Remember...

Found this on Pinterest awhile back and it is by far one of the greatest quotes ever.
Have a safe and happy Memorial Day and remember those that have served and sacrificed, giving us a reason to celebrate and honor, on this great holiday.
Have a great day!

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.

Sweet girl...

A sweet, vintage image for you today courtesy of Digital Imagery Plus.
Didn't have either of the girls yesterday so I spent part of the day running errands and the other part hanging out at the market. Took some handmade birds to sell and sold 2 before I left.
I also sold 4 of my ornaments and got special order for a 5th from a lady visiting from North Carolina. I'm very pleased with how things are going at the market and look forward to spending a lot of time there.
Jaelyn is here today and we have been coloring this morning. It's wonderful to see the delight a few crayons can bring a child.
Lots to do for another Saturday of Mistletoe Market and I think we may be putting up a tree this evening. Still lots of emotion but life goes on and I must too.
Hope you are having a great day.
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.

With gratitude...

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Saluting Our Veterans

Veteran's Day, a day of thanksgiving and prayer as we honor those that have served.
Today has an extra special meaning for me as all 4 of my brothers, my father, stepfather and father-in-law and both grandfather's have served. Three of my brothers are still active and one is being deployed on January 10, 2o10 for his second time to Iraq. This will be the fourth deployment of one of my brothers in the last 4 years. I understand the sacrifices that are made and I am so very proud of the men in my family.
I made a card to commemorate the day...

Saluting Our Veterans
The little sailor image is from challenge 48 at Art Creations Friday. My card also fits into the current theme of Remembrance at Created By Hand.
To all veterans, I thank you for your service and I salute you.
Have a great day.
Be back soon.

Happy Halloween!

Have a happy and safe Halloween!
Be back soon.

A few things to share...

My brother found these in an abandoned house along with several metal racks and smaller test tubes. In looking closer at the test tubes here I believe a few are actually cigar tubes, I can still see remnants of the labels. He finds things from time to time on job sites and brings them to me. The last time he showed up with the "foot" from a claw foot bathtub. One man's trash...

I love decorating for the holidays and have a lot of decorations especially for Fall and Christmas. This is my favorite Halloween decoration.

As the holidays get closer, I try to prepare ahead of time as much as possible. Each year I do a mini album for Halloween and this is the one I put together for this year. I used mini file foldrs from a Rusty Pickle class kit I've had for at least 3 years and had never used. I used assorted patterned papers and all are scraps left from other projects. Once I add the photos, I'll add more embellishments. I'll share again once it's finished. I also have my Gratitude album for this year ready to go and will share as we get closer to Thanksgiving.
Another busy day ahead...I've been printing photos since 7am for my PhotoWords and hope to get them all framed today, have 13 to go.
Hope you have a fantastic day.
Be back soon.

Boo!

Another Halloween ATC to share.
Hope you have a great weekend.
Be back soon.

Brown baggin' it...

With Halloween fast approaching, I've been working on a few things for the grandkids.
A few simple supplies and you can make these cute treat bags...

I found the vintage graphic at The Graphics Fairy. I printed mine on Kraft cardstock, inked the edges and then added a black scalloped edge at the top and bottom and adhered to the front of a kraft lunch bag. Fold the top over twice, punch and add ribbon or twine. How simple is that... and aren't they cute! Don't forget to fill them with lots of treats!
Hope your day is delightful.
Be back soon.

Harvest Time...

The latest theme at the Created by Hand Challenge Blog.
Here's mine...

Harvest Time
Materials: Patterned Paper: Junkitz, My Mind's Eye; Crocheted Flower: Bazzill; Brad: American Crafts; Vintage Image: Digital Imagery Plus
More seasonal items to share in the weeks to come.
Have a great day.
Be back soon.

Treats...

We had a pumpkin carving contest at our Family Reunion this past weekend, what fun! Here's mine...

nothing fancy but thought it was a fun way to commemorate the occasion.

Trick or Treat
Made this particular card for my husband, inside reads from your favorite witch.
Thanks to Dover Publishing for sharing the adorable vintage image.
Hope you are have a wonderful week.
Be back soon.

Does this pumpkin make me look fat?

One of my newest ATC's, a little humor on this cool Tuesday morning.
Our Family Reunion went well and I have lots of photos to share over the next few weeks.
Hope you have a great week, lots to do here to get things back to normal.
Be back soon.