On the 2nd Day Before Christmas....

We tried to take portraits of the dogs...

...but they weren't really in the spirit.

On the 3rd Day Before Christmas....

...we'll drink some spiked eggnog...

On the 4th Day Before Christmas....

I wish that it would snow...

and snow...

and snow....like it did back in 2010...

...but no such luck this year. I'll just have to settle for gazing at these pictures from Christmas past. 

On the 5th Day Before Christmas....

I tied a pretty bow....

For the Loss of Loved Ones

I don't have anything eloquent to say that hasn't already been said about Friday's events at Sandy Hook Elementary.

I just wanted to send out my love and prayers for the families and friends who've lost their loved ones. 

I hope the children get the love, comfort and support they will need to not feel fearful of the world. 

I want them to go on to live happy, full lives, for themselves and for the lost. 

Holiday Fridays

I don't know how you feel, but for me, Fridays are even happier during the holiday season, if that's even possible.

Here are a few more pictures from Christmas Past, 2011. 

I don't know what all the fuss is that I see about the "elf on a shelf", but this is my elf. He is handmade and I bought him several years ago at a Christmas Fair at the hospital where I was working.

He had a buddy, but I lent it to a co-worker so she could make a pattern of her own and I never got him back. My poor lonely elf. I think about his partner every year. Look at that precious ric rac hair. 

(And yes, I put Christmas bows everywhere.)

The garland on the tree below was cut out from an old calendar. 

I love all the colors it had it in. Kind of pinks and reds. 

You see the nativity on the white table above? My sister and her husband made those years ago. 

The figures are carved into the wood blocks and then painted. I love them.

Happy Weekend, and take it easy. 

Don't sweat it if everything isn't as perfect as you pictured in your mind. 

Christmas time is supposed to be peaceful. 

Dickens Village Christmas Past

Happy 12.12.12! A little more than a week until the end of the world! ;)

Today, I brought you my Dickens Christmas Village setup from the ghost of Christmas past, otherwise known as last year, 2011.

Maybe this will help with ideas for anyone else who is trying to set up their village, as I noticed a few search results for Dickens Village setup brought people to my blog.

There is really no rhyme or reason to setting up your village. You could set them up to look like a little village proper, or you could place them separately all around the house, which I did the first few years. I placed one building on each end table in my living room, I believe.

Now that I have more buildings, I like to set them up together and stagger the heights of the buildings. This way you can see them all, and it's just more visually interesting.  The buildings in the back are sitting on top of the boxes that they came in.

As for the "snow", the buildings are just sitting on top of white cloth napkins. I've tried to use the snowy batting-type of coverings in the past, but the little figurines, trees, and street lights have a hard time standing up on such fluffy surfaces.

I actually never had any of these figurines until Jason bought them for me/us last year. I don't know how I went this long without them. They really bring it to life, along with those trees. 

Here's a bit of trivia if you've ever wondered, as I did, why the figurines are about two times too large for the houses. On the Department 56 site:

Why are the accessories' figures not in the same scale as the lighted buildings?

Since the pieces are made of porcelain or ceramic, they shrink when they are fired, usually about 5% to 15%. If we made the accessories any smaller, the tiny details would be lost, such as the petals on a flower or the folds in a woman's shawl.

Oh, how I love those snowy trees. 

I posted the house below a few weeks ago. 

Let's take a closer look. 

There seems to be a Christmas feast going on here. 

Last year, there was a pre-lit tree sharing the spot with the Village. This year, that tree is in a different location and the village is on it's own, which is especially good, since we just added a new building to the collection this month. yay!  

I'll show you this year's set up soon. 

{UPDATE: See this year's set up here.}

In the meantime, watch this video. It's wonderful and daunting at the same time. I love my Dickens Village, but I will not be going to this level, ever. Though, I do admire their dedication and I would love to visit this in person! 

And after all this Dickens Village talk. We have to watch the 1999 version of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" with Patrick Stewart.  It's my favorite. Which version is your favorite?

Happy Christmasing! 

Pots for Poinsettias

Last year we received a Christmas tin full of popcorn.  

After the popcorn was eaten (which didn't take long), I was wondering what to do with the tin. 

Put your poinsettias in it! 

Just drop the whole pot in there, shiny paper wrapping and all. 

So, cute.

Doodle Bean!

 Just a doodle I drew while listening to Christmas music this lazy Sunday morning. 

Made with Paper

Christmas Doodles and Homemade Gift Tags

Happy Holidays! I am back today with some Christmas doodles and something for you!

A few years ago, when I was taking a drawing class and had all my art supplies at the ready, I sat down and made some doodles. Obviously, it must have been around Christmas time when I did these, and a couple I actually used for Christmas cards.  

 These are all drawn with markers and india ink. This door below was my Christmas card one year. 

 Have you made your own Christmas cards before?  I know my sister makes her own cute cards with stamps, photos and pretty cardstock. I think it would be cute to use your kid's artwork, too.

This little one below is my favorite and was also used on my Christmas cards one year.

All of these are small in real life. The largest is probably no more than 3 inches tall, if that.
The one directly above is probably not even 2 inches tall. What can I say? I love tiny. =)

And for you to use, here are some Holiday gift tags!

I printed these years ago and still have some that I use every Christmas. Just click on the picture above, then you can either print it directly, or download it for later.  They will print on U.S. letter sized paper, 8.5" x 11". For best results, use white card stock or presentation paper. You know, for sturdiness. Then just cut them out along the blue dotted line.

Have a great weekend. =)

Dickens Christmas Village

Happy Friday! 

Just another taste of my Dickens Christmas Village. 

This is the Chancery Corner building, which is all of 8 inches tall and even has a window you can peak into on Christmas dinner.  Now tell me. Who couldn't fall in love with that tiny little birdbath and cardinals?

My love of Christmas and all the tiny Christmas houses started with my Mom who, in my opinion, is the Christmas Queen. The word that always comes to mind when I think about my childhood Christmases is "magical". Mom knows how to do it up right, and still does to this day even with four grown kids and two grown grandkids. 

But the Christmas houses are what got me the most. Mom has an entire little village going on that I love to set up for her every year, and I've been collecting Dickens Village pieces of my own, trying to catch up!

Last year, Jason helped me set up Mom's village below. That boy is a natural. 

Who else is decorating this weekend? What traditions do you love? Have a great one!