Christmas Tamale Baskets- A Big Thank You to Everyone Who Contributed!

I'd like to give a big thank you to all my blogging friends who gave to the Christmas Tamale Basket Drive this year! The sun is just coming up and there is already a long line of lucky people lined up for their chicken to finish off their Tamale Basket for the Christmas celebration.

A Note from Mayan Families:

Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to this year's Holiday Tamale Basket drive. With your support, we were able to give out a total of 1,581 baskets! We also gave out around 5,000 toys to children all around Lake Atitlán.


It was a big task to get the baskets ready and distributed, and all of the staff were hard at work. Each basket included beans, oil, sugar, rice, drinking chocolate, fortified cereal, a dozen large carrots, bread, Christmas cookies, a pineapple, and an entire chicken! Fortunately, we had a few volunteers on hand to help bag and organize the food. It took four days to get all of the baskets handed out, and many families traveled wide and far to get theirs.



The chickens are handed out.
Then its the long walk back up the mountain to their villages.

www.mayanfamilies.org

Christmas in Wolcott, Part Three

The tree at Christine, Mark, Dominic and Kaelyn's house

The photo wall in their living room.

Back at my house Dominic loves to play with the farm toys.

And my cat Tiger (of course) will sit seemingly forever if you just rub her tummy.

Christmas in Wolcott, Part Two

Christmas Eve is also Christine's birthday, her 25th this year.

She still has enough lung power to blow out one big candle.

A few of the gifts under Barbara's tree waiting to be opened.

And the not so patient children waiting for the "time to begin" signal.

With all of his assorted parents and grandparents houses, Dominic ended up receiving presents under four different trees.

Mark is admiring Dominic's toy dumptruck and robot.

Christmas in Wolcott, Part One

Serious icicles hanging from the side of my house. The tall one goes almost to the ground.

The Christmas tree at my daughter Barbara's house.

Christmas presents at my house.

Kaelyn and Dominic in the calm before they begin opening them.

This is exciting.

Later in the day the table is ready for Christmas dinner.

Penny and Michael patiently waiting.

The rest of the family arrives

Time to serve the lasagna.

And then its time to watch "Brave Little Toaster" on TV.

Let's have one hug before you leave.

And Kaelyn has to have some too.

Sewing Day at Marcia's Studio

Another great wintry day spent at Marcia's studio. She has the baby quilt almost finished.

She has been working on another top which isn't quite finished.

I brought back some beautiful embroidered strips from Vietnam which I hope to incorporate into a jacket...a project Marcia and I were focusing on today.

I had also uncovered some embroidered pieces from Morelia, Mexico which I brought for "show and tell"

Nancy worked on her hub cap quilt.

My jacket begins to take shape with some seminole patchwork.

And Marcia started a jacket using Guatemalan fabric and a quilted sari scarf from India.

Distributing the Tamale Baskets & Toys, Panajachel, Guatemala

Staff at Mayan Families Wrote:

"These are some of the scenes from yesterday....giving out Tamale Baskets......so far we have distributed 1,525 baskets of food to needy families.
Thanks to the donations that have been received there are a lot of families who will be able to celebrate Christmas this year! "

Signing in for their basket.

"We still have a long line of people outside our door hoping to be able to receive a basket. It is not too late to send your donation of $35 US to feed a family of 10 people! "

Some of the happy children who were able to receive toys this year.

"Just go to our website, www.mayanfamilies.org and to the donate section. Feliz Navidad! "

Distributing Tamale Baskets & Toys, Panajachel, Guatemala

Mayan Family workers and volunteers have had busy days assembling the food for the Tamale Baskets to be distributed this week.

The finished baskets, all wrapped and ready. The last ingredient, a chicken, will be distributed separately closer to Christmas as almost no one has any access to refrigeration.

Long lines began forming early in the morning.

Numbers had previously been given out for people who had been designated for a gift by the donor. But many others waited for hours and days hoping there would be some extra ones with no designation.

Staff and volunteers sorting vegetables.

A young boy clutches the toy he was given as part of the celebration...donated by people in the US who send boxes of clothes and gifts several times during the year. It is also possible to donate money so that toys can be bought locally for children in need.

It is very cold in the mountains in the winter and this baby has a new blanket.

And this little girl found some warm slippers.

Still More Hmong Quilts for Sale

Quilts are cotton and cotton/poly. Most measure 34-35" by 49-50" Every stitch is made by hand. I purchase them in Laos from their Hmong makers.

You may pay via Paypal. My account is listed under :

Pkibbee@aol.com which is also my email address for any questions.




The Peaceful Village in Blue. $44 plus $5.25 postage. You may pay via Paypal at:

Pkibbee@aol.com



Another typical Village Scene Quilt. Click on it to see closeups or email me for more photos.

Sold
You may pay via Paypal . My account is listed under my email address:

Pkibbee@aol.com




An Unusual Hmong Quilt featuring scenes around Laos and Vientiane, the capital. The color purple is also unusual.


Farm scenes, the famous ThaLuang Temple in Vientiane, a schoolhouse.

Monks receiving offerings, boat races on the Mekong River and much more.

$49.00 plus $5.25 postage. You may pay via Paypal . My account is listed under my email address:

Pkibbee@aol.com

This is a very special quilt. It shows the famous "gold " temple, Tha Luang, in Vientiane, Laos, begging monks, the famous a Patuxai archway, the Mekong River, and refugees having crossed the river in Thailand leaving the area by bus. I have been purchasing these quilts in Laos for years but have never seen this particular style. The colors are more true on the small photos.

Working in the fields. There is a schoolhouse with a purple roof on the bottom. THESE QUILTS ARE ENTIRELY MADE BY HAND. NOT A SINGLE MACHINE STITCH.

Here you can see the Patuxai Arch, based on French architecture with a local flavor

$54.00 plus $5.50 postage.

Tiger quilts are my favorites...no surprise there. This one is quite unusual because of its pink background.

It is a Laotian folk tale and the story is all written in English.

Except for the blue quilt to follow the quilts measure 34" X 49".

Sold

This style is longer than usual, measuring 31" by 59" It depicts three typical village scenes.

$44.00 plus $5.50 postage

This is another unusual color, a deep red with black, gray and white trim. Typical village scenes.

$44.00 plus $5.50 postage