Merry Christmas

We wish everyone a safe and Merry Christmas!

Hybrid Frames for the Sibs

On the plus side, being homebound from the snow and ice really has given me a few extra hours to do the things I've been meaning to do. I always have good intentions of getting Christmas taken care of around September/October only to find myself on the 22nd or 23rd of December buying what I can last minute.

This year is different. As we are very aware of the current economy, creative gifts seemed right this year. I always have a hard time trying to figure out what to get my brother and sister. Who really needs an extra coffee mug set? Or a big tin of cheesy popcorn? (Yes, I admit...these are past years gifts)

I'm not going to fight it this year. Heck, I couldn't even if I wanted to...I can't get out of my driveway. This year they are getting pictures of their own children. Doing what I know how to with all of my digital scrapbook stuff, here are the framed pictures for Michael and Stacey this year.

(Digital scrapbook credits go to Cinzia Loosemore-That's Amore Bundle, Urban Grunge Bundle, and I Believe Add-On Kit; Flergs-Denim Blues Kit; New Life Dreams-All Things Grow with Love Kit; Sabrina Dupree-Isabella's Room Kit)

Dec. 22-Will it be a white Christmas?

We have gotten snow and ice every day for the past week. Today is again another day where it is too dangerous to get down the hills to get to work. For as long as I've lived in Oregon (30+ years) I don't think I've seen it as thick. The weather guy is forecasting snow/ice for the rest of the week. The problem isn't really the snow...it's the daily thaw that turns it to ice.

I think it will be awesome to finally have a true white Christmas. However, I'm really itching to leave the house. Celina broke down today and made a paper garland for the tree out of shear boredom. We're plowing through the DVDs as the TV has been sketchy. I'm probably going to make ornaments within the next couple of hours.

Despite the boredom, we feel extremely fortunate and thankful...we are healthy, warm and not hungry. If we're housebound until the new year, we wish you a safe Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Fall/Christmas Tradition

I love my mom. I love my hubby and daughter. I love my brother and sister. I love my nieces and nephews. Fortunately this Christmas doesn't have to be any different than years past (despite the economy) as I learned a valuable lesson years ago from Grandma Pearline. The gifts from the heart are the ones that people will cherish the most. I remember very well the crocheted pillows and the other handmade presents Grandma gave to all of us grandchildren as there were simply so many of us. I still have many of the handmade quilts that Mom gave us at Christmas.

Although everyone knows the true meaning of Christmas, there is still that desire to give someone a gift...something that you know they will get joy out of. God didn't bless me with the ability or desire to create needlecrafts or beautiful quilts. However, he did give me a desire to play with pretty papers and photographs.

I've been very fortunate over the years to have a wonderfully cooperative family who help me "make gifts" for Mom (Grandma) and their parents for Christmas. Every Fall we try to have a "photoshoot"; sometimes it is on Thanksgiving day if I'm running behind. Most of the time it turns into a play day with the kids goofing off for the camera...PERFECT for gift photos. Here are some of the photos from this year. I was fortunate and found a great website (www.snapfish.com) to print them for 9 cents a picture (the shipping was free from a promo). A few of them I'll put in some cheap craft frames that I've decorated, some I'll turn into scrapbook pages and some I create into an album. I truly enjoy giving photograph gifts as I've yet to feel it wasn't something someone cherished.