Holiday Favorites Blog Hop - December 19, 2019

Hello and Merry Christmas to one and all.  If you are new to my blog, I post every Monday, with an invitation to link up and show what you are quilting.  I make lots of small quilts and doll quilts, and it's fun to share what I'm working on, and see what others are working on.  Please join us every Monday!

I thank Lori for inviting me to join her 12 days of Holiday Favorites Blog Hop.   A little about me:  I live in Michigan and am happily married for 56 years.  Our last name is Hansen, and hubby is 1/2 Danish so we've visited Denmark several times.  We have children and grandchildren, and a yellow labrador puppy.

So let's go on a tour of our home to see what quilts and traditions we have.  

Front Door:  Two Danish flags are on the front door swag.  I put different things on this swag each year; last year it had my old ice skates hanging there.

Inside the front door are the wonderful sleigh bells gifted to us by my MIL.  She had some old authentic sleigh bells and had them made into three leather straps, one for each of her three children.  We love the sound of them, and so do our guests.

Front Entry Way:  Just inside the front door I have a little doll dresser that I change out the decorations on for each season.  It is different every time.  This Christmas it has a little quilt on it and a Santa and a Russian nesting doll.  The two tiny Christmas socks are from Lloyd's mother's Christmas tree from many years ago.  

I love these little socks.  They are usually on the Christmas tree, but get lost with all the other ornaments there, so this year they are where I can enjoy them more.  Aren't they cute?

The doll quilt on top of the dresser is this one:  The picture of it is from an old post (Here) if you want more information about it.

The mirror by the front door has been replaced for the season with this wreath.  I bought it because I loved the pine cone seeds that someone had glued onto the wreath.  Amazing.....I had to buy it when I saw it because I sure wasn't going to make it myself.  The little "Let It Snow" sign has been out somewhere in the house every Christmas for at least 20 years.  

The Stair Railing near the Front Door:  I always have a quilt hanging over the railing here, and it varies by the season.  I've given away the Christmas quilt that is usually here, so this year we have "Roll Roll Cotton Boll", a Bonnie Hunter quilt.

Living Room:  Several years ago, I made Christmas fabric pillow covers for the living room couch pillows.  Here are the pillows (Santa fabric) along with some other holiday ones.  One end of the couch:

And the other end:

Another Christmas pillow I made a few years ago is made of felt, and was blogged about (Here)  I changed the pattern from "Happy Holidays" to "Merry Christmas".  

The coffee table in front of the couch has my collection of three "The Night Before Christmas" books.  The oldest one is from 1947, another is illustrated by Mary Engelbreit, and the third is our daughters - the front page says given to her by us when she was little (Why do I still have it?)  

Also on the coffee table, are the skaters.  They used to be magnetized, but alas, are not any more.  We used to put a magnet under the tray and move them around.  Now the puppy knocks them over with her tail.  Similar, but maybe not quite the same.

The Doll quilt on the coffee table is one of my favorite little quilts.  I blogged about it (Here) if you want to know the pattern and dimensions.

Christmas tree is decorated with Danish flags on a string.  I've seen them on trees in the usual garland way we do it here, and also from top to bottom as I've done it this year.  

I change up the quilt I cover the bottom of the tree with, and this year it's an old plaid bow tie quilt, functioning as a tree skirt.

Creche in bookcase is one by Jim Shore, featuring quilts, so I have one of my favorite little quilts under it.  If you want info about this quilt, I wrote about making it (Here).

Dining Room, I usually decorate the light fixture, and this year I also hung three little ornaments from it.  Some of my favorite ornaments are not noticed enough when they are in the middle of all the others on the Christmas tree, and I like to feature them.  Picture doesn't show them very well, but they are a pine cone, a tinsel star and a silver snowflake.  You can see them from sitting at the table much better.  Also two little bird ornaments are hanging on the knobs of the cupboard in the background.

Kitchen:  The kitchen counter has two stools, and I've set two places for hubby and I to use.  Here's a picture of one (they are both the same)

Also in the kitchen are two little birds that are usually in the kitchen window at Christmas time.  This year I have them "wishing" together on the Thanksgiving wish bone, which has been in the kitchen window since Thanksgiving.  I do like whimsy.

Back Door behind the kitchen:  Since we go in and out of this door all the time, and not the front door, I hang bells by the back door too.  Not as beautiful sounding as the sleigh bells, but a slight jingle jingle is good too.  The light fixture in the back room has mistletoe hanging from it, as I like to get a kiss from the hubby when we are coming and going.  

Kiss, kiss:

Our bedroom: We have two dressers directly across from our bed, and this year the snowman collection is on top of them.  When hubby saw it, he said "Are all these guys going to be staring at us while we are in bed?"  I said, yes and you'd better behave yourself!  

Our bed has my recently finished quilt on it, and I love it.  It's 100" by 100" and very cozy to sleep under.  The sheets are ones that we've had for years, and are only used during Christmas week.  I love sleeping with the reindeer.

One tradition we have is playing a game similar to "hide the thimble".  See this small box?

See what is inside?  This Santa is only 1 inch tall.

Can you find him now?  The grandchildren love to play this game with me, even now when they are in high school and college.  One year someone hid him inside a salt shaker at the cabin and we didn't find him until the next summer!  Now I have this little box for him and keep him there after Christmas so he doesn't get lost.

The living room sofa has a vintage quilt on it that I like to use for napping with my dog Penny Lane.  Here's a picture of yesterday afternoon's nap.  This lovely quilt is hand pieced and hand quilted, and I purchased it from a friend in Virginia.

Also, as part of the Holiday Favorites Blog Hop, I have a Christmas giveaway drawing for a lucky someone who comments on this post.  It is for two Christmas pillow covers for square pillows.  The picture shows the two pillow covers - one with the back opening showing, where you insert the pillow.  They are the same size as the Santa ones shown on my couch.  Second picture is a close-up of the fabric.   I will announce the winner on the December 30th regular Design Wall Monday post.  The drawing will remain open until midnight on the 29th.  Merry Christmas everyone!  

Tomorrow, Be sure to check out the last stop on the blog hop - it's over at Kevin the Quilter's blog:

Dec. 20 Kevin, http://kevinthequilter.blogspot.com

Thanks again to Lori of Humble Quilts for having this Holiday Favorites Blog Hop.  It was fun.  If you are a reader of my blog and don't know Lori, she is great, and inspires me.   http://humblequilts.blogspot.com