Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and apologize for being absent the past couple of weeks.

I've been busy getting ready for Christmas and my parents arrival. My folks got here safe and sound on Sunday afternoon. It's been wonderful having them here. We've been baking and shopping and watching Christmas movies and laughing. I haven't spent Christmas (or any major holiday) with my parents in five years. It has already been a wonderful Christmas for me!!

I will resume blogging after the first of the year. I have lots of new things in store for my crafting business and I can't wait to share it with you. (Think Mother Goose and Kate Greenaway.)

So, that's all for now.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Look at this...

Look what my friend, Susan, brought me for a treat. There's chocolate mousse underneath all that pretty fruit. Thank you, Susan!

And, here is my pile of 'stuff' for the craft shoe on Saturday and Sunday. Our load-in time is 6:00 am Saturday morning. Ugh!

And, here is today's project. It is from The Sampler Girls book of Christmas cross stitch patterns. It is the first line of Longfellow's poem "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day". I'm having lots of fun with this one.

It's an odd day here in Lansing. This morning was so dark I wondered if I'd ever be able to turn off the lights. Now, it is bright and sunny out. Michigan weather. Go figure!

I did some grocery shopping this morning. I also bought some more stocking stuffers. I think I have a problem. I've got to stop buying stocking stuffers. Anyone getting a stocking from me should stop eating anything sweet now! (Oh my gosh! I just bit into the pastry shell and it is lined in chocolate!) I know I come by my stocking issue naturally. Our Christmas stockings, when we were kids, over flowed with all sorts of treats. So much so that they were usually propped up against a paper grocery bag filled with the over-flow. (This pastry is DIVINE!!!!)

Okay, gotta focus here. I'm quickly headed for a sugar coma:) So, I'm going to sign off and clean myself up. My hands and face are covered with chocolate mousse.

Enjoy your day!

December at last...

I'm sorry it's been so long since I have last written. Let me catch you up....

Thanksgiving was okay but our dog was sick. She threw up about 10 times in 6 1/2 hours. It was scary and upsetting while it was happening but she did stop and is now back to normal. Unfortunately she woke me at 4:30 am so it turned out to be a looong day! We had dinner at the in-laws which was uncharacteristically (what a long word!) uneventful. The best part of the day was watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving with the kids.

I did a little shopping for the kids on Black Friday. I went out at about noon and I was all by myself. That's the way to do Black Friday- by yourself. I didn't have to keep an eye on kids or my husband, I could just shop. I got some good deals and I am done with the boys, except for stocking stuffers. I love stocking stuffer shopping. I could do that all year long.

I've got a big craft show on Saturday and Sunday. That has been pre-occupying me this week. I'm done sewing and inventory-ing and pricing and packing. I'm in pretty good shape, I now just have to wait.




I hung up the advent calendar yesterday and have provided some pictures as I said I would. I made this about three years ago. It is all my design and completely by hand. I don't know if I would ever make this kind of thing to sell. It was very time consuming and every time I think about it my price goes up:) However, I was thinking that this would be a good pattern to make. The wheels are spinning!


I've also been working on my cross stitch projects from the pattern book that I received from The Sampler Girl. I'm loving it! I'm at a point now that I'm tired of making things "anonymously"- for people I don't know to buy or not buy. I want to work on stuff for myself, my family and friends.


That's about all for now. I've got laundry to finish (don't I always?) and Christmas gifts to work on.

Enjoy your day!