Merry Christmas

December sneaked in and swept me off my feet.  I cannot believe Christmas is upon us.  Where did December go?  This has been, as with must of us, a very, busy, busy month.  I did not realize that I haven't posted anything since last month.  I do have a lot to report - let's start with the annual visit from "Prize" - Niko & Mahina's Elf...

Prize arrived on December 1st.....

Then came my 5th annual cookie exchange - 19 bakers each baked 10 dozen cookies to share....it was much fun and everyone went home with many, many cookies!!  I baked these butter cookies!

I helped Niko & Mahina make and paint salt dough ornaments.....they had a ball and their ornaments were adorable.

Mahina's Christmas Pageant - her last one in Pre-K....next year Kindergarten!

She is so angelic!!!

Made some gifts for friends....

Domino Books

Painted cinnamon sticks and snowmen ornaments...

Niko helping Meme with Christmas Cards...

A visit to the Quick Response Christmas light display with my grandchildren and some family...

More visits from Prize [the elf]

Prize in Lily's [Mahina's baby doll] bed.... 

Prize playing with Niko's Army toys..

Prize playing with toothpaste!!!

An award ceremony at Niko's school....he won an award and was so proud & happy!!!

Decorating Gingerbread Houses with Niko's first grade class.....

Niko & his Mom

Niko & his gingerbread house

Niko & his pal Michael

Niko & his pal Luigi 

Niko with his pal Billy [in the middle] and I'm not sure who the cute redhead is!

There were many more activities that went on this past month in preparation for Christmas....shopping, lunch's with friends, shopping, baking, shopping, Elfing the neighbors, visits with friends, a few parties here and there, shopping, on and on we go.  So I end this post with good wishes to all my family and friends for a wonderful holiday season and a happy, healthy, prosperous new year....

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT....SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!!!

ATC Christmas Ornaments-2012

As some of you already know, I belong to a Yahoo group of artists called In My Vintage Room and Beyond.  I recently hosted an exchange in our group - ATC Christmas Ornaments.  Nine artists, including myself, played in this swap.  We had to create three Christmas themed ATC's with a hanger for displaying the ornament.  The girls outdid themselves - the ornaments were wonderful.  It was very difficult to give them up!  With my DIL's help, we sorted out all the ATC's and everyone received three in return for the three they created.  I packaged all the beautiful ornaments and put them in todays mail.  This is an annual event that we have been doing for at least three or four years and, I for one, look forward to this swap every year.  So feast your eyes on what the artist's created:

Doris - fronts  

Doris - backs

Donna - fronts - creative packaging as well!!!

Donna - backs

Mary - fronts

Mary - backs 

Janice - fronts

Janice - backs

Maura - fronts

Maura - backs

Ginger - fronts

Ginger - backs

Miriam - fronts 

Miriam - backs

Lori - fronts

Lori - backs 

Fran - fronts --- forgot to photograph backs

I told you they were wonderful!!!  Thanks girls for playing in this swap.....

Altered Vintage Cookie Cutters

For those of you who know me you know I'm a Pinterest Addict.  Yes, I will admit it, I am - I cannot help myself.  If anyone knows of a Pinterest Anonymous Group in my area let me know quickly.  I don't care much about Facebook or Twitter, but I love, love, love Pinterest!  There I've said it again.  

One morning while pinning, I came across a couple of photos showcasing altered vintage cookie cutters, which were then turned into Christmas ornaments and my mind went racing.  Now I had a desperate need to have vintage cookie cutters - and I had to have them right now!  So I put in a SOS to my friend Lori who is a antiques junkie and asked her to be on the lookout for cookie cutters in her never-ending search for unique antiques.  Lori's home is filled with beautiful finds and she displays them with such detail.  Her home really should be featured in Country Living or Country Home!  She mixes new with old in a way only Lori can do!  

Back to the cookie cutters - well, Lori, Bill [Lori's husband] and her sister Beth found me dozens of these cookie cutters at different antique shows.  Along with the cookie cutters Lori gifted me with a large book of vintage sheet music and Beth with buttons [great friends, by the way].  I had all I needed at this point to recreate what I had seen on Pinterest.  I have a specific goal for gifting these treasures and in a future post I will share who the recipients are.  For right now it's a secret.  

So here they are....I'm sure not everyone will be as excited about these as I am, so be it!!!

The first three pictures are some of my
altered cookie cutters

This was my inspiration from Pinterest

By the way folks, I am not responsible for anyone's addiction to Pinterest!!!  But you should give it a try.....