May Rudy Day #2 - Christmas Meal Notebook

I promised you another post about the Christmas Notebook I am working on to keep my favorite Christmas recipes. I enjoy scrapbooking very much, I guess playing with colored paper is kin to playing with colored fabrics! I thought I would share with you how my notebook is shaping up. Here is the cover...The colors did not scan very well. The background for "Joy" and "Holiday Meals" is a deep Hunter Green. The cover sheet gets placed in the clear plastic front of a 1.5 inch 3-ring binder. Most of the papers and stickers are from a Gooseberry Patch kit. The remaining papers I purchased at Michaels. I used two Martha Stewart punches; the first is called "Sunburst" and the second is called "Apron Lace." The font is cut at 1.5 inches from my Cricut; the cartridge is called "From My Kitchen."

So far I have made 7 divisions, and will be able to add more if needed. They are:
1. Appetizers
2. Breads
3. Desserts
4. Main Dishes
5. Salads
6. Sides
7. Tablescapes. I love collecting pictures of different Christmas dishes, centerpieces, napkins, themes, the whole thing!
I already realize I need a beverage catagory, so I can add my warm apple cider and sangria to my list of keepers.

These are the recipe cards I will use to include my favorite recipes from family and friends. This notebook is obviously a work in progress, and it will take more time to complete it, but I love the idea of having everything in one place.

And here is the notebook...ready for a cup of tea and some time to decide what I want to make next...I think apple strudel!

Be sure and visit the forums at http://magicalholidayhome.com/ and join the fun on Rudy Day (the 25th of each month) or anytime you need a Christmas fix! And, another of my favorite blogs is http://rudolphday.blogspot.com/. Join us!

Till next time, holiday blessings to you and yours,
Mary

Christmas Gifts: Quilts!

Happy Rudy Day, friends! As we approach May 25, it's time to spend a little effort working towards Christmas 2012.  After all, it's only 214 days away!  One of the ways we are encouraged to get ready for Christmas throughout the year is by making a list of gifts we want to make. The uber-organized will make a list with dates for beginning and completing the project. They will purchase the necessary materials and put them and the instructions in a suitable size container. And they will remember where they put them so they can easily put their hands on them when they're ready to start ;-)  Needless to say, I am not uber-organized.

But I am working on two Christmas gifts. I'm making lap size quilts for my two grandchildren. The idea is they could take them on overnights with friends or on camping trips in their camper.  The pattern I used is a Merry Mayhem pattern, that was their mystery project for January 1 of this year. It's an easy pattern that begins with a 2.5 inch Jelly Roll. Henry's has little vintage campers and woodland animals, Hadley's has colorful birds (they have a pet Blue Conyer parrot "Kiwi").  They are both almost ready to take to the quilters.

I'm also working on my Christmas Meals notebook and will post more when I have made progress on it.

Don't forget to check out http://magicalholidayhome.com/ for some more Christmas and Rudy Day fun! Till next time, holiday blessings to you and yours!

Mary

Christmas Quilts

I love Christmas quilts and have made more than one person needs! This quilt measures about 25 inches square and is made of mostly Jo Morton fabrics. The logs in the log cabin blocks finish at 1/2 inch.

This is still a top...it's not yet quilted. I stitched this up last fall with several friends. It is a "Mystery Quilt"--you don't know what the end result will look like when you start it. It's called "Christmas Lights" and is from Quiltmaker magazine. Made fall of 2011. It's almost a queen size.

Sorry for the dark photo, I will have to retake this some day! This is one of my all-time favorite quilts. It's called "Bulls-Eye" and is a raggedy-edge quilt. It's from a book called "Traditions", I'm sorry I've forgotten the author's name. It is a twin size quilt.

The quilt on the wall is from Fons and Porter magazine. I used all scraps to make it. It was limited in size because my challenge was to not buy any new fabric for this quilt. It would fit a twin size bed, but currently hangs year-round behind our queen size bed.

The quilt on the bed is a log cabin Christmas quilt made from 2.5 inch strips. We had a program at our quilt guild about cutting your scraps into 2.5 inch strips. I came home that night and cut all my leftover Christmas scraps into logs to make this quilt. It has some darling fabrics in it...kitties with Christmas stockings, for example.

'Till next time, holiday blessings to you and yours!
Mary

Schedule for Rudy Day 2012

Rudy Day is celebrated by Christmas Lovers everywhere on the 25th day of each month throughout the year. Each month has a specific theme, although you can do whatever you would like to do. Please join us in the forums at http://magicalholidayhome.com/ to get in on the fun!

January - We looked at our Christmas notebooks and updated them, paying attention to what worked, what didn't work, what we would like to plan for this coming year. We also looked at our Christmas budget and took a realistic look at what we spent.

February -  We began our "Chistmas Letter" to friends and family members. We assembled a "Rudolph Day" tote bag, basket, or box with items we will need during the year to help celebrate Rudy day:  a calendar, our Christmas notebook, perhaps a photo book with pictures of our family in their Christmas outfits, some colorful pens to journal with, a Christmas mug for our cocoa or tea--or maybe even Christmas socks! We assessed how many and what kind of presents we wanted to hand make this year. We began assembling kits for each project, and created a schedule to complete these projects in a reasonable amount of time. We began our master gift list and plan to purchase at least 1 gift each month for someone on our list.

March - Books and Movie month. We inventoried our books and movies and made a list of any purchases we would like to make for the coming year. It's also fun to list your top 5 (or 10) to make sure that you view them each year.

April - is Christmas Dishes month. We looked over our Christmas dishes, noting what we would like to add to our dish inventory this year. We organized them all in one place. We checked out our linens--tablecloths, placemats, napkins, napkin rings--spot checked and laundered to make sure they are ready to go to work. We posted some fun pictures of table settings, and checked other websites for ideas for the upcoming year. We added our ideas to our Christmas notebooks. Consider the whole idea of "Christmas magic" and what role it should play (see magicalholidayhome.com for ideas re: stockings, elfs, etc.)

May - We will be looking at menu ideas for holiday meals and quick menu ideas for "meals on the run." We also are encouraged to begin trying recipes, keeping ones we particularly like in our Christmas notebooks. Or perhaps you'll want to develop your own Christmas cookbook or recipe box.

June -  Themes/Party Planning ideas and our Master Gift List. Perhaps you'll want a theme to your decorating that is different from previous years, i.e. gingerbread in the kitchen, or an all red and white tree in the foyer, etc. Sketch out or clip ideas from magazines or web sites.

July - We will purchase all stocking stuffers this month. If you plan to make your Christmas cards, now is the time to get all the papers, ribbons, envelopes, stamps and inks, etc. together and make those cards. Have a festive card making day with Christmas music playing in the background! Sign those cards and write short notes. Update your Christmas card address list and print the labels or envelopes out. Get your family photo taken to include in your card and have them printed. Go over that master gift list--have you purchased at least half of your gifts or more?

August - Time to finish up with the craft projects you have been working on.

September - Time to think about baking projects for November. List recipes you want to try--desserts, cookies, breads--and make a master grocery shopping list. Begin purchasing an extra staple or two each time you go to the grocery store. Consider any ornaments you need to purchase and/or want to make. Be on the lookout for these items to hit the store shelves. Buy early for the best selection.

October - Gift in a Jar or Basket month. Master gift list checkup. You should be about finished buying gifts now! Check your wrapping paper stash, tape, gift tags, colored pens. Resupply as necessary.

November - Purchase or unpack your advent calendar. Wrap gifts by Thanksgiving. The idea is to have December available to spend time with your family--not panicing over not getting things done!

December - Celebrate with your family and friends!

Don't forget to check http://magicalholidayhome.com/ for some more Christmas and Rudy Day fun! Till next time, holiday blessings to you and yours!
Mary