Two hundred

In case you didn't know (and you probably didn't), this marks my two-hundredth post! Yay me!

I thought about having a celebratory giveaway...

but I think I'll wait a little bit. You see, in early January I will also be celebrating my first year of blogging and in late January I will be celebrating a quite significant birthday...

so I will have a party sometime in January for all three wondrous occasions... and you're invited!

But first we have to get through Christmas.

A few years ago, when we first moved to the city, Mr. P and the OnlyChild bought me five pieces of the Dickens Christmas Village, with the idea that we would add to it each year. I love it, but I still only have five pieces. This suits me just fine, given the fact that there is limited space in my little old house to display anything.

Our tree is up and decorated. Each one of us had a part in the decorating this year. Mr. P started, I tidied up (haha) and the OnlyChild put her own decorations on it after.

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(By the way, not one of those presents is for the OnlyChild. Honestly, we have not wrapped a thing for her yet.)
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Here is the 2009 edition of the annual cross-stitched ornament I make for the OnlyChild. This year she wanted a cupcake (the trend continues). I was happy to oblige, as this was an exceptionally quick and easy pattern. Start to finish, the entire ornament took less than two hours. Yes, for once I wasn't toiling over it on Christmas Eve. You may not be able to see, but I embellished the frosting with little bead sprinkles.

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Not all ornaments in the cross-stitched collection are actually cross-stitched. This is one of two that were made from another method. This particular year marks the adoption of Bernice (my sewing machine) into the family. A tiny log-cabin quilt for 2001.
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My mum's friend Ola made me these crochet snowflakes the first year I was married - eighteen years ago. I wish I had more of them. Maybe she still makes them and I can put in another order.
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I love this little angel. I got her when I was four. That year we were living in Norway at Christmas time, so I always refer to her as my Norwegian Angel. Mr. P and the OnlyChild don't get the fuss, but I think she's beautiful. I don't really remember the story behind my getting her, but she means a lot to me. (Mum, are you out there? Do you remember how I got this angel?)
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This is a limited edition light bulb snowman. I think I made two or three of these. I know Mum has one; maybe my friend Kim does too. I think he's pretty neat. His nose is a piece of leather and looks just like a dried up old carrot.
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Didn't you know that Santa was a Scot? Here he is wearing the family hunting tartan. Very stylish, wouldn't you say? We had him custom-made about five years ago.
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So, there you have it - another peek at Christmas in my house. There's more to see.
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Marking update: I have one-and-a-quarter inches marked so far, a little behind my target but I took yesterday off. Still plugging away...