Merry Christmas!

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care . . .

Merry Christmas from my house to yours!

Favorite monkey sock ornament

We use the same ornaments year after year, adding a few new ones now and then.

Vintage Santa ornament from my childhood on the farm

Watercolor sketch of Santa ornament

Another watercolor sketch of the Santa ornament

Handmade Garlands

Little woolen stockings ready for hand stitching

Getting ready to string the finished stockings into a garland

Buttons make good fasteners

Decorative garland for the Christmas season

My oldest sister passed along this unfinished project from a Primitive Gatherings pattern.  I decided to finish it in time to use as a Christmas decoration this holiday season.  This year I am not putting out all of the holiday decorations we’ve accumulated over the years.  Still, it’s nice to have something new to display.

My sister had already cut out all of the pieces.  I just blanket-stitched around the appliques and edges.  Then I decided to string the little woolen stockings into a garland.  I used fishing line, buttons, and wound paper beads.  I like the homespun look of the garland, which I hung from the bottom of a wall quilt by our front door.