Nativities

Design - "Woodland Christmas" (Heartfelt Sentiments)
Designer - Theron Traditions
Fabric - 36 count R & R Light Espressso
Started - 13 September 1999
Completed - 3 October 1999
My notes for this piece say that it had over 200 single cross stitch snowflakes.  Yikes! 

It seems fitting on Christmas Eve to share my Nativity Collection.

This is our box that stores our traditional family nativity.  My maternal grandmother gave it to us when my brother and I very young as a gentle reminder about the meaning of the holiday.

 

My grandfather re-purposed a bird-feeder to create the manager.

The Italian set pieces were purchased from Newberry's for $4.99 circa 1962.

In the last few years my Mom and I have added a couple of dozen Nativities.

These are displayed safe from curious cats behind glass doors.

They vary from whimsical...

to traditional...

to contemporary. 

I enjoy getting them out each year and readying the displays.

Some are folk-art simple in style.

A couple are porcelain.

This is the newest addition to our collection.  It is called "Winter Carols" by Demdeco.  I like the elongated stylized look of the pieces and the quirky inclusion of Christmas trees with the manger scene.

This WilliRaye set is my biggest grouping.  The pieces are around 10" tall.

Peace be with you!



Trees

We have several Christmas trees about the house.

I've posted about the Bird Tree, here are some others.

I have a Nature / Gardening Tree display.

One tree has Hallmark miniature bird ornaments. 

Another is a mix of owls, mushrooms, pine cones, hummingbirds, and gardening ornaments.

In the kitchen I have two more trees.

Both are kitchen themed with cookies, cupcakes, gingerbread men, and the like. 

They are fun to set up.

Here's a blurry picture of the Big Tree in the living room.  It too is themed.  All the ornaments feature either Santa Claus or snowmen.

Hope you enjoyed my Tree Tour! 

Christmas Decorations

My sister has long collected 'Dicken's Village' by Department 56.

Each year she sets up her Victorian Christmas Vision atop the buffet in the dining room.  

She also displays her favorite holiday china in the dining room hutch.

The top shelf has dishes on the far left and right that belonged to our great-grandmother.  Top center is some of our grandmother's Franciscan-ware.

The middle shelf shows off beautiful Lenox pattern called "Etchings".  The plates are rimmed with yew, pine, and eucalyptus.  The bottom shelf has some Fostoria and other cut glass goblets.  And yes, more of my salt and peppers too. 

Here is my Christmas display in the family room.  I pretty much take over the media center this time off year.  I've already posted about the salt and pepper shakers on the top two shelves, so lets move on... 

This is the 'United Nations Meeting of Wooden Santas'!  My sister and I both collect handcrafted wooden Santas.  I used to share my work commute with the most remarkable man, Steve Gordon, who made many of these.  He carved, and his wife Susie painted.  It was a super collaboration between two very talented people.  The Gordons had an open house once a year where the carvings were displayed and sold; but since the arrival of a couple of grandchildren, they no longer sell their work. 

This is my 'Countdown to Christmas' display.  

My Sue Dreamer snowman collection. 

My Noah's Ark collection.

My Sue Dreamer Santa collection.

There are also a couple of Nativities on the bottom shelves.  I'll post about them in a day or two.

A Partridge in a Pear Tree

Design - "On the First Day of Christmas"

Designer - Sisters & Best Friends 

Magazine - "Just Cross Stitch" 2005 Christmas Issue

Fabric - 28 count R & R Kona linen

Fibers -

Started - 26 November 2009

Completed - 28 November 2009

I showed off some of my holiday salt and pepper shakers in an earlier post.  Here are some of my others...

Santa salt and peppers in a cabinet in the breakfast nook. 

I have two long rows of salt and peppers display on the media center in the family room.  The top row continues my Santa theme, the bottom row are snowmen.

Except the middle section of the media center where the snowmen are on top and the Santas below.

Back to Santas - most were manufactured by Fitz and Floyd - with snowmen below.

In the living room I have a small display of Fitz and Floyd Santas atop a curio cabinet.

And yes, there are still a few other salt and peppers about the house that I've not yet shown. 

Cat Help

The Cat Crew chose the featured stitch and over-arching theme (a pun, get it!) for today's post.

Design - The Cat from "A Prairie Christmas"  

Designer - The Prairie Schooler

Fabric - 32 count Lambswool linen

Fibers - DMC 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 12 December 2011

Completed - 19 December 2011

I've been decorating the house for Christmas.

But I do not work unsupervised!

(You can see Parvati's post-surgery, post-bucket-on-her head crinkled left ear)

She appointed herself an "Up-High Observer".

The ornaments were a source of much amusement.

Parvati's twin Padma, played ostrich in the Christmas tree, while keeping watch from "Down Low".

He later was caught in a "Cat-Trap" - a very large, empty Ikea bag I used to bring over boxes of ornaments.  

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Presenting another stitch from 2011.

Design - "Silent Night"

Designer - Amy Brueken Designs

Fabric - 25 count Flax linen

Fibers - DMC 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 5 December 2011

Completed - 6 December 2011

On today's Wednesday Walk we will be "Walking in a Winter Wonderland."

I awoke Tuesday morning to the sight of a 'Stealth Snow'.

Some time between midnight at 3:00am, about 2" of snow fell.

Just enough to provide most everything with a pretty white coat...

...and to cast the footprints of those who ventured out in the snow.

Do you recognize these tracks?

If you guess California Quail, then congratulations!

My covey of quail was quite active!

I know many of my Followers like Pam in Illinois think a snowfall is nothing to get excited about...

...but the 50+ kid in me still delights in a fresh covering of white flakes.

My sister's crop of garlic will survive this kind of weather without harm.

And though I know the cold, snowy weather makes survival harder for many of the birds and other critters...

...I do enjoy gazing upon a vista such as this - especially when I can go back inside to a nice, warm house!  I can't help but wonder if our Trail Camera will have captured any usual activity with our Wintry Weather.

Special thanks to my Mom for taking many of the pictures in this post.