Whirl Into Winter Blog Giveway

It's now January 15th. Time for the winner. And the winner is:

Kaye

Kaye said...
Your giveaway is sooo beautiful. I am amazed at all of You being so generous. Thank You and a Happy, Blessed New Year.
January 1, 2009 8:20 AM

Congratulation Kaye. I have emailed you and am requesting some info. Thank you everyone for participating.

Happy New Year!
I'm starting the New Year by participating in Debi's Whirl Into Winter Quilt Blog Giveaway. There are over 60 bloggers participating and giving away some great gifts. After you register for my give away, go here to visit each of the other blogs that are participating and register to win their give away, too or click on the snowflake on my sidebar and it will take you to the site to find each participant.

I have chosen to give to one lucky winner a few items to set your table with when you have some special people on a special day with a special meal prepared. My giveaway includes a handmade lined table runner made by me. It has a winter white & ivory floral design with just a touch of burgundy and green/blue. The lining is a silky fabric and has a fringed tassel on each end. It is lovely and you will love it.

To go along with the table runner is a set of 6 ivory linen napkins and 6 napkin rings. There are also 6 winter fragrant candles of holiday sage, hollyberry , and winterland. Also, a Cambridge 4 piece spreader set. The lucky winner will receive all of these items packed in a lovely keepsake box.
All you have to do for a chance to enter this giveaway is leave me a comment And if you mention this giveaway on your blog let me know and your name will go in a 2nd time for the drawing. So you can have 2 chances to win. If you do not have a blog, please be sure and leave an email address so you can be contacted if you are the winner!!

The winner will be choosen in a random drawing of all comments and will be announced on my post on January 15th. All comments from Jan 1 - Jan 15 will be included.

Good luck and thank you for participating!!

gin

What a wonderful year

We will soon be closing out 2008 and starting 2009. What a wonderful year it has been. We are thankful for good health, happiness, and success. We are thankful for family and friends. We are thankful for all the good things along with all the unexpected things that at the time were not our expectations. We will be bringing in the New Year with an agenda to honor God; to make our lives and those around us to be all that we can be; and to make the best out of what comes our way.

So from our family to yours we wish you a Happy New Year a few days early.

gin

Ritchie Family Christmas 2008

Christmas in our family last more than 1 day.
Several days before Christmas me and the girls of my family get together for just a Christmas lunch at one of our homes. This year it was at Bobbie's. We always say no gifts and we always do Peg's birthday that day. We had a good time. But I don't know why any one didn't take pictures. I hate that I have no pictures from that day
Christmas Eve is spent at my dad's with my side of the family. After everyone arrives, we all share in the conversation, exchange gifts, and enjoy snacks and coca cola and dr pepper. Goodness, no pictures from this either.
Christmas Day all our kids and their families come to our house. We start our Christmas dinner with saying the blessing. We read the Christmas Story from Luke 2:10-14 before we exchange gifts for the name we drew. Then we open gifts and stockings from Santa (which is mom and dad).
Then on to husbands parents to spend afternoon with his side of the family. Then back to our house for Christmas dinner leftovers, a little relaxation and then load the vehicles for the trip back to their own homes. No pictures from this either.
I hope your Christmas was just as enjoyable.
I hate to see it end. "Snap out of it==get back in reality," I tell myself. "There is a kitchen and living room that needs your undivided attention to be cleaned up and put back in order!"
Here's a limited view of our Christmas.

Merry Christmas to You

Wishing you a joyous Christmas.

The Spirit of Christmas is in the peace, joy and hope that it brings.

May it touch your heart and remain with you today and always.

May God Bless you and your family this Season.

For He is the Reason for the Season!

gin

Latest and last

I've completed my last minute project and no more projects this year!
These Christmas aprons are the latest. I kind of went overboard with 4 identical aprons. But once I got started I couldn't stop. I already had the Christmas plaid, the red fabric, and the net toille. So i just assembly lined them all together and was through in no time. These will go to some of Santa's special elves who will be surely busy in the next 11 days!


gin

Snow day

Thursday was a snow day. They are very few and very far in between. But you gotta love the snow day when it comes. This was my little tiny snowman. It was cold and only me and husband to build him, well - mainly me to build him.
The snow was fun and exciting for the day, but glad it's gone!

gin

Excitment fills the air

I can call it a Christmas present from blogland. My first ever in blogland. Some of my new best friends are in blogland. Thank you Holly for the Kreative Blogger Award. I am so excited.

The rules are to give the award to 5 other bloggers. That is easy for me because I only have a few commenters that are very Kreative and there are some bloggers out there that I do view all the time that do beautiful Kreativ work. I am passing the Kreative Blogger award to:

Aimee - she has her own little girl pattern design business and has added some applique designs and even a Christmas ornament tutorial. She is truly Kreative. (and I'm not just saying this because she is my niece)

Bobbie - She is all around Kreative - from her kreativ Monday menus to her kreativ projects for the house. (and I'm not just saying this because we are cousins).

Abbie - have you seen her gorgeous quilts??? They are so amazing. I love her work.

Val - Her Kreative aprons are to live for! And there is even pj's. And kreative finger foods. You can always find something Kreativ for any time of the year here.

Tammy - of Arts and Inspirations. She has beautiful and unique Kreative items.

Thanks again Holly!!

gin

At our house ....

Decorations are going up and the Christmas tree lights are being plugged in.

My favorite ornament is a snowflake with with picture of the kids when they were little.

The stockings are being hung, and the mantle and stair banister is beginning to twinkle. The mantle is set with 3 twinkling Christmas trees set on a blanket of lighted snow with a deer in the midst and candle lamps on each end. And 2 wire reindeer resting on the hearth.

The candles are lit with a glowing winter fragrance. My Santa plates are put in view with a candle lamp surrounded by 2 white milk glass reindeer. My table is set with a crystal bowl full of shiny red, green, blue, silver and gold glass ball ornaments. And I am using a table runner of green and gold with shiny glass beads on the end. This is one of the many table runners I made a few months ago.

The door wreath I made from live branches from the edge of the woods is being hung with a smile, while songs of Christmas can be heard in the background. I make a similar one every year. I have a round wire base, I wrap fresh branches around and attach with what ever I have at the time -- florist tape, string, twist ties, like I said whatever I have at the time. I will also cut some holly berry branches from the woods and attach them, and then dash a little glitter on the pine cones. It is hanging on the barn door right now until I finish.

The gifts will be wrapped. The menu planned. We'll ride around to see the lights. We'll be visiting family and friends. We'll attend Christmas plays and view the live Nativity Scene. Christmas Day will be here soon.

gin

December is here. A favorite holiday, another holiday of blessings, a time to spread good will and good cheer.

I find myself strolling thru the mall and stores getting lost in the Christmas music being played. I tune into the music instead of hurrying and scurrying about to get the gifts that I'm there for.
I've begun to watch the Christmas movies on tv and my favorite Christmas movies on dvds. Lounging around in pj's till mid morning on days not going to work is part of Christmas for me.

Me and my family members who exchange gifts every year have come up with a new tradition. We are going to pool our money we would have spent on gifts for each other and are giving it to a mission cause. We will still get together for food and visit, but it will have a new meaning this year.

I personally am choosing a childs name from the Angel Christmas Tree for a needy child in the area. I love to buy chilren's gifts, so this year I will buy for this little child and hope to make their Christmas a little merrier.

My blog is even getting in the holiday spirit. Can't you tell. Read this post slow because I have some Christmas songs that will play for you. They are awful slow starting, so take your time reading till the songs begin!! Even the weather is cooperating. Tonight it will be in the low 40's and high tomorrow in the 70's, and by the end of the week we will have a 35 degree night and 60's in the day. Hey, this is the south you know! Always perfect weather!

Check out my family blog to get some Christmas updates!

This week I will have my Christmas tree and decorations up!
It's only 23 days till Christmas!!

gin

2 swaps in - - 2 swaps out

I got home Sunday night from an out of town weekend. And what to my surprise! First a package from Holly for my beautiful Vintage Christmas Stocking package hosted by Priscilla. Thank you very much Holly.

It was a great package. From the creative wrappings to the most vintage gifts ever.
I love it all. And so much to love. The stocking is super! I love it. There is a little vase and a saucer with a pink flower. The fur wrapped gift is awesome. I love the little candies and the tea. The ribbons, the ornaments, the vintage light bulbs and light bulb streamer - to the journal, the towels and even lotion! I probably left something out, but believe me I will enjoy every item! Click on these pictures to get a better view of everything.

And another package! First, I must apologize to 2Fun4U . I had given up on the swap because it had ended a while back and I had not received it. It was for the Hot Drinks for Hot Mamas swap apron from 2fun4u hosted by Val.. The apron is great. The chocolate on chocolate lining with swirls looks just like hot chocolate! I love the apron. She also sent a cute tin of hot chocolate and a mug. Thank you 2fun4U.

I can't show what I sent Holly. She hasn't received it yet. But go here to check when she gets it. I hope she likes it. The other swap I sent was to be a handmade ornament or handmade hanging Christmas item. I can't show it yet either. I hope she likes it too.

gin