Thursday, December 30, 2010

Busy Crafters

We've been busy bees around here with all the new crafts items that arrived for Christmas, Hanukkah and recent birthdays.

Renée got a book on doll making that reminded me of last year's Felties. It's called Wee Wonderfuls. Check out these great mermaids. I made the pink and purple slightly lopsided one. She made the blue (she's 10). The directions were easy, and we adapted to the supplies (felt and sparkly glue) and patience we had. We're looking forward to trying others in the book.



During the holidays we headed to a quilling workshop at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA. It was lots of fun. A quilling kit arrived for the holidays. Really all that's needed is some very thin paper and a quilling tool although a toothpick works in a pinch. We made snowflakes at the workshop and have been trying out other designs at home. Here's a bit of my work.


If you want to check out some great quilling pictures check out a post I did a while ago after visiting a paper crafts exhibit.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Back from the Fairy Woods

Back after a long hiatus. A busy happy week has brought me back...

Saturday we decorated our holiday tree with many Christmas and Hanukkah ornaments. There are balls and photos of the kids from years past. There are home made shell angels, glittery pine cones and embroidered hearts. There are collections of Tonka trucks, Harry Potter ornaments, ballerinas and princesses, etc. The kids did the whole thing themselves this year. I watched and took some photos.

Sunday off to church in our pajamas for a special breakfast before the service which included a Hanukkah song and a discussion of Jesus. At 4 pm we were back at church to sing Christmas carols on the church steps. It's a 50 year old tradition at this nearly 350-year-old church. I would have never thought a church would become such an important place for me. Somehow this Unitarian Universalist message is the one that has been inside me all along. My discomfort in every other religious house of worship I have ever visited made me so ready to identify with the love and tolerance preached here. It has been the most major change in my life since moving to Massachusetts. The church and the people I have met there are helping this place feel like home.

OK now onto other subjects... hope I haven't offended. Here are some cute photos I took in late Oct or early November. Enjoy...