Winter Wonderland

Well, I call it my Winter Wonderland, others call it the scullery. This is the tiny room at the back of my kitchen which houses the washing machine, freezer, microwave and various cupboards ... oh, and a few Christmas decorations.

This is the view from the kitchen door. The stars hanging at the windows are my Advent Stars which I've used as an advent calendar this year. Do you want to have a closer look at the room? Of course you do. First of all, the tree.

This is my 'tasteful' tree, as opposed to the one in the front room which is full of decorations the children have made over the years. What do you mean, you don't have random bits of card and plastic covered with glitter on your tree? Lovely though it is (and the stars made from pasta have survived remarkably well), a few years ago I thought I'd have a special tree, just for me. Lots of the decorations are still homemade but you'll be glad to know that my daughter has got a bit more skilful now. If you click on the photo you'll be able to see a bigger version - see the star gingerbread man and the oval cross stitch decoration? - they're both hers. I sewed some of the others and even crocheted a few snowflakes.

Moving round to the big windowsill, you can see lots of familiar decorations, made from my patterns.

Most of these were big Christmas patterns on Ravelry; I publish one of these each December. This was the pattern two years ago ...

The Night Before Christmas

Next we come to two little Christmas dolls - I'm very fond of these - and, in front of them are some Christmas coasters that I wove and then embroidered a few years ago.

Mini Doll Christmas

Then, in the corner, there's the Needle Tree and, next to it, the Gingerbread House.

The smaller window has just a few decorations ...

Here's the reason there's a gap on that windowsill ...

... Tolly cat posing next to the 'Santa's Little Helper' candle holder. He is definitely not one of Santa's helpers though, not unless the job description includes chewing tree decorations and lights (he thinks he's a puppy). Behind his furry bottom is my 3D knitted scene that I made years ago, before I started publishing my designs.

The other side of the scullery is taken up with machines and cupboards but that hasn't stopped me decorating it. There's a little cross stitch Santa hanging from the light switch ...

... a village on the microwave ...

Mrs Christmas is, of course, knitting a stocking

... and a tree of stars squeezed in on the worktop ...

Stacking Stars

In between the radio and my Featherweight sewing machine is this year's Christmas pattern, A White Christmas.

That little lace angel was from a book called Angels: A Knitter's Dozen by Gerdine Crawford-Strong which is a beautiful book. You starch the angels once they're finished so they can stand up.

The final thing to see is on the back of the door to the kitchen ... last year's Christmas pattern.

Tree Sampler

I hope you've enjoyed this tour of my small (but perfectly formed) scullery. Now I'm off for a cup of tea in my own personal Winter Wonderland ...