Christmas
2001
Most
Recent Update
September & October, 2001
The
ornament factory was busy at work during September and October this year.
I spent many nights "relaxing" in the garage as I worked on the ornaments.
Some will be given as gifts and others will be hung on our tree.
Here are a few examples of the collection that was made this year:
Pictured
at left, above: Cinnamon sticks and hats.
Cinnamon Sticks |
For whom are Bells tolling? Must be that inquisitive cat or dog!! |
Let Freedom Ring Bells (new idea for this year) |
This year, I hand-painted two different sizes of soldiers and had three different sizes/types of sleds; also pictured is a "Shopper's Ornament" |
Bird Houses, Crystal balls and Cinnamon Sticks |
There's a bear and a sled and a horsey and a tree and a reindeer and a wreath and a stocking and . . . |
There are still some gifts that were made at the Ornament Factory that can't be shown-- not until Christmas when they're opened!!
November, 2001
The Ornament Factory had shipping demands to meet this year-- in one weekend, I wrapped over 30 boxes for Christmas ornaments!! Then, of course, there's the problem of getting all of the bigger boxes, containing the little boxes, to the post office!!
December, 2001
On
December 1, 2001, I put up our Christmas tree and began the fun of decorating
our house. This is the first year that we've had a house to decorate
but, since we were working with essentially the same furniture, there weren't
many changes there. One problem I discovered is that our mantel is
built in an odd, stocking-unfriendly manner!! As a result, our stockings
are hung in a not-so-decorative manner however, they won't be missed by
The Big Guy when he comes down the chimney!!
Here
are some pictures of some ornaments and decorations "so far" . . .
Brian's favorite, of course. |
A Christmas car, loaded with presents and a tree on the way to???? |
This is one of my favorite cinnamon stick ornaments from last year-- yes, it is still fragrant!! |
These are ornaments that I picked up in Colombia & Venezuela. Venezuela doesn't celebrate Christmas but they do believe in angels so I was able to "adapt" this one to be my Venezuelan ornament. |
This is an interesting grouping: A sand dollar from Monterey (I have one from Cayucos, as well!), a delft ornament from Holland (Michigan) and a butterfly from Natural Bridges State Park. |
Here's the "Let Freedom Ring" ornament on the tree-- I only made one of these and, of course, September 11 was my inspiration for that one this year. |
When you live in the Bay Area, you have to have a Trolley Car on your Christmas tree-- its a rule!! (I have three!!) |
This is an angel from South Africa. The South Africans believe that if you have a perfect ornament, evil will stay with it. As a result, there's an imperfection in everything they make-- in this angel, there's a bead in the wrong size that let's the evil out! |
Of course, we have our very own RCMP guarding our tree-- the result of being "adopted" when in Vancouver this summer. |
December
4, 2001
Ourdining table with Holiday Colors |
Ditto |
Simple decorations for the bookcases . . . |
. . . which includes this year's poinsettia from my sister and her husband. |
Both end tables are similarly decorated. |
And with the addition of the flowers that Brian got for me on Sunday, even without the stockings directly hung on it, the mantel looks lovely again this year! |
It wouldn't be Christmas without the bears watching over everything. |
Another ornament from the tree-- a delft windmill that I picked up when we were in Holland, Michigan. |
Last
but not least, a picture of our Christmas tree, lit at night . . . lovely,
eh?
That
brings us up to date again. I'll keep you posted as new things are
put in place.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
What
is it about Christmas trees that, for all of our lives, we remember?
As a child, my mother had a fascination with angel hair on Christmas trees.
This fascination started in the 50s and carried forward through the 70s
as far as documented proof to date is concerned.
According to the captions in the photo album, this is our Christmas tree in 1959 . . . |
. . . and 1970-something. |
All I Want for Christmas . . .
Last
year, Brian gave me some goofy-looking plush slippers with little dog paw
prints on them and, very seriously, promised me a dog of my own by Christmas
this year. Well, instead of a dog of my own this year, we
have a dog of our own!! Sally joined us today, December
9, 2001. Of course, she's a little confused about where she belongs
these days but we'll all get used to each other and live out our days ever
so happily together.
He really does make all of my days seem like Christmas . . .
Waving
as the world goes by . . . Isn't this a clever idea?? This is a gift
that arrived today and I just think it is toooooo cute!! Thanks!!!
Sorry that I've been away for so long!! It has been a busy few weeks getting ready for the final touches of Christmas.
Today, beside wishing all of you a wonderful, joyous and Merry Christmas, we're off to Orinda and we'll have pictures of that time spent with our family later in the week.
As
part of the preparations of Christmas, there were four presents that I
couldn't show you until now:
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 |
 |
The four pictures above are shadowboxes that I made as Christmas gifts for my sisters, my cousin, and a friend. They were held aside as "Do not open 'til Christmas" presents so I couldn't show you the pictures before today. There were five other "Do not open 'til Christmas" that I didn't get a picture of because I didn't have them assembled before the holiday-- they had to be "assembled" at the receiver's end of the world so we'll have to wait and see if we get any pictures of those back, in which case I'll post them.
There's still one more gift that I can't show you until later: I made something for my mother-in-law and sister-in-law and they won't be opening their gifts until later so I don't want to blow it here and now.
The
Christmas tree is a little "packed" this year:
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 |
There is one gift that was too big to fit under our tree so I'll try to get a picture of the box before its opened when we arrive at Orinda.
Whew!! I think we're just about there for Christmas 2001. Thanks for your patience and your visits in coming over here to see the pictures from time to time.
Merry Christmas Everyone!!
December
25, 2001 - Christmas in Orinda Pictures
|
ALL of the Gifts! |
Uncle |
(L-R) Barbara, Mike, Sally, Gail (Mike's Mom) and Marcia |
Alex gets to know Sally
|
Robbie pets Sally
|
"Its a horsey!" |
Alex watches Robbie "ride" |
"I'm a cowboy!" |
Barbara opening her ornaments |
Alex opens one of her gifts from Uncle Brian and Aunt Marcia |
She liked getting the Barbie Nutcracker! |
The kids help Sally open a misguided Santa gift.
|
Barbara likes her crocheted shawl/throw . . . |
. . . this is one of two gifts that I made that I couldn't show you until now! |
Robbie and Gail talk with Sally |
Half-time on gift opening |
 |
Mike opens his gift. |
More Barbie stuff!! |
|
Alex with her baby, Molly! |
Robbie wondering at something!! |
Tickle Time!! |
Okay,
so you've seen one of the gifts that I made (above)
for Barbara-- for my mother-in-law, the Camera Shy Martha, I made the totebag
that you see here. It is a quilting project using "Fat Quarters"
in shades and designs of purple, one of Martha's favorite colors.
It comes out huge which isn't easily seen in the way that we have it "posed"
on the back of this chair-- you'll have to trust me on the size thing!
Back to Musings
Wander down Memory Lane in Last Year's Christmas Page and Photos
Other Meanderings of Marcia & Brian
Copyright
2001-2002 Marcia L. Dykstra, all rights reserved.