Sunday, November 28, 2010

Holiday Gifts and Items



Here are some items I am working on and other pieces I am just finishing up.




So many projects and so little time ~ however I love every single minute of it.





I am working 12 hour days and often, even that isn't enough time to accomplish all the things I want to do. Retirement is so much fun!





I make all my greeting cards from scratch (except for the actual blank card itself). I will mail the majority out this week ~ and I also signed up for a Christmas Card swap on Facebook and I am thrilled to participate in that. I can't wait to mail mine out and excited to run to the mailbox every day to see what I receive. Nothing like receiving a greeting card this time of year. Yay!





And, now looking at the clock it is 12:21 pm and it is time for me to make some lunch.



Hope all of you are enjoying this beautiful Sunday in November and let the fun begin!

Marilyn

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving



Thanksgiving ~ my favorite holiday of the year.

For me it is a time of reflection; a lesson in history of how our forefathers fought the elements in order to survive in this foreign land ~ as well as a day of giving thanks and being with family.

It has been told to me that my fathers' side of the family (Weeks) are descendents of Peter Browne ~ who came over on the Mayflower. We are still researching that information, and will keep you posted. His mother was Scottish and their family emigrated from Scotland (Paisley) and came to Canada ~ upon which they traveled over the border and settled in New Hampshire ~ here in the United States. More to come with this side of the story.

Also, I love the landscape in November. Spring is gorgeous with the renewal of life; Summer is terrific with the barbecues, fireworks and sparklers; Autumn is outsanding with the crisp aire and brilliant colors; but November is a time of survival. Getting ready to prepare for the harshness of winter; the coming together to give thanks for the bounty we collected and testing our ability to weather any storm.



Wishing you a joyous Thanksgiving and for the many friends in other parts of the world ~ a huge thanks to you as well.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

The Winter Whites

Isn't it amazing how quickly the holidays have arrived this year? It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is in only five days ~ and I have been designing and creating items for my website, my Etsy shop and here on my blog.

These are a couple of 'winter whites' that I have designed so far ~ and even though it hasn't snowed a flake (yet) the holiday music is playing, all my decorations have been sorted to decorate my Victorian Porch and have been making holiday cards for a couple of weeks now.



This is another item ~ a winter white lavendar sachet ~ however I know many people decorate their homes in this color pallette year round so it may be something you are interested in.



I'll be making more in the days to come. Please visit my Etsy shop for more items that are available.

Thank you so much.
Marilyn

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

...do you remember where you were?

Good morning to you all. When I woke up this morning I made a pot of coffee, made my breakfast and went in the living room to eat (I know, I shouldn't be doing that), turned the television on to CNN ~ where it was announced that Prince William of England and Catherine Middleton were engaged.



I should have been surprised but wasn't as this past weekend there were a few 'specials' about Prince William of England and his girlfriend Kate. Apparantly the country will be celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee as well as hosting the Olympics in 2012 ~ so the time for Wills to marry his Kate ~ would be better for all in the year 2011.

So Prince William asked Kate Middleton to marry him ~ last month in Kenya!!

For me, this announcement brought back a flood of memories to the day Prince Charles announced his engagement to then Lady Diana on a worldwide broadcast in February of 1981. I was much younger then so the event was surreal and who didn't love Lady Diana? For months the news coverage was endless and the anticipation of the wedding day was at fever pitch.

It was July 29, 1981 and I remember waking up at 3:00 am in order to make a pot of coffee, cook some breakfast and camp in front of the television set to witness all the historic events. As I walked in to living room (we only had one television set back then) and opened the drapes to what I thought would be total darkness ... every house on the street was lit up like a Christmas tree. I remember looking directly across the street and my neighbor Charlene was opening her drapes at the same time ~ so we waved to one another ... that in itself was something we talked about for years. We all had a common purpose that day and years later there are many of us who still talk about that event. It was one of those 'do you remember where you were' kind of moments.



England has always had a special place in my heart. I had read (and still do) about the abdication of King Edward and how he gave up the throne to marry his beloved Wallis Simpson, an American. How romantic. How tragic. Unfortunately they put him in a position of chosing the woman he loved or the crown he inherited. He chose the woman he loved. Unfortunately he was forced to leave England. Eventually, they married each other in France and settled in Paris.

I sit here, among the many many books I have collected about Diana ~ Charles and Diana, the babies Wills and Harry and it is difficult for me to believe that over 29 years have passed since that historic event.

I also remember where I was when I received the devastating news that Diana had died in a horrific automobile accident in Paris. I remember where I was when the plane with Diana's casket in it ~ landed in England after Charles went to Paris to bring her back home. I remember the people leaving thousands of presents and flowers at the gate(s) of Buckingham Palace. I remember the funeral. I remember where I was while watching Wills and his brother, father, uncle and grandfather walk behind Diana's casket. I remember where I was while watching the hearse drive through the small hamlets of England as thousands of people threw flowers ~ blinding the driver so he had to put the windshield wipers on to clear his view of the road. Tears still well up in my eyes.

Unfortunately it was another 'do you remember where you were' event.

And, now the good news.

We all have another royal wedding to watch ~ and along with CNN and other worldwide satellite broadcasting stations available ~ it will be a celebration to behold.

I do believe that Diana is smiling down on her princely son (2nd in line to the throne) and knows her greatest contribution were William and Harry! How proud she must be!!

Do you remember where you were?
Marilyn

photos were uploaded from the internet

Saturday, November 13, 2010

The Winner

Tammy ~ you won!!

I posted this on the blog and I haven't heard from you ~ could you please send me your address so I can get your 'prizes' in the mail?

Congratulations and thanks!
Marilyn



Tammy Shelton ~ you are the winner this week!!! Congratulations. Please email me your address and I will get it off to you in the mail. Thank you all for visiting my blog and I do hope you'll continue to visit me/us. Hugs, Marilyn

You can reach me at my email address which is maranderson13@aol.com

November 11, 2010 9:57 AM (PST)

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Moonlight Sonata

Please ~ click on the arrow and turn up the volume for this extraordinary rendition of Moonlight Sonata. It has to be one of the greatest pieces of music ~ ever!

Enjoy!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

This weeks' winner is....

Hi everyone. Well, I got out my trusty "deck of cards" ~ turned the #'s down and took one off the table.

The winner this week is the 9 of clubs and Vicki ~ you are the winner!!!

Congratulations to you. Not only do you win the Inspiration Journal but the two greeting cards as well.

Please email me with you address so I can pack them up and ship them off to you. You can reach me at maranderson13@aol.com.

Thank you all for taking the time to stop by and don't forget to come visit me for the next Tuesday Treasure Giveaway on Tuesday ~ 9 November 2010.

Hugs to all.
Marilyn