Good-Bye 2016...

Saying Good-Bye to 2016 seems like a very good thing to do.  It has had its issues and so have I.  With the decision to list our home for sale has come a lot of added work and responsibilities.  It also added a lot of travel to find where we will relocate.  Nothing is certain and there are still many decisions to be made. 

I am busy auditioning words and meanings for my 2017 journey.  I have a few that I am pursuing and hopefully I will "focus" on one very soon.  Focus was my word a few years ago and to be truthful I am continuing my struggles with being able to focus.  I do get easily side-tracked. 

I wasn't able to do as many creative pursuits this year.  I am hoping to make my creative interests priority in 2017.  This photo is showing some Needle Tatted bracelets I was able to make for my girls for Christmas...daughter, daughter-in-love and two granddaughters.  I found this YouTube video by One Virtuous Woman and it was just the perfect help as I learn Needle Tatting.  Thank you very much OVW.  I wasn't able to be with my daughter or granddaughters this year so I can only hope they liked their bracelets.  My daughter-in-love put hers on right away and I know she liked it.  Her favorite color is purple and she loves copper.  I saw her actually smiling as she carefully looked at the tatting.  It warms my heart.  I shall continue to pursue Needle Tatting in 2017.  In fact Santa gave me an instruction book and I have read it once through.  I even ordered new threads.  I will share more on this in the future. 

For now I shall wish each of you a Wonderful New Year in 2017.  May you have Happiness and Love and Health and Creative Bliss.  Mr. C and I will be safely staying home and enjoying a nice dinner and conversation with our dear neighbor who watches over our home when we are gone.  We are not late revelers so I can assure you we will not be out and rowdy as midnight strikes...a second later than normal. 

Peace and Love and Health and Happiness for each of you and for everyone in our World.  XO

Santa's Elf???

Just the other day I spied into my studio and there I saw what appeared to be Santa's Elf working.
He is very resourceful and somehow found my tools and my Ott light.  Note to self:  find better hiding places.  LOL

What could be that frown?  Oh those teeny tiny itsy bitsy parts and they are so hard to read.  It is critical that they be placed exactly in the correct order.

Nicely soldered and permanently installed.  Mr. C is back to his beginnings in the old days of radio and computer repairs.  Nice to know he still "has the magic touch".  What is he repairing?  Our home doorbell and intercom system.  Murphy's Law always reigns supreme and decided that since our home is For Sale the doorbell should quit working.  Murphy is fooled by Mr. C to the rescue!  Thank you for your engineering expertise.  And here I thought it was Santa's Elf working in his toyshop making gifts for...

Looks like Mr. C aka Santa's Elf is plum tuckered out.  It is very cold here with our Arctic Chill.  I know we do not have any minus digits but for us here in Sunny California 25 degrees F is just too cold for pleasure.  May everyone stay safe and warm all across our country.  Looks like it will be a very long Winter. 
Now for all you merchandisers who are inundating me with sales and promotions and specials...Could someone please put on sale what Mr. C needs?!!  I don't think it is too much to ask for a special sale on BMW Struts that he needs 2 pairs of.  I am not seeing any practical necessities on any sales.  Okay I am done with my little want rant.  Thank you for indulging me.
Christmas is almost here and I am enjoying all the beautiful decorations and the many wonderful hand crafted gifts you all are sharing. 
Merry Christmas Bliss and Jingle Bell Joys...

Fabric Magic Stars....

You have seen these on the internet and elsewhere.  Jennifer Bosworth of Shabby Fabrics has a wonderful video on how she creates these.  She calls them Fabric Snowflakes.  I like them for year round so I am calling mine Fabric Magic Stars.  My blog friend Robbie of Robbie's Paw Prints blog introduced them to me last year and I made a few.  Thank you Robbie.  Just like potato chips!

No matter what is or is not going on and no matter how little time there is I try to make gifts for those I love.  Here are some photos of my steps.  I select my coordinating fabrics and cut them up.  Then I cut up the Heat n Bond Ultra Hold.

Here you see my stages.  I am making half a dozen or so.  With my newly cleaned and organized studio I really have lots of room for every step of the way. 

Another view of the steps.  Removing the paper backing and pairing the two fabrics for ironing.

Here you se me preparing for the hot glue steps.  I am almost done. Check out the link I have included and you just might want to make some yourself.  They really do go together quickly.
And...they are light as a feather for mailing.  Just be certain to put in a good sturdy box for transporting.  Let me know if you make any of these.  I would love to see your photos.
It is pouring rain as I type and it has rained all night.  We had rain Thursday, Friday and now today.  The snow is staying up in the highest elevations and is making the ski resorts happy.  I am very happy it is not snowing here.  Crowds and traffic are crazy enough just with rain. 
I love visiting your blogs and seeing all the beautiful decorations.  We are not decorating at all this year since the For Sale sign is up.  We don't want to offend anyone who might celebrate a different holiday than Christmas...or celebrate nothing at all.  Therefore I am really enjoying all of your ideas and decorations.  I promise I won't miss a moment of the Magic of Merry Christmas...after all...I still BELIEVE.  I feel the days are flying past as fast as Santa's Reindeer must fly on Christmas Eve.
Our little town is busy with Victorian Christmas and that is very magical.  Here is the link to see what it is all about.  People come from far and near to enjoy this bit of Magic.
Stay well and safe and warm.  Enjoy this wonderful season of love with family and friends.