what Christmas means to me..the hustle and bustle

with Christmas just around the corner and my saying that since Dec.26th 2013 I 'm busy at it again..thought I was all but done but , it's that but!!!

This morning I sat with coffee in hand and went through some threads, some as far back as 2008.
OK, it always helps to remember what makes me tick, the hustle and bustle for sure but more so the christmas crafting with friends/relatives

through photo's I saw special time memories made with the grandsons that brought a tear..hopefully even though almost in manhood they will come and spend a few hours with grandma so we can make yet their grandparents and parents gifts..

As I clicked on a photo it was like playing a film reel...the warmth and companionship during festive season, that's what it's all about

to shopping trips with the gals USA side of the border yearly..buying too much to fit in the car
..having to get into the trunk to find every last nook and cranny

Meeting up in Frankenmuth with some DG friends to enjoy the World's Largest Christmas town

to helping DG friends make Christmas gifts (Lizrainey's finished sleighs

to making kits to send out to DG friends who feel confident that the project I prepared for them
will be a treasure kept

from trips to my friendly woodworking store, explaining exactly the lengths, thickness I need and will it will become

to the mess lol

the workshops

to final projects of friends having the biggest smile re their accomplishments

to spending your day with your son while he makes his wife's christmas gift

to friends bringing their children over to do crafts, how proud Riley was doing a craft for her mom

to son being proud of the gifts he'll be giving wife..ooops got a sneak preview of a golf plaque I made him (reminds me, having another hiding somewhere for his brother, best I go search)

to outdoor greenery pieces Candian style..looks great outside the door, even added lights

taking time to make a santa for "ME"

entertaining the kitties with creatures

to falling in a 3' ditch while a blizzard going on at 7am, sheet of snow/hidden ice, waiste deep, nobody around to help me get out, all for cutting greenery


brrr, still remember the fright and how very cold I was

now I take a cel phone with me so I can call emerge..better still, I bring someone along with me lol

Rita and her hubby dropped in, saw how frozen I was and went to town to get me cough medicine just as Kyle dropped in to do mom's Christmas arrangment, how fun was that!

to use some of the greenery with floating candles and cranberries

to entertaining a world traveller..remember him?

to having friends drop in to make 'victorian santa's..also had DG friends do a Victorian Santa Workshop on-line..talk about creative

having kitties look at me wondering when it's break time so they may get a treat

to DG friends who take your photo and make it into a Christmas card for you

to grandkids..who come year after year to make their Christmas gifts
wether it be outside arrangments, jewelry, inside crafts etc

all giving grandma a day to remember..of course grandma has to provide treats

from sewing toques, to figuring out the coloring for mom and grandma's pendant and earings

Kyle making a standing stand with lantern and greenery for his grandparents

A sister-in-law remembering how I and her brother would dress each and every christmas eve and go house to house with a polaroid camera while children slept and parents took photo's to prove santa had indeed visited ..sometimes not getting home until early morning ..

Could they take on the tradition now that Roger has passed on..the pleasure of making Mr. & Mrs. Santa's clothing for them touched my heart all the while sewing with a deadline in the offing

am sure Roger is smilling that someone kept the tradition going

from neighbors finding cute projects thinking it's something you will do

to work day and night on quilts so that the girls will ohhh and ahhh and keep them as family treasures

to the old couple here who didn't make the grade...boo hoo

to grandma who tried her best not being an artist to capture her boys

to one of my favorite cousins looking to have a tarp revamped just in time for Christmas for his scoot...how I ever got that one done is beyong me

to joining swaps with DG sewing friends and putting it together as a christmas gift for someone special

family meals while making ice blocks
having son drill holes in light boxes

girls showing their art

snowman was getting tired, about ready to fall over

then the staying up night, getting up early to see what kind of 'kids' projects I can come up with

part of the fun is also work with cousin/sister who for the first time have undertaken hand pieced quilts

so now we prepare for this Christmas

Suzanne is just as bad as I am..she's been listening to christmas music and watching Christmas movies all week , her hubby teases as to who would get 1st prize in the I love Christmas contest

how many days till christmas? Yikes, still have about 20 projects to get done..

to list a few

1. Godson Paul - eagle
2. Suzanne's - colors to match her living room
3. Cousin Doug who lives on Georgian Bay
4. Cousin Linda's christmas quilt

The above is just a bit of what I love about Christmas

So if I say I'm tired and a little achy , that I go to bed late and up at 4:30a.m.
just remind me I'm making more memories please!

Oh Betty, what a wonderful read!!!! Thank you so much as you reminded all of us that we, too, have some wonderful memories also. I so enjoyed your trip down memory lane and I'm sure there are so many more memories that you have. Just know that we celebrate with you and our enthusiasm grows along with yours.....

I think you really like the Holiday season Betty! Love all your projects!

What really impressed me so much is the fact that so many of your gifts to others are those that you have made. Great accomplishment and wonderful memories for those you gifted.....

well thank you both

Barb, I purchase one main gift for my two boys /DIL's and 4 grandchildren
the rest are hand made..

this morning with snow on the ground and trying to be productive but NOT lifting or doing anything that involves needing strength I'm playing at wrapping..doing a bit of ohh and ahh as I unpack totes to see what I've made


shouldn't be so hard to believe how many quilts/placemat sets/bags/runners I've made since Dec 26th of last year..smiling to myself..think I've some quilts to set aside for 2014 Christmas..a jump ahead of the game

even decided to wrap most vs bags, someone in their wisdom told me it was more personal..was told that after going through so much to make their gift to throw it into a bag made no sense???

so off to Foodland for more boxes

hmmmm, could they be right?

Guess that is a personal preference. I really like using and getting gifts in bags. Only difference is it is not taped shut.

at least Lindakay you don't run out of boxes..might have to use bags if I want to catch up on the wrapping.

Missy making use of Julie's Christmas gift..hate to move her in order to wrap the quilt, she won't be happy.

then my bedding needs washed, thought instead of putting the black/white quilt back on it I'd take out the Christmas quilt but then Riley is fast asleep and would be growling at my nerve disturbing her from her sleep..

have to lock them both outside so I can get on with Christmas

Christmas still playing a big part in my life today

ALL the wood is in slabs for the DG workshop, will pick the order up this afternoon and I will hit Home Depot for thin MDF for scarves..know I said no heavy duty work but sitting and tracing the snowman, scarf and shoes isn't hard work and would be me that much closer to crossing off one of my 'to do's'

Busy lady.

Relaxing though LindaKay

Did you ever have one of those days you just flit from one thing to another and totally enjoy it???

that's what my kind of day is

to the making a list and checking it twice for all the 7th Annual DG Workshop supplies

I so love this part of Christmas, anyone who reviews some of the photo's in our annual craft day will understand why

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/tw.php?tid=1337114&watch=off

what I love about Christmas..my chanting along today as I play!

to opening Christmas totes, eyes as big as toonies
the ohhh's and the few ahh's when I find something to my liking and not liking
all in efforts of finding the snowman we're doing here on DG as a workshop

to Mrs. Snowman who has lost her hat unless of course it's in another tote and wondering how I can easily fix her toes..some little critter has chewed on it..likely Riley as she loves to lay in Mrs. Snowman's lap

to Mr. and Mrs. Santa music box..a smile when I see that perhaps Mrs. Santa went to Florida and got a tan...hmmm must be summer tote and heat that gave her the brown coloring

to opening a tote and finding items DG friends sent me in Christmas swaps, lots more of that to come

well Elf..we'll pick a day and challenge each other to get the sawdust cleaned..get's everywhere doesn't it.

Not the only one fretting about Christmas, DIL just called, going through hockey photo's to see if she can find photo's of the grandsons to include in their quilts..gave her the job of sitting the boys down, getting specifics as to their Christmas list..

she says Christmas is some time away and no rush...ahhhh that's what she thinks

Ohhh Betty!!

I love this thread, sure am smiling at all you've made!!
Fabulous treasures for all, including your sharing with all of us.
I just LOVE, love doing the annual workshop with you. You're love of the holiday just gleams with pure joy and always warms my heart to, recreate in "little"...In fact I am going to be making Christmas tree ornaments for the people at work, can you guess which i will be making?? I figure they are pretty easy to do in bulk.

ROFLOL, a little hint, it gives me an excuse to play with podge!!!

Also, call me nuts, but I sooo enjoy gift wrapping, well, unless ive saved it all for hours before presentation of gifts...but i do find it quite relaxing to special wrapping of gifts...

Okie dokie then, I better get started so I actually have a gift to wrap!!

So enjoy your weekend...I think i'ld like to make one of those lanterns, Think they are really cool.

Thanks Judy, if you are saying the sleighs which are really easy I can send as many santa's that you need..think I counted 156 last night so have some to spare..

Beside you could follow thread if yu've forgotten how. Lol

I appreciate your dropping in, know you share a love for Christmas as well.

Yeppers, you guessed it. He,he,he I have gone back to the thread a couple of times since we made those! And besides playung with the podge, Ireally enjoy the smoosh painting. I made ball ornaments using the technique...
Loland the yrar we made the victoran santas, Idid a mini for my table. Well Aunti Jean liked it so much I gave ot to her, lol she then gave itto another as a last minute present!!So im going to make her another! Lol and me too!

ROFLOL Betty, your already working on Christmas 2014! Not hard to believe since everyday is Christmas in your heart...I rather enjoy coming to the threads to see what you are wotking on.
Just makes me smile.

Don't forget, you also did a mini for me Judy!

How many Victorian santa's do you want me to include..tell me now so I mark it with your name..one never knows, might have the kits done and packaged by tomorrow night!

I keep bringing in the totes, smile at pieces I've painted, know DIL's got the same that year

most of this nativity lost fingers, hands etc. in the garbage they shall do..know I have another set I bought last year or year before to go find

yet another tote to open, ohhh's going on

aha, there Mr. Snowman hides..finally

Likely frightened the poor snowman, let out such a yell, said 'there you are'

Lol, nice to see your having a fun day of decorating!!
So smiling as i see some of your pieces, You gave me the blue cloaked Santa!
It is one of my favorites and he has a permanent spot on the fireplace.

oh yes your mini santa was the first I made, would never have4 thought to make something like that, but for your workshops!
Have you pulled out your carollors yet?

no, still many totes out there to come in..not going to bring everything in this year..just a good sampling
think that blue Victorian santa I made about 6 of them and sent them out..infact I still have one sitting here all but done and one just painted blue saying paint me paint me but I've a zillion other things to paint.

Sure wish some of you lived closer, you'd go home with you trunk full of wood already cut and sitting here just waiting to be made into treasures.

Remember, you have a 4' santa to put out..he travelled all the way to Chicago with me..of course he had to sit in the bad seat lol

Had to move that 5' heavier than old heck santa to get to the totes..I will be smart and wait for the boys to bring him in..too heavy for me..another year I'd have said I'll bring him in all on my own but not this year lol getting smarter in my old age.

Funny, as I take each piece out I remember where they went last year and same place they go this year..wish I could be more creative..

need to find the tote with the rest of the things I need to put out on the fireplace with the angels and the tote with place settings then I'd call that a day for totes inside

now to find a spot for the xmas critters..they are so cute and bendable..ooohhh and I found the hat for Mrs. snowman, now all that remains is to fix her toes..

I'm just sitting here grinning from ear to ear reading of the chatter between you and Judy!!!
What a pair you are for sure!!
I hope I can paint the snowman to look as great as yours does. He is adorable.

there won't be a problem, going to try the smoosh method lol to get a bit of texture in him..decided it's best we put some us "US" in the snowman so the scraf will be painted and created by you all.

opening each tote and finding a treasure inside from a DG members

from placemats to hand made stockings to t-towel sets to add to the festivities

looks a little brighter in here..

not sure how many boxes will stay in the back shed..

to the, 'next year' being said once again..wanted to make dil cutelery holders, hand painted..must be at least 6 years since I've put that to do on my 'to do' list but again not done

Oh I love this thread!!! Betty, I walked hand in hand with you as you took us on a trip. It certainly helped me get in the holiday mood!

Please forget about the tree skirt. I will use a blanket or something, you have way, way too much to do to be messing with that!

AND, I can't believe you had the nerve to make this statement...and I quote!!!!: "wish I could be more creative"! Surely you're kidding, right????

Why are you counting me out on the tree skirt Joyce..have the fabric and pattern and I promise only if I have the time I shall make it! Never undertake what I can't hope to accomplish.

Wind is up, brrrrr

Seeing I as up just after 3 a.m. This morning, I sat after making bacon and eggs and thought 'gee I'm tired' so decided to have a nap

Woke up thinking I'd slept the afternoon away..omg it was about a 20 minute cat nap. Lol

More shoes to cut!

aren't these critters the cutest?

Believe Liz send me the box with this Ms. Deer and the snow globe..just love them..like getting them all over again

After getting me up in the middle of the night look who is relaxing

Okay, Betty, but please don't let it pressure you!

LOL at Riley....guess his other family is gone for the winter since it's Sunday and he's there!!!

Isn't that the funniest, yes, summer tourist gone so she has been home weekends since late September and now that the cold is here she's as sweet as can be and talk about cuddling, reason for my being up just after 3a.m.

Snowman shoes seem endless..hard cutting 2" thick..almost there..drilling might be tomorrow

left shed doors open because I was carrying tote after tote, must go out and close it seeing I'm just about calling it a day..wind is so strong, preventing me from doing what else I had planned..

maybe a HOT bath is in order

Oh gosh, that sounds good. I haven't had a bath in years...okay, no snickering, I'm a shower kind of girl, but nothing warms the bones like a nice hot soak!

I enjoyed seeing Sailor in some of your shots above. She certainly was a sweet girl. Bet you miss her a lot.

I so miss her..always had to watch where I was moving to because she be underfoot.
Even now when I get up first thing is watch where I put my feet as she sleeping inches from the bed. Still wonder at times if I made the right choice putting her down!