Merry Christmas!

 



















To each of you who has touched my life
through the wonderful world of blogging,
I wish you a very Merry Christmas.
May the New Year be filled with bounteous
blessings for you and your loved ones.

May I share with you a special message
that can be found here:

 Merry Christmas

Nola

It's a Marshmallow World

It really is a marshmallow world outside.  Everything
is covered with white fluffy snow and is picture-card
perfect.

I love it when the tree limbs and branches are
decked out in all their "white" finery.

Yesterday morning we woke up to freezing rain which
later turned to snow throughout the day and into the
evening.  It was not fun going to work.  Thankfully
I only had to drive one mile.  My street finally got
plowed in the early evening.

Today we are getting a short break and the sun is
shining, but we are in for another round this
evening into tomorrow.  Am so grateful my son got
the snow blower working and for the young men in
our ward who came in the late afternoon to shovel
the walks and driveway once again.

Guess I best take care of these little ones.  Looks
like their feeder is almost empty -- again! 

They keep me hopping!  It is very hard to get
a picture of them.  Felt lucky to capture these
few.  It has been fun to see the different birds.
We even had a woodpecker earlier.  Wasn't
able to get a good look, but I think it was one.
They are very shy about having their picture
taken, but not a bit shy about eating me out of
house and home and spreading their seeds on
the snow.  But, I love watching them out my
window.

Now I Can Share

Received word today that  my friend, Karen,
received her Christmas gift and has opened it.
So, now I can share what I sent to her:

A journal cover stitched with her initial using
Michelle's "Stitcher's Alphabet".  (journal
included)  Michelle was kind enough to include
a small free pattern which I made into a bookmark.

I also tried my hand at crocheting a spool pin
doily. Have fallen in love with these little
doilies and think they are fun to make.

This little snowman was also a freebie from
Michelle and has also been received by
another friend, so I can now share it. 

Hopefully, I'll be able to share a few more gifts
that have kept me busy over the past few weeks
as they are given to friends and family

Outside My Window!

As I was walking into my bedroom a few minutes
ago, I happened to notice the reflection from my
window.  Knowing that the sun was setting and
we were probably in for another gorgeous winter
sunset, I hurried to the window.  Oh my goodness!
The sky was on fire and the colors were so
vibrant!

Of course, my camera was not handy so I had to
run and grab it.  In just the few seconds it took to
find it, the colors in the sky had already began to
change.  Why is it sunsets change so quickly?

But, I was able to snap a quick picture. This doesn't
do it justice.  It was really almost a fire engine red
not orange and yellow, but at least you get the
idea.

As I stood there basking in this beautiful scene, I
suddenly felt such a longing for my Mother.  How
fun it used to be when one of us would notice the
sunset and quickly call the other on the phone
and say, "Hurry, look out your window."  Often we
would "ooh" and "aah" with one another, but more
often than not, we would just be quiet, even hang
up the phone and call back after the sunset had
faded.  How I miss those special times.  How
grateful I am for sweet, tender memories and beautiful
sunsets.

Delightful Surprise!

My mailman left me a sweet little package this
weekend.  I love finding packages and letters
in my mailbox.  Seems like we don't get many
of those anymore---just lots of junk mail.
Everything is done with the computer.  So, you
can imagine how excited I was to see a
package addressed to me!

Of course, it had to be opened immediately.  I
can never wait!  And this is what was on the
outside of the package.  It was wrapped in white
tissue paper and red ribbon and these sweet little
ornaments tucked in amongst the ribbon:

They look so much cuter hanging on my tree!

Tearing off the tissue paper---yes, I tear off
paper because I get so excited---was this:

I sat there admiring this beautiful little snowman
wall hanging with tears in my eyes.  I couldn't
believe my friend Karen had made this for me.
The picture does not do it justice as the fabric
and colors are so much more vibrant.  And,her
stitching and quilting is awesome! 

She knows how I love snowman and designed
this just for me!  How lucky and blessed am I!
I told her it is going in my room, but I've since
decided that it is going in my family room where
everyone can see it and enjoy her becautiful
workmanship.  That way, I don't have to keep
my room in perfect order to show it off when
visitors come.

Thank you, Karen, for your wonderful gift
of friendship and for sharing your talents with
me.  

Snowman Ornaments Finished

Yeah!  Ornaments are finished and just in the nick
of time.  I have tried for three days to find time to
get out my Christmas tree and decorate it. 
With snow falling outside and temperatures
dropping, today was a stay-in day and I was
finally able to decorate my tree with my new
snowman ornaments.

These have been so fun to stitch and I'm
really happy how they look on my tree.

Now, if I can just find time tomorrow to
decorate the rest of my house I will be one
happy camper!