heaps and piles and beautiful messes...

I've been cleaning my studio today. Doesn't it seem like I'm cleaning it all the time? Well, I'm not...therein lies the problem. I pull out all the stuff to make a project...finish the project (or not...but that's another issue) and then bag or box or pile all that stuff up. If you do this once or twice and then deal with those boxes or bags or piles, that's not really a problem. But multiply it by dozens and dozens of times and, well, it's a problem. A problem so big that you no longer really want to go into that room, even to stash and dash. So then other parts of your house become the stash and dash spot. And that, my friends, is a real problem. A problem so big that one day your husband might call Oprah and she'd show up at your doorstop on the day when you didn't shower to announce that a whole crew of gorgeous people are going to solve your problem by basically throwing it all away.

No, that hasn't happened...yet. To avoid such a thing from happening, today I'm setting about the business of emptying those bags and boxes and piles, sorting my way through them and trying hard not to get too distracted by all the wonderful things I'm finding buried underneath.


Here's a photo of my progress. This isn't exactly an after picture but it's not really a before picture either. It's a midstream picture.

In other news, remember the squashed roller skate? Well, I think I fixed it. Not all the way but at least it resembles a skate. Meanwhile, I won both of the ebay auctions for the other pairs of skates, which are both a bit larger than my original one. I'll have to think of something fun to do with this sudden wealth of itty bitty roller skates.



So here we are on Day 9, if you can believe it.

Here's the beautiful matchbox 9, made by Cammy Pollack. (sorry about the blurry photos...I think there's a peanut-butter-and-jelly thumbprint on my lens)



And inside, a sweet little ornament.

Today's door reveals another little horse...

a day of fun...

My friend Charlotte just posted information about her next session. The last one was so much fun and I can't wait to do it again. January 23rd is the date. I'll be there...will you?

Click here to read all the delicious details...and sign up by sending an email to Charlotte. chlyons9 (at) gmail.com

my wish list

Every year I post a wish list of what I'm asking for and links to get it. It's so much easier on Rich to know exactly what I want. I don't get everything on the list, and I make the list purposely long so I don't know exactly what I'm getting.

Click here to see the list in full.

And can you believe we are already on Day 8? I'm getting the feeling of it all slipping through my fingers! And we're still staying close to home, tending to this cold that has its grips on my little boy.

Day 8's matchbox is made by Kris Malone...isn't it darling?



And here's door no. 8 for Alfredo's house...

Happy Holidays from Open Sky...Take Two!

Last week there was a quick run on the generous coupons from Open Sky...and who could blame anyone? It's not everyday someone gives away $25 without any strings attached.

Well, it's time for another promotion...and this one, everyone wins!

First, click here. Enter your email address and Inspire Co. as your favorite shopkeeper (right?) and you'll be emailed something wonderful.

What, you ask? Well, that depends on how quickly you respond. The first 50 will get a $15 off Holiday Coupon ($20 minimum purchase, free shipping (for a limited time!) good for any OpenSky product. Limit one per customer.

After those 50 are snatched up, you'll still get something wonderful...Wonderfulness ranging from 10% to 50% off, and $15 to $100 off (minimum purchase prices and expiration times will vary by coupon)

Good luck, and have fun shopping around!

I felt fine...

I joined my friends Lorraine and Claudine last night and took a class taught by Betz White at Fibre Space. We had so much fun making all sorts of things, at record speed, all from felted sweater material. I mean, just look how wonderful...




And I'm inspired to try my hand at a few other projects too...some featured in Betz's book. This class really put me in the mood to make gifts. I haven't a lot of time, do I? Here we are at day 7 already!

I have a tiny bit of catching up to do...

Here's matchbox number 6, made by my sweet friend Hope (who's recovering from the flu, poor dear!)...
And inside? The sweetest little wreath made from tiny antique glass ornaments...
Today's matchbox, lucky number 7, made by the ever so talented Pam Kern...
And just look at these lump of coal earrings, with festive jingle bells, to ring in the holiday! I love them and will don them proudly today, even if just 'round the house...
Yesterday's door features a jaunty vintage ice skater...
And today's is a sweet little flocked teddy bear...check out that kissing under the mistletoe picture in the background!
I'll be back soon with a great offer from Open Sky!

snow!

Alfredo has a bit of a fever this morning so we're taking it easy. And what better way to take it easy than to lazily watch the snow come down...We're watching the snow and the television and drinking constantly.

Sorry these pictures aren't great...the snow has cast a greyness over the whole house...But here's beautiful matchbox number 5 made by the swap co-hostess Susie Vergenz...

And inside, the sweetest, tiniest cookie cutter...awww...


And behind door no. 5...

His little ears and one of his legs is broken but he's still awful cute, don't you think?

What will you do to enjoy Day 5? You know what I would love? Some warm-from-the-oven gingerbread with a dollop of whipped cream served with milky tea. Alas, I think we are homebound for the day without the groceries necessary to make this particular dream come true. I'll have to make do with just the milky tea part.

nativity

One of my very favorite Christmas decorations is this nativity set. Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus were carved by my sweet father. He made each of my sisters and brother a set. I love everything my daddy makes but this especially. The shepherd, sheep, cow and donkey are all old chalkware pieces from The Cottage. The above picture is what it's supposed to look like. I showed it to Alfredo telling him the amazing story of our Lord's birth. He listened carefully.

Soon after I found him quietly playing...
Just look at the party gathered to welcome Baby Jesus! Yes, that is Spiderman! And he's always tipping the poor baby Jesus' cradle up. When Rich was little his mother said that Baby Jesus was always missing...and then she'd find it in someone's pocket or another's bookbag.

There's a tradition of waiting to put Jesus out until Christmas day...building up the anticipation for His coming. But I really love having it all set up.

Are you ready for the advent countdown. We're already on Day 4...by golly! How did that happen?

This beautiful matchbox was made by my sweet new friend Lynn Lebsack.

Just look how beautiful this mini ornament is...

So special!

And here's what's behind door #4 today...



We might get snow tomorrow! Just an inch but, to me, that's perfect. Not enough to get in the way but just enough to make you feel extra warm and cozy looking out at it coming down. This will be Alfredo's first snow so it will be extra special.

Happy day, my friend!

December 3 and all is well...

Shall we continue the advent fun? Here's matchbox #3, made by Donna Robinson...
And look what wonderful little treat is inside...a tiny ornament inside a bottlecap!

And here's Alfredo discovering door #3 this morning. I plum forgot to make it last night until after I'd tucked myself in bed. Then I jumped out of bed and quickly put this one together. There was a bit of a glittery mishap but I think all's fine now.



Speaking of glitteriness, I thought I'd show you my new star treetopper. I had a ho-hum ornament for the top of the tree which I decided not to use this year. While at Walmart with my folks last week, I spied this and the wheels started spinning.


It was pretty enough but a little too plasticy.

This picture really doesn't show it so well but exercise your imagination and trust in me...clear glitter on the clear parts, silver glitter on the silver parts and...
The lights are softly diffused a bit and it looks vintage and nice. Here's another picture I took last night...maybe you can see it better here...

If you need great glass glitter to make your own, get some here.

advent

I have two advent countdowns going...want to see?

My friends Ann & Linda gave me my Christmas present early...



(Except of course mine doesn't say "Williams"...this is the catalog picture.) When Ann gave it to me she said "I just know you'll do something fun with it to make it yours..."

I loved it just as it is but that thought planted a seed in my mind and I started imagining it in brighter colors, with different doors...


It took much more time than I'd thought it would. One night when I was hunched over it even though I had a crazy backache and a list a million things long, sweet Rich suggested ever-so-carefully that perhaps this project wasn't a priority...
The house itself is no longer available online. My friend Ann bought it at the Pottery Barn outlet in Leesburg...maybe they still have some available. I put it on a lazy susan so it would be easy to access all the doors (on all four sides!) If I can find the time, I'm going to decorate the lazy susan too. Or maybe I can buy one from my friend Jean.
There are 25 doors in all so it counts all the way to the big day itself.

I decided to decorate inside each door the night before so that it would be a surprise. I'm glittering the outside of the door so he knows which ones are ready...we're of course on door number 2 today and he loves this already.

Here's what yesterday's door had inside...

And here's today's...



My second Advent calendar was a Silver Bella swap. Each of us made 24 matchboxes in our number (mine was 19). I hung them all garland style from a wire strung under the boxwood garland above my mantel. If there's an ornament inside, we'll hang it on the garland.

Here's yesterday's box (made by Stephanie Oyler)

And look what's inside...

And today's box (made by Stacy McGinnis)

And this adorable felt bell inside...

So the countdown begins...I'm going to try to not let panic take over and enjoy each moment with Alfredo as he discovers the wonder of this holiday season.

oh no...

It was one of those proverbial "I looked away for just one minute and..." moments.


I had just placed this little treasure on the coffee table as I cleaned a little cabinet and took out all the decorations to get ready for the holiday decorations to take their place. I thought this little doll skate (That's what it used to be!) would look sweet under a little doll-size tree or something like that.

He asked what it was and I told him...I told him that he could touch it but he had to be oh so careful with it because it is old and precious...

Maybe I could put it back together with some glue...and maybe I should pray for a little extra patience with this little guy who is new and precious.

(Sorry, Daddy...yes, that is the doll rollerskate you entrusted me with a few years ago. I'm scouring ebay for a replacement and I think I found a PAIR! Let's just pretend this never happened...)

Meanwhile, I'll be back later this afternoon to show you my advent calendars...