Hi everyone and Merry Christmas Eve! I hope you have a wonderful day today and tomorrow!
I just wanted to tell Rosemary how thrilled I was to read that her visit to her “estranged” daughter and son-in-law went well. I know she was nervous and wasn’t really prepared for what to expect, but the Lord was merciful to her and allowed a visit with her grandkids she hadn’t seen in a few years. I know she surely cried some happy tears when she drove back home! I’m sure it was her favorite Christmas gift of all, and rightfully so, as there is NOTHING quite so WONDERFUL as being with your family! Merry Christmas Rosemary!
Next week or “maybe” to start off the New Year, we are going to have 6 days of Giveaways! I hope you’ll come back to see something really special and generous from one of our own Sofa Sisters!
For today, I’ve combined a few pictures to get them in before Christmas! Joy and Charlotte were discussing cookie cutters and Joy sent this to me about hers.
Here’s my green/blue gingerbread man cookie cutter from the 50’s. We think that Charlotte has it’s twin. Somewhere, I have a red gingerbread man too. It may be like Linda’s, but I can’t take the time to look for it today. More stuff to move around. The others in jars are some of the red collection and some of the aluminum kind as well.
Then Joy sent me the picture of her window sill and it was just too pretty not to show… this is what she said about it.
Well, I was finally able to get a pic of the view from my kitchen window. It’s my green little bottle collection. Certainly nothing can compare to your lovely view, but this is in town. 🙂
Joy
I already told her it was beautiful, but now YOU ALL CAN!! :o)
I received lots of pictures from Elizabeth down in Texas so get ready to smile!!!
Is it time for School? OF COURSE…it’s always time for time for school when you have dolls!
ALSO, I wanted to add…Elizabeth, I don’t think I’ve EVER met ANYONE who was as creative and crafty as you are! You are sculpter, seamstress, painter, fabricator, architect, interior designer and LOTS MORE all wrapped up in one great grandma!!!!! :o)
Take it away, Elizabeth….
Hello, Jeanne! I’m sending you the photos of the Siblie doll schoolroom that I’ve completed for my Great Granddaughter…in case you want to share with your other readers!
The doll pictured in one photo is a Temu doll the size of a Siblie. Since the only Siblie I had was gifted to my Great Granddaughter! The schoolroom is in an all-white gift box, I had ordered from Walmart, that has a magnetic flap closure, and I added a grosgrain ribbon glued around three sides and tied at the top as a carrying handle. The two floors, cut from foam core board fit inside the box, and the two desks can be stored in the box on top of the built-in test-taking desks. The desks and chairs were made from basswood and paper-covered foam-core board.
Scrapbook paper was used on walls and floors, with a white board on the wall, from Temu. The posters, signs, and “views” in the fake windows of the door were all printed from my computer! The fancy circle on one of the floorboards is the reading circle where children can place their chairs for reading hour or sit on the floor!
I also purchased the 18 inch doll school desk with the chair on castors, and tons of school supplies, to be a “teachers’ desk” to go with the school room.
Oh!! And here is the collection of Santa’s finished in time for the holiday!
My daughter found the cowboy hats, working lantern lights, and the thin fake suede material (for boots!), on Temu. I used a cowboy boot patten in Pixie-Faire meant for 18-inch dolls, so I had to enlarge it a little. And instead of sewing the designs onto the boot pieces, I made the dash lines using a black ink pen and a white gel pen since I had eight pairs to make and was short on time!
Elizabeth in Texas
Thank you again, Elizabeth! I know everyone will LOVE seeing your pictures! I hope we all feel a little bit of inspiration and motivation from seeing your pictures!
Merry Christmas Eve Everyone!
See you tomorrow!
Blessings, Jeanne
I’ll start, but maybe Charlotte is writing now, and I don’t yet see it. I have so much to do today, so I want to get this written early.
First, yes, i am SO happy to hear that Rosemary’s visit to her daughter went to well! I had tears in my eyes just reading it and want her to know that I was praying for somehting like that to happen. There is nothing like being loved by your family!
Oh, that is the EXACT same gingerbread man cookie coutter that I have, only in red! What is fun to do, is after I cut them out and place them on the cookie sheet, I move ther arms and legs around (before baking)to look like they are running!
So not only do we have twin gingerbread cookie cutters, we have triplets, and if Joy finds her red one, quadruplets! And your window sill is so pretty Joy, with the green glass bottles, and the ferns really add to it! It looks like your kitchen is located at the front of your house. Mine faces the back yard, so I have no street view.
Oh Elizabeth, where do you get those ideas? That school is just amazing! I wish you were my great grandmother too! LOL Everything is so perfectly done and detailed, even those darling posters! Who wouldn”t want to have their dolls go to school there?
The cowboys! Oh my gosh! As a person who does crafts, but not so much now, I understand and appreciate the time it takes to make all these things. You are amazing! Are these cowboys for your own home? I think you do live in Texas if I remember right, so this would explain it! You are amazing, there is nothing left to say! I am speechless!
Merry Christmas everyone on the sofa! May you find peace during the holidays and the good Lord keep you all in his loving arms!
Linda, I love the idea of moving the Gingerbread man’s arms and legs so he can run! That story in a book I read to one of my grandgirls was her favorite story. I wish I could send her some like that, she will soon be twenty years old though.
Sissy, I used to make those gingerbread cookies for everyone in my husband’s office, and tney were a hit! You don’t have to be little to enjoy them! I read that story to my children too!❤️
How fun what you do with the cookie guy’s legs. I will have to try that in the future. How fun that we have a match on those gingerbread guys. I know that I have the red one here somewhere. 🙂
And yes, the kitchen faces front, which I love. I can keep an eye on what’s happening. Guess I’m nosey. 🙂
I forgot to mention, back in the day when we were starting out and had little to put on the tree, I made those gingerbread boys, and put a hole in on the top of his head before baking and when they were finished, I strung some red yarn tnrough the hole and hung them on the tree! They made the tree smell so good, plus we made popcorn garlands too with real popcorn. Those were the days!
All of these comments are wonderful.
I love you girls
I need to find a red gingerbread cookie cutter!
First of all, thank you all for the kind comments on my pictures yesterday. I replied to each one
Yes, that is “my” gingerbread man, too, only mine is definitely blue! I will try to remember to dig him out and take a picture for you. How funny, that several of us have the “same” cookie cutter! Well, I guess we are all of the same generation, so it figures. I remember using mine when I was a little gir.
Elizabeth, I surely enjoyed all the pictures you shared today. that schoolroom is fantastic! I noticed you used scrapbooking papers for some of the decorations; isn’t it fabulous, how many different designs they have now? Perfect for many kinds of crafting! That little Temu doll is really quite cute!
And I love your Santas. How fun, to have a western theme, complete with fancy boots!
Okay, there is a match! Guess we can have a gingerbread man convention. 🙂
YES! We can do that, even on line hahaha
and they should bring their cookie friends
Happy Christmas Eve dear loved ones.
Thank you for the courage and reliance on Father God.
I am feeling content.
Joy, your cookie cutter gingerbread man is so sweet, and you have two jars of other various shape cutters as well! I did not make shape cookies this year, but now I want to. maybe a small batch of stars and hearts for the new year.
Joy, your green bottles are fancy! I love green glass, well, all colorful light filtering glass, it is like stained glass and I just love your collection, and your view!
Elizabeth, your little dolly school is …. magical and genius! I love all of the extra details and the cute furniture and just everything. I think your great grand girl is going to love this. I love very little dolls and this one is really cute, pretty dress too. Your Santas are incredible, the details, the boots, just everything. Very Texas fancy!
All of you, thank you.
So many memories of just a short visit. I could not have done it without your prayers. I believe also the echocardiologist also had her hand on my shoulder.
I did not bring hubbs because I think he did not want to bring his doubt… I had plenty of my own. When I came home, I shared what I had done because when I left the house at 10:45 I was not sure what would come of this “expedition”
Well, he was very proud of me.
Thank you all of you for your comments yesterday afternoon, when I arrived home and reported my adventure. I am feeling a little bit in shock. I think mostly because much of this over the years was due to their immaturity?
One thing we do as parents and grand parents is to be an example, a gentle non judgemental trusting guide.
Anyway, I will remain hopeful, this relationship is still unstable, but I am hopeful.
A reminder, phone calls, letters, texts or emails have gone unacknowledged the past 3+ years. I know that going there and “barging in” was the risky move, but there were no other ways. I think I “caught them off guard” What else could they have done with 4 kiddos around. …so I was bold.
Thank you for your prayers and encouragement.
I hope all of you have a happy Christmas eve. Now I have the earliest heart doctor appointment (all is well) and then I can visit a couple of new neighbors and deliver some little gifts.
Love, Rosemary
Bonjour.Mon fils est resté 8 ans,sans venir à la maison…Il habite à dix kilomètres de chez nous.Puis ,il y a deux ans,il est revenu,avec sa famille. Inutile de vous décrire notre joie,à mon mari et à moi. Nous avons retrouvé nos trois petits enfants,avec plaisir. Nous n’avons ,jamais parlé de rien..! Je vous comprends et je connais cette angoisse de retrouver,sa famille.Je suis heureuse ,pour vous,Dorothy, ,que tout se soit bien passé. Vous allez passer ,un agréable Noël. Amitiés . Georgina.
Hello. My son stayed away for 8 years, without coming home… He lives ten kilometers from us. Then, two years ago, he returned with his family. There’s no need to describe the joy my husband and I felt. We happily reunited with our three grandchildren. We have never talked about anything..! I understand you and I know the anxiety of reconnecting with your family. I am happy for you, Dorothy, that everything went well. You are going to have a wonderful Christmas. Best regards, Georgina.
Chère Georgina, tu es si charmante et gentille. Excuse-moi, mon français est très mauvais.
Je suis tellement heureuse de vos retrouvailles avec ton fils et sa famille – vous êtes tous réunis maintenant et heureux. Joyeux Noël et tous mes vœux de bonheur pour la nouvelle année.
Dear Georgina, you are so charming and kind. Excuse me, my French is very bad. I am so happy about your reunion with your son and his family – you are all together now and happy. Merry Christmas and all my best wishes for the New Year.
Chère Georgina, c’est Rosemary, et non moi, qui a retrouvé sa famille. N’est-ce pas merveilleux de savoir que les miracles de Noël existent encore?
Joyeux Noël à vous et à vos proches.
Dear Georgina, it was Rosemary, not I, who was reunited with her family. Isn’t it wonderful to know that Christmas miracles continue?
Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones.
Je vous souhaite à toutes de passer d’agréables fêtes de fin d’année. Amitiés . Georgina.
I wish you all a wonderful holiday season. Best regards, Georgina.
🥰❤️💚
Dear Rosemary I am so thrilled for you! I just had to tell my Peyton all about it and he was happy for you too. You were so brave and afraid, I am so proud of you. I know you still have worries how the future will go. I hope your texts etc. will be answered now. You handled it so well, too. I know we all are thrilled for you.
Yesterday was not a good day for us. After going to the doctor’s checkup I didn’t feel well, which is not usual for me. We did go to breakfast and went home. I had a lot to do with laundry and getting ready for our early dinner as I had to hair cut appointment. I never got back to the blog because of bad news. My niece’s daughter, age fort teen, had the flu. We are so sorry for her, and also for us since that is the only time we were going to be with family this year, today for early dinner. We will still go to our 10:00 Christmas eve service. We also will now have time today to go to a friend’s birthday. She lost her husband 2 months ago and is all alone. We have a small cake and will go have a little party, just with us and her. That is how she wanted it. She has other friends to go to for dinner tomorrow, so we will be just us for Christmas, but that is ok. We wish each and every one of you for a blessed Christmas and for a well coming to the Christ Child tonight.
Sorry you didn’t feel well yesterday and that your relative is ill. It happens. But, I’m sure you are making the best of it. Take care and keep well. Happy Christmas.
Thank you for your encouragement and the praise. I was brave.
It still has not sunken in. I am just so grateful, and a bit pleased with my bravery.. Maybe after all of this time, things will change as with time, we hope for positive growth, we can work on that.
I will certainly keep all of you informed on this relationship.
Well, God is always in control, and the care for your nieces daughter is what is happening, so I hope she recovers easily, being sick is so awful, poor thing.
I am glad you are sharing some time with a dear friend for her birthday. Life is a struggle and sometimes just a friend to come and lend an ear, scope out the situation and help celebrate taking small step forward is a good thing this evening.
oh yes, and just to add, feel better dear Sissy, I hope you are feeling good today
Thank you, Dear Rosemary. Yes, I am fine today. Since we aren’t going to a big dinner I made turkey soup from Thanksgivings gravy, meat, and added veggies and noodles. We will have some goodies at my friends house and the cake we bought. We have a late night at church so we will add in short naps. We will love hearing any thing about your daughter and her family.
I love Elizabeth’s School for Enthusiastic Learners! What a great moto. Using a gift box made the perfect base too. Thanks so much for sharing all of the details involved. Love how everything fits inside. It’s really cute and will be so much fun for your great grand. The last thing I think I made was an outdoor privy for a camp scene. Certainly nothing so detailed and perfect as this. Elizabeth’s endeavor is a masterpiece! And then, those collectible Santa’s By Elizabeth, are completely amazing. The craftswoman ship is superb. What fantastic gifts to make for everyone. They will be treasured forever. Thank you Elizabeth and Jeanne for sharing.
Thanks Jeanne, for sharing my cookie cutters and window. As for the cutters, this is only a small portion of those residing here. There are several more glass jars stuffed full, with my favorites being the 50’s plastic/Bakelite red ones. I’m out of room though on the cookie cutters, so I have no plans to look for more. 🙂
Here, we had a big wind storm last night. I’m sure that there will be lots more leaves to rake, but there isn’t anywhere to put them until our full stuff can is picked up later today. I think we’ll be able to get in a walk too, but tomorrow doesn’t look good for our drive in Santa’s sleigh to visit the grands. Looking forward to Chinese take out food. Always fun. I think more wind is expected too. So goes the weather, but I’m sure that Rudolph will manage to get the sleigh there safely. 🙂
Jeanne, thank you for sharing all the great photos today!
Joy, your cookie cutters are lovely in the jars. I never thought of that. MIne are in a box in the garage. I will have to check and see if I have the same Gingerbread man. Your window is lovely. I will have to send a photo of mine sometime, it is not that pretty, though, will have to work on it. Wishes for your getting to learn how to use all you new appliances soon.
I am glad to hear that your cabin is out of high enough away from the water. When will you go there, waiting for snow?
ELIZABETH THE AMAZING!! That dear little girl will be over the moon again for Christmas! You are the best! I would have LOVED the things you make for her. I did get new doll clothes every year, but oh my, you are just amazing. The cowboys are so adorable too, I love the writing on the boots, perfect, and their faces, outfits, just wonderful all around. I showed it all to Peyton and he, too, was just floored. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful work.
Tks Sissy. I would love to see your cutter and window too. Unfortunately, we turned over the cabin to the land owner after sixty years there. So, flooding really isn’t a problem for us any more. 🙁
Anne, So today is Christmas day for you. Have a blessed day!
Yes, Anne, Merry Christmas! Was Santa good to you, because I know you have been VERY good!
Elizabeth you were endowed with all of the creative genius that many of us are lacking. Words cannot express how delightful your creations are, your great granddaughter will be delighted. Those cowboys are just fantastic.
Beautiful jar display catching the light in your window Joy.
I am officially retired from cookie baking. I wish I had left the Betty Crocker cookbook on the shelf. They did not look right or taste the way I remember. I am blaming modern butter and the Crisco is whipped with air. Enough Grinching, happy baking everyone and Happy Holidays!
Thanks on the window Debbie. What does your window look like?
Paula, I went back and read your comment. What a happy coincidence! Have a joyous holiday!
Merry Christmas , dear Sofa Sisters.
Your cookie cutter is so cute, Joy. Your green glass collection is lovely. I have a couple of green glass bottles olive oil came in that I saved because the bottle design was pretty.
What a fantastic gift for your great granddaughter, Elizabeth. I’m sure she will just love it. The cowboy Santas are amazing! So many details.
TKS Laura. I love green. 🙂
Merry Christmas everyone.
Rosemary you were so brave. I hope that this is the start of something good for you with your family.
On Tuesday when Sam and I were shopping we ran into an old acquaintance. Her name is Linda and she was the mother of a former next door neighbour of Sam’s called Paula. Paula had breast cancer when she was pregnant with her third child and also had a very controlling husband, a particularly nasty one who couldn’t wait for her to die! Even though she was dying she left him and moved in with her parents with the children. When she died her ex husband took the children and told Linda that she would never see them again. Logan, the oldest grandchild was 9 then. When he was 16 he rang up Linda and said he wanted to see her. The first contact she had in 7 years, and it just happened to be April Fool’s day so she wasn’t sure whether it was a nasty prank (knowing his father). Anyway, apparently he wasn’t getting on with his father and asked if he could come and live with them. Dad had a new girlfriend and they were clearing the house of anything of Paula’s. He lived with them for 5 yrs and only just moved out to live with his girlfriend. Of course it meant she had contact with the girls as well so it all turned out well for her too.
Asher has had her shower and opened her stocking and Sam is in the shower now. Me next, time to get ready for breakfast at my son’s.
Have a lovely day tomorrow everyone. It is a lovely day today and the temp is supposed to be 26C which is perfect for Christmas Day warm but not too hot. I will send a photo to Jeanne so you can see the flowers and summery clothes. After nearly 52 years I love a summer Christmas!
Have a Merry and Blessed Christmas everyone
Love
Anne
I know your Christmas day was perfectly lovely, dear Anne.
I would love to see a summer Christmas!!
Dear Anne, it is already Christmas Day for you. I hope you have a joyous time surrounded by family and friends. Thanks for sharing you life with us here on the Sofa. Happy Christmas!
It is Christmas Eve here. So, we’re laying low until tomorrow when we make a trip south to visit the grands. Sounds like you had great weather for Christmas! Happy Day.
Dear Jeanne, what wonderful items you have shared today! Elizabeth’s school house is lovely. Joy’s glassware is so pretty. And your little green man is cute.
Five more hours until Christmas. I hope that Santa and the reindeer have been appropriately caffeinated (smile).
Thanks on the cutters and my window. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas. 🙂