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Holly and Ivy

"The holly and the ivy, now are both well grown. Of all the trees that are in the wood the holly bears the crown. "

Just popping in

The sun is breaking through today --- and we've truly been blanketed in snow. Just wanted to pop in and share a few vintage snow images. Off to run Alekha to a girl scout activity, grocery shopping, and chores...have a wonderful sunday!

Snow Day

I had to grab my camera and run out to capture a few snapshots of Alekha in the snow on Friday afternoon. This is the stuff that childhood memories are made of! She built a wee snowman. I was impressed as she had the bottom and mid section completed, by herself, by the time I got outside, courtesy of past snowman making sessions with her Daddy! We engaged in a snowball fight, made a couple of snow angels and came inside to a warm house and had hot chocolate and gingerbread cookies. Look at the size of those flakes! Over hot chocolate, she asked me what it means when God sends snow. I told her that it's God's way of telling us to slow down and do acivities inside together. Winter certainly is a time for quiet reflection and introspectiveness, isn't it?

 

   Here's a vintage image for you, enjoy your Sunday!

 

Snow Babies

Just popping in to tell you to make sure you check this out - it's a great chance to win some fabulous prizes from 7 Gypsies, just for subscribing to the Gypsy Journal Blog. Who couldn't use a little gypsy love for the holidays? And while you're there - be sure to check out this gorgeous project from Vicki Boutin using Seven Gypsies Texture Rubbings.  

And you may hear the Christmas music a little earlier than planned - I was shopping today -- and there was Christmas music everywhere. I can't believe there are only a short few weeks until Christmas!

Here are some more sweet little snow babies... here's hoping for a white Christmas, with a soft powdery snow that sticks enough to make a snowman!

Digital Goodies - Holiday Tags

Have you checked out Deviant Art? It's a great site for free downloadable brushes and lots of other artistic resources for Photoshop. I was puttering around with some photoshop brushes and some vintage images and combined them to create some modern/vintage holiday tags/cards to share with you. You can resize them and print them out in the size you'd like (*personal use only please*)! I used the following brush sets with my vintage images:

Fashion Patisserie Labels by Rhonna Farrer (Two Peas in A Bucket)

Glitter Sparkles Brushes by Redheadstock   (Deviant Art)

Light Brushes by Lurker Patrol (Deviant Art)   (This last one made all the gorgeous lighted circles, an effect called "Bokeh" apparently, in the background of the photo) and very easy to do!

Enjoy!

Happy New Year!

So did you make any resolutions? I have made so many and been disappointed when I didn't carry through, that the only ones I have this year is to honor myself and to try and live each day to the fullest --- in every way that counts. Physically, mentally, emotionally. That way I don't have to have this seemingly uneachievable goal of losing 30 pounds, or a house that is perfectly clean and organized or any of those other impossible goals I have seem to set for myself in the past.

I love Ali's idea of choosing a word to focus on for the year. I think my word for this year is going to be HONOR. Because it talks to me about respecting myself, respecting what I choose to put in my body this year, respecting the words I choose to speak and how I choose to speak them. (I have been told I have an acid tongue and being a Gemini, I often jump into speech that I later wish to retract, sadder but wiser for not having thought it through). I have more than once had my foot in my mouth! I can be a bit short-tempered, sarcastic and quick to anger. Although I'm not much for cursing.There are far more eloquent ways to insult, lol!

A question for you -- would you like to see me continue to share vintage images in the blog? I would love to continue sharing all year through - I have seen some of you use the images in really lovely projects and am really glad that you could use them -- I still have plenty left to share but wanted your input on whether or not they are useful to most of you who visit this blog. Also I'd like to know if you prefer the staged photo scenes, or illustrations, or a mix of both?

Here is a lovely New Year greeting, probably German:

Oh one last bit of goodness to share! Be sure to check out Kari's blog -- she's hosting a fantastic new subscription based blog called A Year of Color and I have the honor of being a guest designer for the month of March. Each month will focus on a specific color and she's got all sorts of ideas and inspirations - projects, crafts, photos etc. that you are going to enjoy, not to mention a stellar lineup of contributors that I'm honored to be in the company of! The cost is just $1 a month - you can't beat it - it's going to be loads of fun!

I have to work tomorrow - hope you have the day off and can enjoy the last of the holidays!

On the eve of this hopeful new year...

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

-Emily Dickinson

 

This baby new year that is upon us has his work cut out. 2008 has been a year of great personal challenges for me and for so many other people. It is a year that I will never forget. Despite the many hardships that so many endured, I hope that there were some wonderful things that happened too, in your world. As for me, I prefer to focus on the wonderful things, not so much the hardships. I always want to see my glass half full rather than half empty.

I am thankful for gainful employment that enables me to work from my home, I am thankful for a child who humbles me everyday with her love, for an amazing husband who supports my passions, and for a wonderful family and friends that are always there for me. I am thankful that I have art in my life to be passionate about. I am thankful for all of you who I call my online friends, who care to visit me and leave comments on my blog - they mean more than you know.  I will celebrate the end of a difficult year, and raise my eyes to the hope of happy times ahead. Happy New Year to you and yours, and may your celebrations be safe ones.

Love, Ranjini

The Undressing of the Christmas Tree

Apparently I couldn't wait until after the New Year to take the tree down. The last time I was this eager about purging myself of a Christmased house, I was three months pregnant and had full fledged morning sickness. The smell of pine and coffee together sent me running to the bathroom to gag. I have that same feeling, but I am definitely not pregnant. Hormonal, yes. Pregnant, no.

For one thing, we'd been living with it engulfing our tiny great room (the word "great room" is a misnomer in our house). And it was lovely while I had visions of sugarplums dancing in my head. Now I just want everything put away and organized, and better yet, someone else to do it all for me. That of course, is not happening, but I did get the tree down and all the ornaments safely put away for next year without a single broken ornie this year! How's that for ambition!

Now, if only I could look this dreamy with a Christmas tree draped over my back as I haul it down the basement steps.

Another Christmas Past...

How was your Christmas? Hope it was wonderful. I got back before Bobby and Alekha from Nashville yesterday to a frigid, cold house. I had to come home early as I had to work today. I came in expecting a warm, welcoming house after an arduous journey (the airport was a nightmare - waited in line for nearly an hour at the skycap baggage check!) only to find that the batteries in the thermostat had died, and with it, so too had all the heat. We were lucky that that the pipes didn't burst. It was cold and rainy but not yet freezing cold -- so we lucked out. It finally heated back up to normal eight hours later but made for a miserable evening.

I had so many plans for yesterday but was so cold I could do little else but sit by the fire with a cup of tea and watch tv. I considered going out to Barnes and Noble, but it was pouring rain and too, I was pmsing so was just in a pretty miserable state of mind all around!

Anyway, glad the heat is back up and the workday is over. I had to change my playlist (and my blogheader) out right away - I love Christmas music but I can only take about a month of it. I think I can manage the decorations for another week. They'll be going down pretty soon after that though!

Have you seen the sneak peeks of Jenni Bowlin's upcoming kit for January? Mine landed in my mailbox today and it is so incredibly gorgeous. Pale pinks, silvers and whites -- the *perfect* color combination for a quiet winter's day. Jenni's doing a giveaway too so go signup after you ooh and aah over it. Her eye for vintage color combinations is unparalleled.

Here's an image - I'll try to post a few more later today -- I need a hot cup of tea and some uninterrupted creating time now!

Hark, the Herald Angels Sing...

   

Merry Christmas to the world, and to you, wherever your little corner of the world is. May 2009 be the year of peace for all.

Love, Ranjini