Last Minute Shopping....

Don't you just love to wait and then have to get into the crowds of other people who have waited to get their shopping done? Well I can't stand getting into those crowds but yesterday I ventured out to the toy store that's going out of business to see if I could find some Pez! Yes you know that childhood candy that we all had. My son collects them so I went to try to find some on clearance. I did find a few and can't show you because he may look on my blog but anyway it was a zoo everywhere we went. I had to try and find a gift for my bil who is so hard to buy for well we ended up getting him a fishing pole! So now I think I'm done unless I have forgotten someone then I'm up the creek! It has been so busy here I've hardly had time to check my mail much less post. I still want to try and get some more pics of my nutcrackers on before Christmas. Are you all done shopping and wrapping? Most of what I'm giving is hand made but for those who are more picky I went and bought a little something. I am almost done with the wrapping. I have to wrap the few things I got yesterday but hen I'm done!!!! Yea!
Well I better go get ready for church. Ya ll have a good day. Blessings, Karen

Merry Christmas!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I know a few of you have done this so I thought I would join in the fun!
Hope you all have a great weekend. Blessings, Karen

Finishing things up!

I wanted to show you want I have been finishing. I finally got Dylan's blanket finished and had started some napkin rings for myself for the Christmas holidays. Nutcrackers of course! I thought they turned out quite nice. I was trying to get everything caught up and finished before starting a new project. My mom found a charm the same day she bought me the sampler and said here make me a necklace but you can wait until after Christmas. Well I thought I'd go ahead and make it and give it to her for Christmas! I have already shown you a pic of Dylan's blanket but above is the pics of the napkin rings and the necklace I made for mom. So now that I have finally gotten all my loose ends tied, I can start getting my Valentine Jewelry and Napkin rings started.
I was busy trying to make my mail art that I participate in over at Mj's and came across a prayer that my Grandmother had written sometime in the past obviously around Christmas. I thought I would share it with you also as it is so correct.
"Lord,mist all the glitter and dazzle. The endless shopping and rushing about.
Baking the turkey and cookies and pies and becoming cross and weary no doubt.
Don't let us lose sight of the reason why we celebrate this glorious day each
year. Help us to pause and honor Jesus birth and bring his wonderful presence
near! Amen
Merry Christmas! Blessings, Karen

A Christ Child!

Well my camera batteries have died so I thought I would share a little bit of the real meaning of Christmas with you all.
Just imagine yourself all warm and snug in you bed....
as a small baby is born out in the night air in a small stable with the animals all around. Yes it's the night that God sent his very own son to earth. Oh can you imagine the joy in heaven as the angels watched this take place! There on the hill are the shepherds watching their sheep. Down below on the cobblestone streets you see Joseph leading the little donkey that Mary is riding down into the town of Bethlehem. Searching ever so hard to find a place for his wife who is near childbirth and very tired from her long journey. Yet everywhere Joseph turns there is no place, not even a corner. He tries one last inn. "Sir please give my wife a small place". "No sir I'm sorry we haven't any room" so Joseph hangs his head and turns to go. The inn keeper speaks again "wait there is a small stable out back where we keep the animals you can find room there" Joseph tries to make a comfortable place for Mary. He cleans out one corner of the stable and puts clean straw down for her to lay on then he takes their coats and they lay down for the night. Little did they know that, that would be the place their baby would be born!
Yet the Bible tells us that the Christ child was born in a stable and the shepherds and wise men who followed the Messiah's star all came to see the baby that had been born that very first Christmas night in the town of Bethlehem. So you see this is the reason we celebrate Christmas! Its not for the pretty packages or for Santa. It's for the Birthday of our Lord and Savior! So as we trim the tree and celebrate with friends and family this year take the time to remember the true meaning of Christmas. Blessings, Karen

I'm a nut for nutcrackers

Well as I said yesterday I would get some pics and show you some of my holiday decor and as you will see I do love nutcrackers this is just a few as I have well over 100+.
I will share more pics of more nutcrackers in the coming days. Did want to share a pic of this years tree. Its hard to see the ornaments cause I had to take the pic so far away to get the whole tree in the pic. It has alot of handmade ornies the kids have made over the years and also alot of antique ornies. Do you have anything that you collect just for the holidays? I think I have a nutcracker for just about every holiday but maybe valentines and Easter. I have one for st Patty's day ,4Th of July vet's day. Oh I think I need one for Thanksgiving too just thought about that. Well anyways I am going to try and get some wrapping done today and maybe make a few jewelry items for my etsy. Oh I have an item on the etsy showcase today under the crochet items. Hoping to pull in a little more business. I have had a slow start at selling items. Well better go get busy as time keeps ticking away. Ya ll have a great weekend! Blessings, Karen

Look what I got!

I went out for a play day did a little yard sale-ing and estate selling today, and look what I got. My mom bought it for me for a whole $2.00. I fell in love with it so she bought it for me! I hope to get it cleaned up and put it in my kitchen soon! Just had to share it with you all. Have a great weekend! Blessings, Karen

Full of Awards this week!

Thanks goes out to a sweet blogger pal over at http://hallhaven.blogspot.com/ for giving me yet another award! Boy have I been blessed this week with all these awards. Thank you all so much for thinking of little ole me! I'm suppose to pick seven people to pay it forward to but I really don't like to pick just a few so I will leave it up to you if you would like the award please accept it and place it on your blog! Hope you all have a great weekend. I will try to get some pics up tomorrow of some of my Christmas decor. But until then stay warm and have a great weekend! Blessings, Karen

Awarded!

Yes I've been awarded from a wonderful blogger friend, Dena over a http://pineywoodsprimitives.blogspot.com/. If you don't know Dena go over and check her out and see all her wonderful prims. She's a great friend. Thanks so much Dena for thinking of me. Now I'm suppose to choose 5 people but as usual I cant pick just 5, so if you see this post consider yourself awarded. Because you are all special to me!
Do you remember getting awards in school? I used to love to get my name called out. I thought I was special!lol What was the best award or most memorable award you received? Mine was a memorable one, I was in girl scouts and sold the most cookies and got several prizes but the best part was I got a supper duper HUGE sugar daddy! Yep I know you know where I'm going with this I ate and chewed for days and yes I got my tooth stuck in it and it pulled it right out. But what a joy I had with that great big candy stick! Have a great day. Blessings, Karen

Christmas Cards

Just thought I would share a pic of the Christmas cards I am sending this year besides some post cards that I am sending to the famgirls over at MJ's site.
I love getting mail thats not bills don't you? So you know I have to ask are you sending Christmas cards this year or not? Let me hear from you. Blessings, Karen