Tis the Season for Poinsettias

A Chipboard Mini Scrapbook Album + My Mind's Eye with a little Pink Paislee + Velvet Poinsettias + Glimmer, Shimmer, Sparklies and this is what you get:

It's layered to reveal the different pages and add interest.  Lots of room for photos and memories.
I've put it in my Etsy shop here.
Here is the Video!
Cottage Blissings,
Melissa 

Cyber GoofBalls, the Inchie Swap, maybe the Twinchie swap

Here are the items I made for the Inchie swap last year:



Those were my attempt at Zentangles.....I had NO idea Zentangles had actual patterns until Brenda (hugs, sweet friend) told me!  In 2012!










These are the inchies I received in return:



This is one of my mixed media Mermaids made with handmade papers, various paints, fibers and, of course, my favorite go-to: Glitter!



Ugh! Can't seem to locate the Twinchie swap but I did find a swap I started participating in right as Hubby first got sick...I could only do one double page but I like the way it turned out.



In person it was much less jumbled looking...here is the other page


thiscottagebliss.blogspot.com

There are three pull up windows that have little messages....this is under one of the pull ups.




I have learned a lot in these few months since we/hubby came home from the hospital...and I am now focusing my efforts to Scrapbooking and related items.

Thanks for looking!
Melissa

Christmas Day

We had a lovely day!

My MIL came, which is very rare, and my mom. Hubby picked them up and we had lunch, a small gift exchange and pleasant conversation around the fireplace. It felt good, like it should be, like family and love.

Hubby cooked his amazingly tender turkey and mashed potatoes and gravy. Mom brought her squash casserole, corn pudding, cheese sauce and kibi. With a few additions and pies we were stuffed piggies and the food dishes looked barely touched.

MIL raved about my decorating and insisted I open a gallery for my artwork. So sweet and appreciated.

Christmas Day was relaxing and special.

Winter Window

Don't you love plants in a Kitchen window...and Christmas Cactus in bloom?





Coffee/Tea, a small kitchen garden...a lovely start to the day.

Getting Ready for Fall

Are you having those beautiful Fall mornings? Are the leaves turning beautiful shades where you live? Our first nice cool morning was Friday and today there was actually frost on the roof tops! So exciting to finally wave those upper 80 temperatures goodbye for a few months! Hubby and I ran errands and ended up at Michael's. We went in for glue and came out with a precious Feather Tree!

We wanted to set up the dining room for Thanksgiving and I am hoping to make a card out of one of the photos to use as invitations/greeting card...



Usually the first table is against the wall and holds desserts and such but Hubby liked the idea of it pulled out into the room.

This is the first year I have used the Fall houses and I love them! There is a church in the center and a house, the others are a cider mill, pumpkin patch and grocery store. I can see where collecting houses can get way out of hand! Who can avoid buying just One More? The mirrors are so very old and weather'd but I love 'em.





Here is the house and the church...



and the Cider Mill and Produce stand...we don't have many of these in Texas but Starbucks has an awesome pumpkin latte. I suppose we grab those Blissful moments however we can, where we can...then hold them dear.



Hubby saw it before I did. He is just that amazing. So he decided I need a white feather tree for my Birthday. No way was I going to say no...I love the way it looks with the fall leaves woven throughout.

Think I'll leave this up year around and change it out with the different holidays.



And one day, maybe my little grandkids will step up to my grandmothers sideboard, now painted white, and will play with the little people and animals in the scene and wonder about them.

Happy Fall, Y'all!

****************PS******************

Soon as I hit the publish button I realized I hadn't hung up my sign that JenniferB made.

So, here is the way the dining room looks now...



AND....since I didn't get a good photo of the little 'tree skirt' wrapped around the feather tree, I had to retake that photo, too. Made it last year from a pattern mimicking a Cathedral Window quilt. Have it on Etsy, reworked so it doesn't pucker in the middle and boy does it go together fast!



Enlarge that photo with the sign, I love the way she did it. She needs a blog...I'll run tell her...be back soon.

You must see this short video!!

I just love it, think you will too!

Copy Paste this into your location bar....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVV_HXtEbLo

Snow and Soup just go together!

Looking out the window this is what we see:







The shrubs are about 10 feet tall, laying over they aren't even 6 feet tall. My clothes line was weighed down to the ground...we don't see this very often so we take photos...crazy Texans...lol!

Hubby made the most yummy broccoli cheese soup! He cooks by imagination. I had two loaves of bread left over so I sliced them into croutons, toasted them, sprinkled on minced garlic and drizzled melted butter over them.







Perfect lunch beside the fireplace while admiring the snow. Definitely a Carb-Addict's Delight!