An Early Christmas Gift ~

Family is the best gift of all :)  (Well, to be honest, not all family is the best . . . sigh.)  I got a text late last night from my Las Vegas son.  His first words were "Don't worry I'm fine".  He knows a late night text or phone call sends me in to a panic.  He asks me to call if I am still up.  Of course by then I am wide awake.  Turns out his boss decided not to work the week between Christmas and the New Year so he is coming home for Christmas.  He will arrive Christmas eve day and be home for almost a week.  I am so excited and he sounded pretty happy, too.

 

I'm still decorating like a fool.  I've gotten lots done and it's not even December yet.  I still haven't started my Christmas gift rug yet.  Hopefully soon.

 

Do you remember the hard plastic Christmas items from the 50's?  I didn't know I had collected so many.  Most of them were purchases but a few were gifts.

 

Thank you for all the sweet comments on my last post.  I still haven't figured out how to have the comments emailed to me, so it makes it difficult to respond.  One of these days . . . in my spare time . . . I hope I can figure it out.  My first try was unsuccessful.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs :)
Lauren 

 

So I Cheat a Little ~

If you looked up crazy Christmas lady in the dictionary, you would find my picture.  I'd like to subscribe to the theory that less is more, but it's just not in my genes . . . sigh.  Minimize.  Purge.  Not words in my vocabulary, unfortunately.  So, I will continue to deck the halls to the max.  I must confess, though, my decorating doesn't change much from year to year.  For the most part, the same items go in the same location each year.  They may be arranged a bit differently, but that's about the only change.

 

Here are some of my vintage decorations.

 

Celluloid Santas and a vintage bottle brush tree.

 

 

On the left is a celluloid Santa candle holder.  The two big guys in the back are "egg crate" Santas.  The front sports another vintage bottle brush tree and two paper mache Santas.  The Santa with tree on the right is new paper mache.

The cardboard to the left is vintage, made in Germany, I believe.  The Santas are all vintage, some with early plastic faces and some made with paper mache. 

 

The Holly Berries book to the left is old but undated.  I've had it as long as I can remember.  Cupples & Leon Company was bought out in 1956.  The large Santa on the right is also vintage paper mache.

 

 

 

This tree sports both chenille and cotton batting Santas.  All are vintage except for the chenille stars.  The little glass bells are also vintage.

 

Chenille.

 

Cotton batting.

This little guy sports a tag "made in Occupied Japan" (1945-1952).

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Off to do a bit more decorating.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Let the Decorating Begin ~

 

Those that have followed my blog in previous years know that I am a crazy Christmas decorating fool.  I wish I could subscribe to the theory that less is more, but I just can't . . . sigh.  I love that Thanksgiving was the earliest day possible day this year ~ more time to get ready for the holidays.  Boxes have started to make their way down from the attic.  Having a walk up attic is both a blessing and a curse.  It is too easy to accumulate :)

 

Thanksgiving was wonderful but hectic.  My niece and family were in from Chicago.  Though I did not cook Thanksgiving day, it seems I cooked and washed dishes (no dishwasher) endlessly.  My brother and his DSO do Thanksgiving every year and it is always a feast.  Friday DSO and I headed to Michigan for his son and D-I-L's Thanksgiving.  Another excellent meal.  The scale is no longer my friend :(  Yesterday I did the Small Business Saturday shopping in two towns, but my purchases were meager.  Now it's time to get busy!

 

Granddog Kali with her "cousin" Trina



Ernestine just because she is so cute :)



Cousins

Hooking time has been hard to find.  I have managed to pull a few loops on Old Hearts by the Old Tattered Flag.  Hopefully I can call this a finish soon.  I've decided to hook a last minute gift so that will be next on the frame ~ and it's something I can't share until gifted.  Hmmm . . . not sure what I will have to blog about.  Maybe I can make up some stuff :)  The background is showing up pink in this picture.  It is NOT! 

 

I hope your Thanksgiving was the best ever.  We have much to be thankful for living in this great Land of ours.  May God continue to bless America.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Happy Thanksgiving ~

 

I attended my first quilt show a while back, put on by the Lorain County Piecemakers.  I admire quilting and sometimes think I'd like to give it a try, but don't have enough time now for all I want to do without adding more to my to-do list.

 

This was a mini quilt, maybe 18" (?) square. 

 

I can't imagine piecing this.

 

A couple more little quilts.  The first one reminds me of my Ellie :(

 

 

 

I think my favorite quilt block is the nine patch.

 

Fun little pumpkins.

 

I loved the vintage quilts.

 

By the dated blocks, the above quilt must have taken nearly 5 years to complete.

 

 

 

 

~ Happy Thanksgiving ~

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Wool "Feather" Tree ~

 

To those considering a tinsel tree (Kim, Mel and Jennie), I am most happy to be an enabler :)  As Marly pointed out, it can be ordered online, too.

 

Many years ago (10+) Joanne who blogged at Snippets & Scraps of My Mind, sent me all the pieces parts to make a wool feather tree.  Since then I've looked up directions and purchased additional directions, but never made one.  I finally took a class yesterday from Connie at Wool Yankers in Wellington.  Here it is at long last.  Thanks to Connie who helped me wrap some of the branches so I could finish it.  I don't know why I had so many problems figuring out the branch placement.  I really felt like the class flunkie . . . sigh.  All I need to do now is stain the base.

 

 

Crazy day tomorrow.  Grocery store, baking pumpkin rolls, getting grandson for a haircut plus all the normal every day stuff.  I am just thankful I can do it.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Oh Christmas Tree ~

 

No, I'm not starting to decorate.  It doesn't happen here until the week after Thanksgiving.  Just wanted to give you a heads up on the pre-lit tinsel tree I showed last year that so many of you loved.  They are once again at Walmart.   

 

They come in two sizes and two "finishes".  The rose gold almost looks tarnished, but does have a pink cast to it.

 

 

Not much hooking or creating going on here.  I've spent the week cleaning.  It's LONG overdue and the dust bunnies and wool dust were totally out of control.  Company coming to stay for Thanksgiving is great incentive ~ even if it's family.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

From Our Hands ~

Once again, From Our Hands was a first class show.  If money was no object, I would have needed a U-Haul to bring my goods home.  I took very few pictures.  I even forgot to take a picture of our booth :(

 

Lori Ann Corelis, along with Rebekah L. Smith, are the show promoters.  Here is Lori Ann's booth.  Her work is exquisite.

 

By the end of the show, I think she only had two of her large bears remaining.

These primitive hooked rugs were in the booth of Christine Miller, Rebekah's mother.  I see where she gets her talent.  The acorn doesn't fall too far :)

 

More of Christine's creations and a few antiques.

 

And the only other pic is one from Stacy Nash's booth.

 

A few treasures did come home with me.  This sweet little mohair chick made by Lana K. Omlor, Lori Ann's sister.  Once again, that acorn . . .

 

 

A little treen piece to add to my collection.  You can see more of my collection here.

 

This red cupboard contains part of my treen collection.  The little shelf to the left was another purchase.  The dealer said it most likely dated from the mid 1800's.   

 

Speaking of treen, these containers are known as Peaseware.  At the Gathered Treasures show a week ago, the middle one was my big purchase.  Peaseware was made in the Cascade Valley of northeastern Ohio in the late 19th century. In 1850, David Mills Pease (1815-1890) founded a woodturning business that specialized in producing wooden containers for practical daily use. Many of the vessels were used for the safe storage of food, including herbs, mustard and other seeds, salt, pepper, and maple sugar chunks.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren