Christmas ornaments

Every year I give my family hand made ornaments for their trees. Last year I cut out paper snowflakes (like when I was little only good ones ;~}) and laminated them.

The year before I crocheted snow mice, snowmen, Santas, penguins and Christmas trees.

This year while pondering what I would be inspired to create my professional life fell apart. I ended up being pulled from my houses and put into other houses. I ended up working with one of the most creative/crafty people I know. She introduced me to the art of quilling.

So, I am making snowflakes by quilling. I think they are very unique, delicate and beautiful. What do you think?

The day after

Traditionally today is the day that the Christmas tree, and decorations go as well as making the pip-a-neir. ( a danish cookie, however in recent years this has been pushed back to Saturdays or Sundays)  Well, I got the tree and decorations up.  I think I counted at least 2000 lights on my tree.  Seriously.  I like a bright tree.  The sad truth is, I really want to go out and get another 400 lights, the top of the tree is looking pretty dim to me.
Remember all those snowflakes I made?  Well, before decorating the tree, I put up several and took a picture.  It looked so pretty, I think I may have to make a few hundred more for next year and only put up the snowflakes. 

with just the lights, see?  Doesn't the top look dim compared to the bottom?

I think next year the tree will be full of snowflakes like these!

I love decorating for the holidays, My house has changed over the last few years.  I seem to have less space to decorate, as my son's needs have taken over the whole of the dining room, and half my table space in the living room has been taken over by Sophie (our hamster).  But what I did do I think looks cute, I didn't take pictures of the pictures on the walls though.

Handmade wooden santas, made by my grandfather, and painted by my grandmother and mother.  These were left over from the days when our family used to have a big Christmas craft sale at Ledgeview Farm.  I miss those days.

My only spot in the once dining room- now Will's therapy room.  I may loose this soon, here's hoping it stays till Christmas!

Some of my colored snowflakes ended up in some windows.  Including my front door, thanks to a friends suggestion.

The Christmas tree is always my favorite.  I dread putting it up because I sneeze the rest of the day, and this year was no exception.  -sneeze- (bless me) And the lights drive me crazy.  I hate putting the lights on, but they look so pretty when done that it's totally worth it.  This year, after the lights were on and 3/4 of the decorations were up, the lights started to act up.  I had 3 fuses blow, and a string that's temperamental, oy vey!   Well, at last they seem to be working, I hope they stay that way!

Will was such a big help putting up the tree, decorating it, and making me take breaks throughout the day to spend quality with my favorite person in the whole world.  Who could ask for a better day than that?

Will put up the garlands by himself, did NOT want my help!

And here's our tree this year.  It's so beautiful.  It's hard to see all the ornaments with this blinding light though. ;-)

My favorite part of the day was putting up this wall display.  Now dad can see what I did with all those 4"x4" blocks of wood he cut for me.  And yes, I meant for it to look random.  I'm hoping to add to this wall in the future.

What did you enjoy today?

Christmas presents

It's that time of year again, although it has been unseasonably warm so far, there is still a crispness to the air, (at least in the morning) the Christmas music is already playing at the stores.  Christmas displays have been in stores for a few weeks now.  Yikes!  My family has decided (mostly because no one has money, but also because family time is so much more important that "stuff") that we can only spend $5 on each other this year.
This is a wonderful idea, it means more presents from the heart than from the store.  There will be more thought and intent behind the gifts than just the idea that we need more stuff.  (I'm going to win!!)  Wait, it's not a contest! (but I'm going to win!)  I have started, or continued, a tradition of giving ornaments as part of my gifts.  I've always received an ornament first from my grandmother, then by my mother.  She still gives us one, I always look forward to what she's picked out for us.  Last year I crocheted ornaments.  I made trees, Christmas mice, gnomes, and snowmen.  I wasn't sure yet what to make this year and then I was told about the $5 limit!  I already had a lot of plans for different things I was making.  I had most of the supplies around my home, but all things considered, I didn't have the budget to buy anything for ornaments.  What to do, what to do.
This is what I decided to make.  I think they came out beautiful.  I went a little overboard, a lot of the colored ones will be decorations in my windows, but who knows.  All I did was laminate them.  Now I'll punch a small hole to string some ribbon, or whatever I can find. ( I really don't have anymore money to spend!  In fact, I think I'm slightly over, but that's not my fault as I already invested money in ideas before I was informed of the money challenge.)

I know these were already in above pictures but these are my favorite colored snowflakes!

There are actually many more white snowflakes than colored, but I picked out my favorites.

And these are my absolute favorites.

Talk about a cheap ornament.  Luckily I had the laminate at the house and didn't have to spend money on it!  Otherwise I'd be in trouble!  What are some of your Christmas/ holiday traditions?