Christmas QAL & Challenge...Ruminations on Perusing...



It may be June, but there's a part of me feeling very much like the March Hare this morning, running about frantically...I'm Late, I'm Late, For A Very Important Date!  However, let me say, until I have this cup of foo-foo coffee consumed and my eyes are a bit less bleary, there will be no running about or shouting...outwardly at least.  I have a feeling, that this feeling, won't change over the next two weeks...what with eldest daughters wedding and all...but this morning its due to the Christmas Quilt-Along. 
While dangling my feet off the edge of the bed this morning, I picked up my NOOK and read Donnas post at So Sew Crafty.  She too, spent yesterday perusing all the infinite possibilities and has settled upon the brilliance of recreating Sue Garman's recreation of Classic Santa.  Inspired by the Christmas QAL logo and a huge Father Christmas doll I made several years ago, I had thought about beautiful elegant Santas in golds & creams yesterday, and I must say Donna has hit upon the perfect solution to this challenge.  I have to tell you, I love quilts (and Santas) in neutral creams and taupes and when I compare the versions Sue Garman constructed, first in red and green and then in neutrals, I find that my eye settles down and my brain can process each individual Santa for his individual wonderfulness.  Sue has brought order to the neutral quilt and I am no longer holding my breath with my eye bouncing all over...I relax, enjoy, and discover I'm breathing again. 
I had this experience at a quilt show a few years ago too.  After row upon row of bright, beautiful and busy quilts, my eye, and my heart, came to rest on a simple tumbler quilt constructed from Diawabo prints in cream, taupe, rose, grey blue, soft plum & heather green.  Then too, I realized I was breathing...
Now, as for perusing...which I probably do far too much of to be productive, I would consider that Donnas kitty and confidante, would have preferred to spend her day Purr-oozing...the definition of which is, "that which occurs about ones legs when disarticulating a freshly roasted turkey in the presence of a feline".
And that brings me full circle to Friday...I had my husband drag one of our frozen birdzillas in from the freezer to begin the thawing process Wednesday evening...Friday morning, said birdzilla was seasoned, buttered and plopped into my roaster.  I do this periodically when I foresee that life has more ambitious things coming our way and cooking is not going to be high on my priority list.  Once 'zilla was roasting merrily away,  I turned my attention to attaching the binding and sleeve to my daughters quilt, thinking about the Christmas QAL, and finally a late afternoon mad dash to town to meet the two Maids of Horror at the bridal salon to try on their dresses for the wedding.  I wanted to see them in person for the sake of alterations that undoubtedly would be required, and I also needed to compare the two organza table topper samples to the dress color so that I could dash back home, to finalize my order.  Yesterday was a full and welcome mental break from wedding concerns and Christmas QAL proved to be a very efficient distraction!
I heard from Hazel, Sunny, Reenie & Donna regarding the Snowman BOM and full circle I have come again...I woke this morning with what may be a delusional dream or in the words of Hayley Mills as Mary Clancy in The Trouble With Angels, "a scathingly brilliant idea".  We'll see what pops out when I open Pandora's box...
(I am comforted to know that I would not be alone in my delusional state however...Quilt Sue has left me a comment referring to me as Nimble Nancy...suffice it to say, she's not observed how long it takes me to get the kinks out in the morning!

Stay Tuned Fellow Crazy Christmas Chickies!  I'll be baaack...

Nancie Anne