May your Christmas be Merry and Bright!

It's Christmas Eve as I write this. It's a cool, crisp one degree above zero outside!! I am glad that I'm inside where it's warm and cozy. I've got a cup of hot cocoa to enjoy while I share a few of my favorite ornaments from our Christmas tree. Every ornament on my tree reminds me of someone or a special place, family, friends, special occasions. Here are a few of my favorites.
The blue velvet covered ornament in the center is one of many styrofoam ball ornaments that I made in the 1970's when we were stationed overseas in Japan.

The felt Santa in this photo was made by my mother Mary in the late 1960's.

I love to make felt ornaments and this tree is one that I did for a Community Education class project. The felt Santa is another one made by my mom.

When my son, Devlin, was about five and daughter Collette was about 11, we made a few styrofoam egg ornaments like those I did in the 1970's. Collette's friend, Stephanie, can still remember joining us to make the ornaments with lots of beads, pins and sequins. Oh, and glitter, of course! This little egg decorated with blue beads was made by Devlin.

This little cross stitch ornament was made by my husband's Aunt Lillian sometime in the early 1980's. It celebrates their Danish heritage. Just last week, we received the hand-written card and letter from Lillian as we have every year since we married in 1968. She wrote that she was preparing for her son and family to arrive and had been baking cookies. She is amazing because...........Lillian celebrated her 100th birthday last year!

That candy cane snowman in the center of the photo below was a gift from my friend, Cindy.  She passed away three years ago but this is just one of many things that remind me of her.

My friend, Judith, (from our crazy quilting group) is very talented when it comes to making ornaments. I've been lucky enough to be gifted with several........the branch tree, the knitted snowman, the basket of knitting, Santa sleeping in his bed, the pinecone gnome and the ribbon covered ball.

 And this year, Judith made this one, a beautifully stitched bird......a partridge in my tree!

Another talented crazy quilting friend is Sue. She stitched this sweet little stocking from wool. Further down in the photo but not easily seen is another stocking she made that has my name on it.

And yet another crazy quilting friend, Pandora made that cute gingerbread man that is sitting next to a cross stitch mittens ornament made by my daughter Collette.

Blogging has brought me ornaments when I particated in swaps, like these glass ball ornaments and felted tree from Janice in North Carolina.

Nanette in Utah made house ornaments and sent me this one.........

 and Cindy in Arizona made that appliqued reindeer ornament that has a CD for it's base!

 Nadine in Missouri sent me that pretty blue beaded ornament........

and the quilting design ornament is one that my sister, Judy, sent to me the year that our grandma Goldie passed away. She knew how much I missed her and sent it in memory of her.
These are just a few of over 400 ornaments that are on my "Memory Tree". They remind me of so many Christmas celebrations. Each ornament is special and I love to just walk around the tree and recall the special people and places that they bring to mind. I am thinking of many special people tonight that I am missing but feeling blessed to know that I enjoyed a nice visit with my mom and brother this past weekend and that our kids and grandson will be here tomorrow to celebrate Christmas with us. And so..........to all of you that also celebrate Christmas, may it be a very Happy and Merry one!!!  Enjoy every moment with your family and friends!
Sandi