Click on image for larger view... 8-)



Last post till after Christmas...

So much yet to do, and so little time to do it all, but DH is off this week, so it will be nice to have his help! What gets done, is done, and what is not... Oh well! 8-)

DH and I changed the dressing on my thumb (yesterday's post) after supper today... We still think it should have had a stitch or two, but what do we know, we're not doctors!! I just hope it heals well!

My hope for you all is a safe and enjoyable Christmas with your family and friends!
I will post again sometime after Boxing day...

Day sure didn't end normally!

Another wickedly cold day today. DH and I went shopping today. He did the grocery shop, while I did some last minute shopping... DH doing the groceries was not the best plan of action... Oh well.... 8-)

Well, here is our tree. It will have to do for this year... I forgot to buy some new silver garland that I had planned for this year. Our other was pretty ratty last year, so I chucked it out...

I realized that I don't have the room in this house to make a large village (as I could in our old house). So, I guess I will not be buying any new pieces next year unless I figure something else out for displaying it... Here it is tucked into a shelf on our wall-unit... I know my windmill doesn't really "fit" with the rest, but I had to buy it last year. 8-)
Last night we went to DD1+2'd apartment to celebrate DS's 21st Birthday. It was a last minute idea of theirs because they are working on his actual birthday today. Grandma and Grandpa were there too! 8-)

Of course moi had camera in hand all evening, and I took a "not so flattering" photo of DD1, which I was going to keep... until she tackled me for the camera to erase it! DD2 took said camera from me, and proceeded to snap photos of the attack. So, DD1 never ended up with my camera, but I agreed I would erase it to end the wrestle... 8-)
Our old neighbor popped by with this lovely white floral arrangement in a Christmas mug for us... Just beautiful!!! Can you pick out the two doves? Thanks D+J!!! 8-)

It is now 3AM, I typed most of this post around 9:30pm, and was just about to publish it, when the fur-girls got into another domestic right under my comp desk and chair!!! To make a long story short, I ended up at the hospital for 4 hours cause we thought I needed a couple of stitches.... Home now, no stitches, but a tetanus, good cleaning and bandaging, and an antibiotic prescription to fill tomorrow... Time for bed now... Do you think this gets me out of food prep for Christmas Day? LOL!!! 8-)

Nativity Scene...

This first Nativity Scene is a combination of my paternal grandparent's stable, and my parent's Nativity set. It is in bad need of a new paint job, but I think I will screw up the beauty of it all.... The camel lost it's head a few times in it's lifetime, and the angel was dropped and broke in two at some point... I think my parents got the set shortly after they were married, so it will be 50 years old soon. I was asked if I wanted my maternal grandparent's set, but it was way too big. I think the camel stood at about 15 -18 inches!!! That would be about 38 - 45 cm tall. All way to big for a proper placement...

When my parents handed over their set to us, due to them downsizing, I felt bad cause they did not have one, so I made them a small ceramic scene. It just has Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus, placed in a hollow like cave, in a snow covered pine-tree... Very cute. I will see if I can remember to snap a photo of it next time I am there...
This glass etching of the Nativity was made by our old neighbor Heather about 16 years ago. It is about 5 x 7 inches, so not very big... Looks nice with a tea-light behind it... Heather did a lot of glass etching. Beautiful stuff... 8-)

Ornaments & Observations...

Well, it's Dec 20th and we finally dragged out our ornaments today... After DH and DS helped with putting the strings of lights and string of beads on the tree, they quickly fell asleep on the couch. DD2 happened to come to help, so we finished up decorating the tree. Here are some of my treasures. Some old and ratty looking, but I love them just the same... 8-)


This tree topper has been in my family for at least 50 years, if not more, and the box of decorations I'm sure just as long. Still the original box too! 8-)

These precious Gnomes have to go into our tree, right against the trunk, every year. They were from a little scene of Log Cutters that my grandparents put out every Winter. There was a little log on supports, and a long saw over it with a little Gnome on each side. I can't recall what happened to the rest of it, but these two little guys I am sure will be around for a very long time yet. DD2 has spoken up for them...one day. 8-)

This little ring ornament was made for me about 15 years ago by a close friend... I think a few of the "nest egg" beads are missing, and the bird has seen better days, but I still love it! 8-)

These paper/cardboard like ornaments have been around for a long while too... since my childhood... 8-)

These are my precious babes... DD2 made the one at school in 1992 as a gift for Mommy and Daddy, and then I cut stuff out for DD1 to make one, and helped DS with his... Can you tell? I plan to do this craft one day with future grandchildren... 8-)

My father made these for our children when they were pre-schoolers. Their names are painted on with gold paint, but I whited their names out in the photo...

Guess what I bought today!

Well, DH and I went out into the mall tonight! Talk about the Christmas craze! And silly me forgot to bring the wish lists of the only 2 family members that I need to buy for... Duh!!! So, we ended up getting some stocking stuffers, and a few gag gifties. DH at one point went to get something on one of his lists.

We also dropped by the Christmas Tree lot for a tree. It sits in our living-room thawing till tomorrow. The guy selling the trees had 2 gorgeous dogs there. A very over weight, but lovely, 5 year old Bull-Mastiff, and an ever so cute, although big, 7 month old Bull-Dog cross. My Fur-Girls went nuts smelling my coat when we got home...

Another buy today, which I was sooooo excited to find, was a Quilt Shop! Yup! That's right! I am now a quilt shop owner! LOL! 8-)
Although the photo doesn't really show it, the light is on inside... Every year I add a new little light up house to create a little village. I think that this is my 5th purchase. Only problem now is, I don't know where to put them! We didn't have them out last year (It was a rough Christmas, just moved in, yadda, yadda), and at our old house we had a nice big ledge over our front door closet, in our bi-level home. I shall have to figure something out... 8-)

Hopefully tomorrow we will have the tree all decorated, and I will post a photo of it, and some of my precious ornaments. 8-)

Friday...

Mornin' world! Tis a light winds morning here with a -24*C temp.

Well, I have my 3 participants for Pay It Forward now! Woohoo! They are Jenny, Elizabeth, and Julie. If anyone else is wanting to play along, go and visit Lurline here, at the bottom of the post, and sign up with her. Lurline does some incredible creations! Doesn't she ladies!?! 8-)

My Amish Dolls... More "tole painting"... Yup! That is what it is called, but I forgot. Thanks Brenda and Hazel! 8-)

Wood Crafts...

Minus 37*C with the wind-chill today! That is -34.6*F. Brrrrrrrr.........

Don't know if I've posted any of our wood crafts before, and I've posted tooooooo much to check back if I did... lol! 8-)

Quite a few years ago now, probably 10 to 12 years, there was a couple that moved to our small town that taught this kind of painting on wood (I forget the actual name of the craft). This was their plan for their retirement from the Army. He cut and assembled the woods, she taught the painting, and sold finished items. Her classes were always full. They were with us for about one and a half years, and then they moved... much to all our dismay... 8-(

First photo, and close-up photo, of a Christmas sled decoration. It was very interesting how one creates the effect of depth with the paints...

Once in a while the woman would have a Saturday class for children, so I took my kids a few time too. It was a fun activity for them, as I would work on one of my projects while there... 8-)

This is DD2's little Gingerbread Man that she was quite happy with...She was about 9 or 10 at the time... 8-)







I'm still looking for one more "Pay It Forward" participant... Click on the logo on my sidebar for info... 8-)

Stockings, and a Mitt it will be!!!

I don't post for a few days, just here and there over the last few weeks, and today I post twice! Go figure!?! 8-)

Yesterday our DDs were over doing some more Christmas baking here, and were wondering about a stocking for DS's girlfriend. To tell you the truth, I didn't even think about it!!! So today I put something together for a guest visitor.

Over the last few weeks I have been seeing large mitts made, or/and hanging, in place of Christmas stockings. So this one will hang along side our stockings this year... 8-)
It is pretty big, so should fit quite a few goodies in it! 8-)

Can you believe this? I have not yet brought out any of our Christmas decorations, or done any shopping yet. Yup! That's right! I tend to get very overwhelmed with even just the thought of it all. Our immediate family hasn't even picked names yet, cause the kids drag on making their lists till the last possible moment... Thank goodness I don't have to buy for everyone anymore, so that does cut down on "a minute bit" of my stress with regards to Christmas... I still wish it was January already though... 8-/

Here is a photo of the gift we gave to our friends the other night too... 8-)

Brrrrr..... It's cold out there!!!

Dang it's cold out there tonight!!! With wind-chill it feels like -40F! Very windy too! Almost got stuck in a snowdrift too yet!!!

Tonight, after church, we had a lovely visit at our friends W&J's home. We had a delicious roast beef dinner! W makes the best roasts ever!!! Their 2 adult sons shared in the meal also! It is nice to be able to see each other's children once in a while as they all have their own lives now... Thanks for the lovely evening K family! 8-)

The Friday night Christmas party that we attended from DH's work/shift was a very nice evening indeed. First time I've met all his coworkers (and their spouses). We played a gift game with the gifts that each guest brought along. Our goodies in the photo! Fun stuff! DH was feeling no pain when we left...that doesn't happen very often... Nope! Not often at all!!! 8-)

Oven update:
Our oven is still not fixed, so that put a cramp in our children's plans for today. They were going to do the Christmas baking here today as we have a bigger kitchen than they do... Oh well!?! What can you do?
Apparently I will be lucky if it is fixed by Christmas... If not, that means my mother will have to host Christmas day. Judging by the way I have been feeling lately, that may not be a bad thing for me... 8-/

Haven't been doing any sewing of late. Busy making more slippers. Working on pair 3 now...

I have one spot left for another player for Pay It Forward! Could it, would it, be you?! Please consider joining in on the fun! 8-)

Now, during this busy season, take care while driving, take it easy on the shopping, eat healthy, and don't forget to sit for a cup of tea when you need it! 8-)

Sew & Tells...

These photos are from our Wednesday night city group's Christmas pot-luck gathering. We had good food, good company, a few games, and we all went home with a Winter/Christmas fat quarter... 8-)

The first photo isn't very good. Could not get a good shot at Dp's whole quilt. The whole quilt is just beautiful!!! There are ducks in the center of each block. It is a gift for her hubby for at the cottage. Matching pillowcases to boot! 8-)

These next few photos are from my Wonky Bits gathering yesterday. Pg is in the process of putting together this quilt for her granddaughter for Christmas. I believe the pattern is called Hop Scotch... I think S will love it! 8-)

This lovely season's wall-quilt Lp made for her daughter for Christmas. It will look lovely in her new home... 8-)

Pg's Bow-Tie quilt that got pulled out of hiding in the UFO pile.. She was busy hand-stitching the binding down.... Looking good! 8-)

Finally, this is Pg's two wonderfully creative pieces that she had been working on. They were started when she was visiting her sister in BC. She used some of her hand dyed fabric... Lovely job Pg!!! They could hang on my walls! wink,wink!! lol! 8-)

Tonight DH and I are going to his office's Christmas party. I've never met any of his co-workers, so this should be interesting...

I still have one space that needs filling for Pay It Forward... It could be you! Please consider joining in on the fun! You can find the info here.... 8-)

More HST play...

Did some more HST playing last night... The first photo of it is certainly a different layout.

Hubby is on the move again this weekend. Last weekend we cleaned and organized most of the basement. It was a disaster since DD2 moved out, and DS moved into her room. Now it is much, much better... The only thing left to organize is the storage, laundry, furnace room.

Today DH is switching things up in the living room. We shall see what we end up with... The biggest job of moving everything around is rewiring everything for the TV and computer. Making sure our wires are long enough, and that we don't screw something up that the comp doesn't work... I wouldn't be a happy camper if that happens!!! Wish me luck! 8-)