A Belated Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Where does the time go?!

We hosted several times in November & December and the months just slipped away...

I hope that everyone had lovely holidays.

I did get to the Christkindlmarket once this year.

And enjoyed it thoroughly.

Most of my stocking stuffers were purchased here.

The Christkindlmarket  feels so magical each year.

So many lovely treasures.

Such beautiful craftsmanship!

I am always so happy to put out my collection of miniature nativities.

And I enjoy the pretty sights in Chicago as I Christmas shop.

So pretty by day and night.

Leia was a big help in putting the lights on the Christmas Tree

And she is good at unwrapping gifts too! LOL!

 Meanwhile, as soon as Peanut's Christmas gift was unwrapped (a calming bed)...

he climbed right in and took a nap!

I did a bit of stitching through the holidays and have a few finishes to share soon...

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, 

and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

~Luke 2:8-11

Blessings, Patti

Christkindlmarket Chicago 2018

I hope that you don't mind another year of the Chicago Christkindlmarket.

One of my favorite holiday traditions!

It always puts me in the right mood for the holidays!

Love the cuckoo clocks and nutcrackers.

We have a German cuckoo clock and to me it sounds like home... 

The embroideries in this booth really caught my eye this year!

So many lovelies to choose from!

And I always enjoy looking for new items in this booth.

Such lovely items!

It wouldn't be a Christkindlmarket without steins!

From small to extra large

I did buy a small ceramic building from this booth almost 20 years ago and still enjoy it.

I love these so!

I always say that one year I will splurge and buy one, but I haven't done so yet. 

Instead I just admire the workmanship!

I have been buying pieces from this collection for years, 

but my shelf is just about full...

Our main tree is just about full of these German glass ornaments now.

The boys each receive a figural glass ornament in their stocking each year to represent a trip or something they did that year. They are on our family tree for now, 

but will go with them when they move out.

I enjoyed the carolers.

It was a cold night, but they were dressed pretty warmly.

I popped in Macy's to see the Great Tree.

The window displays are not like they used to be, but the Great Tree is still pretty.

Iconic buildings and structures of Chicago surround the bottom along with the L train, whose track runs around the tree.

I picked up some sweet roasted pecans to snack on during my L ride home.

Thanks for letting me share my annual trip to the Christkindlmarket.

I think that I might need to make one more stop there before the season is over...

He called together all the high priests and scribes of the people and asked them 

where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, 

“In Bethlehem of Judea, because that is what was written by the prophet:

‘O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,

    you are by no means least among the rulers of Judah,

because from you will come a ruler

    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

~Matthew 2:4-6

Blessings, Patti

Playing tourist in my own hometown

The weekend before I met the Bittersweet Stitching Sisters, 

my husband and I played tourist in downtown Chicago.

We went to see "Hamilton" and it was absolutely amazing!

I bought the soundtrack before we went and we read the book several years ago, 

so we could really enjoy all of the nuances of this remarkable show.

I highly recommend it!

We decided to make a weekend of it,

so we spent the night at the Chicago Athletic Association.

(The elevators are lined with the wood floors of the original fencing studio.)

This amazing club was built in 1893 and was a private club until 2007.

It was reopened a few years ago as a hotel.

I attended several professional events here during my career when it was a private club 

and I was anxious to see how much of the original club remained.

I was delightfully surprised to see that most of it remains original.

The library is as beautiful as I remembered.

With all the original windows overlooking Michigan Avenue and Millenium Park.

A wonderful place to relax on a cold and rainy afternoon.

This mosaic above the elevators was stunning.

Another delightful surprise was finding two of Henry Kupjack's miniature rooms on display in the Drawing Room! Henry and his father Eugene are world-renowned miniaturists - their works are on display in many museums around the world including the Art Institute of Chicago. 

(We have one of their rooms in our local library as I live the same neighborhood 

where Eugene and Henry lived.)  

While not as opulent as the first room, I really love this miniature room as well.

The details are absolutely amazing!

Do you see the face jug next to the three barrels?

Later in the evening, we went up to Cindy's - the rooftop bar.

The glass and iron roof was lovely,

but the view really stole the show!

Do you see Skygate (aka The Bean?) and the ice rink starting to be set up?

Such a great view of Millenium Park and the skyline.

Here is a closer view and the red structure is Pritzker Pavillion - the site of many outdoor summer concerts.

and here is the modern wing of The Art Institute of Chicago. 

We could even see a few twinkling lights from Indiana - around the bend of lake Michigan.

When we came back down, we had to take a peek at

the bocce ball court in the original game room

and the staircase to the original swimming pool is stunning as well.

All too soon it was time to head home

But first we stopped at the Pittsfield Cafe for some breakfast.

It is a traditional diner, but my favorite is the cafe seating in the atrium of the historic Pittsfield Building - the tallest building in Chicago when completed in 1927.

So many lovely details.

Before taking the short "L" (elevated train and subway) ride home, 

we made one last stop in one of my favorite buildings.

The Chicago Cultural Center - always open to the public.

This building opened in 1897 and was originally the City's replacement library  - built after the great Chicago fire.

It is the home of the largest Tiffany glass dome in the world.

Pretty details and a view of Millenium Park.

Wonderful quotes remain in the walls from its days as a library.

One more lovely than the next.

The tilework is absolutely stunning!

Here is a close up to see the luminosity and details of the tiny pieces.

The names of great authors etched in the very ceiling.

And in about 40 minutes, we were home sweet home :)

Thanks for letting me share some of my Sweet Home Chicago!

I hope that you have a chance to visit and experience it as well!

There is still time to enter my little giveaway - be sure to comment here.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

~Psalm 100:5

Blessings, Patti