Christmas at the Farm and Good Links
Good Day Color Friends!
I hope you and yours are enjoying the holiday season and all the frenzy that seems to come with it. I am trying not to get too stressed out by it all. The fact that I didn't really start thinking about it until yesterday helps. It is much easier now that Julia is older, I must say. We are looking forward to some good meals, maybe a movie (anyone have any recommendations), and visits with friends and family.
Here at the farm, we always walk out into one of our fields to find a white pine tree to decorate our living room. This is a tradition that began with Mark's family at their farmhouse. Every year since we have been married, we have tromped through the fields to try to find a pine tree that has branches on each side and doesn't have too much openess at the top. If you know white pine trees, you know this is a challenge! We usually have to cut the tree in two and wire it back together. Since we have cats and this year kittens, we wire the tree to the wall too so that it has a chance to stand. We just decorate the tree with lights and tinsel and a little garland because if we hang ornaments, they just become cat toys and break and litter the floor. Julia is abhorred at this tradition but I know that she will look back on it with fondness when she gets older. "Mom, I just want a normal Christmas tree!," is a December tradition here!
Our naked pine tree after slicing and splicing
Our tree after lights and glitter
Last week, Yankee Magazine was here for a photo shoot called "Christmas at the Farm." There were 6 people here working their magic for two days. A shoot like this is an incredible amount of work - running around, tweaking, decorating, cleaning, dusting corners that haven't been exposed in months, and general striving for perfection. I always learn a lot watching the pros. I was happy to not be in charge, just to be a help and a source of food for them all. The article will run in the Nov/Dec 2015 issue. Here's a pretty holiday article from last year's Yankee Magazine about Martha's Vineyard artist and author Susan Branch.
The only bit of business I want to share with you all is a great sale on my Craftsy Class Stitch It with Wool: Crewel Embroidery. On sale now through Christmas, it is $19.99 (regularly 34.99). You can also purchase any other Craftsy class at discounted prices. If you have been thinking of learning Crewel Embroidery, this is a perfect chance to buy. Use this link - http://www.craftsy.com/ext/KristinNicholas_holiday
Here are some fun things I found on the web this week.
• My friend Gail Callahan has a lovely story about Christmas Stockings and grandmothers here. Congrats to Gail to becoming a grandma AGAIN!
• Jane Brocket from the UK was one of the first bloggers I discovered back in 2006. Jane has a nice post about how she and her family celebrate Christmas on her new blog YarnstormPress. Check it out here.
• Artist Ann Carrington of the UK does amazing things with buttons. Check out her website here. You can see some of her amazing "spoon sculptures" here on The Woman's Room blog (you have to scroll down).
• The Duchess of Devonshire has passed away. I found a lovely post about her here. I have always loved this photo of her taken by Bruce Weber at her home Chatsworth. I am going to read her autobiography Wait for Me over the holidays.
In closing, I would like you all for your support and encouragement of my work this year and years past. Even though I do not personally know many of you, I count you as friends in craft and color. I wish you and your family the best for the holiday season!
With our best wishes from the farm!
Kristin Nicholas
