Raggedy Ann and Andy Make It to the Tree

After making the mouse ornament in 1996, I was ready to move away from animals in 1997 and 1998. I found a pattern for Raggedy Ann and Andy. I made Ann in 1997 and Andy in 1998. These are rather large ornaments and are about 8 inches long. I drew the faces with pigma pens.

I finished Ann on December 23. This was the first year my daughter did not believe in Santa. I made a gingerbread church that I saw in Good Housekeeping magazine. I finished the church on December 24! Our cat, Meeko was 2 and 1/2 years old and he would not let the tree alone. He ate part of a string of the white garland beads while we were in Pittsburgh visiting my parents. To this day we hang all valuable ornaments near the top of the tree. He will chew anything made of cloth that hangs down low or he carries it away and puts it in the toilet or his water dish! I would really cry if he did that to one of my daughter's ornaments.

I finished Andy on December 23. When I started to make Andy (at the last minute) I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had already drawn his face in 1996 when I made Ann. I had forgotten that I had done that the year before... I guess for once I was planning ahead. I made a gingerbread house of our own house this year and finished it on Christmas Eve again. My dad designed the pattern for the gingerbread house. He designs houses so it was easy for him to draft the pattern. The only thing was he made it a bit small and it was really hard to put together. It almost went in the garbage can more than once. I love to watch those gingerbread house competitions on the Food Network. My houses have never been that complicated.
Chris