Be Afraid.....

....be VERY afraid!!!!  With Christmas a very sweet memory ( and there are more pictures to share in a later blog) I move into the next phase of my holiday persona.  This is the one that wants life to be orderly and things to be neatly in place so my mind can absorb the concept of a new year coming.

    With that in mind I decided to tackle my sewing obsession.  Oh my, oh my....when did I loose control???? The picture above shows the fabrics that AREN'T in tubs, which means you are only seeing the tip to a very big iceberg!!!! 

    So I have spent the past two days ( and looking forward to a few more days of) sorting, tossing, regrouping and sharing and generally trying to get back to some kind of normalcy in the sewing room.  The good news is that my students LOVE what I give away.  The even better news is that my friends and students generously gifted me with gift certificates to quilt shops in the area so that I can add to the maddness !!!!  

    No time to blog....I have fabric stacked in two bedrooms and one hall.  I had better get back to the task at hand!!!

Joys of the Holiday....

    I have always loved Christmas, but this one was more fun and brought more happiness than I can remember.  We seemed to find the right balance between busy and pure relaxation. Most importantly we found time to be with the ones we love. 

     I have promised pictures of our stay in Montecito....but even with the abundance of photos that I took nothing can capture the beauty and contentment that the weekend brought to our family. The house was built in 1922 and as my Mom said upon first seeing it "oh, it looks like the Villa in Under the Tuscan Sun".  As affluent as the home and surrounding areas are , the house just seemed to give our family loving hugs.  Our time consisted of exploring the rooms full of art and wonderful books, the gardens that were both serene and aromatic, and sitting by the fire to warm both body and soul.

     We ate wonderful meals, shared incredible wines, but most importantly there was this powerful peacefulness that seemed to touch us all. We ventured from the home very little.  We were all happiest sitting by the fire and sharing time together.  The few activities away from our Villa were equally joyful.  There were the candlelight Christmas carols at the Mission Santa Barbara, and the visit to a living Creche the next night at an equally stunning Church. We had a gourmet and fun filled dinner at Aldos ( thanks Dustin and Meghan....such a generous gift). Jonathan and Jill took over the kitchen at the Villa to make an equally wonderful frittata for breakfast, and I had the joy of serving dinner on the Limoges plates the house provided.  

     I hope you will enjoy the pictures, and I wish they could capture the pure bliss of being there. We are grateful for the time we can spend together.....we were truly blessed this holiday season. 

O Holy Night....

May the blessings of His birth, bring peace, joy and contentment to you and your families.  

Christmas Past......

     I  have heard that there are people who will come and professionally decorate your Christmas tree.  I am sure they are exquisite, perfectly proportioned, with ornaments displayed in a way to dazzle and impress. Ours will never be that tree. 

     Each year our tree is different from the year before...mostly because there are so many ornaments and not enough energy to place them all on the branches.  But there are certain ornaments that always make the cut.  They are the heart of our decorations....they are the history of our Christmas. 

     There are the small traced hands of children now grown, and the knitted bells made by my Mom to supplement our first tree when ornaments were a luxury we could not afford. There is the child's scrawled note to Santa voicing concern about whether he could find us when we were traveling from Chicago to California for Christmas.

     There is a small hymm book, purchased by Jonathan for our tree when he was a small child.  On that particular Christmas we took the children to downtown Chicago to share with them the wonderful window displays.  Jonathan had filled his pockets with a small amount of change he had saved.  As we walked by the incredible Peacocks Jewelry Store ( the Chicago equivalent of Tiffany's in New York), Jonathan made us stop and he announced that he was going inside to buy our family a Christmas present.  We were not allowed to go inside, because he wanted this to be a surprise.

     My heart was heavy for my little boy.  What could he buy with a handful of change in a store that intimidated me by its displays of silver and fine jewelry? He boldly walked in and was met by a clerk that I was sure would show him the door.  Instead she took him by hand and later he walked out with a beautifully wrapped present and a smile that warmed my heart.  The hymm book is a favorite ornament that always reminds me of the goodness of the season.

     No tree is complete without an angel to place at the highest point.  Ours was made by a very talented little girl who won the prize in a contest at a local deli  I can still she her proud smile as she collected the gift basket of goodies that was her reward.

     And this year I added one ornament to our tree....a blue bird of happiness.  It will be a reminder of a Christmas Season that has brought us all great joy and contentment.  It will be a reminder to be optimistic for our year to come and that those things that are most precious are from the heart.  Our tree may not be the most perfectly decorated tree, but its perfection lies in the memories it holds.  Seen with those eyes, it is perfect in every way. 

Did I Say......

    No shopping????  Well, a girl can change her mind, and this girl certainly did.  We have just gotten home from a beyond delightful vacation.  There will be LOTS to blog about, but today I focus on the shopping. Oh my!!!!

     San Luis Obispo is a favorite destination.  Jim loves to photograph the vineyards ( and do a bit of wine collecting too), and I love to treat myself to visits to some of my favorite shops.  I love to go into those small and unusual places that remember your name and show you pictures of their grandchildren even before you begin to browse.  Old World is one of those shops.  A must see if you have a love for all things Provencal displayed with an artists touch. I can never leave without a fun purchase, always packaged in a delightful toile bag complete with satin ribbon closures.  So "tres chic"!!!! 

     Apple Farm is a dear destination and again we feel like we are family in ever sense of the word.  We are cared for and spoiled with cookies and kindness.  It is even more dear at the holidays where we are entertained with Christmas Carols and delicious hot apple cider. The shops are inspiring and enticing.

     The Avilla Barn is a rustic produce market/gift shop.  It is a fun place to visit and more so when they close for the winter and put all of their merchandise on clearance.  Even though the sale had begun a week before we got there, shoppers  kindly left me enough merchandise to make Jim groan and me smile! 

     There were the obligatory stops at the Nipoma quilt shop ( sales on everything) and I used up all five of my JoAnne's coupons at Beverlys where I bought enough fabric to wrap around my other purchases to keep them safe for the trip home (G)!!!

    So I hope you enjoy the pictures of things that inspire me and things that I bought.  I didn't think anything could be better than the days of shopping in SLO.....until I got to Montecito.  But I will blog about that after I figure out which of the nearly 200 photos best shows the lovely villa we called home for the past few days. 

Joy and sorrow....

Christmas is the season of hope and joy.  We have experienced much of that this year.  In our quest to seek simplicity we have discovered what the essence of Christmas is all about....family. 

     I have a family that I adore.  They fill my life with unimagined happiness.  I also have another family.  They are my quilting family and they too bring immense joy to my heart. But today my heart is heavy.  I have lost one of my dearest quilting friends and as much as I try to find the joy, it is very difficult.

    Tonight was our Christmas party. Marty would have been there with her biscotti.  We have worked together at QIAD for eighteen years.  We went thru the phase of matching "quilty" jumpers and petticoats. There were the years of "country vests". We never wavered in our joy of working for Eleanor.  

     When I shared with Marty my concerns about my family or struggles that I was facing, she would always make me feel stronger. She was a rock, and I appreciated her strength.   But in a moment she was gone.  It is unimaginable. 

      Grief was the uninvited guest to our holiday party. I appreciated so much that the girls did all they could to keep the party joyous, but we all knew that it could not be the same.  Marty wasn't there, and she is deeply missed. The picture at the top of this blog is of my quilting family showing the ornaments we all got this year. We managed to smile, but our hearts are heavy. 

      As I left tonight I turned off the lights and said goodnight to Marty as I have for so many years. I am a better person for having known her.  I know she will always be a part of our Wednesday night quilting club....she will always be in our hearts.   

St. Nicholas 2008.....

     A fun time was had by all.....

Being Martha Stewart is......

Hard work, but also fun and very rewarding.  Today was the day that Meghan and I chose to pursue our idea of gifts given from the heart and made by our hands. 

      In true Martha fashion we gathered all of our ingredients and with great organizational skill we had our recipes marked and our lists of things to complete near by.  We stirred, we measured, we baked and we dipped.....all the time laughing , sharing the joys and not so joyful things about our week, and in short order we were knee deep in Christmas cheer.  With small time outs to share tea with Oma ( who was equally productive making knitted gifts), and to celebrate our friend Linda's birthday with a Lobster Bisque luncheon, we made great progress and even more wonderful Christmas memories.  

      There were moments when I wanted the world to stop....to capture forever my daughter's joy and accomplishment, to see my Mom's contentment as she sat by the fire. How blessed I feel at these moments and again I feel like the best parts of Christmas will never be found hunting for a parking spot or shopping in a mall. Did it really take talk of a recession to create in us the Spirit of Christmas?  Do I feel my fears being replaced by a sense of gratitude for directing me to the simplicity of what this season should always be about? 

     I am not sure what the future will hold for me or for my family.  But at least for today I felt great joy and a sense of peace knowing that the love of family will sustain us in all things.  That was the bigger lesson I learned today.  The other thing I learned was that making your own gifts is quite exhausting.....I can hardly wait to get to bed. 

Fa La La......and Quilts

I always love to decorate for the holidays.  A fun time to bring out the quilts that I only display at this time of year.  It also makes for a great backdrop for my collection of Jim Shores and other holiday decorations.  Enjoy !!!!






   

Christmas ponderings.....

Meghan and I walked side by side as we left church...both of us deeply inspired by the message that had been shared.  Meghan said " I feel like this is the happiest Christmas ever", and I have to agree.  

    Why it feels so special is a bit of a wonder to me.  Is it because we have all made a commitment to not buy gifts for each other this year?   Is the joy in our hearts because we are spending more time just being together and less time chasing the elusive "perfect gift" in some mall? 

    This weekend has been an example of finding the true joy and meaning of the holiday.  We have spent time making gifts, and shared deep  discussion about what recipes we should try for the meals we will share together. We are excited about Oma's St. Nicholas party next weekend and are giddy just thinking about our "weekend home" in Montecito.  We look forward to just being together....what purchased gift can give more joy than that????

     I have memories in my heart that I cherish.  Oma giving Meghan an ornament for the tree that says "Best Teacher".  Jim looking like a little boy putting his train around the base of the tree.  Even the kitty seems more content than usual, propped against a Christmas pillow and watching the train go round and round.

    So maybe this is what Christmas is supposed to be.  A time to reflect on the love of a Mother for her Child and the beauty of His birth.  A time to know that families are precious and the time we spend together is the gift we should seek. I know I am enjoying this time more than I thought possible.  I hope the same for all of you. 

The elves are busy at our house......

    Tis the season to create holiday magic.....a bow here, a snowman there. From the front picket fence, to the menagerie of garden pets, they are all dressed in their holiday finest.  Here is a peek into our holiday garden.  If I can find the elves to give me a bit more help, I will post the inside pictures this weekend!!!!