A Few of My Favorite Things.............

I have a new favorite thing this year. My sister is
a talented pianist and has played around the world accompanying the local high school choral groups. She has played several times at the White House during the Clinton and Bush years. She has made many trips to Vienna and has just returned home after being snowed in for a day. She said it was absolutely beautiful. They all went shopping down in the Village Christkindlmarkt and she bought me my new favorite thing--it is a wooden Christmas tree that is also a music box. My Christmas china is the


Christmas tree pattern by Cuthbertson
so I thought the perfect spot for the
tree was on the kitchen table. Below is
a story book from the Bush years . This
was also a gift from my sister when she
performed at the White House.





















The little Noel train was at home when
I was growing up. The Mr. and Mrs. Claus
kissing and the little girl bell are gifts given
to us by our next door neighbor who has
since passed away.












The Mr. and Mrs. Claus salt and pepper shakers are from Hallmark and are probably at least 30 years old.









The cup with the note and tea bag were given to me by
a special friend the year before she died. I place it on the
table each year with the book - A Cup of Christmas Tea.

The table set with the Christmas china and
a pineapple pattern table cloth that I crocheted.

I placed some of my Santa ornaments and tatted snow flakes
on this tree in the bay window in the kitchen.















Clare Becky, always gets dressed in her Christmas dress and gets her special place at the
table. Our children say that I love her more
than I love them. Ha!

I keep my Santa cabinet out all year long because I like the spirit of Christmas all year long. To the right of the cabinet on the wall you can see my Christmas wall-hanging quilt. To the left of the cabinet, in the hall, you can see some of my L&L angels that I have cross stitched.


The snowman, three Santa's, and the winter scene carved in a nut shell were done by Jerry, the husband on my long-time internet friend, Kathi. They will always be some of my favorite things--they are special!

I cross stitched the Nativity on the candle stand.
The stand was made by an elderly man and I
was lucky to be able to get one before he
passed away. I love my candle--a gift from a
long-time internet friend, Kathi.

Another Nativity that I cross stitched and it is over the mantle and I have part of my angel collection sitting below it.

Now, it Christmas can come! This little paper mobile was bought in the 1960's before our son
was born. It always hangs here between the kitchen and den. One year we had trouble finding it. You know how you put things away where you will know where to find them. Well, we looked and looked and our son said Christmas could not come until we found. Thank goodness it was found just where we had put it. Ha!

Knitted Shawl

I had been looking at this pattern on line for a while and could not decide if I wanted to try it or not. I had some left over yarn and finally made the decision to plunge into it. You can find the pattern by going to Google and searching for Traveling Woman Shawl. There is also a free spread sheet to download and print. Boy! That spread sheet is wonderful--you check off the rows as you finish and you know if you have the correct number of stitches. This is not a difficult pattern, you just have to be sure to keep the correct number of stitch. This thread was too soft and did not hold the points when I blocked it. You will see this pattern done in some wonderful yarn. Good luck if you decide to try it. I had my friend, Naydine, to model it a couple of different ways. The view below can be moved off the shoulders and be more of a cowl.