My Christmas…

I had a lovely Christmas.  I am ever so thankful that I gave up on making Christmas perfect for everyone and just let it unfold however it came.   When the kids were little I so stressed about the PERFECT gift….I would buy something in October on a sale only to return it in December when the kids told me they wanted something else.  At some point I gave up on that.  Ah…I’m so glad I did!!

We don’t do a lot of gifts….Hubby and I exchange a gift.  Typically it’s not a big present.

This year at Thanksgiving time Kalissa and Hubby started hounding me for some gift ideas.  I always feel so sorry for them as it’s my birthday and Christmas so close together.  It’s hard to think of one thing let alone two.  Often times I get something bigger and it’s a Birthday/Christmas present.  As a kid, I hated that.  As an adult, I love it.

These are the couple things that I thought of as honestly, I am so blessed and don’t need a single thing.  Plus, I don’t have extravagant taste and love a simple life.

Two things I put on the list were a “Grandma piece of jewelry” and a painting.  I was VERY specific that I wanted the “Grandma piece of jewelry” to be able to be added on to as I have two grandkids due in March.  I thought that might be a tall order as the design would have to live over time.

The painting I thought might be able to happen but the time frame was short.  I had seen this….

It’s a painting of a church but the background is of popular hymns.  The hymns are adhered to the canvas and then the picture of the church is painted.  I had wanted it done but didn’t quite know what I wanted.  We don’t have a “home church”.  We rotate between two and don’t have strong attachments to either.  We go to whichever one is most convenient for church time.  Odd I know but it works for us.

Well the kids went together and got a painting done for me that’s similar.  The artist is one of my childcare moms.  She does a great job.  You can find her Facebook Page here.

They got old hymnals and picked favorite songs…and they had the church where we got married replicated….

It’s lovely.  The back door here of the church is where several of our wedding photos were taken.  This church was the church Hubby grew up at.  This is the church where Hubby’s grandparents went too.  We both love it.

Some of the hymns that were picked were Softly and Tenderly….

Earth and all Stars…I am guessing Kayla and Buck picked this…

Joy to the World.  We had a pastor that this was his favorite song…He said it should be sung year round.  We happened to agree so it’s become a family favorite song.  He even had it as his license plate on his car.  He was a great pastor!!

Children of the Heavenly Father is a favorite of mine.  It played as each of our children were baptised.  My cousin sang it in Swedish at my dad’s funeral.

There are other songs too…I adore it.  As I am writing, we don’t have this hung yet.  We’ve decided it’s going in the dining room.  It’s big and will be a statement piece.

What was even more fun was that even though the kids weren’t all here, Kalissa got them all together on Messenger using a video conference call.  It was so fun!!  They were all able to see each other…and me!!

With the help of Kalissa and Kelli I got a Grandmother’s bracelet.

I know it doesn’t look like one but it is….See??When the charms are flipped over it has the kid’s name and birthdate.
If you haven’t seen these quilt charms before, they are the work of Julie from Me and My Stitches.  She paper pieces those TINY one inch charms.  As a special added feature the names were printed on fabric and added to the back.  I don’t think this was something Julie has typically done.  Together it was all thought up.

Scotty has a July birthday so got a flag- Carver a September birthday and got a pumpkin – Lucy a December birthday and got a Christmas tree.

If we have lots of birthdays in the same month down the road some of those kids might end up with other “non-month” charms…Julie makes awesome charms such as a pineapple, log cabin and more.  I LOVE it!!

My favorite gifts are ones like these that match me and what/who I love…family and quilting.  I also love that local artists created the pieces.

Julie from Me and My Stitches-  Facebook page here  –  Website here.

I got a couple other presents too…one of the awesome baskets I love and some pyrex.  All great gifts too.

I don’t love posts that show gifts and such but I thought others of you might want to put a bug in the ear of one of your kiddos and request a bracelet or painting that commemorate your life.  Aren’t those the best gifts??