The best gift...

was spending time with the little ones...

Tyler

Hannah

Brandon Lewis

Gabriel

Graylee

Madelyn

Emma

Aubrey

Our six grandchildren and two neices.

We had a wonderful Christmas, lots of family, too much food and great fellowship and fun. We received the exciting news that my youngest brother and his wife are expecting and due in August.

Now that our busy time is behind us, I'm spending as much time as I can in my studio working on a variety of projects. I have a hefty list of goals for 2012 and will share more on that later.

I hope your holiday season has been filled with peace and joy.

Have a very happy and safe New Year.

Joy to the World

Created this tag for the Winter Green Tag Challenge at PDA...

Joy to the World

The photo is not very good and scanning the tag was worse. If you click on the image and zoom you will see more detail.

I used a Martha Stewart punch for the tree and added white paint to the tips of the branches. The star is an old button. The wire holding the beads or ornaments, wraps around the tag. I added a spritzing of Glimmer Mist.

Hope all is going well this holiday season, we have been extremely busy and I just took another order this morning that has to be ready by Friday. Shopping still to be done and Christmas Eve day will be spent listening to Christmas music and wrapping gifts. Hard to believe it's almost here.

Have a very Merry Christmas.

Shimmery, glittery gold...

Star of Bethlehem ornament.

I created this for the Shimmery,

Glittery Gold challenge at Paper & Digital Art.
Found the tutorial and template at Art Studio.
I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving.
Have a wonderful week.

Although I'm in the middle of my busiest time, I decided to participate in a challenge swap at Paper & Digital Art. I was so intrigued by the challenge which is to alter a large match box. This is a first for me...it turned to be a lot of fun.
Here it is...

I chose a non-traditional color scheme for this Christmas box honoring Jolly Old St. Nicholas. I covered the outside with music from a vintage songbook and it was printed in blue so I picked blue and silver as my main colors. Image on front is a stamped image using a Tim Holtz stamp.

I strayed from the assignment just a bit. Rather than filling the box with goodies, I created a little dimentional scene.

A close-up of the inside.
I learned a few things and will do them differently next time. By covering the inside box it made it a bit too tight for sliding in and out, next time I'll paint the inside. I added a long ribbon at the top so that it could be hung as an ornament. Also, I used a box I had on hand and it wasn't very sturdy, maybe a new box next time.
I know it's a little early for Christmas but I wanted to share before it's sent off to it's new  home.
Have a great evening.

Williamsburg...

We spent New Year's Day in Colonial Williamsburg. A beautiful, sunny day, although a bit on the chilly side. Here a few photos I took...

I photographed over 40 doors and these are a few of my favorites. I love the use of fruits, vines, shells and other natural items in the wreaths and other decorations.

Lots of things going on right now...I just relocated my booth at The Gallery and trying to keep it stocked with new and unique creations. I am working through a workshop on collage art plus I have 4 albums for customers to finish by the end of February.

I wish I had more time to spend here on my blog but my access to the internet is so limited.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Be back soon.

It was beginning to look like Christmas...

Had a light snow weekend before last...it was perfect...looked beautiful for a while and then it was gone...

Butterfly Bush

Enjoyed Gabriel's Christmas Program last week and attending Hannah's tonight.

Our very own Christmas Angel

Went to see Santa with Gabriel, Madelyn & Hannah. Oh what fun we had!
Take time to enjoy the season.
Be back soon.

Happy holiday...

Hope your Christmas was wonderful.
We have been busy...Christmas Eve day we drove to Harrisonburg to finish our shopping. I also had to get frames and Harrisonburg was the closest location with any in stock. It took about 2 hours to get there, my favorite part of the trip was the portion over snow covered Afton Mountain. Shopping complete, we ventured to Walmart for our groceries. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning cooking and preparing for a 2 days of family and celebration. We had our family get together Christmas afternoon and then the day with our children and grandchildren yesterday. A very simple and laid back holiday. Just what we needed. Spent the morning picking up around the house, getting things put away. I'm ready to take down my tree but that can wait. I feel the need to play with paper and glue.
Busy days ahead, my gallery display needs lots of new items and I have several album projects to complete.
Hope your holiday season is a happy one.
Be back soon.

Ornaments

I love to recycle, I save a variety of items. A couple of years ago it seemed I recieved a CD of some sort in the mail on a daily basis, AOL was famous for sending them weekly and I saved them all!
Here are some of the ornaments I created using them...

Imagine

Dream

Faith

Believe

Away in a Manger
The music is from old hymnals, I created 5 of these using different hymns.

Angel

Winter Fun

Many of these have already sold, took a few new ones down to the market last Friday and I'm working on a whole series with birds for Bird Lovers Day in January.

Just 2 more days...

We are headed out very early in the morning to finish our shopping. Sounds very last minute however we planned it this way. We both have the day off, one of very few we get, and decided several weeks ago we would spend the day finishing up, then we are treating ourselves to lunch out, then grocery shopping, then home for the holiday. Tomorrow night will be spent wrapping gifts and cooking. I have plenty of Christmas music, all the fixins for hot chocolate and White Christmas is on all day on A&E.

Hope you are enjoying the holiday season.

Have a great day.

Be back soon.

O' Christmas Tree

It took a while but I finally got the tree decorated last week and thought I would share a few photos...

This year our main tree stands in the corner of the dining room. I didn't feel like moving furniture in the living room to make room.

Lots of white lights and ornaments, I like to cover my tree.

Baked cookies yesterday and hope to get some wrapping done this evening.
Going to be at the market this afternoon, lots to do this morning before I leave so I better get busy.

3 more days...

Have a great day.

Be back soon.

Everyone needs an angel...

Beautiful angel...
Vintage image courtesy of Digital Imagery Plus.
I'm in a frenzy but it's all good. Had a terrific day at the market on Saturday and busy getting restocked for this Saturday. Also took 7 custom orders and working on getting them all done so they can be picked up this weekend. A wonderful kind of busy.
We spent the rest of the weekend visiting my daughter, Amy and her boyfriend Matt, in Fredericksburg. They took us out to dinner on Saturday evening and then back to their house to play games. A great way to keep my mind off the pain in my heart. Sunday was the first anniversary of the loss of our beloved Debbie, my stepmom, my sister, my best friend. It's been a rough time for our family however I find some comfort in believing that we have the most wonderful angel looking down on us.
So today, this angel is for you...everyone needs an angel.
Hope you are having a fantastic week.
Be back soon.

To market, to market...

That's were I'm headed later today.

Another vintage image to share. Looks like she's spreading Christmas cheer with a basket full of goodies.
I miss my cookie making days. I would spent weeks choosing recipes and then an entire weekend before Christmas doing nothing but baking cookies, as many as 15 different kinds. I would then make up platters, boxes and tins and delivery them to neighbors and coworkers. One year I made 6 different kinds of flavored popcorn and altered gallon paint cans for packaging. I haven't baked much of anything at Christmas since losing my job in 2005 and we no longer have neighbors since moving in 2007. I won't have time for much baking this year however I think I will pick back up the tradition next year, not so many but at least a few.
Hope your Friday is a happy one.
Be back soon.

Santa Claus is coming to town...

Sharing a vintage image with you today, enjoy!
Hope you are having a wonderful day.
Be back soon.

This year...

The holiday season is in full swing, well, almost. I am getting a slow start here at the house, finding it hard to get started. Just as I was getting in the swing of the season last year, our family suffered a great loss, the unexpected passing of my stepmom. I never got my tree decorated, it stood in the living room with nothing but lights until the day after Christmas and then was promptly returned to the basement. Obviously, Christmas will never be the same for us and it's hard to think about celebrating without the person that made the holiday so special year after year. I know we'll get through it with the love and support of each other.
I mention this because normally I would fill my blog with photos of my home, my decorations, all the traditions of Christmas. I'm not prepared to do that this year and I hope you understand. I will be sharing a few handmade gifts and lots of seasonal images over the next few weeks and hope you will stop by often.
Mistletoe Market went well this weekend, dispite the nasty weather. Children waited patiently to see Santa and Mrs. Claus and folks stood in line for their free carriage ride even in the rain, sleet, freezing rain and snow. The event continues the next 2 Saturdays.
Hope you have a great week, I'm busy finishing projects for customers and getting a few gifts made.
Have a wonderful Monday.
Be back soon.

Mistletoe Market

I'll be downtown at the Community Market today participating in Mistletoe Market. A great place to find unique, handmade Christmas gifts for everyone on your list. Come on down if you are in the area, stop by and say hello. Mistletoe Market will be held for the next 3 Saturdays.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Be back soon.

A little something to share...

One of my favorite things about the Christmas season, is the music. Beginning with Black Friday, all the way through Christmas day, I can listen to it 24 hours a day. I am particularly fond of the traditional hymns and carols.
Remember the hymnals from the post last week? Here's one of the ornaments I created...

Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
I covered an old cd with music, added a vintage image, a few rhinestones, ribbon and some glitter. So much fun and so easy to make. I've made several and have them hanging in my display at the market.
I am so far behind, have not yet begun to decorate for the holiday. I have 5 gifts still to make plus a long list of projects, many that need to be done by Christmas. Life is good, I refuse to stress!
Hope you are having a great week.
Be back soon.