Oh Christmas Tree!

Every year we fill the house with Christmas. These are our three main trees ... family room, formal living room and dining room. Actually, every room in the house has a tree of sorts ... they just are a bit smaller.
Wishing everyone a never-ending season of love and peace.

Toys for Tots Project

My wonderful grandson, Chris, has been collecting toys for children of need for eight years now. It started as a line on his birthday party invitation: In lieu of gifts please bring a new unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots. Well he has been dedicated to this project every since. We usually start in October, picking up toys for three months and then giving them to an agency to distribute.

This year he once again had collection boxes in the Academy he attends and the Pre-school at our church. On Monday, we will be delivering four full boxes and four new tricycles to the local Fire Department. They will distribute the toys to boys and girls in our town and county by Christmas.

It's such a heart-warming project and we're so proud of his commitment to helping others. Way to go, Chris. Love you more than you do!

I can't make just one!

I don't like to sit and make one card over and over again. So I end up with lots of different cards every year. I order new stamps ... and always go back to some of my old favorites as well. You won't find any snowmen in my batches, however. Hard to get in the mood for snow down here in Florida.

Let the Mailing begin!

The first batches of cards are complete. I'm so frustrated with my Dymo and Address program that I'm speeding things up .... I'm handwriting each envelope this year. Why is the computer such a complicated piece of technology?

So far I've made over 80 cards ... usually end up making 200+ but this year, except for my special stamping friends, I'm waiting for cards to arrive and then send out a response. I lost track of so many people when my computer crashed a few months ago. Now I have to wait for cards to arrive to get the addresses. I'm usually done with Christmas cards by Thanksgiving so it must be a sign of old age that I'm slowing down so much!

Hope you are all enjoying the time up to the holidays. The anticipation of spending time with family and friends and rejoicing in the season of hope, love, peace and joy.

Thanksgiving 2010

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I hope you are all blessed to be spending time with family and friends. I've been cooking since 8AM this morning. Have the turkey stuffed and in the oven and pre-made the glazed carrots and corn casserole. The pies were made yesterday, along with the two cranberry sauces and a cranberry mold someone shared online. :)

This is a photo of our table - before the feast - and the bowls ready to be filled with all the goodies. Chris (grandson) spent the night and woke up for his favorite breakfast, French Toast. He's such a happy boy!

I included a photo of my workstation in the studio. There is evidence of Christmas cards in the making. I've gotten about 50 completed and many more to go. I'll post those in another blog in the next few days.

I love this time of year ... getting ready for all the holidays. I'm so blessed to have a loving family and friends who mean so much to me. All the best today and throughout the holidays!

Basketball Playoffs!

There's Chris - the shorter boy on the team. That's his coach, Chad, giving direction in the background. Chris is pretty fast ... he can run to the other end of the court in a flash. We're really proud of the team ... they had five wins and only one loss going into the finals. They played an aggressive team in the play-offs and didn't win the season. But he'll be playing the in the Winter League. His coach was incredible. Chad was patient, positive and very encouraging to all the guys. Thanks Chad!

Go Magic!

Thanksgiving

It's been a while since I last blogged. Life has been busy. I made Halloween cards and mailed all of them before I took pictures. They were pretty cool ... I used the same jar as in the first Thanksgiving card, but it had spiders and a web inside.

I love the jar and you'll see more of it. An optional accessory set comes with candy canes and I love those. The bottom is from a wreath set ... one for every season.

I love the Fall ... the colors, the cooler weather and all the wonderful holidays. The anticipation of the coming of Christmas and it's celebration increases with each passing day. I hope you each can take time to enjoy the season and count your blessings. I'm so grateful for family and friends and being able to share my art with you.

Happy Thanksgiving.