White elephants, holiday parties, and some vintage bargains

This past week was filled with holiday events!  Monday evening was my P.E.O. chapter's potluck. My friend Erika was my guest. We exchange gifts with a lively "left/right" game (here). My gift was this applique pillow. In return I got a hand-crafted tea infuser and a packet of herbal tea.

FQ bundles 

Wednesday evening was the quilt guild's holiday dinner. I did not take photos but a good time was had by all. The guild has a fat quarter bundle exchange. I brought four bundles so I got four bundles. We have a block exchange--just a single block, which is far easier on everyone than having to make multiple blocks to swap.  We also have a white elephant exchange, also to the tune of a right/left passing game. I got a box with this interesting assortment: a box of tissues, a roll of toilet paper, a bar of very nice goat's-milk soap, and three not-quite-FQs.  Though the exchange does not have to be quilt-related, I always box up scraps--this year packaged in a popcorn tin.

exchange block and Longaberger basket (it held FQs)

UMW "White Christmas" (hence the attire)

Chapter OJ with their new treasures

Thursday noon was the United Methodist Women's holiday lunch. Another white elephant exchange!  I gave three sacks of decorative pebbles (which I got at a garage sale for .50 per sack).  I got a small glass candy dish in the shape of a snowman.  Thursday evening was Erika's P.E.O. chapter party with yet another white elephant exchange. I gave a bottle-turned-into-a-lamp and I got a box with *six* cookbooks which I am enjoying reading.

Saturday was the AAUW holiday luncheon. My ZBPL friend Rosemary was my guest (Erika is in AAUW so she was there anyway ). We have a silent auction fundraiser, which  involves more white elephants.  I took a box of stuff and a box of books. All but three items were purchased; all the leftover books (mine and others') went to ZBPL's book sale; and I spent $1.00 each on these bargello kits.  The price tag says Murphy's, $3.77.  (I found this information about WonderArt: 
http://info.fabrics.net/history-of-kit-quilts/
Fixler Bros, Inc. was founded in 1916 in Chicago and their trademark products were named Wonder Art..... The items were sold thru S.S. Kresge, J.J. Newberry, Scott Stores, G.C. Murphy. F.W. Woolworth, etc stores. There is not a date as to when Fixler Bros lost ownership of Wonder Art but it is now owned by Caron International, Inc in Washington, D.C.)  





 Saturday evening Stevens and I enjoyed the Full Score Chamber Orchestra's "Welcome Christmas" concert at a local church. We are very fortunate to have a professional orchestra based in our community.  The music was grand!







At our church on Sunday the children performed "The Simplest Nativity Play Ever."  A narration of the Christmas story and carols, with kids in costume: wonderful!

The coming week will be far less event-filled. I plan to tackle several assignments that I have neglected for too long.