The days are counting down. So much to do!
Rosie and family came into town for a wedding (which means we won't see them at Christmas, boo, but yay for seeing them this weekend!). We had other family come in as well, so this old homestead was all full up, just as it was at Thanksgiving.
I'm trying to get some knitting done — that yarn is leftover from what I call my “Breaking Bad Afghan,” there in the background. (I call it that because as you can guess, I knit it in an attempt to remain somewhat distracted from all the intensity of that excellent but drastically draining show.)
It's funny how yarn knits up differently depending on the size needles you use. And I have just enough yarn (I weighed it) to make another pair. I cleverly decided to tweak the pattern, after making the smaller ones, by changing needle size after the ribbing on the cuffs, just to make them a little bit more shaped.
I not unpredictably forgot to make the switch on the matching mitten for that second pair. So my last pair will be (hopefully, if I can keep it straight) one mitten with the needle change and one without.
Do you have some Christmas crafting going on? Can you show us? Just the raw materials? How is your third week of Advent? Christmas tree up? Link up with us on Thursday with {pretty, happy, funny, real}.
Now to announce our winners:
The winner of the two books, mine and the Chief's, is Candy!
A commenter suggested that maybe the “chipmunk” I posted that picture of on the easy chair is a flying squirrel. After looking at photos of the two, I'm thinking she may be right. Sigh.
Also, just to clear up other photo mysteries, the “red object” on the green bin is a bag of those scented pine cones that I picked up on clearance last year. Our pine cones are not very pretty, so I admit I bought pine cones. On sale. Need to do some crafting with them!
The Faithful Departed: The Collapse of Boston's Catholic Culture
The Little Oratory: A Beginner's Guide to Praying in the Home
The winner of the rolling pin is Amada!
Do stop by Keenan's shop for beautiful wooden products for your kitchen (and bar). They are having a 15% off sale there, with free shipping, so go!
An email will be headed your way, ladies!
Do join us on Thursday for {pretty, happy, funny, real}!
Lauren says
I have so much Christmas crafting to finish! I did finish a baby doll dress for my two year old but I still have a cradle bedding set to make. I also have two stocking to finish too for my little girls. This doesn’t sound like much but then you have to take into account my five children and my nonexisting crafting time since they all have their own projects they are busily making. Ha! Well, I will finish it somehow!
I really love that afgan. Do you remember what pattern you used?
Leila says
Here is my post about it: http://www.likemotherlikedaughter.org/2015/03/knitting-update/
And my Ravelry page with notes: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/leilamarie/lace-afghan
Wanda says
Hi Leila! I have a question. This is my husband and mine’s first year to have Christmas without any family. The girls are all with their in laws this year and we will be alone:(. I’m really having a little pity party here and just not wanting to even think about how to make this day joyful. Can you drag me out of my self imposed gloom and give me the perspective I need to get over this?
NY Mom says
Can you plan to do something special with them for Epiphany, or New Year’s…?
Also, a few years ago we started caroling for several special elderly people in our town. It’s an informal thing, we’re not professionals or anything, but it does get us thinking beyond our family and in terms of ways we can bring a little festivity to people we wouldn’t ordinarily do anything with or for. Is there a special older person at your church or in your parish that would be delighted at a dinner invitation or to tea..? Or just out to see the holiday lights in the early evening? Sometimes all that’s needed is trying to find someone you can make Christmas special for…
Leila says
Ah, Wanda, I feel your pain. Hopefully you won’t get roped into an every-other-year-at-your-house scheme!
If it were me, I would plan the most enjoyable day with my hubby — like “the answer to ‘what would you do if you could be alone together at Christmas?'” enjoyable. Midnight Mass, foods we really like, good books and a board game (although he’s not really into board games but maybe he’d play for my sake), a walk somewhere…
You know, the good thing about this situation is that you KNOW it’s God’s will for you. So just pray about what He wants you to do with it. If something comes to mind, try to follow up… like someone lonely to invite, or somewhere to go, or caroling as NY mom mentions… or just stay put and ENJOY the feast together. Whatever the Spirit suggests!
Lisa G. says
Flying squirrel or chipmunk, such a cute discovery! (at least, from my point of view – ahem.)
NY Mom says
I’ve found over the years that the best time to do Christmas crafting is right AFTER Christmas, when the frenzy, stress and distractions are over, and I can make some tea, no one expects me to be anywhere, and I can pursue my favorite little projects and still actually present them as gifts. My current faves are those paper Froebel stars, otherwise known as German or Danish stars. I found a site on Etsy that sells the pre-cut paper strips in different widths and lovely shades. One year I dipped them in wax, which makes them very sturdy and gives them a beautiful glow. Obviously this is a post-kid-bedtime adventure, but it is relaxing.
BTW, I was in a Joanne Fabrics today and the seasonal shelves that held all the Christmas stuff were cleared and I kid you not, there were the Easter baskets and pastel egg wreaths, hanging pertly. How utterly wrong…
Stephanie says
Yes! I was in a Michael’s yesterday and the Christmas items (those that remained) were on clearance! I am glad to say that they didn’t have Easter things on display yet, but it made me wonder what next “holiday” items we would see on display, probably before Christmas is even over! (My guess is Valentine’s Day.) I was so (unpleasantly) surprised – but I guess it’s more widespread than I thought!
That said, I feel compelled to admit that because I LOVE Christmas so very much, I do get a little enjoyment/excitement seeing the Christmas ribbons and fabrics/papers on display even when it’s quite a bit ahead of the holiday – certainly not for the commercial aspects of it, but because while I feel a bit of liturgical guilt about it, aesthetically, I so enjoy seeing the colors, lights, etc. of the season coming in! But surely no true holiday items should be gone long before the holiday is even over?! I am perplexed as to what to expect next from this phenomenon! 😉
Katherine says
I use to do more Christmas crafting when my kids were younger, but now that I have only three at home full time, I don’t. Go figure. You think I’d have more time. Maybe I had more energy in the early years or maybe it was desperation from less money. I don’t know. I am working on exactly one homemade gift this year. My college son mentioned that he’d like a cloak someday (a la Chesterton, not Harry Potter). He’s a big guy – well over 6ft and about 250 lbs – so I though there was no way I was going to be able to buy enough fabric inexpensively to cover his frame. But a fabric stash is a beautiful thing. I found a forgotten bolt of thrifted wool and just enough of it to for a long semi-circular cloak. Today I went to the thrift store, hoping to find a flannel sheet in the right color to use as lining. And I did! Some trim and buttons from my stash and I’ll be done.
Candy Hartmann says
Ohhh, I’m so excited! Thank you so much! Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to one of my favorite bloggers!
Cassidy H. says
I’m cutting things rather close yet again with my Christmas crafting. I’m making three of Alicia Paulson’s softies for my children and my husband is building them a table top castle complete with medieval weaponry.
Hold me.
I have only been able to start one of the softies. I’ll be burning the midnight oil on these. I’m going thrifting this weekend in order to try and find them each a book. Procastinators unite – tomorrow. This Christmas is a very tight one, but the tradtions we are building will hopefully make it no less magical. I have greatly appreciated your posts about tradition. They have really been a joy to read and incredibly helpful.
ElizabethK says
Katherine, I hope you’ll share how the Chesterton cape comes out, maybe even a picture!
We’re away from home this Christmas so need to begin figuring out homemade crafts, a nativity…if anyone has ideas! My 7yo is so worried we don’t have stockings. I am not a knitter nor do I have a sewing machine.
Lara says
I love reading the posts and comments. It really makes me slow down. My life has been so crazed this past year that anything we used to do has gone by the wayside. We haven’t even baked any cookies! Thank you so much for always making me feel okay about my desire to be a home-keeper and for giving me hope that one day, I will be one again.