{ My MiNuTia }

This week has been like an everlasting gobstopper

It's been like a never ending McParty in our family lately! We had a wonderful Christmas celebration, followed by my son's 15th Birthday, then Sassy's monumentous Birthday, then our big fat 20th Anniversary! And now it's almost New Year's Eve!

 

As I look back over the past year, I am quickly reminded how great it was. I won't bore you with the details, but I love to think about the many goals that were made and then met, and the many things that flourished over 2008. I've added them to my art journal. It's important to have those kinds of things nearby when you need a little lift, ya know?

Then there's 2009. A NEW year! Full of so much potential and hope! I have a list of resolutions waiting for the clock, and totally look forward to watching them take place...maybe a few fall by the way side...which always seems to happen. I started typing the top 3 out but felt like my post was all preachy...and I like to let the peachers do the preaching...so I erased them. :) You're welcome!

There's still so much to post about...and I shall, soon. It's almost like my 2009 has already started. There's a new EZine beginning soon! Because it's way fun and because if I don't create soon I'm going to burst. I've been missing it with all of the holidays. So I get up early and make time to do it. It makes my days so much better!

 

Hope you have a blessed and wonderful 2009 my friends!

(I got those clock faces in the photos from Windlewood. Aren't they great?) 

Epson earns a Peach Award

I recently had the good fortune to receive the new Artisan 800 computer printer system from Epson. We started it up before the holidays and we have been sooo pleased with it!

   

So, yes it has amazing print quality, and yes it's been really simple to use (thankfully). The Epson Artisan 800 is a 5-in-1 system, meaning that it copies, scans, faxes, has ultra HD photo printing and Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi part sends me and the family into happy mode, because we have 4 computers in our house. Jim hooked it up to our main modem and ta-da! now we can print from anywhere--any computer. Love that!!

The photos are so great...I'd show you but it's going to be hard to see, depending on your computer screen--and mine. But I've always been impressed with Epson quality, and this printer does a fantastic job! There are some fun creation modes you can play with too..like coloring book pages you can make from your photo with the push of a couple buttons. My family will enjoy that. Allie is making a calendar with the creation mode tonight. Piece o cake.

I just checked our their website and see that they have a special rebate on the Artisan 800 right now. Plus, I know that some of you gals are business minded and you know that business expenses like this one not only make your life easier, they are write-offs when tax time comes! Just sayin...

Anyhoo, I am ever grateful to Epson for sending this great printer my way! THANK YOU Epson for making our lives easier and more colorful, too!

Things that start with C

Cookies. Cards. Christmas.

So I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday at this very moment! We sure have had a great past few days. A few pix to share, mostly for our far away family.

 

We did bake a few quick batches of cookies a couple days ago, but they went fast. Those boys eat like crazy! So today we made Charlotte's cut out cookies. She's right, they are sooo yummy. We got a Wii Fit from Santa, so I have committed to doing it daily...especially if there are yummy cookies like these in the house.

   

The kiddos frosted the cookies. He's sticking his tongue out while splurting blobs of frosting on his gnome cookie. Wonder if that helps?

Our Christmas cards went out a little late this year. I wasn't that pleased with them either, but it was a rush job and it was too late to change them. These are some of the photos that DIDN'T make the Christmas card. I love the out takes though!

These are their truest expressions...

They just make me laugh!! Here's the Christmas Eve version.

 

Okay you guys, come on. Please?

 

Thank you! Oh, there's the creme sweater with the winking rhinestone buttons...

Christmas morning is the best isn't it?

 

 

His hero....Einstein...

 

And lastly, this present came Christmas Day via the mailman. Wow!

That's for his office...or their breakroom or somewhere at work. Too funny.

I have lots of other news to share, but it's turning into party central here the next few days. Soon though! :)

The Gift of Yesterday

A few weekends ago my daughter and I spent some time holiday shopping at the mall. One thing on our list was a pretty something to wear to Christmas Eve Mass. She and I weren't having any luck and we definitely weren't agreeing on what to wear, but we kept looking store after store anyway.

As a last resort we looked at our favorite department store. Why didn't we think of that store sooner? Because there is was. Almost immediately we both noticed a gorgeous snowy white sweater hanging way up high. The humongous rhinestone buttons made our hearts pitter patter. It's like the buttons winked at us from afar! As we approached that sweater I thought to myself...oh I'm so getting that sweater. She must have been thinking the very same thing.

 

I told her that if she promised to wear it Christmas Eve then I'd promise not to, and ta-da we got them! I can't wait to see her wear it! Maybe I'll wear mine Christmas Day!?

Just the other day I remembered how when she was 5 or 6 years old she was always attracted to those gaudy holiday sweaters that were all the rage. She would stop in the stores and make me look at those sweaters. We had to admire the sequins and fur and every detail on the mini masterpieces.

That's when the word Foof a La was born. "Look! It's Foof a la, Mom!" Meaning we gotta see it, touch it and have it because it's so pretty. I don't know what word she was trying to say, but way back when that's what she called the process of seeing the sparkly sweaters.

Not long after that we created a business and so much more with that silly name and it's thoughts behind it. It was all about that feeling. I'd totally forgotten about that whole story until we walked out of Von Maur with those sweaters the other day. Even though she's much older and with one foot out the door to college now, she still loves her Foof a La. So do I. Well, the sweater anyway.

I bought the matching sweaters not so much because of what they were, but for what they represented. They were pretty, yes, but it was the remembrance of those earlier years that did me in. The sparkle in her little eyes. That same sparkle was in her eye again that afternoon at the store.

Merry Christmas everyone!

I hope you see that sparkle in the eyes of a child this holiday season. Better yet, I hope you're the one to put it there.

Is it too early for Champagne?

Perhaps you read my earlier post (here ), about the red spot store and my love for that 7 1/2 foot pre-lit champagne pine Christmas tree and our awful first encounter. Well, since then, I've had oodles of emails about the tree. Everyone shared my pain and wanted to know if I ended up getting it.

I didn't order it online, it would have come too late ya know? I just toughed it out, forced myself to get over it and made do. I do love our old tree.

A sweet friend, Shari, even gave me a champagne ornament, so we could have champagne ON the tree. This is a poor photo, but it was a very sweet thought and it's the cutest ornament!

So I'm checking my emails on the phone while waiting for a latte this afternoon, and I have 2 emails from gals letting me to to GO TO the red spot store, immediately. So I did. Mr. Champagne Tree was 75% off! Well, the display version was.

I had that place on the errands list today anyway, so in I ventured with a fresh pouty coat of pretty lip gloss. Oh, the mighty persuasive powers of lip gloss! We've had this discussion before, and I still swear by it.

Sure enough, the sign on the last tree standing read "75% off display". Push button for help. I pushed the button. Long story short, I got Jose to help me...cha cha cha...ching! Young Jose was blinded by the gloss and he sold me the last champagne creme puff tree for $35! He even took it up front, opened up a register and rung it up for me. No waiting. Jose even put in my truck. What a guy, huh? Isn't she a beaut?

 

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!! Cheers to you Jose, and cheers to my rekindled storemance with the red spot store, and cheers to the kind Beth and Danielle  who emailed me with the scoop!

An early present

 

Earlier in the week, that sweet Bella, Peg, emailed me with this awesome find! The weather's been pretty bad, but we went out Saturday and picked up this vintage library card cabinet from the nicest gentlemen. It's in really good shape. I was delighted! Bonus...hubby said he'd get it for me for an early Christmas gift.

 

I love it. I also love that he carried this heavy beast from the guy's garage across the icy turf and into the truck, then moved it all downstairs for me. Now I just need to find the perfect spot for it. Can't wait to fill it up!Thank you Mr. Peach.

Snow Day and Hot Chocolate!

Sleet and snowfall. Baby, it's cold out side.

 

{ A snip of our Christmas card this year }

School's called off and the kiddos are so happy! Me too. The roads look awful and iced over. I officially declared it a no school day about an hour before their school's names ran across the TV screen...because I refuse to drive in that stuff! Nope nope. Nice to see it's official on the screen though.

The E-Zine is coming to an end. It went so fast! There are 12 projects over there and it was such a great time! We made home decor projects and some handmade gifts. I love doing that. A big huge thanks to all of the subscribers!! Wow!

Friday there is a lucky winner of some yummy hot chocolate in a fab tin (www.shabbychic.com). Everyone had to leave a comment telling what they like in hot chocolate.

I've made a short list to share because they all sound so yummy. Whipped creme or marshmallows were the most popular answer, but there were a lots of fun ideas to try! I seriously had to run out to the grocery store and pick up a few of these things to try myself!

Things to Try with your Hot Chocolate:

• Mexican cinnamon

• Homemade Marshmallows (Williams-Sonoma sells them this time of year, too)

• Real Whipped Cream

• Peppermint Sticks (for swirling of course)

• Oreos, crushed into chunks

• I told you this was a yummy list

• Shaved chocolate bars

• Hershey's Kiss at the bottom of the cup

• Crushed peppermint

• Grated dark chocolate

• Drizzled chocolate syrup, whipped creme and a cherry on top

• It's the adjectives isn't it, I know honey, I know

• Cool Whip

• Finely grated pistachios

• Mini Kraft marshmallows

• Mayan style with cinnamon and cayenne pepper

• Amaretto

• Butterscotch Schnapps

• Peppermint Schnapps

• Bailey's Irish Creme

• Kahlua

• Hiccup, oh, excuse me

• Vanilla Vodka

• Starbucks style which means a spoonful of caramel and sprinkling of sea salt on the whipped cream

• A shot of espresso

• International Delight Raspberry Creme

• Marshmallow creme

• Real milk--no water

• Cinnamon sprinkles (Red Hots)

• Crushed Peppermint Patties (you're killin me here people....gaaaa! yum!)

• Armaula Creme

• International Delight White Chocolate Creme

• Vietnamese Cinnamon

I think I'm going to do a hot chocolate bar/station Christmas Eve. Have lots of these yum yums in containers and you can pick what you like. You have something yummy to add to the list?

Oh look, a List with Links

Latte buzz has kicked in, and I've got an acumulating list of minutia to share! But first, a photo, because what's a blog post without one?

1. There's 4" of snow outside my friends! Powdery, beautiful snow . I pray alot now. Daughter with an attitude is driving in snow would be the reason.

2. Even in the snow, I trecked out this morning and picked up a few gifts. Lucky me, I found them on the shelves! I haven't had a hard time finding anything this year-- thanks to www.amazon.com and a few helpful hints from Hope. Did you know that you can have them text you when something that's out of stock comes back in stock? It's saved me twice already! Gosh, I should have told you sooner...what was I thinking. 

3. Today, that sweet Carol Spinski is the Guest Designer for my E-Zine. She shared her techniques on making this tree:

     

Nice! And if you are tempted to subscribe to the 12 Days of Comfort & Joy E-Zine (and why wouldn't you be after seeing that tree), just know that others are still subscribing, and it's not too late! This E-Zine will be up through the end of January--to allow everyone ample time to create the projects. 

4. I have Pioneer Woman's Year of the Pot Roast in the oven right now. It smells sooo divine. I've never ever been able to make a decent pot roast, which truly is a requirement for living in the midwest. I've always felt like an inadequate cook because of that fact.  But, my fam loves this crazy good roast, so they are in for a treat tonight! If you suffer from pot roast inadequacy, you should try her recipe. I think it saved my marriage. Just sayin...

5.  Pam G. is selling some of her handmade Christmas ornies and such on her Etsy site! Check out her blog for the link. I placed an order from her site yesterday and while I was finalizing the order, one item popped up "sold out" or something. In mid transaction! Apparently, things are going like hot cakes over there!

Stay warm, people...

When it was dark and no one was awake yet,

I gathered some this' and thats and one of those over there, and a silver tree back in storage. Put them all together to add a bit of fa-la-la-la to my studio.

 

Must confess it was after 2 lattes, too. That certainly helped get things done! Liking the horse ribbons posing as garland on the tree.

 

Oh look, a wee flock of reindeer. Herd? Flock? I like flock.

 

There are several from friends and lots of ornies from Silver Bella on here, too. From this year and past years. They are so special to me!

   

 

The tree and vignette is on a supply dresser. Now I want to decorate the whole studio. Doesn't that sound fun? I do have a pink tree I could put in there, too. Do you have a tree in your creating space? Do you do anything special in there during the holidays? 

Another fab Advent Calendar!

So I know it's too late really to create one for this year, but Heather Mellstrom emailed me pix of her version of that infamous Advent Calendar and I had to share! A close up:

 

Here's the full version:

So great, right? Thanks, Heather, so much for sharing it with me and now all of us! My original tutorial is in the left sidebar. Mine is so old and sorta outdated now. After seeing everyone else's versions I want to redo mine. Next year for sure!

Edit: Original tutorial is located on the left sidebar

<----- Under Reader's Favorite Posts: The Advent of Advent.