So This is Christmas

The past couple of days have been busy.  I had to go into town on Wednesday, which I avoid like the plague.  Sometimes it's necessary, however, like when we need food, or medicine, or healthcare, or a pedicure.  (Which do you suppose I place at the top of my priority list?)  Then today we put up the tree and made the house festive, such as it is.

Neither of us is too much into decorating, and I've always erred on the side of earthy, cute, or cat.  Things that might be described as "pretty" don't necessarily turn my crank.  I think Gracie is pretty.  George is definitely earthy.  But I wouldn't necessarily place my cats on my list of things I use to accessorize.  All of that to say that I finished my bunting this morning and hung it from the fireplace this evening.

The bunting would definitely fall into the "cute" category, as do the other things that you see hanging around the fireplace.  A couple of years ago, there were three large stockings instead of just one.  Those were Erik's and Mae's stockings, but when they married, I decided it was time for them to hang their stockings over their own fireplace.  My mother passed along my stocking when I married, and it seemed as good a time as any to me.  (The little one is for George and Gracie.  We got it for free from a bag of Friskies cat food one year.)

Usually there is a metal sculpture hanging over our fireplace.  It's a replica of Mt. Hood with some trees below it, and it's very earthy.  I suppose some might call it "pretty," but I'm sticking with "earthy."  And I'm telling you that because the angel you see above the bunting is actually from my nativity set.  There's a very large nail in the wall that holds the metal sculpture, and so I used this "pretty" angel from my nativity to cover it.  See what I mean about the decorating?  I doubt Martha Stewart will be calling any time soon, although I have invited her several times over the years.

But to get back to the bunting, I had my doubts about the little green Christmas tree buttons.  I failed to take into account that when I folded the binding over, the Christmas trees would be too big.  Mike thought they looked okay anyway, and I'm inclined to agree with him.  What do you think?

It wouldn't be too big an effort to change them out for something else; but for this season, I think I'll leave them and see if they grow on me.  They're not bad.  I just wish they were within the margins of the binding.

In addition to that, I finished the "Patriots" block for my swap partner in the monthly quilting bee.  She asked for a block that would be appropriate for a Quilts of Valor quilt.  This is what I came up with.  I figure with a name like "Patriots" how can I go wrong?  I hope she likes it.

So it's late.  Time for bed.  The tree is up.  The nativity is out.  The house is as decorated as it gets around here.  My gifts are made.  My shopping is done.  Nothing to do now but sit back, sing Christmas carols, drink hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps, enjoy my family, walk with George, pet Gracie, and bake lots of goodies. 

I have a cat in my lap and as everyone knows, happiness is a warm lap.  Life is good.