St Nicholas Day and A Tasha Tudor Exchange

What a happy day I had on St Nicholas Day yesterday! I got to organize our Tasha Tudor ornament exchange this year for December 6th. Our group has a lot of new members and it has been a real JOY.These new people have really given us a renewed interest in Tasha. Most of us are dolly people, so I chose Tasha's book A DOLLS' CHRISTMAS as our theme. I also asked the participants to package their gifts in a cone or cornucopia as Tasha used for gift giving.

Tasha began her Christmas season on St Nicholas Day~December 6th. As my birthday is Dec 8th, I have chosen to celebrate it on St Nick's Day. It's just a really magical day for me.

So, let me take you back in time a bit. I decided to use cardboard cones for my cornucopias and found some great ready made ones at the craft store. I painted some red and some pink. I had so much fun making these that I decided to send little ones as thank yous to those who participated.Yes, sometimes I just get carried away.

I used scrapbook papers to cover part of the cones.

Yes, I love Tacky glue. I don't know how I would do crafting without it!

I added pipe cleaner handles and filled them with tea,candy canes, little miniatures and a candy.

I made little tree with spools. I also used LaVonne's wool for the snow look. I always like using her wool for my projects.

Here's the finished larger ones that were for my main exchange partners. I tried to match up the look with the likes of each person.

I mailed them off with a note not to open until December 6th. I think the members all actually did wait for the big day.

This is a beautiful paper cone that is from Victorian days. I have had it for a few years and it's so pretty.

This is what's under my little tree in my tea room. It's always fun to pretend there's a little girl waiting for Christmas Day.

 The cabinet next to the tree is my dollhouse. I wish it was a bit larger, but I do love it and love that it has a door that can be shut.

Annabelle set up her side board with a few new items! I love the tidbit tray. Looks yummy for her tea.

My dad started out with breakfast out with Chris, Angie,Otto and Jimmy at Multnomah Falls. Then Jimmy and I stopped at a couple historic homes. It was a fun day. I will blog about it a bit later. When we came home, it was getting dark and I fixed a tea for us. I love having tea when the day is slipping away and candles light up the room.

After tea, I opened my gift exchange boxes. This one is from my friend Jan in Kansas. She made the cone out of a vintage doily. It's so pretty and I love it. It was filled with a dolly, tea, a mini and chocolates.

Thank you so much Jan!

My other gift partner Heather sent me this darling assortment of goodies. She said she struggled  with the cone, but I think it is wonderful. I love the small box that was filled with the most darling tea set! How perfect for me! Thank you dear Tasha friend.

LaVonne sent me a fun cone as part of my birthday gift. You will have to see the rest of the gift...just fantastic. Thanks LaVonne.

 Jimmy also gave me two signed Tasha books for St Nicholas Day. He is always so sweet and makes the day perfect.

It's very late and I should be  asleep, but I am still so happy an so blessed to have such sweet friends.

Tea Time Thursday #55~The Holly and The Ivy

I imagine that most of you are enjoying listening to all kinds of Christmas chorals these days. I so enjoy Christmas music of all types. It just seems like such a very  short time that we get to enjoy these beautiful songs. A few years ago, I paid attention to THE HOLLY AND THE IVY and fell in love with the charol. I have to say, it is one of my favorites. Maybe part of the reason is that I just love holly!
When choirs sing this lovely tune, it's just lovely, but I have to admit, I really like to listen Bing Crosby's version.

As it is Tea Time Thursday, I thought I would share a few pieces of my "HOLLY" collection of Christmas china.My main Christmas china is the traditional Spode pattern, but I think it's fun to find other designs to enjoy. This cup and saucer belonged to my Grandmother Smith. She had a tea cup collection. I never saw her drink a cup of tea, but the cup and saucers lived on a shelf in her front room. People would give them to her as little gifts. I think it's funny now that I just thought it was kind of an old lady thing and I really didn't pay much attention to them. When she passed away, all of the granddaughter received a teacup. I was given this one. It's a Royal Albert and I really like it. I have found 2 others now and am on the hunt for one more. It's just old fashioned and I adore it now.

The tea cup is called Holly.

This is a sandwich plate that is a favorite of mine. It's really lovely and has some of the words from the song. I got it when I had my card and gift store~Holiday Card Shoppe years ago. It is marked 1995 Made in Britain. The company is Portmeiron.

I really like my December teacup. I like the delicate holly graphics. It's called CHRISTMAS ROSE and part of the Bouquet of Month Series by Golden Crown.

Saturday is St Nicholas Day and our Tasha Tudor group will be having an event. I hope to have a little tea again, so pop back by to join the fun.

December!

Hello and welcome December! I love the last month of the year. It is filled with busy days, joy, music, church, birthdays, shopping, friends and lots of family fun!  I spent the days after Thanksgiving decorating our home. I have the house all decorated and today I will go over to my dad's to decorate his apartment. Once that is done, it's on to St Nicholas Day and my birthday celebration this weekend.

My daughter Angie always gives me tiny gifts wrapped up like an advent calendar for each day of the month of December. It is my birthday gift every year. I really don't know when she started this, but she has never missed for years and years. It is so much fun and I just look so forward to it and love it. Even the years when she was really broke, she gave me the same gift. Yesterday was December 1st, so I opened my first treat! How cute is this! It's a Cinderella slipper filled with Jelly Belly candies.

Thank you my sweet Angie.

Time for one more cup of coffee and then I need to get ready to go over to dad's. Let the decorating continue!

Tea Time Thursday #54~HAPPY THANKSGIVING

A quick note to wish all my blogger friends a Happy Tea Time Thursday and Happy Thanksgiving!
I love this holiday and I am looking forward to the day with my little family. I am so thankful that God has given us this time to be together and of course, I am especially thankful for our little grandchildren...Ava and Otto. Ava will be with her mommy this Thanksgiving and we will miss her.
I'm sure her mother will be so happy to have her for this holiday. We all have to share her! My friend called her a bonus grandchild and that really is so true! It will be hard to get my hands on Otto today!

When we were in Ilinois for Jim's mother's funeral, we stopped in a thrift store to look for an extra suitcase to bring back home some items. I found this night light for $2. It is so cute....a teapot shape with a turkey. I have a Christmas Spode on that is similar. I just love the gentle light.

We also had some good news last night! We have a new great niece that was born in Illinois. She's a tiny little thing. Welcome dear Audrey.

Getting ready for Thanksgiving

It's almost Thanksgiving and I always get a little sad to say goodbye to autumn. We are going to take the kids to The Black Rabbit at Edgefiled this year. It's a sentimental place for our family and we are looking forward to it. Eric and Gina will be coming from Seattle.

Tomorrow is grandma's day with little Otto. I haven't seen him for awhile and I am looking forward to playing with the little guy. He's really at a fun stage right now.

Today I finished all my Tasha Tudor exchange gifts for St Nicholas Day~December 6th. I was in charge of it this year and it really was fun. I will post pictures after the 6th. Jimmy was very sweet and took all of my packages to the Post Office for me.

It's time for this old grandma to get some sleep! Otto will be waiting for me!