It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas

It's beginning to look like Christmas at our house. The snowmen are now on display. Over the years my collection of snowmen has grown to include a variety of the little men (and some women). Many are gifts and others were purchased by our family. This year most of the snowmen are displayed on the hutch by the t.v. Others are sitting around the room. I still haven't decorated the tree. I'm trying to decide on a theme. I'll probably go with red and white like last year. Decision will be made by Thursday. For now the tree sits with lights only.

Christmas Kitchen and New Curtains

This year I decided to decorate my kitchen and breakfast nook in a red and white snowflake scheme. I purchased the fabric at Hancock's in E-town, Kentucky. I sewed the curtains last week. They look great with the vintage green tile behind the sink. The bowls were a gift from my sister and the tins are from JoAnns.

Decorations in the breakfast nook continue the snowflake scheme. The potholders and towels were pruchased at Old Time Pottery in Indiana. I visited the store for the first time in the fall. What a wonderful store filled with all kinds of great holiday items. Many of the other items were purchased at JoAnns. Of course Queen Julia reigns over the entire table from her perch on the wall. You can read about Julia here.

Fabric Chirstmas Cookies Arrived

This year Norma of Fabric in Altered Art 2 hosted a fabric Christmas cookie exchange. You can read about my cookies here. Our cookies were mailed to Norma and she packaged the cookies and mailed back to us. She included the following recipe:

Hot Batch of Christmas Cookies

Made with delicious cotton fabric dough, appetizing frosting of gel medium and acrylic paint, sprinkles of lovely little beads, paper dots and paper words. Then baked to perfection with a nutmeg or brown acrylic paint.

Fat Free, Calorie Free and Sugar Free! Enjoy

Thanks to Norma for a wonderful swap. They are the perfect addition to my tablescape in the breakfast nook.

Holiday Flat Doll Trade

My Last Trade in 2009

This is my flat doll for the Holiday Flat Doll Trade on F.A.T. (Fiber Art Traders). She is a combination of three different images. Arms are from one, and face and legs are from Dover images. The inspiration for this doll was the delicate green leaves that I received recently from Gretchen (also a FATie). They reminded me of skirt. I then set to work designing the doll. The bodice is a piece of vintage jewelry. Requirements for the swap were that the doll include something green, metal, and a button. There is metal on the jewelry, the button is in her hair, and her skirt is green. Now I wait until the first of the week to find out the name of my trade partner.

I displayed her on my breakfast nook tree just to see how she would look. She was fun to make. Maybe next year I will make some ornaments from my collection of vintage jewelry.

Pink Saturday

Happy Pink Saturday.

Don't you just love this little Pink Melody Tote by Deb-u-Teen! I couldn't resist it when I saw it at a local thriftstore. It brought memories of growing up with my older cousins and aunt. They wore bobbie socks and penny loafers, listened to their 45's, and danced in my grandma's parlor.

Which brings me to my "Favorite Holiday Memory". Each year at Thanksgiving and Christmas our large extended family would go to Mama's and Papa's for the day. The women would cook a huge meal, the men would do men things (go rabbit hunting or talk about farming) and the cousins (all 20 of us) would entertain ourselves. The younger ones would play games. Some would slide down the banister or bang on the piano in the hallway and some of us would get to watch the older cousins while they listened to their record player and danced. I was only in elementary school and they were in high school. I would sit and watch as they danced thinking that someday I would be old enough to wear a poodle skirt, loafers and dance!

I'm so thankful that I grew up in a large family. Family was important and we took time to be together as a family. I miss my mama and papa and my mom and dad. Now our family is making our own memories with the two dear granddaughters.

Thanks to Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for inviting us to describe our favorite holiday tradition as we celebrate Pink Saturday.

Christmas Santa Cookie Jar

I've decided to feature some of my favorite Christmas items. I found this vintage cookie jar at a thrift store in Payson, Arizona. He was dusty and dirty but I knew I just had to have him. I brought him home and gave him a good cleaning. Now he looks like new. He is manufactured by Carolina Enterprises and dated 1973. He looks great on the table in my breakfast nook.

"Julia" Queen of the Kitchen

I received this lovely doll from my friend Norma. She was part of my wonderful Stocking Swap package from Norma. The Stocking Swap was arranged by Cathy on Fabric in Altered Arts 2. In addition to my stocking, I received this doll and many more wonderful fabric-related items. I have named my doll "Julia" Queen of the Kitchen. She is currently displayed among the red and white snowflake items on the wall in my breakfast nook. She reigns over the kitchen in her lovely red and silver outfit. I am extremely lucky to have received a doll made by Norma. I will cherish her. To see Norma's post of the swap click here.