HELLO..ALL YOU HAPPY LITTLE BLOGGERS!

Shame on me!!! I have been away for a few weeks, I think that sometimes you have to just take a little break, and re-group your thoughts, and I was beginning to wonder if my blog was peaking interest or not.

I hope that everyone's Thanksgiving was wonderful and that you all got to spend some time with your loved ones. Christmas time is almost here again... Is anyone ready yet???? I went shopping yesterday and barely made a dent in my shopping list. I have 9 grandkids to buy for ranging in age from 5-16 and second guess my gift choices. (I know that doesn't happen to anyone does it?)

We are expecting a large snow storm tomorrow and into Wednesday, maybe blizzzard warnings tomorrow night, 4 foot drifts are expected, 40MPH winds.....Thank God I don't have to work on Wednesday. I am going to try and get a few things done around this old house. I haven't even gotten my Christmas tree out yet. I have to go to the attic to do that....and I HATE my attic. There have been little critters living up there....yeeeeek!! I also have to go up pretty steep steps, so getting anything down OR putting anything up there is a two man operation and then my back HURTS from all the lifting. Maybe I'll get my grandsons here to help.

As I was looking around and checking out my fave blogs, I discovered that Dawn at the Feathered Nest was having a giveaway to celebrate her 1200th post.... how awesome is that??? Just check out what she is giving away.....visit her blog for all the details.

A French themed journal......

and..................

A sweet nest baby in a jar............

JOY**LOVE**SNOWFLAKES**FROSTY**MISTLETOE**NOEL

Here is a couple little craft ideas from Country Living magazine....I love that magazine!!!!

Look at this cute bell wreath........

You'll need about 100 mini jingle bells to make this wreath. Cut the hook off of a wire clothes hanger and use pliers to shape remaining wire into a circular base for the wreath. Tape ends together with duct tape. Wind one end of a 6-foot-long piece of craft wire around the base a few times to secure it. Thread a bell onto the wire, and wind wire around base once to secure bell. Repeat until base is covered in bells. Wind the excess length of wire around base to conceal it.

Add embellishments such as evergreen and ornaments, and a piece of ribbon for hanging.

Snowflake Ornament.............

1. Starting from the center of a wire snowflake form (available at craft stores and sites such as fusionbeads.com), slip a long, short, and long bead onto each leg.
2. Next, twist a piece of craft wire around each leg, at the top of the long bead. Thread either end of the wire with a long and a short bead. With a glue gun, affix with a dab of hot glue.
3. Thread another short bead and long bead on each leg; repeat step 2.
4. Finish each leg with a long bead topped with a short one. Affix ends with hot glue.
5. To make a hanging ornament, twist a small loop on one of the points with craft wire and thread loop with a ribbon.
6. Then hand-stitch or use a glue gun to attach the snowflake to a basic craft store stocking.

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Some more beautiful images for you........

Sleep well all my bloggy friends...I promise not to be gone so long next time...
hugs~~~~~Chris