25 Gifts

It’s here. It’s Christmas day and I hope you are all having a great day and have received many wonderful gifts, not all of the material kind.  While I am writing this post a few days before the actual day I know that it will be wonderful as I have been looking forward to it since last Christmas.  I so enjoy seeing the reactions of those who receive gifts I have purchased and especially those I have made. 

I indicated in the last post that I wanted to post images of a gift I made for my daughter.  It’s small book called 25 gifts and it’s made from the Advent twinchies post by Kathryn Antyr at Soul Journal.  Kathryn posted 24 gifts and I added the 25th, The 25th being the “Gift of spirituality”.  

Here are the twinchies (the inside pages), click on the image to see a larger view.

 

 

 

Here is the cover I made for it:

In the two images below you will see the circled numbers used from the advent numbers I posted a few days ago.

 

Since not all the images are easy to guess what is being said, i created an index at the end of the book.

 

Thanks to Anne, at Gaal Creative,  for posting about the Zutter Bind-it-all machine.  It really helped with this project.  It would have taken a lot longer without it.

Handmade wrapping paper and tags

I've mentioned before that I like to make handmade Christmas wrapping paper and gift tags.  This year I scanned some to show you what I do.

The wrapping paper is simply freezer paper painted with acrylic paint for the background.  Then used more acrylic paint on a rubber stamp for the greenery.  The tag is made from shipping tags, pigment ink, a rubber stamp and a Santa image. 

The tags below are all made from shipping tags that have been altered with paint or pigment ink and images added.  Not hard to do and yet they give your gifts a personal touch.

 

I am trying to get a post together for the evening of the 25th to show off a gift I made for my daughter but I may not get to it until I return from our trip to New Mexico to see her and the rest of the family.  If I don't get the post together before I leave, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  I'll see you when I return on the 29th or so.

Enjoy your families and savor the moments you're together. 

Thanks for reading.

I Love This Video

This isn't holiday related but it is art related. Music video for Tanya Davis' song Art by Andrea Dorfman

Enjoy!

 

OOPS I forgot, you will have to scroll all the way down and turn off the playlist player.

Do you make your own Christmas cards?

This is my second year making one.  Last years was a collage using incorporating my husband's and B-I-L's legs. Yes It sound weird but it came out cute if I do say so myself.

Thanks to Suzi Blu's class I actually painted a picture I like. Alright, I admit, the hat wasn't painted, I stole it from a catalog.  Don't tell my family ok?  This one is 9 X 12 and I scanned it to print on cardstock. I still have to mail it but I'm excited for my family to see it.  

 

 

Do you make your own Christmas cards?

A Freebie & How is your neighborhood decorating?

Freebie

I've been working on my Advent twinchies from the prompts provided by Kathryn at the Soul Journal group and I needed some numbers to go with the images I made.  This is what I came up with and I thought I would make them available in case someone else could use them. They are just under 1 inch in size and can be printed on card stock and cut out with a 1" circle punch.  You are free to print these out and use them any way you like.

To get the correctly sized image, click on the image below. When the full sized image is on your screen, you can:

1. Print right from the browser, or
2. Right click on the numbers and choose "Save Image As" or "Save Picture as"  then choose a location to save the image on your hard drive.  Once downloaded, double click the image to open it and print.   

 

Neighborhood Decorations:

This inflatable Nativity scene popped up in my neighborhood this year. Yes, an inflatable Nativity scene and it cracks me up.

It's not a funny "box of ha ha's" kind of laugh either, it's a "that's just wrong" kind of laugh.  Just who thought an inflatable Nativity scene was a good idea?  And what makes it worse is that this is what it looks like during the day:

Other than the big snowmen they have at tree lots, I hadn't seen many inflatables until we moved to this farm town two years ago. People here have them all over the place. And they range from Santa's to Grinches to the Abominable Snowman. (We're a little hard pressed to figure out what the Abominable Snowman has to do with Christmas but it's a snow creature so OK.) I'm not a scrooge by any measure and I love all most outdoor Christmas decorations, but an inflatable nativity scene just makes me shake my head.  Is nothing sacred? 

What kind of decorations are in your neighborhood?

Should I really tell ?

 

My friend Dianne from Art Beneath The Cottonwoods has tagged me.  And my friend Connie from ALTERED ROUTE has given me this wonderful award.  My thanks go to the both of them. 

 

Here are the official rules…

• Link to the person who tagged you.

• Mention the rules.

• Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.

• Tag five other bloggers by linking to them. (I added comments to the links, you don't have to.)

• Go to each person’s blog and leave a comment that lets them know they’ve been tagged.

 

The six quirky boring things about me, this shouldn't be hard. :-)

1> Before Lasik, used to be that I wore glasses for distance, now I wear them for close up. I can't get away from them.

2> Did you know that you can get really cute reading glasses at Target for only $1.00.  Yeah, $1.00.  I must have 6-7 pair.

3>  I'm a cheapskate.  If it doesn't entertain me I don't want to spend money on it. :)

4> I hate emptying the dishwasher. (see I told you it would be hard.)

5> I have 6 toy sewing machines, one vintage machine and one regular.  All from my quilting days.

 

Five people I am tagging and awarding the Kreativ Blog award to are:

Sarah Fishburn: http://ragtagsf.blogspot.com/  Sarah is a wonderful artist who shares my love of Biscochitos. 

Barb : http://craft-therapy.blogspot.com/  who is a fellow member of ATCsforall and Suziblu's class, so you knows she's arty.

Jennifer: http://www.artisticallydesigneddiversions.blogspot.com/  You really must see her packing tape self-sculpture.

Pink Hattuer's -  http://pinkhattuer.blogspot.com/  We both participate in the Three Week Challenge and Suzi Blu's class Les Petite dolls class.

Christine Alane: http://ntuart.blogspot.com/  Christine makes some beautiful jewelry.

I think you will enjoy visiting these blogs so have a looky loo! 

Black Friday and a Blog award

I wonder how many of you are going shopping today?  I'm sorely tempted but I hate fighting the crowds on Black Friday.  Some people are just not nice on the first shopping day after Thanksgiving.  I did it one year and vowed never again. I know there are lots of savings to be had but the aggravation is just not worth it. So I'm staying home and will save my shopping for tomorrow.  Hopefully, the crowds will be a little lighter tomorrow. What I want to get is on sale tomorrow as well so I should be OK as long as they don't sell out.  If they do sell out, I'm ok with that too because it will be good for the economy.  It's still early I can wait for them to restock.   

Not long ago I joined the Millande Creativity Club and I made friends with several wonderful and giving women.  One of these wonderful women gave me my first blog award. I'm so touched and appreciative.  For someone as shy as I am, this is a huge deal because of what the award is for....friendship. 

My sweet, supportive and creative new friend, Brenda, was the one who has awarded me my first blog award. This award states that: This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY- nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends, they are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these artists.

Such a nice award - I am pass it on to the following 8 bloggers, in no particular order, because they are all so friendly, supportive and giving people with so much to say through their art:

Francine, Anne, Sandy,  Mary, Kathryn, Jennifer, John, and Christy 

Thanks for reading.

Happy Thanksgiving

I'm a part of the three week challenge that is based on the book "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron and this morning I thought it only right to use my morning pages to write about the many things I have to be thankful for. And happily, I do have many, many things to be grateful for.

I was hesitant to start this challenge because I am not in the habit of verbalizing/writing all my thoughts and feelings in a journal. And stream of conscious writing is not an easy task for me because my mind is faster than hand. I should probably audio record my thoughts but I know I won't do that either. Or record the thoughts using voice to text translation.....see what I mean? My ideas are all over the place. By the time I finish writing one thought I have already moved on to two others.

I remember once visiting with two friends, one was a boyfriend and one was my best friend at the time, a female. As we all talked my boyfriend stopped us and said "How did you two get to this place in the conversation when we started here? I can't keep up with you guys." I guess that's why she was my best friend because she could keep up. Unfortunately, I lost touch with my friend, Cindy Perry, when I got married and moved to California. Cindy, if you are out there somewhere, I miss our rambling conversations.

I want to wish everyone an abundance of great food, whether you eat Turkey or are a vegetarian, and that you have a plethora of things to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Christmas Questions

I want to thank Sarah Fishburn for this fun list of questions about Christmas designed to help us to get to know each other. She says "Just copy this entire note and paste into a new note on your page. (Change all the answers so that they apply to you.)"   After you answer all the questions, please post a comment to let me know so I can get to know you.

 

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?  

For immediate family, it's hand made wrapping paper and tags.  The first year I did it, my family just loved it, now they've come to expect it.  Everyone else gets store bought wrapping paper.

2. Real tree or Artificial? 

Real but only if it comes from a tree farm. 

3. When do you put up the tree? 

When we are in town for Christmas, about December 15.

4. When do you take the tree down? 

Jan 2nd I'd probably leave it up longer if it wasn't drying out and losing needles and generally becoming more of a fire hazard.

5. Do you like eggnog? 

I love eggnog but without liquor.  I think Rum or Whiskey ruins the taste of eggnog.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

A china tea set.

7. Hardest person to buy for? 

My husband Greg. I have managed to totally surprise him a few times but usually I need to ask him what he wants.

8. Easiest person to buy for? 

My daughter, she gives me hints all year long. :)

9. Do you have a nativity scene?

I do, it's a small Italian set with about 6-7 pieces.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?

Mail. And last year I started a new tradition, making our Christmas card.  Last year I used a funny picture of my husband and BIL and collaged it. Then I scanned and printed it on card stock.  Here is a picture from my blog post last year, it was called Still Searching for gifts?  I started this year's card last night. I need a snowflake rubberstamp.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? 

Probably clothes, I hate getting clothes for Christmas. They haven't been "bad" just usually not my taste.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?

I don't watch a lot of Christmas movies but if I have to choose it would be the first Santa Clause movie with Tim Allen and the Miracle on 34th Street with a young Natalie Wood.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? 

I bought my first stocking stuffer on Saturday but usually I start shopping about Dec 1st. 

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? 

Nope never.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

Biscochitos, which my aunts made when I was growing up. I also love Empanadas, stuffed with mincemeat. I've also had them with pumpkin.  By the way, I just learned that in 1989, Biscochitos became the New Mexico official state cookie. This act made New Mexico the first state to have an official cookie.  Too Funny.

17. Favorite Christmas song? 

Jingle Bell Rock, Silent night,

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? 

I prefer to stay home but we traveled last year and and we will again this year. Both of our mothers are elderly and living in NM so we'll probably go there for Christmas until they pass on.  Plus my daughter lives there and I can't spend Christmas without her.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?

I could sprain a brain trying but could probably come up with all the names.

 

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? 

I prefer an Angel but we've had both.

 

21. Open presents Christmas Eve or morning?

Definitely in the morning.  I believe that anticipation is 2/3's the fun of getting gifts.  My folks had no patience and always wanted to see their gifts Christmas eve, so of course I did too.  But then Christmas morning we had nothing to do. 

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?

That Christmas is everywhere even before Halloween.  That's too much too soon. It's no wonder people are tired of Christmas before the holiday is even here. 

23. Favorite ornament, theme or color?

Favorite theme, Santa.  I have lots of Santa ornaments and a musical Santa that you twist to listen too.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? 

Tamales and Posole, covered in my homemade NM Red Chile.  I'm very partial to my homemade red chile probably because I make it like my grandmother used to. 

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?

I really want the economy to turn around and stop eating away at our meager retirement funds.  It's scary.  As far as gifts? Art books or a possibly a stereo for my car that I can plug my MP3 player into. I hate listening to the radio and I always forget the change the CDs.  I've had my favorite CD in the car player for over 3 years now.  I think My Guy is tired of listening to Pretty Vegas. :)

 

Here is a Recipe for Biscochitos

The Lucero Recipe (Northern New Mexico)

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon anise seed
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• cinnamon sugar for topping

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 350°F (180°C). Combine butter and ½ cup sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add egg yolk and milk; beat until well mixed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour, baking powder, anise seed and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon; beat until mixture forms a ball.
2. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thickness. Cut with 1-inch cookie cutters.
3. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar and ¾ teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl.
4. Put one face of the cookie into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place one inch apart, with the cinnamon sugar-covered side up, onto ungreased cookie sheets.
5. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
6. Let cool.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Bizcochito"

Ok, it's your turn.

Soul Journal - Trusting the Journey

The theme for this page, Trusting the journey, was inspired by Kathyrn Antyr, the Collage Diva while the background was inspired by Millande at Millande Creativity Club.  I used images and quotations I found on the web to add content to the page. And then outlined it all in Black charcoal pencil. Then I smudged the pencil to produce a shadow effect. 

The background was made by painting the page first with Gesso, then with a solid color.  Then I added rubber bands to a brayer and covered the brayer in paint of a different color.  Used the brayer horizontally along the bottom and then washed it and added a different color to paint vertically.  It was a fun experiment.

Most of the images are easy to see but the scrap on the top left of the page says "Boarding pass" and it's taken from a boarding pass for a flight I took last month to see my daughter and mother.  I thought that was a fun element to add.

 

 

The biggest and hardest change I've had to deal with recently was when my daughter moved to New Mexico.   I've written about it before so I won't go into it again but it was very hard because we were so close. We still are.  How about you?  What's the biggest change you've had  to deal with and how did you handle it?