Happy Creative Year 2017!

-
I, like so many others, am so  happy that a new year has begun.  But maybe for different reasons than most; I don't blame 2016 for the "bad" things that have happened during it, but I did experience a lot of personal loss during it and am thankful it is behind us.
Our Christmas was lovely!  We had a yummy dinner with family and close friends, and relaxed and enjoyed the day.  Look at our tree -- it has ONLY lights this year, because of the kittens.  (They still climbed it!)




I love this Santa T-shirt I bought for Ben -- it makes me laugh!  We binge-watched TV together and chilled (literally!) during the whole Christmas week.  It was lovely!
New Year's Eve was all about comfort food...
and games...
 and cuddling with the kittens!
Rebecca and I made New Year's Day a craft day; which is becoming somewhat of a tradition.  I think it's a good one!
I worked on a couple of things that I will use to decorate my new work space -- if I get the permanent job that I've been working at as a temporary since the end of November.  Wish me luck -- the panel interview for it is this Thursday!
I chose "living the dream" as a phrase to motivate me this year.  I decoupaged an antique French ledger page and a bit of text from my favorite novel; these things make me happy!
I decoupaged this tray using a variety of vintage papers; it is lined with the art work that I created at a class in October.  In the center: a name tag made by a talented friend a few years ago that I have been saving because I think it's so pretty!  I wish I knew how to do lettering like that!


I love this tray...I think it would be so cheery on my desk!

On the bottom, a really great vintage page from a business book; it shows how to correctly address envelopes back in the day.  Isn't that fun?
I was able to resist most of the after-Christmas sales this year -- except for the ones at thrift stores!  I found some very fun stuff -- like these Holt Howard candle holders!  Aren't they sweet?
Most of all, I enjoyed spending time with Ben.  Dennis and I continue to adjust to the empty nest as well as can be expected -- but I can't tell you how much happiness he brought us by spending the holiday season at home!
I hope your holidays were peaceful and happy, too!  I'm looking forward to having a creative new year, all year.  I hope you do, too, and that you keep visiting me on my little blog during it!

Comments

Linda said…
Happy New Year Laurie...how creative you are. Love the "living the dream" artwork, and your letter tray is so pretty and original. Truth be told, I would have snatched those candle holders also. You always seem to find really great stuff.

Here's wishing you good fortune in acing the upcoming interview.

Cheers, Linda.
January 2, 2017 at 6:38 PM
Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said…
Fingers crossed for the job. Looks like you had a fabulous Christmas. Relaxing is a very good thing. And doing a little something creative every day definitely is good for the soul. Take care! Wishing you and yours all the best in 2017.
January 2, 2017 at 11:10 PM
Unknown said…
I love all the pictures!!! Such a perfect craft day too!! And the ham.....
January 3, 2017 at 5:25 PM
Betsy@My Salvaged Treasures said…
Such beautiful creations, Laurie. Looks like you all had a wonderful celebration.
Wishing you and your family the very best in the new year.
January 6, 2017 at 9:09 AM
Curtains in My Tree said…
Hi Laurie

Looks like you had a very nice Christmas.
Sorry you are still dealing with the empty nest, That is why people have lots kids LOL Its nice when they all leave LOL
It's hard when you only have one child

Of course you are starting off creating some of your neat art work

Anyway ready to start another fun year of blogging

Happy New Year
January 6, 2017 at 9:42 AM
Marrianna said…
Thanks so much, Laurie, for the wonderful photos of you and your family and friends during this Christmas season. I don't know where the temp job is or what you are doing, however, if it is what you want for a full-time gig, I hope you get it. Christmas was VERY quiet at my house. We got a foot of snow on Christmas Eve so I stayed home on Christmas. Good thing I didn't have any plans. It was all fine with me. I think I spent a good part of the day reading a novel. I couldn't get comfortable enough to read while I had the back brace for 3 months so no reading and no needlework, except a little at the sewing machine. The new year is here, the back brace is off, and I really want to get into the sewing room. I'm behind on sewing quilt blocks for a sampler project through our quilt store. I want to get those caught up. And maybe try some other sewing stuff. And cleaning/organizing.
Merry Christmas
Happy New Year

Marrianna
January 7, 2017 at 8:08 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