MY SOUL IS FED BY NEEDLE AND THREAD
....ohh and pencils and paper

Saturday, November 24, 2012

It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas

As I have so much coming up in the next couple of weeks I decided to start getting my Christmas decorations sorted and up......
As you all know I am not known for minimalism in anything. I have embraced this about myself now.
One of the first little things I always hang up is our Family Traditions quilt which is a beautiful design from our very talented designer Christine Book. Each member of our family has their name appliqued in a heart down each side. I just love it as it reminds me of the important things about Christmas and indeed life.
I don't know about you but the thing I love most about putting up the decorations is not the blingy or the latest decorating fad, it's the old favourites that evoke memories of when you made them or if they were a gift, the person who gave it to you or even made it for you. These are the ones I treasure. Amongst these treasures is my little Christmas passion. My collection of Jim Shore Heartwood Creek Santa's and Snowmen. A lot of them have been gifts which makes them all the more special to me.
I also love my little feather tree which I had hankered after for years ( I know the hankering is not very attractive) after drooling over them in the American country decorating magazines. Another special gift from a friend.
Yes I know it is not December quite yet but I do hope you will excuse me for being a trifle early. I am hoping to sew the borders on my little Christmas mini today so I can finally put something on my frame and then I have to find where all my little snowman are hiding so I can put them out with the rest of their Yuletide mates. I am sure they all run amok and have a big party out there when I go to sleep at night. So are you an early decorator, a 1st December type decorator or are you a big 'Grinchy' and wait until the last minute or not at all????

Now on a completely different subject, I have to say I am definitely not the "shoot 'em up and blow 'em up type of girl" when it comes to my taste in movies but I have been a James Bond fan since I was a teenager, curled up and devouring the racey pages of Ian Fleming's wonderful books and trying to hide them from my Mother. Yesterday Hubby and I used a Christmas gift from last year and went to see the latest "James Bond" offering which also came with Coffee and Cake....oohh! It was fantastic! I loved it. I have to say I adore Daniel Craig as Bond. I haven't really been a fan of the 'pretty boy' Bonds as that is not how I always imagined him to be in the books but Mr Craig sure comes close. So needless to say I did return home "Shaken and Stirred" LOL!
I wish you all a wonderful weekend and as my beloved Nan used to say.....
"A little bit of what you fancy does you a whole lot of good"
Blessings Michelle xx

27 comments:

  1. Looks great Michelle. Next weekend will be seeing my girls put up the tree & me decorating with the decorations. Bit partial to James Bond myself & Daniel Craig. :) Hugs,

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  2. love that saying Michelle.My decorations are up and i love your special corners,enjoy your weekend my friend.xx

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  3. Usually I am a Christmas Grinch but this year have gone the other way. I put my tree and decorations out last weekend. I was so looking forward to getting out my hand made decorations that I couldn't wait!
    Family and friends in shock I can tell you. I quite like Daniel Craig as Bond too. Sean Connery is my favourite bond-with Daniel Craig a close second

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  4. The chrissy decorations look wonderful. This is my favourite time of year! And I have heard that the new James Bond movie is great! Have a great weekend, Michelle

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  5. Daniel Craig ......I'd be his money penny anyday! Haha. Drooling over your decorations Michelle. Sharyn:)

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  6. Your decorations look so beautiful Michelle, I adore your Jim Shore collection. I can't wait to put mine up this year, as they didn't come out last Christmas, we left for Russia on Boxing day, but I did bring some treasures home from there to add to the display this year. Hugs from Rosalie.

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  7. You've made me smile again dear shaken not stirred friend. Christmas looks really wonderful at your house.

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  8. Oh, you are organised! I haven't seen Daniel Craig but my all-time favourite James Bond is Sean Connery.....yum.

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  9. I love looking at your decorations and your family traditions one is such a great idea.... yes, Daniel Craig is a bit of alright.... whether as James Bond or not!!!
    I am Grinchy... even when shaken and stirred!!!!
    Hugz

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  10. Hello Michelle,

    1st December is our official start the Christmas caper. Some years I leave it for a bit and see if anyone volunteers to help!!!

    Happy days.
    Bev.xoxo

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  11. I love love your decorations... even if I am a lot grinchy...It gets really busy here around Christmas time, so sometimes they don't get put up...
    Definitely have to with little people running around now..

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  12. WOW I love your christmas decorations, they are beautifull. Those Jim Shore are wonderful. Overhere we have on december 5 another feast called: Sinterklaas (a Dutch feast and Sinterklaas gives children and grown up present, like the santa). Most overhere put the tree up after this date. If Michiel had his wish he had put up the tree last weekend LOL He loves it when its decorated with all my selfmade ornaments. And when it is standing in the house he doesn't want it to go away after january 1. Last year we had the tree up till february hihihihi ....
    We have all the movies on video from James Bond. I love to watch the older ones with Sean Connery.

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  13. Looking very Christmassy at your house. I usually wait for Decmber 1 too, but there could be a little decorating happening here tomorrow.

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  14. I love the idea of a family traditions quilt, something that will be used, loved and remembered long after you're gone.

    You're so right re old, but well loved decorations, I still decorate the tree with the toilet roll crackers, and the egg box baubles, that Alexander made as a child, and they're still more highly prized than all the other, expensive baubles.

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  15. You have sew many beautiful christmas treasures Michelle..Love your little collections..
    I usually put up my christmas things after the 1st Dec...
    Have a wonderful weekend.

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  16. Very nice groups you have and a big head start. I am always lagging and need to get going, you have given me a push to do some christmas decorating. Have a great week.

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  17. Christmas starts in our home on the 1st ,we have lovely white baked dough gingers with names of all the family on them and a Santa with my husband name on it plus a Mrs Clause with JOY on it. We have a JOY cupboard which gets fuller every year and now we will have a Ginger corner as I have been busy making your lovely designs Michelle.I sewed a JOY coffee or tea mat from one of your designs in Merry Mistiloe plus I appliqued the gingers in a stocking from Country christmas special onto a cushion. Just adore all your beautiful treasures which are more special as they are from the heart. Enjoy and cheers!

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  18. Your Christmas bling always makes my heart sing Michelle. You certainly know how to go all out.

    Love your family quilt. What a great idea!

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  19. I am loving seeing everyone's decorations, yours look wonderful. My birthday is in December so when I was a kid, we always started decorating after it, but in my own house I start at the end of November, though I may have to give them a miss this year as the house I am renting is up for sale.

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  20. Beautiful Christmas displays...makes me want to drag out all my handmade ornaments!lol!
    Lisa

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  21. I too have a birthday in December so we put up the decos after that but lately I have been a bit grinchy! Love looking at all your decorations though.It also isn't cold enough to be Christmas...I'm used to a Northern hemisphere one!

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  22. What a wise old Nan- love all your Christmassy stuff - but you are welcome to the Bond movies!

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  23. It is delightful to see your lovely Christmas decorating. I must admit to still having a big liking for the Jim Shore items.
    Looking great!

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  24. I'm definitely an early decorator too Michelle. It is looking just stunning - look forward to seeing more photos

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  25. Your Christmas decorations look so beautiful. I think your house would be wonderful to visit and to slowly walk around, soaking it all in. We enjoy the new James Bond too, Wendy xx

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  26. Love your Christmas decorations...especially the Santas! Wow!

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  27. Great decorations, I love your snowmen.

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