When Harry Met Sally

Chris was the type of guy who so badly wanted a girlfriend in high school only to find he was every girls best guy friend. As parents we gave our son the only advice any parent could, "Don't worry about girls. Study hard so you can get into a Good College."

The Good College goal accomplished, Chris was determined to be one half of a couple before the end of the first week. A different girl was brought home for dinner four nights in a row, each one not the right one.

And then on the last day of the week, Chris looked across his Place to Be for the next four years and spotted of all things, a girl theater stage hand wielding a hammer as he would himself. He lay down his electrical lighting cable and approached the girl.

"I think you're kind of cute!" And the girl said,

"I think you're kinda cute, too!"

It was True Love at First Sight. Now if only he could get up the courage to Kiss the Girl. An out of the way spot was needed on a campus where your business was everybody's business. The seldom used Computer Lab, the perfect place to be alone.

Everyone had their own computer! The only people who ever came to the lab were the College Tour Guides.

"We provide the finest facilities here at Ohio Wesleyan for all your student's needs." A light switch turned on.

A first kiss to always remember. The day Harry Met Sally.

Chris and Tammy will celebrate their third Wedding Anniversary on Halloween. They are still as much in love as the last day of the first week of college, and they are still talked about on each College Tour!

For Personal Use Only, Please.

Winter in Annapolis

My earliest memories of Christmas are those that came in Annapolis. My father drove to work every morning in our little red car, my mother busied herself with my new baby brother. The absence of knowing we had so little, a precious gift. A brand new sled expected under the tree.

The gifts you remember all of your life, are the ones hoped for the most. Christmas day spent on nearby hilly slopes ended only when hunger called. My new sled left by the front door was never seen again.

Left in it's place was a monstrosity another child didn't want. An eagle clutching arrows across it's back, red runners keeping it high above the snow. Flexible Flyer, emblazoned across it's steering slats. I never wanted to sled again.

For every winter that would come with snow in my childhood, a secret about my sled would gladden my heart. It's ungainly size allowed it to slid through the deepest of snow faster than any other. I would wait through endless taunts until just the right moment. A race to the finish, I knew I would win.

Every child should have such a special moment when they know they are the best. Shy and withdrawn all the months of the year, bold and courageous in the months with snow. even if only under the lamplight cast through a dark winter's night.

I love the coming of winter with all of my heart. My spirit soars with the anticipation of the first snowfall, and the sweetness of the memories brought about by a sled.

 

THANK YOU ELAINE, Honeysuckle Hollow FOR MY WONDERFUL SANTA HOUSE!

White Christmas

I believe all children look for special moments with a parent to call their own. Everyday strife can be put away easily each time the moment comes again. Such was the case with my mother and me and our favorite movie, White Christmas.

I would wait for the moment when my mother would say, "I use to wear dresses just like those."; and she would wait for me to exclaim, "Oh, I love how he turns a table napkin into a winter wonderland!" When I came across Martha Stewar's skiing diorama, I just knew I had to create a version to recall my own special moment with my Mom, all my own.

Oh how this project reminds me of my mother who was an artist. I felt as though I was painting with paper. I drew upon all the images I have tucked away of the beautiful snow scenes she was noted for.

I learned from my mother that everything is about color. Vintage cards that call to me, do so because of their color and not their subject. Most all boxes of vintage cards will come with red, blue, white, and brown hued cards. I have used all of these to create my letters.

I began this project by pinking quadrangles from the cards. I divided the colors into "snow", "transitioning into sky", and "sky". You can see how the poinsettias provide the perfect transition color by having both red and white in the pieces.

Vintage cards work so beautifully with Mod Podge. Apply a thin coat to area you will place paper piece, apply a thin coat to back of paper, position, apply thin coat over top of paper, smooth with finger tip. Repeat with each piece placed. DO NOT PAINT your cardboard letters as the Mod Podge will pick up the paint and color your images.

I was always so embarrassed when my mother would sing the songs of White Christmas out loud not realizing I would do the same with my own daughter, and she secretly would know all the words as well.

"SNOW IS BLUE!" Countless times my mother would tell her students as they painted their own snowscapes. "Cerulean Blue, a little yellow, a little Allizaron Crimson, and then, only then Titanium White." I remember these names as though they were loved ones. You can see how I have transitioned the white with the use of yellow and pink.

The Neighborhood with the Hills, and my own home nestled at the bottom of the Halfway Woods. I loved how the deep winter snow would turn our streets into sledding hills for days and days. Fathers were so careful not to drive down the center when they came home from work.

Truly, this is such a special project and a very easy one as well. Any cards will do when divided into the three categories. Thinned Tacky Glue was applied to the "snow" and sprinkled with MS shard glitter. The little elves are made from paper clay.

 A Place to Be through the winter months, my White Christmas poster just to the right, my mother's heart now within my own. JOY

Bigsby's Department Store

It is very late in the night here at Creative Breathing, the most magical time of all in my craft room. It is the time when my characters reveal themselves to me in their completion and come forth with the story they wish to tell.

THE SCENE: BIGSBY'S DEPARTMENT STORE, the night before the Thanksgiving Parade. The store elves excitedly await their assignments for the big day.

The most coveted role of all is leading the parade. Interviews are held.

Uncertainties arise. "I think I'm too new."

"Overhead balloons? We're used to holding our arms outstretched. Not a problem at all."

"Tree Lot AGAIN?"

"Where are our Union representatives? At the potluck!"

"Did you try some of the Cheesy Potatoes?"

"Union Rep here!"

Last minute discussions.

"I've made up my mind!"

"Attention, Please! The leader of this year's Bigsby's Department Store Parade is ....."

What a successful day!


Magical. These characters are all so sweet, I just couldn't wait until the snow flies to share them with you. (They will all be in my Etsy shop the first Friday in December.) A thank you to Laurie, Magpie Ethel for all that she inspires!

Discovery

Yesterday, I had an epiphany as I searched hopefully the aisles of Jo-Ann Fabrics for Martha Stewart Clear Glitter. It was my third stop for the elusive sparkle as every other store seemed to be already sold out.

I have already crafted enough holiday fare to share with you every day the temperature is below 50 degrees, and it isn't even Halloween yet.

What am I going to do for all of the days of November?

Discover. I am going to discover all the rest this community has to offer by winding my way through blogs up to now have been unknown to me. What a treasure this Pinterest will be to me!

Just like the binders I used to print and paste craft ideas I so wanted to make, I will now use Pinterest to keep track of the wellspring of ideas I can't wait to share.

Crafty Pod is the first blog I have discovered wherein you will find an Easy as Can Be TUTORIAL to make these wonderful sparkly snowflakes. Be sure and watch the video, but then skip all of the following steps.

A simple punch of card stock and hot glue make this a craft taking only minutes. I love their vintage goodness!

You are very welcome to visit My Pinterest to see the projects I hope to make, the places that inspire me, and a glimpse into my thoughts. And please do let me know if you are also on Pinterest as I would love to see what inspires you. So this is what I will be doing for the month of November!

Visiting Halloween

I still pinch myself to have found this wonderful community of women who so generously inspire with their creativity. I have so enjoyed each and every blog that I have visited this Halloween season and have spent this day making the crafts that I have found...... with some rather funny results!

Has anyone checked to see if Vivian's shoes are pointy?  Anyone who decorates this fabulously and colorfully and delightfully spooky just has to have a Witch Hat or two to be found.

And she has a gaggle of friends who know how to party black and orange. I love that Vivian and her friends will get together to make such Cute as Can Be decorations. "Oh my gosh!", I told myself. "If I can't join them, I can at least have an adorable spider or two of my own!"

Vivian's post should read, "Don't try this at home!" Yi yi yi, what travail I had crafting these cuties. Note to self, print an image of said cute spiders. After painting their heads ORANGE, I thought something did not look right.....several trips to the computer later.....they look like me! Even their legs, all six of them are straight!

A stop next to see Laurie's fabulous vintage Halloween collections in her beautiful home that seems to be THE PLACE for witches to gather,

had me thinking again that I could make the cute, fat black cat with his buckle belt. I did make an image this time .....

but something went terribly wrong in the glitter department. Martha Stewart, are you telling me that glitter called "Caraba Marble" is not the same glitter I usually use even thought it looks EXACTLY the same? My cat looks like he has the MANGE!

AND how did I miss that Laurie's cat is suppose to have arms!!! I made a mangy AND armless cat!

So how do you know when you have come to your Halloween crafting limit for the month? WHEN YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE EXPIRES!!!! Glue gun unplugged, Caraba Marble glitter set aside, a trip to Michael's for Christmas glitter can not be delayed a single moment!

AND THEN there was the "bird" behind the counter who would not look at me as she spoke words she utters hundreds of times a day. "Put my glasses on? Take them off? The line to the left? The line to the right? Do I want to donate my kidneys???  I CAN'T UNDERSTAND A WORD YOU ARE SAYING." (Diane's lovely bird).

And just ONE MORE THING my Dear Friends. I only needed one more little teeny tiny bow for my witch ornaments, and above you see how much red gingham ribbon I had left. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS....

My last ribbon was made, Cute as Can Be ornaments on their way to Lynn. (please contact me with your address at elizabeth.andrus@yahoo.com)