Let's talk tree skirts

I know, you are thinking, why now? Christmas is over. Yes it is and hope you all had a happy one. The big day certainly flies by doesn't it?

As I decorate, and un-decorate, I am always thinking about things I want to improve or change for next year. Remember last year when I made all the extra fabric chain? Come to think of it I still need to make more. My tree is really tall so there is still plenty of room for more chain.

Another major thing I have been thinking about changing is my tree skirt. Here is my current one. You can probably tell by the fabrics that I made it years and years ago. In the '70's when cotton fabrics were really tough to find. It is quite large. I used a king sized bed sheet for the backing. And it is tied at the corners. It's really pretty round, too. I remember using the pencil and string method of making a circle. Amazing how well that can work! To prove that this is something that has been on my mind for a while, here's my tree skirt pattern collection. Not that I have been fixated, or anything. Just happens that I like to collect tree skirt patterns. So, is my plan to make one of these? 'Fraid not. My plan is to take out the ties and put buttons at all the corners. At first I was thinking red and white, but maybe just white. I have a button sewing on foot for my machine and I think I will learn how to use it.

Oh, and these patterns? I don't see why they couldn't be table toppers. That way you don't have to make that giant cut...

I realized that I hadn't shared my office Christmas decorations. You may know that I work in the building materials industry. So it only seems appropriate that my hard hat participates in the decor! I have had that candy garland since my daughter was little. It has a lot less fake plastic sugar on it now than it used to!

I made this for my mother and when she passed I saved it. She was not at all crafty -- her love was playing bridge. But at one point in her life she made lots of those ornaments that had beads and sequins pinned into styrofoam balls in fancy patterns. I don't know what happened to all of those, but I made her this tree because it had lots of beads and sequins and, well, just went well with those ornaments. It is so retro now that I guess it is "in" again because I certainly get lots of compliments on it (!)

Here is another item that returned to me from my mother. I think it is really cute. Kind of a woodland Santa. Also pretty vintage at this point. The Snidely Whiplash woodcut was made by my uncle, an official artist. I am sorry the weather did not cooperate so that you could see the snow covered mountains outside my window. Oh, well, maybe another day.

The leadership sign was a gift from my admin long ago when I managed a lumber yard for a now extinct company. (The one in the big picture that my flash pretty much obliterated.) Periodically I find yellow stickies with snarky remarks stuck to it!

So, it's almost 2010. I remember when I was a kid thinking about how old I would be at the turn of the century and here it is a decade into the new one. I am not much for making resolutions but I do need to slim down my stash so a semi resolution will be to try to only buy fabric to complete a project -- I need to use what I have first. (You did notice that all important "try" there, didn't you. Always leave yourself a loophole, right?)

My blogiversary is coming up. My first post was January 5th of last year. I had really only discovered blogs earlier in the fall and was totally captivated. All these people sharing what was going on with their quilting, their decorating, their cooking. I wanted to play, too. It's been fun to meet other bloggers via the comments. So be on the lookout, there will be a giveaway. I have been working on putting some things together. Stay tuned!