Blog Hop Day 8

It's day 8 already.
In case you just stumbled upon my blog this is day 8 of the Cross Country Quilt Designers Blog Hop.

Today's featured designer is Terri Degenkolb from Whimsical. I just love the "whimsy" :) look of all of her designs. I am anxiously waiting to see what project she has designed.
Find Terri's project here.

Don't forget to leave a comment so you are eligible to win one of the grand prizes

1st Prize A gift bag worth $250
2nd Prize A gift bag worth $70
3rd Prize A gift bag worth $40


Topic for the day is: First Christmas on your own.

We were married November 3rd, 1973.



It seemed like in no time at all Christmas had arrived. We did not have a lot of money to spend on decorating. I however, insisted on a real Christmas tree. We lived in a very tiny apartment so we purchased a very tiny tree we could set on our very tiny table. I bought a package of ornaments and strung cranberries and popcorn and that was the extent of the Christmas decorating. No skirt. No tree topper.

It looks like I was eating the popcorn as I was stringing.

The bottom half of the tree just has cranberries.

Neither one of us could remember the gifts we had given each other.

Then we found this picture and realized -oh yes, no money - no gifts.

We must have had enough money to eat.

It looks like I cooked either a chicken or a very small turkey.
Whatever it was - it made Bruce happy.

By our second Christmas I had managed to make

a few Christmas ornaments to hang on the tree.

Now we also have a tree topper.

And it looks like we bought some presents.

I even was able to make Bruce a Christmas stocking.

I can’t remember what I put in it. Coal??

The next year Calico Christmas decorations were all the rage.

Vogue had issued this pattern for ornaments, a wreath

and a tree skirt made out of calico.

I purchased calico and pin dot fabrics at our local Ben Franklin. Remember pin dots? It seems like I sewed forever before I was finished.

I have kept some of the ornaments and still hang them on my tree. I eventually made the tree skirt and wreath.

As we looked through the boxes of pictures - yes mine are in boxes -in no particular order - Our little tree looked better every year. We worked hard and experienced some success. Eventually we were able to buy a house.

Now we can buy a tree that sits on the floor

and goes all the way to the ceiling,

complete with decorations, lights and a tree topper.

I know this was supposed to be about our first Christmas but you really needed to see two and three to appreciate one.

We are very fortunate to have the kids close by, so we are able to spend all the holidays together.

Everyone is happy and healthy.
We have been blessed.

I am off to check out all of the other designer's blogs to read about their first Christmas on their own.

GE Designs, Pieces of My Heart, Atkinson Designs, Pat Sloan, Anka's Treasures,Pam Kitty Morning, New Leaf Stitches, Whimsicals, This 'N' That, Miss Rosies,Rosebud's Cottage, Linda Lum DeBono

Tomorrows featured designer will be Sherri from This 'N' That.
The topic will be: A kid story, either about your kids if you have any or other kids, even yourself.

Happy Hopping.

From my heart,
Sandy