Ginger Bread House 2015

Before we get too far into 2016 I want to share with you the construction of our gingerbread houses from this past Christmas. We spent a good chunk of three days building three houses.

 

The family hard at it

 

Early in December, little Avery expressed to me, privately and politely, her disappointment at being little involved in the creating of last years gingerbread house. That's when I knew her mother and I had to stop hogging the show as we are prone to doing on these creative binges. Avery displayed great focus and did an exceptional job of decorating her own house and doesn't she look happy doing so? 

Seven years old and her sense of placement is already finely tuned

 

Avery's house

 

Although the image below (found on the Internet) is was what I would have done if I'd been making a gingerbread house of my own. This house is reminiscent of ones I found at The Gingerbread Museum in Prague ...

 

More Gingerbread Museum images can be seen here although you'll see mostly cookies, not houses

 

Denise designs and makes the house patterns and I get to put the icicles on everyone's finished masterpiece

All done, and on the buffet in the glory line up for the annual photo session 

 

Avery's house

 

Denise's Gaudi House.  Check out the amazing architectural genius of Gaudi here

 

Although Denise and I thought he should have had demerit points for using non traditional props and embellishments, Larry's house won hands down for having the most effective overall finish!

Larry's Tree House

Everett's Christmas Stocking

In order for me to get my last post of 2015 out before the year expires, I must give you a rare double header today.



Everett December 31st, 2015 at 3.5 months old

Our first grandson, Everett Marshall Koebel, arrived a week early, on September 18th, 2015  weighing in at a whopping 9lbs. 7oz.  Born in Columbia, Maryland makes him an US citizen which is why his stocking caricature wears stars and stripes ... he's our all American boy!

As I've done for every other family member I made him a stocking for his first Christmas. 

Once I've got the sketch drawn, I make a second one so that I can cut it up as pattern pieces which are used to cut out the coloured felt bits. I hand stitch these to the face of the stocking.

Pieces pinned in place ready to sew

Just when my fingers are weary of pushing the needle around, the hand work is done. Using the sewing machine, I sew the back to the front and add the cuff, thread the ribbon into it and attach the jingle bells.

The finished stocking

Below are the stockings I made for Everett's parents. Laura's for her first Christmas in 1978, Adam's after they had partnered up and his sister's when she was born four years ago. 

   

Unfortunately, Everett's stocking (which was in the parcel to Manila with Amira's birthday painting) was the only stocking at the Koebel's Christmas this year. Their shipment from Maryland had arrived in the Philippines but it didn't clear customs in time for Christmas, so Everett shared his stocking with his big sister.



Amira and Everett

Sadly, we were without these little folks, and their parents, here in Canada this Christmas. One day I hope that all the stockings will be hung together once again ...



Christmas 2011

Christmas Stockings

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care

It all started in 1972 when I made six felt stockings ... for Bill, myself and two other couples who traveled from afar to join us for our first Christmas in Banff.  Denise's and Laura's were made for their first Christmases in 1975 and 1978 respectively.  With acquired sons-in-laws I made two more in 2007, for Larry and Adam.  Avery's was made for her first Christmas in 2008.  This week, for little Amira, I sewed my 17th stocking.

In progress

The little caricatures are meant to portray the personality of the individual.  In designing them I consider the colour placement plus colour compatibly to their immediate family member's stockings.  It's easier and best to hand sew all the bits of felt and embellishments on the front before it is machine stitched to the back.

As she is only two weeks old, I can't really know Amira's personality, yet, but I suspect she'll be athletic and playful.  She was born in Banff on a clear night when the 99% full moon was magically lighting the snowy mountain peaks, so the Christmas ornament that I have her swinging on is that moon.

Without a doubt these stockings are a labour of love and I loved making each and every one of them!