Verry Merry Sherry's

As promised, here is a tour of Christmastime decor at the VerrySherry home. We have the usual cast of characters:

Santa and his train of jubulee

Frosty I and Frosty II

Both snowmen play lively music and have the house in tune. My sweet friend Rhonda gave us Frosty I, dressed in blue, when we lived in SF. Babydoll has grown up with his jiggly musical moves. In 2005, Twirly godmother performed open-battery surgery after Frosty suffered an apparent froststroke. With a little tinfoil and a twinkle, Frosty I was back in action.

Frosty II was a lovely gift sent from Rhonda and her family in 2005. We love to hear and watch him play his piano.

The NutCracker

He's never in the same place I last left him, thanks to the girls. hmf!

The *cough*Fake*cough Tree decorated CutiePie and Babydoll style

DH Favorite

Santa lights up optic-whatever-you call those fiber lights. Pretty cool in the dark of the night.

Babydoll Favorite

Her newest Irish dancer.

Cutiepie Favorite

This snowglobe is a call out to all those Texans--BigMama are you listening? Can you hear sleighbells?

VerrySherry Favorite

This is my crystal bowl I love so much. Seaneen gave it to us for our wedding and on most days it holds melody of bananas and apples, but don't these shiny balls seem so much more appropriate?

Also, notice the runner and it's matching tea cozy. A gift made by myself, given to myself. The runner is another great AnnaBanana pattern from Pink Chalk Studio--I can never get enough!

Organically Grown

Artist: Cutiepie and help

Deal of the Year

Bought these trees at an estate sale, three for one Euro. I think they could have some serious design potential, but I've yet to unleash it. For now, I favor the red berries.

Merry Christmas, and to all a Good Night!

Santa's Not The Only One Who's Busy

It is exactly a month and a day since I stopped working.

It is the eve of Christmas Eve.

The Christmas spirit has arrived, finally.

It has been a long time coming; a month of sick and ailing bodies, one car under costly repair, four commissioned quilts to complete and a house in complete disarray.
Today, there are few coughs and even less runny noses, the car is running to and fro, all quilts are sewn and tucked into new homes, and the house is decked with boughs of holly. 'Tis the season to be jolly.

The Christmas tour of homes took place on Dec 17, and we’ve yet to take stage—online. I’ll blame the delay on our overseas location and post my tour for all to see on festive Christmas Eve.

Until then I’ll leave you all with a mixture of my happiest achievements: my girls and my quilts!

Cutiepie, overhearing DH and myself discussing money [to be] spent on Christmas presents:

“Yeah, but, actshully [sic], Mommy, you don’t need money, 'cause Santa is bringing all the presents!”

♪ fa la la la la ♪

My schedule was one quilt a week leading to Christmas and despite the many setbacks, I’m thrilled I stayed on track; below you’ll find all four finished. There are three pending orders for January so I’ll give myself some holiday cheer and rest and start back after the new year.

Quilt #1: for Baby Iona This was commissioned by a grandmother and is now delivered and lives in Australia. The colors were requested, though, I’m not pleased with the dark purple. The name, however, was a success.



Quilts #2. #3. #4. These quilts were commissioned by a mother who wants to surprise her grown daughters with Christmas gifts. Two months ago, the mom arrived with past school uniforms, souvenir t-shirts, school athletic gear, baseball caps. The challenge was making all these mementos quilt worthy. Her one request was to spare nothing. Oh no. Well I’m happy to say I survived and I don’t think the quilts are too bad.

Using basic scrap strip quilting as centerpieces on each quilt—there is a unique likeness (pardon the complete oxymoron) that the strips illustrate across the three, while the large borders contain all the memorabilia. Each center is a strip pattern found at Bonnie’s. I used the daughter’s favorite colors as focus and binding and held my breath.

Today the quilts were received by one very happy customer. It feels great to know that that person is giving such sentimental gifts to loved ones and I helped make that happen!!

♪ fa la la la la ♪

Babydoll telling me that this Santa is not the ‘real’ Santa…

"Yep, he’s only Santa’s Teller."

What is a Santa Teller, honey?

"You know, he goes and tells Santa what the kids want for Christmas."

Christmas Trimmings

Christmas table runners and tea cozys. Click on picture to see bigger image.

Project MyWay for Christmas

Thanks to a hidden sneaky strep throat, an itchy mysterious rash speckled and spotted me in bright red spots just in time for the festive season to really take form. If that wasn't bad enough, Babydoll has been sick with a violent cough propelling her to vomit every 32 minutes.

But I'm happy to report we are all on the road to recovery.

And since I have finished all my Christmas shopping (yes, I'm boasting) I refuse to enter any retail establishment for no more than milk or bread. I just can't muster the courage to even shop for the girls' holiday attire, so I improvised. And they love their new Christmas skirts. *cough*Yes, they're recycled pants with a bit of my patchwork*cough*. There's enough color in there, we've bound to have a turtleneck or two around to match.

I figure if I can get away with it with they're little, why not? Cause you know no 13 year old girl is going to wear homemade skirts.

And certainly not ones that sport Santa and his reindeer!

How Green is Your Christmas Tree?

When we moved to DH’s native homeland four years ago, my husband told me everyone in Ireland uses fake Christmas trees. What he should have said was everyone in his family uses fake Christmas trees. And I’m not even sure that that is correct, either!

And so the argument began and lives on.

The first year, I was green to Ireland and knew no better. Thus the birth of our €69.99 evergreen tree, who resides 11 months of the year in our attic. In the one festive month it’s adorned with colorful lights and delicate ornaments insisting it’s an intimate member of our yuletide cheer. Not mine, I admit it. And because it is the season of sharing, I'll spare you my criticism, but I insist to dispel the myth, these imposters do shed needles, and the plastic kind, not even fragrant pine.

The second year was ‘The Accident” on Dec 11th. Our fake tree had been in place in the living room already, and I was in the midst of haggling DH for a real tree for the dining room window. Christmas was quickly postponed that year. We tried to enjoy the real tree lit in the Temple St. Children’s Hospital.

The third season was spent enjoying life back to normal, we had surpassed the anniversary of ‘The Accident’ and as such there was very little squabble about our have nots. While I doubt I’m guilt-free of wishing upon a live fresh sprig of a Christmas tree, that year I parked that argument in lieu of health and recovery.

This brings us to this year. I’ll pause for a minute while you readers recollect or read my recent status change that basically took half our income and tossed it to the wind in favor of quality life. Apparently, a quality of life that does not necessarily start with live cut Christmas trees. So you see, I have set aside my long forlorn love of a real live tree...for now. But clearly my desire lives on in someone...

On Wednesday last week, as my body suffered aches and pains, my mind seriously doubted my capability to deal with a live wire 3 yo and a pale sickly 4 yo. In the early morning DH volunteered to stay home as our nurse warden.

In an effort to keep us all entertained and in line, DH began the descend of Christmas boxes from the attic. At this Babydoll began her Christmas excitement:

Yippee! Christmas decorations!

Daddy, are you going to bring down the fake Christmas tree?

Daddy, can we decorate the fake Christmas tree?

When are we going to put up the fake Christmas tree?

Where are we going to put up the fake Christmas tree?

Daddy, when can we decorate the fake Christmas tree?

Assembly begins. Babydoll doesn’t miss a beat…

Daddy is the fake Christmas tree ready yet?

Quickly, yet focused, DH emerges from his task of screwing metal branches at the solid base of the tree to get up close and personal with Babydoll. With a sudden silence and girls’ eyes as big as saucers, DH had their full attention. He spoke sternly.

Listen to me closely. This is a Christmas tree. This is our Christmas tree. We do not call it a fake Christmas tree! It is a Christmas tree. It is our Christmas tree. Got it?

Just as well he got her before she started singing, “O Fake Christmas Tree, O Fake Christmas Tree”.