So Let the Christmas Music Be Set Free

So unofficially, I've been listening to Christmas music since Reformation Day (at least) but I can speak freely about such things after Thanksgiving and I'm going to.

I love Christmas and I love Christmas music! I love that everyone is singing praises to Jesus everywhere, even if they do not mean to, and I love the festive sounds all around. It feels especially nostalgic when it is snowing those big fluffly flakes on dark, cold evenings. 

As soon as Christmas music is permissible (or before), I can be found on a Sunday afternoon between services curled up with tea, listening to Christmas playlists while crocheting. Here are some of my favorite artists and songs to listen to at this time of year. I am a fiend for collecting seasonal music, so I would love to hear yours! Please do share!

*Suggestion for listening: Right click on links to Open a New Tab so that this window remains open. Turn up your speakers, and enjoy!

1. Who doesn't love Pentatonix? Their vocals are amazing, and they blend so well together! Here's a chilling version of Mary Did You Know? which happens to be one of my mother's favorite's of theirs, too.

2 .Okay, so I'm suggest something drastic. I am not a Disney-music person and I don't go for musicals, but I love Vivaldi and I think this mash-up by the Piano Guys is brilliant, regardless. Let it Go / Vivaldi's Winter. 

3. I Heard the Bells by Casting Crowns is just beautiful. Need I say more?

4. Lindsey Stirling has some lovely, creative pieces that I really like, and this is one of them. Her unique style is like none other. Here is her version of  Carol of the Bells. 

5. Keith & Krystin Getty have a tenderly sung piece called How Suddenly a Baby Cries/ Narnian Reel, with a melody that warms the heart. I like a lot of their music, but this one is special and it's nice to hear something different besides the other traditional pieces. Also, it includes a Narnian Reel. Narnia always makes me feel Christmasy.

6. Trans-Siberian Orchestra has a number of entertaining, excitement-building pieces. I had a difficult time choosing just one to post here and settled on A Mad Russian's Christmas. (But Wizards in Winter is of honorable mention.)

7. Ah, but this one I highly recommend you watch instead of just listen to. For the record, I normally find this song very annoying but this version is worth the laugh. 12 Days of Christmas

8. I am absolutely besotted with Position Music's Christmas melodies. Really. I had the most difficult time just choosing one, and settled on We Three Kings only because it wasn't already on this list. Go listen to all of them, I beseech thee.

9. What is a Christmas playlist without some Manheim Steamroller? Have a listen to God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. It was told to me by my mother that she listened to Manheim Steamroller when she was pregnant with me, and whenever I hear this song I am filled with all sorts of memories from my childhood. I am instantly transported in time whenever I hear it.

10. Finally, my very favorite: Thomas Bergersen's Christmas Medley. It is incredible. I highly recommend that you listen to it with good speakers, turned up. Bergersen has unmatched talent composing modern symphonic music that makes you feel like everything is epic. Try listening to any piece of his while sweeping the kitchen and doing the dishes. I dare you. It feels like an impossible mission to conquer. In this case, it makes Christmas feel as triumphant as it should be.

I hope your December is filled with blessings, love and joy as only Christ can fill you up with.
And now, flood me with Christmas music in the comments below! 

Announcment- Amarylis has been submitted!

Many of you have already been aware that I have been working on a short story for the Write Michigan contest. I have been keeping it pretty quiet on social media until submission, and today was the day!

It is officially submitted! 

Synopsis: 

"In this allegorical story, Amarylis finds herself unhappily engaged to kindly Albion. In attempting to distract herself from the impending marriage, she makes a choice that will lead her to learn something she never expected." 

Images from Pixabay

I look forward to sharing this with you!

If you would like a reminder for when voting opens and the story is available to read, please Subscribe using the "Subscribe to our mailing list" box to the right of this post.

Happy Tuesday! (In which I share Brandes' new book cover and some crocheting.)

Happy Tuesday everyone!

I meant to post this yesterday, but alas, the internet was having a Monday and went kaput. (If you are Dutch you know that word.) So basically everything I was in the midst of had to stop and dumb it all, I had to shop at Meijers (where I got some nice tan yarn). After that I made alfredo sauce on lasagna noodles for dinner. There was this delicious recipe posted on Facebook that my mom and I sorted of followed because we couldn't open the links to read the instructions. It still turned out amazing. So the point of this is that the internet went kaput but life still went on. 

What I meant to post yesterday was an exciting update from Nadine Brandes! I was surprised to see that she has finally shared with us her new book's cover and a little synopsis! (Click on the link for that synopsis- it sounds fantastic!)

Isn't it pretty? All that blue and gold and that mysterious mask. *Spinning and twirling* It sounds delightfully suspenseful. I cannot wait to read it and I want it on my shelf. 

I am in the middle of several projects (writing and otherwise) and dealing with life-happens stuff which I won't bore you with, so Ember is glaring at me right now but I'm praying my way through this.

One of my projects is crocheting. I have a few things that I am available to be commissioned for. If you are interested in any of these projects, please visit my Facebook page and PM me. 

Here are some of my projects that I am able to do for you. ~ Please note that this may be opened for a limited time, depending on how I can keep up with it. 

Scarves 10.00 ea

I believe this particular one may not be available (I think someone else has her eye on it), but I am posting it as an example. This particular yarn is also all used up, and I do not know where I got it from, sorry!

I use soft yarns that are comfortable on the skin and if you don't know what colors you want, just tell me what you like and I will find something. I often pick up random textured yarn and so forth when I shop, so I can look for different colors while out.

Colors I have on hand at the moment: 

*Red

*White

*Tan/beige (It is called "Heather")

I can purchase any other colors you wish and can also do stripes or add tassels. 1.00 more for a third color.  

Fun fur scarves 12.00 because fun fur is not actually as much fun to work with as it is to wear and look at. Even though it is so so soft and yummy.

(I apologize for the strange alignment, here, it was not allowing me to format this the way I wanted.)

Christmas Stockings 15.00 ea.

I have just nearly completed a complete set for my family and my mother loves them. 

I can do them with green also, I just don't have of that color on hand right now. No lettering/ monogramming offered. They are a nice big size.

Crochet Cradle-purse 12.00

These make great Christmas or birthday gifts for any little girl! They are nice for church because she can carry a small pen and mini notebook in it, too, and a great quiet-time toy. 

I can do any two colors of your choice. (See scarves for what colors I have right now.) 1.00 for a third color. Bunny/doll is currently not included. 

Blanket or pillow is 1.00 more, blanket and pillow together 2.00 more.