Christmas Cards

Here are three cards from the Basic Grey card set that will be done on Sunday at Scrapbook Garden. I am not teaching the class, but I asked for the instructions and I am glad I did. The class is set up as winter cards, but I was able to change the sentiments on ten of the twelve cards to Christmas. I don't know if the class is full or not, but I would encourage anyone to take the class if they want to do some hand made Christmas cards.

My Christmas Trees

This is my downstairs tree
This is the little upstairs tree

I did the Christmas decorations last night. It went easier than I expected. I had sent a lot of the stuff I didn't use any more to the church bargain sale, so all I had to do was put out what was in the crates. I might even buy some more after Christmas this year. The downstairs tree is the main tree. It is decorated with all the decorations we have collected or been given since we were married. The oldest decoration is a Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer which had been on my parents tree every since I could remember. The newest is a clay Hopi Madonna that we bought last year in Raton. It is so much fun to think about each piece when I put it on the tree. Wyatt helped this year and he was so excited. I don't remember Nicole or Andrew enjoying decorating the tree so much. It just is different with grandchildren.

The smaller tree is upstairs and is more color coordinated for the room. I do get to put part of my village pieces under there and I enjoy that. I am waiting to see how Andrea responds to the trees after she gets used to them. She clapped her hands when she first saw the big tree, but isn't paying very much attention, she is more interested in climbing up the stairs at this point.

Crazy Squirrels

Some years the squirrels go about getting ready for winter very calmly. Other years, it is like they have gone crazy and are in a panic. This seems to be one of the panic years. We have seen as many as a dozen congregating around one tree doing some sort of rodent convention. I looked out on the patio this morning to see these too climbing up and own on the posts. They didn't run off when I took their photos. Ray and I like watching the squirrels and we don't even mind feeding them along with the birds in the winter. This strange behavior is just more to enjoy watching.

Thanksgiving 2009

Here we all are gathered around the table for Thanksgiving Dinner. We had a great meal this year. The original plan was not to overdo it with the food selections. Jackie and Nicole stuck to the plan pretty well, but I kept adding to the menu. There was more than necessary left to put in the refrigerator, but not too much. It was a great day spent with family.

Like Climbing Mount Everest

Andrea is now going up the stairs by herself. It took me by surprise, luckily Ray was home and told me when she was about a third of the way up. She is fast about it too and very pleased with herself. I don't have the security of knowing that she will stay in the basement now. My baby is turning into a little girl.

Retirement Card

I just finished this card to celebrate the retirement of one of Ray's co-workers Phyllis. I hope she enjoys retired life as much as I have. I used Basic Grey Indian Summer paper, American Crafts ribbon and Prima Flowers. The colors are so warm and pretty. The design is from a sketch in the November Cardmaker magazine. I love that magazine, it keeps me going when I am stuck for an idea for a card.

Working on Christmas Cards

No pictures tonight. I have started working on Christmas cards. I am doing fourteen to sixteen of each type then I will do another design. I had hoped to get the first batch done this evening, but there is a fair amount of coloring, then cutting by hand for these, so I will finish them tomorrow. During the day if Andrea lets me. I do between 60 to 70 cards each year so avoiding boredom is key to getting the job done. At least Ray does the addressing and signing. I still have to do the annual letter. As much as I am not ready for it mentally, Christmas is coming.

Old Photo Time

This time I am going way back to 1951. This is me, my brother Jeff and my sister Chris. Chris was about three months old, Jeff was two and I was four. I don't know what Jeff got that year, but that set of dishes beside me was totally neat. They were blue and white plastic. I played with those until they disintegrated. If I remember correctly, the box in front was plastic glasseware to go with the dishes. I was Suzy Home Maker for sure.

Teresa Collins "Documented" Family Album

This is a mini album I will be doing a class on at Scrapbook Garden in December. The album uses envelopes, folders and cards by Teresa Collins. The book is bound using the Zutter Bind it All. The album isn't difficult. The hard part for me was finding and scanning in the pictures. I chose the story of my parents and our family up until I was about twelve years old. All the photos are black and white and really fits the mood of the album. I am not going to journal the album until after the class. I will print more of the old photos and put them in the envelopes. I plan to give it to a family member for Christmas.

A Little Bit will do Ya!

This photo is the result of one little tiny mini Oreo cookie. I am talking one of those little cookies less than an inch across. I gave Andrea one after lunch one day last week. I went to clean up the kitchen and when I looked over at her this is what I saw. Of course I realized a photo opportunity when I saw it. Out came the camera and little Miss Chocolate Face cooperated by giving me this huge grin. I hid the bag with the rest of the cookies. Her brother can eat those, she is going to be limited to animal crackers.

Halloween Pages 2009

I finished the Halloween pages for Andrea and Wyatt today. I used my Paperworks Kit for October. The paper really did suit the pictures I took this year.