Making Christmas Past a part of Christmas Present

I haven't had much time to post . My works lately have been all about creating my Christmas gifts and I didn't want to give away all my secrets.
I must admit I'm not much of a baker. Not that I'm sure I couldn't do it but the only flour I have in my cupboards is for paper mache. Sad I know. I am grateful everyday, that my mom lives a few floors above me. She cooks dinner for me almost everyday. I get to visit and we shop for groceries together. She says she eats better when she cooks for someone and hey I can't complain.She has someone to visit her everyday and I'm grateful for the time I have with her. My dad died over 25 years ago but Christmas is still especially difficult for her.
At 82 she finds her sisters, friends and family passing on and each year she grieves.  At Christmas she still tries to capture the very special Christmas' we had. I wish I could do more to capture those things in our Christmas Present. This year she baked and I decorated. We listened to our favourite Christmas tunes, argued about the best way to decorate and she supervised each sprinkle or daub of icing.
I'll share these moments that are very special to me and wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
Try to make a little of Christmas Past present in your Christmas this year!

Cheers!

Last Posting on the Magical Blog Hop

Ah, here we are at the end of the Magical Holiday Blog Hop! Be sure and stop bye and tell Katie Cahill's blog for a last word on the tour!



Be sure and stop by and give my Magical Holiday Treasury some love!

Meet a Pink Dreamer on our Magical Holiday Blog Hop

I love my next feature artist PinkDreamer's Art Journaling Kit.

Her art journaling kit-a handmade mixed media fabric blank journal and lots of vintage paper supplies!


all the stuff you need to start art journaling!!! simply add your paints and your imagination and...start creating!!!

the kit includes: one blank journal (with my mixed media art print on or whatever else you might like) with 120 pages of fine quality paper and lots of paper supplies-vintage and modern!

size of the fabric journal: 17x24cm
 
Her etsy shop eltsamp is full of creative mixed media supplies and projects.
 
And althugh my translator wasn't working I enjoyed a lovely wander through her blog. Be sure and take a peek!

Magical Holiday Hop: Meet Sharon Rowland

"Bird Rose Bottle Cap Necklace, by Sharon Rowland of Alice's Secret Door.

Sharon Rowland's etsy shop with it's whimsical name, Alice's Secret Door promises wonderful misterious trinkets and it really delivers! Sharon is up next on the Magical Holiday Hop.

She as been  have been crafting my whole life. As a young girl she loved to cut little pieces of paper out and create little paper dolls and animals. She says, "As I got in to my teens I began to make beaded jewelry. I enjoyed being able to create earrings that suited my style. Later in college I discovered clay." Today she still enjoys creating jewelry. Especially out of found objects such as bottle caps. "I have always collected little objects that I found in the street or in the woods." She admits she's like a little magpie filling her nest.

Be sure and visit her blog to see her favourites on this Magical Blog Hop!

Magical Holiday Blog Hop continues: Meet Angela Giovanni

Exile, 8-1/2 x 11" Print by Angela DiGiovanni

Anglea DiGiovanni is next up on the magical blog hop. Angela generally uses acrylic paint, stabilo marks art pencils, gesso, watercolor pencils and even scrapbook papers in her work. See more of her work including my favourite "Exile" print from her etsy shop.

Be sure and stop by her blog, where she lives outloud! and see her favourite picks on the tour. Be sure to grab a cup of tea and see wome of her new work and earlier posts too!

In her own words she is: smart, shy, creative, unorganized, a deep feeler, the last child of 4, A knitter, a bookworm, newbie photographer, and mixed media artist. An entrepreneur. A business owner. A survivor.
A wannabe mother, farmer, and home schooler. I like troll dolls and melancholy music. My dog’s name is Woofie. My husband adores me. Blessed… ".

Magical Holiday Blog Hop : Today's The Day!



Today is the Day, 12x12" print by Sunshine Barlowe

 I'm lucky to be included with such a wonderully gifted group of artists in this Holiday Hop! It's a departure for me as I'm usually involved in Art Doll Collections. So this was a real treat. I've learned alot about the gift we have in being able to use our imagnations and experimenting without fear.

You can see my favourites from this tour here. Please click, click , click away and show them some love!


I'd also like to introduce you to Sunshine Barlowe. She is tomorrows feature artist and responsible for the image at the top of this blo posting. A look through her etsy shop reminded I promised to be greatful for one little thing everyday. Today I'm greatful for being being able to feature her work in this post! Sunshine's mixed media piece entitled Gratitude is shown here on right.

I asked Sun a couple of odd questions to get to know her better.

Q: What are you afraid of?
A:  I am afraid of losing people I love.

Q:. If you could be another person for a day who would you be?
A: I have never been asked this in my entire life.. so, this was a hard one. I would probably have to say: Bono (even though he's a dude).

Q: Describe this person in one word.
A: Charitable

Q: What's your worst enemy?
A: Laundry !!

Q: What is your mood in one word?
A: Outgoing

Q. Something you're not wearing?
A: Earrings

Q: What's on the top of your wish list this Christmas?
A: I'm ready to join the revolution and I want an iphone.

Q: What is your favourite place to eat?
A: My favorite place to eat is Thai or anywhere that serves Tapas.

Q: Something that you are not?
A: I am not necessarily the most organized person in the world. For sure.

Q: Your least favourite colour?
A: Pink is my least favorite color. Good thing I don't have girls :)

Q: Your favourite food?
A: Thai, Mexican, or just salad!

Q: Where were you last night?
A: Snuggled up on my couch with my family watching a movie

Q: What do you hoard?
A: I probably have too many Chuck Taylor's

Q: How long have you been doing what you do?
A: I've been creating my whole life but, I chose to SELL my art in 2008!

Q: What drive you?
A: I love to blog hop myself! It always inspires me to find other creative people doing what they love. Music is another thing that drives me... I am never in my studio without something blaring..and I am usually inspired by nice weather.. I love to open my studio doors and paint!

From her profile I've learned, lives and works in Virginia near the Blue Ridge Mountains.
She says, "I am passionate about color, music, traveling, and the written word. When I discovered my love of pasting, cutting, doodling, drawing and paint ... my world opened in big ways. I'm so excited to be at a place where I'm ready to share my art."

Sunshine is next up on the Magical Holiday Blog Hop and she invites you to enter her world and take a peek at what inspires her! http://www.sunshinebarlowe.com/

Can't Beleive it's only 3 weeks to Christmas!

I've been crazy busy knitting up some orders for Cowls and headwarmers and mittens for co-workers and can't beleive it crept on me so fast! I was at the library this morning and when they said the books were due Dec. 24th I thought WOW already?

Headwarmers

I have my own gifts to finish making, orders to finish and sold items to ship. It's been a mad rush and I wouldn't miss a second of the craziness that is Christmas! For now though I'll have to leave my knitting aside and get ready for my first Christmas Party of the season!
Time flies! Are you ready?

I'm still offering a 20% discount in both my etsy shops. Just use BFCM20 at checkout and  I'll get your package in the mail the next day! Lots of jewelery, shawl pins, scarves, headwarmers, ornaments and puppets and dolls or my!

 

Sam the Snowman

Leaf Shawl Pin

Cheers! Happy Shopping!

Visit Casa Cantamar

Tracey Verdugo of CasaCantamar is a must see on this Magical Holiday Blog Hop! Her etsy shop is full of vibrant paintings, prints and pendants are not to be missed.

Tracey is a singer, creator, teacher, mom, wife and quite possibly the most positive person I have ever met... (virtually speaking of course!) You must vist her blog Heartfelt Musings for a glimpse into her wonderful world!

Alicia Caudle of Altered Bits

Today's feature artist on the Magical Holiday Blog Hop is Alicia Caudle of Altered Bits. This is not the first time I've come across Alicia's work but I wanted to share one of her Altererd Bits with you.

She is a mixed media artist, web designer, mama and hoarder of cool little tidbits that she used in her altered books, shrines, assemblages, collages and other art projects.

Of course you can see it yourself in her etsy shop along with so many other wonderful pieces.

Be sure and stop by her wonderful blog to see her favourite picks from the Magical Holiday Blog Hop as weel as some wonderful images in her gallery. She offers tutorials too! SO grab a cup of tea and sit down and enjoy her magical shop!

Don't forget! Final shopping dates for Christmas deadline are quickly approaching! Be sure to stop by my shops and

Enjoy 20% saving at check out with coupon code: BFCM20

Puppets, Art Dolls and Ornaments

Jewellery, Scarf Pins, Headwarmers and scarves and More!

And just in case you missed something here's the schedule for the blog hop once again so you can go back and see what you may have missed!

Magical Holiday Blog Hop Schedule

November 25th – Katie Cahill
Blog:http://katiecahillart.wordpress.com/
Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/KatieCahill

November 26th – Wini Dougall
Blog: http://www.artloveandjoy.blogspot.com/
Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/artlovejoy

November 27th – Nolwenn Petibois
Blog: http://www.inner-voices.net/
Etsy Shop: http://InnerWorlds.etsy.com/

November 28th – Kristi Parker VanDoren
Blog: http://kristiscreativecafe.blogspot.com/
Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BKDesignStudio

November 29th – Emily Cline
Blog: www.emilyclineart.com
Etsy Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/RubyShea

November 30th – Jennifer McGee Urbanek
Blog: http://urbanekdesign.blogspot.com/
Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MyArtistWithin

December 1st – Alicia Caudle
Blog: http://alteredbits.wordpress.com/
Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/digit13

December 2nd – Tracey Verdugo
Blog: http://artoftracyverdugo.blogspot.com/
Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/CasaCantamar

December 3rd – Nancy Perennec
Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/nancyperennec
Blog: http://littlebitwired.blogspot.com

December 4th – Sun B Lewis
Blog: www.sunshinebarlowe.com
Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/sunblewis

December 5th – Angela DiGiovanni Kemp
Blog: http://AngelaDiGiovanni.com/
Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/AngelaDiGiovanni

December 6th – Sharon Rowland
Blog: www.alicessecretdoor.com
Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/AlicesSecretDoor

December 7th – El Tsamp
Blog: http://apinkdreamer.blogspot.com
Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/eltsamp

December 8th – Katie Cahill
Blog: http://katiecahillart.wordpress.com/