Happy New Year 2019

Happy New Year 2019

Ready to Party

However you decide to celebrate the New Year, just be safe! Don't drink and drive!! If you do have to travel, get a taxi or designate a driver.  

Wishing everyone love, joy, hope and peace in the New Year.  Have a wonderful time!!! 

Warm Wishes

Warm Wishes

The end of 2018 is fast approaching and I am sure everyone is prepared to usher in the new year in their own way.  I plan on having a mini-celebration at home, with crabcakes and cranberry punch...several other edibles and finally champagne to toast the new year. 

This was my first year as a retiree.  It hasn't been easy to adjust to not working.  I think the first two months of my retirement was more like a vacation...I kept thinking I had to go back into the office eventually.  Finally, by summer I was sleeping in later.😊 By the time of my trip to Virginia, I was more relaxed in this new phase of my life.

Oh I still complain now and then, doesn't everyone?  In the long run, I am grateful to be home, enjoying my garden, my art, reading one book after another and simply living a wonderful life.

We should all take some time to reflect before the big ball drops down, ringing in 2019  🎉

Peaceful Moment

Peaceful Moment

Hope everyone had a great Christmas Day!! Did Santa bring your heart's desire?  My Christmas was absolutely wonderful. I did not ask Santa for much, and was pleasantly surprised to receive such thoughtful gifts!  The best gift we can give each other is "love"...I had that in abundance.

Now it's time to take a little break and relax with a cup of coffee and some of that fantastic dessert that was left over from yesterday's dinner.  The weather turned abruptly cold and rainy. My bones are aching, so I decided to rest, try to finish my book and possibly work on a picture or two.  I am thinking of revamping this blog...take it in a different direction with my art.    ❤😎

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas! 

Christmas Collie

Christmas Collie

Three days to Christmas!  This collie is ready and waiting for Santa! A beautiful tube "Santa Angel Girl w/Collie" by Laguna which can be purchased at Pics For Design.  I paired it with lovely Christmas themed mini scrap kits which were part of my Christmas gift from Creative Design Outlet last year. The kits are by Cry's and Hania's Design and are not available for sale. However, you can find new Christmas kits for sale on the CDO website, here. The mask is free to use, "LLM-755", by Lori's PSP Graphics. 

So excited, tonight we are enjoying a family dinner at Bottega Michelangelo's in Tucson. This night marks the beginning of our Christmas celebration!  The next two days will be filled with preparations for Christmas Eve, which means baking cookies, wrapping all the gifts and finalizing Christmas dinner plans.  🎅😊

 Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend! 🎄

Holiday Magic

Holiday Magic

Gorgeous tube "Anette" by Alex Prihodko! I paired her with the scrap kit "Peace on Earth" by Dee's Sign Depot.  This is a new kit for my collection and I found it filled with holiday elements in a more subdued vintage theme. The mask I used is free by Kapona, its #36 and can be found here.  I did manipulate a frame in the kit to create an old white wood look. 😎

Time is flying by so quickly!  I wonder why, when we are older, it seems days come and go by much faster than when we are younger. I get up in the morning for my cup of coffee to start my day and suddenly it's time to make dinner. Why is that? Trick of time or my perception of it? Whatever it is, I feel I am rushing forward and under pressure to get things done before I run out of time...it's a continuous loop.

Despite the push of "Father Time", I plan on slowing down on Christmas Eve.  Some days are meant to be relished with family,  a cup of eggnog and chocolate chip cookies! 🎄

Tis the Season!

Tis The Season

Ho! Ho! Ho!  Christmas is fast approaching...next Monday is Christmas Eve, now less than a week away. This will be a busy week again for me...last minute errands of course, planning the Christmas dinner is  high on my list.  Its also time to take the dog in for her Christmas makeover. 😊 I am also going to do a bit of pampering for myself..haircut and maybe a new ugly sweater...lol!

Love this new scrap kit from Dee's Sign Depot "Tis the Season"...the rich colors are fabulous and go well with the new tube purchased from Verymany called "Holidays".  She is simply beautiful! The mask used in this tag, "#6"  is free and by Kapona. It  can be found here along with 38 other free Christmas masks. Make sure to add these free masks  to your collection! Animation was free and by Simone Animations, which are no longer available. You can find other Simone's animations at Creative Design Outlet's website.

Have a great start to the week before Christmas!! 🎄

Merry & Bright

Merry & Bright

Another beautiful tube by Alex Prihodko, called "2017".  I paired it up with a wonderful scrap kit by Pink Paradox Productions, "Winter Cuddle".  I have used this kit several times over the holiday season.  The animation is Package 172 by Rebel Designz and can be purchased at Creative Design Outlet. The mask "LLM-755" and is by Lori's PSP Graphics. The mask is free to use! 😊

Busy as a bee the last few days with getting ready for a birthday in our house! Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband, Bob.  Bob puts up with all my creative outlets, whether its creating a tag or trying out a new recipe.  Regarding the cooking part, I will be making filet mignon, lobster tails, stuffed potatoes and asparagus for dinner tonight.  Of course, who could forget the cake! I believe in keeping him well fed and happy!

After my decorating blog, my tree went up. I came home from grocery shopping to a pleasant surprise..."What the...?" I immediately thought my husband had come home early and decided to go ahead and put up the tree and tree lights.  The detective in me said Christmas music was playing and all the indoor decorations were lit up, it just has to be Bob. Nope, it was my youngest elf who grabbed the tree and tackled the job.  It was an amazing and awesome effort!

So yesterday, my oldest elf put up the outside lights, with a little help from me, and last night we finished decorating the tree, complete with wine, cookies and cupcakes! (I had the wine!!)

All is merry and bright in my house today!!!   🎄

Holiday Greetings

Holiday Greetings

I am pretty confident that most people have finished decorating for the holidays. I have barely started putting out small items on various tables and no...the most important feature of the season, the tree, is not up yet. I love Christmas!!!! I just don't need a tree or decorations up before my birthday in November (or immediately thereafter). I will be enjoying the Christmas season well after the new year.  I use decorating the tree as a festive event, usually with eggnog and cookies.  As a result, the date is usually about a week before Christmas.  Honestly, I won't take anything down until just before my daughter's birthday in January!

Procrastination is not the problem, (well maybe a little). I just enjoy taking one holiday at a time. As I grow older, I tend to savor each celebratory event. Time moves too quickly for me these days.

Oddly enough, speaking of time passing quickly, I have noticed a strange phenomenon of time acceleration  happening in the retail world. I have also found it profoundly annoying.  Does everyone buy Christmas decorations so early in the year??? Asking for a friend... 😒

For instance, last September I went into a store to look for new Halloween decorations and was quite shocked to see Christmas decorations on the shelf and ready to go.  Seriously? In September? 😐  I suddenly felt pressured to check on my outdoor lights, buy a box of cards and start planning a Christmas list.  Wait!!! I haven't even planned my Thanksgiving dinner yet!  I guess next year Christmas decorations will be on the shelf in July, along with swimsuits, firework displays and bbq grills?? 😂

Hmmm...so this old lady will be putting up the Christmas tree sometime before the 24th with lots of anticipation of the holiday.  This is my favorite time of the year and we have many other days in my family to celebrate during this holiday season that involve much love and joy.

The scrap kit I used for this tag is by Pink Paradox Productions, called "Geraldine's Winter"...a favorite "go to" kit of mine during the holidays.  Lovely tube is by Verymany, called "Girl with Coffee". Verymany is holding a sale today, all queen tubes are $1. The mask is "18Mask_by_ Paci and is free to use. The snow animation by Simone was free to use as well, but is no longer available.

Happing decorating!!!🎄

Rocking Around The Christmas Tree

Rocking Around The Christmas Tree

It's time for parties and celebrations! 🎶

I thought it would be fun to create a festive tag using a gorgeous dancing tube called "Dance" by VeryMany, which can be purchased here.  Isn't she adorable? I remember creating dance avatars long ago for Palace. I would have loved to have had my hands on this tube back then.  The scrap kit I used is called "Winter Party" and is perfect for all types of holiday party themes.  The kit is by Pink Paradox Productions and can be bought on her website. Animations were free to use and by Simone. Unfortunately, they are no longer available.

The cool weather makes everyone more energetic...I used to love getting out to do some shopping or just meet up with friends for lunch and a drink or two.  Many moons ago, when I worked in New York City,  I would enjoy walking down to Herald Square and gazing at store decorations. Often I would grab a pretzel or chestnuts off a street vendor and just wander through Macy's getting ideas for Christmas gifts.  There was no online shopping in the old ages!! 😂  Nowadays, I pour myself a glass of wine and cruise "eBay" or "Amazon"....and the times, they keep on changing. 🎄

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

Gorgeous tube by Alex Prihodko! I paired it with Pink Paradox Productions' scrap kit "Santa's Helper" which can be found here.  Love this kit and have used it so many times, I think I am wearing it out! 🤣  I love this tube...very classy and perfect for the holidays!  You can purchase this tube here. 

Are you ready for the holiday's yet?  I finished up all my Christmas shopping for the girls this past weekend at the Fashion Mall in Scottsdale.  I only have to pick up a few things in Tucson and I am DONE!  LOL!!!

We always travel to Scottsdale around this time of the year to celebrate our anniversary.  This year is the big 40...getting old!! I was hoping for Hawaii, but alas...not happening this year.  I can only hope...maybe next year? 🎄

Blameless

Blameless

FTU Tube "Blameless" by ©Barbara Jensen

FTU Scrap KIt "BJSpirit" by Lady Hawk Designs

FTU "Doodlemask" by Insatiable Dreams

She will not be ashamed, she carries a blameless heart....💗