Santa's Key

Clement C. Moore'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

 

Last night I was in the basement trying to finish a few last projects for my customers. As I looked around the room I spotted a couple of silver keys I had purchased for a special project. It seems as if I forgot all about the special project, even with the keys sitting in my full view! I found this picture on pinterest and thought what a wonderful idea for children without a chimney for Santa to come down.

 

 I immediately rushed to my office and started coming up with a tag for the keys. I had to get this done before I hit the sack!  I hope you like it and can use it for your own key! The poem came and idea came from http://picadillyandcompany.blogspot.com/2011/11/santas-magic-key.html. I just changed the look of the project. She ask that you not use the poem itself if you intend on selling the Santa Key. I found plenty of tarnished silver keys at Target. Now to find those special children without a fireplace to give it to!

ThanksGiving

All month long I have been posting on my facebook things I am thankful for! Even with the health problems I have, I feel extremely blessed! I have a husband who loves and seems to just adore me, my kids are married to amazing people, in this economy we are somehow by the Grace of God hanging in there and I find my cup half full more so than half empty. When I think of the word Thanksgiving, I see two separate words Thanks and Giving. I truly believe our joy is found through giving to others and thanking those that give to us. I don't understand the world we live in today with all of the entitlements that are being given out. I question if we have become a nation of takers instead of givers. With that being said, I also believe that many in our nation have turned their back on God. For me.... I could not live if I did not have God to lean on. He is my foundation for everything, through His Word He teaches me how to live daily. Through Him I know the true meaning of ThanksGiving and Christmas.

 I am thrilled about the Christmas season. I have been crafting for it since July with friends and family. I plan on having all of my shopping and decorating finished by the first of December. I want to relish all that the month and God has to offer me. I want to enjoy visiting with my children that I only get to see a few times a year. I want to be in the spirit of doing for others. I want to experience Christmas to the fullest!

I hope you enjoy the following pics. Please feel free to share with a link to my blog!

 

 

A Chatterboard for a Christmas present.....

We celebrated my husband's family Christmas on New Year's Eve day. We draw names and then buy a $20.00 gift for that person. My husband picked his brother-in-law. Of course, you know as Reid's wife, I will be doing the shopping. I found this wonderful $85.00 scarf at Macy's on sale for 50% off and then I had all of my coupons to go with it. The price fell to about $28.00. I was excited, but the more I looked at it, the more it look like something for my son. I thought about things for a couple of minutes, found myself in the studio and before I knew it..... I had created this piece for him. It is a storyboard of his family!

My Christmas Day Collage....

I posted yesterday about being at home on Christmas.... I would like to share with you my creation for my husband! It is a piece of us as children up until we were married! Also, the door parts are from my grandmothers old screen front door. It turned out to be a Christmas of Miracles and Blessings. I hope you enjoy my piece!

The Miracle in Atlanta!

The last time measurable snow fell in Atlanta on Christmas Day was in 1882. Up until last night, this had been a Christmas that felt very different. It is in the sense that I knew my children would be with their in-loves on Christmas and I only put up a tree and a wreath on the front door for decorations. Maybe I was preparing to have a sad day on Christmas, thinking of myself and not the miracles that we are provided all through the year by the one that we celebrate on this day. I woke up early on Christmas morning (4:30 or so) and went to look out the front door. I saw one star..... it was so bright. It was telling me to search for Him.... During the day, Reid and I sat in our cozy little work space. I started creating a piece about Reid and I and how from the very beginning God had put us together. I thought about all of the miracles God had provided for us, how He constantly gets us through each and every day. Of course my day started changing and Christmas day started feeling different. As we prepared to end our night, God showed us one more miracle..... Snow falling. Miracle of Miracles.... Snow in Atlanta in December! WOW! That's what Christmas is about.... The Miracle!!! Merry Christmas to all!

Bloom!!!

Just playing in the studio, creating a little hanging for a gift!

Sometimes, I wonder if the gift I am making is for me

(because I enjoy creating it so much)

or for the person that I am giving it to!

She challenged me and I created....

I have a cousin, Renee, that is always challenging me to create her inspirations. Renee needed an ornament for her Bank Christmas Party. She knew she wanted a pink pig on it. From there, I could add anything else that I wanted. It is hard to tell from the picture, but the piggy is on 3-D foam. Renee was really happy with the way "our" ornament turned out. I hope the recipient is just as happy!

Our 2010 Christmas Card...

Our 2010 Christmas Card..... This year I wanted to share with everyone the children's weddings. Reid and I are blessed with so many friends that we try so hard to stay in contact with each and every one of them. Christmas, for us, is always a great time to catch up on events. I am amazed at how many photo cards and newsletters I get each year. I love to see how our friends children have grown and I love to read the events of their year.

I can highly recommend TinyPrints for your Christmas Cards. I have used them for the past few years and the quality is incredible! As you can tell, the front and back of the three panel card was used! I think this has to be one of my favorite cards that I have sent.

Christmas Past....

I love Christmas.....

Simply put, I love EVERYTHING about it!

Being with family,

Continuing Traditions,

Visiting Santa,

and most of all....

Celebrating the Birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ!

My mother has always been the best of best when it came to hosting our family dinners. Food covers the cabinets, games are planned to include everyone and laughter has always been the highlight of the day. She has taught us well on how to entertain your family. This is the first Christmas that Reid and I will have with our new family! With both of the children now married, we will create our own traditions! For us, this is so exciting!

Me and Santa..... Probably 1964!

Chase, my mother and Daniel sledding! 1987

When we had Chase, we decided that we would start a tradition of sending out Christmas cards each year with our children on them. It is so amazing now to look at them and see the different personalities of the children each year. This picture was made in 1990. It includes my nephew and niece...... Daniel and Lauren. The four of them have always been very close!

Our first year being married..... 1982

What traditions can you share with others that you and your family enjoy?

On-Line Magazine for Christmas!

You have to visit Amy Power's on-line magazine.... It is wonderful! You will also see some of your favorite artist giving tutorials!

Open publication - Free publishing - More happy

Have you broke out the Christmas Music yet???

I love Christmas!!! I can't help it, but I try hard to think about the joy and the reason for Christmas everyday and I try to live as if it was Christmas everyday! If we think about it, Christmas is the gift that is given to us everyday! We wake up with the gift and we drift to asleep every night with the gift. The gift takes us through our highs and lows each day, it brings us joy each day!

I'm the person everyone complains about having decorations in place before Thanksgiving, singing Christmas carols the day after Halloween and the person who has all of her Christmas Shopping finished by December the 1st just so she can enjoy each and every day of December!

I love the sounds of Eddy Arnold, The Brooklyn Tabernacle, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Connick, Jr. and Diana Krall. They can warm my heart as fast as a well built fire in the fireplace!

I have a few favorites such as Andrea Bocelli singing When A Child is Born and probably my all time favorite~ Bing Crosby and David Bowied singing The Little Drummer Boy. Oh, and if you have not heard Gene Autry perform One Solitary Life.... You better go to Itunes and look it up! We are so blessed to live in a Country where Christmas means the celebration of the Birth of Jesus! So many places celebrate Christmas as a day to have fun, share gifts, decorate and with Jesus no where to be found in their hearts.

As we start the season soon, what songs can you share with me that are your favorites?

Found my Christmas pictures.....

My Children~ Whitney and Chase!

My brother-in-love, Danny, looking good in his Ninja pose.

Sonya, my sister, holds Dad's new clock for his workshop.

Chase in his new antique rocker that now is in his office at the store.

Whit with her new sewing machine.
I wish I had one like this.

My nephew, Daniel, helping his daughter have an incredible Christmas.

This toy speaks English and Spanish. When Reid and I put it together for Emma Kate we thought we had purchased the Spanish version not knowing that it spoke English and Spanish.

Meredith, Emma Kate's MOM, showing her how to rip open a present!

Whit, Emma Kate, Lauren (my niece) and Meredith (my nephew's wife).

I finally found my Christmas Pictures!!!

We had such a wonderful Christmas.

Santa gave Whitney her first sewing machine and

Chase received a printer/office computer set-up.

It was our last Christmas together just the four of us.

I am so excited about the coming years and having my family grow!

Whoooooo's Invited on a Hayride?????

One of my dearest friends called me and ask if I was up to the challenge of creating a simple but cute Invite to their "grade level" hayride. My response ~ "Of Course", anything Christmas thrills me! Tammy is the sweetest friend, always calling me and giving me the job of creating invites, labels, etc. The funny thing is, she always waits until the day before she is sending them out to call me! I think I may work better that way and she knows it!

If you need a Christmas, Birthday or any type of computer work..... LET ME KNOW!

I love sitting and creating!

Christmas Trees, Hymnals, Jewelry and Bobbins.....

I am having a little fun in the studio creating Christmas Trees! I have played around with the trees creating all different colors and then putting German glass glitter and old jewelry around them. It's so fun coming up with something new!