In our family we no longer purchase gifts for every adult (some years we do draw names). We can make things for one another. This year Mom and I made runners for each other (we didn't plan this). I made the appliqued holly for her. I thought it was interesting to use the linen toile from Rouennaries for a background. The leaves are needle turn, but the stem and berries are wool felt.

Mom made the crazy quilt runner for me. She just loves dooing crazy quilts and puts a lot of work into them. I had picked up some crushed velvet for her at quilt market and she has been collecting old ties for the rest. Some of these came from groups of old ties that some of you generously shared with me to give to her. She is also putting them into throw sized quilts that she hopes to complete for all the girls in our family.

We were happy to have Mom and my brother and his wife here yesterday. We considered it our Christmas get together as weather got in the way before. Mom spent Christmas in Louisiana with my sister (Jan, who does the embroidery and wool felt patterns for us) and her family. My brother Tom and his wife Barb have been living in Germany for seven months for his job. They really had some wonderful experiences traveling all over Europe. Most of the time they live in Michigan.