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!

Christmas is Coming!

Years ago I made the kids Christmas stockings, simple ones with their initial on each one, an "A" and  "K". As partners joined the family they too each got a stocking. As grandchildren arrived more stockings were made. Now we have a new grandson, born November 6, 2011. I had it on my "to do" list to make Marcus a stocking when I got a call from Molly (5 1/2) way out in the wild west. She was very serious and had wanted to remind me that Marcus would need a Christmas stocking. I reassured her that I was making one for him and that it would be there in lots of time for Christmas Eve. I knew that wasn't the end of our conversation, I could tell she was a little perplexed. She asked "How was Santa going to tell the stockings apart if they both had "M's" on them?" I had to think fast, what to do! I told her I would add a tag, one for her stocking and one for Marcus', that would have their names and could be pinned on each stocking. She seemed quite relieved. The stocking is in the mail. I hope Santa can read the tags!