Wrapping up November

I'm writing this Monday night. It was a great Monday night- I left work right at 3 on the button and came straight home...haven't been home before 4 in the daylight for ages it seems. Usually seem to be at work trying to get something done, but I wanted to get out in the daylight. So when I got home I  made some cards, made some cookies, now Dave and I are watching the Rocketeer on tv. It was good to get some me time after a weekend with Katie home and all kinds of distractions from me time.

So here's one of my cards...challenged myself to make a holiday card that isn't traditional colors. Pink and bright blue are NOT Christmas colors in my mind, but I am really happy with this card. Its not strictly Christmas, but it is holiday! The inside says Fa-la-la-la-la, so that does make it Christmas.

What do you think?

Anyhow, here's my 2 latest reads. Mentioned before I'm not into fiction lately. I'm enjoying this Rick Steves book, but I must say, its making me want to GO away. And a good knitting book that's not just knitting patterns is fantastic anytime. And I have this thing about retro knitting and stitchery.

Si I can't believe tomorrow is December first and we'll be into the last month of 2010. Where did this year go to?  I'm sure you've heard that before...so not to sound like that cliche...a broken record...do people even say that any more since most people don't do records any longer?

Happy Day to you!

Here's Our Tree! Its a BEAUTY!

 LIGHTS!

We've got some  LED lights this year.

Leo loves this process. So much to get into!

First ornament is up. Now its Mom's time to help out!

And here's our finished tree as the evening shadows come in and darkness starts to fall.

JUST BEAUTIFUL! We love our tree. Its a great starts to this holiday season.



On the Christmas Tree Hunt

Yesterday was one of those GREAT holiday tradition days...we went to cut down our Christmas Tree at the Christmas Tree farm on the top of the ridge here in town. It was a crsip but sunny morning...(later in the day we got a light dusting of snow and sleet) and we had a fun time walking around on the hunt for OUR TREE!

There are SO MANY TREES at the farm.

Sunspots in the camera, but we found the tree

There it is!

Pulling it out!

 They have this tree wrapper that makes your tree thin and wraps it in string so you can move it home easily.

IN it goes!

OUT it comes ready to go home!

*****

So we did put the tree up yesterday afternoon...I'll show you photos tomorrow. We also watched an oldie but goodie movie- National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation-what a LAUGH. The holiday season is rolling in on full swing...Nothing better on a cold weekend late afternoon....I can't believe it is already Sunday afternoon...Katie and I are watching the Santa Claus 3 (we watched 1 on Friday). I'm not sure I'm ready for the big 3 1/2 week push until vacation...till the holidays..its always a busy time...need to finish up my shopping...finish decorating the house...some baking...wrapping...next Sunday we have Dave's office party...its the most wonderful time of the year. In 2 days its will be December...2010 running right on by...winter is approaching...we could get a snowstorm anytime...BUT NO RUSH there on my part. OK, enough of me going on about things...I DO LOVE the holidays in many many ways...

Holly Jolly time!

recharged!

So yesterday was a rather quiet day, which I needed. Made some homemade turkey soup from the Thanksgiving turkey (thanks to Linda my sister-in-law for donating her turkey remains), did a FEW small chores, took out the Christmas boxes from the attic, watched some tv, read, spent about an hour in the studio, went out to dinner...MY KIND OF DAY! Especially after such a busy week...I needed the down time to get the batteries up...and today I feel much more ambitous and perky...helps the sun is out too. We're going to cut our tree today...not sure if we'll get it up since Katie has friend plans at 4 and she wants to help put up the tree, which she should...but if it doesn't go up today we'll put it up tomorrow morning.

Today's photo is one I took Wednesday at Old Navy. Think its fun and frivolous...

 Ande below in this second photo is a Christmas card I made awhile back. Stamps are all Martha Stewart except the postage mark which is by Paper Artsy...I stamped the tree in green and used sparkley green embossing powder on it and then ligtly inked the back with green ink. The snowflakes are using Champagne Versamark in the background. The Merry Christmas is Martha Stewart tape..as is the cheerboard tape at the bottom, and I punched the bottom of the card with a Fiskars border punch (there is green paper overlapped the bottom of the card that is punched, its not the card itself actually punched to tell the truth). And lastly, I put on some TINY vintage green ric-rac-I LOVE RIC-RAC that I found at a yardsale here in my town a few years back...that yardsale was some guy cleaning out his Mom's craft stash after she passed away and I got SOOOO much great old stuff like trim and fabric for $20. It was a steal, really, but he was glad to be rid of it all.

Happy Saturday All!

Black Friday

 Scenes from our family Thanksgiving at my brother's house down in Massachusetts. We traveled down for the day yesterday, and it was a great day out...too much food, lots of laughs, great company, love, all those things about a family get together on Thanksgiving.

Above, poor Harley tied outside.

My brother, exhausted on the couch.

My brother's dog Lexi hoping to mooch some turkey as Dave carved it. (And she got some too because my hubby is such a softy.)

Katie and her boyfriend Brian who came with us since his family had to travel out to Ohio for a family emergency on his Mom's side.

My beautiful college daughter!

Dave, my niece Julie and Katie at the table.

My nephew Josh and Brian at the table.
Below, Josh and my Mom waiting for dinner-of course Mom always moves her head.

Food ready for serving.

Drinks, ready for serving.

Here's my yummy food. Makes you feel a bit guility with all the world's starving people, and never mind those in this country who don't have much. We are truly blessed.

And a nice side view of my mom, though the rest of the photo isn't much.

*****

So that was yesterday, and today, its grey and icy and wet and just plain YUKKY I thought about going down to my art store in Massachusetts for their Black Friday sale but after driving so much yesterday and the grey and icey morning, decided to stay home and do some Black Friday shopping on the Frantic Stamper website- which was great since I didn't need to rush to shower and could do it in my pjs with a cup of Trader Joe's Black Tea with Vanilla. Also, got the turkey carcase from my sister-in-law as she was going to trash it and I'm cooking it down right now and the house smells yummy...some great soup on the way there. Plus, not rushing out as Katie and I went shopping Wednesday afternoon when I got out of school and we had a successful day- lots of sales already up and its not very crowded...can't beat it.

So we might go get our Christmas Tree this afternoon, see how this weather goes...we're now officially into the holiday season...Got to love it! Hopefully will get into the studio and can RELAX and finish reading my book too...Love this long weekend! Hope you're enjoying yours too if you're in the US and if not, hope you're weekend starting soon is great also.

Happy Day!

Gobble, Gobble

A plain and simple Turkey Day card...I love its clean lines and simple design. Stamps are all Hero Arts. Last night we had Battle of the Classes at school and since its a National Honor Society event, I worked it. It was fun and went well. And today, we have a short day at school and then Katie and I are going shopping and doing our Black Friday event before the Black Friday crowds. I must admit, all these stores opening on Thanksgiving bother me...there's more to the holidays than shopping...and this is coming from me- someone who loves to shop. And then Thuirsday we're off early to visit my family in Massachusetts and enjoy some family time.

Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow and take a moment to give Thanks for everything great in your life.

More Thankfullness

I ordered this book off of Amazon since it was half the price  than at the store...and last evening in the DARKNESS at the end of a long damp and dreary day, I sat on the couch with a cup of tea and dreamed about places I want to go and have been. It brightened up the grey and black of the day.

So I am thankful for 7-DREAMS- because life would be pretty grey and dark without them

8- I am also thankful for LUCK. Yesterday morning I turned my ankle and fell down the last three of my cellar stairs. All I could think of in panicked tumble was people die falling down the stairs. I got up and walked away. When I passed out at book club a few weeks back I kept thinking I'm having a heart attack. And I didn't. A EKG showed my heart is good...(knock on wood, me being superstitious.) I was lucky that all that happened in my fall was some stiffness and slightly scraped knee and in my passing out I was able to get past it, quickly. Without LUCK, who knows where any of us would be-and I don't mean luck winning something either...there's way more forms of LUCK than that.

9- And  today I am thankful for CONNECTIONS. Between me and people, being able to talk and hug and touch. Between me and animals- having them sit with me right now and get up with me in the morning and go for a walk with me, garden with me and sit in my studio while I work. Without CONNECTIONS what would we have or be?

10- And I want to add my Grandmother, as today is her birthday. She would have been 101 years old, as she was born on 11/23/1909. I love you Nana and miss you, you were the woman I looked up to the most (along with Mom) but you were steady and I could make sense of you and you helped when things with Mom got tough...and you are the one woman I want to be like...so also, I am thankful for my ANCESTORS- not that Nana is really an ancestor, but for those family members who make us who we are and what we are today.

Frosty

A chilly Monday morning-but its only a 2 1/2 day week. LOVE it. Makes the first workday morning and having to get up again at 5ish a.m. a lot easier when I Know I only have to do this for 3 mornings.

So here's a few more of my I am thankful for  items... as I said yesterday I am not repeating the typical things that I listed last year- not that those things are bad, (just the opposite, they are the cherries on the sundae), but I'm pushing myself to look deeper.

4- I am thankful for CREATIVITY, and how it allows you to work your way around any situation.

5- I am thankful for EDUCATION- because it gives us all the opportunity to be more than we are and to discover who we are- (and it doesn't have to be in a classroom).

6- I am thankful for FREEDOM, because it allows us to be the most that we are...and to make our own choices...and always have a chance to be more when we are not.

More thoughts...

Its been a GREAT weekend

Apples ready to be topped and baked in a pie!

Can't wait to eat a piece!

Pie I made this morning!

Got to say this weekend has been excellent!!! Had some fun, played in the studio, did a FEW of my chores...relaxed...know I have a short week ahead...GOT TO LOVE IT! Why is it though I am so ingrained to feel like if my chores don't get finished my weekend hasn't been a success? Its a NASTY habit to be that way because let's face it, those chores aren't going anyplace and usually, do they really interfere with anything important in life?

So you can see I made this yummy looking apple pie this morning...will have a piece after dinner tonight. Got lots done on my new altered book, which I will photograph for you at some time. I am having a blast making it 1920's or 1930's style Christmas in Paris. FUN! Worked quite a bit yesterday too on it so its moving right along.

Last night Dave and I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1- its was GREAT. Like them being a bit dark, but I didn't like how I have to wait to see part 2.

*****

So its a week of being THANKFUL here in the US as we have our Thanksgiving Holiday on Thursday. Last year I posted  my top 10 things I am thankful for in my life, see Nov. 25, 2009.

Let me add a few more items because that list hasn't changed at all...but I am thankful for so MANY THINGS which I have been blessed with in my life.

1-I am thankful for laughter, because it does cure the blues.

2-I am thankful for adventure, but it keeps you on your toes and gives life a glittery edge.

3-I am thankful for nature because it brings me back to my core and centers me and calms me often.

*****

More to come tomorrow.

Do You Prefer Red or Green

Do you prefer the red or green background on these fat kitty cards-is it  Fluffles.?..I believe by Stampendous. I colored Fluffles to match my guy Leo, because he would actually do this in his curioisity about everything.

I prefer the red, that's my pick!

So its a cloudy Saturday and I'm off to vaccum and to work in the studio. Can't wait for studio time, but to vaccum...well if my allergies weren't so nasty right now...but I've got to clean up all the animal hair. Its yucky.

Happy Day!

Absolutely Fabulous Day Out

These are my 2 favorite items at the Chinese/Forbidden Palace exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum. I went with my friend Vicky today, and it was a FANTASTIC day out. We talked and talked and talked and then talked some more, had lunch at the museum and people watched a lot. The exhibit we saw was fantastic, the wall mural at the topic was one of my favorites...there was even a little film to show how it was restored...and the screen from above of the water lilies was my other favorite. There was another silk painting of the emporer (1700's) and his children which I also really liked. So I am going to have a palace for my retirement-or as the emporer called it - for exhaustion from diligent service. LOVE that!

Another great thing- too out my Country Candles Mistletoe candle and am burning it and it SMELLS like Christmas tree and just fantastic-I am so REFRESHED and REVIVED right now it is fantastic!

An Adventure Today

I admit, every day is an adventure, but today is one where I'm going out and about and not staying right near home- taking a personal day at work and going off with my friend Vicky to the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts. Can't wait.  We're going to see the exhibit from the Forbidden City in China, which is really exciting...plus Salem is a neat OLD town and its fun just to get away for a day...I mentally NEED it. I'm hoping this will push me out of my mental slump...the other day at work I was just about having it with frustrations and I sat in a meeting where I realized my frustrations were minor compared to this other group of peoples, and its amazing how that lifted me up and made me feel better about me-but really bad for these people. A little sympathy can show you how blessed you are...a reminder we all need sometimes I guess. Plus its nice not having to rush out to work and deal with all the nit-picky details that seem to be there lately.

So today's card is another of my Christmas ones. The background is a word stamp that arrived in a collection of word stamps I won on eBay. Think may from Stampendous???? I know the Santa and Boy are from Oxford Impressions, its one of my favorite holiday stamps. The tape is ends from some Martha Stewart tape (and it looks like its popping up but its not) and the tag is one I bought and the Love Santa stamp is one of my oldest stamps, bought it back around 1999/2000 when I first got into stamping...but it fits the tag Perfectly. And everything is stamped in red (obviously, eh?)...this card was VERY quick and faily easy.

Got to LOVE it!

Ready for Turkey

Thanksgiving is a great holiday. First of all, lots of good food. Second of all, a long weekend/mini vacation almost. Usually we get to see family, and this year we're driving to Massachusetts to spent it with my family. We always take out the Christmas decorations and often get our tree over the weekend.  Its a great time to relax. Katie and I often go shopping on the day before Thanksgiving when I get out of work...which is at 11:30. The sales are already on then but there's no real crowds. Get a good jump start on the holiday shopping. Got to love it.

So I really like this Thanksgiving set from Hero Arts with these little Pilgrims and with the leaves and turkeys too. I don't make a lot of Thanksgiving cards...but these went off to Katie at college. The flower and the thinking of you tag I bought pre-made...maybe by EK Success??? The saying on the Pilgrim boy is from the Thanksgiving set by Crafty Secrets...that's another vintage set which is pretty nice.

So I haven't been reading much at all lately...at least not fiction. Have been reading some short stories by Agatha Christie and Tuesday night I started this book...its easy brainless reading...

it didn't get great reviews on Amazon but I picked up a copy a while back cheap at Costco...and I don't want anything too intense right now. I am feeling guilty that I never finished the Story of Edgar Sawtelle, which is a great story...but its just more intense than I want right now. Life has been too busy to let me get too into deep reading...which is my problem with the Sawtelle book...Mr. Darcy isn't that...and I'm enjoying the read without expecting too much...that always help.

So today is my last school day this week. Tomorrow I am taking one of my personal days and going off with my friend Vicky to the Peabody Essex Museum. Can't wait. Going to see the Treasures of the Forbidden City...before it goes to the Met in NYC...will be fun to spend the day with Vicky too. A little girl time adventure...Love it!

Home for the Holidays

Even with the crooked silver strip, I LOVE this card. Its me challenging myself to make a Christmas card from a non-Christmas stamp. I used a Paper Arsty stamp which I added a chimney too...as one must have a chimney for Christmas so Santa can arrive, right? I also wanted to roof to be lighter so you could still easily read the words. The background is Hero Arts snow background embossed in white, with a bit of smoke added with black ink because of course its that chimney again, keeping the house warm with a nice toasty fire.

So yesterday I went to the drs to get checked up after my near fainting incident last week, they couldn't see anything wrong, and today I go get the start of the crown on my tooth where I had a root canal. Putting myself back together, I guess. It looks like another dark day here in NH, always dark it seems lately...all I want to do is SLEEP. Kind of a waste of life...but that's hibernation for you. Two more days this week too, since Friday I am off on a grand adventure, which I cannot WAIT for. Today the kids come in late...so with shorter classes this shouldn't be such a bad day- I hope, except to get my tooth drilled of course. Plus its POURING right now...looks like another grey day...but maybe it will keep those little buggers at school mellow...I need a mellow day but don't know if that can happen!

So smile and put yourself back together...enjoy this mid-week day. (Good advice for myself to listen to I think.)

three red reindeer

Last week I hesitated whether to spend some money and buy the Scandinavian set of rubber stamps by Martha Stewart at Michaels. But in the end I bought them and I'm glad I did because I really like using them-- on Thursday last week when I was home for the Vetran's Day holiday I made 6 red reindeer cards. Here's 3 of them.

My favorite is the middle one but I love them all.

Reindeer is embossed with red sparkling powder...doesn't show up how much it sparkles.  Each card has tiny silver snowflakes from the same set stamped on the white-just to dress it up. The little red bird is also from the set but I haven't embossed her either.

Love getting ready for the holidays. (You mean Thanksgiving hasn't come and gone yet? Seems to be the way I've been making holiday cards.)