papery days ...

New Years Eve ...

Reflecting on all the wonderful blogging friendships I have made over the year(s).

Thank you for your lovely comments, emails, notes, letters & pressies ...  I treasure them all xo

One of my very favourite blog reads  is Lesley @ small meadow press.

Each visit is an absolute treat.

Lesley has begun "Papery Days" , and as a paper loving girl, I knew that this would be something I'd love to participate in.

From Inspiration boards to bulletin boards covered with bits and bobs of paper, to twine strung- clothespin-  make shift art displays, to an art desk covered in watercolour paper ... I find beauty in it all ♥

 

daily crossword puzzles & Sudoku ...

pencil sketches ...

 a photo of my precious Ben {photo printed on watercolour paper}  strung across my bookcase ...

I feel his presence with me always ...

snips from magazines to create endless inspiration boards ...

quotes I love

blended with watercolour birds ...

tiny handmade paper calendars for my desk ...

Archer's Advent Calendar

a gift from a friend

with the sweetest little quote ...

Christmas cards ~ I save them all ...

the MOST precious Christmas card of all ...

from my grandson ♥♥

A reminder on my kitchen bulletin board ~ Downton Abbey returns January 5th :-)

{my son gave me the entire Downton Abbey C.D. set for Christmas} 

 Advent tags ...

 and prayers ...

a surprise in the mail today :-)

 thrilled to have my STITCHED HEARTS

 "stitched with love"  published in the Jan/Feb/Mar 2014 issue

 of the stampers' sampler magazine.

 found in my fortune cookie

keeping this on my desk :-)

May you be blessed

with warmth

in your home

love

in your heart

peace

in your soul

and joy

in your life

~Irish Blessing~

***

Happy New Year

♥D

Crystal snowflakes ...

Because of the ice making walking tricky,

we haven't been on our regular hikes with Archer ...

as we headed out yesterday

into an area that is still dealing with ice (twice the size of the branches it clings to)

we were more aware of our surroundings than usual ...

the warmth of the sun created an eerie crackling as we walked...

it was like having crystal chandeliers over you

we were surprised to hear the sound of a few tiny chickadees

but always carry a small container  of seed with us in case ♥

looking through a curtain of icy branches to the running stream below ...

signs of walkers and snowmobilers  before us ...

and lots of sweet paw prints xo

Archer met up with lots of doggie friends all happy to be out

I think I take a photo of this nest every time I pass :-)

it has withstood the elements ...

what a testament to the way it was built!

keeping those still without power in our thoughts & prayers ♥

Forests,

lakes and rivers,

clouds and winds,

stars and flowers,

stupendous glaciers

and

crystal snowflakes,

every form of animate

or inanimate existence

leaves its impress

upon

the soul

of man

~Orson Swett Marden~

 

 

Christmas moments & memories ...

Archer in the garden ...

and in his Christmas outfit :-)

the bird's

&

squirrels

Christmas tree

♥

clementine slices strung across branches

figs

and

peanut butter

'Santa buttons'

***

I did this with my children every Christmas when they were little, and this year

had so much fun sitting at the kitchen table with my grandson

stringing 'Santa buttons'

for the birds tree.

It's a little different each year, using what we have.  Some years it is popcorn strings and other times cranberry ...

 and just like our treats ...it won't take long before it is all gone.

Made lots of cable knit cowls this Christmas

lined with fleece

and a little snip of vintage lace doily & button closure

with some fingerless gloves

{I like to pull these over my regular thin gloves ... they are handy when out with the camera... }

and our "new" tradition ... mouse in the house {our little take on elf on the shelf).

My grandson LOVES mice ... so I made a little grey mouse ... hid him all through the house ...

and listened for squeals of delight when he was spotted ♥

Hope your Christmas was filled with wonderful moments & memories. xo

Merry Christmas ♥ ...

from

 our home

to

yours ...

A Very Merry Christmas

xo

Winter SolstICE ...

the ice was here

the ice was there

the ice was all around

it cracked

and growled

and roared

and howled

like noises

in a swound.

~Samuel Taylor Coleridge~

A Vintage Christmas ♥ Comfort & Joy # 12 ...

Good old fashioned board games ...

I find lots of old games during my summer garage sale hunts ... especially Scrabble & I always pick them up ... the tiles are great for crafting.

This is our families "original" Scrabble board & it has seen lots of family game nights

 over the years :-)

In our family room we have a huge, oversized foot stool that doubles as a coffee table &

I like to drape it with a wool blanket and put the scrabble board out with a big silver tray full of scrabble tiles over the holidays.

With friends dropping by through the week & weekend, it's fun to have something out for them to do while I am in the kitchen getting coffee & treats ready :-)

I also have a bowl of magnetic words ... same idea

with a little note left ♥

A Vintage Christmas ♥ Comfort & Joy #11...

These past few days,

Mr. Fox has been on the needles ...

a simple garter and stocking stitch knit

with a little loop at the back

 to join fox tail to neck

and keep a little grandbaby

warm this Christmas ♥

 my little woodland fox

glass ornament supplied the colour inspiration ...

for both the fox scarf & hat

along with Beatrix Potter

&

'The Tale of Mr. Tod'

 &

Animal Hats

by

Vanessa Mooncie.

I absolutely love this book

& while Mr. Fox was my favourite and 1st make from it,

the sweet bunny hat may possibly be 2nd on the needles

but that will happen after Christmas :-)

 and my 'pom pom maker'

which makes the perfect sized, fluffy, pompoms...

I re-use the paper spool from ribbon.  Simply pop out the middle.

Linking with Yarn Along today.