Quilting Challenge

After seeing Em's post about the Alumni quilt, it reminded me of a little experience I had earlier this fall with our little neighbor friend. Miss J., who is in kindergarten, brought this picture (shown below) to me one afternoon and asked me if I could sew it for her.

At first I thought she wanted me to somehow sew the actual piece of paper into or onto something. But then I figured out that, no, this was a pattern and that she wanted me to duplicate it for her. J. put some serious time into this design. She used an 8 1/2 by 11 piece grid paper to draw out her design: 33 blocks by 43 blocks which equals out to 1,419 blocks!!!!

Anybody up for that quilting challenge?!

(When her mom mentioned to me a couple weeks later that J. had told her I was sewing something for her, I had to explain the whole story. Her mom just rolled her eyes and we laughed about it. I wish I was that good J., but I'm not.)

Graduation {turned} Alumni Quilt

This quilt has been a LONG time coming. Twelve years ago when my husband graduated from college I had tons of ambition and minimal quilting knowledge. But, I decided that my husband needed a quilt to celebrate his graduation! I designed a quilt, bought and sewed the fabrics and then put it away to finish after we got "settled" into real life. The more I learned about quilting the more I realized that my original idea was NOT going to work AT ALL. (It was basically a huge applique quilt with iron on lettering.) Plus, in all my graduation excitement I was making it to fit on our queen-size bed! (The thought of that still makes me laugh!)

My husband has known that I have this unfinished quilt but he hasn't ever seen it. He wants to be surprised when it's done. At least once a year for the past 12 years he has asked when he's going to get his Aggie Quilt. I just laugh and say "Someday..." Now that I've been making quilts for others this year he's really turning up the heat by asking "Are you ever going to finish MY quilt?" I just smile sweetly and say "Yes, dear! It's on my list."

Since my original idea was no good (and ugly), I've had to come up with a new design. When I came across this quilt I knew I needed to copy it for my husband. It is so fantastic!!

I've been trying my best to get this done without my husband knowing a thing. I've had to sew during the day and then make sure its all put away before he gets home from work.

I have to admit that I had to do some reworking of the rows so the colors wouldn't line up. It was kind of a pain and took some time, but I knew I wouldn't be happy with it unless it looked just so. Now that it's all put together I can see more places that I should've reworked, but it's staying put!

I had plans of getting the whole thing finished in time for Christmas, but life got in the way. I gave him the unfinished top instead (I know, kind of lame...) but he was REALLY surprised and excited none the less. Now I can quilt it without feeling pressured and stressed!

The details:This is the Plain Spoken pattern from the book The Modern Quilt Workshop.
I used 10 different colored fabrics in blues, greys, and white.

EDITED: The finished quilt can be seen HERE.

Leotards

For Christmas this year I made Miss B. some dance leotards with matching skirts. Mostly I did it because the leftover fabric I had from making Jester costumes was just enough to make little leotards, and not much else. (Yes, I admit it. It is hard for me to throw away fabric if there is enough to do something with it--albeit it a small something.) I also found some ballet slippers that looked like new at one of our thrift stores for $2.99. Gotta love it! She just loves to dance and although we really can't afford dance classes or lessons, if she has the attire, she really doesn't care. Just turn on the CD player and there she goes.

Don't those over-the-knee sock just make the outfit?

Twirl away!! The b/w/green leotard is leftover fabric from this project. B says this is her favorite one. And yes, I still have paint swatches on my wall. Didn't get it done before Christmas, so it'll have to happen that first week of school when the kiddos go back.
This one can double as a swimsuit next summer.

Patterns:

Simplicity 7351 (dance leotards and accessories)--which is now discontinued; however, Kwik Sew has a number of leotard patterns to choose from. And to be quite honest this Simplicity pattern needed some tweaking in the leg opening. I haven't had those same issues with Kwik Sew patterns.

Kwik Sew 2422 (swimsuit pattern)--basic tank swimsuit. I used this one on the star print leotard.

Holiday Wishes

Merry Christmas

From all of us at Creative Chicks!

Carhenge, Alliance, NE.

We'll be back next week to share some of our Christmas projects with all of you. Hope you have an enjoyable holiday spending time with your family and friends.

Sneak Peek

Here is a little sneak peek of my one Christmas project.

My husband has been saying that he wants to buy me a new machine for Christmas, so I'm holding off on quilting it in hopes that Santa brings me one!

Dilemma Resolved

You may or may not remember that this past summer I had a little dilemma about whether or not to gift an item I had made. Well, here is the gift.

I did make 2 of these and am keeping one of them, at least for now, for my own family.

This one is heading out to Idaho as a Christmas present. I hope that it is well received. I did enjoy putting it together and finding something fun and crazy to put on the back so that it can be used as an all-around picnic/ park/ watching kids' sports games/ keep-in-the-back-of-the-car blanket.

I've decided that I like using pockets when I can. Kids especially think it is cool to have a pocket on their blanket.

Above is the stitching that I used on each disappearing 9 patch--double needle with denim topstitching thread.

This stitch I used around the 9 patch and along the sashing.

Crazy fabric backing--I like it. All I did was sew the front and back, right sides together, leave opening, turn right sides out and then top stitch along outer edge to hold it all in place basically. No batting on this one since it's meant only to keep your backside clean and/or dry while outside.

Details:

• Cut 6" squares of denim (144 total squares)


• Make 16 - disappearing 9 patch squares--on this one no 2 were alike


• Cut 4" and 3" sashing of denim


• Cut 3" border of denim


• 5 yards of 45" wide cotton fabric


• Finished size approx. 72" x 76"

I've still got more jeans to cut up and then put them together into another blanket, or two. (Just when I think I've depleted my stash more pairs appear--like they've been multiplying somewhere) I've got a friend who is not so subtly hinting that she'd like one too. Besides, she's been donating old jeans to the cause, so it looks like she'll be next on the receiving list for a recycled jean blanket.

Jester Costumes

After last year's involvment with making costumes for my oldest daughter's middle school musical I swore I wouldn't volunteer or get involved again. (Never say never, right?!) With that being said, I wasn't involved.....until a week or so before Thanksgiving. I just can't deal with paying a $40 RENTAL fee for a costume. You want me to pay that much to borrow a costume? Really??!?! It makes me CRAZY!!! This is middle school for crying out loud.

Since my daughter only needed one costume this year I told them I would make it. O.K. actually I asked, but I think had the director said "no" I would've made it anyway and then gone on ahead with it. I actually made 2 jester costumes (one for the jester/girl in the other cast) for this year's musical, "Cinderella". They were so quick and so easy and if I do say so, so dang cute. I only spent $25 for the 2 costumes, too, thank you very much! My #2 daughter tried on the 2nd costume while in the process and now she wants me to keep the costume so that she can wear it next year for Halloween. She is dying over the star leggings (no pic right now). We'll see how badly they want to add it to their stash of costumes. I may just keep both of them for our personal costume stash.
Anyway, the patterns I used were:

Kwik Sew 1591 for the leggings, which I made out of swimsuit fabric. They are awesome!! This pattern is now discontinued or out of print, but Kwik Sew 3476 is the current leggings pattern that I found.

Simplicity 4860 for the tops. Out-of-print pattern Simplicity 3617.

The musical started on Wednesday night---"Break a leg, girls!!"

Authorized Personnel Only

I don't know about you, but right around Thanksgiving time my sewing room becomes off limits to everyone but me. There are things that start happening in there that can't be seen by certain eyes.

I don't officially put a sign up on the door (actually I don't even have a door) but I do make a public announcement that my sewing room is now only accessed with my permission and if I am present. So far this has worked at my house. My kids have been good about asking if it is "safe" to enter if I happen to be working in there. That isn't to say that may change, but for the most part they must love good surprises because I haven't ever caught anyone sneaking around in there. And they have not been good about turning off the light in there once they've entered. So really, I usually do know when the security has been breached.

So with that being said, I have just finished my latest Christmas project--5 pairs of pajama bottoms. This one isn't necessarily sneaky as my kids have come to expect and enjoy this tradition of new pajama bottoms on Christmas Eve. However, they don't know what kind of fabric I will be picking for them. Can I just say that I love being able to pick and not have them know what other choices were available? That way they aren't upset that they didn't get whatever it was that they saw. I am also happy that I won't be still working on these 2 days before...been there done that. (That pile you see is the remaining fabric--now I need to come up with a little blankie project or something--or maybe new Rice packs for each kid.)

Purple horses

Green geckos

Pink ice skating monkeys

Camoflauge dino skulls

Pink hearts

Now I just need to make a mental note that next year when I go at 6 a.m. on Black Friday to brave the masses at Jo-Ann's (because that is when you get the best price on flannel, unfortunately) that I should go ahead and buy 2 pieces of fabric per kid so that I can save some for the next year and then maybe, just maybe, I could ignore a Black Friday and sleep in. ...That just may be too much to expect, however.

The "Receiving Blanket" Blanket

Here's an idea that I got from our mom.

We had one of these blankets when we were growing up. I don't remember any one kid being particularly fond of the blanket, but it was always in mom's stash. She used old receiving blankets (that we all have and our babies quickly outgrow) to make it. Through all of my babies I kept thinking "when I'm done having kids I'm going to make one of those blankets."

I dutifully used and reused my blankets for each baby and saved them away for "later." I'm not exactly sure when "later" happened, but now we have this great blanket just like mom's.

My youngest daughter, now 3, has adopted it for "her" blankie and gets pretty nasty when anyone else tries to touch it. I love it because it is so soft, big, and not super heavy. When it needs a wash I just toss it in with my whites and bleach the heck out if it. Other than the fact that it's faded, it's still well loved by the girl.

So here's what I did: I had 7 blankets. I used 4 for the top and 3 for the bottom. I just stitched them together to make different patterns for each side and then sewed the two larger pieces together with right sides facing.

I left an opening for turning right sides out and finished it off by top stitching it. I didn't put anything in between, just the blankets. Super Easy Project! I love that I could do a bit of recycling, too.

Finished blanket measures 48" square.

Another Boy Version

This one wasn't part of my original count of four unfinished projects for the challenge, but since it has been sitting in my sewing room for over six months I'm counting it!

It was supposed to get done in time to send off to Margaret's Hope Chest. But, it didn't. When I sent off my other ones, though, it got me thinking. I had three other quilts that were done and all three were for girls. Most of my fabrics could be classified as girl fabric, and I've made tons more girls quilts than boy ones. It got me wondering what the ratio of girl to boy quilts received was. I venture to say that there were far more girl quilts than boy ones.

Are boys really getting the raw end of that deal? I'd really like to know! Until I find out I'm purposely going to try and make more boy quilts and donate them in hopes of evening out the score so to speak. This one will be the first to go.

What do you think?

(You can see the whole gallery of donated quilts for Margaret's Hope Chest here.)

S{Crap}-Tastic Blocks

I'm all for keeping it real and showing my mistakes, not just my triumphs.

Today I'd like to introduce you to some scrap blocks I made, or what I like to call "When good scraps go Bad!"

Sometimes scrappy just turns out crappy!

I'd love to hear about a projects of yours that has gone terribly wrong. C'mon, there's got to be one?! Besides, I need a good laugh today!

Christmas Quilt

I made this quilt using the leftover fat quarters from my Advent Calendar. I hadn't intended to make a quilt--at all...really! I was going to make another 1 or 2 more advent calendars to give away and then changed my mind. To those of you, who shall remain anonymous, who I had considered giving those calendars to, I'm so sorry.

I didn't intend for the reds or greens to line up as they did, but that is how my repeated "random" placement ended up in the final product. It's all good!

The quilt measures 64" W x 84" L---BIG!!! Which works out great for us tall folk. Those are my pink crocs peeking out at the bottom of the picture. I should've had my daughter take a picture of me from that back side so you could see just how big it really is. I was standing up and holding my arms up as high and as wide as I could just to get it to not hang on the ground.

This picture makes it look a bit crooked, but I am sure it it just how I am holding it. Or maybe I should blame the 13 yr. old photographer. ;)

I just did diagonal quilting through ALL squares. I am very happy with how it turned out. And even though I made it so that it would be used, I have felt a little protective of it already this month.

Details:

• Cut 4 1/2" squares
• Cut 2" sashing (white) between squares and on the top--3" sashing on the sides
• Cut 3" border (yellow) for entire quilt
• Cut 2 3/4" binding strips--and sew a 3/8" seam (I machine bind, not hand bind)10 squares across by 14 squares down = 140 squares total. (I maybe should have gone 11 by 13, but oh well...I'm still learning)
• I used 18 different prints or solids. Mostly fat quarter pkgs. from Jo-Ann Fabrics.

I also made a little doll quilt (23" x 17") just to use up the remainder of the remainder. I used a disappearing 9 patch pattern. (It is 2 complete 9 patch down and 1 1/2 - 9 patch across). So now there are no more Christmas scraps floating around my sewing room. Whew!!
Stay warm and cozy this December holiday season!!

Mini Quilt Monday

I started this a year ago, put it away after the holidays last year, and finally got it out to finish for Jacquie's Joy in the New Year Challenge.

This is my first finish for the challenge, with three more to go.

It measures 16 x 31 inches (40 x 78 cm). I put tabs on the back so I could hang it on my wall, but it would work as a table runner as well.

I love the dark binding next to the white. The back is the same material as the second tree from the left. It is pretty wild, and doesn't exactly go with the binding, but who will be looking at the back, right?

I quilted this last year, so you'll notice that there are some spots where it is a bit off, but I refuse to unpick. I like to call it progress.

Continuing with the tree theme I think this quilt would be so awesome to make! Maybe in a few years...

A Border-less Quilt

I can't think of a single quilt I have made this year that didn't have some type of border around it. While I was making this one I was asking myself why that was.

I came to the conclussion that I prefer a good border on a quilt like I prefer a framed picture with a mat around it. I like the added weight it gives, more substance, bigger presence, whatever you want to call it, I just like it.

With that being said, I quite like this one (a total knock off of this quilt) without a border.

I used two charm packs of Momo Wonderland, but added another 40 or so squares from my stash to make it bigger and less matchy-matchy. Finished quilt measures 48" by 52".

Here is a closer look at the stash pieces I used. I scored! I bought them all on the cheap in the remnant section of my local quilt shop. They are Woodland Friends Circles, Recess Fun and Games in blue, Stencil Floral from Holly Hill, with some solids thrown in. The backing is a piece from Hobby Lobby. Mom bought it for fiesta night but gave it to me when our reunion was over.

I think this one is going to get wrapped up for my youngest daughter for Christmas. Unfortunately it isn't one of my finishes for the challenge. Can I count it anyway?

So, I'd like to know how you feel about borders. Love 'em or hate 'em I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Cool Knit Hat {Glow in the Dark Version}

I did this hat for Emily's b-day earlier in month. She is and has been the runner of the family and is committed to continue during the colder winter months. She's already run a Halloween 5K, with a Santa 5K and a midnight run on New Years Eve coming up. Go, Em! Can't wait to see pics of you in the Santa getup.

Yarn Materials:
Bernat® Satin -- Snow and Maitai.
Bernat® Glow in the Dark Yarn --light pink (Yes, you read that right--glow in the dark!!)

Of course, it is now discontinued and I should have bought more of it last year when I found it, but oh well.... You don't always know what you are going to love. If I had had more of it and in white I would have used it for my son's SK8TR hat. That would've been AWESOME to have glowing skulls on his hat. DRATS!!!

This is the basic knit hat pattern that I have been using for years. I tried to find the pattern directly online--as I know it came from a knitting pattern book. However, I couldn't find the source. One thing I just love about this pattern is that you can adjust the stripes to accomodate a number of different designs. I also think this is a great pattern to use up your scrap yarn--just make a funky striped hat.

Cool Knit Hat

Finished hat circumference 20” and 9” long from edge to top.

Size 8 – 16” circular needles
Size 8 double-pointed needles
Lion Brand Wool-Ease (or similar)

Cast on 84 sts.

Ribbing:
Join and work 4 rnds in k1, p1 rib.

Body of Hat:
Knit 10 rnds. Work 24 rnds in stripe pattern ( Rnds 1-4 in one color and 5-10 in another…repeat)
***This is 34 rows of total knitting for the body of the hat that you can adjust in any stripe format you would like. This is a great pattern to use up your extra yarns.

Shape crown, working decs as follows, changing to dpns when necessary.
Rnd 1: *k2tog, k4; rep from * -70 sts.
Rnd 2, 4, 6, 8 knit
Rnd 3: *k2tog, k3; rep from * -56 sts.
*Start using Dpns at Round 5
Rnd 5: *k2tog, k2; rep from * -42 sts.
Rnd 7: *k2tog, k1; rep from * -28 sts.
Rnd 9: *k2tog; rep from * -14 sts.
Rnd 10: k2tog 7 times -7 sts.

Cut yarn. With tapestry needle, run tail through remaining 7 stitches and fasten off. Weave in ends.

Advent Pocket Fillers

Although the kids sure think it's great to get treats every day for the entire month of December as we're doing the advent calendar, we've been thinking of other options that they'll still get excited about. Try checking your area for events happening locally and add those to your calendar on the appropriate day.

Here are a few ideas you might like to try to fill your Advent Calendar Pockets:

• Hot Chocolate Night
• Firepit Night
• Decorate Sugar Cookies (and then deliver some to friends or neighbors)
• Make Gingerbread houses--Wilton has easy pre-made kits available
• Write Santa letters
• Assemble and send your family Christmas cards
• Have a sleep-out under the Christmas tree (we'll have at least 2 pockets with this one)
• Watch your family's favorite Christmas movie
• Attend your city's torchlight or holidazzle parades
• Go view Christmas light displays in your neighborhood
• Attend a Christmas concert in your area
• Make ornaments for your tree
• Cut paper snowflakes and hang them around the house or post them in the windows
• Sledding day
• Make custom gift tags (recycling old greeting cards are great for this activity)
• Wrapping presents day
• Visit Santa at your local Mall
• Read one or more of your favorite Christmas books--Click HERE for good start on a reading list
• Find acts of service to perform--i.e., shoveling walks for someone
• Have a "clean out" day and purge some of your outgrown or unused toys or clothes and then donate them to a shelter
• Make a "Thank You" stocking for Santa to hang with the rest of yours
• Make custom placemats using old Christmas cards

Family Fun has some printable Advent Calendar Activities you can try also.

Advent Nativity Coloring Pages--6 pages that you can print off already in color or black and white for your kids to color. They can color one character or figure each day during the month until the entire nativity is completed on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

Advent Candle

After seeing Emily's advent calendar, we all thought this would be a great addition to that. Besides whatever fun things you are doing during the month of December, this is a nice way to bring more into focus the true meaning of the Christmas season.

Shauna originally gave this to us years ago. I'm not sure where she got it, or if she came up with it on her own. But here is how it works. Each evening, as sort of a family devotional, you light a candle (if you want), and then read a scripture verse that talks about some aspect of Jesus Christ's life. You can then add more discussion, if desired, with your family, adapting it to the ages and attention span of your kids.

Click HERE for the pdf. of the "Advent Candle" which includes simple directions, a list of all scripture references, and a corresponding characteristic of Jesus Christ. All scripture verses taken from the King James Version of the Bible. (A HUGE Thanks! to Steve F. for walking me thru how to work the pdf. Your directions were great!)

If you do not have access to the Holy Bible in your home you can click HERE to request a FREE copy from Mormon.org. Or you can visit HERE and pull up the entire New Testament to cut and paste the corresponding scripture verses.

Here is a good place to find some nice pictures depicting scenes from the Nativity.

Another great resource to have is a beautiful DVD called "Joy to the World". This is produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and you can receive it FREE at the same site above. The DVD is around 20 minutes long and depicts the birth of the Savior. We try and watch it on Christmas Eve and I have been pleasantly surprised that even the little ones in our house will watch it quietly and give their full attention.

Advent Calendar Ala Oh, Fransson! Version #2

I got a preview a couple weeks ago of Emily's Advent Calendar and decided that I, too, needed one of these. For various reasons I've gotten rid of all others that I've had previously. We've made our own "advent" chains with candy each day and I really didn't want to do that. With all the fun little pockets we can do some days with candy treats and other days with something else.

My color choices are a little less subtle than Emily's, but as our mom would say, "To each his own."

I do have to say that I am not good with randomness. As I was working on this I had a hard time mixing it up and making sure it remained random looking. I had Hubby come and look at it once I had it where I thought I wanted it and he was less than helpful.

Hubby: "Is it supposed to look so chaotic?"
Me: "You mean random? Yes."
Hubby: Immediately he responded, "It looks great then", and walked off.

Later:
Hubby: "Why are the numbers not in order?"
Me: "Because I wanted them that way."
Hubby: "....O.K...." (remember that Hubby is an engineer--they don't think randomly--they think extremely, extremely precise)

He also asked me why I didn't do 25 squares instead of 24 and then I could have it be 5 across by 5 down. Of course, he mentioned that after everything was already organized and partially sewn. But it is something you may want to think about.

Here's what finally came to pass with my struggle for randomness.

At this stage in my life I don't do fancy quilting. Straight lines, like topstitching, are what I do best. I may eventually try and practice the free motion quilting, but not for now.

Back view: Besides the dowel corners that Oh, Fransson! recommended I added a center loop just to make sure the calendar wouldn't sag while it is hanging up and all filled.

Close-up of the dowel and holder.

My adjustments:

1. Bought 3 fat quarter bundles packs from Jo-Ann Fabrics, plus 4 more fat quarter pieces. (This is WAY more than what you need, but it worked out for what I wanted to do and I used coupons to cut the price down.) I've been working on a Christmas quilt from the remaining pieces. Will post that later on.

2. Also cut 5" squares--I don't like to think in 1/2" measurements.

3. Cut 2" sashing.

Stay tuned in the following days for some suggestions on what to fill the pockets with. We've been brainstorming and hope to give you some good ideas.

Winner

~Michelle~

is the big winner!

Congrats!

Your quilt is on it's way...

Can't wait to see how it turns out!

I had a great time reading through all your thoughts!

Made my day to see that so many of you are content or down-right happy about your age. That's the way it should be! Besides, does anyone really want to repeat high school?! The thought of it makes me gag!

Have a good one!

Christmas Reading List--Guest Post

Our cousin, Annette, is a book fiend. She freely admits it. And we are freely going to use it to our advantage. She posted on her own personal blog (earlier in October no less) about the Christmas reading list she was putting together for her kids this season and we asked if she'd be willing to share it with everyone. We thought we'd get this out sooner than later so if you like the idea you, too, can get started on rounding up the Christmas/Seasonal books your family likes.

_________________________

One of our favorite family traditions every December is reading a Christmas story by the Christmas tree. And every December it's one of the traditions that quite often gets skipped due to parties, school events, getting home late, etc.

This year, however, I have vowed to have a slower, quieter, more meaningful Christmas season. I hope. I saw the idea on a couple different blogs of wrapping the Christmas books and then letting kids unwrap one each night to read. The only problem with that was that about half of my stories are just typed ones that I have in a big binder. My girls prefer stories with pictures anyway, so I figured this was a good year to stock up on Christmas books.

Amazon - which just barely gets edged out by Target as my #1 place to shop - has been a great place to find very cheap, used Christmas books. Most of the ones I bought this year were hardcover books in "like new" or "very good" condition and cost $0.01 plus $3.99 shipping. I think the most expensive one I bought was $2.00 plus shipping. Over the past couple of months I've bought 2 or 3 each payday. There are still a few I'd like to get but now that I have enough to get us through Christmas Day I'm not in such a hurry.

I tried to keep the books a secret but my kids quickly figured out what I was doing and quite often I catch them trying to cheat and read them ahead of time. Then I threaten to call Santa Claus, they cry and scream, and order is restored.

Here's the list of what we'll be reading this December:

1. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer retold by Dennis R. Shealy


2. Frosty the Snowman retold by Annie North Bedford


3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss


4. Santa Claus by Rod Green


5. Magical Hands by Marjorie Barker Yoshi (technically not a Christmas book but it's got an inspiring message and we always read it at Christmas)
6. Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect by Richard H. Schneider


7. The Bears' Christmas by Stan & Jan Berenstain


8. How Many Miles to Bethlehem? by Kevin Crossley-Holland


9. The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski (How'd you like that last name?) ***There is also a DVD of this story that Renae found at her local library. Check yours, they may have it also.
10. This is the Stable by Cynthia Cotten
11. Punchinello and the Most Marvelous Gift by Max Lucado
    


12. The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore
13. Who'll Pull Santa's Sleigh Tonight? by Laura Rader


14. Mooseltoe by Margie Palatin


15. Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner



16. The Christmas Humbugs by Colleen Monroe
17. Christmas Oranges retold by Linda Bethers


18. The Legend of the Christmas Stocking by Rick Osborne
    
19. The Little Shepherd Girl by Juliann Henry
    
20. The Tale of Three Trees retold by Angela Elwell Hunt
    
    


21. Auntie Claus by Elise Primavera
    
22. Auntie Claus and the Key to Christmas by Elise Primavera
23. Humphrey's First Christmas by Carol Heyer
    
24. Russell's Christmas Magic by Rob Scotton
    


25. Jingle Bells Illustrated by Kathleen O'Malley


26. Jacob's Gift by Max Lucado

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson will be my 8 O'Clock Club selection (the book I read at bedtime with my kids) this year. A few other classics are missing from this list mostly because we watch them rather than read them in December. Having my husband, Ron, make us hot chocolate, then watching him sing and dance to the hot chocolate song in The Polar Express has become a tradition we would never, ever give up.

____________________

Thanks, Annette! If you want to leave us a comment telling us about a book or books your family loves to read for the season, we'd love to hear your recommendations, too.