Holiday Beginnings

We informally kicked off the Christmas season this weekend with a visit to a couple of local Christmas bazaars. I missed all of them last year, so this year I was determined to get to a few.

We started at the lovely Trinity Anglican church; I just love the building itself. Their knitting club always has a good selection of things for sale, for extremely good prices. As I was buying some hats for the kids, I asked if anyone taught crochet. The woman behind the table was good enough to give me her number, and said I could sit in on their knitting club in January and someone could teach me. I'm hoping the timing works out, because I have been dying to learn crochet for quite some time now. Actually I have the basics, but I need the odd instruction here and there from a real person.

I picked up the kitschy Christmas brooch from the jewelry table. I decided that I'm going to wear my brooches on my coat, otherwise they're just looking pretty in my closet.

The two knit animals came from a second bazaar held in another town. We went up there and coincidentally happened on their Santa Claus parade. A happy bonus for two little ones not crazy about bazaars just yet!

I picked up these books at the book stall. The one on the top right is exactly what we had for readers when I was in grade one. I have been looking for such a book for a long time. The pictures in it and the animal stories book are fabulous.

When we got home we put up some Christmas decorations. We will probably put the tree up next weekend.

I also got a big item out of my "Inbox": I finished my quilt!

It's not bed sized, and it's bigger than a lap quilt. It's just right for having on the couch to warm up with. I machine quilted this one because I wanted it finished sooner rather than later.

I call it my Rx for Gloomy Days because the colors are so bright.

For the backing I used this floral I found at Value Village. Now I can snuggle underneath a riot of flowers whenever I need to.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!