Maybe Christmas...

Consider the wise words of Dr. Suess: "Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."

MERRY CHRISTMAS, everyone.

Be Nice to People,
Julie

Perspective

Good Monday Morning!! The first day of Winter, and it is COLD and foggy here. It feels like winter, for sure. I hope everyone is ready for Christmas this Friday. It sure comes fast, doesn't it?
I finished this door hanging. I decided to show it before it was time to take it down. :)

I stitched this last year and forgot about it. I added the borders this year. Kind of cute.

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I have been thinking. You know, sometimes Christmas can lend itself to us getting caught up in the shopping, worries, expenses, and stresses of the season. We had an experience lately, that helped to me reevaluate my perspective. Jessica has a friend, whom I believe I've mentioned before. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 7th grade and has fought valiantly to beat it. Thursday night, the tumor, and now cancer throughout his body won, and he passed away. Surrounded by loved ones and in peace. The thoughts of the season... really should focus on family, spending quality time with those whom we love, and finding the true meaning of peace and comfort only offered through the one whose birth we celebrate, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Shopping, gifts, stress, wrapping, and parties really don't matter. It is the relationships we develop with those we love that make the season meaningful and memorable. I hope we can step back and evaluate what we place as important this Christmas and always. We never know when someone we love and care about will not be with us.

Be Nice to People,

Julie

Stockings

I love stockings at Christmas time. We have some special traditions with them.

There is a stocking for each of us and even the dog. Spoiled, she is!! I made them all years ago. I keep thinking I would like to make new ones, but can't bring myself to. The ones we have are too sentimental to me.

There is a little stocking hanging on the end of the mantle. This stocking is for Jesus. Each year we write some goals to work on that will make us better and be of service to our Savior. We talk about them on Christmas eve and then make new goals. It has become a very nice tradition.

This is a special stocking, too. Our Savanna came home from the hospital in it 5 days after she was born. Today is her 14th birthday.

She was the best Christmas present ever given to us. She is with my hubby, Bret and her big sister, Jessica in this photo. So sweet.

Here is Savanna today. She is so much fun. She is a delight to be around. So glad I am her Mom and that she was sent to our home on a cold, winter day. She has warmed our hearts since.

Have a nice weekend, friends.

Be Nice to People,

Julie

Warmed my Heart

I got the sweetest package in the mail yesterday. My aunt who lives in Idaho and I are Kindred Spirits. We enjoy so many of the same things, and I just love her. I lived with her for 2 years while I attended high school. She is like my second Mom.
She belongs to a quilt guild where she lives, and the group learned how to make this runner. She thought of me, made me one, and then sent me the pattern so that I could make them or use them in my own quilt group. How nice is that?

She sent a sweet letter with the pattern.

She also sent this wonderful thought that she had gotten at church. I will type it for a later post, so that you can read it. Or, you can click on it, and it will enlarge enough that you can read it now if you would like. It is fabulous. Her kind gestures warmed my heart. Thanks, Aunt Carol, Love you!!

Be Nice to People,

Julie

Ornaments

The tree. Not the best photo but this is our Christmas tree. Most of the ornaments are homemade. I took some close-up shots---I think today's way of saying that is, "I used the macro on the camera :)."

I stitched a whole set of these--the nativity, wisemen, shephards, angel, drummer boy and donkey. I just decided to show the most important one.

Baby Jesus.
Stars.
Our first ornament for our first Christmas. Clear back in 1990!!

One year I made over 100 of these for a church activity. We gave one to each lady in our ward. I love this quote. I hope we decide to have room...

Checkerboards. Those were hard to get straight.

Little burlap sacks with cinnamon sticks and garland. In this picture you can see the fabric that I used for our garland around the tree.

Wooden trees.

We just have one of those trees that comes in a box. I remember when I was kid growing up in the country, that we would go out in the mountains and cut our tree every year. I LOVED that. It was always such an adventure. We would get stuck in the snow, we we would be frozen, our tree was often misshapen. One year we even had to settle for a cedar tree. My brother and I cut it down just off the road to our house and brought it home because the snow was so deep that year. AHH...the memories. One of these years, I am going to convince my husband that we need to do that for our family. It will do my country- girl -heart a world of good :)!!

I hope you have some fun traditions with your tree and ornaments. If you would like, post about it and let me know. I would love to read about it!! Happy Monday!!

Be Nice to People,

Julie

This Christmas...

"This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again."
*************President Howard W. Hunter

This is one of my favorite quotes at Christmas time. I have it posted on our fridge. It is a gentle reminder to me of what the season is all about. Have a nice weekend.

Be Nice to People,

Julie

Images of Christmas

I hurried and down-loaded some photos today before the camera disappears again. :) Here are some images of Christmas at our house :)!

Most of the things that are stitched or quilted, I made. Some, however, have come from wonderful blog friends. I love Christmas. Everything about it!!

Hope you are staying warm!! It is COLD here. TOO cold. I think I will hibernate in my sewing room. I hope to have a project or two to show here real soon. Have a super day!!

Be Nice to People,

Julie