Monday, December 19, 2011

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!



23 comments:

  1. Jeanne

    I really like the table topper with the red houses and green trees. Is that a patten. I would love to do that as a table runner for my sideboard. You have a lovely blog.

    Jan

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  2. Your holiday creations look gorgeous! And how perfect to get the LK piece finished and framed in time for the holidays!

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  3. Oh golly Jeanne, I love your Christmas Rules :)
    And your lovely decorating for the holidays ~ Simply Stunning!
    And what a handsome husband you have and you are a most lovely quartet :)

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  4. The hot chocolate looks delicious, and aren't vacations wonderful! :)
    Love Christmas Rules.
    You have some gorgeous ornaments on your tree, and I love your Santas!
    That is a lovely Christmas card picture. :)

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  5. Lucky you! off work until January.. I still have to work this week, and maybe I have to work from home the next week. Deadline to get all the things ready for our start with the electronic patient files. But I like the work, so that's no problem.
    I love all your X-mas decorations. And your family photo with the dogs and beautiful quilt is beautiful!
    I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a great start in 2012!
    'Knuffels' from Holland

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  6. Congrats on being on vacation! Your vacation sounds like my DH's -- he's sort of on vacation, but also making sure work is doing ok. Sigh. Love your tree and decorating. So pretty! Love the Christmas Rules framed too -- beautiful! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

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  7. Christmas Vacation!!! Your decorations are beautiful and festive! I've been weeding out holiday decorations for quite a while now...and also cutting back on adding very many new ones :)

    Enjoy that hot chocolate...mmmmm!

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  8. Yay, for vacation! I am off for a week and I can't wait. Just this week to go. I love your decorations and your Christmas Rules finish. Everything looks fantastic! And your PS Angels are gorgeous...the display is wonderful!

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  9. Really festive post! I love your decorations...happy holidays!

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  10. OH MY...your samplers are breath taking and the trees are so beautiful!

    Enjoy your time off.

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  11. Merry Christmas Jeanne!
    Your Christmas Rules looks fantastic, the lime frame is perfect. You have SO many Christmas Cross stitch pieces, and quilts, and they're all beautiful.
    Wishing you a very happy holiday season,
    Nicky

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  12. I love all of your holiday stitching!
    Have a great vacation and a wonderful xmas :)

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  13. The hot chocolate looks very delicious!
    Your tree is splendid!Wonderful ornaments!
    Have a happy holiday!

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  14. What wonderful decor! I love your trees (I'm with you on simplying the putting up of the tree, so we can spend more time on the fun part). I'm glad you feel better, and enjoy your vacation!

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  15. Your Christmas Rules looks fantastic! Love the colour of the frame.

    Your decorations look so pretty.

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  16. Everything is so lovely! Have a Merry Christmas!

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  17. Anonymous1:59 PM

    Nice decorating job. Christmas rules look great in that frame too! I love the quilt too did you make it? My mom quilts

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  18. Love your PS angels on the dark fabric. I hunted that pattern down for a year so that I can stitch one/some for one of my sisters that is Greek Orthodox. They look very iconic to me.

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  19. wonderful post Jeanne - LOVE the green frame with the Christmas rules piece - I think it is really jazzy and goes beautifully. Loved seeing all your christmas things - so many neat things around your home. Hope you enjoy your time off and have a very Merry Christmas and many happy stitches in the new year. Melody

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  20. your home is beautiful and perfect for Christmas.
    What great pics!!!
    Christmas Rules is just awesome!

    loveit

    Jennifer
    Feathers in the Nest

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  21. Enjoy your vacation and have a wonderful Christmas Jeanne!

    Thank you for sharing glimpses of your holiday home. The tree is beautiful. I need to get through my old items and purge per your example.

    Christmas Rules is just amazing!!!

    Looking forward to a new year of sharing through blogs and the world of stitches waiting to be made!

    Hugs from Holland ~
    Heidi

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  22. Christmas rules looks gorgeous, great framing and your decorations look lovely.

    I hope you're feeling better & are having a lovely Christmas.

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  23. I just stumbled upon a Swedish archive of cross stitch patterns that I thought you might like. http://korsstygnsarkivet.blogspot.com/

    There's more Swedish than English in the blog but cross stitch must surely be a universal language.

    Oh, and nice to see your table topper with the house blocks. I started cutting out my first house block today.

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