Hello January 2012!

What a great Christmas we had this year!  Family, good food, presents..  Lots of fun that day!  And would you look at what I found in my window!

Well, the photo's a little dark, I know, but I've had this plant, a Christmas cactus, that was my grandmother's, for about 10 years now.  Never has it blossomed, and I had really given up hope that it ever would.  Come Christmas Day, someone else pointed out to me that my plant had flowers, and I couldn't believe my eyes!  Five beautiful bright pink blossoms for Christmas!  It's in full bloom still this morning!

Hmmm..  If I thought that was big news, just two days later, I was asked by a wonderful young man if he had my blessings, as he would later that day be asking my sweet baby girl to marry him!...   Honestly, had it even been up to me, I couldn't have possibly picked anyone better if I tried; so I said "Yes!", and off he went to ask her that evening...

...and her answer was "Yes!".

I saw this coming, eventually, but I definitely didn't have a clue when it would happen.  It's hard to believe...

...when sometimes it feels like only yesterday, 

that she was taking her first steps... 

Or when I was dressing her up so pretty for a visit to see Santa, or the Easter Bunny!..  Or when she had to stand on a chair, at my kitchen counter, to help me stir a batch of cookie batter!..  I loved reading her stories at bedtime...

I can't help that my heart breaks just a little, and my eyes well up with tears.  Here she is, taking yet another step away from her Mommy, building a life of her own.  It's a bit overwhelming, but truly, I'm so very happy for her....   And if anything, this may bring us even closer together really.  Already, she wants me to look at wedding gowns with her!  She's so excited!  Oh, call me biased, but I can't help thinking, she is just going to be the most beautiful bride ever!..  I just know it! 

Well, what a way to end the year, and here we are, starting a new year!  I've still got my tree up, but am gradually taking down the rest of the decorations, starting from the kitchen first.  Recently Martha Stewart posted about using containers as refrigerator magnets...

and it just so happened I came across a container, at a local dollar store, that I thought would work nicely to hold my pens and pencils on a wall!  But I just glued on some heavy-duty magnets, hung it up on the upper-freezer door; and my junk drawer is now all the more spacious, having removed all the loose pens and pencils that were congesting it before!  It's "a good thing", right?!!  I've got another little something I'll be crocheting for the kitchen, but we'll see when I can get to that.  You know how I've always got a hundred things going at once!  (I really need to learn how to stop that!  ha! ha!)

I'm probably going to take my sweet time about taking this, our biggest tree, down just yet; but this year, I'm considering keeping one medium-sized tree up year-round, so I can decorate it for all the holidays/seasons.  I've seen other people do this, and their trees look absolutely gorgeous!..    So festive and cheerful!...  Something that would lift my spirits instantly, if ever I need!  Take a look at the blog Debbie Dabble, and you'll see what I mean!  I love the idea, and am already thinking about how I'd like to decorate my little tree for Valentine's Day.

I've started a new art journal, called my "Book of Days", an online project hosted by Effy, at Wild Precious Studio.  This is going to be a great experience I think, and I'd encourage others to look into this and join in!  My book is simply made from a $4.99 composition notebook, that I purchased from my local pharmacy, and here is the cover I've put together for it.

The charms I've added to the back edge/binding of the book each represent a little something...

The cross at the top represents my faith.  The bell symbolizes ringing in a new year.  The three hearts represent me and my kids, and how much I love my family.  The key at the bottom (a car key sent to me in some junk mail!) represents progress, or moving forward.  I may add more charms as the year progresses..  We'll see.  The strand of beads you see alongside the charms, are of various colors and sizes, but some of them are the magazine paper beads I have fun making!  (You might remember I made some for a Halloween scrapbook layout.) 

Anyways, so far, we've done a few pages, but we started with two hand-written letters.

   

One letter was written to 2011, as if it were a person, really, stating what my best memories were, and what I was most thankful for.  The second letter, on the right, was to the year 2012, introducing myself in a way, and stating what my thoughts, hopes, fears, and goals are for the year ahead!  The little envelope on the bottom right of the first page holds a 2011 penny, and I've since added a few stamps to remember the year by.

Recently I made a small art supply order with Samie, at Journal Girl.  Included in my package was a print of one of her own paintings!   In the upper center it says, "Be brave".  I love that!

I set it in a black frame, and can't wait to find the perfect place to hang it in my room!  Thank you Samie! 

I've joined a Tag A Month group, 

over at Creations by Tee!

  

And here is my first tag, for the month of January...  the theme being Winter fun!  The little girl, on the tag, comes from recycling an old Christmas card!  She was reaching for a bird, flying in the sky; but I decided to cut her out, and make it as if she was building a snowman!  The tag now sets on my desk, nearby my computer!

You can see I've really tend to favor the aqua and turquoise shades of colors lately!  I bought a coverlet last year, from Target, that is like a smoky shade of turquoise, and I've been gradually making things to match/coordinate with it ever since.  Recently, I made myself a doily, for a bedside table, based on the pattern you can find HERE, at Scotty's Place.

Soon after, Pammy Sue was starting a brand new project, asking others to join in on a crochet-along, making a round-ripple afghan!  I've never made an afghan like this before, and have always wanted to.  While still not having an afghan to go with the new colors in my room, this seemed like a good time to get started on one!

So, having started mine last night, this is what I've got done so far!..  about 10 rounds, I think.  The plan is to start with black, and then add various brands and shades of turquoise, alternately with black, maybe even a little white (I'm not sure) as I go along.  I'm excited about it!  After sometimes getting so sidetracked with scrapbooking, it's so nice to just curl up on the couch, with a t.v. show, or movie, and my hooks and yarns!  With thanks to Pammy Sue for the inspiration, and for hosting the crochet-along, I really hope this will come out pretty!

Well, that's what's going on around here! 

Wishing everybody a blessed 

and very Happy New Year, 

and thanks so much for stopping by!