Post Christmas torpor

We are currently in the no-man's land of post-Christmas, not yet time to go back to work, finishing off leftovers, eating all the sweets, watching all the recorded Christmas TV and sleeping in increasingly late because why not.  Christmas Day was very pleasant, just the three of us enjoying a quiet day.  It was warm enough that we actually went out and did some gardening which isn't something I think I've done on Christmas Day before.  The 'Christmas dinner in a box' made the whole cooking experience easy and low stress once again, wish I'd had the option years ago.  On Boxing Day we went down to the in-laws for a nice lunch, enlivened by my sister-in-law's poorly trained spaniel jumping up constantly and generally charging around like a hyperactive toddler the whole time.  I'm not really a dog person, particularly when that sort of shenanigans are going on. Telling it 'no' had no effect, I don't think it was familiar with the word.

Due to my advanced age, I mainly receive cash or vouchers these days but I did get a very nice kit for a Moroccan table to go in my dollshouse from my friend Anita; a Petite Properties 1:48 carriage kit from another friend (not sure I'll be able to use it); and an excellent Tamiya razor saw from DH because I've been borrowing his for some time now to cut moulding for the current dollshouse build.  They are really sharp and so much easier to cut with than the X-acto razor saw I've been using for decades.  I also had a copy of 'Easy Weaving with Little Looms', an American magazine that I saw and DH bought it for me for my stocking.  I do not in any way need another hobby but I've always found looms appealing (I like gadgets) and the idea of using up some of my knitting wool stash is appealing.  I might keep my eye out for a bargain on a secondhand rigid heddle loom.

I've almost finished the Mckinley dollshouse build now, just a few bits of trim to add and then it's done as far as the main construction.  Furnishing and accessorising is a whole 'nother story, one that I generally struggle with.  It has turned out fairly well, considering the quality of the kit I was starting with, although there are lots of elements which aren't really in scale and are more 'play like' which is the nature of the kit.

As a treat this week, I started a new quilt using the New Zealand Kiwiana fabrics that I bought in Auckland this spring.  I have the quilt laid out on my design wall and have started to sew the blocks together.  The fern fabric on the right will be the border.  It's going to be very busy but hopefully the border will pull it all together. It's pretty easy to sew together so a nice contrast to the Double Wedding Ring project.

During the Christmas week I've continued to stitch on my Christmas cross stitch ornament (still not finished), my Christmas Kep stranded knitting project, and long arm quilting my embroidered blocks quilt (almost finished, I've just turned the quilt on the frame and quilted the other two borders so I just have two embroidered blocks remaining to quilt).