Thursday, December 16, 2010

Creative Females Party at Penny's, the rug hookers gather....

 Our annual Christmas party and ornament exchange was held last Monday night. Nobody decorates like Penny when it comes to the Holidays and every year she adds new little things to delight us.  So many wonderful little vignettes to discover everywhere you turn. It makes you happy just to be surrounded by all the glitter and snowy little villages. We missed our Pepa but had fun exchanging news and hugs and being together once again.
 Katie brought her latest hooking to share called "The bluebird of happiness". A gift for her son's new mother in law. The rest of us happily sipped our eggnog and mulled cider and enjoyed the best pot luck dinner ever. Homemade cookies and lemon bars for dessert and we then got to our ornament exchange. Lots of wonderful handmade gifts were opened from felted peas in a pod to a Cambria snowman to a beaded gourd to special banners. Anne made us all her special little bag of take home cookies. Every year she comes up a new recipe for us. This year we received decorated jam filled butter cookies...so yummy!
We made plans for our next meeting in January and off we went into the cool December night air after our favorite get together of the year at the amazing art filled home of Penny and Wayne.




 Maren and Katie in Penny's colorful kitchen.

 The table with Anne's cookies ....wrapped up to take home and enjoy.

 Katie made this fun Cambria snowman coated with sand for her secret rug hooking pal.

 Syd made a gourd covered in handmade beads. I have one of her painted gourds that I love...a gift from Christmases past.

A few weeks ago I stopped by the Tecolote Bookstore where Penny works and just happened to get to meet the lovely author of "Maisie Dobbs", Jacqueline Winspear. Now one of my favorite authors! She signed my book for me and now I plan to read the whole series. Her songwriter husband was with her and we enjoyed his great sense of humor. The Tecolote Bookstore is the oldest bookstore in Santa Barbara and a great place to visit. Located in Montecito in the upper village, Tecolote means "owl" in Chumash and the cozy store has quite a collection of owls that their customers have given them over the years. Go visit Penny and buy some "real" books!
And.....Yes, I think my bangs do need a trim....!
Off to pick up my son again from college tomorrow for Christmas break, so may be gone for a bit.
Hope you are enjoying the Holiday season!

7 comments:

Jacky said...

Fun, fun, fun....dont you just love arty get togethers!!!! Looks like you girls had a fantastic night and I love all the wonderful handmade goodies you shared.
Must keep an eye out for "Maisie Dobbs", I love finding a new author so have put Jacqueline Winspear on my list.

Have fun!

Jacky xox

Alice ~ Folk Art Primitives said...

Love your friend's decorating style! And the Cambria snowman is just perfect! I just love all you and your friends' creativity ~ thanks for sharing with us once again!!

jerriad said...

WOW, wish I could have been invited to that get together. Very inspiring.

Thank you for sharing. I always love your posts.

Julie Whitmore Pottery said...

What a festive house and a generous host. Does the Tecolote have the same owner as the Tecolote that was in Santa Barbara at the El Paseo? I miss climbing those stairs and holding onto that wrought iron railing and entering the most wonderful bookstore there ever was........
xx

Elizabeth Armstrong said...

Dear Mary
Thanks for such a lovely post! How amazing to meet Jaqueline Winspear!
I chanced upon her when the first book came out.
I have read them all and have been a Maisie fan from the first page!
Just wonderful to put a face to an author.
Love
Elizabeth who's not even the tiny bit jealous!

Mary Stanley said...

Julie...I will ask Penny about the Tecolote history...I know they moved at least once, so that was probably the original location. It opened in 1925 I believe.

dulcy said...

Love all the photos! Such a Christmas extravaganza! Also, I'll check out your author. Always looking for someone new to read.