Merry Christmas Plaque

 At Saturday's annual Make & Take Christmas party gift exchange game, I was so lucky to come home with this beautiful Merry Christmas Plaque.  It was handmade by the ever so talented Sally who I simply admire so much!
It is a 12" x 12" square piece of super heavy tile, and very nicely decorated with this Merry Christmas graphic.  I'm pretty sure she used her Cricut machine to make it.  I love it!!!

Vivian our very gracious "hostess-with-the-mostess" made this adorable Tomten...one for each of us.  She just recently returned from Germany, and she was so inspired by these little guys.  She says they were all over the place.

Tomten/Nissen

According to Scandinavian legend, the tomten is the protector of the farm through many generations. He is very small, usually dressed in grey or blue, has a long beard and wears a red cap. His only demand is a bowl of rice porridge on Christmas Eve. Ah, but if the farmer happens to forget, there will be trouble. Instead of protecting the farm & family, the tomten will play tricks on them. Tomten is the Swedish name. In Norway he is known as nissen, in Denmark as nissemanden and in Finland as tonttu.

I'm displaying my new Merry Christmas plaque and adorable Tomten on our bar cabinet for this season.

The following pictures are most of the handmade gifts exchanged at the party (I might be missing two...I think):
~from left to right~

Vivian holding her new "Some of my Best Friends are flakes" framed snowflake, & a gorgeous lighted snowman painted on reclaimed wood,... 

A Merry Star made from reclaimed wood by Vivian, and a painted snowman on a hurricane lamp,...

A State of Arizona nail string art frame, & a Christmas Tree using die cut leaves from card stock and beautiful decorated with snow and cardinals throughout the tree.  It actually sits on a piece of pretty stained wood and votive candles on each side.

The gorgeous Joy gift box contained very delicious homemade toffee and other delicious treats plus a candle.  The JOY wreath was so cute, too!  I have been meaning to make one myself...

A beautifully decorated lantern with a tree that lights inside, and Sheila sporting her new hand knit scarf & hat.

A huge mesh ribbon wreath, and my handmade lantern,...

The Lady on the left ended up with a handmade beautiful Christmas quilt table runner and an absolutely stunning Christmas glass dish...also handmade by Mardy.

One of the Ladies ended up winning the cutest hand painted Reindeer plate. 

This Lady won two hand painted pictures made by Sheila our resident artist, ...

...and Moi with my "cheesy smile" and beautiful Merry Christmas plaque.