And so it begins ...

Having known him for almost 2 1/2 years now, I must be a special kind of fool to put up my Christmas tree, him of course being der Dekan.
Last year I didn't, but I missed it so much, and maybe he would be nice and not destroy it? Well, at the moment der Dekan is leading with at least 2 points (Christmas tree 0 and it's hard to imagine it'll score eventually) by pulling down two of my pineapple slice ornaments after ten seconds.
This year, the tree didn't go in its usual spot on the Stairs to Nowhere because I didn't like the idea of it falling down a few stairs, so now it's where I can see it better.
Since checking last, I saw it shivering - in fear, no doubt - and I even saw it trying to run away. Have I ever mentioned that der Dekan loves to pull things (the reason not to put the ball chain on the tree this year)? After that, I heard some sounds, so I wouldn't be surprised if there were some more ornaments on the floor now.
Of course, I was smart enough not to put any glass baubles on the tree. It's mostly the pineapple slices which I stuck on the branches as that is not as tempting (haha!) as having them dangle, some of my first wire crochet baubles, and some wood and metal. I didn't even put my Santa Jack Skellington on the top this year, let's see how things go and maybe I'll change my mind.
And in case you wonder, Gundel checked out the tree as well. She had one look, turned around and left again.

Sorry for the bad pictures, but it was already too dark to take a picture without flash and with flash is not that great, either. You get the idea, I'm sure.

I also couldn't put any of my new ornaments on the tree.
Yes, I made new ornaments because there will be an advent calendar again this year.
This time it will not be about traditions, however, but it will be crafty. I hope you will be following it - my success AND my fails!

Melusine

I guess it had to come like this. Melusine had to try this after her sister Eulalia did and found it was surprisingly comfortable ... ;-)
A trend started?

Eulalia and the new nest

Eulalia was not like the other chickens. If they did one thing, Eulalia did another, just to show it could be done.
One thing of those was that she absolutely refused to build her nest inside the coop. She needed something for herself, something different, something that was just hers, and she found it.
It was a very comfortable little basket, as if it were made especially for her and there was even some nice hay in it for extra comfort.
The others began to eye her a bit jealously ... I wouldn't be surprised if more of them follow suit, but what will Eulalia say to that?

,

The cardinal

The first snow has begun dusting the land ... and the little cardinal sitting on a branch ...

Actually we don't have snow here yet which makes me very happy.
Also, we don't have cardinals here in Europe and yet we know that the cardinal is as much a part of Christmas imagery as our European robin.
In 2015, I wrote a post about Christmas birds telling a bit about the legends around the robin and cardinal if you are interested.
Both had been on the infamous list in my mind ever since, but I had never managed to actually make one of them.

Only when I found a piece of beading foundation that had already a bird outline drawn on for another design, I thought of the cardinal again and it juuuust fit.
I couldn't resist using the silver lined red instead of a "real" red because it is so Christmassy.
So here he is now on his little branch nibbling on his berries :-)
Robin next? We'll see.

While der Dekan tried to steal him out of my hand (which obviously speaks for the incredible lifelike look ;-)), Gundel was not so sure about him, I guess, and she absolutely refused to let me take a proper picture of him against her fur!