Every thyme I think my to do list is getting shorter.............another item is added to it

I'm feeling rather BAH - Humbug today

I'll spare you all the details of how

what can go wrong will go wrong

but

yesterday was just one of those days......

Remember all the baking I did this weekend for gifts?

I put cookies in this beautiful tree jar

and 

wrapped them with a beautiful bow

for my aunt and uncle

well

My Mom and I set on on a bitter cold day

to deliver gifts

I had put the cookie jar in a box

just for travel

we made several stops including lunch

we got back in the car

and as I turned the car on I heard 2 very loud

POPS

My Mom and I looked at each other and said

"whats that?"

then we heard

SHATTERING GLASS

THE COOKIE JAR COMPLETELY SHATTERED

I don't know if it was the cold or what

I just wanted to cry

sooooooooo

I owe my aunt & uncle

more cookies after

Christmas

I came home to my kitchen counter looking like this

remember the

SANTA
hats I made for the backs of my chairs?

I was able to put the greens I wanted in them

it remains to be seen if I get to do the little gifts for each guest I had wanted to do...

I LOVE how they look

this is a beautiful arrangement that

Nancy

at

Country Plus

made for me

Nancy also did the brush trees on my table by the window

the Buyers Choice

Mr. and Mrs. Claus

were my mother- in -laws

I found them in a box at her house

she had never even opened the box and used them

also on the table with

Mr. and Mrs. Claus

of course

are the reinder

waiting for

the

BIG NIGHT

the

BEAUTIFUL

POINTSETTA

you also see on the table

my dear husband brought home!!!

and so..........

after what seemed like a day

of

what can go wrong

ALL IS CALM

AND

ALL IS BRIGHT

HERE

Hugs,

Lynn

Thyme for a wintry day

Blessed Be
this 
WINTRY DAY

 is a

 Viki Sherman 

design

 I've painted

from the book

Kindred Hearts

Last night we had a snowstorm here in New England

There were many school delays and closings

this morning

it looks so pretty out there

I'm so busy trying to finish all my gifts, shopping wrapping and  baking............

it's never ending it seems!

Hugs,

Lynn

Thyme for the magic to continue and a cup of cocoa

Have some cocoa and come on in.....

As I said in my previous post

 I have always called my preparations for the

 Holiday Season

MAKING THE MAGIC HAPPEN

so thats what I'm still doing...lol

I'm feeling a bit nostalgic

so

I thought I'd post an old picture of my children

on

CHRISTMAS MORNING

20 years ago to be exact

I loved seeing their faces on Christmas morning

it truly was magical

it made all the preparations

 leading up to it

worthwhile

One  year Andrew got this letter from

SANTA

There are 4 and 1/2 years between

Christopher & Andrew

Christopher had a mountain bike

and

Andrew wanted one so much!!

BUT

we thought Andrew wasn't quite old enough for one

so

SANTA

left this letter for Andrew explaining that he wouldn't be getting

his mountain bike for

 another year

I put the letter out every year on my desk at Christmas!

Every year I made ornaments for my chilldren

so that when they left home

they could take them with them

I had them do a thumprimt in ink

and I made a little mouse drawing out of it each year

they loved to see the different

thumb prints each year as they grew

I made these Santa's for them one year

the Santa's had a little tree in their hand

with their names on it

they each have quite a collection of ornaments

So many precious memories.....

WELL

back to reality

here is that stairway today.........

how I miss those little faces

at the top of the stairs on

 CHRISTMAS 

morning

I made some more

SANTA hats

 and put them on the posts

I put one on the top of the tree in the living room

and

made a list of who's

naughty and nice!

twiggy tree in living room

front door

I painted the  SANTA sign

This little sleigh is precious to me

My mother always made a flower centerpiece for our Xmas table

My  Dad who is no longer with us made the sleigh

for her arrangement one year

The reindeer (there are 4)

my husband made with my daughter Julie when she was about 5

These bears all join Santa and his sleigh and reindeer

my family room

 with stockings hung....

I made and embroidered them

with all our names

I don't think I have to tell

how tired one gets

MAKING THE MAGIC  HAPPEN

so this weekend I am having fun!!!

I am heading to

Cape Cod

for a girls weekend

with my mother and sisters

My oldest sister just bought a new home in

Brewster on the Cape

I made this sign for my sister

as a

THANK YOU

for having us all!

 I had this wreath made

by 

my friend 

Nancy

So here's hoping you all have a great weekend

I know I will!

Hugs,
Lynn

Thyme to answer a question.......Do you BELIEVE in SANTA???

I remember about 20 years ago

when my son asked me

Mom is there really a Santa Claus????

He caught me so off guard

I wanted so much to have him 

BELIEVE

there really is a Santa

So I said

"Of course there really is a Santa"

"Santa comes to all who BELIEVE in him

I found these beautiful red knit men's mittens at the store that year

I bought them and stitched white fur on them

I took them and smudged a little soot from the fireplace on them

On Christmas Eve

we left the usual plate of cookies, hot chocolate and carrots for the reindeer

on the table

After the kids were asleep

I put one mitten on the floor by the table

and

and the other by the tree

  I held my breath for Andrew's response

when he saw them

his smile brought tears to my eyes

because

I knew he still
BELIEVED
that night after I tucked him in bed
I went back to check on him

he was sound asleep

wearing Santa's mittens!!!!!

My kids are 30, 25 & 22

I still tell them Santa comes to all who
BELIEVE
I have always called my preparations for Christmas

MAKING THE MAGIC HAPPEN

so

 this is a little peek at what I did

today to make some magic happen
again

this

Christmas

I bought these Santa hats at the $1.00 store

I dipped them in my stain mixture

put them in the oven to dry

at 200 degrees

keep a close eye on them

PRIM Santa hats!

I took red check homespun and tore it in strips

made some rusty bells

I knotted the bells to each end of the strips

I used my glue gun to glue 2 strips to each hat

I tied a hat to each of the dining room chairs

I have 20 chairs in all !!!!!!!!!!

We store 10

and

 have 10 out

On Christmas Day I will fill the hats with small gifts for all our guests!

 

May you always

BELIEVE

in the

MAGIC

of 

CHRISTMAS

I DO!

Happy Painting!

Lynn

Thyme for a snowman family and snowballs

This is a slate I painted

that

depicts our family

Our children's names are

Christopher, Andrew and Julie

I even painted a "snow dog"

for COLBY!

It says

FAMILIES STICK TOGETHER

The design came from the book

This Old Bowl

by

Margo Wightman

Speaking of snowmen.....

you need 

SNOWBALLS

to make them

WELL

I've been making some

SNOWBALLS!!!!!!

just chill and shake well

how's that for an easy recipe???

I got this huge jar at a flea market for $1.00!

so I filled it with the snowballs I made

I tied it with a BIG red check homespun bow

The label is another great label from

Jan

at

Big Brown Dog Primitives

I made the snowballs fom styrofoam balls

I sprayed them with spray adhesive

and sprinkled with Diamond Dust......

WOW

I love that stuff!

I also put some snowballs in this

great narrow wood tray  I again found at a flea market

I added some greens

and

a grungy vanilla scented tag

that says

SNOWBALLS

for

sale

How's that for an easy centerpiece???

Happy Painting!

Lynn