I'll be home for Christmas...

...so I thought I'd invite you over (warning--long post with lots of pictures, but there is something quilt related at the end).

This is our dome sweet home. Yes, I live in a geodesic dome. From the front you can see the added solarium on the left and extension on the right, so it doesn't appear that round from this point of view. Trust me--it is.

Just inside the front door you are greeted by a bunch of fuzzy snowmen. They look forward to the grandchildren visiting each Sunday evening. It is always more fun when they come.

Aside from the small tree, you can see a trunk of Christmas books and a snow family on the quilt rack. And, of course, my German pyramid nativity on a little table topper quilt made from red and green plaid shirts. I love these photos of two of my grandchildren watching the pyramid spin.

In the corner is the tree and the piano is graced by a couple of my nativities.

My very small Santa collection sits atop the hutch that is to the right of the tree, but not visible in the photo.

The dining room hutch holds a few more nativities. (Sorry this is blurry.) Let's take a closer look. I'm sure you are familiar with the Willow Tree nativity. This was a b'day gift a few years ago from DH. I love it.

Inside the hutch are some other special nativities.

The little clay figures and the wooden all-in-one are from Argentina, where my oldest son was a missionary.

 This beautiful, hand-carved nativity was brought from Austria, when my oldest daughter returned from a semester abroad there.

This little hand-crafted nativity is made from banana leaves and my youngest son brought it to me from his mission in Brazil.

He also brought this nativity, which resides on the piano. The figures fit together like puzzle pieces. Sometimes I display it that way, but not this year.

This music box nativity was a gift from my mother.
DH gifted me another music box nativity. It is a snowglobe with glass figures inside. I couldn't get a good photo of it--without the flash it was too blurry. With the flash it just reflected the light.

Above the dining room is the loft. I have no mantel, so the stockings are hung by the railing with care.

Let's go upstairs. Looking down from the stair landing you get a good view of the tree and piano in the corner. If you glance to the right of the railing you can see the village. I painted this village years ago in my "ceramics" phase.

I used the technique known as "dry brush". You paint the entire piece black and then, using a dry, stiff bristled brush, you layer on color over the black surface. You can see it prevents much light from penetrating anywhere but the windows. It also makes it hard to see the colors.

Even in the light the colors seem very muted.

 I finished them off with a light touch of "snow". I think I still have a couple of unpainted buildings stored somewhere, but I haven't painted ceramics in decades.

In the sewing room I have hung the Christmas "Flurry" flimsy that I had hoped to get quilted this year, but it didn't happen.

 And I had to get a photo of my sewing room tree adorned with all of these quilty ornaments. Those pineapple blocks are about 2" square. The red and white "square in a square" was a very fun surprise from my blog friend, Grace, all the way in Maine. Along with the ornament, there was another sweet gift. Look below the tree. See the pink bow to the right? It keeps this great selvedge covered needle case closed.

 Isn't it cute? I thought it was so appropriate that the selvedge down the center is from Kansas Troubles fabric. I love that stuff and have made a few quilts from it. This little package of surprises came on a very hard day--first thing that morning I had learned that DH's aunt, who has been a good friend to me and a quilt mentor, had just died. I was feeling pretty blue and this brought the first smile of the day. Thanks to you, Grace!

And finally, I am making some headway, though much slower than planned, on the gift quilts for my grandsons. Star Wars #2 got its last stitches this morning. I have been using swirls and stars stencils for the pattern on these two quilts. But now they both need binding, and the railroad quilt is still waiting to be marked and basted. Can I finish it all before Christmas Eve? Where has the time gone?

Well, if you have had the stamina to stay with this, thanks for visiting my "home for the holidays". I'd better get off the computer and get busy! I have a funeral to attend tomorrow, and I am in charge of the family meal afterwards, for 200 people. It will be an emotional day.

Until next time, Janet O.