January TUSAL

      

It's TUSAL time!

Here is my TUSAL jar with two of my current projects:

I'll empty all the ORTs out now and put them in a bag intending to stuff an ornie with them.  In reality they will live in a bag for ever more!

On the left is my Just Nan Sampler - Christmas Elegance.  I am behind on the schedule and currently working on Band 7 which is the word "Christmas" stitched over one:

stitched on 28 count off-white evenweave

The project on the right is my 12 Days of Stitchmas design from Jardin Prive:

stitched on 32 count Millenium Blue linen

I've decided not to show a book from my Stitching Library this month but to write about my Christmas tree and decorations as I didn't include it in my Advent Calendar post.  The pre-Christmas run-up was a little too busy for blogging much!

The question everyone was answering this year was - tell us about your tree.  Do you have a real one or an artificial one?  When do you put it up?  Do you use the same ornaments each year or change the colour scheme?  Cross stitch or glass ornaments?  Star or Angel on top?  Do the children help?  (if you have any!).  Any stories about your trees over the years?

Apart from the years we lived in the Far East, we always had a real tree when I was a child.  Dad's job was to find one for sale and bring it home balanced on the handlebars and seat of his bike.  Mum then decorated it with an eclectic range of baubles and ornaments, some from her childhood, some from the early days of their marriage and some new each year.  Our job was to watch and guess which bauble she would choose from the box to be carefully placed in the perfect spot on the tree.

We always had angels on top, a tiny red feather angel and a larger china doll angel which was Mum's as a child.

Once we left home, Mum started to choose a colour theme for her tree - maybe pink and silver or blue and gold, just to have a different look.

When I got my own house I was working full-time so I had an artificial tree for ease.  I collected ornaments over the years, buying a pair of special ones from John Lewis each Christmas.  My little treat to myself.  I have kept the same colour scheme every year too - red, metallic and crystal only.  Metallic includes silver, gold and brass.

When my husband and I bought our house together, we had a real tree for the first year and every year since then.  I've added to the ornament collection over the years but always in the same colours.

My articifial tree went to my parents' house as they no longer want the mess of a real one.  Plus Dad doesn't ride a bike any more!

At the very top I have a huge crystal star.

My older son does help, usually by unwrapping the ornaments and choosing which one will go on next.  My younger son helps by keeping his distance and not removing the ornaments from the tree!  I try to keep the more delicate ones higher up or around the side where they are not so tempting!

Of course, the tree isn't the only Christmas decorating I do.  I have all my Christmas stitching and my garlands too.

(in the hallway)

(in the kitchen next to my computer seat)

I also made a little slideshow of our trees from 2008 to the current year!

Finally, a little blog housekeeping is going on.  I have a new page for my WIPocalypse choices and one for the sign-ups for Gifted Gorgeousness for the year.  We have a new logo this year so if you use it in your sidebar remember to change the logo and link to the new page.