A bit of Christmas Before and After

It seems that anywhere I've lived, no matter what the arrangement,
 there is always a whole bookshelf full of books that has to be moved at Christmastime.
On the bookshelf "mantle" are favorite framed Christmas cards, with an Icon of Saint Nicholas hanging above.
Marcus and Tilly can be out for Christmas now that they are safe from the cat under their new bell jar.

The metal tree was filled with sprays and berries and birds.  Some glass snowflakes and crystal drops sparkled.



I went out for a real tree and the Christmas tree lot was empty!   So I ran to Whole Foods and bought a tabletop tree.
Ginger kitty thinking about jumping into the pile of ornaments.
For the small tree I had to chose and edit the ornaments, from a collection that spans decades.
I made a lot of them.  In years gone by, often when people came to visit, I could give them a new ornament right off the tree.  When I travel, I like to look for an ornament to bring home as a souvenir.
 The porcelain horse is from Washington, DC. There are a lot of horses in the collection!

I always fret until I find the flocked bunny from Germany.
This is the other tree. Yes there are two trees in the room.
I love Christmas trees!   

My daughter Kat and her daughter just moved into a new apartment, so the ladder was already out and handy.

Her ornaments hadn't moved yet, so she bought a lot of inexpensive red balls. Ta da!

An angel kitty for Ginger kitty, who thinks the tree holder is a water dish just for her.

There is a tiny golden Santa that my daughters have worn as jewelry to holiday events.

There's a tiny nutcracker, too.  I've lost the Angel.



Here is a small flocked deer, with a trumpeting angel.  I don't use glass balls, but these paper mache balls coordinate with the handmade and figurative ornaments.



A blue velvet bird.  I've made them in red velvet and white velvet. The velvet ones take the longest to make.
More about blue birds coming up!

Getting ready to go out now.
 Happy New Year Everyone! Chloe