Twas the Night before Christmas..

Twas the Night before Christmas..

Hi there
Christmas Eve is here.
You probably already know by now that my Mum is German, and therefore we celebrate Christmas the German way.
Which is today.
The family will come to our house late afternoon, 
and we will prepare a simple meal:
Bratwurst, Sauerkraut and mashed potatoes with onion gravy.
Simple meal at a reasonable hour, clean the kitchen and then gather around the tree for gift giving.
Then one of the kids will hand out the presents one at a time, and we will wait and watch while each gift is enjoyed and appreciated.
This is the only way I know how, and I love it. 
When we were kids, the tree didn’t even get decorated until Christmas Eve. My poor Mum !!! She must have run around like a headless chicken to get it all ready for us!
Now it’s my turn, and I do it with great pleasure.
I remember when Mark and Grace were small, 
my brother dressed up one year as Santa Claus,
 and came to the back door too, ringing the bell. 
Mark was only a nipper, maybe 4. Grace, a head taller, about 6.
Mark stood gazing up at the huge bearded man, listening intently. 
When Steve had left and we closed the door, Mark turned to me and said innocently, “Mummy, did you notice? Father Christmas had EXACTLY the same shoes as Uncle Steven!”
Magic.
So here’s a little Twas the Night offering,
which encapsulates a perfect Christmas Eve for me.
It’s Verse number 4, framed with the Universal Framer
which fits them all.
Stamped in black Archival,
Stamped and embedded in white fusible fibre too.
How perfect is this?
You will appreciate that I am a little stretched today, so if you would like to know how to work with fusible fibres, then just click on the YouTube video below, and more will be revealed. 
See how the roof is loaded with snow?
This can be done by sculpting the fibre while it is still hot 
with the tip of the iron and a pen lid.

When you cut out the fibre circle, the detail on the stamped bauble underneath will give you the trim.
Here are a few more Maria and I did whilst pedalling away 
at exhibitions! All ready for next Christmas!
These are mostly done with fusible film.
‘Twas the Night before Christmas.
In fact ‘Tis!
So may I wish you a wonderful Christmas,
a calm and happy one.
Let’s raise a glass tomorrow.
If you have time, do stop by. 
I’m making a very German dessert which you may enjoy.
My German potato salad went down so well last year, 
I thought we’d do the afters tomorrow!
In the meantime,
check his shoes…it may be Steve moonlighting!!!
lots of love
Barb
xxx
PS Yesterday’s £20 Gift Voucher winner is…..
Janice Stone
x
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!!!!

54 thoughts on “Twas the Night before Christmas..

  1. Many thanks for writing this blog day after day and giving so much pleasure. Not to mention the hints, tips and your expertise! Happy Christmas and best wishes for the best new year ever x

  2. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and the Happiest of New Years – thanks for your inspiration and your Youtube Tuesdays all year – looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us in 2015

    Kathyk

  3. Merry Christmas to you, your family and all the Clarity gang! Thank you for all the wonderful products, inspiration and laughs you have given me this year.

  4. Hi Barbara, as you might know by now am from Alsace, so just "next door" from Germany and I have always celebrated Christmas the same way than you. Since a few years now I am living with an English man…..And for the 1st time since we are together we have Christmas at home so nice diner and opening of the presents.
    When my daughter was younger, she was in the kitchen making "bredala" with my mum while I was decorating the tree in the afternoon. She has grown up, but am pleased to say that she is keeping the tradition and still only decorate her tree on Christmas eve.
    I wish you and your family a Frohe Weinhachten.
    Laurence xx

  5. Happy Christmas to you and your family. Thankyou for all you positivity through out the year. I am doing the usual last minute wrapping of the presents and realising how many I have forgotten to buy! Hope that my husband will pick them up on his way home from work!!!
    Have a lovely time with your family. xxx

  6. Hi Barbara,
    Thank you for all the blogs this year, the you tube Tuesday's, the laughs, tears, tips and private peaks too.

    Wishing you and the family a very Happy Christmas and healthy New Year.

    Best wishes,
    Jackie, x

  7. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Have a wonderful time tonight. It sounds fantastic.
    Regards
    Lesley
    PS. I made your German potato salad last year and it went down a storm so looking forward to dessert.XX

  8. Happy Christmas to you and your family and all at Clarity Stamps. Thank you for all the wonderful blogs throughout the year and your inspiration and tips that you give us.

    We open our presents on Christmas Day and my son has always handed them out. He will do this again tomorrow even though he is 38!! He hands out a present which has to be opened before the next one is given out. A tradition that my Dad started and which I have carried on over the years. Have just spent the morning in the kitchen preparing all the food for tomorrow – time to sit down with a class of wine!

    Merry Christmas everyone.

  9. Happy Christmas Barbara to you your family and all the clarity team. Thank you for your wonderful blog each day such an inspiration .
    Happy Christmas to all who read and comment each day.

  10. Happy Christmas to you and your lovely family Barbara. When my grandson was 4 my husband did the full Santa after lunch , when Finley saw him about to come through the door he slammed the door shut and stood in front of it so he couldn't get in lol!

  11. Happy Christmas to you and all your family. Also a happy Christmas to all at Clarity! Looking forward to 2015 and seeing which new things I can learn from you and the DT. Love Donna xx

  12. Hope you have a lovely Christmas with your family Barbara. Thank you for taking time each day to share your hints, tips and ideas. They are much appreciated! Merry Christmas to you and all your team. Love Gayle xx

  13. Hi Barbara Perfect, just right for today. Have a wonderful day with your family and enjoy the celebrations. Happy Christmas to you all. Love Diane xxxxx

  14. Merry Christmas Bafnara, Dave, Grace, Mafk and Bafbara's mum and dad, brother and family. Steve and I send you Christmas blessings, much love and hope that 2015 brings you peace, good health and happiness. Xxxx

  15. Dearest Barbara,
    I love this stamp set and have them all x
    Wishing you and all your family a happy and peaceful christmas tide – enjoy your family gathering and meal – sounds lovely – I think it would be lovely to try all of that one day!
    Much love to you and yours
    Kim xx

  16. This fusible fibre gives a great organic feel and the way you have shaped it is lovely. Hoping you and your family are enjoying your Christmas meal this evening and that the rest of the holiday is good. Also wishing you a happy, healthy and fulfilling 2015. x

  17. Merry Christmas Barbara. to you your family and all at Clarity Stamps. I remember my Mum kept "Open House" on Christmas Eve when I was young (a long time ago) and I've had a wonderful day with my brother and sister-in-law. Merry Christmas to you all. x

    1. My grandmother used to work out how many people she could cram into the house for Christmas tea and then double it. The children would be down on the floor playing cards, or even crept down to the coffin workshop, where a couple of them were found by the vicar sitting either end of a coffin with a plank across the centre playing Strip Jack Naked, xx Maggie

  18. Hi Barbara, this artwork is lovely, I love the soft look the fibres give to it too, thank you for still posting. Hope you are enjoying your family Christmas time this evening.

    Nicola has cooked me mountains of food, so I think my energy over the next few days is to be used eating!!!!! I got my Christmas present this morning. Daisy sat on my legs and fell asleep there, the first time she's come sat on me. She had an awful start in life and I was asked if I'd take her and help her, supposedly for several weeks only, 2 and a half years later….. :). She's turned out lovely natured and so much fun and loving in her own ways, has lots of cute quirks. I have managed to teach her most things cats do! but the pleasures of sitting on a knee is one thing that I never managed to help her learn. Instead she curls up lying tight against my legs. So for her to decide to sleep on my legs this morning is a huge achievement for her and lovely for me too :). Poor wee soul, she found her presents earlier and was just getting interested and head in the bag when I quickly snatched it away from her, she looked all sad, that made me feel sad and bad for not letting her have them today but I want to save that for tomorrow for us. They are not wrapped as she loves eating paper! I thought it cruel to give her paper and then to snatch it away when she tried to eat it!!!! But she also loves sitting in bags, any bag big or small, she'll have a go!, so I've put everything loose in a big bag which I'll add some loose treats to later, so tomorrow she can rummage and have a good time exploring and playing and eating treats as she goes. So this will be my Christmas day pleasure watching her have fun and her wee face with all the different tasty treats I've got for her too.

    Love Brenda xx

  19. I hope you have enjoyed your day. I'm off to our daughter's tomorrow, young grandchildren so magical. My turn on Boxing Day to entertain. Look forward to seeing what our cookery treat is for tomorrow. xxx

  20. Hi Barb,
    I made a "Night Before Christmas" book for my granddaughter's first Christmas in 2003 and it was a huge hit, I didn't use the angel fibres though.
    Thank you for your inspiration through the years and the wonderful stamps, and now stencils, that you have brought to us.
    I hope you have had a wonderful day with all your family and wish them all the blessings of Christmas, and a happy, healthy and peaceful New Year. We have just been to my daughter's house for a Christmas Eve tea, and our granddaughters said that it was the best Christmas Eve ever, bless them they are so easily pleased.
    I really enjoyed Steve Edward's post, I think it's a cracker!!!!
    Love to all xx
    P.S. Congratulations to Janice x

  21. Happy Christmas to you and Dave, Mark, Grace, and your Mum and Dad, and to everybody else. Are Bratwurst like hot dog sausages, or more like ordinary sausages?
    Anyway, have a great time xx

  22. Merry Christmas Barbara and all. You are such a generous giver. I really had thought you may take a few days break. Couldn't resist checking in though. I really love these stamps and have been tempted many a time. Nexy year perhaps.

  23. Dear Barb and family, Merry Christmas to all of you, may you have a day filled with love and laughter. I am glad that you stick with your traditions. Thank you for all that you have done and shared with us this year. Looking forward to a New Year filled with inspiration and Clarity. Bx

  24. Happy Christmas Barbara. I hope you all had a wonderful time yesterday, and today is just as good. It is so good to carry on the family traditions isn't it. I love how the children look at Father Christmas. You never know what they are going to say about him and have to think fast with your relies don't you. It all adds to the memories doesn't it : )
    My voucher arrived yesterday, thank you so much for that. I am going to sit down in a couple of days and decide what to spend it on : ) Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas. Take care.

  25. Merry Christmas to you and all the family – I will look forward to the dessert recipe, but can smell the bacon cooking for breakfast, so can't think about that yet!! Congratulations to all your voucher winners this week – what a lovely Christmas treat for them all. My treat is to spend time with my family; it was so worth the 600+ miles drive. My great niece is 5, and yesterday I suggested they could set up the camera to try to get a photo of Father Christmas – she said "just leave the phone and he can do a selfie!" – how times change!!! Susan x

  26. My family opened their gifts in an orderly fashion, too. It's the only way we've ever done it. I'd be so confused if it was a free-for-all! I like seeing what each person is getting then ooo-ing and ahhh-ing over them!
    …Raine

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