Putting away my Christmas decorations

Who is That!!!

Today I am taking down all my Christmas decorations. It was such a nice Christmas . We spent a couple days at my daughters house.Poor Little Jack did not like Santa! He cried as we tried to have him sit on his lap so we promptly removed him and then he just glared at Santa and hid in the corner.We had a day with little kid meltdowns and not wanting a  nap. Little Jack loves grandpa and it is so cute as he watched grandpa putting together his toy.

This week I had my friend Janet over for rug hooking day. Maulie behaved well for the day  usually Maulie gets so excited jumping all over the place and on people. Maulie seems to think everyone is coming over to see her.I  had my wood burning stove going all day and it's funny Janet has the same blue color wood burning stove as me. It was nice to show Janet my Christmas decorations. We hooked away between tea and lunch it was such a relaxing day! I am finally back to hooking on my cabin bear rug.Janet was looking for a certain color of red so we were looking thru my wool stash. I made Hubby clean up his train room and  Janet really liked enjoyed seeing all the toy trains.
Lately I have been feeding the birds near my side yard with bread. I get my slice and tear it up and throw it under the potato bush. It was raining a couple of days ago and those little birds kept waiting so they flew right next to my french doors and were staring at me..
I started my online weaving class.The teacher is from Nova Scotia.I love it I can repeat it as many times as  I want to. If you ever want to take an on line class it's fun.It's been so long since I dressed my loom I need a refresher course on weaving.
Next week I am starting my knitting class again.I am going to just knit on my socks.Well back to my housework and laundry.Much as I love Christmas it's good to get back to normal things. I need to get back to reading a book about Mary Todd Lincoln.Hugs Cheri

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Christmas Eve memories

                                                    

         Note to self its best to buy everybody at the same time.         
            I am either missing Joseph or a wise man.

The packages are finally wrapped. I have quiet peaceful Christmas music on . It's softly raining and this  Christmas Eve is going to be very special with my daughter and her family.

 So many Christmas eve's have passed by in my Life and every one different and special. When I was first married to my hubby there was a tradition I was introduced to at my in laws house. Dear sweet Santa would make a personal stop at my mother in law Alice's house on Christmas Eve.
The first years of my marriage there were no children at Christmas just adults and in the middle of the evening Alice would bring out the Santa suit.It was such a funny scene the then young men trying to make the other one dress up in the suit. Then one of the sons would leave the room put on the suit and we would all act like it was the most natural thing to have a conversation with Santa.  I remember Santa's bells ringing and feeling rather silly seeing Santa at the front door but it was his family's tradition.

  Now Santa at the door with all the presents is a happy memory of past Christmas Eve's. It was so different then my own family's tradition which was tamales at Christmas Eve and everyone talking at once.Lol! Well now Hubby is our designated Santa and little Jack will be surprised when he sees  Santa at his house.Little Jacks a year and a half and I am not quite sure what he is going to think. It ought to be an interesting moment.

The last couple of days I have been busy shopping and trying to find the perfect gift for everyone. I finished the Christmas shopping just in time and watched as Jack made me a Christmas present that I have wanted for a long time. Jack couldn't woodwork without me seeing what he was doing so I know what my Christmas gift is. A warping board.

I have a baby Wolf floor loom and I need a warping board to weave. I have so many wool strips that are in my baskets so I thought why not weave some rag rugs.It's been years since I weaved so I signed up for an online class so I can learn to dress my loom again. It's a great way to learn I can look at the class as many times as I want and even contact the teacher.

The weather in Crest is foggy and my wood burning stove is working great.I am waiting for hubby to come home and our Christmas eve to officially begin. I have talked on the phone to relatives and friends and wished my Aunt Sophie a Merry Christmas. Morris is happy to be next to the wood burning stove Maulie is asleep waiting for hubby.The suit is being brought out for its second Christmas season with little Jack.

       I just want to wish my blogger Friends a Merry Christmas and Prayers for such a special night!

                                                                                Hugs Cheri

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My Primitive Country Christmas in California

          Today I decided to take some pictures of my Christmas in Southern California. We don't have snow but we might get rain on Christmas Day! This little primitive rug I made years ago. It's a little wonky but I still bring it out at Christmas.When the wind is howling and the trees are swaying outside I feel like I am in my own little world.My little house is one of the original cabins in Crest that is 80 years old. It's been added on here and there but low ceilings are it's character.Lol!

I hope you enjoy a  primitive country tour of my home. If I get a chance I might take some more pictures this weekend.Have a Merry Christmas, Hugs Cheri        

                           It's simple but I like it.My Nana's hutch is something
                           I could not part with.


                         Amish Hooked Rug from Lancaster Pennsylvania by Annie Lapp

                               This Victorian sideboard I bought  when I was in my 20's

                                                                                Jack's Crows

Grandma Moses tin I love

I machine quilted this quilt

                                        Dollhouse made by hubby and Cheri Payne quilt I made
                                        This is a very old wooden plate from my mother in law.
                                        It was made in Sweden.
                                        The picture on the plate is a painting of the church the
                                         family attended in Sweden.

                                    I took the cows off a broken light strand and
                                    put them on a cow Christmas tree!

                                                             Another rug I hooked a while ago!

The black doll on the left is wooden.

 Crazy me I stuck a piece of

 a doily on her head for a hat.I then used

double sided tape to keep it in place.

Chicken coop on the left

                                                                    I made the doll

My girlfriend made the stockings for me

                                                          I knitted those slippers!

I just hung a quilt to close up a door.

There is a bookcase on the other side of the quilt.

It works great giving me more room.

Black doll tree and that is a bucket

that Jacks Dad used to store nails!

I use it to store wool for spinning

 Even though a lot of family has passed on I feel happy seeing

their belonging in my daily Life. It's a happy reminder of  Happy

Christmas's long ago!

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Antique doll, Cross stitch, and a grandmothers gift

We had a super rainy day on Thursday the wood burning stove was going all day and my girlfriend Linda came over. I had made some ham soup and it was so  tasty. I am not a soup person but when the weather is cold it's wonderful to have a bowl of something hot.Here are the pictures from our Christmas rug hooking party.It was a fun great time with my friends.
              

                                                        This is an antique doll Stephanie picked up on a trip back east

                                                             Don't you love the blue color.

                                                     Look at the details of this little doll

                                           Little boxes with antique material covering them.
                                                     

                                                        What pretty antique material!

                                                           Stephanie's cross stitch

Pam was busy quilting

The front of Pam's quilt

Great backing

                                                                 Michele's work

                                         Marjorie made this for her granddaughter for Christmas

                          This is an antique pocket
                          Stephanie bought this on her trip.
                          Ladies would wear these over their skirts
                                                

                                                                It is very very old

                                                                The back of the pocket

Today Hubby and I baby sat my grandson Jack. When did toddlers become so energetic? Little Jack reminds me of Bam Bam from the Flintstones he is going constantly moving and dropping things .I had to laugh Megan and Mike came over and they just sat there almost falling asleep while we watched Jack.
 I have small Christmas trees all over the house and he was enjoying taking off the ornaments and racing around my table.Grandpa was his favorite person of the day. I never knew a man's watch could keep a little boy so fascinated.Jack just kept touching his grandpa's arm and fiddling with the big watch. It was such a precious time with him and his parents.We were celebrating Megan's belated birthday.I actually made a knitting bag for her and call me crazy but I lined it!
 Another of her presents was a long skinny bag I made for her for her long knitting needle.One of the days mishaps was a rookie grandma mistake.
I accidentally left a crystal light drink on the edge of the table and yes you guessed it Little Jack grabbed it and had crystal light all over him. Jack was howling and thank goodness for a change of clothes.Then it was time to have our time with Jack!
The parents were gone for about three hours and we had him all to our selves.When Jack left  to go home the blocks were all over the place. Jack's rocking chair was upside down and  every crock I had was upside down and contents turned over!
 Maulie was tired of being stepped on and my back was aching but oh what a wonderful day!  Jack did take a nap on me and I am embarrassed to say I fell asleep holding him.Hubby and I were watching a program we had recorded and when I awoke it was over and Jack was still asleep on me. What a blessing this little guy is!I am sure I am not the only one hugging their little ones a little tighter these days.

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Christmas with some sweet Old Crows

Today was our Primitive Rug hooking Christmas potluck at the Country Loft. This was such a funny picture to take the gals were good sports and all loved the wooden Crows that Jack made for them.We were missing a couple Crows. Hopefully they'll be back next meeting.Thanks Hubby for making the crows for the gals, Hugs Cheri


                                            Merry Christmas from California Primitive Rug hookers!

More pictures later this week of the goodies the ladies brought to share!

Stephanie made this primitive Santa pin keep that turned out wonderful.

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