Reflections of My Christmas!

I love Christmas---HATE the hustle and bustle to get to the day---but muttle thru as best as possible without going to jail from hurting perfect strangers...LOL  I found myself trying to 'find' Christmas in my heart for some reason this year---I felt as though I was missing it--that warm fuzzy feeling---usually it is there all on its own--but this year---this year was different---I watched all my favorite Holiday Shows---Charlie Brown and Rudolph and the Grinch---I did all of my usual baking---met up with friends and peeps for holiday cheer before hand and yet nothin'---until this one day---this one day that I went out shopping and left the house with a mission to get it all buttoned up and finished.  Lists of scribbled notes of this and that on paper that had been crossed off of and re-assesed just to be crossed off again---food purchase lists mixed in with electronics mixed in with housewares and toiletries---unorganized would be putting it mildly! Here's what happened: 

I went into the first store---outside was this young and very sweet tall and gangly African American boy---ringing the bells for the Salvation Army---singing Christmas songs with the biggest smile and the voice of an angel--I stopped and listened for a moment and said to him---Bless you for Ringing the Bell sweet child---and he hugged me and said Merry Christmas!  Blessing number 1

Then I proceeded into the next store---I was at the checkout lane standing in line and I saw this old couple walk by holding hands---and when I say old I mean they were in their 80's---with this look of complete and udder love and happiness for each other and very smartly dressed---I noticed them stop to look at something---here it was this young boy---about 6 or 7 years old---whistling Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer---with a look of enchantment and joy on their faces ----he and his two other siblings and his mother came into the very line that I was in---and he continued to whislte away---I reached my hand out to touch the top of his head and smiled at him---he was so sweet.  Blessing number 2

Then the last store I went into---I was wandering around for what seemed like HOURS looking for where in the heck one would put the Wax Paper if one were a stock person who even knew what wax paper was---I kept passing this woman pushing this cart full of stuff---she was a bit overweight and had the most happy and sweet rosey cheeks and pretty smile and was struggling to even walk----she says to me---you look like you are lost---to which I replied---I think I may be---I just wanna find Wax Paper and get the heck out of here---she says---and mind you ---she is not an employee at this store---I can take you there--so she does and it is quite a ways away from our original destination--and I say to her---awwww thank you---I think I need to take you with me the next time I go shopping!! She says to me with MUCH delight---that would be just fine---as I have no one---I hugged her and wished her a Merry Christmas---Blessing number 3

We go to Mass on Christmas Eve---and the Church is packed FULL---there are parents coming in with their children all dressed up---I had the best time before mass started--looking at all the children in their fineries--as I totally remember those days when my kids were young---so dang CUTE. As luck would have it---the Childrens choir was singing---during Mass---Silent Night---tears came strolling down my face as I sat and reflected on the things that I previously mentioned---and at that VERY moment I finally got the warm and fuzzy feeling that I had waited and wondered about---and that my dear friends---that was my Blessing number 4----

I would like to say at this time---Blessing number 5 for me will be..... that each and every one that reads this will think about the small incoincidental blessings that come our way daily---that you will stop and really take note to the great STUFF that is going on around us constantly---stop and think about the simple blessings we all have in our lives---they are there--trust me they are---we just don't always take the time to see them---take the time people---and know that if you do.... your heart will always be warm and fuzzy mode!  Here's to a Happy 2011 New Year to all of You and Yours!

Look at This Gorgeous WINDOW!!!

This was made by a customer of mine who purchased my 'JOY' window sconce pattern ---Her name is Cathy---is this not gorgeous or WHAT!!!  I love that she sent this to me as it truly made my DAY! I love the tone of the window and the color of the wood around it---the warmth and style is incredible---it is always so nice to see when things are done up in someones own style---she added some really cool snowflakes to it as well---FABULOUS Fa-La-La-LA LAAAAAAA Cathy!!!

A Couple of Freebies for You this Holiday from Birchberry Farms!

Happy Holidays to you and yours---here are a couple of Ideas I have for making your moola go a little further---my gift to you and Birchberry Farms Original work and concepts---

We make our gifts every year here at this house and have been doing it my whole life---these are easy and ECONOMICAL to make and are very lovely to give as gifts---My sisters and I love giving and receiving homemade handmade gifts---they are truly from the heart!  ENJOY!!!!  Oh---they are in the next two posts so scrollllllll on down!

My Little Snowman Globe!

Awwww this one is so cute---I made these for the shop and they went like MAD---easy and very cheap to make--Let's get started!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

Glass jar with lid (I have used pickle, spaghetti sauce,molasses,fruit & picante jars!)

plaster of paris

mica flakes or fake snow

snowman ornie (got mine at Target for $3 and its wood and has the cutest wire arms)

jute

faux pine

chalkboard paint (optional) for tag

cute cardstock & tagboard

chalk

wire

enamel cream colored paint (ceramcoat 'E')

glitter and glue

Hot glue gun

I took the plaster of paris and mixed it in a clear plastic bag---I cut the corner of the bag and squirted it into the bottom of my clean empty jar----about a cup of Pof P.  Let it sit for a day--if you are inpatient--I put mine in the oven at 170* then shut the oven off and let it really just sit in there while I prepared the following. The ornie I got from Target I took the hanger out of and the hokey scarf from its neck--I painted him with glue and rolled him in mica flakes and set him to dry. I took a piece of tag board and cut a cute tag out and painted it with chalkboard paint and backed the tag with cute paper after the paint dried.  I punched a hole thru it and strung about 24" of jute thru the hole and set my chalkboard tag aside for now.  I took my jar out of the oven and made SURE the Plaster had dried, then I took my glue gun and dropped a GOB of glue onto the middle of the dried plaster in the jar---I also added a titch to the bottom of the snowman and I carefully set him on to the glue--I hurried and threw a handful of mice into the jar before the hot glue dried so it would stick to the mound and cover that up---I kind of swirled it a bit while keeping a FIRM finger on the snowmans head so he wouldn't move.  I painted my inside and outside of the lid with cream colored acrylic enamel and let that dry well then I painted it with glue and glittered the lid top so cutely! I then wrote 'JOY' with chalk onto my little tag and then I wired a piece of wire around the chalk and twisted it then around the top of the jar below the 'lid screw line'.  I then wrapped my jute around the top of the jar and added the little pine sprig and tied my jute into a bow.  I then made on my printer a little slip of paper that reads---Let it Snow Let it Snow Let it Snow and I decopauged that to the jar on the bottom edge and I glittered that as well ---carefully avoiding getting that glue and glitter onto the glass part---just the slip of paper needs that! I twisted the cover onto the top and smiled cuz it is so dang CUTE and easy!!!!

My 'Believe' Crenolin Hanger!

WHAT U NEED (MATERIALS)

crenalin or stiff fabric enough for your triangle size

instant coffee

sewing machine & thread

red tinsel wrap (preferrably with wire thru it)

red ink pad (staz on is the best ink ever!)

letter stamps & snowflake stamps

rhinestones---fake will do JUST fine

This is made from Crenolin or very stiff fabric that was used in earlier times for stiffening under dresses and bustier's.  I cut triangles out of it that were approx. 8" from bottom point to top edge---I coffee stained them all and put them in the oven at 170* until dry---I got some red cheap tinsel that you use to wrap up gifts with at this time of year and I stitched the triangles ( finger folded the crenolin first) over that tinsel then with a zig zag stitch making sure I left plenty of tinsel on each side to hang the piece on a window or cupboard or tree---I also tied knots on the ends of the tinsel after I cut it so it wouldn't come apart--after I got my 7 triangles sewn onto the tinsel, I clipped the loose threads, and I stamped my letters one by one on each triangle and I also did snowflakes---in RED--the stamps I got at Archivers for $10--they come in a clear package and are made of foam--they have all sorts of them in different styles and fonts.  I then glued little rhinestones in each of the centers of the snowflakes using gem glue and viola!  I also did these up in the word JOYEUX in black with silver tinsel and black snowflakes and clear rhinestones---way way cute!

It's the 5 Golden Rings Promo on WSOAPP!

The peeps at WSOAPP have been hard working and hiding things within the shoppes---they have hidden 5 Golden Rings (one per day) and the first one to email in and tell where the numbered ring is for that day wins a prize! I have to tell you that the shoppes are looking great and are stocked and ready to roll---so make sure you go on a treasure hunt for them there rings!!! Don't you just LOVE surprises!!

Go into WSOAPP.orgs group and click on the 5-Rings promo tab to get in the FUN!

Market Street Listings on WSOAPP Dec. 7th!!

Howdy peeps---it is Market Street TIME at WSOAPP and the Listings are up for the 7th of December Launch---head on over with a cup of coffee and take a gander and what everyones got cooking for this Holiday! I will be listing several more items tomorrow morning---just don't have the energy tonite----pooped out! I also will be sending out my December Newsletter tomorrow with special deals for the month---so if you would like to be included in that and you are not already a recipient of my newsletter ---please do gimme a shout and I will see to it that you get on the list!!! These are my Belsnickel Santa's (don't even know if I am spelling that correctly) and a Rolly Polly Felted Wool Santa that will be listed tomorrow---Enjoy the rest of the evening!!  Oh!1 and I just got 15 new pairs of my signature repurposed wool 'Love You Winter' Mitties which will be on Etsy tomorrow then up to the Round Barn Potting Co. as well!