From Grandma with Love.........A Christmas Quilt

So is it too late to share something from Christmas?  Well, maybe so, but better late than never!

My mom and Allen (aka Pepo) flew in from Texas to celebrate an early Christmas with us the weekend prior to the actual date.  We had such a lovely visit, though it's always shorter than I would like, but it certainly makes me appreciate the time I get with my mom and Pepo all the more!

Mom made this gorgeous, twin-sized Christmas quilt as a gift for us this year.  I can't even express how much I love it.  It's big and cozy and can cover up our entire family snuggling on the couch.

Last year I had given mom, The Practical Guide to Patchwork by Elizabeth Hartman, so the pattern she used for our quilt was 'Small Plates' from this book.  The front is basically done using 'Flurry' charm squares (5" precut squares), 'Flurry' jelly roll strips, Moda white solid squares and cut 2 1/2" strips.  She also cut some additional pieces from yardage she had on hand.  This is a wonderful quilting book that ranges from beginners up to intermediate quilters.  If you are looking for a new quilting book to add to your collection, I can't recommend this one enough.

Now for the backing, Mom had to do a little creative improvising due to the amount of fabric yardage she was able to purchase.  So, she came up with this (see picture below) backing that I almost love as much as the front!

Pepo helped Grandma Jane sandwich the quilt, so he got a little credit on this one.  Mom includes a label on each one of her quilted creations. These items will be passed down for generations to come, so I love that she dates each quilt.

I don't know if you remember, but Grandma Jane made the kids Christmas outfits from the same line of fabric (click here to read more) ~ Kate Spain's 'Flurry'.  Even though the kids will eventually outgrow their Christmas outfits, we will have the Christmas Quilt to remember Christmas 2011.

This quilt will be pulled out each and every Christmas and will be treasured always and forever.  There is something so comforting about snuggling up in a handmade work of art made by someone you love.  It really feels like my mom is here hugging me even when she's miles and miles away.

On another note:  Grandma Jane has agreed to guest blog this year with some quilting tutorials for everyone.  I hope you all will welcome her with open arms when she makes her first appearance on the blog.  SO excited that she's agreed to share her talents!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful holiday and a very Happy New Year!

Thank you for making blogging such a joyful and fulfilling experience for me.  I appreciate each and every one of you that stop by The Cottage Home.  There are so many things to be thankful for this year.  

We have truly been blessed and my heart is filled with joy.

Love to you all,

Lindsay

We've Been Busy at The Cottage Home ~ Christmas Trees and Santa

This last month seems to have gone by in the blink of an eye.  We've been so busy trying to fit in all our Christmas festivities as I'm sure you have as well.  This is a non-sewing, non-crafting, non-cooking related post, but I thought you might like to know what we've been up to.

Matilda and The Cottage Papa

The day after Thanksgiving we headed to our favorite local tree farm to cut down our Christmas tree.  My husband and I both grew up with fresh Christmas trees and to tell you the truth, there is nothing like the smell of a 'real' Christmas tree.  We've been going to this farm since before we had kids and after seven years, I guess we can call it a tradition.

Savannah and (soon-to-be) Uncle Bryan

My sister-in-law and (soon to be) brother-in-law came with us this year on the great tree hunt.  We like this farm because it is very down to earth.  There aren't a whole lot of bells and whistles (some farms around us have rides, attractions, horse drawn carriages), but you get the great feeling of the country life. This tree farm has been struggling the last few years because of a draught several years back.  So even though the pickings are a little slim, we like to support them during this tough time.

Savannah Rose

Savannah didn't care much for the sound the saw made when cutting down the tree, so she hung back a little bit and took it all in from a far.

Aunt Abby and The Cottage Papa

That's our tree in the picture above or also known as the Christmas 'bush'.  Once we got it inside our house we realized just how round it really is, but it suites us ~ it's got character.

Aunt Abby and Savannah

The day after Thanksgiving they had some pioneer living demonstrations and Savannah got to hand-dip a candle with some help from her Aunt Abby.

Matilda Jane

One of the favorite parts of our annual tree hunting adventure is getting nice and cozy with a cup of hot chocolate in the little warming house.  That hot chocolate hits the spot after the cold, hard work of finding our perfect tree.

After we came home and set up our tree, we decorated it.  This little guy (pictured above) was just a sweet, sweet angel throughout all our Christmas activity.  We listened to Christmas music, decorated the tree and I made my favorite homemade chex mix (which is a MUST when decorating the tree).

And what a difference a year makes!  The week after we got our tree, we took the kids to visit Santa.  Last year Savannah would not even get close to the man.  This year she ran right up to him, got on his lap and told him exactly what she wanted for Christmas ~ "I want a green dinosaur, a boy baby doll, and a red bouncy ball with a handle".  I love a girl who knows what she wants!  Matilda was fine with the man in the red suit, but she didn't say much.  After we left, Savannah said "Wow, he is definitely nice!"

This past weekend my mom, Grandma Jane, and her husband Allen (aka 'Pepo") came to celebrate an early Christmas.  We had a wonderful time, though our visits are always too short.  What I wouldn't give to live closer to my mama........maybe someday......one can dream, right?  Mom made us the most beautiful Christmas quilt that matches the kids Christmas outfits.  I need to take some good pictures of it, but I can't wait to show you!

This week I'm going to be busy baking with the kids and finishing up my last handmade Christmas gifts.  The current project in the works are 'baby doll kits' I'm making to go with the girl's 'American Girl Bitty Baby Boy' dolls that they are getting.  Savannah and Matilda both really wanted boy babies because of their little brother, so I'm having fun using all of this boy printed fabric to make the accessories for their dolls.

I hope you all are enjoying this holiday season.  

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

From Grandma with Love.........Christmas Janey Jumpers

So my mom, Grandma Jane, has done it again!  To be totally honest, I don't think I have ever received something my mom has made and not been totally thrilled.  For one, I put a huge value on handmade items and two, she and I have very similar taste.

I was really excited when my mom said that she wanted to make the girls Christmas dresses.  Usually I like to do the kids special occasion outfits, but with having three little ones now, I was more than happy to have someone lighten the load.  Mom said that she wanted to make the dresses from my Janey Jumper sewing pattern ~ how fun is that?

This is View B from the Janey Jumper pattern.  Now I did give the instructions in the pattern in regards to the center panel, ruffles, ect., but mom picked out the fabric and trims totally on her own.  She used Kate Spain's "Flurry" for all the Christmas outfits. 

Matilda's dress is the red one and Savannah's dress is the green one.  I love the red ribbon trim with little white stitching.  I think it's really fun to have my kids coordinate with one another, but not totally match.

When I opened the package from my mom I was excited to see the onesies for Caspian, which were a total surprise.  Mom included a striped zip-up sweater for the little man as well (it just didn't make it into the picture).  She said the Christmas tree onesie was a last minute addition, but I really like it.  Plus the green and red tie onesies can be worn after Christmas as well.

I can't wait to get all the kids dressed up in their Christmas best.  Savannah has a family holiday party at her preschool this week, so I think I'm going to dress all the kids up for the festivities.  I hope you all are enjoying the holiday season as much as we are ~ I just love Christmas!

To view more of the beautiful handmade pieces that have been sent to us from my mom, Grandma Jane, click HERE.

The Magic of Christmas

 image source

Do you remember when you first found out the 'truth' about Santa Claus?  I was probably one of the last of my friends to actually succumb to the reality.  I can remember being on the large soccer field at my elementary school in California and arguing passionately with the other kids about the existence of Santa Claus.  I tried to explain to everyone how I had seen this television program where they discussed the Santa sitings that had occurred at the north pole.  Why didn't they believe me? I mean I had concrete evidence.  I was absolutely convinced that the other kids had it ALL wrong.  Which was fine because I knew that if you didn't believe, then you certainly were not going to end up on the 'nice' list, and that was fine because perhaps Santa would just drop off all those non-believers presents at my house.

My brother and I used to wake up really early in the morning on Christmas.  He would come and lay in my bed with me while we waited until the clock said 6:00AM (which was when we could go into my parents room).  We would lay there quietly, starring at each minute go by on the clock and try to fall asleep.  We never could fall asleep because our hearts were racing with the thoughts of Santa actually coming to our house.  And I swore I heard jingle bells on the roof.

I don't remember the exact moment when I found out, but I can distinctly remember the very first Christmas where I knew the 'truth'.  I just sort of felt sad, like the magic and excitement had been taken away. It was almost like I was mourning the loss for this person I once knew.  Now, don't get me wrong, Christmas has always been an amazing holiday in my family, but things just didn't feel the same that first year, something was missing.  Of course as the years passed, the holiday took on an entirely different meaning.

So what has me thinking about the magic of Christmas?  Well, this is the first year that my kids are really, really into the idea of Santa Claus.......especially my 3.5 year old, Savannah Rose.  Yesterday we had a big discussion about the naughty and nice list and many other aspects of Santa Claus.  So far I have received all kinds of questions from her:

~Is Santa still up on our roof?
~Where does Santa live?
~What kind of clothes do the elves wear?
~How long does it take to get to the north pole?
~Is it always snowing at the north pole?
~Can I go to the north pole?
~Why can't I go to the north pole?
~Can I ride in Santa's sleigh?
~Who takes care of Santa's reindeer?
~Do you think Mrs. Finkler (her preschool teacher) will be on the naughty or nice list?

Chatting with Savannah about all these different questions has brought back a sense of magic and wonder that I can feel in our house.  I can remember the excited feeling I once had thinking about Santa Claus and I guess our own kids have a way of bringing that back out in us.  The innocence of a child is a beautiful thing and I feel so blessed to be able to experience the complete magic and wonder surrounding Christmas with my children.  Yes, someday they too will find out the 'truth', but those years and years of excitement are certainly worth it!

Do you remember when you found out the 'truth' about Santa?

Blackberry and Mustard Glazed Ham

This ham was SO good (if I do say so myself)!  I served this for Christmas Eve dinner for my family, my in-laws and my two sister-in-laws.  And even my husband, who would much prefer some type of red meat, absolutely loved it.  This recipe was given to my mom by someone she works with (Miss Mary) and then was passed onto me.

If you're looking for a great, crowd-pleasing ham, this recipe will do the trick!

Blackberry and Mustard Glazed Ham

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

1 6-8lb. fully cooked, spiral sliced ham

1 jar (12 oz.) blackberry preserves

1 jar (7 oz.) whole grain mustard

1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare glaze.  Mix blackberry preserves, whole grain mustard and apple juice together.  Set 1/2 of mixture aside to be made into sauce (see step below).

Brush some of the mixture on top of the ham.  Place ham in oven for 1.5 hours, basting with glaze every 20 minutes.

Place 1/2 of the reserved glaze into a heavy bottom saucepan.  Set on medium-low heat and allow glaze to reduce by half.  Place in a dish and serve alongside ham as a sauce.

Place ham on a large serving platter and garnish with fresh blackberries, sliced apples, and fresh herbs.  Enjoy!

Cottage Mama's Note:  This glaze would be delicious on grilled pork chops, chicken breasts, lamb or any other meat that is complimented by a slightly sweet sauce.  Ham was served with mashed potatoes and gravy, cornbread stuffing, salad with dried cranberries, sugared pecans and feta cheese, and homemade bread.

Christmas Joy 2010!

We have had a wonderful holiday season this year and I hope you have as well! 

We had an extended Christmas celebration starting the weekend before the official holiday with a visit from my mom and her husband, Allen for what we called "mini-Christmas".  We then spent the rest of the holiday with our immediate family and my in-laws. 

Here are some pictures taken over the last several weeks of our Christmas:

Christmas Joy 2010

Mom and the girls did some holiday baking.  They made our traditional breakfast pastry called Swedish Tea Logs.  We have had these every year on Christmas morning since I can remember.  And even though Mom and Allen were here a week early, we went ahead with the tradition.  There is something so comforting about this pastry - it just tastes like Christmas.

We took the girls to see Santa with Mom and Allen.  Savannah had already told us ahead of time that she did not want to see him, so we didn't force the issue.  Her argument is that Santa is big and she is little.  Matilda, however, had not really seen Santa before so we gave it a go.  She did alright........she was not thrilled, but did not scream bloody murder like her sister had in previous years.  I'll say it was somewhat of a successful visit!

We hosted Christmas Eve dinner at our home for my in-laws following Christmas Eve Mass.  I always have so much fun setting a formal table.  A lot of the items used on our Christmas table have been passed down by relatives and are very special to us.

For Christmas Eve dinner I served a blackberry and mustard glazed ham (recipe to come), cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, salad with candied pecans, cranberries, and feta cheese and homemade bread.

We had a great time eating and drinking around the table.  But my big question is how did my soon-to-be 3 year old turn from a little toddler into a little girl?  Seeing this picture makes me realize how fast time flies.  What an angel - I just love her to pieces!

After dinner my husband served the gingerbread cookies he made as well as his homemade Wassail.

On Christmas morning we had our own little Christmas with just our immediate family.  We looked through our stockings, played with our new toys and just relaxed for a little while before heading over to my in-laws for more Christmas fun!

My mother-in-law made a gazillion types of cookies as well as her famous monkey bread.  Everything was so delicious and we munched on these tasty treats all day!

Then it was time for some more present opening at my in-laws.  Brett and I had lots of fun surprises under the tree and are very thankful and appreciative of all of our family's generosity. 

The most exciting part of Christmas for me is the gift giving.  My goal was to go 100% handmade this year, but that just didn't happen and I'm ok with that.  With catching pneumonia and have two little ladies under 3, I decided to cut myself some slack.

Here are a few gifts that I gave to others this Christmas (you will see tutorials for many of these things in the coming weeks):

I gave this book to my mom and Allen for Christmas as kind of a late wedding present.  The Bride and Groom First and Forever Cookbook is one of my absolute favorites and definitely one of my own personal "go to" books.  I made them two potholders out of the same fabric that I used for the girls flower girl dresses that they wore in Mom and Allen's wedding.

My mom is wanting to get back into sewing, so I gave her Amy Butler's new book, "Amy Butler's Style Stitches" and two charm packs of Kate Spain's "Fandango" to help inspire her to create.

Several family members received tile coaster sets from me.  This is definitely one of my favorite gifts!

My hubby received an I-pod cozy from his two little girls.  I made this from a felted wool sweater sleeve (tutorial coming tomorrow).  The tag said, "Dad, you rock!"

My daughter Matilda received a quilt that I made specially for her.  I posted previously about this HERE.

For my mother-in-law, I made her a whole set of vintage inspired craft room organizational items.  I'll share more about this gift idea in a couple weeks.  I loved how the set turned out and she did too!!

Savannah and Matilda received a princess tent that they are in love with.  Both girls love to snuggle inside with their favorite animals and blankets.

We just spent the rest of the day opening presents, lounging, playing and eating - exactly my idea of a good time!

And when all was said and done, we all needed a good nap!

This was by far the best Christmas yet and we look forward to many more to come.  I feel so blessed to be able to experience Christmas through my childrens' eyes.  They bring so much pure joy, excitement, magic and wonder to the holiday season.  What a true blessing!