Holiday Happenings

Happy Holidays!!

December did not fail to meet expectations of a busy, busy holiday season!! I will post a December recap before long. I hope that each of you had a memorable holiday season and will experience many rewarding moments in 2010.

I decided to post a quick little note on my first wool hat for self. This one is to use for anticipated COLD weather as the Gamecocks travel to Birmingham, Alabama for the Papa John's Pizza Bowl. You all know how cold-natured I am . . . as soon as I saw that the high on game day would be around 40 degrees, I began digging out all the long johns, overcoats, wool sweaters and socks!

I thought if I was determined, that I could finish a wool hat in a few days . . . this was from leftover Cascade Ecological Wool that I used for the Hemlock Ring Blanket.

It is knitted in the round on size 7 (for the band) and size 9 needles. The pattern is Ann Norling's "Any Gauge/Any Size Hat".

Getting started . . . I used a 2x2 ribbed band instead of suggested 1x1.

Overall, I am pretty pleased. The hat seems a little large for me, although I followed all the directions closely. There will not be a problem with the hat covering my ears and keeping my head warm. The wool is also very soft and SO "cushy-comfy" feeling on my head!!

The colorful top pom-pom was made with leftover Peruvia Quick by Berroco. I used this to make vest a few months ago.

There are so many great things going on . We are watching everyday to see a few more camellias bloom.

The striped one is Tama Americana. This plant is really showing off right now. It seems appropriate for the holidays with its beautiful dark pink petals outlined in white.

Stay tuned for more action on holiday happenings, knitting, and "the babies"!

Reminder to Santa

Luke 1:14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. Yeah!!! I have finally finished Christmas stockings for Annette and Lee. So sending out this post to remind Santa that there will be two new stockings hanging by the chimney this year!!

Santa needs to know that Grandma Pixie doesn't knit as tightly as Aunt Cathy (who has made these beautiful stockings for our family through the years). The result is that these stockings are a little bigger - - - which means they'll hold a little more loot!!

I am really hoping to finish my Christmas shopping today and then have time to enjoy some of the holiday fun . . . wrapping packages, baking, etc. I may even get brave (and energetic) and try to make a fruit cake.

Have fun getting ready . . . and remember the reason we celebrate!!

Thanksgiving 2009

The Thanksgiving holidays have been filled to the brim with good times, good food, and getting together with family and friends! The Thomas family gathered at Grays for Thanksgiving lunch.

We spruced up the cottage with a festive table on the porch.

When everyone arrived we had our traditional Thanksgiving Punch and these pecan-topped cheese biscuits. The recipe is a rendition of Cocktail Cheese Biscuits from one of my favorite cookbooks Savannah Style. We have enjoyed these on Thanksgiving Day for years. I usually make this dough a few days ahead and keep it refrigerated until time for baking. Here are the ingredients - altered slightly from the original recipe:

Cocktail Cheese Biscuits

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sharp New York State cheese, grated

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 cup plain flour

Pecan halves Cream butter, cheese, salt and pepper. Add flour and work gently into a stiff dough. When ready to bake, roll into small balls and press half pecan on each ball to flatten. Place on cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Aunt Brenda and Philip, jr.

Amy and Elizabeth

Michael hooks a fish in the pond...

Needless to say, we all enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. We were able to visit with my family later that day. Then on Friday, Ashley came to visit with Annette and Lee. Look at these two little angels!!

Christmas Stockings

As we now get ready for Christmas, it is time to get their Christmas stockings finished and hung on the mantle. I am almost done!!! I was looking around on Ravelry a few days ago and found what looks like a pattern that is VERY close to these stockings. It is called 1945 Christmas Stocking and can be downloaded for free. Our family's rendition of these stockings leaves out the band with features "little people", but they are very similar. Check out the link if you're interested. Here's the beginning. . .

the middle . . . and the end!!! Getting down to the toe. I will add the names in duplicate stitch in the white band before sewing up the back of the stocking. I am thinking of all the many things that I have to be thankful for, especially my family and friends who make everyday special. I am looking forward to a very special holiday season. Do remember the reason we celebrate.