Early Gifts

Today I want to share some of the early Christmas presents I received this year. The first one is a quilted wall hanging I got from my friend Faith in Maryland. Since the colors go well with my blue Christmas, it saved me from having to finish my star wall hanging (which means I can now hand quilt it, which is what I wanted to do because it is hand pieced also).


My friend Sabine in Germany sent me a beautiful handmade Christmas card and two CDs she picked from my amazon wishlist. :)


I got this little book with German Christmas poems from my friend Anni in Vienna. We have known each other (and been friends) since our last two years in school (1980/81). When I read the poems I was - almost - feeling sentimental, but then I remembered that the Vienna I left last year had little to do with the one I grew up in. Almost none of the things I remember from my childhood are still there. I hope they won't regret one day what they sacrificed in the name of progress.

This addition to my penguin collection came from my friends Regine and Gerhard in Vienna. :) It is carved from wood.


Yesterday this adorable little bird and it's nest came from my quilter friend Victoria. It had a little tag on it about how lucky it is to find a bird's nest in your Christmas tree. So I put it into the little tree with the handmade ornaments. :)

I always preferred "small" gifts given with love and thoughtfulness over big flashy things that don't mean a thing. I am blessed and thankful to have loving friends, even if they are far away they are close to my heart (every day, not just at Christmas). I wish them all a

Happy and Blessed Christmas!