COUNTRY CHRISTMAS - Part II

Ornaments! If you read my bio, you know the story … I make ornaments every year for my family. There was one year I didn’t make them, for a reason I do NOT remember and I’ve not heard the end of it!

Most of the ornaments I've made have lasted for years, but a few haven’t. The ginger bread boys molded (yuck) and the crepe paper angels got squashed. One year I made tiny stockings from shiny gold lamé, stuffed them with cotton and then topped them off with “coal”; actually, I didn’t have any real coal, so I spray painted kitty litter black. (My mama was known for “make do” and “necessity is the mother of invention” and I got that gene).

 This year, I’m making little puzzle piece wreaths for my co-workers. You can see those on the CAT’S CHRISTMAS, Country Style page. I’ve posted a new photograph of my lighted jeweled Christmas tree picture on that page because it’s a better shot.
 How do you spell yummy? Check out my recipe on the CAT FOOD page for Peanut Butter Cups.


 I’ve added a picture of the Raggedy Country Prints wreath I made for my front door; it’s on the CAT’S CHRISTMAS, Country Style page. Take a peek at the page CAT FUR to KITTEN BRITCHES where you’ll find a picture of the appliqued T Shirt I made for grand daughter, Joy; not a new creation, but I just found the photo.


Celebrate with your family and start some new traditions such as these: cut down your own tree! Read “Twas the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve while sipping some of hot punch (you’ll find a simple, yet elegant and tasty recipe at my CAT FOOD page).

On Christmas morn, read the real story of Christmas out of the Message Bible® in Matthew 1:18 - 2:23. Some other nice traditions: line your paths, porch and sidewalks with luminarias .. (see below) .. these are those “little brown paper bags" in which you’ve placed 2 – 3 inches of sand and a votive candle (if you can’t find any dry sand in your yard, use clay-style cat litter).


If your family is a died-in-the-wool-we-don’t-open-presents-until-Christmas-morning, why not give a little. Let everyone open a single special gift on Christmas Eve (hint: make ornaments for this purpose) or make jammies and nighties for everyone in a warm, delicious RED flannel. Maybe everyone can have a pair of Christmas socks or a pretty mug or a special picture frame .. you get the idea. Make some new traditions this year, but don’t forget the old ones.


Have a warm, Country Christmas.

© 2010 Cat Brennan
© 2010 Aunt Cat's Place


I got  this picture at Wikipedia®. This is the FIRST time
I have EVER quoted that site source, but this particular 
photo is excellent. With the picture, Wikipedia® has a
good article regarding the use and legends of the
simple luminaria, or farolito as it is sometimes called.

Country Yarn

Yarn is one of those items in your Craft Cache that has so many uses; remember REDUCE - REUSE - RECYCLE, and I love the word RE-PURPOSE. Be sure to save any yarn have left from a project; it doesn't take up a lot of space and  you'll find so many things to do with it; for instance ...
In my yarn stash, I have baby, sport weight and white fuzzy angora yarns for making my Ojo Christmas Angel Ornaments. I do use yarn for 'regular' crochet work, and so much more.
Head on over to my CAT FUR to KITTEN BRITCHES PAGE where you'll see a receiving blanket I made.. it's double thickness flannel with a crocheted edge; Hot Pink Yarn, worsted weight, no less.

"A Good Yarn"© is the second book in a series by Debbie Macomber, whom you may recognize as one one of my most favorite authors.  The set is called the Blossom Street Series. Debbie is known for  her knitting, to say the least, and she KNOWS YARN. . . I digress...

Leftover colors of like-weight yarn will make up into granny squares for a beautiful afghan (contrary to some youngsters with whom I'm familiar, that word is NOT aff-a gan and it's also NOT aff-ri-can).  Work the granny squares together with some nice black yarn; black just seems to be THE COLOR for granny square coverlets.

Consider crocheting solid squares from different colors of yarn, again using like-weight, for some down-home coasters.

Quickly ID your luggage at the airport carousel with yarn!  Make LARGE pom poms of your favorite color, multi colors or whatever you actually have in the yarn leftover bag.  Attach to your luggage with strong string, a tie-wrap or garden strength twist tie wire.

Replace ribbon on gifts and packages with YARN! Red, green or the two together takes care of all your Christmas presents, pastels  are sweet for baby gifts, white for weddings or baby dedications, green for March birthdays, red for February and tie up the July occasions with Red, White and Blue.

Do you have any really neat ideas for re-using or re-purposing yarn?  Email me with your ideas and I'll share the best with everyone.

May your life be blessed with good reading and good crafting in the country.

© 2010 Cat Brennan

Sewing and Stitching

My sewing machine and creative juices were very busy this last week+. This country mama cat got an invitation to a SURPRISE baby shower for my youngest daughter; got word five days before the event. Whew ! !

Fortunately, I had the flannel and fleece fabric on hand (that’s a whole different story). Got busy and stitched the two, 2 yard pieces of flannel together to create 2 separate double thickness receiving blankets. These were turned, stitched closed, ready to finish. My favorite finish for this kind of little blanket is a single crochet stitch all the way around the edge in a contrasting yarn. At one time, I used “baby” weight yarn, but the colors are limited to pastels. This yarn color is “water melon”; a lovely 4 ply, worsted weight acrylic by CARON®.

The other blanket is fleece, finished with green “satin” blanket binding; an easy, but impressive make. My daughter actually purchased the fleece and one of the lengths of flannel, but she had no idea that her mama would make it up so quickly; for that matter, neither did her mama!

(You can see pictures of all three (the fleece one is folded) on the “Cat Fur to Kitten Britches” page).

Just a few thoughts for old or new, experienced or aspiring seamstresses:

 Do NOT use liquid fabric softener EVER when laundering fleece. It WILL pill the fleece.

 Always purchase and use good scissors. They are worth their weight in gold. My favorite pair is more than thirty years old .. Gingher® both dressmaker and appliqué scissors. I also like Wiss® sewing scissors; that was my mom’s favorite brand and I’m very sad to say that I have lost the pair she gave me for Christmas as a child.

 When in doubt, change that needle in your sewing machine; Do NOT get stingy here. A blunt needle will cause all kinds of mayhem from broken and/or dropped stitches to torn and nicked fabric. Use the appropriate size and type. I prefer Schmetz® sewing needles over all the others and in particular their Universal TM needle as this little pointed sticker will stitch all kinds of fabric. If you don’t have the Universal, use a ball point for all knits and “standard” for woven fabrics. I was told that a ball point can be used for all fabric; this by an employee in a fabric store. I have not tried this, however.

 Do NOT attempt to mend a pair of jeans with a size 9/10 needle and don’t even think of using that size 16 for sewing fine silks or satins. You can purchase “denim specific” needles.

 Match your thread color carefully. Pull a tiny length out of a spool before purchase and lay it on your fabric. If you cannot get an “exact” match, go a shade lighter, NOT darker.

 Prepare your fabric as you would care for the final garment. Pre-wash all washable fabrics and dry according to the bolt directions before proceeding with your project. New fabrics are spun, woven, wound and generally made with finishes that can be unkind to your skin, some will shrink and some just need washing!

Sewing is not a lost art! Atlantis was lost! Football games are lost (just ask the Steelers)! Perhaps sewing is no longer viewed as a necessary skill; but it is an art form that deserves attention and respect. Whether you want to create fully lined floor to ceiling draperies or a simple T-shirt, don’t be put off and don’t put it off; just “get her done”.

Get out, dig out or uncover that sewing machine you have buried somewhere and get into a project this weekend. Maybe your patio furniture needs new cushion covers or the patio table wants some bright color. You are only limited by your imagination.

How about some simple, yet pretty fabric napkins? Functional, fully washable and pretty too; the best part is you’re not adding paper to the land fill. Remember to reduce, reuse and recycle.

If you would like my easy, no fail directions, just send me a stamped self addressed … JUST KIDDING! Just email me and I’ll get them right out. (FYI, I snitched the idea from my oldest sister). Thanks, June.

Here’s to you stitching yourself some Country happiness.

© 2010 Cat Brennan