Christmas Traditions

Earlier in the month I taught My Heritage Scrapbooking Workshop...The topic of discussion was the importance of Family Traditions. We all have traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation and these traditions do evolve and change.

This year I had to change a family tradition...I figure about the middle of March I might be over the trauma I have been going through with this change of tradition.

 I grew up with a live Christmas tree and when I got married we continued the tradition...only my darling husband and I went out in the woods (with permit in hand) and cut down our Christmas Tree.

It became our tradition. 

 This year the tradition changed...we purchased an artificial Christmas Tree. I was about in tears over the whole ordeal. An artificial tree does not have the same look, feel or fragrance as a real tree. It doesn't even decorate the same! I reminded myself that I'm a floral designer and It's my job to make botanical look good. We did get the tree up (2 days before Christmas) and it looks...Okay. But I don't think I will ever it comfortable with the idea of an artificial tree. Hopeful I won't break into tears next year when we pull it out of the box. Oh great...now I need to find a place to store the darn thing!

Thanksgiving Leftovers

We had Thanksgiving Dinner at my darling daughters house yesterday...there was enough food there to feed an Army. Needless to say we are eating leftovers for the rest of the weekend.

While we were enjoying all our festive meal, we had a visitor at the window. I have posted before about the chickens my DDs raises. Lately some of the "girls" have started peeping through the window to see what is going on inside the house...I guess turnabout is fair play, we watch them too. This hen decided she wanted to inspect the workings of  our Thanksgiving.

In honor of DD chickens, I create  "chicken" cards for her birthday.

DD is also raising a BIG black pig, name Lola. I understand raising the chickens...I have benefited from the "girls" by enjoying their eggs, when they are happy enough  to produce.

 

But the pig...there is no way the grandkids will let us have Lola for Easter dinner!

Chocolate Birthday Cake

The focus of this "Fall" Birthday Card is CAKE...not just any cake, a chocolate birthday cake. Decorated with creamy frosting and loaded with candles...

Seriously how can you celebrate a Birthday with out a cake? Cupcakes would work...they're small so you can get a way with eating a couple...after all its a Birthday, go for it!

And if it's your Birthday you are celebrating with a cake is even better...

you get to have any of the cake that's leftover for a late night snack...maybe with a big glass of milk!

Happy Halloween

Here's to ghoulies and ghosties...

 And long-leggedy beasties...

 And things that go bump in the night

 Happy Halloween!

Fall Birthday Cards, 31 Flavors and the Perfect Food...

Fall is the beginning of  birthdays for family and friends...clear through until the end of January. I have been working away on Birthday Cards. The hardest cards to create are the guy cards. These take forever to come up with a design that isn't cutesy or girly, but still screams "celebrate". 

 

 Ice Cream...is the all purpose, equal opportunity, ultimate way to celebrate. You have to have Ice Cream and Cake for a birthday...I know it's has to be in a rule book some where.  What would Apple Pie be without Ice Cream..spicy over cooked apples and crust. You can's have a Butterscotch Sundae, without Ice Cream. There would be no Ice Cream Cake from 31 Flavors with out Ice Cream...OH NO, there would be no 31 Flavors at all! 

 

 Let's face it, how the heck are you going to handle a really no good rotten day with out eating ice cream out of the carton with a big spoon.

 

   Ice Cream the perfect food!   

Arrival of "Sweet Baby Girl"

She's here...

I don't know if she is ever going to be able to sleep in her Pinterest room.This Sweet Baby Girl has been held, rocked, sung to, told stories and loved since she was born.

A Room of Her Own in the Land of Pintrest

Last year my darling daughter and her family bought their “dream home”. She had me come over and help her “move furniture and hang pictures”. We started with the down stairs, living room, kitchen, family room...moved up stairs to the kids rooms. Turquoise and Lime Green for my granddaughter and Diamondback Base Ball of my grandson. The last room on the list was going to be a room for my DD. You know the kind, for reading, crafts...a real get away just for her. 

We start working on her room this summer. She picked out great colors...Turquoise and Persimmon with some taupe. 

 Her husband found her a awesome chair to curl up in to read. We just got lucky that the cat matched the room. She had picked up the old window yeas ago and add the fun rag banner. Of course every ladies room need a chandelier. 

 The window valences are made from vintage embroidered dresser scarves that I had gotten from Tucson Sister.

The day bed adds an extra place to sit, take a nap or for overnight guest. We covered pillows in the “theme” color fabric.

  DD painted the dresser and picture frames turquoise. One frame is a mirror, the other two she removed the pictures.

 One empty frame has a painted initial...

and the other has a framed vintage handkerchief ,

Persimmon color butterfly that she had found at an auction years ago.

This is the point where we should have been bringing in shelves to store all kind of crafty treasures and large craft table to create all those cool Pintrest projects...

  

In all this planning we never figure that someone else had a different idea for this room...a surprise baby girl who should be here any day...

 so instead of a big table we added a crib with a turquoise and persimmon bumper.