handmade with love...

thanks to ranjini over at scrapologie, i was able to make these adorable vintage images into gifts for my mom and sisters...thank you for sharing your work, ranjini! (and the project inspiration came from here). so i just printed these on cardstock and mounted them on patterned paper and chipboard; added embellishments and made the hanger out of star garland...can't wait to give these gifts tonight. merry christmas!

it's a marshmallow world!

"Snow provokes responses that reach right back to childhood."(Andy Goldsworthy)

it's beautiful...and it's falling right now!

little signs of the season

my much loved "santa's whiskers" candle...

and last, but certainly not least - a darling little vintage repurposed tree (is that a bed spring or what - does anyone know?)

it was a blur...

when i say the k family christmas was a blur - i mean it literally! somehow the dial on my camera was tweaked and the best shots of the day were like this:

oh, well. i love these photos anyway and didn't stress about it as i would have several years ago. the photo below shows the albums i made for todd's parents and sister.

made with love

this project was my gift to todd's parents and his sister; and today i made one for us to keep...i just copied the photos on to cardstock as i like that look. below is our copy - the ones for family were each slightly different.

blizzards, old books, and snow angels

i's snow angel from a few weeks ago; now there would not be grass showing through.

if you've never experienced a true blizzard, it's hard to imagine in many ways. it is incredibly cozy to be "snowed in"...but there's also serious risk if you are traveling or need emergency care. in town, it does not appear as significant as it does in open country - where you can hardly see a thing and the winds are whipping snow around in a frenzy of white. today, almost all activity has ceased here - the malls and stores are closed; no church services or any of the usual scheduled activities.

yesterday, we celebrated the k family christmas. i received this little set of old books...they are just beautiful! this set was published in the 1890s...

more thrift store beauty

a lovely old xmas ornament - in all its tarnished beauty

i was thrilled to find these italian made vintage clip on ornaments...

and even old tubes of partially used glitter look wonderful wrapped in tulle!

**vintage swap finds**

wrapping these little swap gifts today was a pleasure. some of these are for this and some are for another gift exchange...i love preparing these at least as much as getting my own box in the mail.

thrift store find!

isn't she beautiful?

little touches

these precious vintage thanksgiving pieces really make me happy...as so many people, i feel that often we rush right past this special holiday. i was thrilled to find these and we are enjoying the "season before Christmas"...

happy thanksgiving to all!

what i see

what i see as i sit at my corner craft desk...isn't the black cord especially lovely? it's usually not there, but was obviously sticking up when i took this picture last year...oh well.

i love the old tape measure star and the cozy lamp.

did you ever feel this way?

the one and only card i've ever made...

so therapeutic

having this space as my scrap room is an absolute pleasure and i am very thankful. i love the restful creams and whites in here. i especially love the desk tk made for me out of two chippy vintage doors, which i then covered with glass. i really hope to get this room organized (which it has never been yet in over 2 years).

a few little trinkets and miscellaneous storage trays

current scrapbook kit storage

perfect all hallow's eve

no rain or wind; excellent conditions for trick-or-treating. it also made for a perfectly spooky cloud from our fog machine to hang in the air all around our house...


a glimpse of the colorful array of costumes...i loved the candy corn costumes these girls wore!

our somewhat reluctant frankendog :)

grand finale

a few of our guests had already left before we got this group photo of the children...aren't they precious?


busy carving away...

part of the group

we always do a pinata

a little glimpse of the food

party preparations

decorating for this party is a large part of the fun for me

todd humored me - and got up in the recesses by the fireplace to set up some spooky scenes...then we put small fans inside to blow the fabric gently...here's the "big picture" and then some detail shots.