Years ago I used to decorate just about everything in sight. For the past few years I have been downsizing, putting less and less out. This year I put about half of what I have up. I told myself I was not going to buy any new decorations but I fell of the wagon today when the hospital gift shop had a sale. I got this cute little figurine by Jim Shore for 50% off. I love all the colors he uses and you know how I am about my cats.
I tend to stick to the same old themes. My mantle hasn't changed except for the snow I put in around the candle in the hurricane glass. My mother made the kids stockings and I've used them every year.
Before kids I used to do a lot of craft work. All kinds of needlework including embroidery, needlepoint, crochet, etc. Here are a couple of things I made that come out of the closet at Christmas.
I made this afghan many years ago. It's huge and was a lot of work. The pine cones and acorns are cross stitched on to the afghan. I smothered my chair in it so you could get a better idea of what it looks like.
Our tree is a smorgasbord of ornaments gathered over 25 plus years. Ornaments from friends and relatives, Hallmark goodies, Tom is fond of the apples I bought to fill in spaces. Most precious are the ones my kids made. The angel Molly made in kindergarten out of a toilet paper roll is ever present on the tree. Jackson made Rudolph out of Popsicle sticks. Both she and Jackson made ornaments using an ice cream cone. Unfortunately Molly's broke but we still have Jackson's to remind us of hers.
I found this ornament a couple of years back of "Eloise".
When I was a little girl one of my favorite Christmas books was "Eloise at Christmas". I read it over and over again. This is a picture of the actual book. I'm surprised it came out looking this good, it is about to fall apart.
Santa Clause brought this book to me. See he even wrote in it!
As Eloise says "Ooooooooooooooooo! I absolutely love Christmas.
I'm impressed by your afghan...you are GOOD! Do you ever think of starting another at any point?
ReplyDeleteI use to cross stitch when I was younger but my eyes are so bad now I think I would go blind is I had to look at all those little "X's"!
First of all, let me say how much I appreciate your thoughts and prayers in regards to Mike's diagnosis of melanoma. We are trusting God to see him through this!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you made that gorgeous afghan! It is so pretty! How long did it take you to complete? I'd give anything if I were that creative!