Little Bits.....: The Christmas club

We have an addition to yesterday's Birdie column................this is Irene's. Click on the photos and they will enlarge...............look at this embroidery...............fabulous

Okay, let's begin today's...............................................

My friend

over on our quilting forum, made a candle mat as one of her projects for the Christmas club a lot of us belong to. (complete a project a month and you aren't on the naughty list.) This is the one she did and I guess I should have asked permission to use it. I'll do that.

Queen-Bee said it was okay.

I thought I would make one for us. Karl's Mom and Dad sent us the most beautiful pewter candle holder many, many years ago. I change the candle in it for the whatever season it is. Christmas and Valentine's Day is burgundy (I'm not a red lover). Then its another colour for spring, then summer, well, you get the picture.

I don't light the candles, they are just there to look at. I have never made a candle mat but thought I would give it a go, using a pattern similar to one I had seen on a Thimbleberries newsletter. I downsized it and I'm not sure about my fabric choices. Something about it, just isn't working for me. Maybe I should have put it on the coffee table instead of the sewing table.

It will probably be fine once it is all done.

You know if you are going to make one, you may as well make three. Right?

First of all, could I find candle holders? There is the most magnificent pewter store in

Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia.

This is, without a doubt, one of my most favourite places in the world, with fabulous memories of trips we have taken there. ALL in glorious sunshine, just like the pictures at the top of their page.

This is the store. It is an old fishing boat building shop and the glass in the windows is as thick as a beam. Well, okay I exaggerate ~~ only slightly. The artisans make the pewter on site and the designing is done next door.

I went to their website and after spending way too much time, I found what I was looking for. I now have to make decisions. I don't want the girls to know they are getting them. I'm hoping I can pick them up this summer by going back once again and visiting the area. I'm working on the chauffeur!

I bought this panel last Christmas with great intentions. I ran out of time and maybe its just as well.

This is from Denmark, although I bought it locally. I cut four of the motifs out, sewed them back together and then framed it with other fabric. This will go with the table runners I gave the girls last Christmas. I can't give directions for this specific one because the little motifs are an odd cut 2 3/4" square. When the four were put together the centre measured 5 1/2" square. I added some borders and