Winter but not Christmas

So there are a few decorations that go out with the Christmas things that stay around because they are winter, not Christmas. This for example. They sit in the corner of the vanity in the bathroom next to the flag room until March or April or so. That works, right? We used to move around very very frequently. Like every year or two. A good way to keep the pack rat tendencies under control. But we have been in this house 7.5 years and 13 in the one before that. That means too much stuff! Our neighbourhood has 2 garage sales every year and we have decided to participate in the one that is coming in April so I was in the flag room hunting garage sale items and look what I found. Oops, never got put away.

But that's not the worst thing. A week or two ago my eye just caught this candle. That is not where it belongs but other than noticing it I did nothing further.

Then a day or two ago I noticed this Christmas tree hiding in plain sight! It has managed to escape me for an entire month! It is sitting in the holder where that misplaced candle belongs!

That's better, this is how it is supposed to look. I am not much of a candle person but my daughter gave me these a few years ago and I love the candle holders and the candles are okay, too. Since I don't burn candles they should look just like this forever. Ahem, except for the occasional errant Christmas tree...

On the quilting front I finally got these pinwheels made properly and I really like them. I must say though that the gremlins were still with me for a while as I sewed many of the right angles together with the solid on the wrong side! Must remember to always keep the same fabric on top! So these are really hard fought pinwheels.

And then I managed to get the rest of the top together. Here is the way the kit was supposed to look.

And here is mine. I substituted another row of the big house print fabric for the appliqued row and then did some extra rows of the hour glass blocks. I still don't like alot of these individual fabrics but the top is nice now that it is all together. I am even dealing with the blue border as it has alot of grey tone to it. It's a little too tall for my design floor but you get the idea.

So now I am off to use up my last package of precuts -- the Deb Strain fall set. Soon I will have to make myself do another backing and borders day and get to pinning some of these together so I can get them quilted. The tops are starting to get out of control!