New year...

We're enjoying the last day of 2009 with some fun new year's traditions. I love getting out my vintage decorations that I collect throughout the year and Chloe and I make our crazy new year's dome cake. My sister and I will do some crafting on our last day together and then ring in the new year together. Couldn't ask for a better end to a wonderful year. Hope you have a safe and happy transition into 2010! Here are some festive decorations that made me smile.

photos from OnceWed. In love with the PARTYPARTY by CONFETTISYSTEM from

Urban Outfitters.I wish you all a joyous and creative 2010!!

Every last drop...

The last few days have been spent enjoying the company of one another, having my husband off work and my sister still here for a few days longer has made the end of 2009 absolutely wonderful. We've been playing with our new gifts, for me new Sabrina Ward Harrison prints and journal from Papaya and Lowell's new keyboard.

Generally clearing away all the holiday hoopla and clutter and creating a nice cozy neutral winter space.
Looking ahead in optimistic anticipation of the new year! Calendar on the far right by abbytryagain.

Hope you're enjoying the end of 2009!

Merry making...

Enjoying to the fullest the merriment of the holiday season.We had a very white Christmas! The kids love playing in the huge snow drifts. I snapped this photo as we left the house Christmas morning. Put the camera on the garbage can and hit the timer button. Not bad! Inside I watched as they made snowmen in my parents front yard.On to presents and other holiday fun! Baby Hans was in on all the action.
LOVE all the sister time together!!

Happy Birthday to the best sister in the world!!

Such a treat to have the day together.Now on to New Year's....and 2010!!

Magic of the holiday....

Magic Reindeer fly on high, when Christmas spirit fills the sky.

Flying o'er the window sills, with every Christmas wish that's filled.

Yes, Santa calls his prancing deer -on Christmas Eve of every year.

And then, they fly unto his sleighand in an instant they are up, up and away!

(By Linda A. Copp)

Cookie time!

As I've already mentioned in my cookie party post, making sugar cookies with my family is one of my all time favorite holiday traditions. Today was the day all the kids gathered at my parents house to sprinkle away to our hearts delight!My mom always makes the dough a day or two ahead of time to allow it to chill. She uses the same dog eared recipe card that she's had for years. This recipe is the best!Before the cookie making began my sister gifted all the girls with these wonderful handmade aprons. So cute! Cookie making is definitely a family affair! This was baby Hans' first year watching the festivities. We even had awards, which just added to the fun!

Hope your celebrating with those you love!

Solstice day...

Winter Solstice

Hearths and hearts aglow,
Winter wonderland is nigh,
Peace and love to all.

- Annabel Sheila My sister and her family are here! We've been enjoying every bit of daylight that we can get and took the California kids out sledding. Treasuring every moment that we have together.

Happy Solstice!

Five senses friday: pre-holiday edition

It's always a treat to participate in abby's five senses friday. Especially today, during this wonderful time of year, on the cusp of so many festivities. Lots of fun things happened this week and so many more yet to come! I love this time of year, enjoying each others company, getting outdoors in the winter wonderland, the anticipation about the new year ahead and the magic of the season. Seeing: tracks in the snow in our yard and trying to figure out what made them.
Hearing: wonderful conversation with a good friend.
Smelling: the delicious breakfast smells at a local diner.
Tasting: bits of the candy off of Chloe's gingerbread house she made at school today. Yum!

Feeling: all warm and fuzzy about the holiday's coming up fast. A week of meeting up with friends and a weekend filled with family gatherings and lots of catching up!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Visiting santa...

I was working on my December daily pages with photos of the kids with santa from this weekend and remembered that I wanted to share with you some fun retro graphics from a little booklet I found at an estate sale. They were given out at Dayton's departments stores years and years ago. Aren't they fun! Perfect for cards, memory books or mixed media projects. Enjoy!

Wishes do come true...

I was so honored when Mindy from wishstudio blog asked me at the beginning of this year to write a piece about creativity and motherhood. This is a topic I feel very passionate about. When I sat down to write, I found that I had a lot to say and I couldn't stop writing. I feel that I'm at a very joyful time in my life and I am so pleased to be able to share my story. So click on over to the wishstudio blog for my piece if you'd like to read more about how artsymama came to be. Hope you enjoy it!
We had a wonderful snowy weekend here, filled with sledding, baking cookies and santa.
Doesn't get much better than that!