Signs of the Times

The Park' s Christmas traditions have changed this year and it was a change everyone enjoyed, especially the kids. We all get together on Christmas Eve at my son's house in Tehachapi. Then everyone can have their own Christmas Morning at home.

Until a year ago we were a family owned and run Residential and Commercial Construction Business. We closed down a year ago leaving 2 of our three sons and my husband and I without an income.

We have all found income of sorts, but after 25 years it was a shock to our pocketbooks.

We always all exchanged gifts with everyone and it took about 3 hrs. to open presents.  This year we asked that there be no gifts for the adults and one of my DIL's suggested that the kids draw names and make a gift. Well, the three DIL's put there heads together and came up with the greatest idea. They drew names and were to make a picture or write something (age appropriate) for the cousin they drew. Then they were to frame it. Each year they draw names and make another picture to fit the same frames. Year after year they will put the new picture on top and the frame will become a keepsake with all the pictures. It will be fun seeing the scribbles and primitive pictures change for each child.

They had so much fun finding out who drew their name and each one loved whatever they got, as you can see in our picture. They were all so sweet and apprecitive where in previous years it was total cauous when we all had multiple presents to open, and no one could remember the next day who gave who what.

Sigh...Done at Last

Not to worry, they got done in time....Like 3:00 Christmas Eve., but done.

These four little purses are for four of my six granddaughters.

They match a skirt that I made for each of them for back to school last fall. They are about 12"/7", so not too big.  I filled them with girlie goodies and it was so much fun. I am thinking of making some of these to sell for Valentines Day. What do you think?

Hope you are all having a relaxing day after Christmas. My sweetie is golfing and I am still in my robe and slippers, reading my favorite blogs and posting on mine.  I will have grandkids here for the next few days, so I am enjoying my quiet time before the storm....and I mean that in a good way as I love having them here.  We will play games, pop corn, watch movies and just have some fun.

Merry Christmas

Just wanted to wish anyone who stops by a Merry Christmas. Hope all are enjoying time with family and friends. May the joy born of Christmas so long ago, find a place in your heart today.

Fluff and Fold

Finished one more Christmas project this morning and just took them out of the dryer to fluff, fold and wrap.  Yes, I know, it's a little (no a lot) last minute. But if you knew me you would know that is my MO.  If I finished everything early, I would just dream up another project.

These are for my youngest sons 5 kids. He just remodeled the bathroom the kids all use. It is really nice and he hung a rack with 6 hooks for the kids towels. Yes, I know there are only 5 towels, but number six baby isn't quite here yet.  I will have to make her a hoody towel to match. My DIL saw the post a few days ago with the valance in the animal print and she wants the same thing, so quess I will do the valance to match after Christmas....not before, I'm not totally crazy.

Last Minute Gift Sewing

The first of several sewing projects I still want to finish before Christmas. This is for my youngest  grandchild. (I posted some bibs earlier that are part of her gift also.  The other 9 grandchildren got  theirs last Christmas, but she wasn't old enough.

This is a travel size pillow, just right for a first pillow. The quilt I made her is mainly the yellow you see here, so they match. The bright (and I do mean bright) pink is a "Minkee" fabric. If you haven't experienced minkee, it is the softest soft of fabrics and great for baby blankets too.

Well I'm off and running.....going to start early in the morning on the next project. Will have it to post tomorrow night.

If you still want to see Christmas inspiration, my friend Gail @

http://www.victorianatheart.blogspot.com/ posted pictures from 7 houses (her's, mine and 5 of our friends) as we made our own little holiday home tour. What fun we had and good food too. Go take a peek and leave her a comment.

Company's Coming

Golden Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Tonight my house was at the end of a fun little tour that 6 friends and I do every year to see each others decorations. We also talk, laugh and eat just a little along the way. Since my house was last on the tour, I decided I would start my cookie baking.  I got this recipe off the back of a C&H Brown Sugar box many years ago. Since it is a favorite of my friends, I thought I would share it here.

1/2 cup butter                                                        1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup packed brown sugar                                 1/4tsp. salt

1 egg separated                                                     3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/2 tsp. vanilla                                                      Seedless Raspberry Jam

Cream together butter, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla.  Stir in flour and salt.  Roll into 1-inch balls. Dip into slightly beaten egg white and roll in nuts. Place on ungreased baking sheet.

                                        

Bake n 375 degree oven for 5 miutes. Remove from oven.  Quickly indent each cookie center with thumb.  Return to oven and bake 8 minutes longer.  Cool on rack.

 

Fill thumbprints with 1/2 tsp. jam.

Then I drizzle mine with a powdered sugar glaze.

This makes about 2 1/2 doz. They are so yummy, I always double the recipe.

Enjoy!!

Special Day and Back to Business

I am writing this for me, so anyone reading can skip down to the next part if you want.

Today is my sister's birthday. She passed away a little over a year ago. I don't remember the exact date, but it isn't important. Her birthday is what I remember the most. Every year when I start decorating for Christmas on the day after Thanksgiving, I think about our childhood.  Our Mom would not let us mention Christmas shopping, Santa or putting up the tree until after Cindy's birthday. She always wanted that to be a special day for her before we started celebrating the holidays.  My sister and I didn't see each other often, but I never failed to call her on her birthday.  Now, she on the other hand had her house decorated and presents sent out by Thanksgiving. She was crazy Aunt Cindy to my kids and grandkids, because you never knew what she would send. She made a lot of presents and I treasured those, but she also would send the kids funny things that made them laugh. Opening Aunt Cindy's presents on Christmas Eve was a tradition around here even after all the grandkids came. One of my DIL's even set up a corner at Christmas called Aunt Cindy's corner with all the singing toys and decorations she sent. It is so sweet.
My sister had the best laugh.  Things were not always the best between us, but that's okay, because we loved each other. We are as different as night and day in everyway including size. She was short and "skinny", I am taller and shall we say (to put it nicely) plump.  Regardless of size, we look alike....like our Mom, and her kids and grandkids look at me funny sometimes and say, you look so much like Mom or you look just like Granny.
And that is the greatest compliment I could have.

Now Back to Business
I had to take a little break from decorating, baking and shopping to get a couple of real jobs done.
I have a friend who is an interior designer and she hires me to do her sewing.  This shower curtain was a rush job for a client that was having a Christmas Party. Like all of us she was fluffing and poofing for guests.  One of my DIL's saw it and she wants one just like it for a newly remodeled bathroom.....after Christmas of course.

Then another friend asked me cover a footstool for her to give her DIL as a gift. She came over and cut everything out for me while I sewed. I have done several of these in the past in more of a cottage look with different fabrics combined. This was a little more tone on tone version. You can't tell too well, but it is a toile with a wide stripe. Its an old foot stool and this is just a slip cover.  That way it can be change when needed.

Candy Land

For Christmas, my living room is as red and white as my kitchen is blue and white.

My friend Gail at Victorian@Heart  made my beautiful tree topper and bow.  My granddaughter Drew helped to decorate the tree. It is all peppermint candies and red and white ornaments, berries and pointsettas.  I started several years ago with just real candy canes and bows and added ornaments each year. Now I just have one real candy cane for each of the 10 grandkids. This year each will have their name on it with a gift  certificate to our local Ice Cream/Candy Store called Dewars.

My coffee table. I'm sitting on my couch which is next to the tree looking into the kitchen.

I made these last year and they really go on my couch which is yellow, so I just threw them on my red and white chair for the picture. A few years ago, I took an upholsterery class and this is one of the chairs I did. You can see it a little better in the picture above.

Winter Wonderland

In honor of the snow all around us (none at my house), I thought I would put a few pictures of my kitchen Christmas decorations as they are all snowmen, blue and white. My kitchen is normally decorated in blue and white, so the transition at Christmas is easy.

The first two are on either side of a corner cabinet. This last one is on my center island.

(Sorry for the flash reflection on the mercury tree, Jermaine. I am embarrassed to say I can't figure out how to turn off my flash. But I did take the advice you gave for lighting. Thanks for your help)

This last one is in my entryway just to the right as you enter the front door. It is a "kitty corner" little niche that my husband put in for my displays. He actually cut off the corner of my MB closet which is on the other side of the wall. It is the corner where my shoe shelves are, so it really was more important for me to have the space for this cute little niche. Again....I will always choose cute over practicality.

Playing House

I'm so disappointed. I worked all day setting up my Dept. 56 Snow Village houses in my entertainment center so I could take some pictures to post here. Most of my pictures turned out blurry, but here's a couple that are okay. I just really need to make a commitment to take some photography classes. But then I would need a new camera too, so guess I'll just be happy for now with the one I have.

This one is Holiday House and one of my grandkids favorites.

This little church was one of my first and is still my favorite. The Bapistry has a music box that plays "Jesus Loves the Little Children"

Sorry the rest are too blurry. I will try again tomorrow. I only have about 15, but am not putting some out this year. At Susan's http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ she shows hers displayed on her dining table. They are so pretty, but my table isn't big enough.

What about you? Do you have a special collection you can't resist displaying every year?
I always say I put these up for my grandkids, but when all is done, I have to admit, I also do it for me.

Edited to add: Keep scrolling  to get to the comment box and the rest of my posts. I think the cyberspace gremlins got to me last night.  More likely, I goofed up somehow....