It's Christmas Already?

I remember when I was a child and hearing my parents and grandparents talk about how quickly time passed.  I didn't understand that at all because it seemed to me that summer lasted forever and then it took forever and a day for Christmas to arrive.  But these days it has become quite clear to me that they knew what they were talking about.  Christmas was just last month, wasn't it?

I'm slower than I used to be, and not as strong as I once was, but I love Christmas as much as ever I did.  I've narrowed down my decorating choices to things I love, with the emphasis on the memories they involve. Many, if not most, are things I've made, or the children gave me.  I've asked everyone I know for some fresh pine and by the weekend I should have some to put here and there but for now I've brought out a one or two favorites for my own pleasure.

I've made a "few" Christmas quilts, or table runners, or pillows, or candle mats, or...fill in the blank.  This "Santa is a Star" has a fussy cut picture of Santa in the middle and looks wonderful on my burlap table cloth.

Winter Wonderland lives on my bed each year from Thanksgiving until February - after all January means snow, right?

 And there are a couple of wall hangings that are perfect above the two patio doors in my sunroom.  One is Santa flying across the sky and the other...

 is a terrible picture but is an embroidery piece of all the reindeer and their names.

I'm very sad because right now we can't find the Christmas tree skirt my mother made me about 30 years ago.  I'm sure it's there somewhere - in the decorations I didn't use this year - but it's hiding from me at the moment.  :(  And one box of my Christmas tree decorations got wet somehow so I've lost a few.  Memories.... even though the ornaments are gone they're still in my heart.  There was a time when I was broken hearted when something got broken or lost but not so much any more because I've kept them all right here inside where they mean the most.  It was a hard lesson learned but a good one.  It's not the things that matter - it's the love you feel and the memory that thing invokes that you want to hold on to.

This poor "Santa's Wild Goose Chase" has a wrinkle down the middle.  :(  Hmmm, guess he's getting the same wrinkles I am!

 This table runner is one of my favorites - can't remember the pattern at all, but it works like it is now without the leaf in the table, and even when the table is at it's longest.

 A little blurry I suppose (to my wonderful photographer friends I promise I'm going to try to take a class next semester!) but this wool Santa candle mat was a joy to make.

 And because Santa looked a bit lonely I made a few snowmen too.  Oh, and yes my coffee table is made of wooden shipping pallets.  We added wheels underneath and glass on the top and I'm totally in love with the whole thing.  It's 40" x 48" and my grandchildren can clear off the top to play games here - such fun!

 This little pillow is a reminder to me of the reason we celebrate.

Of course there are more I haven't shown you and I admit that these on the chair I've not yet found a place for.  Do you think it's time to share with my children?  The not so funny thing about our quilted creations is that sometimes giving them away it like giving away one of our children!  Or is that just me?

 Old friends are brought to mind when I put out other bits of decorations....like my Merry Christmas letters

 and this small church/candle holder, as well as my dishes (a gift from my children).

 This, however, is a gift to my husband - a little reminder of the season as he builds me a fire!

 At heart I'm still a child, so this little sign peeking down from the top of the china cabinet says it all for me.  How about you?  Do you still believe?