A New Necklace

 Look at the pretty necklace Charlotte and Lulu gave me for Christmas!   

It starts with amazing packaging (because Packaging is Everything!)

The attention to detail is wonderful! Mustard gold paper, a bit of white ribbon, 

and a golden circle decorate the kraft paper box...which is stamped with the shop logo. 

Then there's a piece of gray, gold, and white paper tucked inside the box.  

It all coordinates so nicely!

The gift itself is so sweet....a tiny, hand embroidered necklace!

A little bouquet of flowers!

Excellent choice Charlotte and Lulu! 

You know what Gramma likes!! 

The background fabric in the photos is actually a beautiful scarf from 

Mandy, Katie, and Mark....they know what I like too!

This pretty, little necklace has inspired me to get busy and make something...anything!!  How about you? Do you need a little inspiration to get going in 2015?
I'm linking up with Elizabeth & Co. today.  There's lots of inspiration happening over there!

  

Merry Christmas to You!

I hope your day was merry and bright and full of love and joy.
Thank you Lord...for a Savior!

The Office Christmas Party

One of my favorite activities in December is going to our office Christmas party.  I love picking out just the right gifts for my boss, his wife, and my co-workers...and I really love wrapping the gifts up in pretty paper, ribbons and bows!  

Here's my "gifts to give" piled up near my front door...ready to be loaded into my car.

For the past several years we've had our dinners at the home of my boss, Geoff, and his wife, Peggy.  It's such a pretty home...a little bit of snow, and you'd have the perfect Christmas card!

Dinner was served in this cozy dining room....grilled pork loin and homemade mac & cheese among other things.  So yummy!

Geoff's son made each of us these wonderful snowmen!

And Peggy made us these amazing coconut cake, 
and a delicious apple pie (it's hidden under the foil)!
Notice the red and white checks in the background?

Here's a better look!
Love this cozy corner!!

A toasty fire waited for us.  More of Greg's handiwork is in here. The mantle, and the birds and ship on it, and that beautiful coffee table!  The photo doesn't do it justice.  It's made out of two planks of wood and a set of old sewing machine legs.  

It's perfect in this room!

The tree is so pretty...I love seeing ornaments I've given them hanging on the branches.  
I also like to get ideas from other ornaments hanging there.

Like this angel...I love her wings. 

A doily folded in half. So sweet!

I gave Peggy this little felted sheep several years ago.

Another friend gave her this pig...I LOVE this pig! 

Every pig needs a polka dot sweater!

Speaking of sweaters.....how cute is this one!  Peggy found several of these at a little coffee shop.  

I can see bits of three other ornaments I've given her in this photo.  A silver vase, a paper mache star with baby Jesus on it, and a creamy, white mitten.

And here's the most important part of the evening...the people.

This is the current office staff.

Geoff, Jennifer, Regina, Mike, and me.

Definitely a fun group of people!!

First of all...this is black and white because I couldn't get the color edited correctly.  

Secondly, this is the office staff as we began the year.  

Four of us.  The same four that have been together for seven years.  Joan retired the end of June.  We were happy to have her back with us for our Christmas party!

I'm so blessed to work with such nice people!!

Here's a peek at last year's party.
And here's a photo of Peggy and Greg....a little grainy, but special just the same!

It was a wonderful office party!

Speaking of parties...there's another reason to celebrate today.
It's my daughter-in-law Johanna's birthday!!
Happy birthday to you!!
Hope you have a wonderful day!!

My Work is Done!

It wouldn't be Christmas if Hank didn't join in the fun!

I think he looks great this year!!

Shiny garland wrapped antlers are his look, don't ya think!?

Yep...Hank decorating was a success this year!

Even my boss said that Hank looks good!

Fabulous I say!!

I've Been Busy...

The house is all dressed up for Christmas!

I'm all worn out!

Time to go sit and put my feet up..maybe watch a Christmas movie or something.

Here's a peek at what I've been up to.

The tree is done.  It's a skinny one, but it's stuffed full of ornaments!

New coffee mugs for Bill and I from Mandy.  Such a good daughter!!

My favorite little truck, complete with tree.  Both are tiny....the truck is just over an inch long.

Did you have one of these plastic nativities? I did, when I was a little girl.
Now I have them as a big girl too!

I found the festive Kleenex box at Target.

A sweet wintry scene...in my kitchen!

More tree....more "stuffings"!

Have a wonderful day!

It's only 16 days until Christmas!

God Is with Us!

I especially enjoyed the "Christmas Encouragement" that Greg Laurie shared today.

The summary sentence was:

"The message of Christmas is God with us!"

How can you not be encouraged by that!

"If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 

even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me" - Psalm 139: 9-10

That is such an awesome promise!  No matter where you're at in life...He's with you.  No matter what valley you're stuck in, He is right there beside you...loving you and encouraging until you make your way out. Then when you're up on that mountain top,  He is rejoicing right beside you! 

God is with you.

He's there in the daily stuff. 

The good.

The bad.

The mess.

The best day ever.

He never leaves you.

He goes where you go.

Always.

How's that for encouragement!!

Christmas is a Promise

Bill and I buy the "littles" Christmas sleepwear each year...we give them the pjs and nightgowns on Thanksgiving so they have plenty of pre-Christmas time to wear them.  It's also a good day to try and get a photo of them all together...looking festive! 

It's a good thing that I'm not really attached to formal, posed photos. That seldom turns out well around here....click HERE to see what I mean!  

They were all tired, the light was all wrong, and, as usual, I had too many helpers (all over the room) saying "Here, look here!"

But I love these photos....I love the promise they hold.  My family's future. The promise of things to come!  

The three biggest "littles" are already sensing what's to come later this month.  They've thought about their Christmas wishes and wants...a lot!  Their warm, cozy, red & green outfits remind them...'tis the season!

They also understand the "real reason for the season"....I so look forward to the day 

that they really understand just how wonderful the promise of Christmas is!  

The promise...the certain Hope...of Him to come!

"Christmas Encouragement" Summary Sentence, Day 3:

"Christmas is a promise!"

Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,

Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh...Romans 1:2-3

Simply Wrapped

How do you wrap Christmas gifts that are going to be mailed or piled under a tree?  I usually stick with paper and a tag for these gifts.  Simple...it just makes since. Too much in the way of ribbons and bows would just get messed up.  However, I often spend way too much time picking out the wrapping paper.  After all, it has to be just right...right?!

But there are occasions that I spend as much time planning the packaging as I do deciding on the gift.  Like gift giving at office Christmas parties, and gift exchanges with close friends.  Or sometimes an extra special gift needs extra special wrappings, even if it's going to be mailed or stuffed under the tree.  I even have a Pinterest board called "Packaging is Everything". 

 source

But is it....everything I mean?

"Christmas Encouragement" Summary Sentence, Day 2:

"The greatest gift was given in 

the most humble of settings."

"And this is the sign unto you: 
Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 
and lying in a manger."  Luke 2:12

Maker of Stuff

I have been busy creating stuff...the craft show is less than three weeks away!  Time is flying by!  Can't believe it's the last week of November!

These wreaths were a spur of the moment idea.  Remember this wreath.  Well I still had wreath forms, bows, and angels in my stash, so I stopped at Target and picked up three more shiny, green garlands from the Dollar Spot and whipped these up. 

The bright colors and cute faces make me happy!

 

I found the Santa mugs at The Christmas Tree Shop during my last trip to Pennsylvania. (I have since discovered that there's one closer than that!) What a deal at 2 for $3.00!  I picked up some little trees at Michael's, and then decorated them with stuff I had in my stash! (I have a lot of stash!) I love the one with the red bells, still not too sure about the other one though.

 

The next three photos are all things made with "stash on hand"...little bits of this and that.  

Finally finished up the "snowguys" too!

 

The Santas in the following photo were painted by a dear friend of mine. I met her years ago...she was a "maker of stuff" just like me! She passed away last year. She used to have a little shop above her husband's workshop.  Her husband called me this year and said he had gone through her things and had some stuff to give me. BOXES of stuff! So I've been going through it a little bit at a time...trying to decide what to do with it all.  I think she'd be pleased with the things I made with her Santas.

Next on my list of things to make are these star ornaments with Baby Jesus on them. 

Busy, busy, busy....

Photos are a bit blurry/grainy. 

I took them with my phone and cropped them quite a bit.