Podcast 007 - Christmas Is Coming, Part 2

Total length of this podcast: 51:22

CLICK HERE to listen to Podcast 007. Right-click on the link and save it to your hard drive. Or better yet, so you don't miss future podcasts, subscribe using one of the links to the right.

You can download the MP3 audio file (which can be played in iTunes or other multimedia players) and skip to whatever segment interests -- check the minute marker for each segment.

INTRODUCTION

Today's bumper music is The Coventry Carol, which dates back to 16th century England.

Here is Teddy's cat Isis last Christmas -- her eyes look just like the glowing lights on the tree. Sadly, Isis passed away from kidney failure this past year.

Here is a picture of my retirement clock, a Thomas Tompion carriage clock made by Howard Miller. It has three sets of real chimes (Westminster, Saint Michael, and another I can't recall).You can just see the wall quilt that my sister Pat made for me for our 25th wedding anniversary in the background.

And here is the clock in my son's fraternity house at the University of Michigan. It was a bequest from a graduated fraternity brother some years ago. This is one magnificent clock -- it stands 7 feet tall, and the chimes are so melodious. I sure wish I lived in that beautiful house (it's one of those huge historical mansions).

CLICK HERE if you want to learn more about Howard Miller's fine clocks -- it's a Michigan-based company!

I actually managed to get nearly all of my knitting and crocheting projects done for Christmas -- since it's only the 17th, I know I'll get another scarf done, and I hope to finish my mother-in-law's shawl. The photo below shows all of the Christmas gifts I've made so far, including the two unfinished projects. I'm impressed with myself, especially since I learned to knit and crochet just since September when I began my podcast! Yay me!

EDIT: It's the day after I first published this entry, and I just finished Ted's scarf, and here's a photo. (It's the one just started in the photo above.) Now I can concentrate on my mother-in-law's shawl!

CLICK HERE to download the Christmas Angel redwork pattern. Sorry, you Alice in Wonderland lovers need to wait until the end of December for the next installment!

 THE FIBER ARTS SEGMENT [Podcast minute marker: 19:40]

 

The supplies you need to make the fabric part of the Bejeweled Christmas Tree Wall Hanging

The tree and gifts placed on the background fabric

 

The supplies to decorate the tree

 

The finished Bejeweled Christmas Tree Wall Hanging

The back of the quilt showing placement of hanging pockets and chopstick hanger

CLICK HERE to download the Bejeweled Christmas Tree Wall Hanging project sheet.

CLICK HERE to go to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative Web site.

THE PAPER ARTS SEGMENT [Podcast minute marker: 27:07]

The Legend of the Poinsettia

The legend of the poinsettia comes from Mexico. It tells of a girl named Maria and her little brother Pablo. They were very poor but always looked forward to the Christmas festival. Each year a large manger scene was set up in the village church, and the days before Christmas were filled with parades and parties. The two children loved Christmas, but were always saddened because they had no money to buy presents. They especially wished that they could give something to the church for the Baby Jesus. But they had nothing.

One Christmas Eve, Maria and Pablo set out for church to attend the service. On their way they picked some weeds growing along the roadside and decided to take them as their gift to the Baby Jesus in the manger scene. Of course they were teased by other children when they arrived with their gift, but they said nothing for they knew they had given what they could. Maria and Pablo began placing the green plants around the manger and miraculously, the green top leaves turned into bright red petals, and soon the manger was surrounded by beautiful star-like flowers and so we see them today.

The supplies you need to make the card

 The petals folded and tied with ribbon

The open poinsettia

CLICK HERE to download the Poinsettia 3-D Card project sheet.

THE RECIPE [Podcast minute marker: 33:34]

The ingredients

Ready for the oven

Ready to eat!

CLICK HERE to download the Snowball Cookies recipe sheet.

GRAB BAG [Podcast minute marker: 36:22]

I wrote the song Lullaby in this segment when I was 15 years old. It is sung from the viewpoint of the young Mary, the mother of Jesus, to her newborn son. Like The Coventry Carol, there is a darkness that portends peril in Jesus' life.

CLICK HERE to listen to the song (right-click to download it to your hard drive).

Have a blessed Christmas, tell stories, and maintain family traditions. They are the threads that bind us, generation to generation.

And remember . . .

Creativity isn't a race . . .
. . . it's an adventure!