Family Fun on Christmas Day

Family Fun on Christmas Day

I just love Christmas stockings.  As a kid, I remember mine and my sibling’s stockings being filled with lots of candy and a giant peppermint stick.  As a parent, I love to fill my children’s stockings with candy and some surprises too.  I have the best time picking up small gifts to stuff in the stocking and surprise my boys.  And every year I pick up too much and the stockings end up overflowing.   When they were little we would put in giant bouncy balls, wind-up toys and silly putty.  As they have grown into teens the surprises are less toys and more unique or fun gifts.#familyfun crochet pattern for tic-tac-toe travel game
Something that would be a lot of fun to make as a stocking stuffer would be the #FamilyFun travel Tic-Tac-Toe game.  The board turns into its own travel pouch keeping all the pieces secure inside.  And check out these tic-tac-toe tips .  How fun will Christmas Day be relaxing with family and friends while enjoying some competitive tic-tac-toe game play!

The holidays are coming!  Get your crochet on with some festive Christmas Crochet.  All three patterns featured here are including in the 2016 Gift-A-Long.  Join in the fun and win some prizes too.

Crochet pattern for a Christmas tree by Darleen Hopkins #CbyDH

Table Top Holiday Tree

Elf-on-Shelf-in-crochet-pattern-christmas-stocking-Elf-Socks-WEB-logo

Elf Socks Stockings

Christmas Bib Set Crochet Pattens by Darleen Hopkins

Christmas in September?? and Holiday Bibs: Santa, Snowman, Elf and Gingerbread Baby

Celebrate Christmas in September with New Holiday Bib Patterns

I live in a cute, small town. We have a well preserved town square with lots of specialty shops surrounding an old courthouse. It seems like every month there is a festival or a parade or some other hometown event. It is not unusual to see someone sitting on a bench in town playing a banjo, guitar or harmonica. And since we are located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, we have a great combination of southern and mountain small town charm. Something straight out of a Hallmark movie, literally.

14518751_10210977412617143_1858194943_n

photo by Gayle!

This past week, Hallmark has been filming a Christmas special in our town. A beautiful white building with a gorgeous front porch, located across from where I work, has been covered in fake snow all week. Last week I saw some of the crew carving snow drifts out of blocks of white foam. And every day when I drive home via the square I get this feeling that something isn’t quite right. Then I hits me, oh right, the Christmas decorations in September and the signs that say, “to set” and “base camp” on every corner. And now they have decorated for nighttime scenes too!  This is the second time Hallmark has filmed here.  It is fun to see the filming process and we are happy to host them.

Christmas in September is a little odd, unless you are a crafter.  As crafters we have to get started early on all our holiday gifts and decorations.

Christmas Bib Set Crochet Pattens by Darleen HopkinsFor all you holiday crocheters, I am please to announce my latest patterns, a set of holiday bibs for baby.  A Christmas Elf, a Gingerbread Baby, a Button-Nose Snowman (my favorite) and of course, Santa.  Each is available for individual purchase or as collection with a discount in Crochet Christmas, The Bib Collection.  If you have a heavy drooler (like one of my boys was) make yours in cotton or cotton blend yarn for maximum absorbancy.  Or stitch in acrylic yarn for easy care.  Either way, baby will be super festive for all you holiday events.

christmas-santa-baby-bib-crochet-pattern-by-darleen-hopkins #CbyDH

christmas-snowman-baby-bib-crochet-pattern-by-darleen-hopkins #CbyDH

christmas-gingerbread-baby-bib-crochet-pattern-by-darleen-hopkins #CbyDH

christmas-elf-baby-bib-crochet-pattern-by-darleen-hopkins #CbyDH

Save

Save

Save

Save