Christmas Catch Up!

Christmas has come and gone and I am way behind! Not a good way to start the new year. However, here is a brief recap of a busy month.

Sandra and the 2 Lindas, some of my bee "The Cove Quilters"

The Cove Quilters gathered for our annual Christmas lunch at Linda's. Lots of great food as always and great friends.

Sandra, Donna and Sandy and our festive table!

Then it was time for the Piecemakers Bee Christmas party, I am guessing but I think we have been getting together for Christmas for well over 20 years. We exchange gifts, the same one for everyone and it is supposed to cost no more than $2! It is a year long search.

 Ruth C. has a wonderful collection of these charming elves.

One of the best things about our annual Christmas party is we get to celebrate Eileen's birthday and have cake!

We are so blessed to have our two Grandsons, Ben and Evan living close by. When Ben learned that Evan was going to be wearing his Uncle Andrew's tartan tie he had to have one too. Evan's is the Robson tartan which is from the Gunn clan. Ben's tie is the Nova Scotia tartan, the only child's tartan tie available here. Guess we will have to go back to Scotland to get another Gunn tartan tie!

Another Piecemaker's Christmas tradition is to go to Ruth E's the first Friday after the New Year for our annual sherry party. Laureen was starting her birthday week decked out in a tiara. Ruth has some wonderful "collections" and many beautiful family Christmas ornaments. It is always a treat to go to her house and toast out the season.

Ruth's son made these exquisite felted Santas for her, they are about 3".

Ruth has a wonderful collection of "Frozen Charlottes"

This is a beautiful Frozen Charlotte Pin Cushion, though I can't imagine sticking a pin in it! Check out their lovely feet! The pink is silk as is the ribbon.

Santas are everywhere.

Old and new Santas

I think this hot air balloon is one of my favourite of all her ornaments.

So now Christmas is all tucked away, but one of my favourite quotes is "Christmas is coming"!

Lunenburg County, Christmas Tree Capital of North America

That's what the sign says when you cross the county line into Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. Christmas trees grown here can be found around the world even in the United Arab Emirates! And every December a NS Christmas tree is shipped to Boston, a thank you gift for the people of Boston who helped after the great Halifax Explosion in 1917 A Christmas tree was sent to Boston in 1918, then revived in 1971 with a Christmas tree being sent every year since. 

Justin and Ben searching for the perfect tree at Mike Falkenham's Christmas Tree Farm. We have been going to this same farm for over 30 years to choose and cut our trees.

It is a beautiful spot, high on the hill. It was a perfect day for the hunt. Cold and crisp, not a flake of snow...yet!

We watched "Charlie Brown's Christmas" with the boys the other night, another tradition. Ben found a perfect Charlie Brown tree, we decided to leave it to grow bigger!

Grampa and Ben find the perfect tree!

Evan and Grampa watch the baler at work. Now the fun begins as we unpack the boxes of ornaments with treasures from years past and memories of many childhoods!

More Christmas

Since I began quilting 38 years ago, I have always loved to bring my quilting into our Christmas festivities. Wallhangings have been made for family and friends and some have actually stayed with us. One of these days I want to make a full sized Christmas quilt...one of these days!

Deck the Halls is this years wallhanging. It is a Country Threads pattern. I haven't quite finished the quilting, it is fusible web applique, hand applique and hand quilted. I love the message!

This has always been one of my favourites, I thought I was pretty clever to add the little lights. I can't remember where the pattern came from, maybe an old Miniature Quilts magazine. It is machine pieced and hand quilted.

This Wreath of Lillies is a pattern by Camille Remme, it is fiddly and time consuming piecing with lots of 1" squares and 1" HSTs, good thing I am patient! It is machine pieced and hand quilted.

These angels hang over our fireplace in the family room, always a comfort to have them watching over us during this busy season! I took an Attic Windows workshop years ago, had the angel fabric that just seemed right for the windows. It is machine pieced and hand quilted.

Festival of Trees though not necessarily a Christmas quilt, it is to me the colour of Christmas. The pattern is by Barbara Brackman and Karla Menaugh. It is hand applique and hand quilted, the fabrics are Moda's "Wooly Cottons", I loved working with them!

These little tress were great fun to make, they are only about 5"-6" tall, made of recycled wool fabric and fun to decorate!

Christmas is coming! Now I had better get back to work!