THOU SHALT CALL HIS NAME...JESUS

There is no more wonderful time of year than the Christmas season.  It's a magical time...a MERRY time...a blessed time...but also a very BUSY time...so often we are caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season that we forget the reason we even have this special season to celebrate...

Though thoughts of that mystical little fella, Santa and jolly little elves bring cheer...we must not forget WHO made Christmas possible...

No it's not SANTA...it's this precious little fella...

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:

and the government shall be upon his shoulder:

and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,

The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

(Isaiah 9:6)

And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people from their sins.

(Matthew 1:21)

For unto you is born this day

in the city of David a Saviour,

which is Christ the Lord.

(Luke 2:11)

Don't forget...

JESUS IS THE REASON

FOR THE SEASON!

Won't you take some time today to celebrate our wonderful Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

I wish you ALL the happiest and most blessed holiday season and a very Merry Christmas.

O Christmas Tree...

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, How hard you've been to photograph...

Whew, I tell you I have tried and tried to take a GOOD picture of my tree this year...but the lighting has been HORRIBLE with the rainy, dreary days we've been having and I am just not equipped with a fancy camera which makes it even WORSE...so this is the best picture I have managed to get of my Tartan tree...this was before it was completely finished....I have added some more ornaments and things to fill it in some.  

I LOVE the TARTAN ribbon!!!...

I decided to do something a little lot more whimsical to the tree in the dining room...we (the little one and I) made homemade "ornaments" out of chenille sticks in the traditional red, white and green colors...

No luck getting a good photo of this tree either, lol.

I have added some more ornaments and a large bow to the tree topper...this tree sits on top the buffet and is accompanied by an arrangement of glass jars filled with ornaments and candies...

I'm not so sure putting all this candy in reach of the kids was a good idea...every time they walk by the buffet they help themselves to a piece or TWO...I have had the refill these jars a few times...Don't worry though, I am making sure they brush their teeth good before bedtime, lol.

Happy Holidays!!

A HOLIDAY GREETING

I have a little secret to share with you, I am just not fond of wreaths, for holidays or otherwise.  I used to hang a wreath on my door every year for Christmas because it was the "normal" thing to do.  Then a few years ago I found this inspiration pic and knew that this was the greeting I wanted for my holiday door. 




Sorry I do not know the source of this picture
although I believe it is from Country Living.


I set out to find some cable knit mittens but I just couldn't find any white ones...I did however find some red ones at a thrift store down the street from the office and decided they would be perfect for my little copycat holiday greeting...

I added some "Merry Christmas" ribbon and tucked in a variety of greens, small white flowers and some red berries...I love how this little greeting turned out, don't you?....I know it's a little more whimsical than my inspiration pic, but I absolutely adore this and it is just perfect for my holiday door. 

HOMEMADE STOCKING...

I teach the preteen girls Sunday school class at church.  Each year I try to give my students something "special" for Christmas.  Two years ago I decided to try my hand at making a "special" homemade STOCKING for each of the girls in class....I had decided that I wanted the stockings to be fun and; of course, GIRLY...while going through my Christmas decor the other day I stumbled across the one I made for my daughter and it brought a smile to my face...I just had to share it with you all...

Okay, I know stockings come in all shapes and sizes but usually not a HIGH HEEL BOOT...he he...is this the cutest thing you have ever seen, or what?...I wonder if my girls have stumbled across theirs yet this year...

Everyone loved these "stockings"....I even had several requests for them...in all I made about 10....several large ones like this and a few "smaller" 7 inch ones for the girls at work...(I simply used my copier at work to downsize the pattern)...of course I filled them with candy and small trinkets...I had the most fun making these and it was really easy...

If you would like to make your own...you will need:

1/2 yard red felt
1/4 yard zebra stripe fleece
1 high heel boot pattern (I made my own from a brown paper bag)

(depending on the size of your pattern and if you lay it on your fabric just right you should be able to get two complete stockings out of this amount of fabric)

I pinned the pattern onto the felt which had been folded in half lengthwise and cut it out...this gives you the front and back of one stocking...sew this together on the outer edge leaving the top open....cut a "cuff" out of the fleece and sew in place...turn the stocking right side out...VIOLA....one high-heeled stocking!!!

Now I just gotta figure out what to do for my girls this year...any ideas?


Don't forget about the Holiday Blog Parties going on in the next few weeks...stop by each of these fabulous blogs and check things out...

I will be joining some of these and several other parties (check my sidebar for a listing)...COME MINGLE!!!

A LITTLE CHRISTMAS PEEK-A-BOO...

Well, Happy Holidays everyone!...I spy all over blogland that everyone is busy, busy, busy styling, shopping, wrapping and all those wonderful holiday things...I too have been busy, busy getting the house ready for my holiday guests...I think I'm almost done...well, at least with the decorating...

I am so EXCITED about my Christmas decor this year...in the past I have steered clear of the traditional red and green though I do love it so...but for some reason this year, I just had to have it...and TARTAN was the theme I wanted...it took some doing to find the ribbon and when I did, I could only find a little....but enough to make do...today how about a little peak...

ahhhhh, don't ya just love PLAID...so classic, so versatile...so CHRISTMAS...I will show you the whole tree as soon as it's done...I'm looking for a new topper...

Now onto the MANTEL...Of course, I had to use plaid on the mantel too...My large lion picture has been wrapped in plaid Christmas paper and sports a BIG red bow...the garland also sports a big TARTAN bow and a few velvety poinsettas...

The little "ICE TREES" play Christmas carols and light up...they go from red to green, blue, magenta, purple, all the colors of the rainbow...They are sooooo BEAUTIFUL and I just love them...

Here they are gearing up for "green"...did I say, I LOVE these trees?...

I got them last year at Big Lots for $15.00 for the 3-piece set...they have them again this year in case you would like some.   They are actually for the yard but I adapted them for the mantle...I took the stakes off the bottoms and propped them in clear plastic disposable cups so they would sip upright...of course the cups are hidden inside of all that lovely pine garland....perfect don't ya think?

See ya soon with all the other little CHRISTMASY details...PROMISE!!!  Have a wonderful day!

CHRISTMAS PAST...

Sadly, I only have a few pictures of last year's Christmas, and those were only of the tree and mantle in the living room...You are getting to see the "best" shot...(pre-blogging days here, not a very good photographer)

I shouldv'e taken pictures of the dining room tree(s) and decorations.  They were gorgeous...White lights...gold and white decorations...elegant and dreamy...but no I only got a picture of the main tree in it's not so great glory...

Now, my husband insisted on colored lights...as he does just about every year...so being the loving wife I always am, I let him have his way...but, we had a problem...notice the unlit spot on the lower left...yep, half strand of lights went out a few days after putting this baby up...what, that's never happened to you?...and I was NOT going to take it apart for just a few lights and so there you have it....Christmas past...

I promise this year is better as I have changed things up a bit...stop back by later this week for a full run down of Christmas 2011...