Winter Wonderland

There's something magical about that first big snow....maybe it will be a white Christmas after all.

We didn't get as much as expected but it was a white winter wonderland out there this morning. 

It was just wet enough to stick to the trees....but not wet enough to make a snowman.  I would have if I could have. 

I looked up to admire the red berries in the snow....and there was the underside of a nest.  You just never know what little surprise will show up.

Simple Design

"There are things you do because they feel right & may be the real reason we are here: to love each other & eat each other's cooking and say it was good." Brian Andreas

We had a few neighbors in for happy hour this evening. We shared stories, ate some food...and laughed a lot...and it was good!

A simple tree design for a homemade card exchange with Roseanne.  Every paper strip has gold accents....my trees almost always have a little bling.  

I started with a strip of double sided tape down the center of tree shaped base then covered it with the strips of paper. I sewed it onto a card to secure the strips.

Carolers

I have just a few memories of Christmas caroling....mostly with youth groups. And I'm enjoying Christmas music more than ever this year while I'm puttering around the house.  Maybe it's the joy of retirement....but this Advent season has been been calm and bright.  

I've always loved this little caroler....

...and I always pair it with this beautiful candle that was a gift from Jane. The backdrop is an amazing cross stitch from Patsy. I have wonderful friends!

I refinished the desk it sits on when I was in high school...and it's been in every house I own.  It's maybe one of the only pieces of furniture that I've always had as an adult. It was tucked upstairs in the guest room in Lexington....but it has a perfect central spot here at the condo. 

Speaking of carolers....I finished my puzzle...and it included some sweet little carolers.

This was a fun one!  It's ready for you Margie if you want it....and anyone else who wants to borrow it.  All my puzzles are available to share.

And there's always one in the wings....

....and it has carolers too!

Brave Little Bloom

I had a pretty good day today....but there was nothing that brought me more joy than a text from Marilyn, a good friend of my sister Angie who passed away almost a year ago.  

Several years ago Angie shared a piece of her anemone with Marilyn's sister Shirley....and just this past spring Shirley shared a piece with Marilyn. That's what plant people do. 

Marilyn wrote on to say that "It didn't bloom all summer but very late this fall this brave little bloom appeared! It has survived a few nights of below freezing and is still beautiful amidst the fall leaves....reminding me of Angie."  

Angie was a brave, beautiful soul....and I can't think of a better way for her to be remembered.  

Thank you Marilyn for sharing your story giving me a wonderful Christmas moment of a different sort.

Back Home...

....where it belongs.

Paul and I have several routes we walk in the morning....and today we hit the jackpot!  Do you see what we saw?

Yes...there's a GIANT abominable snowman and a very tiny santa.....but there are also a couple of blow up beach ball ornaments. 

One red one here....and a blue on on the front steps. This has to be the home of our most recent found object.  

The house is about a 1/4 of a mile from where we found the ornament...and it had to turn a couple of corners to end up on our access road.....I guess that was quite a wind storm. 

So this afternoon I took another walk and knocked on the door.  

I met Rachel....and I told her my story and showed her a photo of her extra large ornament hanging on my tree. We had a good laugh about it all.

She offered to let me keep it...but I thought it needed to be back home where it belonged.  She said there were originally 6....so there are three more out there somewhere waiting to be found. I wonder if they will also make it back home.

Three Shupe Women....

...and their puzzles.

I'm especially loving my puzzles during this time of Advent.....and this new one is just a delight. I started with the houses....

....then moved to the Christmas trees....

...then on to the people.  The rest will be a challenge...but I welcome it!

Don't you love the little band!

This fabulous one was finished on Margie's board today...and she's already started on the next one.

And Liz texted me this photo with the caption..."The puzzle table is officially inaugurated!" It's the "Readers Paradise" puzzle I gave her for Christmas last year. When I visited in November I picked it out as the first one to do on her table in her new library. And....she is a collector of readers. Pretty perfect don't you think?

https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2021/11/24-hours.html

The Shupe women love their puzzles.

Togethery

"Christmas is a togethery sort of holiday," said Pooh. "That's my favorite kind" said Piglet. 

I hosted my stitching buddies this afternoon for happy hour/dinner.....it's always good to be togethery.

That kicked me into gear to finish my sprucing up...including putting together a centerpiece inspired by Gallery Twist in Lexington.  

This was the inspiration....a beautiful large glass bowl filled with cranberries and eucalyptus.  

This is my version....using my small glass bowl.  I already had this fake Christmas sprig on hand and wanted to use is somewhere. I didn't want it sitting right in the water with the cranberries....so I added a separate small vase inside the bowl for the plant so it could stay dry....and it helps hold it upright. The vase also disperses the cranberries so it appears there are more. I'm pretty happy with it. Now...how long will the cranberries last???

Yes....yesterday's large ornament is still on the tree....and when the sun setting in the late afternoon it actually looks lit.  It still makes me laugh.

Because I picked up....I can even do a wide shot.  That's not always the case for me....I'm a bit of a plopper. I've always said I need to have company...or a party once in a while just so I'll pick up and clean a bit. Thank goodness Christmas is a togethery kind of holiday.

Going for a Laugh

Today is the Sunday of JOY in the liturgical season of Advent....and there's nothing more joyful than a good laugh.

There's an exit going out of our condo complex that is open for bikers and walkers but closed to cars.  It's a bit overgrown....and I/we walk that way more days than not....there's always something interesting to see.

This morning we saw this....likely blew in during last night's storm. Not your typical found object.

There are no houses right nearby...so we had no idea where it belonged.  As Paul and I walked we tried to find similar beach ball ornaments so we could return it.....but no luck. 

So you won't be surprised that it came home with us....and while Paul was out this morning I added one more ornament to the tree.....I was going for a laugh. I did get a chuckle out of him....but I laughed every time I saw it....so it's going to stay for a while.

And the silly thing is a few days ago Paul asked me to move a few breakable ornaments on that side of the tree because he kept bumping them when he went out the sliders.  But this one is not in the way....too much. 😉  He'll humor me....for a while.

I am going to put a photo on Parsons Pond Facebook page and maybe even on the local neighborhood site because I would like to get this back to where it belongs. But for now...it's just going to make me laugh.

We had a visitor late this afternoon....and we watched him eating one of our pumpkins for quite some time.  If you zoom in you can see it in his mouth. 

This young buck also was going for a laugh...and if you check out the video on my Instagram page and you'll see why: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXZpE90pfTH/

Joyful Santa

"We're all just walking each other home." Ram Dass

I turned one of my papercut collages into a birthday card for Marita. I took her lunch today to celebrate.....and it was so good to catch up.  

I do love all the layers of the collage....and I'm looking forward to getting back to art after the holidays. I'm in my own little season of Advent...the season of waiting.

The Christmas tour around the condo continues....I'm enjoying sharing my little Christment moments. This little vignette is in the living room....and it was the perfect spot for my little star lights.

Paul gave me this joyful Santa years and years ago....and it always has a place or honor. It's one of my favorite Christmas decorations!

I have a good view of it from my puzzle table....I could sit here for hours enjoying the lights, the woods, and whatever puzzle is on the table.

Speaking of puzzles....I finished the Vintage Ornaments yesterday....thanks for loaning it to me Margie!

Here's what's on deck....I've already started sorting. It's going to be another fun one.  JOY!

Pile of Matches

I've been making Christmas matches for Folly 101 for more years than I can remember...and just today this image came across my Instagram feed. 

I think the silver pine tree candle holder is just lovely....and the little pile of matches on the side made me smile.

https://www.instagram.com/folly_101/

A few weeks ago I spent an evening cutting papers....and then during 2 episodes of The Great British Baking Show the next day got them glued on the boxes. I have the assembly line process down to a science.

It's one of the mindlessly mindful projects I enjoy. Folly 101 is a beautiful store and is at 101 Exchange Street in Portland, Maine if you're ever in the area.  

https://www.folly101.com/

Simple Things

 "Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."  Winnie the Pooh

Paul and I got this homemade card from my sister-in-law Ann.  The simplicity of it captured my heart....it may end up being my favorite.

I've always enjoyed arranging my kitchen window sill for the seasons...and these little globe lights on a timer make it come to life in the evening.

I love my red and white striped elf corner with the little tree I made out of felt fitting right in. The Elves used to visit out house from December 1st until Christmas and leave a little something on the coffee table for our boys.  The whole story is here: https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2015/11/traditions.html

The greens are done....time for blues.

And this just can't be explained. After Janice backed into her driveway this is what she saw in the road.  Sometimes simple things don't need an explanation.....they just land in our day to capture our hearts.

So remember to pay attention...a little love may show up in an unexpected place.