Tree...

Another tree, another Christmas! Each year we gather around the living room sharing stories and memories about each ornament that is placed on the tree. Some were from my childhood, some are from family and friends, and some where made when the kids were young. I could sit for hours with all the room lights off and just watch the twinkling lights on the tree making the decorations sparkle. It's a happy time, a happy place...

What's On My Nightstand...

On my nightstand are a lot of books that I don't necessarily read but they bring me comfort just knowing they are there. I have my battery clock that has served me well. I don't like the digital ones. There is some homemade lotion I'm almost out of and another bottle to use when it is finally all gone     ( someone I know made the lotion and a friend gave it to me). Down in the cloth basket are recipe books and books I am currently looking at. And the two little baskets hold "stuff" like my TV remote, a glasses case etc. I have some herb magazines I'm hoping to get too soon and a couple of pictures that just make me smile. On the far left there is a teddy bear my oldest son gave me one Christmas and it was just so cute I keep him close by to remind me of "love."

This is a cooperative blog post I am doing bi-weekly with a friend. Here is her post... Enjoy!

http://gentlegull.blogspot.com/2014/09/whats-on-my-nightstand.html

Association...

The other day while observing natures patterns, colors, textures, I was noticing a lot of green and red combinations. Now my mind associates green and red with Christmas and when I've done drawings or used paint I steer away from putting those two colors together. So it got me thinking about what other things in my life do I associate with that may not be real and finding that awareness to change how I view certain things. 

Some of the red and green I came across ~

Roses

Other Red flowers

Red Lady Bug

Berries

 Tomato's 

Strawberries

( all have green leaves or the lady bug was on a green leaf )

Christmas...

"Wherever you are, whoever you are with, my deepest wish is that today you feel LOVE, connection and know that you are enough, as is."

The Daily Love

Merry Christmas to All and to all a good night...

Creative Process...

This Christmas bulb in the picture is something I've been working on for a couple of days now. It's not perfect but that is okay and that is an unusual feeling for me when it comes to creativity. I just decided to wing it and see what I came up with. My oldest son got married two months ago and I wanted to make something using the invitation. Over my many years around this planet, I usually would not even attempt this project because I thought I might fail so I would never even start. So I have to say I'm quite proud of myself. I good feeling to close out another Christmas, another year!

Shopping...

Something to accept about myself... 

Christmas shopping, present shopping, or shopping for things other then food causes me great anxiety. I don't really know why and this time of year I start beating myself up because I feel like I "shouldn't" be that way. So I decided to be kinder to myself and try and accept that is just a part of who I am. I'm not perfect and my hope is that those I love don't base my genuine feelings for them on gift giving.

A white Christmas...

We were beginning to wonder if the snow would come our way on Christmas day and by evening we were covered in snow. Yes indeed - we had a white Christmas. Doesn't come around to often and it is beautiful and not too much to keep us stuck inside for days but just enough to add the perfect ending to an already nice Christmas. It was like sprinkling confectionery sugar on top of a warm and delicious dessert. Picture perfect!

Santa said as he drove out of sight...

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night...

Gingerbread...

It's that time of year again!

Ten plus years ago I took a "decorate a Gingerbread house" class from a store called The Farmers Wife. I was there for over three hours decorating (along with everyone else) and just fell in LOVE. It brought me joy and made me happy and there, an idea was born - why not make other people happy too. So I started making gingerbread houses, cookies and an assortment of other items that could be made with gingerbread (the ideas were endless) and selling them. I did birthday parties, holiday parties, gift baskets etc. I advertised at Christmas in Davidson by providing free gingerbread cookies for anyone to decorate and displayed my house's. Over the years the business grew by word of mouth and became too big to do out of my home. I needed to make a decision, open a store, rent space in a commercial kitchen to be able to expand or to stop altogether. I decided to stop, only I have never really stopped. I thought I was done with it but it was not done with me. People pop up every Christmas season and want gingerbread. So this year I have decided to take the challenge and perceive it in a new and different way. To see it as a art that leaves lasting memories. As a way to give back and put a smile on a lot of faces. To enjoy the process until it decides "it's" done with me.

Giving and Receiving

I have never been a very good receiver of gifts, compliments or offers. I have always been the one in my life who does the offering, the gift giving and the spreading of glad tidings so I think it has become a habit and habits can be unlearned. When I give, I give with much joy and love with no thoughts of obligation or feed back. I LOVE to give to others just because. It brings me such a "high"I wish that were my job in life. I am working on trying to accept what is given and offered in whatever form it comes in. With this Christmas season comes opportunities to practice allowing good tiding to flow and to just say "Thank You", which is enough.