I had an inspiration last Fall — between Halloween and Thanksgiving when lovely handmade ornament and garland patterns were fluttering around the Internet.  I thought, oh how fun it would be to crochet snowflakes and knit tiny shawls and such through the Holiday Season!  But even with the Christmas decor boxes still packed away, I had no illusion (or delusion!) that we needed any more Christmas ornaments!  In fact, I knew I would be challenged to find places for everything I already had and wanted to display!  

Then came the inspiration.

A Winter Tree!  I would create a Winter Tree to brighten the living room after the Christmas Tree was gone!  And I would decorate it with little wooly lovelies and wintery pretties!  So, I ordered a 5 foot tall faux birch tree studded with LEDs.  And I began crafting.  Through December (in between preparations and festivities), I knit tiny shawls — and after the Holidays, I crocheted snowflakes.  I cut out paper snowflakes, too, and folded origami cranes.  

And when the Christmas Tree was down, we unpacked the Winter Tree and I hung it with my handmade creations, as well as glass icicles harvested from the Christmas Tree (thank you, Susan, for that suggestion!).  I added a glass snowflake — which had been left on the Christmas Tree, fallen on the gravel driveway, and rescued by George!  And I tucked a Snow Fairy in the fork of the tree.  I snaked a knit garland around the trunk.  

I am still knitting a set of stars for my Winter Tree, but as it is nearly complete I will go ahead and share it with you now.