For Auld Lang Syne...

HAPPY 2015!!

 Wishing you a New Year 

filled with love and blessings beyond your wildest dreams!!

Thank You all for stopping by my blog throughout this last year!!  In 2015, I'm hoping we can continue to share the creative side of life as well as occasional musings of whatever seems relevant at the moment!! To me, the New Year always feels like we are headed into a brand new chapter of our story, blank pages to be filled with more possibilities than we ever dared to imagine! I usually don't make New Year's Resolutions, I think the added pressure of a public proclamation to make some change in my life is counter productive, sets me up for failure every time! Instead of resolving to change, I prefer to celebrate everything that I already am while believing my best is yet to come!!

Hope you'll continue to stop by, we'll see what unfolds together!  

Until then, Ciao!!

Lift your voice in song!!

Silent night! Holy night! ... All is calm, all is bright... Round yon virgin mother and child... Holy infant so tender and mild... Sleep in heavenly peace... Sleep in heavenly peace!   

Silent night! Holy night! ... Shepherds quake at the sight... Glories stream from heaven afar... Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia... Christ our Savior is born... Christ our savior is born!
 
As we move closer to the "Big Day" that we've all been preparing for, I find myself needing to step back and look around at all of the wonders of the season!  I love Christmas... first and foremost, I pray that everyone remembers the reason for the season, to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ... without Him, it is only another winter's day!  Christmas is a magical time of year when it seems the world allows itself to come together in love and fellowship, differences seem to be more accepted, helping hands are stretched out to those of greater need, and a simple smile with a "Merry Christmas" can become a shining light in someones heart on a cold winter's night! Yes, I'm sure to some, it does sound like magic but I believe these are the Blessings available to us all, each and every day of every season all year 'round!!  This is my prayer for you all in the New Year, " hold onto what this season is truly about and make it a part of your daily life!"

Silent night! Holy Night! ... Son of God, love's pure light... Radiant beams from thy holy face... With the dawn of redeeming grace... Jesus, Lord at thy birth... Jesus, Lord at thy birth! 

Merry Christmas to all and Blessings for a New Year filled with everything that your heart desires!!

Ho Ho Ho...

You better watch out... You better not pout... Better not cry... I'm telling you why... Santa Claus is coming to town... He's making a list... And checking it twice... Gonna find out Who's naughty or nice... Santa Claus is coming to town!

Today's Sing-a-long has made me think... What would Christmastime be without pictures of the "kids" for all of our family & friends to see how they've grown in the past year?! As the proud mother that I am, I'm obligated to conform to this tradition... here's Blossom!! ( The jury is out on which one of Santa's lists that she'll end up on?! )

NAUGHTY!!

Oooohhhhh... or NICE!!

He sees you when you're sleeping... He knows when you're awake... He knows if you've been bad or good... So be good for goodness sake!  O! You better watch out... You better not cry... Better not pout... I'm telling you why... Santa Claus is coming... Yes, Santa Claus is coming to town!!

Think out of or inside the box? Try Both!!

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks... Dressed in holiday style... In the air there's a feeling... Of Christmas... Children laughing, people passing... Meeting smile after smile... And on every street corner you'll hear... Silver bells... Silver bells... It's Christmas time in the city... Ring-a-ling... Hear them ring... Soon it will be Christmas Day!

My inspiration for today's Show & Tell Sing-a-long came from my participation in a swap on the ATC's For All website using matchboxes as well as recently I saw some wonderful matchboxes that a fellow AFA artist created as a present. I said to myself "(Self), wouldn't those make the cutest ornaments for the tree?" Sooooo, what else could I do but scrounge around looking for the matchboxes that I had left over from the swap and go into action!! 

Below are a couple examples of what I came up with... they really are cute in person (I'm not so sure that these pics do them justice)... don't take my word for it, give them a try! One thing I can guarantee, you'll have plenty of fun!!

"Christy" with the smile of an angel!

"Holly" with an attitude! 

Strings of streetlights, even stoplights... Blink of bright red and green... As the shoppers rush home with their treasures... hear the snow crunch... see the kids bunch... This is Santa's big scene... And above all the bustle you'll hear... Silver bells... Silver bells... It's Christmas time in the city... Ring-a-ling, hear them ring... Soon it will be Christmas Day... Soon it will be Christmas Day!!

As always, I'm happy you stopped by... Until next time, I hope you'll make time to Sing, to Laugh and to CREATE... Blessings!

 

Star light, star bright... let your creativity shine tonight!

We Three Kings of Orient are... Bearing gifts we traverse afar... Field and fountain, moor and mountain... Following yonder star... O Star of wonder, star of night... Star of royal beauty bright... Westward leading, still proceeding... Guide us to thy Perfect Light!!

Just a quickie Show & Tell Sing-a-long... Today we are featuring the ever popular "Star"... What would our Christmas Trees be without them? Although stars can be made from just about any material you choose to work with, I have chosen to use paper! Your choice of paper and white glue along with the crafter's best friend, a pair of scissors, are all that you will need to create these wonderful holiday icons!!

Below is a version of the lacey looking Swedish or Polish Stars... it is made with 12 strips of paper ( 1/4" X 7" )... each side is made up of 6 woven strips then each side is attached together to create the star's points. I think that you can see how to easily construct it by looking at the completed star in the picture below! If further instruction is desired, you can find several versions with detailed instructions by searching "Swedish or Polish Stars" on the internet.

This star was made from cardstock -  any medium weight paper can easily be used

Below:  This featured Star is a polyhedra - a 3-D geometrical figure.  It's hard to see in this pic but it is approx. 5" X 5" X 1 1/2"(thick). There is a wonderful website  -  www.korthalsaltes.com -  it features 100's of polyhedra models & downloadable templates that are available for free. If you like an occasional creative challenge, I think this website will give you just what you're looking for! To be honest, the star is relatively easy compared to some of the other models. 

I do have a few others in the works that have me a little stumped & frustrated... No, I will not give up (I just need to step back & regroup)!!

Made from gold glittered scrapbook paper - 12"X12" sheet makes 2 Stars

Thanks for stopping by... until next time, Blessings to you all!!

Get wired for the Holiday Season!

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer... Had a very shiny nose... And if you ever saw him...You would even say it glowed... All of the other reindeer used to laugh & call him names... They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games...

Today's Show & Tell Sing-a-long is all about adding a touch of bling to your Christmas Tree with simple ornament designs of wire & beads!  If you're anything like me, you probably have a box with a stash of beads that you have been collecting with the idea that someday they'll come in handy. Well today is that day!! (to be perfectly honest, I have many other boxes with treasured "someday" supplies!) I love to play around with wire, it's easily manipulated into shapes without too much physical strength or tools. It comes in a variety of gauges (sizes) and colors that can bring any idea you may have to life! There are no templates needed and no rules to follow, just jump right in... twist it, curl it and string a bead here or there... each ornament will be an original work of art to shine on your tree! 

Below are some examples of Wire & Bead Ornaments to help "jump start" your creative juices... just one thing to remember, Have Fun!!

Copper Wire w/ Glass Beads

Aluminum Wire w/ Wood Bead

White Vinyl Coated Wire w/ Glass Beads

 "Mobile" Ornament - each of the 3 levels balance & move with air currents

Then one foggy Christmas Eve... Santa came to say, "Rudolph with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"... Then all the reindeer loved him... And they shouted out with glee... Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer... You'll go down in history!!!

 Thanks for stopping by... it's always more fun to sing with others!!

Dress your Holiday Trees with a touch of whimsy!

Dashing through the snow... In a one horse open sleigh... O'er the fields we go... Laughing all the way... ha ha ha ha ha... now everybody sing!!

Surprise...Our Show & Tell Sing-a-long continues with the Christmas theme ( just a heads up, you can probably assume this will be the case until Santa shows his jolly little face in the neighborhood! ) The ornament ideas that are being featured today were made out of porcelain clay but you can also use polymer clay or paper pulp. I have used all of these and received excellent results as well as some wonderful differences unique to each medium.


Below: These ornaments were made from porcelain slabs being pressed into mini tart molds (approx. 2" to 3") with added coil embellishments. After the 1st firing, the bisque pieces were airbrushed with underglazes and fired for the final time. Each ornament is actually 2 separate pieces that have been attached back to back with adhesive. They are hung by a ribbon tied around the center seam.

Whimsical Holiday Ornaments - Porcelain w/ underglazes

This is an example of my "Hedouni" ornaments - made in sets of six.

Bells on bob tails ring... Making spirits bright... What fun it is to laugh & sing... A sleighing song tonight... Oh, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells... Jingle all the way... Oh, what fun it is to ride... In a one horse open sleigh!

Hope you'll stop by for our next Christmas Show & Tell Sing-a-long!!

Until then, Blessings to All!!