Welcome to our Primitive Christmas Handwork Blog Hop!!

Welcome to my day of...

 A Primitive Christmas Blog Hop! 

This is my first year participating in this awesome event, and I'm so jazzed to be a part of it!  It has been such blast visiting every designer's blog each morning to see what new and wonderful project awaits.  While I adore making wool projects, it's not something I normally work with when designing, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and give it a try.

I've been designing original quilts since 2006, and began designing fabric for Marcus Fabrics a few years ago.  My first BOM program with Marcus, called A Prairie Gathering, is about to begin at your local quilt shop next month.





I have a new pattern series that has just been released, called Tokens of the Past, and Gathering In Red is the first pattern in the series.  I designed three quilts for this pattern, and am super excited about the brand new 10 inch precuts of Prairie Gathering fabric that I used to make the units and blocks for all three quilts.  Click here to read more about the pattern and a special kit offer with free shipping!!  

Christmastime certainly brings our family traditions to the forefront in our lives, doesn't it?  In our home, we definitely have lots of them we love repeating each year, and sometimes begin new ones.   We live in suburban Chicago, so we enjoy (yes, I do mean enjoy...well, most of the time!) four distinct seasons, and Christmas would not be Christmas without cold weather.  We all hope for a White Christmas, too, but it doesn't happen all that often.  

Cookies have long been a part of Christmas at our home.  Our daughter, Nicole, has taken over 90% of the cookie baking now.  

And...our son, Ryan, has taken over decorating the outside of the house.  Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase's character from the movie Christmas Vacation) is my son's hero, and he'd like nothing more than to wrap our entire house in lights.  (Um...sorry, but the answer is no again this year, Ryan.)

We make lots and lots of cookies each year to give to family and friends.  One tradition we have enjoyed is dropping off large trays of cookies to our local police and fire departments, along with a big "thank you" to them for their service in our community.  We've been doing that for more than 10 years now, and little did we know when we began, that our son would one day be a fireman/paramedic!  We send lots of cookies to the folks at his firehouse all year long.  

The recipe I wanted to share with you is also a long-time family favorite.  Every year, Christmas Eve is spent at my cousin Debbie's home (who took over for her mom after more than 50 years!), and this yummy dip as one of the dishes I bring.  I know our family would be terribly disappointed if I didn't!  

It could not be easier to make, and actually feeds a crowd.  I split the recipe in half, leaving one portion at home to serve on Christmas Day, and the other goes to Deb's for Christmas Eve.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Click here for a downloadable, printable version of the recipe.

And now...for the little project I designed just for you!!

What is it about a red pick-up truck filled with Christmas trees, coming home from the Tree Farm, that just says Christmas to me?  Is it just me, or do you love it, too?  

That's what I chose to depict in my little wool pinkeep.  As always with my pictures, (sigh) the blue background of the pinkeep is much darker, more of a muted soldier blue/navy in color.  The color of the blue background looks much better in the cheesy dip photo above.  (If you knew how many pictures I have taken of this pinkeep!  All I can say is thank God for digital cameras!)  I love having pinkeeps all over the house.  Love how they feel with crushed walnut shells in them.  

They look good in a big antique dough bowl arrangement......

...or on a table vignette.  They go everywhere, and add a little, special something in design and texture, which is exactly what wool does, right?!

I'd love to have a red vintage pickup truck parked in my driveway, filled with real Christmas trees. (Wouldn't that be an awesome outside decoration for the driveway, Ryan?!)  Oh, yes Pam, that's practical!!  Well...a girl can daydream.  Since that's wholly unlikely to happen, I'll just enjoy my pinkeep, and the good feelings it brings!  

Click here for a downloadable, printable Tree Farm Wool Pinkeep pattern.

I also want to share with you one of my favorite handwork notions...these small and very portable snip scissors by Gingher.  They tuck into little bags for your to-go stitching, and snip threads beautifully.  I have two of these babies to give away!  Leave me a comment, and I'll draw winners on December 15th!  

Well, I'm so glad you stopped by to visit my blog.  Thank you for coming, and I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas, and a blessed New Year.  My thanks to Stacy West of Buttermilk Basin for coordinating the entire Primitive Christmas Blog Hop!  What a great event this is!!

Be sure to visit Lori Brechlin of Notforgotten Farm tomorrow.  

I can hardly wait!  

Happy Hand Stitching to Everyone!