Sweatheart Day is Coming...eventually!

Sorry it's sort of washed out... but you get it?!

Upcoming New Year...and ugh! Resolutions!

I know a lot of people can set their minds on goals/resolutions and keep them.
I am not one of them to be brutally honest. I eventually started the mantra that my resolution is to not make resolutions...and I'm GOOD at it!!

I do, however, keep a list on-going of things I "want" to do...a bucket list if you will.
A few of these are:
learn how to use my camera better (since Santa or the BFG simply refuses to bring me a new one)
create more artwork and share it (no matter how tired at night I am, of course matching colors and papers aside)
keep up with laundry better (nevermind the fact someone else in the house is home 24/7 and COULD do it)

So if you're out there (*tap*tap is this thing on?) share with me what some of your bucket lists or resolutions are this coming new year.

and if you're still with me reading this instead of just looking for artwork...there could be a drawing involved here.

Cheers to you and yours this Holiday Season

Happy, Merry Ho Ho...

378 gifts wrapped, tagged and bagged! Whew! THAT was the best power shopping evah, man!
No...not really all for me or my family (don't YOU wish, family...)
This is an annual event where our local sheriff's volunteers and officers collect toys for needy families in the community. Then they put out the call for volunteer wrappers, too.
In a former life and many double-digit years ago, I was a professional gift wrapper at a dept. store.
I was shocked when on Saturday all they handed me was a pair of scissors, no ribbon and NO bows!
AND did I mention we were outside???!!

 

Being the planner at heart that I am, I passed on the word to our local high school counselor for some volunteers, too. (ie; required community service hours to graduate!)
So we had the young...

and old(er) alike...

(I think they came for the donuts...but nonetheless...)

 

But mission accomplished!

Then I drove like a crazy woman into town to do some shopping of my own because the guilt was just killin' me, man!

This is what it's about...this is the kind of photo that gives you the warm and fuzzies, and you think you see sparkles, but they are really embers from a warm winter fire...one  that will remind you year after year that it's not what you receive, but you you give, and  if this doesn't force the holly, jolly spirit down your throat...well I don't know what would.

 

OOPS! wrong warm and fuzzie....

It's THESE kind of warm and fuzzies people...really the spirit of the Holidays.

Can I get an AMEN?

 

Santa Sightings!

Forget plastic goodie bags...

Along with my good friend the Cricut cutting machine and the Plantin Schoolbook Cartridge,

I dug deep into my brain for an quickie goodie bag for some co-workers to hold "just a little sumthin" for the holidays.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot like Christmas....somewhere!

Don't you just love a small neighborhood parade to get you into the Holiday spirit?
I sure do...frosty noses, fingers and toes remind me that the chill in the air means Winter and that means CHRISTMAS!!!
We journeyed out to the home of the Chicken Festival, old towne Fair Oaks, CA.
As we started out I saw these cute little girls trying to maintain their grown-up dignity until they saw my camera...I'm partial to the one up front...she had some really cute frames on.

Then of course the parade began...oh it had it's usual bands, dancers, antique cars (whew! grateful for those stupid smog laws now!) and beauty queens who threw candy at our feet like the Royalty of olden days use to throw gold coins at the peasants (I'd rather have the gold coins thankyouverymuch)...

but when I saw these darling sleighs, I knew who was coming next and it sent my heart to fluttering.

 

Let's just zoon in on those faces...."you lookin' at me?"

yea... I guess I am. Smile and wave boys.

Then...wait...where's Santa's sleigh? OhMyGod...noooooooooo!

(please ignore the woman with the weird hat on that looks like a chimney with legs sticking out)

WHAT ON EARTH?....a Cadillac? Ok, it's white, it's old, it's sleek but come ON....dude! Ya should have been pulled by the llamas...on a SLEIGH for heaven sakes!

And then there was the crowd...lots and lots of fellow chicken lovers who came to see the wonderful tree, the chickens and the other festivities to be had.

 These three were my favorites, of course.

Who doesn't like to wear Red and Purple during the Holidays?

Bargain Central!

$2 Stamps sets? Really.

http://www.indahood.myctmh.com/