Playing with my Header..

You might see a few different Christmas themed headers popup on my blog until I find one that I like.. not too crazy about the one above, alittle too unsymetrical for me. (NOTE: I have replaced it and love the one I now have) ;) If anyone would like a CUSTOM HEADER, FREE OF CHARGE, let me know, I love to play with Photoshop and can can create pretty much anything you would like, either using one of your photos or some of my my own. Think of it as a Christmas present for my blogland friends! Just leave me a comment or email me at damseldesigns@hotmail.com .

Knots and Bows..

Mary, over at the Little Red House had a fabulous post the other day with some dee-lish ideas for wrapping your holiday gifts. Now, I don't know about you, but whenever I try to tie even the simplest of bows it either comes out sideways or upside down. I did resort to tying all my gifts and little bundles for my shop upside down, but I knew there had to be a 'correct' way to tie a simple bow or knot. Well, I found it. (these were pulled from somewhere on the great Internet, I would give credit if I could remember from where) So, click on 'em, print these out and slip them in with your wrapping paper. They are invaluable when fumbling with bobbles, berries and beauties. The last thing you need to try to figure out, when the fake fruit and foliage is flying, is how to get your bow right side up.

♥ Enjoy!

The scribble on the knot sheet is courtesy of my two year old.. she likes to add her two cents whenever Momma's not looking. By the way, the day started with a cup of tea instead of Coke. (there is a penny soaking as I type.. just curious..)

A Blank Slate, the Wierd, the Random and the Funny...

Well, I got the kitchen table stripped and the mantle cleared off.. I tend to gravitate to symmetrical decorating. It must be a little bit of the mathematician in me. Pretty barren, eh?

***SOME IMAGES HAVE BEEN REMOVED***

Yesterday my mother came over and we were able to coral the children long enough to get a pic for Christmas cards. Since most you aren't on my mailing list, I can show them off! :) We placed a skid proof mat on top of the dining table, and then my wee daughter's Bumbo, and then placed a tablecloth over everything, slid the table towards the mantle and voila! we had a mock photo studio! The kids didn't move very far once they were on the table because I think they were afraid they might fall off. Or it was because I was yelling so loudly at them to behave, sit still, leave each other alone, look at me! and smile! Hello!?? Up here!! I need you guys to look up here!! It only took twelve pics to get this one. Some cropping, light adjustment on the computer and the cards are already ordered from Snapfish.com.

Here is the same fire place as above, just from the other side. Still a little bare, but symmetrical and neat. (the way I like things) they don't often stay that way.. but I try!

I also took some pics of my son. The school pictures always seem to come out either awful or hilarious and I wanted something this year that reflected him, not the photo company machines that stack and shuffle the children. I took about thirty and got 4 that I really like. We sang the Macho Man song and I got him to smile and laugh in a couple. Above is my favorite.

OK.. I've been tagged to share with you three things about myself.. the random, the weird and the funny.

the Random.. My father was in the Air Force and I grew up in Europe. Mostly Germany, but I also lived in Italy for a spell. I was able to visit Russia when it was still under Communist Rule. Wow. that opened my eyes.

the Weird.. when I was in college I had a partially shaved head, blue hair (what was left) and a pierced eye brow and I got a tattoo.. (I still have the tattoo)

the Funny.. we are a middle class family, very comfortable and secure. If I have $20 dollars, I take a trip to the local junk shop instead of the clothing store. I only have two pairs of pants (one of which I bought a week ago!) Almost all my socks are worn so thin they have built in air conditioning and most of my clothes are hand me downs from my mother and grandmother. (perhaps I should ask for some clothes for Christmas.. NAAAAHHH!! I want a gift card to Micheal's and some cash for my junk shop addiction!)

Gettin' my Holiday Mojo flowin'...

Ok.. the mojo thing for two reasons.. one, my husband loves the Austin Powers movies, second because Rosie, over at Rosies Whimsy has given me several fabulous gifts in the past few days! First I was one of the very lucky winners of her blog giveaway and she sent two of her FABULOUS Coat Hanger Cozies to me. Oh! They are just marvelous and the pics don't do them justice, so professionally made and just the perfect addition to my country, eclectic home! Thank you Rosie!! AND, that's not it!! She also passed along a Friendly Site Award to me! Yeay! So much love has really helped get my Christmas MoJo back! I have closed my Etsy shop early for the time being and I am going to focus on my family, decorating, my blog and making presents.

My son spent the night at a friend's house and I think that I might have done too much decorating without him. He likes to help, and I overdid it a bit. But that is an excuse to buy more decorations, right? I also have a tiny tree for him to decorate for his bedroom complete with lights and tiny ornaments. He adores the holidays and finds much peace and safety in family gatherings. The larger the better as far as he's concerned.

My art has definitely taken a backseat for the past few months. OK, since my daughter was born. It's hard to find the 'focus' and 'play' time that I need to create something. I usually like to work in silence, and you can not find any of that here right now. I haven't really been able to sew either. the machine is a magnet for tiny hands and I don't want to stitch my daughter to the machine. My mother got her fingers sewn to it one time and it wasn't pretty. that is why my shop has been so important to me. I don't make much, OK, nothing. but that's not why I do it. I have my Etsy shop to connect with other people outside of my little world, and I just love to wrap up 'presents' and send them along.
The nice notes and friendly people on the other end the net,

have just been fabulous. As well as all my friends in bloggerville. I feel like I have gotten to know so many of you so well. I enjoy every comment and every message so much. I get very little time away from my children and my home and you are my daily retreat from my reality. So, thank you to all who visit.

One of next posts is going to be a give away of some goodies from my shop and my heart so stop back by so you don't miss it!

Thank you!!

♥ Abbie

Oh!! I am passing along the Friendly Site Award to my dear friend Anke at the Artist in Me.. Her art and photos are just fabulous and she is the just about the nicest person I have yet to meet! ;) Please stop by her blog and say Hi!

In a Holiday Funk...

I love the holidays, but I find that the family gatherings just deflate me. We had a surprise guest at the dinner table yesterday, my brother, whom I wrote about here and here, came for the weekend. As I have mentioned before, he ships out to the Middle East in Dec and is the middle of a divorce. It was lovely to see him, and it was a complete surprise for our mom. She thought he was in Ohio with his children and that she wasn't going to see him before he shipped out. My father was also here from Canada, although he dines at my aunt's house, as he and my mother don't get along very well. It is an emotional roller coater when family gets together and we are about as dysfunctional as they come. Divorces all around and our fair share of vices to boot. It is nice to see them come, even nicer to see them go. I was so excited to decorate today. I dreamt about it for days. When the time came and all the boxes came down from the third floor, the spark just wasn't there. They are sitting in the formal living room, half opened. I put out a few things, but it's just not a happy thing for me right now, so I think I'll wait. Besides, I get the two year old to sleep and the baby starts screaming or vice versa. The Thanksgiving/Autumn decorations need to come down first too. Another job that just exhausts me thinking about it.

On a brighter note, here is my boy, Clyde, (of Bonnie and Clyde) feeling guilty about his theft of a stuffy. Later, the stuffy hit the can. Clyde had tortured him and the stuffy spilt his beans all over the living room floor. We do have Bonnie as well. They are brother and sister and I didn't realize when we brought them home, how appropriate their names would be. They drive me crazy and bark at everything. To give you an idea, Clyde barks at the reflection of the TV on the stainless steel fridge at night, or at the reflection off the skylights of the movement down below. He is as useful as a two headed nail, but I do love him and the house would be VERY quiet without them.

I stepped out of bed this morning and was already fretting about tomorrow. As I sneaked around so I wouldn't wake up T, I saw this view out my bathroom window. The master bath is open to our bedroom. (the toilet has its own water closet for privacy) It made me breathe. Took a breath, and calmed right down. It snowed almost all day yesterday and left a lovely dusting of white on the trees. Our home is 'minimally ' decorated, but with views out of windows like this, who needs 'stuff'? Besides, less dusting. So, tomorrow I will be thankful for the family, the friends, the food and the time, but today, I am thankful for my bathroom.

So far, the kitchen floors have been scrubbed, the cabinets cleaned, the house dusted, vacuumed, organized. I reshuffled the formal living room's bookcases, put away all of the bits and pieces that had strayed from their places, and have been working on a time schedule for baking, cooking and roasting. The grocery store is my next stop after blog land, followed by table shuffling, turkey cleaning (16 pounds), stuffing prep, and all the china needs a quick rinse. The linens need to be pulled out and pressed if time allows, and the children need to be cleaned.

And, unlike Martha, I don't have a slew of staff to help. Although child labor laws don't count here do they?

I hope everyone has a lovely holiday and stops to breathe for a moment and enjoy. I took my solitary breath this morning and probably won't breath again 'til Friday.

going loon-y.. hmmm...

Feeling a little loon-y with the upcoming holidays? I did manage to get my fridge cleaned yesterday and picked up most of the goodies I need for Thanksgiving dinner. I am expecting 15.
This lovely large Loon is an antique decoy from New York State. I just thought he was marvelous! Not quite life size, (Loons are large birds) he sits on my mantle next to a Loon print.

The weekend was quiet, but nice. T and I went to a birthday party on Saturday. It was a most delightful party, although it took her almost an hour before the shyness went away and she dared to climb down from my arms. We brought presents, and received the most delightful treats in return. (completely unecessary, but much loved!) Amber is so clever with knitting needles! Knitters are amazing to me. How, through weaving and boobling a string on two sticks you can create such beautful creations, I will never know. So, my respects to all of those out there who can knit, you AMAZE me! Am knitted up a bright pink sweater vest for T. Also she made a super soft chenelle washcloth for baby A and had some delightful vintage repro fabric bundles for me. Hugs Am! Thank you!!

The Cows are Laying Down..

An order, all packed up for a customer.

There is an old farmer's saying 'if the cows are laying down then rain's a comin'. Well, on my way to the store this afternoon, the cows were down, and rain is coming. Along with our first snow of the new season. The past few days have been ridiculously busy, with a sick two year old and plenty of orders to fill. I was finally able to breathe again once I hit the post office and sent out the last of my packages. I have put a hold on my shop for a few days so I can get my domestic engineering duties fulfilled. Made a beautiful lasagna for dinner tonight. Can you believe the last time I was in the grocery store I couldn't find regular lasagna noodles? They were all 'No Boil'. Well, this lady is a 'boil the noodle' kinda lady and it was very frustrating to say the least. Must everything be 'quick and easy'? In 8 days it'll be time to decorate for Christmas!! We don't shop the day after Thanksgiving, we decorate. Well, I decorate, and everyone else goes along for the ride. It is a whirlwind process that entails a massive overhaul of shelves, counters, lights, everything! Hopefully T will be feeling better this weekend, she has a birthday party to go to and we have already missed one playdate because of this cold. (I need the playdates more than she does!)

A frosty morning in the field..

New Living and Lovelies!

I got my new Martha Stewart Living in the mail today! It is full of the most fabulous Christmas decorating ideas and crafts. I sometimes wish that my shop didn't take up so much time, because I truly could fill my hours doing so many other lovely things! But, I LOVE preparing new trinkets and I will be having a NEW SHOP UPDATE, tomorrow, THURSDAY. I have come by some pretty little trinkets and vintage costume jewelry as well as some trims, lace and bits and pieces. I will also be adding more ledger pages, antique papers and wallpaper packs. Here is a quick preview. I'd love to be able to give a set time fo the update, but that is determined by my daughters. ♥ Hopefully by tomorrow evening I'll have most of the new items posted.

Prayers Answered? So quickly??

OK. It's ok. Like my daughter said. My brother got to Europe and they turned his unit around and he came home. Some kept going. But his came home. He is now safe and sound in KY. Talk about a roller coaster of emotions over the past few days. I want to THANK EVERYONE who commented on my last post, and perhaps all the prayers helped and that's why he came home so quickly. (but I never thought in my wildest dreams it would be the next day!)

It is a good reminder to us, though, of all of the other men and women still fighting and still at war. Still away from their families and loved ones. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers through the holiday season. It's because of them we can sleep soundly at night.

On a brighter note, The print on the left, is one I did a few years ago. Falling leaves in Autumn. I thought it was appropriate for the season. Not too much longer and the entire world up here will be browns and greys. All the leaves are falling from the trees and the color's almost past. That's when the snow can come. As far as I'm concerned, if it's cold, there might as well be snow on the ground to brighten up the landscape.

A few more weeks and I can decorate for Christmas, and I have to say, I LOVE it!! My most favorite time of the year.. isn't that how the song goes? It's nice to be happy again, and I must say, I got a lot of house cleaning done and all my orders out. Who knew nervous energy could be so productive?