My Homemade Chrsitmas Decorations

This wooden mouse is wearing a Mickey Mouse watch although I am not sure you will be able to see it.

I have had a few people ask me to post my Christmas decorations. I did post a lot of them last year but I have since acquired a few and rearranged so I will post them again. This post will just show the things I have painted or made over the years and I will post the other things later. Just so you know, I am not posting these things to boast or show off although I am proud of my work and am happy to share. Some of the items are rather small so you may have to enlarge to get detail.

I painted all the skinny Santas but not the chubby one.

I painted the two tall ones but the smaller one is a collectible from an artist in Cheyenne, Wy.

This is a relief tole painted item. The tiny socks actually hang from the mantel as does the wreath.



This is a large Santa head that I painted on cut out wood. It is made of 6 different pieces of wood.



I painted the the children from around the world on a wooden plate

Painted wooden sled of candy canes and a rose.

The glittery Santa on the left is a new one from Broadbents.....a wonderful general store in Lehi. The other two I painted.

This is a new plaque that I painted and covered with scrapbook paper.

I painted the Mrs. Santa, the advent picture and made the angels.

I painted this Santa on fabric so the paisley that you can see is actually the fabric showing through.

Wooden angel

Santa cookie jar lid.

Elf stocking holder. His left leg protrudes from his body by a dowel.

Thanksgiving

I couldn't let the time pass right into Christmas without remembering the gratitude I have in my heart for all the blessings I have been given. I would be praying all day if I had to name each item and person that I have been blessed with in my life. Suffice it to say, that I have a great family, all the necessities of life, some of the luxuries and great hope for the future. I love my Heavenly Father and know who I am and what is expected of me in this life. I don't always meet those expectations, but I have the gift of trying again and again.

That said, we had a great Thanksgiving Day at daughter Colett's. She is an amazingly creative and her Thanksgiving table was no exception. She combined the whimsical with the elegant. She covered the table with plain paper and drew place matts on it with a marker. She then set the table with china, gold utensils, goblets and the centerpieces were twigs from the yard. We also ate with candlelight. I loved it.

We each contributed to the meal and although the turkey took longer to cook than anticipated, we had appetizers to fill the void. It was kind of nice to draw it out a little instead of eating everything all at once. You didn't feel so bloated.

Amy and Colett in the kitchen

Once again, Wes was at the fire station and had to miss out.

My place setting. Notice the napkin ring made from a tag and stamped with my initial.

Amy and me

Chef Matt and Nicholas

Grandpa Wayne and Amelia

Colett and Isabelle

Carving the bird

The kid's table with coloring crayons so they can write and color while waiting

My place setting

I don't have pictures of us sitting around burping after it was over....it wasn't a pretty site. We did discuss that in some countries, it is an insult not to burp after a meal to show your appreciation. So here's to you Colett.....buuuurrrp!!

New Moon

My brother-in-law called me last week to see if I wanted a ticket to the movie "New Moon". I had read the first book in the series and found it just OK. I did not have a desire to read any more of the books or really go to the movies.... not really my thing.... but hey, it was a free ticket and I love movies and being with my sister, so she picked me up and we went. We did have to stand in line for about 45 minutes (which is almost more than my tolerance level, but we got in and got our seats in the very back row right in the middle. That is my my favorite place to be.

I have to say, the movie was OK too. It wasn't worth sleeping out for or waiting in line for hours the night of the opening like many people did, but it was entertaining, and we did get to see some pretty buff werewolves.

My sister's dental office (Young Dental) had rented out the theatre for the night and as we exited they gave us all an apple in a cute little bag with a cuter little tag on it. This is a picture of it. Pretty clever I thought. And when was the last time you found a company that cared about it's customers enough to do such a thing?

A Great Concert

I am very thankful for music.  What would our lives be without it?  What if you didn't have a song that reminded you of your soul mate? What if there were no hymns in church meetings? What if there were no songs to lull your baby to sleep? What if there were no background songs to your favorite movies?

Wayne and I got tickets to see Collin Ray at the Desert Star theatre.  It is a 200 seat theatre so there were no bad seats, and the sound in the room was as good as it gets.  Collin also said it is his favorite place to perform because it is intimate and there are very few places like it anymore.  He put on an amazing show and has not lost a note in his 20 some years of performing.

This is the man who has topped the charts with such great songs as "On the Verge," "One Boy, One Girl," "What the Heart Wants," "Every Second" and "That Was a River"

"I believe in Providence," says Collin Raye. "I believe there"s a reason things happen the way they do. I also believe that if you"ve treated people right and you continue to work hard at your craft, things will happen. I want to keep going. I want hit records. I want to make music."

Five times nominated as country music"s Male Vocalist of the Year, Collin Raye has consistently used his stardom to advance social causes. Among the organizations he has supported are Boys Town, First Steps, Al-Anon, Special Olympics, Country Cares About AIDS, Catholic Relief Services, Parade of Pennies, Vanderbilt Children"s Hospital, The Tennessee Task Force Against Domestic Violence, The Emily Harrison Foundation, Childhelp USA, Silent Witness National Initiative, Easter Seals and Make a Difference Day. At the 2001 Country Radio Seminar, Clint Black presented Collin Raye with

the organization's Humanitarion of the Year award.

  

Scroll to the bottom of my page and click on my playlist to stop it and then

click here to listen to the song that I like the most.  For all my friends and family, this is about you.  I am thankful for you.

YouTube - In This Life

If the Shoe Fits

I remember when I was a kid and the converse sneaker was about all there was to wear.  We didn't have the $100 a pair shoes, or the sneakers for every sport; from walking to tennis to basketball to cross trainng. The Converse shoe is back in style, although not so much for the sport, but just for the cool image you project when you wear them.  I took a picture of my little grandson's shoes because they are so cute and then realized his Daddy was wearing the same shoes.  There is just something about this shot that I love.  I did say I have a thing for shoes a while back and this is just another reason. why.

So going along with the Thanksgiving theme, I am grateful that I can walk and that we have protective gear for our feet.  Shoes......a great invention.