Over the River and Through the Desert....To Grandma's House We Go

Wow, Thanksgiving is coming up really fast! And just beyond that is Christmas. Some years we have put our tree/trees up around the 12th of December, which is my husband's Birthday, but then we have often been known to put them up the day after Thanksgiving and the trees stay up until January 2nd. Two years ago, I put up three trees. Yes, I'm nuts.  This business of more than one tree started years ago in our other house because we had a family room and living room, and if the tree is in either of those rooms then it can't be seen from the other rooms. It's the same in this house. We spend most of our time in the kitchen/family room and the fireplace is there. But on the holiday we entertain in the the livingroom/dining room combo. So it deserves a tree also, right? So where is the third tree? Call me crazy but I wanted one in my loft/sewing room which overlooks the living room. I don't know if I'll get all this done this year. I'm more motivated to make quilt tops than to decorate right now, but we'll see.  As time goes on, I tend to get more enthusiasm for decorating. All our trees are 'fake' trees, because we like to leave them up for a month, and a real tree has a hard time in the dry air we cope with. I hate needles in the carpet for months afterward.

It takes a lot of work to get all this 'stuff' out!   And put it away! This is my buffet years ago, I've collected white and silver santas since this picture, and  the houses go on the fireplace now.

 I have an extensive collection of cast iron santa doorstops, too. I waited years to have a house with a staircase to display them on.

I wanted to show you a stocking I made Granddaughter number 1 for her first Christmas. I made it from an old red wool shirt and left the pocket on it for a special Christmas treat from Santa. The white showing just under the white top is where the sleeve to the shirt was.

Then last year for Granddaughter number 4, I used an old wool sweater.  I sent it through a hot wash and

dry several times to 'felt' it, cut the pattern and before I lined it I did some beadwork where the original white of the nordic design was.

A red ribbon, some buttons, and a knitted top out of funky fur yarn, and she also has her own individual stocking.

I made stockings for Granddaughters 2 and 3 also, I just can't find the pics right now.  That will be another post if I can find them.