a year in review: 2020

What a year!I am so ready to say goodbye to 2020....but I have had a few good projects!
First up was the year of blue:

I painted the library, the island, the outdoor couch!
But the biggest change was our front yard/porch:

part I and part II

and of course, some sewing:

Apple pillow, I love you Quilt, Bunny pillow,

Bunny bunting, Bunny bags, Halloween pillow.

See you all next year!

Hidden Christmas project

While Christmas is over, all the décor is still up in our house,here is one more project that I could not share until now:

a lovely bear pillow,pattern from Bustle and Sew.

a felt bear machine stitched on linen,with a few stars,it looks perfect with this little bear:

I like it so much I will have to make one for myself!



Happy day!

Merry Christmas

We are celebrating Christmas at home,and to mix it up a little,we moved the table in front of the fireplace.

We kept it low key with wintery plates,

a few candles and some red accents.

I baked some gingerbread houses that Miss C. and Brick Master decorated,

quite festive.

The fire makes it so perfect on this cold day.

I tried a new recipe for our traditional buche de Noel:

black forest, following this recipe from Amuses Bouche,

once again not perfect but tasty!

I tried my hands at some sugar cranberries and cranberry syrup, 

(both from Inspired by Charm)

quite good for cocktails and mocktails,

that Mon Cheri, myself and my teens enjoy.

We wish you all Merry Christmas!

our first Christmas mantel, with new stockings

After building the fireplace mantel,I decorated it!It is my first time working on it,and it adds a lot of charm to the room:

I sewed some cute stockings, smaller than the regular size (there are mostly for décor as the presents are under the tree).I used some leftover fabric from my Champagne tree skirt:cotton velvet, fake fur and some part of a blanket.

Hand quilted velvet for me, fake fur for the kids, with some pompoms and lace added,and a slice of wood with our initials.
I was inspired by PB stockings,every year they just have the best ones,like these ones from a couple of years ago:

or these ones from this year:

I think ours are pretty close:

all together on my design board!

I purchased this cool tree print from Lily and Val,

and it looks perfect there, next to my vintage reindeer slippers from Lapland,

I actually wore them as a baby!

While it snowed last week,

we still have not made any fire,

so the chairs are still there,

but as soon as the fire will be burning,

they will be turned to face the fire,

definitively on Thursday or Friday!

Here is a reminder of the total transformation:

Happy Day!

a mat for Santa's cookies

With less than a week until Christmas,

it is time to set up the final touches,

like a place for Santa's cookies!

I previously made one for my American niece and nephew in 2017,

so I had to make one for my French niece!

I followed the same tutorial from Amy of Nana Company

and apparently I used almost the same fabrics!

It is a little hard to see the cookies embroidery,

but that doesn't remove the cuteness!

Miss C. was concerned about the English and that her cousin would not be able

to read it, well she is 3, so she doesn't read anything!

But I am sure my sister can explain everything:

some little chocolate chip cookies and a little glass of milk:

cookies aux pepites de chocolat et un verre de lait!

Happy day!

a sleepy mouse in a stocking!

I sewed my niece E's first stocking:

with the cutest mouse!

I also made her parents their own,

for a perfect set.

I followed 2 easy tutorials,

for the stocking, I used this tutorial from Diary of a Quilter,

I just added a pompom trim and a little pocket,

for the sleepy mouse, I used this tutorial from Molly and Mama.

It is a little time consuming, but totally worth it,

she is super cute!

My niece likes them so much that she sleeps with both of them!
Happy day!