Adorable, Personalized, and Cheap!

Last year our daughter gave us an adorable personalized ornament for Christmas.   And ,I, the self-professed non-crafter thought, “I can do that”…”maybe”.  Today is DELIVERY Day!

I have a small group of friends I call the “ lunch bunch”.  We’re meeting today and I wanted to give them all a “happy”.  We’re all trying to conserve and besides, I wanted these to be personal.

I’ve been working for a few mornings and evenings after dinner.  Once I did the first couple and perfected “my craft” :), the process went quickly!

I used some large and some small non-breakable ornaments, paint pens, and acrylic paint.

Each family member’s name and the date were put on with a thin tip paint pen and a ribbon was attached to the top.

Each one was wrapped in a clear snack or gift bag with “grass” to protect it and tied up with left over ribbon.  Cute and best yet…almost no expense at all!  It might be a little late for this year, but remember this one!

Merry Christmas….Don’t forget to take time to enjoy the miracle!~~Susan

Christmas…Another Perspective

The last week before Christmas is upon those of us await the celebration of our Saviour’s birth.  So much to do; so little time to do it.  I read something last week that really made me stop and think….made me want to put it all into perspective.  I thought you might enjoy it too.

 

Inspired by Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Dr. Charles Webster wrote:

If I decorate my house perfectly with bows and strands of light, but do not show love, I am just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table, but do not show love, I am just another cook.

If I volunteer at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing homes and give away a lot to charity, but do not show love, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with golden angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend holiday parties and sing in the church choir concert, but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss one’s partner.  Love stops the cooking to hug the child.  Love is kind, though harried and tired.  Love does not envy another’s home with coordinated Christmas china and table linens.  Love does not yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.  Love does not give to only those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who cannot.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.   Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust….but the gift of love will endure.    

I think Dr. Webster has been peeking in my windows :)  Give yourself a break…take time to enjoy the miracle!~~Susan

Comfort to Celebrate Joy

It’s not that I don’t love you any more. I do. Really. I do. It’s just that life has bumped up a notch around here. Several notches really….but all very happy notches :)

You may remember I told you back at the end of October that our youngest son proposed to his high school sweetie. Well, This past Sunday called for another celebration! I broke my own “no-Sunday-cooking-except-on- the- grill” rule, set the table, arranged flowers, and COOKED for the entire clan.

It gave me a chance to use the cute salad plates I bought from Walmart….the ones that go in the dishwasher :) I even used jingle bell ornaments from Walmart as napkin rings.

No time for a fussy arrangement….one Kroger bouquet split between three Dollar Tree candle holders. I love doing several low arrangements instead of one big one. Odd numbers work well.

A little holly from the yard makes it an instant “Christmas arrangement”.

The meal was simple southern food—favorites requested by the guests of honor.

Waldorf Salad

Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

Crowder Peas

Hot Cornbread

Hot Fudge Pie with Peppermint Ice Cream

And what was the occasion for this celebration? Another wedding!!!!

Firstborn has proposed and we could not be happier!!! God has truly answered my prayers with these two young women who will soon join our family! So—big news for two of the three children and even more for the third one (more on that soon :). Let’s just say 2011 is going to be a BIG YEAR for this family!

Happy news and good food---truly Comfort and Joy!

Thanks for stopping by and mostly for not forgetting about me! I’ve left links for the cornbread and Waldorf salad recipes:) Stay calm and remember the reason for the season!~~Susan

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