Christmas Decorating

I spent time on Saturday, most of the day, getting the Christmas decorations out and the tree up. Hubby carried in all the bins full of Christmas cheer.  

He complained that we had too much but when I tried to get rid of something, he was not having it.  Last year he didn't want to help so I only put up the tree.  

Told him if he wasn't helping I wasn't doing.  

This year he was the one asking me if I was going to get it done and chomping at the bit to help me.  A change from last year to be sure!

I sometimes forget how much I love my decorations.  We did get the tree decorated. 

We also got the entire Santa collection put out too.

I have a ceramic Christmas tree that was gifted to my mom when I was a child.  

I loved this tree and it was always a treat to be able to choose where the lights went on it.  

Anyone know where you can get additional lights from?

We also came across this child swinging on a star that used to belong to my grandma. 

 I was wondering what happened to it and was so thrilled to find it in my Christmas things.  

Guess I must have taken it a long time ago and forgotten!  

Sorry for the bad photo!

I have made cross stitched Christmas stockings for my girls

 (the last one nearly did me in, took me 18 years to finish it!).  

I did a simpler version for my husband.

  Now I am wondering if I should make one for my son and one for myself.  

Here is what we have so far.

Mom and dad stockings (I love the cat one!)

Daughter number 1

Daughter number 2

Number one son

I also have an angel collection.  

When I was a girl, my mom and dad had this beautiful angel that went on the top of our tree. 

 She had a porcelain head and the most beautiful gauzy body and wings.  

One year, after I was married, my mom boxed her up and gave her to me.  

That was the beginning.  We were shopping at an antique shop and I found another, 

then another and, well, you can guess where that ended up!  

Now I pick them up when I see them.  

Here is my collection so far.  

I adore the angel in the bright pink feathers!

The angel under the lamp is one of a pair from my grandparents house too.  

I have been busy sewing too.  

We had a Secret Santa thing in the lab.  

I made a trivet to go along with the other gifts for my person.  

It turned out so cute. (again poor lighting)

I also finished another one that will be a gift and just need to bind 2 more.  

I have a few more to make so will show you those as I get them finished.  

The pattern if from Patchwork Please, love that book!

People on IG were asking me about how I finished them. 

 After paper piecing the top I cut a back and Insul-bright batting piece to fit the top,

 with extra all around like this.

I used a monofilament thread from Superior Threads to do the quilting.  

Then I trimmed the piece and put on the binding. 

 I sewed the binding to the back and turned to the front.  

I glue basted the binding around the front and then machine stitched the binding in place on the front, again, I used the monofilament thread.

I am so pleased with how this came out!  

I am making some jars of beer bread to go with the trivets.  

Just add beer, mix , pour 1/4 cup of melted butter over the top and bake.  Such great bread!

 I plan to get a bit more shopping finished today then hope to get all the wrapping finished this week.  Kelsey is home on Saturday and hubby has his "procedure" on Friday.  

How was your weekend? 

~XOP~