Frosty ~

 ~ the Snowman

A few snowman ornaments.  I think next year I may try for an "all snowman" tree.

Fun pillow won many years ago on a blog give away by Joanne McIllmurray.

I don't put much outside, but do have a couple things to share.

You know you are having a mild December when you find this in your yard on December 22.

And this in your neighbor's yard.

Years ago I took a couple different painting classes.  The teachers knew how to paint but they did not know how to teach.  Tomorrow I am teaching a friend and her friend to hook.  I can hook, but can I teach?  I sure hope so!

Woo hoo.  Today is the winter solstice.  Tomorrow the daylight hours start getting longer.  I'm doing a happy dance.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Here Comes Santa Claus ~

 

The big day is approaching much too quickly.  I am pretty much ready, but wish I had more time to sit back and enjoy.  Somehow I have frittered more than half the day away and am just not sure what happened to it.

For those of you with good memories, you can just skip this post.  I pretty much decorate the same every year.

Blow mold Santa ~

Painted gourd (not by me!) ~

Santa tree ~

Celluloid Santa and reindeer ~

Egg crate and papier mache Santas ~

More celluloid ~

Cotton batting Santas - all but one vintage ~

Chenille Santa ~

Papier mache Santa and hard plastic Santas and reindeer ~

Let's just say there are MANY more Santas.  I guess you could say I am Santa obsessed.

Well, the saga of my Christmas packages with USPS continues, and I know I am not alone.  The box to Florida arrived after 11 days.  The 4 packages mailed last Monday have not gotten far.  The only information on the tracking site is that they are "in transit, arriving late".  Fingers crossed that they will somehow arrive before Christmas.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Bethia Fenshaw ~

 

Bethia Fenshaw stitched this tiny little sampler in 1861 at the age of 8.  I've stitched it on 40 count linen ~ a first for me.  Thankfully Jennie from Over the Hill and Running shared Ott light information with me.  I have several Otts, but none with a magnifier.  I don't think I could have stitched this without it.  Stitching was very slow going as I had to continually count and recount, check and recheck that my threads were not off.  I did my fair share of frogging.  It took 3+ weeks of daily stitching and it only measure 3 1/8" x 4 1/2".  Thanks to Marly who posted this sweet sampler to her blog.

I attached it to an old spool as did the designer, Whilst Iris Naps.  You can find the pattern here.

The designer laced the back while I chose to take the easy way out and just whip stitch it.  I must give myself an attagirl for actually "finishing" it.  Maybe even a participation trophy!  I am notorious for stitching and not finishing.  Kind of like hooking a rug and not binding it 😁

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

In Slow Motion ~

 

My life seems to be flying by in slow motion.  Anyone else feel that way?  I have been "almost" ready for Christmas for days, but every day find more things that need to be done.  At the moment, the only thing left to do . . . at least at the moment . . . is to buy one more gift.  

I have found little time to be creative.  I did dig in my cross stitch box and found two Christmas projects stitched in the last few years, but never "finished".  Once again I just turned back the edges and sewed them down with running stitches.  

I hung it on this little cupboard that is hanging in the upstairs landing.  It is so light I was able to hang it with one little piece of a Command strip.  I think it should hold.

I don't know why I am struggling to get this piece hooked.  It is such easy hooking and I have been working on it for a very long time.  I'm not even sure I like it . . . lol!

I am in love with the wire battery lights with a timer.  They add such warmth.

The brown bear on the right is my childhood bear.

The saga of the USPS continues.  After 9 days, I just got a text from my niece that the package arrived at her home in Chicago.  It was out for delivery yesterday according to their tracking to be delivered no later than 9pm.  I am just glad it has made it to her doorstep 😁  My package destined for Florida . . . after 9 days it is now in Columbus, OH, 125 miles from its starting point.  Argh 😟  I worry that the packages I mailed this past Monday will not arrive by Christmas.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

I Resisted . . . Until ~

~ I went to the antique mall.  I was being so good.  I had not purchased one Christmas item this year . . . I mean not even a Christmas ball.  That changed the other day . . . sigh.

Two cotton batting Santas (not sure if that's what they are called . . . having a senior moment) and and salt glaze Eldreth Santa dated 1985.

Plastic choir boy from the 50's . . . 

. . . joined fellow choir members.

This vintage Halloween piece was just too sweet to leave behind.

Why does everything take so much longer than you think it should?  I have boxes that need mailing.  I've sporadically worked on them for two days and they still are not ready to ship.  I've also been wrapping gifts for two days and really didn't have many to wrap.  Those are finally done and I am down to needing to buy only 5 more gifts and 2 of them are gift cards 😁

Well, the boxes need attention because they WILL get mailed tomorrow.  I know USPS is behind.  A box I mailed last Monday just made it to Cleveland today according to their tracking info . . . and that's about 30 miles from the starting point.  Holy moley!  

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊

Lauren

MIA ~

St. Nicholas has gone MIA.  All my Christmas things are stored in the same room in the attic, but where is the old guy?  I have looked, looked, and looked again.  I give up.  I guess he won't be seen this year.  Perhaps he's so terrified of Covid he won't be found . . . or maybe has an issue wearing a mask . . . lol!

This is a sampler begun several decades ago and put away unfinished.  A couple years ago, I finally completed the stitching and pinned it to the back of the living room wing chair, figuring I would do something with it in a timely manner.  Fast forward to last week, and it was still there.  Oh, I would occasionally glance at it thinking something ~ anything ~ must be done. 

 

FINALLY!!!  I coffee stained it and turned back the edges and did a running stitch around the perimeter.  I hate when such a simple finish takes years 😒

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs 😊

Lauren

By the Numbers ~

 

Color me crazy!  Here is the tree count so far and I am not quite done with trees.  Less is not more at my house . . . sigh.

Unadorned - 3

Lights only - 2

Ornaments only - 1

Feather tree with ornaments - 4

Lights and ornaments - 5

Why do I do this every year, making me crazy in the process?  And to make matters worse, a dresser had to be moved from my bedroom (on the second floor) to the basement to make room for the large antique cupboard that has been sitting in the upstairs landing for longer than I care to admit.  (HUGE THANKS to DSO for coming to the rescue 💘)

Time to get back to the Christmas boxes.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren