New Year's Eve 2014

Don't party too hardy when you ring in the new year! Where, oh where, did 2014 go??? I hope everyone has a happy and healthy 2015!!

Comments are off today-- enjoy your last day of the old year!

SPA Anything Goes

It's been awhile since I partook in an online challenge. Here is a piece I made for Sunday Postcard Art's current theme of "Anything Goes." With all the Christmas creating I've done this season, I decided to get as far away from that as I could, and doesn't a warm summer day sound nice right about now?

Thanks for looking!

Dec Daily Final

Since I showed all the pages in my December Daily, I thought I'd show the finished project. I did show the front cover earlier, but here it is all dolled up.

Back cover

The inside front cover

Inside back cover; I wrote a few notes about our Christmas.

Here is a close-up of the two metal charms on the front.  They are embellishments purchased at a scrapbook store. What you can't buy these days.

Thanks for viewing.

Dec Daily 22-26

Here are the last of the December Daily pages. I couldn't leave out the holiday music as I listen to quite a lot of it through the month. Mostly oldies, as you can see.

Did a lot of holiday baking in one day. I must be nuts!

We opened "family" presents on Christmas Eve. 

Yes, Santa Claus came once again during the night.

On the 26th, I finished these pages plus some of the back cover. I also did a small bit of after-Xmas shopping. Probably the least amount I've ever done. And it was a sunny day!

Hope you see some sun today!

Christmas 2014

From my house to yours, have a very Merry Christmas!!

Comments are off today.

Christmas Eve

Just a reminder today:

I certainly hope Santa stops at your house tonight!!

Comments are off today-- spend your time wisely!

Dec Daily 17-21

We certainly are getting down to the wire with this album (good!). Here are the latest pages:

I shot some of the ornaments on my tree. Not that these are my favorites or anything; these shots just turned out well. The top, glass ornament is quite old. It belonged to my grandparents.

My crowded tree. My daughter has now accumulated a lot of ornaments in addition to mine. I think she needs her own tree! The Pinocchio ornament was my very first one-- I have showed it here before.

I don't know what it was this year, but it seemed like it took forever to wrap presents! Maybe I'm just getting old!

Yea! No more school bus until 2015.

This has had to be one of the most sunless Decembers on record around here. Getting rather monotonous! Update: I read a news story this morning that stated this December is on track for the most sunless in Chicago's history; of course as I write this, the sun is peeking out-- FINALLY!!

Well, the last installment will obviously be after the big day. Hope I survive!

Have a nice day!

Monday's Muster #48

Another seasonal collection today, and one I wouldn't have except for the fact these belonged to my mother (and I bought some of them for her back in the late 80s). Kitty Cucumber figurines-- they are pretty cute.

These are thin cardboard/pressed paper type ornaments my mom also had so I hung onto them.

I usually display them this time of year on my kitchen shelf with vintage greeting cards behind them.

I've decided to retire this "collection" feature from my blog. It takes quite a bit of time to dig these things out, dust them off, shoot them, etc. Not to mention I would run dry sooner or later. So thanks for viewing this year. Hope you saw some interesting pieces.

Have a great day!

I Know-- It's Not Even Christmas Yet...

...but I make holiday cards ahead of time for the Etsy shop since listings last four months. My favorite Valentine's Day scrapbook paper this year is below. Obviously, I started using it before I took this picture.

Aren't these little illustrations cute?

Okay-- we now return you to your regularly scheduled holiday.

Have a great day!

Nonfiction Thrifting

I went to two thrift stores this week and walked out with only books. Strange. I also forgot to take group photos when I was shooting them to list for sale so you get the "for sale" shots today.

My parents had a set of these books when they were new-- when I was a kid. I think they're still at my dad's today.

This is a fun, 1960s, craft book for kids. Lots of funky illustrations inside.

Another Teddy Bear book. That makes three I've found in the last couple of years, and they all have been different.

When I read "The Frontier States" on the spine of this book, I thought: Kansas, Arizona, California?? No, it's about Alaska and Hawaii.

This book goes back to the 50s. I didn't read any of it, but I bet it's full of amusingly outdated information.

This book, unfortunately, is very beat up. It is a former library book which would explain its rough life. I bought for the nice illustrations. See the last photo.

Have an informative day out there!

Dec Daily 12-16

Showing the latest in my December Daily album today. I usually make the same holiday cookies and bread every year but I went through my recipe box anyway. You never know what might sound good.

I usually don't keep candy in the house (with the exception of Halloween), but my husband bought a bag of Hershey's Miniatures recently, and I decided it was time to set them out.  Aren't the labels cute? Those are the actual labels too, not scanned. Yes, I had to eat the chocolate so I could use the labels. What a sacrifice!

The man of the house set up our tree on the 14th, and it took my daughter and I three more days to get all the ornaments on (that will be another page)!

Finished the couple sewing projects I had going. See-- I did get those ornaments finished. The only tree skirt I have is crocheted in maroon, dark green, and tan, which is nice, but it was made for a green tree, and looks kinda "meh" under a white tree. I made this blue one out of an old flannel sheet.

Lucky me, I have to come up with Christmas and birthday presents for my husband all at the same time.

Thanks for viewing!

Wacky Pack Wednesday

You might remember the Oreo Wacky back from a couple weeks back.  Well, here is the the precursor: Sunshine's Hydrox cookies that debuted in 1908. They are supposed to be available once again soon, but I wasn't able to find them anywhere.

Thanks for viewing!

Monday's Muster #47

Some of you might remember from last December I showed a lot of vintage Christmas cards I have. This is sort of a collection within a collection as I do specifically look for old cards designed like books. As you can see, I don't have many yet, but it is over that magic "three" number.

I'm not sure what it is about these that appeal to me.  I guess, I just think it's clever. I do like the details too.

We're getting close!!  Enjoy!

December Daily 7-11

Here we are at lucky pages 7 through 11. Almost halfway through this album already. So far, I haven't scrambled to find a subject for each day-- let's hope that continues.

I used this paper to wrap a couple of gifts and really liked the design so why not document that? You know how cool old wrapping paper is-- well, some decade this will be old too!

Got all the window and outdoor decor done.  Hurray!

I arranged my Putz houses, little wooden villages, and bottle brush trees.

Yes, we've been watching some holiday favorites.

Suddenly dawned on me I better get those out-of-state presents off in the mail.

How are your holiday plans coming along??  Thanks for reading.