Christmas pics two

Dolly stroller, swing and seat for the little Princess.
Stockings hung on the fireplace mantle.

The boys playing with one of their toys.

Family Christmas Day

Well, friends and family, it's a quiet evening! after a busy, loud, fun, and wonderful day with all my family. There are three little ones, two boys and a little girl, 4,3, and 2! Also, several teen agers, and numerous adults! After opening all the gifts we ate! And ate! And ate! Our Christmas dinner consisted of roast beef and ham, cheese potatoes, glazed carrots, green beans, cole slaw, salad, rolls, fruit cake, oreo cookie cake, and ice cream, water, sweet tea, and soda. To say the least, we were all stuffed! It was a wonderful meal that was enjoyed by all. Kids played with their games and toys...later watched the movie Wall-e...with maybe one eye open! Forty-winks helped a little toward reviving some of us! Christmas is a time for traditions and making memories. Eating special foods prepared by loving hands. Presents chosen with care and lovingly wrapped for family members and friends. Stockings hung waiting their filling! The tree
trimmed by careful, hopeful hands, thinking and dreaming of Christmas Day! Then in a few short hours the day is over, and we all have our own beautiful thoughts and memories that will linger through the years. My hopes are that your Christmas day was one of wonder and beauty that you will cherish and remember thru the years! Peace, friends and family.

SPOONS AND SNOWMEN!!!

Here are the latest items I've been working on. I saw these snowmen, altered bottles, in the latest magazine "Cloth Paper Scissors". I loved them and had to try my hand at creating one.
I thought I would share with you before I put them on etsy shop. Also, I have seen spoons altered on various sites and loved the look of them. I have more ideas with spoons, but I guess it will be after the holidays before I can get in any more crafting, as my family is arriving Monday. I have lots to do before they arrive! Also, have to finish my shopping or someoone will be disappointed when there's no gift under the tree for them!!! That would not be good.
Merry Christmas to you all....

What I've been working on!

Tree with lights!

A couple of pictures of my tree with lights on and no flash on camera .












This is shot of an angel that I received in the Secret Santa swap on Etsy
Cottage Style earlier this month. This is a metal cutout of angel, then covered with glitter!

My bird, birdhouse tree!

Just a couple of pics of my second tree! This is up year round. It is decorated with birds and birdhouses, birdnests. I topped it
off with an American flag. I put this up after my husband passed, because he was a bird lover. He had bird feeders and birth bath in our yard. We could sit at our dining room table and watch the birds. The flag is also in his honor as he was a retired veteran of first
Navy and later Coast Guard. He flew an American flag in our front yard every day. He was very patriotic, and I supported him in
his career and his patriotism. Miss you so much, my husband, friend, sweetheart, you are in my heart.

This year I put some home made ornaments that I made on it, in the spirit of Christmas. It also has lights.
Best wishes to you all for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Peace to our world.

My Christmas Tree

Oh, Christmas Tree
Oh, Christmas Tree

This is my tree for 2008. I just realized that I hadn't turned on the lights when I took these!
Going back to take more! Bill came over yesterday and put it together, put on the lights, and
helped me decorate! Can't wait for all the kids to see it. I am still working on cleaning my house!
I actually cleaned out kitchen cupboard and had to throw away food that was out of date..UGH!
I just don't do a lot of cooking any more and when I do it doesn't require lots of staples.
I am making a resolution that my food purchases will be more selective and maybe I will
actually cook once a week! and it will last a week? Yeah! Christmas is such a wonderful time
for me. I love having all my family around me even for a few days. It's difficult with kids off
at college, jobs and extended families. I am so thankful for all my family. They are the best!
I love them all dearly and am so happy when they are around. Love, love, love it! I now have three toddler great-grandchildren, so that makes it even more special!!

Christmas Tree

Christmas Gifts

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other".

This quote came from Blanca at Etsy Cottage Style. Thanks Blanca!

Secret Santa

These are the goodies I received in the Secret Santa Scavanger Swap. Tracy was my Secret
Santa from etsy cottage style. The pics don't really do the items justice. I definitely am buying a new camera!!! The Santa tags are wooden and the Santa's are beautiful antique reproductions.
The little tree came packed in the pink glittered box. In the box on the right are two snowflake candles. The little heart is two sided with white chenille on the other side, a red button is an embellishment. These goodies were all so nice and I thank Tracy very much! Can't wait for our next swap. This was only my second on the etsy cottage style. If you haven't seen this page, you should take a look. The art work is amazing and so inspiring.

Secret Santa Goodies

Secret Santa Goodies

THANKSGIVING!!!TALLAHASSEE!!!

Thanksgiving weekend was spent with my family in Tallahassee. There were 19 of us at the last count! We had a great time. The food was just too delicious and I ate way too much. Pies and cake and ice cream...etc. That was after all the turkey and trimmings. Why do we always eat too much on Turkey day? Is it just that it's a holiday or is it because there is always much too much food? At any rate, even eating too much, it was all scrumptous! Visiting with family is so pleasurable. Thanksgiving is a holiday when everyone seems happy and thankful to be close to each other. Graciousness comes to my mind. We all are more polite and forgiving....maybe the food does that? Anyway, it was a wonderful time.

Now when it comes to football...that is another story. Anyone who knows about Florida college football, knows the great rivalry between the Noles and Gators. It just wasn't the Noles turn!
BUT!!!! There's always next year...so watch out Gators!

I will try to post some pics here after I get back to my home farther South!

ANGEL ORNAMENTS

These two round angel ornaments take care of something with an angel
on. The background is music scrapping paper, sewed to canvas paper and a
backing paper. The angel was sewn on top and sticker letters spelling
"angel." I added a few beads at the bottom. The top has a cord and an
old rhinestone pin attached. These can be hung on the tree or on your wall.
Maybe you have a card display where they could be displayed.

RED & GREEN SECRET SANTA SWAP

Red and green was another item on the list. These tags filled that requirement. A Christmas tree for green, and Santa for red!
I added ribbon, fibers and a jingle bell to each.

SECRET SANTA SWAP

This is a snowman that I painted and embellished with the words "let it snow"
for Secret Santa Swap on ECS. This required the word "snow" to be incorporated into the item. Isn't he cute?

THANKSGIVING...GIVING THANKS!!!!

Dear Friends and Family.....this is the time of year we celebrate our Thanksgiving and give thanks. We all should be thankful for so many
things. The first is this: we live in a FREE COUNTRY. Granted, we hit
bumps every now and then! and occassionally we disagree, but in the end
we come together. Whatever you have in your life, give thanks to God,
not only on Thanksgiving, but every day. Be thankful for a country where
we can be thankful! Enjoy the day and the turkey!
In another day, my family and I will be on our way to Tallahassee to meet up with some of our students and other family members to share this
special day. We will give thanks! LUV and thanks for family and friends.

Hanging Christmas Ornaments

These ornaments will be posted to my Etsy shop, nancarts.etsy.com

Christmas Hanging Ornaments

More Christmas ornaments that I made.

Christmas hanging ornament

Another Christmas hanging ornament. These are copies of old postcards that are on fabric. I added a little batting and a backing some embellishments, ribbon to hang on the tree or wall. The pics aren't the greatest. My camera's flash washes out the colors. It measures about
5x7" not including the hanger.

Pocket for Holiday Swap

Holiday ATC's Swap

These are the two ATC's that I made for the swap on Etsy Cottage Style. I chose to use Santa's, added embellishments of stars, trees, glitter and sequins and the words "believe" and Merry Christmas. This was a fun swap! I love receiving mine in my mailbox! and being surprised when I open them! Am I sounding like a kid? Well, that's not so bad! Following or rather above this you will see the little pocket that I made to hold these. That was also a lot of fun! Christmas is such a wonderful time of the year.

FSU 37---TERPS 3!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The SEMINOLES beat the Terps.....37-3 in Maryland in 20degree temps.
Their record now is 8-3 in the ACC. Boston College needs to lose their next
game, and FSU would play in the Orange Bowl. We'll see what happens next week. The NOLES play U of F in their final game on Saturday after Thanksgiving in Tallahassee. Who will win? Anything is possible. Guess??

RENEGADE & CHIEF OSCEOLA

Saturday, Nov 22nd Italian Food!!!!

This was another fun day for me and family! My daughter came from Orlando with my granddaughter for the weekend. They with me and my other two daughters, went Christmas shopping. I managed to get a few presents! Still lots more to get. Managed to get to Books a Million and bought another of my favorite magazines, Cloth-Paper-Scissors. We "indulged" ourselves with a meal at Olive Garden! The food there is amazing and delicious. How come a salad and bread sticks are so much tastier out than what we serve at home? Could it be the atmosphere? I don't think so. I would guess it is their special dressing and the cheese they grate all over it! You have to be a cheese lover to appreciate! Anyway, the granddaughter had desert! She was the only brave one in the gang. Later, we all said "I can't believe I ate the whole thing!" It was really delicious.

Buttons

Some very old buttons I found in an antique shop.

International Button Week

This week...November 16-23...is International Button Week.

If you love buttons or have a collection this is a good time to

share them with pics on your blog. Have you thought about

where a button has spent its lifetime? from one garment to

another. Our ancestors would cut the button from a worn

garment to save for use on a newer garment. Even their

shoes had buttons. Can you imagine the time before zippers?

I'm posting some of my button collection. Some are antique,

some are unusual and some are new. They are all useful!

Many are beautiful. Let's all give thanks for buttons!!!

Christmas Frame

A very bright and cheery Christmas frame. I decoupaged various Christmas scrapping papers to the frame and then embellished with some buttons! Several scraps with "Merry Christmas" were also added.
What a neat way to display a vintage Christmas postcard or your favorite Christmas photo.

Comfort Doll

My first attempt at a comfort doll. I am donating this to a special cause. The dolls are sent to a person who is coordinating and sending all the donated dolls to shelters for abused women. These dolls are a reminder that they are not alone, but that other women are thinking of them and supporting them. I want to make more.

Days til Christmas slate

I finished this Christmas slate today! I've been working on it for a few days, trying to decide how to embellish. I think it's pretty pink! Keep track of the days til Christmas, and hang it where all can see. This has lots of glitz!

SATURDAY

Yesterday was spent with my grandaughter, Annie, and her children, my ggrandchildren, Collin, Griffin and Eden. It was another fun day! The kiddies help keep me young. Collin is 4, Griffin is 3 and Eden is 1 1/2!
They are so amazing. You know the saying? "If I'd known grandchildren would be so much fun, I would have had them first?" Well, If I'd know ggrandchildren would be so wonderful I would have had them first!"
Eden is our "Little Princess" and she will tell you that! She is also a sweetheart! Let me just tell you that God has blessed me with the most
amazing family. My daughters are the best, my grandchildren are the best, and my ggrandchildren are the best! Family is what it's all about, and I thank God every single day for all of them.

NOLES WIN!!

Our team, SEMINOLES of FSU, won their game against Clemson today!!
WooHoo!!!!!

I Had A Fun Day!

Today was my fun day! It started off with my trip to the beauty salon!
Hair color and cut and a wonderful pedicure! My toenails are now painted
red! I will wear my flip flops for as long as I can...(no freezing weather)..so
I can see my toes!!!

Then I drove to Sebring to visit my two favorite stores! Books A Million and Michael's!!! I bought several of my favorite magazines! SOMERSET
MAGAZINES ARE THE GREATEST! I have never seen so much inspiration in one place! I found the new Artful Blogging. If you have not seen one of these magazines, I'm telling you, you should run to the nearest book store and purchase one! I check out every person's blog in this mag. Oh, my,
I love it! This is almost as good as chocolate......Then before driving home, I went thru the drive-in at Starbucks! To top off the perfect end to my fun day!.....LUV

The Day After

Election day is over! We have a new President and First Lady. Thank goodness it's over! The phone calls and mail from candidates will stop.
BUT...we should all be thankful we live in a country where all of this is
possible! We have freedom! We vote for the candidate of our choice.
Let's all pray that our nation will go forward now, and everyone will get behind our president and do everything within our power to right all the
problems that have plagued us.
Hardee County has a new Sheriff, Arnold Lanier. We have a new School Superintendent, David Durastanti. Prayers go to them for wisdom and
knowledge to serve the people of our county. Hopefully we will see changes made for the benefit of all.
God Bless all of our leaders, from the President on down to the lowest level of government, all over our country.

November 4,2008 ELECTION DAY!!!

Today is the day to cast your vote for FREEDOM! This is not only a privilege, but a duty. Everyone, you are so fortunate to live in a country where FREEDOM is a right! We have the FREEDOM to select who leads
our country. We are free to vote for our candidate. So, GET OUT AND VOTE!!! Everyone! Two hundred years of freedom. This is why people
from other lands left behind all their belongings and came to this great
country: AMERICA!!! GOD BLESS AMERICA!! land of the free, home of the brave! The American flag is still waving!

Two strawberry tags

Two strawberry tags that I finished up today. Scrappers, card makers, and altered art artists use these in their art work. I sewed a small print fabric of strawberries, leaves and flowers to each tag. Then I cut out two berries and some green for leaves, sewed them on and voila! Embellishments of sequins, buttons, some ribbon and fibers, green alphabet letters added the final touch. These are on my etsy shop.