Tag: Christmas

Season’s Readings!

Christmas books



Years ago a friend gave me a copy of this painting of Santa reading a child to sleep and I’ve loved it ever since.  I wish I could read the author’s name better so I can credit him/her and find additional copies of it.  (If you know, please tell me!)

I love Christmas stories, particularly stories that have been illustrated in a children’s book format.  The prose and illustrations bring such beauty and depth to the Christmas season.   I’ve been collecting Christmas books for almost twenty years now and have a great collection.  Some are tattered and curled at the corners.  Some I’ve protected more carefully.  Some were gifts from friends I love, some reminders of my childhood.  Several years ago I compiled a list of them all, and this year a friend asked if she could use the list for a presentation she was preparing.  I went through my books to update the list and sent her off with a load of Christmas books to share.

The books are back and I’ve been thinking it would be fun to share them here.  Many of them are classics, stories most of us probably own, but many are less known, some out of print, some available in countless editions.  I have a mix of cheerful stories and stories laced with meaning, all of which help to capture and enhance the spirit of Christmas.  I’ve decided that few things bring the real meaning of Christmas to light better than Christmas stories.  I love reading them to my children because they bring a bit of magic to our home.  They also preach sermons about giving and selflessness that fall on deaf ears if I just start talking.  These books, with their luminous pictures and beautiful words, open the hearts of my children to plant seeds of goodness in their souls.

So, welcome to a series of spotlights (in no particular order) on Christmas books our family treasures.  I’m calling it Season’s Readings and I hope you’ll find a new treasure or two, and share your own with me.

Merry Christmas!

Jennifer

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Christmas Mantel 2012

Christmas, Decorating



I decided to place just a single Nativity on our family room mantel this year.   In my head the decor was going to be different, but now that the season is here my heart just wants simple.


After all, the only thing I really want for my children during this season is to have as many moments as possible when, in their hearts, they are kneeling beside the manger because the angels are singing in their hearts.


The log that constitutes the mantel presents some interesting challenges.  It’s not nearly long enough to use those adorable stocking hangers, especially with a family of ten.  My solution has been to hang a garland of some kind from it and put the stockings on that.  In the past I’ve used greenery but I wanted to keep the white theme, so I made a simple white burlap garland instead.


I started making these stockings years ago when we were adding a child to our family every 18-21 months.  I never knew how many we would end up with so I started making each stocking out of a different plaid fabric with their name embroidered on it in my handwriting.  That way I could make as many as we needed over the years.  My baby is three and I’m working to finish hers right now… finally!


The final touch is a simple bow in the center of the burlap garland.  Last weekend I was shopping with my mom and found this awesome text print linen ribbon.  Too often I “save” the things I like the most so I’m very proud of myself for cutting into this within two days.  I am kind of wishing I’d bought two, though.  It’s just so pretty!


And so the stockings are hung and the children filled with excitement.  Welcome, Christmas!




Linking up here .

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Vintage Holiday Quilt Finished!

Quilting and Sewing



I did it.  An on time finish.  And I love the way this quilt turned out.


Made entirely from scraps/stash, it came together well.  I really enjoyed working with this pattern.  Unlike some Christmas quilts, you really don’t need “Christmas” fabric to end up with a traditionally themed Christmas quilt.  I like that.  I like the simplicity and the clean look of the quilt as well.  I’m very happy to have purchased this pattern.


I quilted with straight lines, keeping it minimal around the ornaments but adding additional lines in the sashing.


My favorite spot is where the quilt lines intersect to make nine tiny squares.  So cute!


The backing also came from my stash.  I started with a pretty red and white houndstooth flannel and added two other prints.  I always like seeing the quilting lines on the backs of quilts.


The binding is a nice bright green, a great contrast to all the red and it also accents the rich greens in the quilt top.   I tried a new method of finishing the binding on  my machine and it turned out great.


It feels so good to have some Christmas sewing completed this early!  I’m grateful to Heidi at Fabric Mutt for hosting this quilt along or I’m sure I never would have started, let alone finished, this project.  I do have another quilt in entirely different colors dancing in my head, so I will certainly be re-visting the pattern.  If you want to see the quilts that everyone else made, including Heidi’s lovely quilt made using her Denyse Schmidt stash, then head over here!
Thanks for visiting!
Jennifer

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