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Showing posts from December, 2010

We Cut the Tree

We Cut the Tree L. Theil  ã  1984 We started cutting our own Christmas trees in 1978, the year that Ben was born. That was the year after Dad brought home a tree so dry it shed needles when you touched it. By the time we took it out of the house after the holidays, that tree was down to bare branches. The next year our neighbor said that he got fresh cut trees at a farm up the road in Zelie. It sounded like a good idea to us. My mom was real glad to stay home with the baby that year because she liked the quiet time for her and Ben. She went with us the next year, though; and we all went every year after that. Tree cutting is somewhere three boys and a girl and a mom and dad can go with very little aggravation. We didn’t need special clothes or a fat wallet. If my mom had her way we would have spent a bundle on big pine wreaths and yards and yards of pine garland. Dad always said, “Not this year.” The tree-farmer displayed the greens in the barn where he sold perfe

Felt cup-cozy with gift-card pocket

Alisa gave me the most wonderful gift this holiday season -- a how-to for Appleton Dance! Felt Cup Cozy by Alisa Go to your favorite coffee shop and pickup your favorite drink and a cardboard cup holder. You'll need the cup holder for a template and you'll want refreshment during the project : ) Starbucks sells small-size giftcards that make a nice addition to the cozy if you are making it as a gift. Step 1 Pick two colors of felt and lay them out wrong sides together. I used craft felt that was 50% post-consumer plastics, but wool felt would be wonderful. Using cardboard cup holder as a template, outline the shape on the felt. Step 2 Pin felt to keep it from shifting and sew around inside of outline. I like zigzag, but any stitch would work. Cut felt along outline using straight or pinking shears. Add any additional 'quilting' or stitching. Step 3 Use your drink as a guide and pin felt cozy together. Step 4 (optional)  If you are going to make a pocket for a g