The Stitch Up

Christmas Day

This Christmas weekend has been a perfect blend of fun and relaxation.  The Hubby and I spent a quiet night out at Russia House Christmas Eve.  

The vodka was smooth and the food was delicious.

It was nice to have someone cook and and wait on us considering the holidays usually involve so much of our own cooking and running around.

Christmas day was also quiet.  We opened gifts and then took our time cooking our Christmas meal.

After a delicious meal we took a walk around the neighborhood to enjoy the Christmas lights.  We did a decent job on lights I think:

I especially like our retro Santa:

But the neighbors were pretty impressive:

I also finished my Christmas coaster project:

These were finished so close to Christmas however, that I'm hoping my recipients appreciate having coasters ready to go for next year - since they didn't have any time to enjoy them this year!

My other project was a little enhancement to some handkerchiefs for the husband:

Very manly, totally non-girly embroidery!

I hope everyone's Christmas was wonderful.  I'm looking forward to lots of projects and trips in the New Year!

 

 

Christmas Trips

We've been getting around a bit to different spots around Virginia for Christmas celebrations.  My favorite every year is the Christmas weekend at Middleburg, VA.  Their Christmas parade begins with the Hunt parade: hunting dogs and horse and riders decked out to go chase some foxes.

In addition to the parade they had wagon rides around town.  In past years, I think they've done sleigh rides, but this year has been totally snow free.

These horses were so cute and all dressed up for Christmas.

Middleburg had a craft fair and lots of other activities - the whole town was festive!

Santa apparently likes the Hunt parade as well!

Another week we took a walk in Gulf Branch Nature Center in Arlington, VA.  The Blacksmith Guild of the Potomac was doing a presentation and had made a bunch of bells and candy canes for the holidays.

I loved watching the artisans at work.  They weren't selling anything, which was too bad as I think it would be cool to have an iron candy cane to decorate the house.

I think this last week before Christmas we'll be laying low, finishing the gift wrapping and chugging some egg nog.  I need to finish a few embroidery projects before the big day arrives and I'm cutting it close. Good luck to everyone with their last minute shopping and crafting!

Christmas Shopping

I do most of my Christmas shopping on-line, but I do love to hit up the antique stores around town to look at vintage Christmas decorations and soak up a little old school Holiday flavor.  Our favorite antique store around here is Falls Church Antique Center.  They always have a great selection.

I loved these little choir girl candles.

This store always has great textiles - I have to control myself to keep from buying up big handfuls of vintage embroidered pillowcases and kitchen towels.  I bought a few Christmas themed handkerchiefs.

And then I just drooled over the stacks of other textiles.

This clever sampler also caught my eye:

And I always drool over the huge variety of tea cups and saucers:

 Alas, this time of year I need to concentrate on Christmas gifts for others and I don't know too many people with the same rabid love of vintage embroidered cloths that I have.  But a few things did make it to my Christmas wish list, and window shopping at any time of year is fun!