This mother works at Home Depot...she is selling a shovel! The teacher thought she was a pole dancer! What did YOU think!?
Well, I am officially declaring war! Pray for me, I'm goin' in! Junk, beware! Long lost items I don't have use for, out! Poor pathetic items that have been crying out "Help Me", I'm on the way! Bins and garbage bags in hand, I will purge all of you! Gone are the days of lining my bedroom with craft supplies while junk has a place of comfort and royalty! Soon my beloved necessities of the trade will reign supreme, and I will dwell in order and sanity! And yes, you, my dear blog friends, will be the first to see the results, and will be able to rejoice with me and my things, neat, tidy, organized, and ready for the new year! Yes, I'm goin' in. Let's pray I make it out!
To my delight, Hobby Lobby gift cards were the #1 gift this year to which I took advantage! And with the sales I found some great bargains. These are a few. This chicken caught my eye some time ago and was so pleased to see it still there, at half off!
I couldn't resist the seasonal, and found this snowman with a gift card from my friend Nancy to Mary Maxim's,
and this adorable candle holder at Hobby Lobby.
This pink blown glass bird clip was perfect for my pink tree. Mom always said a tree had to have a bird on it for luck. She held to that , and it's now a tradition I keep. Even the stick tree has a bird! I have balances on my cards and will use them for projects that come up. It was hard not to spend all of them, but I know when I need them if I don't, I'll be kicking myself!
Kiley and my nephew Jacob enjoyed having cans stacked on their heads.
Ever the hams, but such beautiful ones!
Becky and Robyn came over yesterday to help ready gift bags for a local nursing home with many residents who receive no visitors or have no family. For the past 15+ years, our family has gotten the names of some of the most needy, and put together these gifts.
Ken and I find this to be the highlight of the Christmas season. He helps assemble, and we go together to deliver the bags.
This year we put together 23 gift bags, containing a throw, socks, lotions, powders, candy, hankies, a stuffed animal, (we were going to stop that one, but were told the animals were very well received and loved.) and usually an item that the recipient is in need of.
This is just a sampling of the bags that were delivered this year. We really look forward to doing this, and for Ken and I, this is what we do instead of exchanging gifts. Neither one of us needs anything, so this just feels right for us. Seniors have a very soft spot in our hearts, and it just wouldn't feel like Christmas if this tradition were to stop.
Becky and Robyn came over, looked at the decorations, and the first thing Becky said was "Beautiful Mom, but it's not Christmas without the stick tree." What is the stick tree? When I first met Ken, in 1986, I also met the tree. At that time, it was 8 years old. Ken was not into Christmas. So the eccentric soul that he is, he had kept his last live tree, and each year cut off the dead branches from the previous, and set it up in the living room with a strand of light wound around the now bare trunk. Thus the tree became a tradition. I took off the lights, and re-decorated it to at least resemble a Christmas tree. Every year, along with the regular tree, the stick tree goes up. This year, it didn't, and I really caught it for not doing so. I didn't think I could find any more room for one more thing! But out of necessity, the tree is up, and yes, it does seem more Christmasy with our tradition in place!
OK, I saw this idea on an HGTV decorating special, and had to do it! It was just attaching a wreath to the hanging light and decorating it like a tree. I wish the picture did it justice, so hard to capture how pretty it is. Clicking on the picture helps though. Diane asked about my banner, I bought this Nativity from TJ Max a couple years ago, it had me in awe, so I put it in lay-away. It's my favorite nativity. With snow babies, I'd have to say my favorite is Jack Frost, in the bottom of the curio cabinet, Light One Candle and the Snowbaby praying, in front of the tree on the 3rd shelf of the cabinet. Also, the puppet show that my son and daughter in law bought, as our family had a puppet troupe for many years. Each has sentimental value. I have many more, but finding space is hard this year also. I put all I could in vignette's in the cabinet. 
I have been a decorating fiend this year, always thinking there is one more thing I can do. Well today I declare I am officially done. I have added, tweaked, and re-arranged. Now satisfied, here are the final pictures of my holiday home! Click on pictures to enlarge.
I love snow babies, and filled my curio with as many as I could.
This stool sat at my husbands' family homestead for several generations.
I added a tea light to the wreath. I love these, they are little battery operated ones that through off the nicest glow, and no worry about it catching anything on fire.
| You Should Have a Pink Christmas Tree |
 You're happy as long as you're spending time with the people you care about. You are passionate about the holidays, and that start of the holiday season makes you very excited. You sometimes go a bit overboard in your celebrations. You just can't help it! Passionate, easily excited, sweet, giving, love, friendship, sensitive, caring Your pink tree would look great with: More pink! You should spend Christmas Eve watching: The Muppet Christmas Carol What you should bake for Santa: Rice krispie treats with red and green food coloring |
I made some of these last year, but they ended up selling like hot cakes! This is such a simple project. Paint a 1 1/2" wooden ball using acrylics, add blush for the cheeks. Just use mittens, fill the bottoms with rice, or beans for weight, and stuff the rest with batting and tack the end of the thumb to the body. This forms a space to add gifts, or pieces of Christmas picks. Tack or glue the cuff to the body, so face will face forward, and glue in the ball. Make a scarf, and tie with the long part over the side without an arm. Decorate any way you wish. I also did some where I made little hats and used the cuff as a turtle neck. You're only limited by your imagination. If you try this, let me know and post a picture. I would love to see it.
My niece Robyn has been the recipient of several of my crafts over the years, as she is very sentimental, and appreciates them, making it easy to give them. Above is the Advent calendar, my sister Kathy made one for her family years ago, and so the tradition started. My other sister Wendy and I have made several of these, now we need to make ones for ourselves. Bible verse ornaments are in each pocket, and added to a special Advent tree each day until Christmas.
One of the stockings made for her triplet sons.
This years and last years hearts,one of her favorite ornaments to collect. Her tree is always beautiful with decorations that have sentimental value. Robin can tell you where each ornament on her several trees came from. It's too bad she doesn't have a blog to participate in Deena's Christmas Delights! It's awesome what she does for the holidays!
This sewing machine has belonged in my husbands family for many years, and for quite some time was stored in the attic of their family homestead. His grandmother was an excellent seamstress, and made her own patterns for wedding gowns, and clothing. It has been many decades since this machine has been used.
We've had it for several years now, and I don't know why I never peeked to see if there were any hidden treasures in its drawers. Today I looked, and was excited to find many pieces of lace, well aged and beautiful. These are just three samples of what I found, along with its original oil can. I'm carefully going to ready these finds for use in my crazy quilt projects, as they have held up quite well. I learned from a past mistake, with one of my great aunts old hankies, to place the lace between towels to press. I'll show more beautiful pieces as I get them untangled and nicely pressed.
I finished another heart ornament that will be added to my big tree, if I ever get the umph to put it up. I'd rather sew or play on the computer than get done what I need to! 
Sue over at Periwinkle Blue http://periwinklesuz.blogspot.com/ asked if we had a favorite cup or mug. (If you haven't yet visited her site, take a look!) Here is mine. I love this cup for everything from water to coffee, and especially hot cocoa. I received it from my sister some years ago, and what's most unique, I can keep my drink hot between sips. Butterflies are especially special to me, as they are a family symbol for my late father. My other favorite mug, with my grand daughters picture on it is over 9 years old and needs to be retired and replaced as it is fading. Of course with an updated photo of the girls! (Hint, Hint dear Ken:) Christmas is almost here.!) So what cup is your favorite?
Chip was on his best behaviour for his picture with Santa yesterday.
I forgot to drape his little kerchief on Santa's arm, but this is what he looked like. He stayed with me for the afternoon while I worked the bazaar, and needles to say he was quite the hit. He passed through a lot of loving arms, and enjoyed all the attention.
Gorgeous wreath:
Dainty little poinsietta candy dishes; set of 6:
Funds raised for our furry, faithful friends:
