Humbug

This is my favorite time of year for many reasons, but this year I have something to be grinchy about.

I flew to Indiana last Friday to drive back home with my son for the holidays. We hit snow in Southeastern Pennsylvania and got snowed in. We pulled off Friday night and resumed our trip Sunday morning. While I am very grateful that we arrived home safe and sound, I was not grateful for the stomach bug that hit me Sunday night.

This is not eggnog and cookies, or wine and cookies, which is what I prefer to consume this time of year....

Okay, on to more cheery things; doll quilts!

Here is a quilt I made for Hanna featuring our 2 cats, Luna and Starbuck. Luna has 1 gold eye and one brown (damaged) eye, hence the different buttons.

the "cat back"
Here are 2 little log cabin quilts. The quilt on the right was a gift from my friend, Mary C. I like to use these under candles or tiny trees, etc.

This is a early doll quilt for Hanna. It's a four-patch variation.

I love this Christmas Paper Doll fabric on the back. I made her a pillowcase with this the same year.

This was wonderful gift from my friend, Jill. I still don't feel worthy of all the hand work that went into this one!~ I especially love it because I can use it all through the winter. Thanks again Jill!


And lastly, this is my Christmas Quilt of 2009 - Whooville. I was hoping to have it quilted, but with the snow, the flu bug, it's just not going to happen.


I was inspired with my new passion for selvages. The first 2 houses were free of them, then I realized that they could be used as Christmas lights. The composition was inspired by "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" with the central tree.

I wish you all a Happy, Healthy and Hope-filled Holidays and a Creative New Year!

Deck the Halls

My most prized Christmas Decoration - oh yes, it was a "major award" from my husband and very "fragile". I am, of course, referring to the movie "A Christmas Story" which is my favorite! This is proundly displayed in the front window of the computer room.


This is my Angel tree. My mother gave me an angel ornament one year which started it all. She passed away December 10, 1990 and friends and family started giving me angels each year. At this point there are over 500 angels on the this tree. I love to sit and look at in the morning while I drink coffee and do hand work.


This is the eating area in our family room. I hang fruit and nut ornaments and the little Christmas advent books that we read at dinner on it.

In the hutch I house our collection of Danish Nissemen. My husband is danish and we always have abliskiver and Flikadila (meat balls) at Christmastime. We've been collecting the Danish Plates since we were married in 1987.

The Elf Shelf
I adore these little guys!

The Snowmen corner
The Family Room tree. This is actually small for us this year, so not all the ornaments are on it. It has several 40's plastic ornaments and bells that were my mothers and, of course, bubble lights!

Here in my American Girl Doll, Annie, in the sewing room with the doll bed I won and my little pink and red tree. It fun to sew and wrap in there with this cheery little tree.

I love these old shiny bright ornaments, especially the ones with the glitter or flock on them.
I love when the house is decorated and lit up during this cold dark month. I hope you're finding time to enjoy the sights of the season.

Cupcake Christmas

Last week we met at Susan's house for Cupcake Club. It was Hat Box Day. Not our current group project, the Hat Box Quilts, instead we covered Hat Boxes. We were delighted to see this project on Alma's blog; Blackbird Designs and we knew we had to try it. I hope Alma find this post, I wanted to send her an email, but can not locate an address. Her blog provided us with the instructions and inspiration!

Here we are getting our supplies ready.


We went to work on the box lids.

Here are views of Jill's lid. She used this pretty pink fabric and sweet bird paper for the lining which was copied from a file folder.



Susan used a copy from a childrens book.


Here is mine. I decided to use this George Washington fabric. I used a piece of scrapbook paper for the lining.


With the lids finished, we broke for lunch. Susan made beef vegetable soup, rolls and a delicious cucumber salad. How cute are Christmas cupcake napkins?


For dessert I brought gingerbread and Susan added Madeline cookies. I was in such a rush to dig in that the photo is out of focus, sorry.


After lunch we started the bottom of the hat boxes.

Here is Jill's:

And Susan's. She used a crazy quilt paper for the sides and a Swedish children's proverb on the bottom.


And I used copies of old photos. Jill and her friend, Mary Beth got me collecting this "homely" women photo cards. They are so funny. I think it's quite sad that they show up for pennies at flea markets. Who are these women?


And here are the hat boxes finished. Jill's is on top, mine on the bottom and Susan on the side. It took us most of the day, but we all feel it will go more quickly next time. I think they turned out beautifully!

I'm quite pleased with George and the ladies and look forward to filling it up. Maybe I'll store my old photo collection inside.

While waiting to get started, I took pictures of Susan's decorations. Her sun room looks so cheery with the icicle lights. She and her husband made all the wooden decorations on the windowsills.


Here are Susan's Mongolian Hats, from Mongolia, and a quilt in her front hall.

Susan's award winning quilt over a door.

And my favorite, these kitchy vintage door knob hangers - so cute!

And lastly, for no particular reason this hawk came for a visit in my Dogwood tree. I was talking to Mary at the time and took this photo through the back door. What a nice holiday visit, I see it as a good omen.

HO HO HO

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I received the top and backing for this fun little quilt from my friend, Diane, of Persnickety, a couple of years ago. I know she had some help from mutual friends, thanks friends! I decided this was the year to quilt it up. Isn't it a great graphic little quilt?

I wanted to quilt it in a way that would emphasize the HO HO HOs of the piece.


Diane sent this cute fabric for the back.


This is a little quilt I made for my Grandmother, Gertrude, many, many years ago. It has a rushed rose and is hand quilted.


And now for some decorations. Here is my newest little tree. I found the green/silver tree at Homegoods (love Homegoods!). I also found the little feather-tailed birds and pine cone ornaments there.




I makes a nice little vignette on my front hall table. Yea, all the cards are ready to post!


Here is the Living Room Mantel. Last year the Cupcakers had a glitter day. We purchased these Martha Stewart little paper houses. I painted mine sherbet colors and glittered them. I also made the cone trees out of paper plates.


The Dickens' Village is displayed on the piano.


It has gotten to large for the piano, so my little desk serves as the David Copperfield and Christmas Carol display. It looks really sweet at night all lit up.

Today I endeavor to finish decorating the Angel tree in the living room and the pink tree in the sewing room.

Hopefully I'll also find a little time to sew. I'm working on this years' little Christmas quilt.