it's almost here!

Did you participate last year? This was SO much fun,
and I still visit some of the blogs I discovered.
If you have a little something you'd like to give away,
and want to participate, visit One World One Heart
for information.

Even if you don't have anything you feel you can
contribute (hey, last year, I gave away needle
felted heart pins. Not big things, but fun
things, yes?), you can always contribute your
comments and visits to some interesting and amazing
blogs.

You may even be one of the lucky winners!

swappy dresses

Saturday I was the "responsible adult" (you can
stop laughing now--you know who you are!)
while our eldest hosted a Redemption tournament.
It was the district tournament, but still not
huge, but the point is, I had 9 hours, a big
table, and plenty of counter space to spread
out and play. This resulted in some party
dresses for the aforementioned swap--scanned,
so the colors aren't quite deep enough, but
you'll get the idea.

little gold beads sewn on around the neckline,
bits of vintage doily, joss paper, gold emboss.


vintage purple bling and trim, plus glitter!
This one is more sparkly in person.


homemade collage paper, diamond buttons, ribbon


collage, stamped, iridescent stuff, gold trim.



ball gown! velvet ribbon trim, vintage button,
sheer fabric

yay! finally joined a swap . . .

This looked cute and fun, and I really needed
an excuse to sit down and make SOMETHING.
It's been a long, lonely time.

If you want to play along, you can contact
Jenna at her artrageous blog.
There's still plenty of time.

Will post some pics eventually . . .

by poplular demand . . .

. . . or at least the demand of one, I will
now post.

Was reading your all's blogs, and lots of
New Year's resolving was going around, which
started me thinking.

(Really actually thinking, I'm not just being
a smarty pants.)

I'm not a big New Year's resolver, but some
things have kind of changed around here, and
some tweaking of schedules and such needed to
be done. Mostly by me.


Better mom/teacher--the whole homeschool
thing needed some revamping. I'm happy to
report that things are going well, and those
involved were ready and, for the most part,
willing to dive in with a renewed spirit and
no complaints about the aforementioned tweaks.

Actually, life is always a work in progress.
Been working on being a better wife for twenty
years now.

(My husband is definitely worth the effort! :)

The Contessa made me realize that I don't have
to be up to my elbows in the art room to be
creative.

Creative is something we can be no matter
what we're up to. It's a way of life.
It's what we are.


And all the time, always, trying to know Him more.
How do we ever let that one go?? Look at that
lazy hand, just kind of lolling it's way out
there, while God's finger is decidedly, pointedly,
reaching toward humanity's. Isn't that how it
goes? I can get a little lazy about it, maybe
taking Him for granted, until life smacks me upside
the head with something. Well, again, it's always a
work in progress, but I'm going to try to be
reaching, not just maybe-kind-of-sort-of-thinking
about it.

Don't know if that's where Michelangelo was going
with that one, but there it is.

What have you resolved??
Something big?
Something small?
Anything?

what child is this?

That's baby Jesus. Probably a pale rendition, but
I wasn't there, so can't really say. Anyway, New
Year's Eve, the eldest (bear in mind this is AFTER
a huge feasty meal) wants to know--

"Mom, where's the cheese ball?"
"There isn't one."
"What???! You always make a cheese ball!"
"Sorry."
"Mom. New Year's without cheese ball is like
Christmas without Jesus!"



I really didn't have a response for that one . . .


Happy New Year!

the Christmas that ate my lunch.

December ate my lunch.

Not in a bad way, really, but, well, you know.

The whole holiday thing.

Here are a few pics--

The Homemade Birthday Ice Cream:




Our tree (rather out-of-focus):



this pic is for Lola--you think your little guy
lacks wrapping skills? The 16-year-old
did this! (Okay, okay, in all fairness, the boy
actually DOES know how to wrap a gift, but this
one was for his older brother.)



This is the pendant we bought on Etsy for the
mother-in-law. It's even more gorgeous in
real life--found it at Scheri's shop.



I hope you had a lovely Christmas, and are looking
forward to a wonderful new year!

Christmas is coming, so why am i hanging out here?

Stuff I've done this week--
NOT gone to work,
made a zillion cookies,
made don't-ask-how-many coffee rings,
went sledding (THAT was WAY fun!),
wrapped lotsa gifts,
and
today made little clay figures for our
revised version of Clue.

All my Etsy orders came in, plus my
fabric order from Gracie Lou, and I
am so happy with all of them!

Today, I'm "shopping" here:


Enter the Oh How Lovely Shops Big Holiday Giveaway!

good times . . .
tomorrow is Candy Day. No, that's not right,
it's Decorate Cookies day. And my mom's
birthday! Happy Birthday party at my house!
She's an ice cream freak, so we're making
homemade ice cream.

Yes, in December.

Don't be so judgemental.
;)

I stand corrected.

Here's my Barbie house.

It actually had three stories.

Sorry, Barbie, but GI Joe still has better stuff.



Not the greatest clip, but this is the very same
townhouse I had. Youtube is pretty amazing--
these old commercials amuse me to no end!

Here's the creepy GI Joe with moving eyes (Lola!),
plus some of his Action Man buddies. I've got the
Sea Wolf set WITH the BOX!! sitting on the counter
right now, waiting to be sorted through and cleaned
up a bit.



All you people out there sewing, and painting,
and stamping--do a little extra for me today,
will you please?

*sigh*

altered tin with magnetic paper dolls

Hanging out at a baseball card store can have its
advantages. For instance, a large selection of
discarded tins to alter, mine for the taking!!

So this little number is now a trip to Paris for
three little girlies and their nifty dresses.

Not only is it a set of dollies, but they have
their own case. Because no one wants to lose a hat.

I actually did try it without a tin first--was thinking
of making a folio for the dolls using library pockets--
but the magnets weren't magnetty enough without the tin
behind them.

All the images are from Altered Pages.
I've got a little niece who will love this!
Okay, she's not really my niece, but close
enough.

Today is not an art day, but at least I get to
play--with GI Joes, particularly (that's right,
we play with toys for a living!) If I had
realized what awesome stuff GI Joe had, Barbie
would have got the boot. Who needs a two story
dolly house with an elevator when you can have
a training tower with a giant snake???



Do YOU have Kung Fu grip??
And what the heck happened to my Barbie house,
anyway???

the year of π.

This Thanksgiving was the year of pie.
I started baking, and could not stop.
(This condition occurs with some degree
of frequency, an is usually met with
gladsome hearts by those around me.)


Two pumpkin,


two cherry,


one key lime,


and two French Silk.

All dolloped with big plops of real whipped cream.

Personally, I didn't actually eat that much, but
did catch the blame from others with less pie
resistance. One deceptively trim young man (who
shall remain nameless) consumed three large pieces
at one sitting.

π

Get it?
You know, π. Pi.

*sigh*

Anyway, look at that clicky link for the Holiday
Gift Guide--some fun giveaways going on there . . .