Christmas 2014 Wrap Up

Here is a look at our Christmas 2014.  I love decorating for Christmas, and since this is our first Christmas in this house I had a lot of fun trying to find a place for our decorations.

The table is set for Christmas dinner ahead of everyone arriving to open presents.  I love getting my Christmas dishes out to use from Thanksgiving through the Christmas season.  

The Christmas glasses were my Moms and bring back a lot of happy memories.

I made the table runner a couple of years ago as part of a blog hop over at Madame Samm's Sew We Quilt blog.  The pattern is Holiday Lane from Jill Findley and is available under her "Free Stuff" section on her web site.

Here's a closer look.  I added some things to my version of the table runner.

This is my Dollar Tree/Wal-Mart centerpiece.  I wanted something small enough so that it wouldn't cover up too much of the table runner.  I found the bottle brush trees and candy stripe trees at Wal-Mart.  The silver tray, ornaments and candle are from Dollar Tree.  My brother-in-law, Melvin, keeps me supplied with pine cones from the farm.  

I'm going to join up with Tablescape Thursday over at betweennapsontheporch.net     I'm not sure I've ever done that before, but (1) I love her blog, and (2) I looked a lot of places for these small stockings so that I could use them for silverware and a candy cane at our Christmas table.  I was really looking for the cable knit ones that Pottery Barn had a couple of years ago.  I saw the knockoff version that someone found at Dollar Tree on Pinterest, but I couldn't find it this year.  The ones I found were on the top shelf at Walgreens.

I put a piece of greenery with lights most anywhere.  This is my Mom's corner china cabinet that I was able to keep when we moved.  The Gingerbread men and heart bunting was made by Roswitha that blogs at blauraute.blogspot.com.    The Sweets sack was made by Hanne from http://hannequilt.blogspot.com/

The wooden box filled with greenery and candles (and more pinecones) sits on the island.  My husband made the wooden box for me.  I saw it over at Far Above Rubies blog (another blog I love to read)  a few years ago and showed him a photo and asked if he could make one for me.  I use it every year at Christmas.

I found this black and white polka dot pitcher in the bakery section at the Blue Gate Restaurant in Shipshewana, IN.  I have so many happy memories from that town.  I keep the pitcher out all year and fill it with different things.  Here is some greenery and holly with candy canes.....and more pinecones.

I baked lots of cookies.

And, this year I made Spiced Pecans.  Here is a pan taken fresh from the oven to cool.

This is the "grazing station" with the cheese ball I made, veggies, crackers and dip on one end of the island.

This wreath was made by a distant cousin years ago.  

I made this ceramic tree back in the 70s.

Here are some of my Christmas quilts.  My Charming Christmas Presents (the top quilt) wall hanging tutorial can be found here.  It's also linked on my sidebar.

My Dear Jane signature quilt is on the bed.  These quilt blocks came from a swap on one of the lists several years ago.  This was the first Christmas swap.  I don't know if it still continues.  The pillow on the left of the bed and on the chair were made by Roswitha.  My childhood friend cross stitched the other pillow for me years ago.

I made the pillow in the center of the bed from Jill Findley's Holiday Lane table runner by taking just a couple of houses from the pattern.

My Mom made almost all of the ornaments that are on our family tree.  I crocheted the tree skirt and the afghan on the back of the chair.  You can see my helper Tiki taking a rest underneath the tree.

The blue tree in one of the bedrooms.

The red and white tree on the back porch.  We had to anchor it with bricks and bungee cord.  I'll figure out something different for next year and do  more decorating out there.

We do our outside decorating the day after Thanksgiving while eating turkey leftovers.  

The family decorated around the outside of the entire house.  

This is what really makes Christmas special.

I hope you and your family had a Merry Christmas and are enjoying the holiday week.

Thanks for stopping by!