Cookies for Santa

 At various times during the year, Fire Monkey and I have done sewing projects together.  At one point, I think in the spring when he was still doing school from home most of the time, I suggested we make a special place mat/cookie mat for Santa.  I had recently gotten both the gnome and gingerbread cookie dies for my Accuquilt cutter and he loves to crank the cutter.  We place Santa's cookies on the edge of the hearth of the fireplace, so a mat makes sense.

 

I let Fire Monkey loose with my Island Batik scraps and he chose fabrics for three gnomes and two gingerbread cookies.  We laid them out and fused them, then set it aside and didn't pick it back up again.  About a week and a half ago I realized we better get it finished!  I stitched around the fused-for-several-months applique shapes, then asked Fire Monkey if he wanted to "decorate" the cookies.  He did, so I gave him the fabric markers.  Notice the elaborate "necklace" on one of the cookies; he made the mouth way too low and fixed it with the necklace.  I quilted with straight lines and bound with a few days to spare.

We set out two gingerbread cookies for Santa (plus a bowl of carrots for the reindeer, not pictured) and the mat did its job and looks nicer and more welcoming if your cookies are going to be left out on the corner of the fireplace.  Other than the delay of over six months in between steps, this was a quick and fun project.  

Notice the daylight?  I forgot to take pictures of Santa's actual cookies, so this was staged Christmas morning.

I hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas, if you celebrate.  May your day be merry and bright!