Christmas Retrospective

Christmas is over. Whew! This is the first year I didn't decorate. It wasn't really a conscious decision not to, but more like a daunting chore looming over our heads. We kept putting it off until it was no longer feasible to do so. I'm not a scrooge by any means, but the thought of hauling down the boxes and boxes of Christmas crap, taking all day to put it up and then thinking about having to put it all away after it's all said and done was not appealing. I also didn't have to stare at each ornament wondering if I should put it away for my daughter to start her new life with.

We did make gingerbread cookies on Christmas Eve. I even made Chris help a little. You will see no deformed ones. We ate them all. Well, we eventually ate the good ones too. I used the recipe from my Fannie Farmer Baking Cookbook and they were so tender and yummy! This cookbook is one of my most loved cookbooks of all time!

See the gingerbread man on the round glass plate with the very large, red sprinkled eye? That's Chris' contribution...a gingerbread man with pink-eye. If you look closely you will also see some cookies shaped like Texas. How many other states have cookie cutters?

Then there was the epic game of Risk. I have very little patience for long games but I loved that they were playing it in my home.

Christmas Day, we went to my sister's house where my 7 month old nephew was anxiously waiting for me. I am finally NOT SICK and can play with my little nephew!!! And yes, he is wearing the hat I made for him...see below.

Running? Let's just say that it takes a little more motivation to get outside in cold weather to run. Even with the perfect combination of clothes! But I don't like running on a treadmill, so it takes a little psyching myself up to get going.

Last but not least, I can show you what I have been knitting! I made a scarf and earwarmer set for my cousin, but I didn't get pictures of them before I gave them away. I was cutting it a bit close!

Ishbel by Ysolda Teague knit in Fearless Fibers laceweight merino yarn in the teal colorway. I made this for my mother and gave it to her Christmas Day. She loved it!

The shawl pin is from Nicholas and Felice and is gorgeous but I felt was a little large and heavy for this neckerchief sized shawl.

I finished my Mountain Form Slippers out of some Cascade 220 Superwash to keep my feet warm

Then I made a Cable and Seed Hat for my nephew out of some KnitPicks Swish Superwash. It used only a few yards short of the entire skein. The pattern doesn't have any identifying author/store on it. It took me about 2 days to make.

And...the last couple of days I have been working on the Urban Aran Cardigan that I am making out of Cascade Yarns Eco Wool in the Latte colorway. With all of the cables and this slightly bulkier yarn, it will be quite warm.