elves, gnomes or christmas babies

The knitting needles have been busy, busy.  I thought that maybe if I turned out a few helpers I would be able to relax awhile.  Hopefully these little guys are elves and not gnomes, there is a close resemblance between the two.  I've used this pattern from Plain and Joyful Living before, here, and called them gnomes.  I even used the same green and cream yarn, but I want them to be elves now.  Elves are more helpful this time of year.  The 3 in the back are Christmas babies made from my hand-spun merino, so soft and squishy. I'm hoping that some real babies are going to love them.

You may have gathered by now that I am a classic literature junkie.  Before we even decorated the tree, Erin unpacked the box of Christmas books that we keep hidden along with the ornaments. A Christmas Carol is definitely a holiday favorite in our house.  We even have it on audio book so we can listen to it in the car when we aren't singing to Bing Crosby or Johnny Mathis... I guess we're into classic Christmas music too.  Do you consider Bing and Johnny classic? 

Joining Ginny's Yarn Along

Blessings, Debbie  

the tree

Tradition states that cheese and crackers, smoked salmon and pickles must be eaten near a stream if one is to have any luck finding the perfect tree.  Hot apple cider to wash it all down is just a little extra insurance.  Apparently Audrey knew just how to lay it all out seeing as the perfect tree did in fact make it into our pick-up and will soon be gracing the bay window in our living room.  Actually, we don't believe in luck, we believe in divine providence.  And just in case we should be misunderstood, the girls left a memorial stone in the spot where we were blessed with our forest gift.

Tomorrow we hope to bedeck this tree with colored lights (last year we did white, much to Audrey's chagrin, and promised her that the next tree would have colored), gingerbread, dried orange slices, strung popcorn and cranberries and... uh oh.  This tree is sounding a bit too tasty for the animals to resist!

Erin picked a tree for her bedroom too.  She will use the white lights and would like to use my antique glass ornament collection.  Uhmmm.  So, somebody remind me why dogs and cats are a good idea...

Blessings, Debbie

a pwetty tweet photo shoot

Come on Audrey, not like that!  Like this!...

Oh yea.


Blessings, Debbie

a dark, dark day

So, what're you all doin' today?  Wanna guess what I (along 700 zillion others) am doing?  I know, this is a toughie...  I'll be back Monday assuming I wasn't trampled!

Blessings, Debbie

happy thanksgiving

A Child's Song of Praise
for my littles, written years ago

Thank you Lord for the sun and the moon and stars

thank you Lord for balloons and for candy bars

thank you Lord for who you are...

Thank you Lord

Thank you Lord

Thank you Lord for dying to set me free

Thank you Lord for the cross and for Calvary

Thank you Lord for who you are...

Thank you Lord

Thank you Lord

May we all have the faith of a Child, and a spirit of thanks that reflects the Father who is generous!
Blessings to you my beautiful, precious friends!

~~Debbie

bring it on!

thank you Charity for modeling Erin's snowflake~

I'm ready!  Of course, I don't mean the tree is decorated, the presents made and wrapped, the baking done...  What I do mean is, I've decided that the years I spent complaining about Christmas music and decorations in the stores before Thanksgiving was my mistake.  I've learned that the earlier the introduction, the more I enjoy the holiday.  We used to wait until around the second week of December to get our tree. When I wrapped my gifts there was nowhere to put them.  The house seemed to just be sitting in a state of waiting and instead of breathing a sigh of relief when we did get everything up and ready, I felt harried and rushed.

Now we get our tree the weekend following thanksgiving and the holiday is now one long sweet breath.  As presents are made, they are immediately wrapped and placed where they belong... where the recipients can spend days tormented about what may lay inside the wrappings  (mwah ha ha).

I love, LOVE this time of year...

Blessings, Debbie  

pre-Thanksgiving thanks

This morning the girls and some friends met at a local church to help fill food baskets for people in need this holiday.  After that, we ran a few errands and then headed home to make a few check marks on our pre-Thanksgiving chore list.  We ate lunch then headed to another friend's house where some of our home school teens gather weekly to view a dvd series on apologetics, then back home again to attack that list.  At 6:00 people began showing up for dinner and Monday night prayer.  It's 10:30 now.  Everyone left about 45 minutes ago and the dishes are done.

Today I am thankful for my daughters, for friends, for food, for prayer. And I'm thankful for a holiday specifically designated for the giving of thanks.

Blessings, Debbie

A blue weekend

Sometimes one picture says it all...  The color, the mood...  Blue.

Blue has always been my favorite color, at least for as long as I can remember.  The walls of my teenage bedroom (the first room I didn't have to share, so could therefore choose the color) were painted a light sky blue.  My favorite attire has always been blue jeans.  The couches that I fell in love with after my first set fell apart 6 years ago are covered in denim.  

But as much as I love the color blue,  blue as a mood I can take in much smaller doses.  As a believer, the joy of the Lord is my strength, so I therefore don't suffer much from the blues.  When they come (either by hormones or circumstance) I just pour myself something hot, nestle into the corner of my denim couch, and pour out my sorrows to the giver of peace.  He is generous.  

I've mentioned before that I love receiving gifts.  So, I just weep and wait.  I don't mind waiting because I know that His timing is perfect.  He always gifts me with little prizes while I wait.  Sometimes it's a new song. Sometimes it's a revelation.  Sometimes it's a deep understanding of a truth I've been wrestling with. All of these things drifting down like manna from heaven before He gives me the gift of peace and joy. When all is said and done, the real gift is growth.  I don't want to be a stagnant Christ one.  I want always to be clay in His hands.  Always willing to be molded and re-fashioned.  Always thankful that the Potter knows best. Yes, always thankful. 

Blessings, Debbie

a knitting carol

Tis the season to knit booties

fa lalalala lala la la

take a look, pygora cuties

fa lalalala lala la la

loving so my knitting needles

fa lala lalala la la la

ready for this knitting spree(dles)

(you try rhyming with needles!  it was either get creative or figure out how to use beetles!)
fa lalalala la la la la!

The mulberry pygora is from my friend's goat.  I spun a loose single to maintain the luscious softness of the fiber and they are pure heaven!  One ounce gave me enough yarn to make just shy of 2 pairs of booties. Next time I'll get one and a half ounces which will be more than enough.  I'm going to knit several pair to have on hand because we are welcoming babies left and right.  Such a wonderful time!

Joining Linda's Creative Friday
and Fiber Arts Friday 

Blessings, Debbie

the art of play

Probably the very best thing I can credit my mother with (and of course the list is long), is her ability to play.  Age is no barrier.  The titles grandmother, senior... they mean nothing.  My mama is fun!  I believe the ability to play is a gift.  I love being drawn into the imaginations of others.  I love it when they unabashedly lay down all pretense and just think like a child.  As they cut the felt, dress the doll, set the table... kids are naturally drawn to these people.  Their eyes light up as they stand by, quietly observing, knowing that with a glance they are going to be invited into these magical preparations.  Other adults witnessing this are envious if they are not drawn in.  They are amazed at the ease with which the sweetest, simplest fun can be had.

I want to thank Pom Pom (another guru of playful living) for inviting me into her fun.  By my own admission, I enjoyed myself as much as the girls did with the package that arrived last month.  Even though it was just for a brief visit, it created that special magic that I am talking about.  The crazy (and embarrassing if you let this kind of thing embarrass you) thing, is that we actually took these temporary guests on several of our outings and then forgot the camera.  Is it o.k. to enjoy the  company of stuffed, literary friends if you can't call it a photo session for the blog?  Is that just a bit over the top?  I don't think so.  Sometimes silly is just what is called for.  Certainly life is more pleasant for thinking so.

Blessings, Debbie