Time Again for Another New Challenge

Hi everyone.  It's time once again for another new challenge at Try It On Tuesday. 

Thank you to everyone who joined our Sparkle All the Way challenge, and thank you Denise from The Crafty Den for being our guest designer too. ❤

Since it is now late November and the holidays are not far off, our newest challenge is

Traditional Christmas.

     While searching for an idea, I came across 2 sets of stacked ornament dies in my stash, and that gave me the idea to make some holiday tags.

     I die cut the actual tags using either glitter paper or some assorted holiday paper. I also used some various colored ink pads on some of the tags to kick up the background a bit. A gold Sharpie came in handing for edging and coloring in the tops of the ornaments.

 

    The designs on the ornaments include some die cuts, some punch out printed images and also I pulled out a few old paper punches that I have. I also needed markers, glitter glue as well as some assorted flat back pearls. The words on a  couple of the tags were stamped and fussy cut.

    I had a lot of fun making these. I could have made a lot more if I had cut out more of the ornament shapes. I actually think I might make some more and add these on blank cards for my holiday mail. 

    Be sure to check out all the other holiday ideas on the Try It On Tuesday homepage. This time around there's a huge variety of art ideas. As always, our challenge runs for the next 2 weeks.

     I'm also linking these tags up to Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenge blog for their #110 challenge.

     Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by. 

    

 

The Countdown Begins

Hi everyone. One last week to finish up all those holiday projects.  I am in pretty good shape compared to many years but still  I keep thinking of something else I  want to do. Like more baking because there are so many tempting things I would like to try.

But who really needs the calories, right?

And 4 1/2 days of school and then there's a short well needed break for about a week. 

Yahoo! Yahoo!

So I had a very quiet weekend with lots of reading time (enjoying this fictional story about an encounter between the Vikings and some Native Americans called The People of the Songtrail by Kathleen O'Neil Gear and W. Michael Gear). I've been looking for some out of my usual reads, and I think I found the right book to fit that bill. I also watched a bunch of TV including Jaws, the last 2 episodes of the Crown (season2)and also an old holiday film with Bing Crosby, White Christmas. I slept a lot and today managed to squeeze in a long afternoon of art.

The hubby requested a stack of holiday cards for his nieces so they were a top project but I did make a quick tag for  Tag Tuesday. Right now the theme is Christmas Memories.

And right now we're in the last couple of stressful minutes of a very close football game which has been interrupted with this LONG  stretch of commercials. Go Pats.
The game is calling my attention so I am keeping this post short.

Thanks for visiting my blog. I always appreciate it.

UPDATE: Wow, what an ending. The Patriots scored to take the lead by just a few points and then the opposing team (The Pittsburgh Steelers), thought they scored to take the win, but the ball had rolled a bit. So they made another try for a touchdown, and they only had about 10 yards to go, when the ball bounced out of the receivers arms and was picked up by the Pats, with only 5 seconds left in game.
Yup, that one had me on the edge of my seat.
Once again, thanks for visiting.

Blasts fro the Past

I've been sad these past few days about my mom. She's been very forgetful lately but only recently has it gotten really bad. I think its really dawned on me that this might be the first step in the end. I know that's the wrong word choice, but I am starting to lose my mom and I don't know what other word to use right now. As much as we fought, and we did fight a lot, (we're so different) she's still my mom.

I also heard that my sister-in-law, my brother's wife, who has breast cancer, is starting to slide also.

The tough part with her is that she's angry about it all. Understandable, she's only 51, but  she's rather abrasive and pushy and she and I are very different. She's trying to keep herself feeling useful by handling things with my mom, but too much so. I need to step in because my mother is MY mother and I have to live with her final time for rest of MY life.

Oh my.

How can I say everything I need to say in so few words?

I can't.

OK, enough said for me today. 

It feels good to write this but its also bringing me down too far.
Can't have that, when she's still there with me.

So on to things that make me smile.

And hopefully you too.

Some favorite holiday art from the past.

Its fun to look back and get some inspiration. Not that I want to repeat any piece, but I see some things I did that makes me really like these pieces, and I have lots of ideas rolling around in my brain of ways to use those genera ideas to make some more new art.

Thanks for stopping by.

10 Things Friday- a double list today!

Yes, it is here-

Friday right before vacation!

Right before Christmas!
First day of winter!

My holiday family cheer starts on Sunday-then it will be 3 days of cheering.

I am SOOOOOOO ready for some downtime!

And because I have been busy with holiday trimmings, dealing with a busy week at work (even teenagers are excited little children for the holidays), fighting a head cold, chatting with graduates who come back to say hi, Katie being home...and a few other items, I think I'll go back to my more traditions lists. My brain just isn't being very creative right now.

10 Things right now.

So here we go.

1-It is just DARK all the time lately and I just want to sleep. I find it hard to function in the dark. How do you cope with this?

2-I was hoping for a white Christmas but looks like with all this rain it is not going to happen. Too bad.

3-My house desperately needs to be picked up. I need to do that so when all the Christmas collection of gifts is here my house won't burst at the seams.

4-I want to assemble my gingerbread house tomorrow.

5-I am so excited to have a total down day, no plans, tomorrow.

6-I have been addicted to making on-line photo books lately. I find they go quickly and they are a great way to put some photos together and have them out for people to look at- rather than just hiding in my computer. 

7-Most of my wrapping done-just have a few small items to do.

8-Holiday cheer starts Sunday when we go to Maine for my husband's family. Then Monday we go to Massachusetts to see my family and then we just stay home Monday. How do you spend your holiday?

9-I really haven't had a lot of studio time lately, and I am wishing I had some more. Tomorrow. I am keeping up pretty well with my holiday journal though which is a good thing. That means I won't still be finishing it up in March.

10-Been also re-watching the old True Blood series. Really enjoying them. Love how you catch things you missed the first time through,

And here's a holiday bonus for you-

10 Christmas art pieces from the archives

10 things I really like how they came out!

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10.

Make it a merry Friday!