December 22 - December 28, 2013

I'm a sucker for Christmas carols, songs, movies, all that ho ho ho stuff - those cheery Christmas lights, tree festooned with ornaments galore, and turkey, shortbread cookies and fruitcake. And traditions, better late than never; today we made my Grandma Button's carrot pudding - it's steaming on the stove as I write. The pud was mixed, stirring clockwise and making a wish; a dime folded in for extra good luck in the new year for the person who finds it when eating their pud. 
Here's seven more brooches; the end is in sight.

Thankfully, I don't think hunters have their sights marked on teddy bears, even when said bears are wearing antlers. This is a recent brooch from a work bud - the same one who added the extra appendage to my Christmas moose pin on last week's blog.

A talented friend creates beautiful beaded jewellery. Here's a lovely example.

I'm finishing my Christmas brooches with my two favourites. This is another old wreath pin. I like it when paint has rubbed off so some of the gold metal shows through. This brooch has a life and delicacy to it and I always wear it close to Christmas Day.

My favourite childhood brooch. Very worn, some sparklies have fallen out. Most of the paint except for the red has disappeared, but I have always loved this Santa. His arms joyfully flung to the sky, his merry face, and best of all his legs dangle so they swing back and forth. I treasure him.

I had the good fortune to work at the Banff Springs Hotel one summer in my early twenties. I had the best of times, not only got to roam around that lovely old building but I have some fine memories forever in my noggin too. A friend gave this to me thinking it was here I had worked, but no matter, isn't this a great hotel pin.

This brooch reminds me of that old chestnut camp song "Up in the air, the Junior Birdmen", a favourite with the CGITs at Ryde Lake Camp in the '60s.
Hope you all are singing it along with me (and with the hand and arm motions too).

At a party last night, this brooch was admired and touched - a lot. The dragonfly was easily recognized. Nothing better to watch on a lazy summer's day than to watch the dancing of the dragonflies. But it was what this brooch is made of that garnered the touching - can you guess? Might as well give up. It's made from a piece of dried gourd. And is as light as a feather (or a piece of dried gourd).