Christmas Cactus ( epiphytes )

My daughther needed a plant for a terrarium project in science last year. The plant made it home and now we are enjoying it.
Our plans for today is two movies, "Eragon" and "Pursuit of Happyness." One movie for Dad and Amy and one for Kelsey and I.
Tonight we plan on visiting a few family friends, then heading home to unwrap the Christmas eve gift. ( Pajamas and slippers)
The girls are excited as usual, but for some strange reason Tom is also. I think he is starting to get the idea behind the importance of getting something that someone would like and for it to be a complete surprise. He has always poo-pooed that.
The stress of financial debt is starting to rear it's ugly head again. Especially when we ask Tom not to bring it up every ten minutes. We need a winng lottery ticket. Lame.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Gone Golden

~"May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!"
~Author Unknown

The Jewelry Bench is Done!

The Bench is done! I am amazed how fast I was able to fill in all the space it allows. Maybe I should add on a wing? In fact I plan on it when I take a soldering glass.
Kelsey had her piano recital today. she was second to last on the list of 32 students. Fortunatley their songs were 10-25 seconds long , so it was painless. Kelsey did a beautiful job and we have Melissa thank for that and Kelsey's dedication. I bit my bottom lip really hard in order not to cry. Dam PMS + proud mother syndrom!

Caroling tonight. Looking forward to seeing everyone again and relaxing somewhat.

Amy and Dad are practicing a song Amy wrote for guitar. She calls it "Rainy Day." Oh No! I'm choking up again!!!!

Ornament Exchange

I fell in love with some galss art this week. I was shopping for some ideas for making a christmas ornament. I had intentions of sliding this beauty into a glass ball but it lacked something I could not inhance. I guess this is what I had in mind all along. I have a white elephant christmas party to go to on monday and I hope to get this back through exchanges according to the rules of the game. wish me luck. I don't want to have to make another one, but I will if I lose it.

Christmas tree and caroling this weekend. I'm glad the date is Saturday for the caroling so our family can have all of Sunday to ourselves. We need this day.

Kelsey has her first piano recital this Saturday afternoon. I've invited several people close to us to come and see her perform the most beautiful Christmas song. "What Child Is This". It will take everthing I have in me not to cry when she plays. I am so proud of her and where she has gone with her lessons. I'll be biting my lip big time. I hope I don't forget the camera.




I wanted to make a necklace out of the glass art I purchased. I like this one. simple and fun.

I am having an openhouse on Wednesday the 20th from 4:30-8:00 p.m. I hope I get a few orders out of it. I decided at the last minute to have one, so I don't expect much. Just having one for the first time will be a learning experience.that I need. I had a chance to talk with Mary at the Trinity Bazaar and hope to combine efforts for a few openhouses this spring. Her ceramics are beautiful.

Christmas is at home this year. This has only happened a few times in all the years of being in the family. Now I have to think of what traditions I need to set when this happens. I invited Mom for dinner. I didn't want her to be alone on Christmas day. So a roast beast and mash potatoes are in order.

"And the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls,
And tenement halls,
And whispered in the sounds of silence."
- - - Paul Simon, "Sounds of Silence"

And the sign said long haired freaky people need not apply
So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why
He said you look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you'll do
So I took off my hat I said imagine that, huh, me working for you
woah!



Sign Sign everywhere a sign
Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign

And the sign said anybody caught trespassing would be shot on sight
So I jumped on the fence and yelled at the house, Hey! what gives you the right
To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep mother nature in
If God was here, he'd tell you to your face, man you're some kinda sinner



Now, hey you Mister! can't you read, you got to have a shirt and tie to get a seat
You can't even watch, no you can't eat, you ain't suppose to be here
Sign said you got to have a membership card to get inside Uh!


And the sign said everybody welcome, come in, kneel down and pray
But when they passed around the plate at the end of it all,
I didn't have a penny to pay, so I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign
I said thank you Lord for thinking about me, I'm alive and doing fine

~Five Man Electrical Band

The 400th Entry!!!!

I find that amazing and wonderful.


Today is Saint Nicholas. Camouflage Santa hat and 401 bags of candy was put into shoes from pre-K through 8th grade.
what a fun job.

This is a photo of our new round solid oak split pedestal table. FREE.
Date post 1900. Maybe 1905-1917. Tom and I are elated. It measures 54 inches and suppose to have three leaves.
Now all we need are some chairs. I have two chairs that look great with the table, but the possiblity of finding two more just like them is slim. So I hope to find another matching pair that would look as good with what we have already. That should be fun.

Some jewelry orders for Christmas and hummingbrid feeder to be delivered to the store. Sterling silver patina work last night ((smelly))


I am having a few people over next Tuesday to make purchases or small orders for Christmas. Maybe the new work bench will be set up by this weekened so the display will look nice. Looking forward to some down time in order to work on some new pieces I've been meaning to try. Big plans on Jamin out some jewelry and feeders throughout the winter in prep for Art Beat and Open Houses before our month off in July. Things will go ninety miles an hour when we get back as it is without having to worry about increasing my inventory.

Tree killing this weekend. Where are we going to put that tree? I ask myself that question every year. My house is too small for a tree man!! It's will be cramp that is for sure.
well off to do errands.
Have a great St. Nick Day!