We bought our tree last Saturday - a Nordman Fir, which won't drop. In past years we have had to settle for much cheaper trees, even just toppings, and by the time the tree is taken out (normally through the window to minimise the mess) it is half-way to being BALD! Tam dressed it for me and it looks a real treat.
The Christmas teddy atop the tree, bought by one of us when we used to get our Christmas tree from a Christmas tree plantation at Salem. They had a shop with wonderful decorations and Christmassy things, and the children were allowed to each choose one special decoration each year.
Pride of place this year has been given to the wonderful peg-dollies made by Elaine over at Tales From Parsonage Wood who is a Special Blogging Friend. She made these recently for a Bazaar and I did have Peg Doll Envy. Well, the little chaps must have heard as apparently they were clamouring to come to me, along with some very generously-cut and absolutely GORGEOUS Japanese silk pieces, which I will have to plan to use on something Very Special in the dark days of January. I still want to know Elaine, did you use tooth-picks to knit the wee jumper on?
Above and below: a couple of my x-stitch handicrafts from the past, using wonderful American designs from Just X-Stitch magazine - I still have a year's subscription of copies dating back over 30 years, and still treasured. I made another a couple of years back of Mistletoe which hangs elsewhere in the room and I must take a photo of that too.
Above and below: 3 Christmas Meeces found in TK Maxx (none there when I belatedly went in this year). They have been in the hall before, but this year are gracing the sitting room instead.
Above and below: other embellishments. Forgive the filthy hearth (but we have scarcely been at home the past fortnight).
Finally the 12 Days of Christmas on which there is scarcely a square inch which isn't outlined in tiny hand quilting stitches (one of my favourite past-times). Must do another along these lines.
Anyway, all my cards and gifts are posted, and I have started wrapping presents, which always takes far longer than anticipated and seems to need one more elbow than you actually possess . . .
