Merry Christmas!

 

"...Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord."

Luke 2: 10-11

 

No Name Afghan

I finished the most recent afghan, No Name Afghan. I usually have them named but this one, though it is a granny type, has no name. I love the colors.

I found this pattern idea on Pinterest. It is from www.dawndavis.blogspot.com, dated 12-9-12. Since I was using yarn I already had I adapted the idea to fit. I actually had no idea how it was going to turn out. I just played with the colors and ideas and this is what I came up with. One thing that happened was I got tired of the second set of double crochet rows, the ones in color. I did not have enough yarn to go around a second time with each color and so just said fine I'll add the next set of granny squares. What happened was it made the afghan smaller and my little granny squares did not line up perfect. This is the normal join that we strive for:

 

This only happened on one out of three corners. But the colors all did keep in sequence in the corners. I ended up just doing a couple of small double crochet rows as a fill in and then went right ahead with the double crochet border. Then I added Bunny Mummy's Double V Edging for the last row (www.bunnymummy-jacquie.blogspot.com) I have used that edging before and really like it. It is simple and yet gives a finished look.

This was the issue on the other three corners. It was my fault. I could have added an extra row of the blue and white but I got impatient and tired of the rows. So I spent the afternoon playing and figuring how I wanted the corners to fit. That was the most important part not necessarily having another square. I am usually very, very particular about stuff like this but for some reason it didn't bother me. I am actually very pleased with it. I think it is the colors. I really like them. It is a little smaller than the other afghans I have made in the last year but I made it for me to use while sitting on the couch. It is 58"x 59". A weird size but as I said I just eyeballed the pattern and then just went from there with the yarn I had. I used Attic 24's Join As You Go method for connecting the squares. This is my most favorite way to join squares. I thank Lucy for sharing it on her blog, www.attic24.typepad.com, every time I use it.

Yarn Info: Red Heart With Love: White #1001, Blue Hawaii #1803, Mango #1252, Daffodil #1201, Hot Pink #1701, Violet #1530. Red Heart Super Saver: Spring Green #772.
Hook: I

Charlie Brown Tree

This is my little Charlie Brown tree. Allison gave me this tree probably almost 15 years ago. I named it Charlie Brown tree because it is very sparse looking. I have collected ornaments for this tree. They need to be either interesting, different, from travels, from something I like or homemade. I took several off the large Christmas tree because they fit perfect on this little one. There is no way to see all the ornaments so I turned it around and took two pictures.

They are still a little hard to see but this is truly one of my favorite Christmas decorations.

Surprise Packages

I received a surprise package in the mail from my SIL Jane (ie: Crazy Aunt Jane to my grandgirls). This was what I found in the box.

 

Pictures cannot do justice to the unbelievable cuteness of this Nativity. Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus are figures set within the ceramic dome. I love it. Jane found it at a little shop that was going out of business and has saved it a whole year to send to me. That is great restraint. It was made in the Czech Republic. The back is beautiful too.

Then there were more surprises. Allison made me a Nativi-tree. I loved it. Scout added the extra ornaments. What was funny was I was with them when they bought the tree and never even thought about it coming to my house. I love it. The little people are so sweet looking and when the room lights are off the little Christmas lights make it shine prettily (is that a word?).

Then enclosed in the package were two more mangers. One is a manger ornament that Jo made and the second is a manger picture Scout made. These are so precious. I still have things that my kids made when they were the girls ages. I so love things the kids make. I feel a post with cute kid ornaments is coming up in the future.

Programs and Snow Globes

Jo had her school Christmas program in which she also had a speaking part. Love the dress. The lights are odd in the gym so the pictures were not all that great. But what can I say...

They had a life size snow globe at the mall. Just the thing for Scout to  dance in and throw snow.

 

 

Aunt Jane Ellen gave us each a copy of Tom Sawyer for Christmas. She got them at the Mark Twain Museum in Hannibal, Missouri.

 

 

 

Another Hat Finished

 

One last hat. This one is with a small rib. It is a little longer than the black one to allow for more hair.

Lion Brand Homespun yarn, #426 Tulips.

Hats

While being iced in I took the time to make some hats. They are all out of Lion Brand Homespun. The first two are roll brim and the last one has a small K2P2 rib.

Still Hanging Around

I know, I know, everyone is sick of hearing about the weather in Texas. But...I have lived in Texas since 1963. I lived in Irving where they never let you out of school no matter what the weather was. This weather has been something I had never seen here. Snow usually comes and goes sometimes in 24 hours and it is very rare we even have anything at all. Sometimes we have some ice but in a couple of days it is gone. Actually I am tired of all those people who say why do we get so crazy about a little ice. It is because we don't have it so when it comes it is a shock to us. Also those people need to come and spend some time here in the summer where 105 degrees is basically just summer to us. Wonder how they would like that. Do I sound snarky? Yesterday it was 17 when I got up. Not much melting happening at that temperature. I did manage to go to Wal-Mart yesterday and picked up a couple of things. Nothing I really needed except for Diet Coke. Here is what was still hanging around.

The street was pretty clear so that is why I ended up making a little trip out. But the side streets still had ice on them. This is what it looked like this morning at 27 degrees:

 

The ice is still on the roof of the garage. I keep thinking I will see it slide off in a big pile. Almost all the grass is still covered but thankfully the streets look pretty good. Jo is out of school for the 4th day. They live out in the country and the school district just does not want any issues. I heard the streets and parking lot at the school are still skating rinks. This was the patio this morning:

 

I decided not to drink my coffee outside. We all will need to remember this cold weather this summer when it is 105 degrees.

Nativity 5

Today is the last day of my Nativity collection. At least I think it is until I come across a couple more when I unpack the ornaments for the tree. Joseph gave me this little one several years ago.

Matthew gave me this wall hanging. Before we moved it always seemed to be the last one I took down and put away. I'm not sure why. I think perhaps because it was hanging on the wall instead of sitting on a table. I so love all these Nativity sets. Perhaps a new one will arrive this year, you never know.

Nativity 4

 

I have several small Nativities that I like to group together. The small paper one in the back left, I cannot remember who gave it to me. I just like it because it is folded to stand out. The small jointed nativity in front of it was given to me by Joseph when he was in 4th grade. That was a long time ago. (By the way that is Joseph in the pictures behind the tree.) Beside it is a pewter Nativity that Joseph also gave me one year for Christmas. In front is a small ceramic Nativity that Allison gave me. Behind that is a Nativity that SIL Jane (ie: Crazy Aunt Jane) gave me in 1996. I made the small ceramic Christmas tree in 1978. It is one of my favorite things I have made out of ceramics. I always enjoy have these out. I love remembering who gave me each one.

Frozen Day 3, Crochet, and Nativities

So on we go. It is day 3 for frozen ice. No pictures because it looks exactly as it did yesterday. All this inside time has gotten several things done. I have knitted two hats, worked on some crocheted Christmas ornaments and continued working on the no name crocheted afghan. I do not like to sew and again have put off running the yarn threads from the little granny squares. I worked on them some yesterday but they are my project for today. This afghan is based off a project I found on Pinterest so I will give info on it later. I had no real plan on how this afghan would come out. I just had these colors of yarn and decided to decide about how they would fit together as I worked on it. I have three sides to sew in and then there will be more with the last row of granny's so I thought I had better get part of them done now.

And now to today's Nativities. I mentioned the one that was from Israel earlier in the week. Today all three also came from other places.

 

Matthew and Corteney brought me this little nativity from Vatican City when they took their trip to Italy. The case is a rosebud.

 

Allison brought me this nativity from Spain. I love that the wise men are on an elephant, a horse and a camel.

 

This nativity, while not from another country, came from far away too. I bought it in Anchorage, Alaska when Allison and I went there on a trip. I thought it was cute. with the wolf, seal and moose.

So off I go now to work in all those afghan ends. I have promised myself I would finish them today and unless I go blurry eyed I am not going to work on anything else till they are done.

Frozen

It was 17 when I got up this morning. I decided to go outside and see what it looked like. Of course I only ventured three steps off the covered walkway. This is what I found.

Solid ice. There is no powder or wetness. It is one solid sheet of ice. Even the lighter color on the right hand side is frozen ice.

 

I took those three steps just to very carefully feel the ice. It was like a skating rink, flat and solid. So here we sit. Fortunately we did not lose power (sadly may others have). The rest of the day will be for making stew and crocheting and knitting all day. To all my other North Texans, try to stay warm and by middle of this next week the ice should be all gone.

 

 

Welcome to Texas Weather

Wednesday this week it was sunny and warm with the temperature at 79 degrees. This is what we have this morning.

Frozen. 22 degrees.

 

 

I'd show you my little thermometer but it is under about 1/4" of solid ice. I tried to dust it off and it is solid frozen ice. This is not snow.

 

Look at the thickness of the ice on the roof. I love icicles. A fond memory of my childhood.

 

 

Solid ice. Since I do not have to go anywhere today I am enjoying staying in the warm house and crocheting. Just think 79 degrees and a day and a half later 22 degrees. Anyone remember those 105 degree days in the summer?

 

 

 

Nativity 2

I have several Nativity sets. Before the move two years ago I had more. I love collecting them. But due to downsizing it was time to pass on and share many of them. The ones I have now usually have special meaning to me as most were given to me not purchased by me.

These two are a couple of my favorites. But of course I will probably say that about every one that I post. The one on the left Matthew gave me. He bought it at a garage sale for 25 cents. I think he was maybe in junior high at the time. I had to re-glue baby Jesus back in, He kept falling out. In a way that sounds like it could be a study in itself. The one on the right Jo made me, well Allison made it with Jo's help. I think Jo was about two at the time.

On the left is a Nativity that Joseph gave me. I think he was in high school. The reason I give the approximate ages is that all my sweet kids are grown. So I love that I can look back and know how long I have had the sets. This one is a simple white with a touch of gold outlining a few areas. Beside this lovely Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus is one of my favorite sets. Yes, Mary, Joseph and the angel are red chili peppers. Baby Jesus is a green chili pepper. My sister-in-law, my grandchildren's Crazy Aunt Jane ( she calls her self this and so do we), gave me this one about twenty years ago. She was in New Mexico and said I needed it for my collection. Since then she has tried to find it again but to no avail. It truly is one of a kind.

Nativity

 

This is a Nativity that one of our friends brought us from Israel. It is carved out of olive wood. I have had it for so many years I cannot remember what year we got it. I think it was 1982 or 1983. The only piece that did not come with the set was the camel on the left hand side. Matthew gave it to me one year for Christmas. This is one of my most favorite Nativity sets.

A Different Kind of Christmas Tree

I saw this Christmas Tree in a post by Susan Murray on Facebook today. I have seen several of these "book Christmas trees" over the years and I love them.

Texas Weather

 

A friend of mine posted this on Facebook today. It is so true and we are actually expecting this kind of weather this week. Today's high is supposed to be 78 degrees. Friday's high, 35 degrees.