Huh??

This is a label from the back of my new candle holder plate. In case you can't read it, it says "Always place away from flammable materials"....like say, candles?

OK, I get being cautious, but is this intentionally schizophrenic, or just plain dense? Or is it a bad attempt at irony? Or is it an "Engrish" thing? You tell me.

Another Paige in my book of blessings

My niece, Paige, who is Studying at the Alberta College of Art and Design has always given me amazing gifts. They are always wonderous, original, and highly coveted. This year she is in studying pottery and glass blowing..Hooray for me!! She gave me three fabulous pieces of glass ware...a smallish vase (shown with marbles in it), a beautiful paper weight that looks like ink swirling through water, and an aqua blue/white swirly clear glass water picture (too big for the light box...I'll try to get a decent photo later). I am estatic! Thank you Paige!!

More Talent

Josh made me a beautiful little book for Christmas. It has polymer clay covers, embossed and with my initials, and a bead charm dangly. It was just the perfect size for some of my Christmas stamps. I aged the pages a little, and added two soldered charms I made. It is so precious!

Little House on my prairie.

Oooohh...I LOVE this little house Dawn made me for Christmas!! It has buttons AND birds, two of my favorite things. Thank you Dawn! I will keep it up all year. Isn't it dear??

The pen is prettier than the sword...

I have been soldering a lot...I made Christmas gifts, and a charm bracelet for myself from the fantastic directions on the "Simply Charming" blog. Ruth Rae shared such precise how-to's that I was able to put one together in an hour or so! Don't you LOVE talented, generous and gifted people? Thank you Ruth! (who has no idea who I am)

I also made a pen from the directions in Sally Jean's new book, which is so full of inspiration it makes my head spin!

Phapboy built a light box for small object photo-shoots and did some wonderful pictures for me. I think he did a marvelous job!

Ghost of Christmas Past

We went to see A Christmas Carol at the Citadel last night. The boys and I had a wonderful time...too bad Dad had to work.

That Scrooge had it pretty good, what with getting a chance to make things right and all. The scenes with the Spirit of Christmas past made me think of the Christmases that I had as a child. One word...CHAOS! Crazy, crazy, chaos. Picture six kids, and often various cousins, in pajamas, ripping and tearing and shouting and laughing and generally going berserk all at the same time. My Lord, if my boys acted like that I'd go back to bed and pull the covers over my ears!
But it was always a fantastic day, no squabbles or cats on fire or crazy aunts,...well, maybe one or two...but all in all we spent the day enjoying our blessings. That's me on the right...wondering what on earth I'm supposed to do with an ironing board and iron??? (still wondering)

You know, I don't think I'd change a thing!

Christmas Calm

It really feels like Christmas this year. We haven't had a White Christmas for SO long! I've been making gifts, and decorating. Josh has been lighting candles every evening and *GASP* the coffee table (formerly known as the big mess in front of the sofa) has been clean for TWO WEEKS!! And no, Vanessa, I didn't say it took two weeks to clean it (haha very funny)...its actually taken what...two YEARS to get it to stay clean for more than a day! Here is a photo...though it's more a candle scape.

Silent Night....

Birthday Party

Dec 6th is Mr Wonderful's birthday. We had a nice night away, just the two of us, and then a dinner with the kids the next night. Good food, wonderful company, and lots of laughs, mostly at poor Liam's expense. But he's just too darn CUTE, and when we put him in the little Speedo that once upon a time belonged to his Daddy, well, we just couldn't stop laughing. He was a good sport and he loves to make us happy, and of course I took pictures...