Almost Ready

The decorating is finally done, and we've been enjoying the house with twinkling lights, in all its red and green glory.  Our son, Ryan, has totally taken over decorating the outside of the house.  Did I mention his idol is Clark Griswald (of Christmas Vacation fame)?  If we let him have his way, our house would illuminate the entire neighborhood!

Our daughter, Nicki, has taken over the cookie making, and the house smells delicious every day.  She's becoming quite the baker.  I love to bake, and the problem is, I also love to eat it all.  It gives me great joy to see our kids enjoying the season, and taking over some of the jobs my husband and I no longer wish to do.  Passing the torch, if you will.  

I promised some pictures of the house all decked for the holidays....

These little red stacking tables are in our family room and I enjoy changing them with the seasons.  You may remember seeing them filled with wool strawberries over the summer.  The framed cross stitch piece, called Blessings be Thine, is one of my all-time favorites from Blackbird Designs.  I made the two snowmen on the floor, what seems like eons ago, when my kids were still little, and I was vending at craft shows.  You may not know this, but I made thousands of dolls like these over the ten years I did craft shows, and had a different pattern business featuring my original doll designs.  Seems like ancient history now.

I love collecting old dough bowls (this one's a reproduction) and filling them with all kinds of goodies.  I have three or four of them around the house.  There's just something warm and wonderful about filling these bowls!  Am I weird, or what? 

I love collecting the Jim Shore Christmas Santas.  This was a new acquisition in the after-Christmas sales last year. 

We have three Christmas trees in our house.  This is the largest (its not really that large, but the others are pencil trees, so ergo its the largest.)  I let my kids decorate this tree.  They forgot to dress the tree with garland this time.  Oh well....next year!

Question....am I the only one who buys wrapping paper that matches your home?  I think because the presents sit under the tree for weeks, that the paper should compliment your home decor.  I found really wonderful folk art style paper at Target this year.  They always have stuff I like.  Hhmmmm....I've got to move that bright blue gift bag to a different location....its messing with my color theme.  I know.....I'm anal about these things and  I'm totally OK with it!  Teehee!

Of course, Christmas quilts have a big presence in the house.  The gingerbread girl is another doll from my dollmaking days and is one of my favorites.  She is sitting on top of my quilt design called Small World.  The two quilts in the crocks are also my designs; Winter Retreat is on top, and No Place Like Home is in the foreground - both made with wonderful Kansas Troubles winter fabric collections.

I want to thank all of you whom offered advice on what to do with my quilt label.  I decided to add a footnote to the label that says pieced in 2008, and quilted in 2011.  That's its story, after all!  I know how busy everyone is this time of year, so I thank you for visiting! 

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Join Lynne Hagmeier and me as we cruise to Alaska on The Great Girlfriend Get-Away!  Click here to find all of the details!