Kissing 2012 goodbye

I've had this little perpetual flip calendar for years.  It sits atop the "mule chest" in my bedroom.  As I flipped it over for the day, I could hardly believe that in just one more day, we will welcome 2013.  Where do the days go???  

Our Christmas was wonderful... quiet, but so sweet.  I feel so blessed to have been given another year with my loving parents.  We had the yummiest meal together on Christmas Day.

Even their baby Reggie got in on the fun!

My home is getting back to normal, with the tree and other decorations put away, but the wonderful memories still fresh in my heart.  

My little art haven got a clean-up... vacuuming up glitter and so many glitzy scraps.  I have so many supplies that I want to keep out on hand... it is always a challenge to keep my tools corralled!

Every corner is packed with art I have made or treasures I'll used in days to come!

One of my latest projects was a funky ruffled lampshade re-do.  I'd been looking at some darling lamps at Hobby Lobby, but decided to try this one just for fun... imperfect, but funky and just my style!

Santa was so good to me, leaving the most wonderful packages from dearest friends.  They are out everywhere, reminding me of these special ones who were so generous with their time and talents.

Waving goodbye to 2012 and greeting 2013 with the brightest of hopes and dreams.  Happy new year!!!

Merry Christmas!

May you find new meaning and hope in the joy of the Christ Child's birth and in his everlasting presence in our world.  Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!

Advent Tag Day 24 Christmas Eve

Today's tag features a very old photo of me from many Christmases ago.  On this Christmas Eve, dream some special Christmas dreams...

Advent Tag Day 23

Have a JOLLY JOLLY Christmas Eve eve!

Advent Tag Day 22

Today's tag features a background of vintage ledger paper and sheet music.  The flower is made from scrim.  The center was made from a hand-dyed crocheted flower, surrounding a little stick wrapped with wire and pearls... just loved that element.  Of course there is ribbon and seam binding.  Today's word is such a special sentiment for the season... CHERISH.  Cherish today and those who mean so much.

Advent Tag Day 21

Today's tag features a golden frame with a picture of me...from many Christmases ago...  and a child's prayer said with Mom and Dad every night... What sweet memories...

Advent Tag Day 20

Only 5 more days until the big day... WOW!  The last five of my Junque Drawer Advent tags are some of my favorites.  Today's background began with an aged tag, stamped with a scroll design, then glittered over some of the scroll elements.  Martha Stewart has some fabulous glitters.  This one is called "white gold"... looks like old sterling silver...so pretty.  The focal point of this tag is a hand-made silk-ribbon rose, with a scrim-encased silver flower center.  A bit of tinsel, tulle, and vintage-paper leaves finish off the look.  

As a "glitter" girl, I love an idea I gleaned from the delightful Teresa McFayden.  Coarse glitter can be made from "smashing" Christmas balls.  Oh, was that fun... a great way to de-stress!!!  Here is a gift that I have made for a dear neighbor.  Loved how it turned out, and the coarse glitter ROCKS!  

My wish for you today and every day~ JOY.

Advent Tag Day 19

Today's tag began with a background of vintage flocked wallpaper and a coffee-dyed pom-pom trim on top.  The focal point is a little dollar-store frame, antiqued... holding the old photo.  What a tender message for the season... "A blessed angel came..."

Advent Tag Day 18

Today's tag begins with a scroll stamp applied to the tag using my favorite ink color, "vintage photo".  I love the idea of the stick wrapped in a piece of linen, adorned with some seam binding and a fun stick pin.  Old tinsel and a velvet leaf envelope the old photo of that sweet "Seagle girl".

Only a week until Christmas!  Enjoy this last week of preparation and anticipation.

Advent Tag Day 17

The background of today's tag was a page from a vintage book.  The collage features old lace, a tiny vial of glitter, a crocheted flower with a paper flower center, a brass frame, heart charm, and the sentiment of the day~ Redeemer.

Advent Tag Day 16~And Peace to Men on Earth

Today's Advent tag is aged and stamped with a text stamp.  Atop the stamped background is a delicate diecut and a band of my favorite sheet music.  A chipboard frame was heavily glittered... surrounding a great vintage photo.  After the unspeakably sad events in Newtown, Connecticut this weekend... no words could have more meaning... "And peace to men on earth".

Snuggle in with those you love most, sharing the hope of the season.

Advent Tag Day 15

Today's Advent tag begins with a background of old sheet music.  I love using sheet music and old ledger paper as a background... The medallion is made from a chipboard oval covered with heated ultra thick embossing powder.  I love the regal crown mounted underneath the teardrop crystal. The bow at the top is tied with some great ivory sari ribbon.  The symbolism of the crown has great meaning in my life as I   anticipate the King's birthday, just a few days away.

Advent Tag Day 14

One of the favorite elements that I use in my artwork is the bird.  The bird symbolizes freedom, hope and peace.  Today's tag elements begin with a vintage black and white flocked wallpaper backdrop.  Atop the background is a bird, cut from old book text, edged in silver glitter... perched on a branch from my yard.  One of my dear friends sent me some feathers from her own sweet hens.  A choice feather made the cutest wing for my collaged birdie. A glittered holly leaf, vintage tinsel, and a dangling crystal completed the Victorian look that I adore.

May you have a glittery, peaceful holiday with those you love.

Advent Tag Day 13~ Pearls of Wisdom

Advent Tag Day 13 symbolizes "pearls of wisdom".  As I have walked the journey of life, I realize more each day the value of wisdom.  

Today's collage features a delightful scalloped tin, with a scrim-wrapped acorn nest holding two vintage pearls.  A piece of recycled old lace frames the top of the tag and  coffee-dyed ball-fringe edges the bottom edge.  

The nest is one of my favorite metaphors.  May you fluff your nest and enjoy every day of this special Advent season.

Advent Tag Day 12 ~ O Tannenbaum

Today's Advent tag used collage elements... old Paris street map, burlap ribbon, scrim and a fun bottle-brush snow-tipped tree with a gold star atop. 

 O Tannenbaum, O tannenbaum... a favorite old German carol...

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us!
They are green when summer days are bright,
They are green when winter snow is white.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You give us so much pleasure!
How oft at Christmas tide the sight,
O green fir tree, gives us delight!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You give us so much pleasure!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Forever true your colour.
Your boughs so green in summertime
Stay bravely green in wintertime.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Forever true your colour.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
You fill my heart with music.
Reminding me on Christmas Day
To think of you and then be gay.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
You fill my heart with music.

Advent Tag Day 11~ GIVE

I loved scouring my local antique shops to find this little dish to feature on Day 11's Advent tag.  I was looking for a butter pat dish.  This find was a little different, but I immediately fell in love with its finish and shape.  It was a wee bit heavier than most of the elements on the other tags, but I was able to attach it with wire, adorned by a "blingy" button and my ever-favorite scrunched seam binding.

There is NO GREATER VERB for this season... to keep  in our minds and hearts every day... throughout this special season and BEYOND...    GIVE

Day 10 Advent Tag

My greatest wish for the world could be encompassed in this one word...

PEACE...

Advent tag Day 9

Advent tag, Day 9.  This tag features a fabulous old drawer pull that looks quite regal.  Other finds include some yummy hand-dyed trims, ribbons, scrim, and an old locket.  The tags express one of the best messages of the season... JOY TO THE WORLD!  

Day 8 Advent Tag

What could be lovelier than a little bird at my window, singing the sweet songs of the season?

The idea of the little mushroom bird perched in a vintage ladle made my heart flutter.  

The chipboard window was painted gold, serving as the backdrop for my feathered friend.

I believe all creatures great and small help us celebrate this magical time of year.  

May you enjoy all the sounds of the holidays.

On Golden Angel Wings... Advent Tag Day 7

The day 7 tag from my interpretation of the JUNQUE DRAWER ADVENT TAG project features white and gold encrusted angel wings.  I made my own pattern for the layers of wings, and cut them out of thicker cardboard.  Then I painted them white and applied gold leaf...just delicious!

The background of the tag is aged. Then old sheet music and tea-dyed scrim is layered behind the wings. Atop the wings is a chipboard crown that I glittered to the max!!!  I always seem to get glitter everywhere when I have it out, but I adore it so much, it doesn't seem to matter.  It's getting pretty bad when I see glitter on Gabe or Buttons' eyebrows!  

The watch face, to me, symbolizes the eternal meaning of this season.  The glittery bell rings out the good news to all.

May your days be sprinkled with gold and silver dreams...and may angels always be watching over you.

Advent Tag Day 6

Today's Junque Drawer Advent Tag has a "French Shabby-Chic" feel. The bottom of the tag is dressed with a gathered crepe paper ruffle. The background paper was applied to the tag and a fun scroll stamp was used to emboss the image behind the heart.  The heart  is cut from a recycled manila file folder, overlaid with aged scrim.  How much do I love scrim??? Let me count the ways!!!  Shabby, frayed ribbon and old pearls go atop the heart with my ever-favorite sentiment-- BELIEVE.

What better thought to guide each of us through every day of this season... and beyond...  BELIEVE.

May all your wishes come true... just BELIEVE!!!

Advent tag day 5

Today's Advent tag features a fun HOME bingo tag, a string of old pearls, tulle, scrunched seam binding, and a vintage watch face.

I'm sure I'm telling my age when I say I have always been such a fan of Perry Como's smooth voice.  I'm reminded of his wonderful Christmas song when I look at the Advent tag for day 5.

Oh! There's no place like home for the holidays,
'Cause no matter how far away you roam,
When you pine for the sunshine of a friendly gaze,

For the holidays you can't beat home sweet home!

ADVENT tag day 4

This is one of my favorite of the 25 ADVENT tags. The concept of the tarnished old fork holding the tiny vintage photo is so lovely.  I can think of no better sentiment for the season, and every other day-

JOY.

May all your days be filled with JOY!

Looking a lot like Christmas

We're all "fluffed" for Christmas here on Garrison.  The tree is adorned and the Christmas village is glowing, with skaters swirling... a winter dream indeed.  Many evenings I turn off all the lamps and get lost in the magic of the old world charm.

The mantle is ready, with a red berry wreath, garland and sweet bears dressed in holiday clothes.  It takes me right back to childhood days... a place where I love to re-visit.

Buttons (who is so black, he is hard to see in all my photos), loves to curl up in his favorite chair by the fireplace.

Not to be outdone, Gabe has his perch, too!

The breakfast table is ready... only the cookies for Santa are yet to be baked.

A vignette from another GYPSY GIRLS project... their darling vintage village.  I had such fun making these little chipboard houses.  Can you tell how much I love houses and holiday villages??? I have a passion for them, for sure!

My snow people are all waiting for those first icy flakes to start falling.  Could it be any day???

Advent Day 3

The tag for day 3 of my Junque Drawer Advent calendar showcases a black vintage book cover, dating back to the early 1900's.  Atop the well-worn cover rests a tiny matchbox drawer.  The itty-bitty drawer holds a sweet ledger-paper tag and ivory forget-me-not.   

Brings to mind a favorite carol... "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming"

Welcome ADVENT

Several years ago I joined in with the GYPSY GIRLS (who write one of my favorite blogs) to make my own version of their JUNK DRAWER ADVENT CALENDAR.  It took endless hours of pulling together trinkets, baubles and glitter from my stash to create the 25 tags that commemorate each day of Advent.  With all the time spent, it is my favorite holiday creation. The tags were aged to look like treasures that could have been pulled from a grandparent's attic.  This shot shows the completed piece displayed in my home.  I love the "frame" for the creation, made from a section of celotex, covered with natural burlap, and edged in seam binding.  The shabby chic look feels so at home here on Garrison.

I thought it might be fun to show a peek at each day's tag... to give me a reminder of the meaning of each day leading up to Christmas.  Many of the tags could be ideas for cards, gift tags and such.

I'm a day behind (as usual), so I'll share days 1 and 2 in this entry.

"Star of wonder, star of night, star of royal beauty bright"...

"It came upon a midnight clear"... a sweet refrain...

Happy Day ONE and TWO of our beloved ADVENT season.

Harvest Home

As the autumn leaves are still swirling about here on Garrison, I turn my focus to the coziness of "harvest home".  I just completed and framed a fun little wooly sheep and pumpkin.  I mentioned in my last post that I had fun dragging out the needle felting machine and some funky threads.

 The finishing touch to this pattern from Elizabeth was the hand-stitched flowers and leaves.  Two of my favorite stitches are the Colonial knot and the lazy daisy stitch... and I got lots of practice with those on this one!

I've adorned my table with a favorite "harvest couple" and turkey.

I have some cherished pieces that stay out all the time, like this forever-loved reading bunny.  

For now, he's perched on the mantle, overlooking the family room.  With the days getting much shorter, I think even my "boys" feel the urge to nestle in a little closer and get some extra "z'sssssssss".

I love the work of Mary Oliver.  Here is her "Song for Autumn".

Song for Autumn

In the deep fall
    don't you imagine the leaves think how
comfortable it will be to touch
    the earth instead of the
nothingness of air and the endless
    freshets of wind? And don't you think
the trees themselves, especially those with mossy,
    warm caves, begin to think
of the birds that will come — six, a dozen — to sleep
    inside their bodies? And don't you hear
the goldenrod whispering goodbye,
    the everlasting being crowned with the first
tuffets of snow? The pond
    vanishes, and the white field over which
the fox runs so quickly brings out
    its blue shadows. And the wind pumps its
bellows. And at evening especially,
    the piled firewood shifts a little,
longing to be on its way.