Wednesday 23 November 2011

The right time to bring a Christmas Tree inside for Christmas


We normally go into Christmas mode after December 7th, but this year we're slightly earlier here at the cottage. The bear has an elf suit. A small green felted and lined jacket that is older than the bear by about 40 years. Slightly too tight for him around his middle, (too many cookies bear) but it's warm in here so don't think he is going to get cold even in the snow. He also has some new elf boots..


A cute and easy little pattern, the pattern has endless idea's. Mary Ann suggested that candles would look great in them. I thought candles, why candles ?  I never actually had my glasses on... CANDIES..........  not candles..........Mary Ann has some great links to other inspiring makes on her blog, you can find them     JUST HERE......... Thanks Mary Ann.... make sure you make a note and leave a comment for mousie or he will never forgive you. Mousie is the little guy who works hard, plays hard, you will see him.


I'm coming to the bit about Christmas Tree's....... This little tree has been  planted in our garden for about four years. It lives quite happily surrounded by mint in the Summer. It's been left to get on with growing, without any feeding, shaping or digging up again for yet another Christmas. It looked a bit sad last year but has suddenly picked up.  It's a shame to dig it up when he looks happy enough. He's not left entirely alone though, as he is decorated with birdie food during hard Winters.


This potted guy has been fed all year, shaped, re potted, he looks good enough to be placed in our window seat again.  Every year since we have lived at Soggibottom we always have a real tree. Apart from one year we brought an artificial tree, it had one night on the window seat and we both decided the cottage needed something real at Christmas. We always buy a tree with roots, one to last more than just a few days... Nothing wrong with this tree, except this year we can't put a tree in the window at doggie height... for obvious reasons...  much better to be safe than sorry, maybe we are being over protective, but if you love your dog, you protect the love of your life.


This little tree is such a  pup attraction already...


You might like this pic of the tree better, messing around with camera setting isn't a bad thing, but then you realise some of the pics you take can't be reproduced again with clarity.
So here is our Christmas tree for this year, a table top (PUP PROOF we hope where she can't test it out) little spruce. Should smell great too. So When is the right time to bring in a Christmas Tree into your house... ?


Tradition says on Christmas Eve, what do you think Freya ?
Big yawn, she would rather be at the beach , or maybe she's getting in some choir practise for Silent Night............ Catflap Cavalier......

READ ON,.............
Here I would normally stop at a blog post so hope on this occasion you'll read on.....might be a long post :-) ... over the last few days soggibottom posts have been rather thin on the ground to say the least... trying to make it up for my lack of activity I have two more links to give you.

I hope they will make you smile at the generosity of people and at the same time sadden your heart..... to make you generous and help if you can. Here is a link to Debbie and Dixie. Debbie has a heart of gold with her campaign for Fabric for SUE .


It also gives me a very selfish chance to show you a pic from a visit to the beach this week.


The next link is to Judith.


Judith can tell you Sam and Gizzy's story.....I am sure their story has only just started...  Judith can tell you so much better than I can. There is one thing that Judith doesn't say in her post. Gizzy is having pups...........

Happy Thanksgiving to all our American Friends.....  

Don't forget about your Christmas Tree, if it's living and has roots, you might like to make it last a bit longer by not bringing it into a warm house too soon......... Artificial tree's are fine... but do they really smell of CHRISTMAS  ?


Last but one photo, this time one taken by me with our old camera.
.

Frank's turn..... he doesn't and never will wear boots !

21 comments:

Beyond the Dog Dish said...

We always get a real tree too. I seem to be threatening every yr a bit more the NEXT will be artificial but I doubt it! We use an xpen around our tree - must or Becky climbs it :)

What a small thing to do to bring someone joy! I have so much fabric here I will have to send some off to Debbie and Dixie.

Anonymous said...

There's a lot to be said for having a real tree for the holidays. We've had an artificial tree for years now but I still miss the fresh scent (though not vacuuming the needles!).

Your tree is so cute!

As always, sending my love.

Bunny XOXOXO

Joanna said...

Okay, the elf shoes are just the thing for Bear, and they made me smile so I have got to make a pair for holding candy or holly. Love the little elf suit, too. You have talked me into getting a small fir tree for inside, but I still love my white fake tree.

Old Kitty said...

Oh wow - bear's elf outfit and booties are soooooooo adorable!

And your tree is so cute!! I love the way you nurtured it too first.

Yay for real christmas trees!

I do have a real christmas tree in a pot bought 4 years ago now - it started off as a foot long (short? LOL!)and now it's in a monster pot and near enough as tall as me so I'm keeping it outside and just putting some lights around it.

Fab to see sweet Freya and adorable Frankie!

Take care
x

Caroline B said...

In our house the Christmas tree is usually bought and brought in on my birthday, the 15th Dec. Luckily we have never had any problems with pups eating it, but someone (give you 3 guesses) did pee on it the first year he saw one....
I think you should make yourself some elf shoes.....Stacie dragged out the film 'Elf' today (good sign Christmas is approaching)so perhaps we need elf shoes too.

Mary Ann Tate said...

Mr. Bear looks wonderful in his elf suit and his shoes are perfect...even without the candles:) We can't have a real tree as certain cats insist on climbing up the trunk:( We do have an artificial tree which I am going to put up this year...maybe...for my granddaughter. I also have a wall tree...long story:)

Faye Henry said...

Hi my sweet Midge.. I am a real tree fan but since we have several then only one is real.. I have added some boughs to make the others smell real.. grin..
That Frank is sooo cute as is Freya.. Oh, and you too.. grin..
Blessings..

Allie said...

Mr. Bear looks so handsome in his Christmas suit! I love those elf shoes, had to laugh about the candles. Some old gent caught me on the floor of Walmart tonight, trying to see a price tag - he said it's pretty bad when you have to get all the way down there, and I agreed, said I'd left my bifocals at home.

We haven't had a real tree in years, since my girlfriend's horror story. I think I told you about it. Hubby would always go on Christmas Eve to get one, they'd give it to him free. Good idea to keep puppers away from the tree, Midge. She is a bit curious, that one! Lovely, lovely pics of the beach, makes my heart long for it.

Sue said...

How I wish we could have a real tree, but I'm allergic to pine and I don't fancy being sick for the holidays, so we'll make do with an artificial one or two or three.

I love that sandy little face.

Must go check out your links now.

WoolenSails said...

I love that outfit on Teddy, so cute.
Too cold and windy for walking today, hopefully this weekend.

Debbie

Tweedles -- that's me said...

I wonder if Freya would like to have those booties on? Tee hee hee,
Well , the bear for sure!
Your little Christmas tree is precious!
And Freya,, how can you keep getting cuter and cuter?
love
tweedles

Sue Doran said...

I always remove my Christmas tree on twelfth night so I tend to think that it's only right that I bring it in twelve days BEFORE Christmas day but I'm often flexible about the actual before timing so it tends to be the 2nd Sunday prior cos it's convenient to fetch it then. We get our tree from Doddington Hall; they're all grown on the Estate providing jobs for the local population. I rather like the whole experience of going up to the big manor to collect our tree, it's a very traditional experience.

I water mine (with or without roots) throughout the time it's in the house to keep it fresh for longer. It's anchored into a bucket with bricks/large stones and then infilled with gravel to weight it down (we tend to go for a six footer) and then the bucket gets wrapped in wrapping paper.

I did plant the first couple that we had with roots, they "took" a treat. I dread to think how tall they might be now 30 years on ...! Hope they're not a problem for the current owner of that house!

WendyCarole said...

We can't have a real tree because I am allergic to them. If I touch the branches I come out in red blobs! We used to have them when I was small. There is a huge great tree in my mum's garden that was once a Christmas tree in our house. It's the only one that ever grew after being planted.

Love the elf slippers is it your own pattern?

Dolores said...

Real trees do smell so much better but none of ours come with roots.
So glad you got a (hopefully) puppy-proof tree.
Bear looks so good in his elf outfit even if it is a tad tight to be done up.

Ayla said...

cute christmas bear to look over the passing children!!! And oh little Freya - she's so big now! Wish I could stop by in the festive season :( Toronto is keeping us busy though! miss Soggibottom and all it's occupants though :( xxxxxxx

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

Oh, how we love that bear, even if he has had a few too many cookies:)

Not sure we will have a tree this year, tough work for the ine-armed Mom. We shall see.

Woos ~ Phantom, Thunder, Ciara, Lightning, and Mom

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I'm enjoying your blog! Love your bears and each post is interesting! Thanks for the link for the little shoes! Hugs! ♥

Kirsten (peacefuldog) said...

I love having a little, reusable tree. As a kid we always had a big one that had been cut down and it was so sad to see it age and lose all its leaves and then end up in the dump. Now we have a little, adorable fake tree that I love--it keeps its vitality year after year. I also decorate my rubber tree, for added Christmas fun :)

Remington said...

That teddy is SO cute! We don't put a real tree in our house....Beth says it's too messy for her.... We are a bit concerned this year that Mr. Ripley will tear down the tree....he IS a very active little kitten! ha ha!

Rouky said...

We do not have a real tree in the house (mom is just too lazy), but a real one looks and smells so good! We would love to spend Christmas day in your house!!! :-)

Houseelf said...

Yep I've finally made it! I'll shake the hail and rain from my boots. :-)

A couple of years ago my skin blistered after taking out the real Christmas tree. We would stand one is soil and keep it watered from the 1st onwards. Loads of choice in the shops then. Now we have the artificial one- a lot less pine needles for paws and a good squirt round with pine essential oil and a bit of M+S frankincence and all is good.

Popped over to say hi to Gizzy and Sam. What a lovely lady.