2009 Ornament Swap

I want to share with you the ornaments I made for the 2009 Ornament Swap.

I was inspired by (copied) the pine trees I made to adorn the front cover of my Circle Journal (that I still have yet to send out).






I had so much fun making these Cozy Cabin Christmas ornaments.

A Christmas Tree of Sisters

 
I set up this tree in the kitchen with every intention of decorating it with all things kitchen-y - cookie cutters, mini whisks, aprons, kitchen angels, mini baking and Bundt pans, and rolling pins.
 

As I was sorting through my Christmas decorations I came across a small box...

As soon as I saw the box I forgot about the mini kitchen tins, aprons, and rolling pins and immersed myself in the sentiments of the contents of the little box.

The scribble, GLU Ornaments 2008, may not mean much to you but it means so much to me.

You see, several years ago I met the most wonderful group of women through a message board and over the years we have formed friendships and a sisterhood. We gather through a private message board where we share our recipes, crafts, lives, and our hearts.

We have even gathered, across the miles, in each others homes.

In this little box are my sisters who were by my side when I decided to leave the comfort of my family and the town I had lived in for 20+ years to start a dream life, alone, in a tiny country town states away. In this box are the same sisters who shared in my crazy adventures. The beautiful women who prayed with me when my dad was diagnosed with cancer, who left silly birthday wishes on my nephew's answering machine while he was at school, and sent encouraging emails and get well cards to the children's hospital where my niece lived for weeks after fracturing her arm.

I am so blessed to know these wonderful women.

My Christmas Cocoa Mug Runneth Over!

Re-Post from The Podunkian Post Gazette

I jumped on the Polar Express this morning and it is full steam ahead to the North Pole!

I have a Crooner's Christmas in the CD player (and I don't even mind the Clay Aiken song - remember this post) and my home looks like it has been ransacked by a bunch of mischievous elves. There are dozens of  half emptied bins of Christmas decorations strewn through the house with stockings, lights, jingle bells, candles, and Christmas what-nots everywhere.

This is my first Christmas in my new home and have no idea how I'm going to decorate or where to put my trees. But you bet your sweet sugar plums and candy canes that I will savor every holly jolly moment of making it all Christmas cozy!

Sigh.... Remember the Christmas in July post..... Sigh....

The Journey of a Circle Journal

 WARNING

CIRCLE JOURNAL SPOILER

I posted pics of my Circle Journal that has not been sent out yet! If you do not want to spoil the surprise of my gloriously fantabulous Circle Journal, do not peek or go any further!!!!

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Are you sure you want to do this?

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 Okaaaay.... Don't say that I didn't warn you...

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This will be the first time I've participated in a Circle Journal.


I was so excited when I signed up that I couldn't sleep for the bazillions of ideas dancing around in my head. I ended up writing down several pages of fabulous ideas.

I set those ideas aside, because I couldn't settle on just one and decided to focus on the journal's appearance instead. I just let the creative mojo take over and this is what I came up with... 

I put the journal together with a Christmas theme bouncing around in my head. I kept envisioning scenes from the movie A Smoky Mountain Christmas. You know, the one with Dolly Parton and Lee Majors...

I spun the idea...

You're stranded in a secluded cabin in the mountains and it's almost Christmas. You only have what the cabin and your surroundings will provide - the food in the cabinets, fridge, and freezer and your rustic and natural great outdoors. There isn't a WalMart within a hundred miles of you, no attic nor a basement with an artificial tree and boxes of Christmas decorations. You have to be creative and do the best with what the cabin and your surroundings provide.

Sounds pretty good, huh. Just one little problem... I'm stuck!

I have the cover of the journal and the outline but no middle. I'm having a hard time executing this idea on to pages in this journal. Sigh....

So, I start thinking again...

Hmmmm.... What if I give the journalers their choice of seasons or holidays as long as they use the same rustic, natural, and only what the cabin and its surroundings will provide guidelines... Hmmmm....

Staci girl, I think you're on to something.

So, this is where I'm at. I still don't have a middle but I think the journal looks damn good in my new cabinet!

I'm loving the look of it in the cabinet. I *heart* my new cabinet. 

Now my head is spinning, wondering if I should change the theme of the journal again... Hmmmm.... How about Heritage Recipes....

Will this madness ever end!?!?!? The journal was due to be sent out in August!!!!