening to the BBC podcast Newspod. Not quite sure what they were refering to, but I just caught an announcement (from the metro system???): "A reminder to our American friends that you are undoubtedly speaking too loud" or words to that effect. Too true and I know I'm certainly guilty of it. Made me laugh.

I went over to Montmartre checked out the fabric store Reine, which you can spot from the carousel at the bottom of the Sacre Couer Basilica. They do have 100% quilting cotton, but nothing that you can't get elsewhere. Nothing particularly French, at least not where I was looking. So at least for Americans, I'd call it a skip unless you are looking for some other kind of fabric.

I know some of ya'all have been worried about the rioting that is going on here in France. That is all way out in the suburbs, nowhere near where I live. So no worries, we're fine here. Besides, we don't have a car for them to set on fire...

The sun is out, the sun is out! Woohoo! Later, guys.

14 comments:

Clare said...

Oh Ton you do make me laugh! The News Podcast was about the lady who does the "mind the gap", "the next stop will be Oxford Circus" type of announcements on the Tube. She has got a web site somewhere and was taking the pea out of the London Transport announcements she records. LT have had to "let her go" as they "were not amused".

The riots have started in Toulouse too. Like you, we are well out of it. I love Jen and Julie's blocks and the chilli bag!

What sun :-)

Kristin L said...

Here's a link to more metro announcement spoofs:

http://www.emmaclarke.com/fun/mind-the-gap/spoof-london-underground-announcements

Apparently though, the lady who made the spoofs got in trouble from the London Underground (who had used her services for regular announcements) as she was falsely quoted somewhere and it didn't put her or the Tube in a good light.
:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071126/od_afp/britaintraveltraintubeoffbeat

The Calico Cat said...

"A reminder to our American friends that you are undoubtedly speaking too loud"

I heard she got fired for these messages...

comicbooklady said...

Oh I don't know, I am betting my place would come pretty close! Although mine would be full of Santa Homers and Nightmare before Christmas Jacks!

Joyce said...

Nice to get those blocks from students. I love the dot fabric in Hedgehog's.

Katie said...

"These are a few of my favorite things." Your display is you, as it should be, full of all the different things you love. I especially like those Santas.

McIrish Annie said...

I have yet to be pulled into the Christmas mix. Still trying to finish Fall!! I love your christmas quilt and I wouldn't change that snowman at all!! He's perfect.

Jeri said...

cool blocks and bags! I had a piece of that sewing fabric and used it on the back of a wallhanging.

Lynda said...

Oh, Tonya, I love you but it's not time to decorate for Christmas yet! Decemeber 1st is the first permissible date (at least in this house). Otherwise, it looks fabulous!

Anonymous said...

Love the mix of Santas and Egyptian figures! At least the kitty barricade is eye-catching! ;- )

atet said...

Love the decorations -- I still haven't dug ours out yet but that has more to do with not wanting to have to kill a small child (harder to actually childproof when she's figured out pulling out chairs to stand on -- and that opposable thumb thing gets really annoying at times :0) ). I'm waiting at LEAST another week -- otherwise the please for Santa are going to kill me!

Susan said...

Glad to know you are out of the riot areas. Thanks for mentioning that. Those letter pieces are very interesting! Love your chili gift bag, particularly. I have an eyeglass case out of that fabric. =)

julieQ said...

Be careful and stay out of the riots!!! and away from "loud Americans" haha!!

I sure love that area where you display your seasonal decs. Very nice!! I have a Santa for every year my son has been alive, they are really his, and when he is out of college, they can go with him!!

I will show a picture soon...

JulieQ

Unknown said...

Your husband has it just right but I thought those tests were for colour-blindness. Glad the riots are nowhere near you. I think M. Sarkozy has opened a very large can of worms and France will have a period of unrest in the offing - whether the can should've been opened of course is not for me to decide or really polite to discuss but I think that life in France may well be disrupted in lots of areas for the foreseeable future - hope it doesn't affect you and yours