Christmas 2023 Decorations

 Finally, I've finished decorating for Christmas 2023!  Just haven't had the energy or the mood to do so.  I started this past weekend getting all the boxes out...which is a feat in itself!  HA 

I always hang this little quilted ornament my cousin, Tootie, made back in 2000.  I have posted before about Tootie. In fact, my daughter and I flew to Pennsylvania for her surprise 90th birthday party.  You can read about this unique, wonderful lady here. 

This is the front of the ornament.  It's only 2 1/2"x2 1/2" and was paper pieced!  I love it!

The tree is all decorated and in the family room downstairs.  The quilt on the left is a beautiful hand appliqued and hand quilted by the Genesee Star Quilter's Group in Flint, Michigan. 

Years ago I belonged to this great group but slowly the days just didn't work out.  This quilt was a raffle and I won it!!!  I usually put it on our bed but decided to have it out to enjoy along with the other Christmas decorations!

I put minimal decorations up this year.  Seems just right this year!

This is a corner in our living room.  The little stuffed reindeer was given to me by my daughter-in law's mom last year.  It's so cute!

I purchased that textile textured painted panel several years ago in Florida.  It was heck wrapping and getting it home in one piece!  HA

This is in our foyer.  I covered my glass enclosed quilt cabinet with a circular quilted tree skirt.  This was a round robin from the GSQ group I mentioned above.  A fun piece to do.

The mantel upstairs in the living room is decorated very minimally too!  But I'm happy with it! I collect old Santa's and I usually put them on the bottom of the fireplace but Kalee loves to sniff them and, yes, at times chew on their heads!  HA  She doesn't chew anything else in the house but the Santa's!  Go Figure!

Over the weekend I played Betty Crocker.  I made five different batches of cookies:  Chocolate drop cookies (in picture), frosted sugar cookies (my fav!), Bob's chocolate chip mound cookies, Russian Teacakes (aka Snowballs, Mexican tea cakes) and candy cane cookies (they just look like a candy cane but I don't put peppermint flavoring in them!).  

My kitchen was a mess!  

But well worth it...all the cookies tasted great!  They are in air tight containers in the freezer.  I'll be putting into gift boxes for some folks and others will be for our Christmas Eve with family!

Happy Holidays one and all..we're  looking forward to the new year of 2024!  It's going to be a great one!!!