Ho Ho Ho ... How many cakes???

I don't know about you, but I am about baked out!  I have made dozens and dozens of cookies (all 'secret' recipes, you know!), pounds and pounds of fudge - have you tried using the dark chocolate chips?  YUMMY!  And each morning I get up and make two Holiday Cakes.  I am so over this ...

But I do like the Christmas holidays.  And each year I swear that next year I will be better prepared ... start the cakes in early November, bake and freeze the cookies, shop for presents.  Oh who am I kidding?  I haven't stepped inside a mall once this season.  The internet is my friend, the internet is my friend ... at least until I see the credit card bill!  I absolutely love that I can google any item whatsoever and find a place that will ship it right to my door.  I love technology.

I'm laughing because the only "stores" I have shopped in are my local quilt stores!!  Don't we love the Stuff My Stocking 12 Days of Christmas thingie?  I have a stocking full of stuff that I plan to divvy up amongst my quilting friends for Christmas.  This is the best idea since the rotary cutter! 

I am already starting to think about the New Year and how I want to improve my quilting life.  I keep considering letting go of some of my 'kits' that I bought in years past - and I honestly know that I'll not get to them.  So maybe it's time for them to find a new home.  I have some fabric that is absolutely wonderful, but I'm just not in that space anymore.  I keep thinking that I can't be the only quilter in this dilemma.  Maybe we should consider a Quilter's Consignment Shop?  I don't want to give away my stuff and I certainly don't need to buy anymore or trade for more.  So why not a consignment store for us fabri-holics.  Out with the not-so-new and in with the ... wait a minute... that's how I got into this mess.  Anyway, out with the not-so-new and in with a new attitude.  BUY IT AND USE IT IMMEDIATELY.   That's the ticket!  BUY IT AND USE IT IMMEDIATELY!!! 

I have a friend that has proclaimed no more buying fabric.  Several of us have bets on how long this will last ... I'm looking at March 2012!  LOL!

Cross and Crown Vintage

This is this years last of the vintage quilts.  I researched the pattern and found that it is called Cross and Crown.  MeMaw got a little wild with all the patterns so doing any custom quilting on this just wouldn't show at all.  So customer Kim and I decided that even though it is hand pieced, the best thing at this point in time would be to do an all-over on it.  No matter which way I photo this quilt you just aren't going to see the quilting.  So just enjoy the craftsmanship of the design and the piecing.  

Close-up of the Cross and Crown.

 The quilting pattern is a meandering feather.
 

Last photo is showing the vintage-type backing that we found at one of our LQS.  It is absolutely perfect!  Thanks, Linda!