Christmas Decorations 2022

 This year, with both girls in college, I didn't decorate as much for Christmas as I have in the past. That being said, there are things I do enjoy putting up each year. 

One of the things I put on the windows each year is the collection of window stars that I have made throughout the years. These are the stars on the dining room and living room windows. 

 

One of my favorite things is the St. Nicholas Village that I have in the dining room. A couple of the buildings belonged to my parents who had a little village set up in the living room. 

In 2018, we had a fire at our farm. The building where the majority of our bins with Christmas decorations were stored burned to the ground...and with it many of the little buildings that my parents owned. It was very disappointing. However, the following year at Christmas I was thrilled to see that I had transferred a couple of the buildings already to the basement.

So, starting in 2020 I began adding buildings and people to the village. I go to the second-hand store and look for St. Nicholas Christmas Village boxes. This year, I found a ski chalet (far left in the picture below) and a home with Christmas lights (far right in the photo above). 

This year, on September 6th, my step-father-in-law died. Two of the things we inherited were these Santa figurines. I put them on our woodstove (when we don't have fires in it) so we can see them each day.

I put the stockings that I made for each person in our family (on the left) and our dogs (on the right). As I look at the stockings, it seems really bare in comparison to past years when we had many more animals - stockings for 4 family members and 13 pets (4 dogs, 6 cats, 2 horses, and 1 hedgehog). 

Right before Thanksgiving, one of our senior dogs - Scooby - died. He was 15 (almost 16) years old. So, it's hard to see only 3 dog stockings up there.

In the family room, I have a couple of Santas. If I open them up, there are smaller Santas inside them. I don't know where I got there...maybe an antique store?

For our Christmas tree, we were given one which was nice. Normally, we go to a local Christmas tree farm and cut a tree, but it didn't work with both of the girls' schedules when they were home for Thanksgiving. 

So, I put a bunch of lights on the tree (about seven or eight strings of lights) and added a few ornaments. This is one that I got for either Sophia or Olivia when they were younger and received gifts from St. Nicholas on December 6th. 

This is another ornament from Gammelgarden Museum (a historical museum that focuses on the Swedish immigrant experience). I always thought it was a horse. It's not. It's a goat...a Yule goat.

This is one of the ornaments I inherited from my parents when they died. This one features blue jays. There are two other ornaments with birds that are commonly seen here. 

This is one of many ornaments that Sophia, Olivia, and I made when the girls were much younger when I was homeschooling them (in early elementary school age). They were clear ornaments and we put acrylic paint in them that we swirled around. The result was these marbled-looking ornaments. 

In the family room, I have the flag from my dad's burial (he was a Korean War veteran). I put little nativity figurines in front of the flag. My dad, who was a deacon later in his life, would have loved these little figurines.

I have a nativity scene in the living room. Between last year and this year, one of the kings broke (the leg came off). I need to glue on the parts I can, but it won't fix his leg completely. I have had this nativity set since the girls were little - so probably a good 20 years now.

This is the advent wreath that Sophia made last year when we went to St. Croix Falls. There was a church that was offering this free craft using wood from a tree that had fallen down about a month earlier. They provided the (fake) greenery, candles, and decorations. 

Outside, I have lights that are strung on t-posts. For the past couple of years we had smaller lights. However, they were damaged last year by an animal that chewed through the cords - a rabbit...I have no idea. At any rate, it was frustrating to have to toss the lights. I do like these, lights, though. They are colorful and festive, and they are a nice welcome home when I come home in the dark. I also like seeing all the colors reflected on the snow when I wake up in the morning and it is dark outside.

So, that's some of the Christmas decorations around our home this year. Some new...some old...and the majority attached to memories that sustain me throughout the month of December. 

Giant Window Star

Every July and August, it is county fair time. Whether it is 4-H projects or open class projects, the girls and I have been competing in two local fairs now since Sophia was six years old - so 2007. 

For the past few years, I have chosen a complex window star from one of the pattern books I used to use when I sold window stars on Etsy. I haven't sold anything on Etsy since I was in a car accident several years ago and had serious neck and upper-shoulder issues which resulted in surgery.

At any rate, I looked at Pinterest to get some ideas for another window star pattern. I came across this pin which led to Conscious Craft. 

Window star I made. 

It took 512 folds to make this star!

There are quite a few window stars that are unique and beautiful on that website. The one that caught my eye is made up of 8 stars of varying sizes: 3 stars in the smallest size, 3 stars in the medium size, and 3 stars in the largest size. 

Each point of the stars uses the same pattern that has 8 folds. 

With 8 points (per star) multiplied by 8 folds per point multiplied by the number of stars in each grouping (see table below), it took a total of 512 folds to make this star. 

Paper Size      Number of Stars        8 Points x 8 Folds x The Number of Stars 

0.75”x1.5”                 3                                                192 

1.5”x3”                      3                                                192 

3”x6”                         2                                                128 

                                                                      Total folds: 512 

The smallest paper size is very challenging to fold. I have never folded anything that small - much less eight times. Needless to say, I was relieved when those 24 points were done. The medium paper size is easier to work with, yet still smaller than that with which I normally fold. The larger paper size is very easy to fold. 

To best see the folds and pattern of this star, hold it up towards the light.

My Favorite Photos - November 2021

 November was a good month that went by way too quickly. It started out with Olivia's senior photos. For some of the photos, she wore a purple dress that we purchased in China when we adopted her. We were thrilled that it fit her on this special occasion. These are all photos that I took. We haven't received the professional photos yet.

The Chinese headdress is one she picked out.

For other photos, she wore her Tang Soo Do outfit. She takes lessons twice a week and really enjoys them. 

In between the studio and outdoor photoshoots, we went to a sunny room by the studio and took a few photos.

We went to a regional park since she loves nature. 

There were areas in a forested area and along the river where we took photos.

The sun was setting as the photoshoot was wrapping up.

During November, we've been seeing some interesting line-ups of planets and the moon. On this night, Venus and the moon seemed close to one another in the sky. 

On another night, Jupiter, the moon, and Venus were almost in a diagonal line.

Olivia and I went to Stillwater one day since she needed to take some photos of architecture for her PSEO Digital Imaging class.

The St. Croix River was so peaceful and still.

I enjoyed seeing the reflections in the water.

We walked around and saw these positive messages on the steps near the south end of town.

There were a lot of positive thoughts.

This is a mural that has been on the side of one of the buildings in Stillwater for decades. 

In the middle of the month, Sophia and I tried a new restaurant - Namaste. It had excellent, flavorful Indian food.

The next day, Olivia and I volunteered to help with a 4-H sewing workshop. The project was a bag that had 18 squares on the outside and one color of fabric on the inside. 

We celebrated the 18th anniversary of Olivia's adoption day. It's hard to believe it has been that long. 

On the 21st, we went to the photographer to look at the proofs of Olivia's senior photos. We narrowed down 75 photos that the photographer chose down to about a dozen.

Afterwards, we went to the sunny room down the hall from the studio and I took some photos of Sophia. 

The sunsets have been gorgeous this month.

For Thanksgiving break, Sophia came home with one of her roommates (Nessa) who is from out of town. It was her 21st birthday. Sophia found out Nessa's favorite dinner so I made that. 

I also got an ice cream cake since Nessa likes them. I let Sophia bring the cake to Nessa. She was so surprised and happy.

On Thanksgiving, Sophia peeled the potatoes while Danny looked on.

We had 14 people at Thanksgiving this year. What a change from last year - 2020 - when it was just Paige, Sophia, Olivia, and me.

After everyone left, the girls played Skip-Bo.

On the day after Thanksgiving, we - along with my sister and members from the Lions Club - went to Feed My Starving Children to pack food for children in Haiti. Mary, Sophia, and Nessa are at one of the bag-filling and box-packing stations.

Paige and Olivia worked behind the scenes with putting rice into the bins. Each of the scoops of rice was between 5-6 pounds.

Collectively, the volunteers packed 74 boxes (Mary, Sophia, Nessa, and I packed 6 of those 74 boxes). 

Afterwards, we went to Momo Sushi in Northeast Minneapolis for a late lunch to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Sophia's adoption. This is Olivia with a plate of wontons.

Sophia had a bento box lunch. Olivia, Nessa, and I did too. They were really good!

On the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, we went to Marine on St. Croix to see the Enchanted Forest. The Lions purchased lots of Christmas trees that the residents, businesses, and organizations could decorate. They will be up and lit during December.

Santa was at the Enchanted Forest.

There were grilled brats and hotdogs. Sophia and I each had a brat. 

We went to Taylors Falls for the annual Lighting Festival. One of the things we did was go to the Lutheran Church that has an Advent wreath-making activity. 

Later, we went to get a Christmas tree.

It was so tall that we had to drive home with the back door open and Olivia sitting in the back. Luckily, it was only a two-block drive home.

As in past years, we picked a tree that was too tall. Some of the top had to come off.

One of the things that Sophia asked I make was turkey pot pie. She likes pot pies and Nessa had never had one. So, that our meal on Saturday night before we watched a holiday movie together as a family.

On Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend, the girls decorated the Christmas tree. Olivia untangled the lights. 

Sophia put the lights and some of the ornaments on the tree.

On the Sunday evening of Thanksgiving weekend, we went to Vinterlights in our town. There were cookies in the shape of Dala horses that were at the lighting ceremony.

There were a couple fires to stand by to stay warm.

After seeing the community center lit up, we drove home. We stopped at Gammelgarden Museum on the way home to see it lit with white lights and candles.

The church was lit with candles.

Our Christmas tree is blue and green this year.

I set up the Christmas village in the dining room. Some of the pieces belonged to my mom and some I added this year. 

It is looking more like a village this year which makes me happy.