MERRY CHRISTMAS!

It's getting to look a lot like Christmas!  

This Santa Claus is at the Yamhill County Heritage Museum and was carved from a log.  We live near a big logging area and the museum has a display with lots of logging tools.  It is still being done.  When we were in Willamina for the Art Tour and were eating lunch in a restaurant, a logging truck drove by every five minutes or so.

Here are the Christmas decorations that I have in my sewing room, I mean "studio."  The white ceramic Christmas tree was won when I was working at the office Christmas party.  The parents of a co-worker made lots of ceramic items and I was very lucky to win this tree.  It is sitting on top of my quilt cabinet.  The quilt hanging on the door was Bonnie Hunter's mystery Christmas quilt in 2009, the year I retired.

The quilt below has 9 embroidered blocks that were BOMs that I did several years ago.  Right now I can't remember who had them on their blog.  It might have been Gail Pan.

The rabbit on the left was found in a thrift shop with a pattern for the dress.  Inside the wire basket are 2 plastic dolls that I have had since I was about 10 years old.  The boy and girl are dressed in hand crocheted clothes that have never been washed because they don't come off.  That's why they are rather dirty.

Behind the doll is a vintage "Home Sewing" book marked 35⍧ and the book "A Grandma for Christmas" which is set in Norway.  It was published in 1946 and my sister found it in my Mom's sewing machine cabinet.  It has both our names in it, so we're not sure exactly who was the true recipient, but she brought it to me last Christmas.  It has recipes for Lefse (which I made today), and other scandinavian specialties inside the cover.

Me and DH

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

A VISIT WITH SANTA - on the third try!

MERRY CHRISTMAS to All.  I hope you are able to be with some family or friends on this day in which we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  He came to earth to reconcile the world to God by taking our sins away and giving us eternal life.

As I wait for the sweet little grandsons to wake up, I thought I would tell about our visit to Santa.

The first try was at Busch Gardens.  The line was super long, so we decided it wasn't worth it.

Next was at the mall on Monday.  We arrived there about 4:50 PM and of course the mall was mobbed.  As we walked through stores, Jonah (age 5) was singing "Santa Claus is coming to Town" as shoppers smiled at him.  Some people even sang along.  He's not a bit shy.

When we had been in line a few minutes, it was time for Santa's supper break.  That meant waiting 45 minutes for him to come back as well as waiting for the people ahead of us (at least another 30 minutes).  Again, not worth it.

We went back yesterday morning and there was NO LINE at about 9:30!  Success at last.  Below are the pictures, who were very happy this time.

Eli wouldn't smile until Daddy told him "Don't smile!"

Thanks, quilting friends for visiting today and throughout the year.  I do appreciate all of you!