Let the holidays begin!

-
I hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving!  We did. Ben came home for a few days and we loved seeing him.  He rested, helped around the house, and bonded with the kittens!


I also spent the holiday weekend happily working on a swap for Christmas. I had to do six White Christmas themed ATCs.  Instead of using a vintage image like I normally do, I went with a tiny Christmas tree that I created from tulle tied to a toothpick.  It sounds a little odd, but I think it looks really sweet.   Here's the prototype, which I made into a tag rather than an ATC:
It's kind of hard to see it in a photo, because the tulle is so light and wispy; when I get the rest of the swap in the mail, I'll try to take better photos for you!
I also treated myself to a trip to the thrift store, since everyone's putting out their Christmas items!  I love this new/unopened box intricate plastic figurines of the Three Wise Men!
I think the camels they are riding are incredibly interesting -- and I also really love the posture of the Kings.
And angels galore!  Like this 1970's style angel -- it's not a candle holder, just a figurine.  And some little kitschy decorations:
 a tiny angel orchestra...
and this little plastic house with decorated wooden angels in front -- it's probably from the 70's, too. Some of them have already ended up in my Etsy shop.  It's a lot of fun to have my little shop open again.

No luck on the job hunt, so far.  It's given me some time to relax and play with the kittens, and regroup.  I have taken a part time job at a retail store right here in my little town, so I don't have to drive all the way into the city. The commute is WONDERFUL -- literally 5 minutes.  The job helps to keep me busy and put food on the table!  But, it will surely be a lean Christmas this year.
Today we managed to get our tree up and lit.  We won't be putting out the usual, breakable and precious decorations due to the kittens!  Simon and Garfunkel are a real home wrecking crew.  They don't mean to be, but they still are! 

How about you?  Have you started your Christmas preparations yet?

Comments

Marrianna said…
Love the treasures you found at the thrift shop. I hadn't thought about that spot for Christmas odds and ends. Maybe tomorrow when I go out for physical therapy and some meetings and lunch. I'll try our Goodwill bins since the store is close to home. Saver's has higher prices so I don't go there. The regular Goodwill store might have some.

The most I've gotten done so far for Christmas is "thinking" about what I want to do. I have a pre-lit white small tree that I can put up. I have a few ornaments that I plan to hang from ribbons over the curtain rods and spruce up the windows. I saw the idea on a blog last week. I have a bunch of sari silk ribbon that I can use.

I'm glad about your p/t job close to home. I know something perfect will pop up soon when all the dust and pine needles settle after Christmas. I'm glad you get time to rest. Ben looks more and more like his dad in every photo you post. Glad he came home for Thanksgiving.

Some of my best gifts that I've given ever are baked goods. And when I receive them, I am always thrilled. I don't like to cook at all anymore but I used to make fantastic banana nut bread and give as gifts.

Take care of you,
Marrianna
Flagstaff - slight dusting of snow but icy streets today after last night's snow
November 28, 2016 at 7:42 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Baby Jesus Candy Cane Christmas Ornament How-To

-
Image
Here's a tutorial to make sweet baby Jesus ornaments: Materials: 3/4" round wooden balls blue felt like-sized small wooden stars flesh-colored acrylic paint yellow acrylic paint black permanent marker small button as star decor raffia natural excelsior "moss" silver thread or coordinating yarn candy cane You'll also need glue or a hot glue gun, paint brush and scissors Begin by painting the wooden balls with flesh-colored paint and the stars with yellow paint. When dry, draw two sleeping eyes on the ball. Meanwhile, cut small pieces of felt and make little rolls to represent the baby's body; tie with a tiny piece of raffia. Next, glue the wooden ball onto the top of the body roll of felt; if you wish, you can also cut a small wedge of felt to glue over like a little swaddled hood on the baby's head, but I think it looks cute without it as well. Glue the l...
Read more

Flagler College in St. Augustine: the Tiffany connection

-
Image
We visited this wonderful building that began its life in 1888 as a lavish hotel built by Henry Flagler, one of the founders of Standard Oil, and now houses Flagler College . It is such a beautiful old building and in it we saw: these fabulous Tiffany chandeliers... on a spectacular painted and embossed ceiling in one of the hotel's drawing rooms.   I apologize for the quality of the indoor photos -- it was quite dark in the building. I had to laugh at these painted cherubs on the ceiling... and the way their ribbony robes encircle the chandelier mount! This large clock over the mantle is special because it's a Thomas Edison clock and because it is made from one piece of rare onyx.  We were told that Edison's "signature" on his clocks is the use of the incorrect Roman numeral "4". But the most spectacular feature of the building is that Louis Comfort Tiffany himself made the stained glass windows. Most of Tiffany's windows a...
Read more

O Christmas tree, jeweled Christmas tree...

-
Image
Earlier in the season Rebecca and I went to a craft fair at a local high school, and there was one booth with the CUTEST little jeweled, framed Christmas trees! The gal was nice enough to let me photograph them.  Sorry it's kind of blurry, but it was dark in that high school gym! I know it's an older kind of craft (from the '60s and '70s) but she made them sweet -- not gaudy at all.  We were both SO inspired. So, last week we made it happen.  I brought a bunch of my old, broken vintage jewelry, some velvet, glue,  old frames, and we sat in her dining room and made a forest of little trees! It was so simple: first, we took a vintage frame and covered the backing with velvet.  We just glued it on. Then, we took our time arranging bits and pieces of jewels into a Christmas tree shape. When we were happy with the arrangement, we committed and glued the jewels down!  I love this avocado green velvet! And then we did it again.  We h...
Read more