a multitude of promise...

Happy

Sparkly

do - over

shiny

blank canvas

full of promise

hopeful

brand spankin'

NEW YEAR!!!

"Well we have

a whole New Year ahead of us.

And wouldn't it be wonderful

if we could all be a little more

gentle

with each other

and a little more loving.

have a little more

empathy,

and maybe next year at this time...

we'll like

each other

a

little more."

judy garland

Happy New Year friends~~~see you soon!

A minima Chrsitmas...

a few years ago when I decided to start a blog

(what was I thinking?)

one of the decisions that had to be made was the blog layout.

At that time there were few choices so I went with

stretch minima.

No particular reason except I like the sound of it

s-t-r-e-t-c-h- minima.

Did you know that minima is the pleural of

minimum?

An abundance of minimum all stretched out.

That really does seem to fit me don't you think?  There really is no point to all of this except that I wanted to use minima in a blog post and this surely seems

like a minima kind of Christmas.

from my lone wreath in the foyer (above)

and my barely dressed mantle

we are celebrating in a

minimal sort of way.

Our tree is up yet unadorned,

we call this

Maude decorating.

I have a lone Poinsettia sitting on the hearth

soaking in the late winter sunshine.

(and apparently a camera that can tell the future!)

and a few baubles on the window pane.

This is as ready as we are going to be this time around.  Not that we aren't counting out Blessings but more of a

stop

look around

feel it in your heart.

The things that spend all year in a tote in the attic

are not what makes our Christmas.

It's the love and joy we carry for those who touch our lives all year long.

We just added a little sparkle and glitter here

and there

this year but

Jesus is always our reason.

Wishing you Joy and Peace during this Christmas season.

May you find the blessings of your heart

and share them with each other.

Merry Christmas

Happy Hanukkah

Happy Holidays

Monday snap...

...I took part in the Secret Santa Soiree over at Colorado Lady's  place a few weeks ago and on Friday I got a package from my Secret Santa swap partner.  Oh yeah baby, Santa must have had a difficult time getting that sleigh to fly with this package of goodies on board.   Now please snuggle up and take a little tour with me as I show you all the little lovelies  I received.

This post deserves so much more than I can provide with my lonesome little photo, blogger doesn't seem to want to share tonight, so please click on the pic and have a look!

From candles and soap, paper plates, napkins and a journal, some home-made cards and an apron.
To little sheep (see them?) and dryer balls made from the wool from her very own sheep!
To vintage linens~~table cloth, ornaments and milk glass doves,
to my very own little forest of bottle brush trees.
This package was filled with all of my very favourite things.  Each one wrapped with ribbon and ornaments.  How did you know I would love each and every one of them!

Thank you to my Secret Santa.  You have made this 'swap' a very special one for me and your gift could not have arrived at a better time.  You have touched my heart and my home with your generous spirit.  May you be blessed with the same spirit and joy.

Those sneaky little elves...

...Oh, it started out innocently enough.

One morning I woke up and there were a few Christmas totes in the dining room.

A few days later there was a tote containing the Christmas tree.

All seemed well for a few days after that

but then;

it was as if Christmas had exploded

all over the dining room, with all kinds of toys and decorations filling

each and every empty space.

(why yes, that is hubbys arm)

Then it moved on into the kitchen and nothing was safe.

Not the counter tops

or the breakfast nook.  Not the desk or the chairs.

It .was.everywhere.

Then they left.

Not to be seen again.

It's been days and days and still my house looks like this.

I just may have to do something

about it myself

soon.

Are you ready?

Another 'paper' post...

I planted some paper whites a few days ago.  I always enjoy planting them indoors this time of year and this year I put them into a Haegar Pottery bulb bowl that I found while thrifting last Spring.

It's really very easy and in a few weeks you will have some pretty blooms to help remind you that Spring will eventually return!  

Just take a package of bulbs and line them up in a container...pointing up.  It doesn't matter the container although they do get quite tall so you might want to keep that in mind.  This is a very shallow container so I will undoubtedly have to find a way to prop them up when the time comes.

Next fill the container (bowl) with water to just below the spouting tops.  About an 1" or so will do.  Then cover with rocks or gravel, or in the case marbles.   Keep it in a well lit area and in just a few weeks you will have some pretty white blooms.  I don't particularly care for their perfume but I do love seeing flowers in the Winter.

Do you plant paper whites at this time of year?

a Friday moment...

...I am having trouble with words today.  Too many words, hurtful words, honest words, words that prick at my soul and words that lift me and fill me with love. So many words, mostly questions for which I have no answers.  It's just been a day like that.  So on this Friday of this very busy season I wonder if you can find the words...

other than fear~~~

Love is > __________.


Happy Friday y'all.  Have a good weekend, be safe, be thankful, choose happy.

Maybe I can craft...

when I made my music page paper wreath awhile back..here...I had cut the paper into 3 1/2" squares and also had cut some at 7".  I used the 3 1/2" for that project and with the leftover 7" I decided to make another wreath.  Only larger.  After I got started I realized that I didn't have enough of the music paper to make the entire wreath so I spaced them out and scratched my head and wondered...what to do?

You might recall that I have a fully loaded craft room.  Full of lots of projects I will only complete in my mind or if I life another fifty years that is!  Anyway my solution was to try scrapbook paper.  I really liked working with the weight of the paper compared to the sheet music but beware that the risk factor for paper cuts is increased by the thousands.  Round and round I went making paper cones and gluing them onto the wreath.  (I used a piece of lightweight cardboard again only slightly larger than the last one.)  And  voila!

To finish off the center of this one I took a piece of coordinating scrapbook paper and wrapped it around a canning jar lid (without the ring), then glued it onto the wreath.  Then I added a little hanger in the back made from twine and hung it on the mirror in my foyer.  I'm really pleased at how it turned out..sorry for the bad lighting in the photos, it was late in the day.  I am going to spray it with a light coat of clear shellac and then hang it on my YELLOW door!   What will I think of next?

December's five...

...yep I've got my list all ready.  Oh, not that list...I haven't even started on that list.  I've got my list of five all ready to go and this month it is my favourite holiday movies.   This is probably the only time of the year when I sit down and watch a movie that I've seen over and over and over.  It doesn't matter to me how old it is, the older the better, or who is in it, black and white or colour...it is just the most wonderful time of the year to watch a movie.  

So, in no particular order here are five of my holiday fav's                                       

Most people are unaware that "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas" was first sung in this movie.  If you like the old Bing Crosby movies this is a fun one to see.

Only the original with Boris Karloff will do!

This has one of the best soundtracks around.  Even the hubs liked this one...I wonder why (boobfest).  I can't say I mind looking at Hugh Grant for two hours either.

Who doesn't love little Ralphie?  And the triple-dog-dare-ya? 

This one might be a little out-there for most people but I thought it was funny.  Then again I'm a sucker for the old SNL.

That's my short list, what have you got?