A Chrimbly Friday 🎄

Here's the next Friday photo fun from Katie @I live, I love, I craft, I am me... and this week's word is... 

Tree - a snap shot of your tree, this year's, last year's, the black and white one of you as a tiny tot helping to decorate, the one on the village square, that shiny white one in the shop, a native tree bedecked with lights and bird feeders - any festive tree :)

Oh boy, do I have some trees for you, are you ready?!

DH's dear Nana gave me this lovely "old" tree that she made way back in 1971! I was so thrilled when she asked me if I wanted it. A lovely memory of her, we're still missing her five years later.

I know it's hard to see, but this tree is filled with Swarovski crystal ornaments.

This tree sits in the basement and has our family names ornaments and White House ornaments on it.

We were lucky to get some snow the other day, so it made the outside trees look even prettier.

This is an original tree made out of whisks in a kitchen shop.

Beautifully lit trees last year on my getaway with my chosen sister, Cori. Sadly we were unable to go this year, just not worth it.

Another place we won't be going to see is the Christmas tree at the White House and all the little State trees. But here's one from a previous visit.

I thought I would throw in this oldie with me and my older brother, taken at a party at our Dad's work. And I still love Fisher Price!

Now I didn't make this one, but my precious Momma did before her rheumatoid arthritis started. 

This is the surprise tree that Santa leaves out every Christmas Eve with pjs and little ornaments for the boys, although now it's just Nathan.

I stitched this one years ago and decided to keep it instead of giving it away like I usually do.

These are my parents trees, although you can barely see the green! Their little pup Addie is in there too, can you see her?

Here are the boys decorating the tree this year with their ornaments.

The almost finished tree because that night it fell over! We lost a couple ornaments and I was able to save the others. So a little tightening later, I got to redecorate it.

This is the first time I put this tree up in my craft room, filled with cross stitched ornaments from friends and exchanges.

Step away from Christmas, here's the last one for fun - a wine tree that was next door to us at the beach one year!

Be sure to check out the other trees, we'll have a forest at this rate!

A Chrimbly Friday 👩‍🍳

Here's some more Friday photo fun from Katie @I live, I love, I craft, I am me... and this week's word is... 

Baking - festive or otherwise and maybe share the recipe so we can all have a taste.

I much prefer baking over cooking, and I try to limit it to special occasions. But how nice that a big one is coming up! 🎅

Cookies are always a hit, and so are cheesecakes. My Dad makes lovely mince pies, but I haven't tackled that one yet, probably because I'd be the only one eating them around here!

Although my favourite cake to have during this time of year is definitely Cranberry Christmas Cake.

And it's even better when paired with cranberry coffee.

I can't remember where or how I found the recipe, but it's here @Barefeet in the Kitchen. Simple ingredients and super easy. I've only ever used fresh cranberries so I'm not sure how well frozen ones would work.

Stitched cookies are nice too, they last a really long time!

I'm looking forward to seeing what others have posted and hopefully try something new! 

A Chrimbly Friday

Here's some Friday fun, Katie @I live, I love, I craft, I am me...  came up with the idea of more photo treasures, this time it's posting about different things each Friday for the month of December - except for Christmas, it will be on the 31st instead. Please pay her a visit to see what others have posted, maybe you'll want to join in?

Decorations - a favourite one, or maybe more?

I have a Christmas village set up with various houses and buildings, but these are two pieces are my favourite. My Momma painted them for me years ago before her hands got too disfigured from her rheumatoid arthritis. She can barely hold a spoon now, so I treasure everything she's ever made.

I've had this little Odie on my tree it seems like forever! I still love this silly little dog, and have several other ornaments of him too. I also have plenty of stuffed animals and various other items, it's not very often I see much of him now though.

This came as a kit and I made several as gifts in the early 80's. I think this was my first ornament I stitched and kept. Or maybe I "borrowed" it from my parents?!

I know I have more, but I'll spare you and stick with these three.

Although I do have the manger that I grew up with, but couldn't find a photo of it and haven't brought it out yet.

Do you have a favourite decoration you like to put out every year?