A Midwinter Night’s Dream by Loreena McKennitt

A nice mix of familiar favorites, traditional songs that had faded into obscurity, and beautiful new songs, like Snow (3:57). I also like the Eastern flair she puts on some of the better-known carols.

I know I’ve been AWOL lately.

I volunteered to make Christmas stockings for an immigrant family some folks at work adopted for the holidays–two adult women and three-year-old twin girls. And I can do nothing simply.

I had a quantity of red cotton sateen on hand (recognize it from the sling, Jenn B?). And I had plenty of green quilting fabric scraps for the linings. How hard could it be?

I got all kinds of grand ideas and plans in my head…then I realized how much time I had and I panicked. The stockings are batted and lined with contrast cuff, heel, and toe. I didn’t skimp there. But I had hoped to attach sew on the embellishment. When time got tight, I called on the ole fabric glue. (And I was going to embroider the names…yeah, right.)

Here they are

I used different green scraps for the linings

This one was the last one I did. I had planned on poinsettias, but I thought having each of the adult stockings have a bird theme would be nice

Holly leaves are felt and ultra-suede

I think this one is my favorite

Pine Cone and evergreen embroidery close-up

Candy and Sweets theme

I love soutache

Snow/Snowman theme

Could not find silk embroidery ribbon locally so I used common poly satin 3mm

Time for my favorite holiday flash fun: Reindeer Games.

Personally, I like to be on the side of the elitist reindeer (those who wouldn’t let “poor” Rudolph play) just to hear the elephant.

I know…I’m twisted.

More from Simon Tofield and Simon’s Cat:

Happy Birthday to my good friend Alice!

Alice and I met in High School. Senior year we started an Art Club. The club was a failure, but we did complete a mural at the school. I hear it is still there 17 years later.

The picture below was pieced from four photos with some distortion as the mural is at the end of a T-shaped hallway intersection.

My dad is always looking back on the 40s and 50s as a kind of golden era (minus WWII of course). Today’s music, for example, can never compare. I’m not sure that this clip from 1944 proves his point musically, but the Ross Sisters sure were limber.

Some people like their taters Lyonnaise, some prefer French fries.
I prefer mine with mayonnaise, cole slaw on the side.

Solid potato salad, that’s solid salad, Jack,
Solid potato salad, boy, take a plate, fill it up, bring it right back.

Solid potato salad, and let’s have no Yak Yak
Solid potato salad, boy, take a plate, fill it up, bring it right back.

The farmer said to the spud, your skin looks slightly pallid,
So I’ll dig you later bud, with some solid…potato salad.

Solid potato salad, that’s solid salad, Jack,
Solid potato salad, boy, take a plate, fill it up, bring it right back.

Take a plate, fill it up, bring it right back.
Take a plate, fill it up, bring it right back.
Take a plate, fill it up, bring it right back.

Solid potato…salad, it’ll be so fine that you better latch on,
Solid potato…salad, whatever it takes get a plate before it’s all gone.

The farmer said to the spud, your skin looks slightly pallid,
So I’ll dig you later bud, with some solid…potato salad.
Solid potato salad, that’s solid salad, Jack,
Solid potato salad, boy, take a plate…fill it up…
Take a plate, fill it up, and bring it right back.

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