O Christmas Tree

In 1846 Queen Victoria and her German Prince, Albert, were illustrated in the Illustrated London News standing with their children around a Christmas Tree. Victoria was very popular with her subjects, and what was done at Court immediately became fashionable - not only in Britain, but with fashion-conscious East Coast American Society. The English Christmas Tree had arrived! Decorations were still of a 'home-made' variety. Young Ladies spent hours at Christmas Crafts, quilling snowflakes and stars, sewing little pouches for secret gifts and paper baskets with sugared almonds in them. Small bead decorations, fine drawn out silver tinsel came from Germany together with beautiful Angels to sit at the top of the tree. Candles were often placed into wooden hoops for safety.

REMINDERS

Visit Darlene here for information on the Accuquilt 'That Holiday Spirit' blog hop. Dec 12-16

Darlene has, also, updated the information to prepare for the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge - along with a list of volunteer experts to help us out - you don't want to miss this if you have every wanted to learn FMQ. See the Dec. 7th post here.

Visit Michele here for details - as of today there are 226 blogs pre-registered from 20 countries. WOW - two blog hops the same week - so glad I am catching up with projects with 'Occupy'

Be sure to share you ME MINUTES over at Marcia's. Some great crafts, christmas gifts, recipes, and personal time things being shared there.

6" AUSTRALIAN BLOCK SWAP

These lovely spool blocks came from Lynette. They took time to arrive - due when we had our flood and then we had no post office or mail delivery, then she had some personal things. I told her not to worry, but here they are in all their glory and she included some of the scraps for me to use in my smaller spool blocks I am making to combine with this project. Thank you Lynette!

OCCUPY YOUR SEWING ROOM

My oldest son came to do laundry to I put him to work moving some of the heavier items for my 're-org' as well as winterize my front hall doorway. In the re-org I came across some 'blocks in progress' so did some finish up work on those. I probably will pass these on to Sarah for her ministry quilts - she and her girls do such a wonderful job and I love being a small part in it.

CLOSING THOUGHT

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
How lovely are your branches.
In summer sun and winter snow,
A dress of green you always show.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
With happiness we greet you
When decked with candles once a year,
You fill our hearts with yultide cheer.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
With happiness we greet you

- Traditional German Carol -

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon