Merry Christmas!

 We are ready for Christmas morning breakfast-

 Wake me when Santa comes.........

Cold weather makes for some strange bedfellows......(the heating vent is right next to the
dog crate!)   Poor Max is too big to squeeze in!

 

Merry Christmas from the Swamp!

At Least 26 Angels

My heart hurts for the families that have lost their children in  the last week.  I have

been that parent who got that unexpected call that no parent can understand.  Then 30 years later I was that grandparent who got that call.  I pray that God holds them tightly and gives them comfort.

I have never really noticed how many angels are sitting around my house at Christmas until this week.  I kept looking at the decorations with such an empty feeling.  Then suddenly only the angels seemed to warm me up.  And I started to count them - hoping that I had 26- or more. And I did. 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! And War Eagle!

The camera battery was dead Christmas morning- but, I have no excuses for not taking pictures the rest of the time. I just never put the battery back in the camera after recharging...never even thought about it.... This was my big surprise from Santa- a trunk wrapped up like a pirate chest! The trunk (future home of lots of fabric) was full of surprises including my smocking pleater and a Bissel Pet Spotbot (oh! how I love it!)

Youngest Boy in his new hat and sweatshirt showing Lulu some love.....

Lulu not sharing the love:)

My Mom with 3 0f 5 Grandkids and me...............still can't believe those tall ones in the back are my babies! Happy 2011!

Thrifty Thursday

Today I am sharing my cute and thrifty Christmas tags! Once you gather the materials and set up an assembly line they are pretty quick to put together.

The only thing I purchased to make these was an old hymnal for $.50. The other supplies I had on hand: cereal boxes, glue, ribbon scraps and grunge paint. Here is my assembly line set up on the kitchen counter(not much cooking going on here this week!) - my sewing room is a mess and this way I can make a few when I have a spare minute.

First cut out circles from the cereal boxes. Cut circles from the hymnal. Glue together and punch a hole. Thread ribbon through the hole (which I forgot to do!)

Cut 2 inch strips of hymnal and scallop one edge. Fold in pleats, Use to strips to glue around the front of the circle. Adjust pleats as you go. Do not expect perfection!

Glue clip art in the center.

Paint Grunge paint *(recipe follows) around small sections. Before it dries wipe it off with a damp paper towel.

Smudges are OK! I also wiped some on the back....

Sit around to dry.

Tie on bags or gift boxes. We wrote the To/From info on the back in Sharpie.

We shredded some hymns in a paper shredder for the inside of the bag!

*Grunge Paint: Mix small amounts of instant coffee, vanilla, cinnamon and water. I used about a tablespoon of each. It should be thick. Test it on a scrap. To lighten add more water-to darken more instant coffee.

I'll be linking up to Thrifty Thursday at Leigh's place- Bloggeritaville!

In the Christmas Kitchen

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care.....

Let's get a closer look! Garland made of Bingo cards, thrift store Santa mugs, collected elves and thrift store metal plates....

And even closer....

Flat Eli- wearing the bandanna the Fat Eli turned down....

The pugs were all nestled snug in their bed....

While visions of bones danced in their heads....

Dressed in holiday Tshirts...

Eli comes out of the pile to show off his new shirt....

Can you guess why Daddy picked this shirt out?

Victorian Porch Tour 2010

Something old.....

Something new!!!!!! This year we spent much time on this new display! This neighbor has long wanted some Wise Men. We felt like it would be a really big job so we have waited until we felt like we could get it done in one year. Their costumes came together with trial and error- a tablecloth here, some ribbon there, an old velvet skirt I outgrew, a trip to Eclectic, AL to a fabric store/warehouse. The hats came from an antique store. Our resident sculptor made the faces and did the hairstyles. The bodies are pieces of mannequins from thrift stores.

They got rave reviews from the crowds!

They are both mine!