A CRAZY QUILT CHRISTMAS COTTAGE - NOT QUITE A HALLMARK MOVIE...

When I was a young wife and mother of two,

 I was fortunate to not have to work outside the home. 

 I was able to give all my time
to my family and my housekeeping

and I was very happy to do so.

As the kids grew older and started school,

I wanted to take advantage of

 having my own little paycheck

 so, I could add to my growing love of

 antiques and crafting 

and not put any burden on our household budget.

I went to work for an elderly lady that I had met. 

 She was, then,

 probably close to the age that I am now. 

 I cleaned her house, ran errands for her,

 and lunched with her regularly.  

I think, in the beginning, I was probably more

 of a companion to her, 

but we became close friends.

She was an accomplished and interesting woman.

  I could sit and listen for hours about the dinner parties she hosted in her day

 and of all the exciting travels she and her husband had taken around the world.  

She came from the Sacramento area, 

to what was then, their summer home in Santa Cruz. 

 After retirement, they moved there permanently.  

It was a very modest home, that sat on the cliffs, 

with a spectacular view overlooking the ocean.  

The outside, although surrounded by 

beautiful flower gardens, 

did not leave a clue as to what was inside

She had the most wonderful collection of

 antiques I had ever seen 

and there were many stories as to how and why 

they had been acquired.  

Our love of old things was the great bond between us.

  In time, I rarely left her house

 without a beautiful hand painted piece of porcelain 

or some other beautiful something

 that she had generously gifted to me.

Unfortunately, during our time together,

 she lost her only daughter 

and then her husband of many years 

 and as her health started failing, 

she decided to move back to Sacramento 

to be closer to her grandchildren.  

Sadly, I never saw her again until her funeral,

 but every time I see one of those beautiful pieces that now belong to my collection, 

I think of Mrs. Mac and 

all the good times we had together 

and how much she taught me.

As I was cleaning out the cedar chest 

that we turned into a TV cabinet, 

I came across this beautiful quilt 

that she had given to me.  

It was one that she said an aunt had started 

but never finished.  

It is all hand pieced together with beautiful soft colors in silk, satin and brocades. 

 It is in wonderful shape and a very heavy piece. 

 It measures about 6 feet by 6 feet.  

I don't know why this style is called 'crazy quilt' 

as it is a beautiful work of art.

I was thinking the term crazy quilt 

reminds me of our little Cottage 

and how it has turned into

 a collage of many colors and styles. 

 A crazy quilt of things that make me happy

 all in one place. 

 It is why, when I was trying to pick a theme

 for this year's Christmas, 

I settled on "A Crazy Quilt Christmas Cottage".

I always plan a theme.  Do you? 

 Even though the decorations remain 

mostly the same from year to year, 

it just gives me a satisfied feeling to know 

that they are put together 

with a certain thought in mind, 

even if I am the only one who knows it.

I've tried to give you a small refresher course

 of some of our Christmas's past during this post. 

  I'm sure you will notice the great similarities

 between the past and the present

 when all is said and done 

 but, hopefully, my rendition will live up to 

what you would expect 

A Crazy Quilt Christmas Cottage to look like.

  Not quite a Hallmark movie...but close.

See you when the celebrations commence.

...xxoJudy...

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