Progress on the stocking order - oh and Freddy Kruger Snowcakes

After a day with the baby boys yesterday (Steph in York Christmas shopping and John patching rugby players up, Will out somewhere - he doesn't share the details like the others) I was looking forward to a day with my stocking order.  I finished the embroidery on Max's stocking yesterday evening:

Steph asked for one which has a Christmas pudding on it.  This design is from one of my favourite books - the Night Before Christmas from Nancy Halvorsen. The background fabric is a bit busier than my normal choice but I absolutely love the little designs on it. I have it in green and pink. Gorjuss!!

This morning I had a little trip out to get some cellophane for a hamper I'm making to raffle at work for the PTA. Yeah, okay I bought a bit more than cellophane but hey ho. I visited a cake supplies shop for food dye and holly leaf cutters and a little place that does laser cutting just to see if I can get some bulk strawberry labels. Yes I can.  So, in between chores and - "can you give me a hand cleaning out the cupboard under the stairs" (yes if it means I don't have to put my hand in to steady the contents before I open the door), I fused the shapes on to the stocking fronts:

So now they are ready to be transformed with some buttonhole stitches and names before making them up.  I've layered them on to the wadding so they're ready for stitching when I get home from work. I hate starting from scratch when I get home so it makes sense to prepare everything so that I can just pick it up and start - without having to get loads of things out (and put them away!)

Two more weeks at work and I'll be off for a fortnight - yippee!! My colleague who has been off work since May will be coming back after Christmas which is great for two reasons - she is getting better and I'll be able to concentrate on my own work. I feel like I've been herding cats for the past six months.

It was great to get back to the quilt class at High Street Quilting last Thursday - I've missed two weeks due to work commitments and we had a nice quiet evening all sitting round the same table, sharing problems and solutions, laughing at silly things and putting the world to rights. There is something so comforting about sharing our lives and creating things that you don't get anywhere else. There is a such a feeling of trust that you can bare your heart and know that the others will understand, help or just listen. Better than any psychotherapy. (is that the right spelling?)

So where does Freddy Kruger come into this I hear you ask?  Well, I found some chocolate carrot decorations in the supermarket and decided to make some Snowmen Cupcakes. I thought they would look nice with a smiley face but whoooaa - even Will jumped back and said - leave the smiles out, it'll traumatise the ladies - I took his advice:

Will very kindly stepped in to eat the offending cakes - so considerate my boys are.