Progress

Hello All,
My Husband surprised me a week before Christmas by starting a new project, shelves for my art room! Was I surprised or what when I saw what he was doing. Here are a couple photos of his progress. They are beautiful built in shelves. He has never done this before and I think he has done a marvelous job!

I am ready to move in. I have ordered linen baskets of three sizes from The Container Store, and as soon as they arrive I will be able to put everything away in it's proper place. I have a vision for this room now and it is exciting to get it all together. I also saw three vintage mail baskets at a antique mall an hour from here, and if they are still there tomorrow, I will get them too!

One thing that did shock me was seeing all the stuff I have when I had to clean the room out! Did I really collect all that stuff!!!??? I was very brave and was able to weed out quite a bit of stuff. Whew! It does feel good to let go of excess stuff! It clears the way for creativity and I feel lighter already!

My husband also bought me special lighting for video, so as soon as my room is ready, it is back to tutorial making! I love doing it and I am deciding what to do a video on first. There is so much fun to be had!
I will be putting up photos soon of my finished art room. I think I may even have a party to celebrate!

Paris in the Spring Time!

I have always wanted to visit Paris, and I came close to doing so last year....but alas, I did not actually get there. I have been dreaming of visiting the Louvre for years now, as well as antique/flea market shopping in France!
So this year is the year to do it! My husband and I are committed to visiting in the spring! I am very excited about this!
I made this gift box with the Eiffel Tower a few months ago and since the Theme Thursday for this week is "Paris", and since I am planning a trip there, I thought to post it today. I got the template from Clipmarks, and the small box from Walmart for less than $2. This was so fun to make!

A Long Winter's Night

Hello All!

I am back from my trip to the Great White North! It was very enjoyable to visit with so many of our relatives this holiday. There was a lot of hugging, eating, driving and laughing going on. This photo is right outside the back deck of where my Mother and Father in-law live. Lake Simco is very close to their house and as you may be able to see in the photo, on it's way to being frozen. It was such a beautiful view!

While I was away we rung in a new year. So I want to wish you all a Fabulous New Year, full of joyful opportunities and fulfilled goals (so you can create more wonderful goals!).

Hugs to you all!

Day of Giving and Living

Today has been a delightful day of giving heartfelt gifts to those we love, as well as spending time with our loved ones. We were thrilled to visit our friends house for an English Christmas dinner complete with Yorkshire Pudding! Yum! We pulled our first crackers and wore our paper crowns, read our jokes, and had fun.
Being with my husband, son and daughter has been a real treat. Here is a photo of my daughter and I making a few more cookies last night, and some of our gifts early this morning.
Christmas hugs to you all!

Counting Blessings Instead of Sheep

It is getting late, and I should be heading off to my lovely bed. It is just that I have been thinking about Christmas, how close it is and how grateful I feel. Sometimes my heart feels full to bursting with the love I feel. I have so many reasons to be thankful! So I thought I would just make a list of all I am thankful for tonight...

I am thankful for my Wonderful Husband! He is my dear, dear soul!

I am very full of love and gratitude for my Children...they are the joy of my heart!

I am so lucky to have such loving friends, I am so thankful for everyone of them, those here with me and those I have never met but share so much with!

I am so grateful for my Husband's job, that he loves what he does and feels like he is doing something great.

I am so thankful for the health and wellbeing of My family, myself and my friends.

I am so grateful for our dear Home, that houses us so comfortably and is a place of peace and creativity.

I am so thankful for our country, it's people and our leaders. Many blessings to all!

I am so thankful for creativity and the ability to express through art.

I am so thankful for my own little room where I can go to create.

I so love my two little doggies! They are pure love and I am so thankful to have them with us!

I could go on and on, but for now, this is what I wanted to say from my heart.

Merry Christmas to you all, I am full of thanks for the internet, for blogging and for each and every one of you who come by and visit here. Many blessings to you and your's!

Christmas Cookies

Our family has a cookie tradition.
We bake the same ones each year, and to us they signify the holiday season.
I am sharing my absolute favorite cookie recipe with you today,
in case you are looking for something special.
Don't let the coconut fool you. I don't like coconut, yet I looovvvee these cookies!
I hope you enjoy them too!

Coconut Cranberry Chews

(The cookies on the left)

About 1 ½ cups of butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

2 teaspoons Vanilla

3 ¼ cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups dried cranberries (I only put in about a cup)

1 ½ cups sweetened dried coconut flakes (I only put in about a cup)

In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 1 ½ cups butter, sugar, orange peel and Vanilla until smooth.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture, stir to mix, and then beat on low speed until dough comes together, about five minutes. Mix in cranberries. (The mixture will look dry until it comes together as dough, if it is too crumbly to form into balls, the dough needs to be mixed longer. It should be a smooth mass.)

Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on a buttered 12x15inch baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees until cookie edges just begin to brown, about 8-11 minutes. A shorter cooking time will make chewier cookies, a longer baking time will yield a crispier cookie. Let cool 5 minutes.

This recipe was developed by Nancy Jamison, Woodside California. I believe I found this years ago in a Sunset magazine (not sure though…). 

Hugs,

Terri

Christmas Cards for Family

Today I have been working on cards to give to my family members. I am inspired by many of you out there, whose art I see on your blogs. You are all truly talented! The images are all from PaperWhimsy.

By the way....remember I told you my husband was giving me cupboards and shelves in my art room for Christmas? Well, somehow I did not realize that it meant me cleaning out my entire room!!! I was shocked at how much I had! Half way through the moving and sorting I truly wondered if it was worth it! But, as in all big jobs..."inch by inch it's a cinch and yard by yard its far too hard!" so I inched my way through and finally did move it all. Yeah! And my husband has been doing an amazing job! It has only been a few days and they are half way built! It is going to be fantastic! I will post pics soon. (Did I mention my husband is a dear soul?)

Thank you again for coming by to visit!