We Wish you a Merry Christmas!

Sew Somerset Winter 2011

I'm finally getting around to posting my layout in the Winter 2011 issue of Sew Somerset. It's a book I made about me and the hubby...I can't wait to get it back!

I've had more comments emailed to me about this layout than any other of my layouts so I'm considering doing some books and kits for my Etsy shop. Of course the number of kits will depend upon the amount of vintage supplies I have on hand...but maybe that'll be a good excuse to drag Val out treasure hunting again!

2010 Minnesota Blizzard...

The weather experts were warning us all day yesterday that we were in for a doozy of a storm...of course I didn't really believe that we'd get the 18 - 20 inches they were predicting but went to the grocery store anyway to stock up on warm wintery food. ...just in case! It started last night about 10:30 and when we woke up this morning we couldn't get out the front or back door. It's now about 4:30 and it's still snowing! Tom has cleared the walkway and driveway twice but it just keeps falling and blowing...this is Sebastian laying just off the walkway (what walkway you say?)

The neighbor boys in the background are digging a tunnel between our yards...it looks quite enticing...I may have to check it out in the morning.

The dogs love it but can't figure out where their "usual" bathroom spot is...and just for the record, Trixie is not squatting...she's standing fully upright. It was a little funny when she started to panic because she got stuck and couldn't move.

This is a good photo to show just how deep it is...it looks like it's just about up to Tom's knees.

The dogs will be good and tired after chasing Sebastian through the snow.

This is the drift up against the back of the house (that's Sebastian's vague figure in the background.)

And this is how it looks out the back door...Tom had to clear it again so the dogs can get out. I've lived in Minnesota my entire 42 years and am completely amazed, I've never seen anything like this!

And this is a picure of Sebastian standing next to the drift on the south side of the house, it's almost over his head!

Looks like it's time to clear the snow for a third time! It's supposed to continue all through the night stopping sometime around 6:00 am tomorrow. We'll see!

It's Beginning....

...to look a lot like Christmas. Sebastian is excited because tonight is the night good 'ole St. Nick comes! Hope you're all enjoying your Sunday, I'm off now to make 50+ graham cracker gingerbread houses for Come as you are. I hope we can get them all done!

Etsy Treasures...

I've been doing a little Etsy shopping (for myself) and couldn't resist these two little treasures from this shop. After spending a very long day at the hospital with my father (he made it through surgery without a hitch) and driving home through a winter snow storm that was so bad you couldn't tell if you were even on the interstate or driving on the shoulder, I was thrilled to find the package waiting in my mailbox.

And, while Tom is outside moving snow so we can go to pick out this year's Christmas tree, I continued my decorating.
I don't remember where I got this snowman but it is my absolute favorite. I keep him out all year round but during Christmas he gets a special spot on a vintage cake stand (kept safe from flying nerf bullets and rubber balls under a cloche.) I got the vintage-style bottlebrush trees a few days ago from this Etsy shop. 'Tis the season!

December 2, 2010...

A miniature winter wonderland...forecast calls for snow tomorrow and Saturday here in Minnesota. Yippee!

December 1, 2010

Happy December 1st! Sebastian has been a little under the weather lately so I knew it would happen sooner or later and wouldn't ya know it was "sooner". I've been on a very (very) low carb diet but today I went crazy and got a big fat juicy hamburger and greasy deep fried french fries...just when I sat down to feast the call came from the school to pick him up. I guess I should thank him huh???

So, while he played (yes, played) I put out more Christmas decorations.
You would think I'd be smart enough to take my pictures during the daylight hours since I was home most of the day (it gets dark in MN by 5:00 in the winter)...so I'll blame my crummy photo on the lack of light!

Happy Thanksgiving...

December Daily Album...

Val and I visited a couple antique shops in St. Paul on Saturday...they were having their holiday sale and offered 20% off everything (unless marked "firm"). We both had bags and bags of treasures...trims, fabrics, shoe forms, wooden hangers, vintage felt Christmas decorations, etc. but of all my loot, these three tiny little treasures are by far my favorites!

These old metal Christmas stars literally made my heart race, they were only $1.60 but I think I would have paid $10 for them...they are just magnificent!

After our morning of hunting I headed straight to my studio to get cracking on my December daily album. I decided to use an old bound ledger (found at an estate sale in Michigan for $.50) instead of making my usual ring bound journal. It went much faster and I finished all 31 days this morning...

I have gobs and gobs of vintage Christmas seals that I want to keep for myself so what better way to display them then put them in my journal...and the number tags are from Elle's Studio.

and look, I even remembered to use one of my newfound metal stars!

Christmas Tiny Books...

Two little Christmas tiny books just listed in my Etsy shop...

Many many thanks to all my faithful "customers" for your interest in the stuff I make. I really appreciate it!

Winter Wonderland...

We, here in Minnesota, have been under a winter weather advisory since last night. We woke up to this... ...and it's supposed to continue until 6:00 am Sunday morning. I don't know how much has accumulated so far (it looks to be at least 6 inches). We had about a three hour reprieve so
Tom and all our neighbors ran out clear the driveways after the plows made their first rounds. It's the really wet, heavy snow so all the branches of our trees are sagging under the weight. It also caused about a three hour power outage so the temps in the house dropped down to the high 50's...thank Goodness for the fireplace (not to mention three sweaters and two pairs of thick wool socks!)It sure is pretty (but I know what this means for us here in the Midwest). Oh well, it's inevitable! Hey...is it too early for Christmas carols?

Etsy Shop Update...

I have finally added more vintage goodies to my Etsy store...

...puts me in the mood to do some Christmas shopping!

Calling all Minnesota Crafters...

(photo found at secretaryofinnovation.com)
My dear friend Val Burgess and I are looking to form a group of Minnesota artsy-crafty women, preferrably women in the Eastern Suburbs of the Twin Cities and the Hudson, Wisconsin area (so nobody has to drive too far in the snow!) We would meet once a month at various locations in our area (and our homes if you'd like to host) to craft, share, eat and, of course, talk, talk, talk. We would like to keep the group somewhat small, 6 - 7 women, so if you're interested please email me at rrydel68@yahoo.com. Once we get a group together we can all meet to work out the details!

Senior Year...

My second-born is a senior in high school and now that we've finished the ACT's and the college applications I started thinking about what sort of book(s) I can make him as keepsakes. Afterall, Shelby has two prom books, an 18 Birthday's book and a high school memory book...so I figured I'd better make him a book or two so he doesn't feel left out (who am I kidding? He probably couldn't care less, right?) Anyway, he's super-jocky so what better keepsake then a book full of all his sporting pictures. I wanted a heavy baseball theme since he played for 12 years so here's what I came up with... I took apart one of his old baseballs that he initialed with black Sharpie...

Look at that little knobby-knee'd five year old.

This little glassine bag holds his "baseball card" that he autographed for my husband when he was 8 years old.

This is my favorite picture of him...I think because he looks the most like me at that particular moment in time.

Yes...bowling is a high school sport in Minnesota, strange but true...they even had team bowling shirts!

I was okay while making the book until I came to last photo in my pile...his cross country picture (on the left.) It was taken only a month ago so I found myself really studying the man he's grown into, then I found myself fighting back the tears. Look at that little 5 year old knobby-knee'd boy in the very first photograph and now look at this (handsome) grown man... I remember the day that first photograph with his T-Ball team was taken and I swear it was just yesterday, but it must not have been...damn, why do kids have to grow up? Matty, I love you more than you could ever know and I'm praying that you choose a college that's not too far away!