Let the merriness begin!

Ahhhh....I'm officially on vacation until January 2nd - woohoo!!  I've been counting the days that's for sure....although when you work in Information Technology it's hard to be really 'off work' since I have a Blackberry and get contacted for urgent issues - plus I have to take a few days of  'on call' duty but it's still better than being at work!  I'm relaxing this morning and enjoying some lovely hot chocolate....

I did get back my Christmas Rules from the framer and have it hanging in my foyer - the last thing framed in 2011.   I wanted a red frame but couldn't find anything that matched so I ended up with a lime green shade.  So happy to have it hanging for Christmas - now I'm all set to start "Halloween Rules" in January!

I'm so glad i did all my decorating Thanksgiving weekend as I got sick with bronchitis the following week.  I ended up at the doctor and been on antibiotics and inhalers but thankfully I'm doing better now. I just have only a couple of Christmas presents left to pick up this week and I"m getting ready to host a small dinner party on Friday night with friends.

We put up 2 medium-sized trees in our house - I got rid of my giant artificial tree a few years ago as it was just too much work and since it wasn't pre-lit it took so much time putting the 1200 lights on every year!   These trees are pre-lit and go up so quick and easy.   Here's some photos of my decorating....I've got way too much Christmas stuff!  I can't even put it all out - I've got several Christmas quilts and a lot of cross-stitch pieces all over the house...little holiday vignettes every place I can fit them in. I swapped out a few things from my little 'sampler wall' and replaced other pieces on my walls with Christmas items. I  don't like to make a lot of new nail holes just for Christmas  :).  I also pulled out 2 boxes of old Christmas items and took them over to Goodwill - you can't keep adding more every year without weeding out a few old items now and then.

I started working on "Jingle All the Way" this weekend by The Scarlett House.  It's a quick stitch and I hope to have it finished and displayed in a couple of days.   I didn't have the mahogany threads called for nor could I find the called-for color or rick-rack so I'm doing mine with red lettering.  I just love this linen color - it's Weeks Dye Works "scuppernong". 

I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season!!  I'll leave you today with our Christmas card photo - Merry Christmas from my family to yours!