Thursday, December 10, 2009

Very Little Except Mary Little

Happy Thursday everyone!  Are you braving the cold and snow in your neck of the woods?  Winter sure came through with a vengence yesterday, but we didn't get more than a few inches of snow.  But enough wind to make it bitterly cold and blow the wreaths off my windows outside and it's still howling out there.  I tried to get some Christmas shopping done this morning, but the mall near my house is an open air mall - definitely not the best place to shop on a day like today!!

I know that I'm breaking from convention with not having a Christmas finish, but the fill-in on my angel was driving me nuts, so I went searching for something little and came up with Mary Little:


Mary Little 1840
The Good Huswife
DMC Threads

Ivory 32 count tea dyed linen

I wish that I could get a better picture of this because I used Vonna's tea and coffee dyeing tutorial and I was absolutely thrilled with how it came out.  You may be able to see it better if you click on the picture.  I had the homespun fabric in my stash, but the linen was as white as snow, so I wanted the linen to be a better match. 

I started the Prairie Schooler SAL that Vonna also set up.  I'm making this my Sunday stitch for a while because that seems to be the day I can get the most stitching done.  I didn't get too far, but since I know this is going to take me a while, I might as well just enjoy the journey and get what I can done:


Prairie Schooler Alphabet SAL
DMC Threads and 28 count Ivory Jobelan
Stitched one over one


Other than that, it's just been decorating and shopping.  DD finally got all the ornaments on the tree - or as many as she could get on before I stopped her.  When she was done she called me out and this is what I found:


Pretty funny if you ask me, but she's a ham.  Anyway, here's our tree.  Usually I have garland on it, but this year, even though there may look like some spare branches, there weren't after I did some rearranging:


Now, for the life of me I couldn't get a picture where you could really see the lights on it.  As I said, I've done a little bit of rearranging of ornaments when she wasn't around, but she did a great job.  A couple more of my favorite ornaments are, of course, Wizard of Oz:




And Noah's Ark:


(Yes, I did cut the tag off this one!!)




I'm just finishing up the decorating in our family room today, but my husband brought home some beautiful poinsettias.  I think that red would have looked a little better because the room accents are red, but he said that he couldn't find two the same size.  In any event, they're beautiful. (Just a note here that the picture leaning against the fireplace has only been waiting for three months for DH to put up - he's always a little slow!!).


Well, that's all for me.  I want to get the family room finished up today.  When I think about it, Christmas is in , what, two weeks?  Yikes.  Still not done with the shopping!!!

Before I go (and I'm editing this post to include this), the great ladies over at The Quilt Shoppe are having a great Holiday Bingo - check it out:



Hope you have a great weekend and:


(you know that this is DD's ornament, don't you??!!  :0)

31 comments:

Unknown said...

What a beautiful tree and how nice to have a bay window to showcase it in! Your daughter did a beautiful job of decorating!

I just love your GH finish - just so sweet!

Enjoy your weekend. 15 days and counting.

Natasha said...

What a beautiful tree. I love how every inch of your tree is covered with ornaments! Especially LOVE the OZ ornaments. Reminds me of our tree growing up :)

Merry Christmas!

Michelle said...

I love your little finish - so sweet with the little pin and button on the corner. And your tree looks gorgeous - mine is going up this weekend!

Love to Stitch said...

I love your tree and all those fancy ornaments! It looks lovely!! Mary Little turned out fabulous! It is nice to switch things up a bit, she is a great addition to your home. Great start on the PS sampler, it is gonna be great fun to watch your progress!

Lois said...

Your tree is lovely! Your post and pictures are reminding me just how much I love unpacking the tree ornaments each year because so many of them have memories attached.

I love your Mary Little! I have yet to try dyeing my own fabric (I'm such a coward!) but this turned out so good.

Great start on your PS. I look forward to watching your progress.

Laurie in Iowa said...

Your tree is a real beauty Deb. It's location in front of your bay windows is perfection.

Love your Mary Little... such a sweet piece.

samplerlover said...

Hi Deb,
Oh your tree looks wonderful. DD did a great job. I also love your Wizard of Oz ornament. Beautiful.
Mary Lamb is lovely. You did a great job.
Great start on your PS sampler. - Sandra.

Margaret said...

Very nice! I love Mary Little -- I want to find that chart someday! And your tree-- wow! It's beautiful! I love your DD collapsed after all that work. lol! Nice ornaments too! And those poinsettias -- I think your hubbie did a good job choosing them. Good progress on the PS Alphabets too. It's fun to stitch, isn't it? Enjoy your tree and all! Peace!! :D

Blu said...

Your tree looks lovely, so covered in ornaments. Your daughter did an excellent job. That picture of her "passed" out is hilarious!

Barbi said...

I love your tree! I'm hoping to get all my decorating done this weekend and then I'll be able to share pics as well.

Kellie said...

Beautiful tree! And beautiful Mary Little stitching and finish. I really like that design. Looks like you have a good start on the PS Alphabet. That is going to be so beautiful when it is finished. I haven't yet given in to the temptation (I don't need another BAP), but I am really enjoying seeing other people's progress. Have a great weekend!

Loraine said...

DD did a fabulous job on the tree! So cute. My kids say our tree is boring. They don't like matching ornaments (rusty stars and bells). They want it to bright, and fun, like yours! I love it. I guess I should get them a tree of their own before they get too much bigger!

I love the little Mary finish. It is adorable! Love the tea dying job as well.

Great start on your ABC blocks. I am waiting for my patterns and fabric to arrive. I can hardly wait! I think you made a great start. How is the over one stitching? I'm not looking forward to that!
Take care! Stay warm. I know what you mean about Winter coming with a vengeance. It's been in the single digits here, for two days! Burrrrr!

Faye said...

Your tree is absolutely beautiful!! Tell your daughter she did an awesome job!! Spotlighting your ornaments was a great idea..made me reflect on some of my favoirtes!!! Love the stitcing..I MUST get back to Shores and Christmas of HRH as soon as Christmas is over with!! And, thenks for your nice comments on my blog....I enjoy yours so much too!! Thanks, Faye

Jennifer Ann Fox said...

I love your tree and the ornaments are beautiful!!

I'm behind on reading blogs and just read your previous post. Your progress on stitching is coming along well.
And the Mary Little finish is just darling!
Yep, 2 weeks away. I can't believe this year has gone by.
Just think though. A new year, a new start soon!

Jennifer

Siobhán said...

LOL at that last ornament!! It is definitely your daughter--she will treasure the memories it triggers in years to come. :) You, too! Love the pics of your tree and your decorating. Your ornaments are similar to ours... they bring a certain memory to mind. I love that!

Your Mary Little is ADORABLE!! Great job! Love the finishing, too. Great work on the PS alphabet, too.

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

LOL! I have to say....your daughter made me LOL :)
And my tree doesn't have any garland this year either because MY DAUGHTER decorated my tree and said it didn't need any...ahem...

Giovanna said...

Love the pincushion, and the tree is just magnificent!

Carol said...

I love seeing the photos of your beautiful tree and your favorite ornaments. That is my favorite thing about decorating the tree each year--the memories that each ornament brings back as I place them on the branches :)

Merry Christmas!!

woolwoman said...

Loved getting a glimpse of the christmas magic in your home Deb - the bay windows are gorgeous! All the things you showed are so special - Love Mary Little - Did you use the black check on the back of the little pillow? I didn't you if you did that for staging or to show the backing fabric - Great you got started on the PS Alphabet and picked Sunday as a dedicated day for it. I need to pull out B is for Blackbird and find my big piece of Barn Owl I was using - I must get up the nerve to try the dyeing - I'll go back and read Vonna's instructions - Cheers! Mel

Dona said...

Mary Little is so cute! I really like how it turned out.

Beautiful tree! I hope your daughter recovers from so much decorating.

corinna said...

lovely tree and decor
dd in dire distress post tree trimming cracks me up....
kids they are great
thanks for your kind comments on my post.
love your mary little
i have been nervous about staining and baking in the oven
but i will work up the nerve one day

Nancy M said...

Love the tree. Last year I was gone all day and when I came back our friends 6 and 9 year old had put all my ornaments on! Talk about doing some rearranging! We can still see our grass, but Kazoo has 18"!

Patricia Lessell said...

Love your tree. Mary Little is one of my favorites of all time and if you look on my blog you will see that she is my this month's giveaway. Your ML looks great too.
Lots of Love
Patti xxx

Isabelle said...

Deb : what a marvellous tree has decorated your dear Daughter : just fantastic !
Oh !!so sweet is your little Mary : your small stitching looks really lovely :-)
I wish you a fine stitching on the PS sampler, it is going to be great and it will be fun to watch your progress! I love PS designs :-)
Have a great week-end ,
Isabelle

MyLifesAStitch said...

Love the pics of your ornaments, and tree! Just wonderful! :)

Anonymous said...

Love your tree Deb!

I've always wondered about Nth America & your penchant for open air malls. We don't have many here & our weather is not as extreme as yours. One did open recently...it's 4 squares of shops joined with open breezeways. Of course, hot in summer & freezing in winter. A very strange arrangement!

Merry Christmas. :)

The Scarlett House said...

Deb, I loved seeing your tree and special ornaments. I wish I could keep my tree up all year long.
Your Mary Little is adorable.

Hazel said...

Ahhh beautiful pics of everything!! Love your tree and your wips and your finish. xx

Katrina said...

Your PS alphabet is very nice! I can't believe you are doing it over one :-). Cute little finish too.

Gorgeous tree, love all your decorations and ornaments.

Vinniey said...

Your tree looks beautiful, Deb. Your daughter did a great job! And your Mary Little is looking great too. :)

Catherine said...

What a nice Christmas tree in your home...
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for you and your family.