The Christmas Spider - as promised...

A long, long time ago, a gentle mother was busily cleaning the house for the most wonderful day of the year ... Christmas Day. Not a speck of dust was left anywhere. Even the little spiders had been banished from their cozy corner high up on the ceiling. To avoid the housewife's busy cleaning, they finally fled to the farthest corner of the forgotten attic.

Finally, it was Christmas Eve. The tree was decorated and the children delighted. But the poor spiders were frantic, for they could not see the tree, nor be present for the magic of the season. The oldest and wisest spider suggested that perhaps they could wait until everyone had gone to bed and then sneak through the crack in the door to see the wonders of the tree. The little spiders silently and carefully came down out of their attic corner and across the floor to wait in the crack on the threshold.

Pretty soon all was quiet, so the spiders quickly crept into the room. The tree towered so high that they couldn't see the ornaments on top. In fact, the little spiders' eyes were so small that they could only see one ornament at a time. They all scurried up the trunk, out along each branch, filled with a happy wonder at the glittering beauty. The spiders loved the Christmas tree. All night long, they danced in the branches, and every place they went left a trail of dusty, gray web. When at last they had inspected every bit of the Christmas tree, it was shrouded in the dusty gray of spider webs.

Santa smiled as he thought of the happy spiders seeing the tree and how much they liked it, but he also thought of how sad the little mother would be over the dusty tree. He reached out his hand -- and just then the sun came through the window and touched the tree. All the webs started to sparkle and shine turning into shimmering, sparkling silver and gold. The tree glistened in greater beauty than ever before!

Ever since this happened, people have hung tinsel on their Christmas trees 

and according to the legend, it has been a custom to include a spider among the decorations on the tree.

May all your Christmas' be special and your New Years be bright!

K

Close of 2014 - beginning of a bold new year - 2015

Hello and Happy New Year!  This has been one of those not so years - no so bad / not so good.  I hope that 2015 is brighter and better for everyone.

News for today is that I've received Mike Ford's new book - Future Ways of Robot Hearts -

Mike if you don't know, is my son, Michael - - this is his second book of poetry and short stories.  He writes directly from the heart and in a voice that we can all relate to - a true reflection of the heart.  If you get a chance - go to Amazon and order a copy for yourself - it can be a quick read - but it's also one that you can spend lots of time thinking about too.  Future Ways Of Robot Hearts

I've been spending time lately thinking about what I want to do now that I've retired.  I love crafting and creating so I would like to take off in that direction.  I also enjoy YouTube and have an account.  If you know me then please subscribe to my YouTube Channel and when I start doing videos - you will see what I am up to.

I have a Day Runner Planner that I use every day.  I just set up my new one for 2015.  I'm including a few pictures here to show how it looks.  I may do a video on it's set up.  I've seen a lot of videos about planners and set up lately and I have to say that it looks very costly and I think my Day Runner sums up the best of all worlds and works really well for me.

I use the day on two pages and keep three months in my planner at a time.  Previous, Current and Next.

This is what the package looks like.  I order mine from Amazon and it is relatively inexpensive.

 Day Runner Two-Page-Per-Day Monthly Planner Refill 2015, 5.5 x 8.5 Inch Page Size (481-225)

The day is laid out on two pages.  The sections are labeled as Prioritized Activities, Schedule, Expenses, and the second page is Daily diary/notes. 

Each month is shown at the front with a full two page spread.  There is a notes section and it shows the month before and the next month at the top of the pages.  Holidays are indicated.

The last page of the previous month faces the three month calendar and is for notes for the month.  The tab for the current month shows the previous, current and next also.  I find this calendar set up to be excellent for schedules, recording for budgets, and journaling - all in one place so I don't have to worry about missing something that I recorded somewhere else.  

The Day Runner comes with a four year over view page that can go right in the front of the planner.  It's great for long range scheduling or when you need to know what day a certain date falls on.

This shot just shows you the individual tabs for each month.

I have tried many planners over the years and find that this Day Runner works very well for me.  I keep all my appointments, record my expenses, track my pet vet needs - medicine times, etc.  Going forward I will also use it to note my time on my blog and on YouTube and any other business activity.

I'm looking forward to a much more organized year.

Stay well and be blessed! K

December 3 - time for Christmas Spiders - anyone?

I didn't quite realize how many beads I have.  I have lots of beads...not a bad thing - at least not when I want to make beaded Christmas Spiders.  I am posting some pictures today and I'll work on putting up the story soon.  Love it!

Happy December!

Another Decembr is upon us and once again all I can think is how time flies!  I've been working on setting up a December Daily and completed December 1st today.  This year I'm a little ahead of the curve and have some Christmas shopping done.  Yay!

My daughter, Becky, and I will be taking my dad back to Texas on the 9th.  Can anyone say "Road trip!"?  The winter weather here will be too hard on him and since there is a choice - he will be somewhere a little milder.  He is doing okay.  Dementia is a terrible thing - terrible is mild and all I can say right now.

I've been working in paper, polymer and beads lately and hope to settle on a schedule in the new year to show my work here, on Pinterest and maybe even YouTube.  (Not sure but we'll see.)

This is a picture of my December Daily for yesterday, 12/1:

The picture on the bottom left lifts up and my journaling is on the back.  The frame at the top also allows the picture to be removed and there is journaling on that one too.  I'm really enjoying this process and I know it will be heart warming for family in the years to come.

My grandchildren spent the last part of thanksgiving week and weekend here.  Samantha wore a pair of faded skinny jeans that had both knees ripped out.  I know this can be fun and fashionable but in the winter, cold and painful come more readily to mind.  This is a picture of the start of my repair/design work.  I will be using embroidery floss to help further anchor the flowers and rainbow fabric to the fraing denim.  Hopefully it will prevent or at least minimize curling of the fabrics after washing.  When she out grows them I will try to salvage them further by making pouches out of the legs and a bag from the butt.  

That's about all I have for today.  Hope you are all happy, healthy and able to do things you enjoy!  k

New Dragon World pendant

This is a new dragon pendant that I completed yesterday.  I really like this one.  It is a brooch that I've added a brooch converter to which allows it to be worn as a necklace on any chain ribbon or cord.

Archimedes is finished!

The pin/ornament that I have been working on for the September swap on Pin Doll Alley is finished.  I think Archimedes turned out rather well - not quite as expected but then they never turn out as expected.  :-)

Hope you like him.  Have a safe and blessed day!

Working on my September PDA pin for Sword in the Stone

Just a quick post to show my sketch book and the beginning of the September pin.
Archimedes is one of my favorite characters and I love owls.  We'll see where it goes from here.  I'm thinking maybe some embroidery, paint, beading, shrink plastic, colored pencils, clay, jewelry findings - real multiple-media.

One embellishment complete

This is the completed project that I began last night.  I think it came out pretty good.  Not quite shabby chic and not quite vintage - kind of vintage fantasy?  I'm looking forward to then next two embellishments.  The only part that may keep me from actually participating is doing a video - not sure I'm up to it.  We'll see...

You tube challenge - maybe

I have gotten into the habit of watching You Tube videos.  I've subscribed to quite a few channels and have my own channel too.  I haven't created any videos personally.  I only created the channel to post a video that I took of my grandson, Zachary when he was starting to play the trumpet.  If you check my channel out it's still there - Zachary is 16 now and the trumpet is history but oh well.

Anyway, the point of this post is about a You Tube challenge that was issued by Rina Meyers.  She has reached over 4000 subscribers and is offering many prizes from several different sponsors for participation.  One way to enter is to just make a comment on her video where she announces and explains the challenge.  The other way is to actually participate is by creating three embellishments.  I didn't mention that this is craft related, but then for me what else would it be?

I don't think that my style is very like Rina's but hey - I'm giving it a shot.  As a doll maker, the first thing I began is one of my small Angel guardians.  I've got the face started but nothing to really show yet.  Then I had an inspiration for the second embellishment - it will be a kind of tag, maybe for a card or scrapbook page or some dec thing.  I started with a free clip art print - from one of several Dover Publications I've purchased over the years.  This one is from Fairies.  The illustration, as I printed it, is about 4 by 6 inches.  I then "sugared" it.  This is a Victorian technique where glitter is applied all over.  (Back in the day it was truly sugared though - and not terribly practical or sanitary now.).  I will be doing further embellishing with lace and beads - maybe buttons, bows and flowers - well okay, I'll try to not get too carried away.  Here's a picture of the sugared image - I really like it.  I have glitter everywhere now and needless to say things are mighty sparkly here.  Making a mess is so much fun!

It's late and the lighting in this room leaves much to be desired - I will post more photos as I go along.  

Have a great night!

Flounder - by Connie McBride Johnson

Good morning! I was finally able to download a picture of the cute Flounder pin doll that Connie sent me for the August Pin Doll Alley theme of "The little mermaid".  He is just so cute - thanks again Connie!

I am currently working on some polymer clay earrings - thinking of doing a Christmas craft show in Cambridge - hey you never know.  This month's theme for the Pin Doll Alley swap is "The sword in the stone".  I've found some ideas for this one - hmm, guess I'd better get busy - for every to there is a fro and for every stop there is a GO!

Have a great day!

Third time the charm?

Wow am I struggling with posting to this blog!  I am trying to get pictures to move from my phone to the computer so I can post from the computer instead of the phone.  I think I finally figured out an easier way.

Yesterday, Wednesday, September 3, 2014 was a pretty big day here.  Tree guys from Greater Heights,  out of Bennington, Vermont came and took down the two big Hemlocks and two overgrown Yew bushes from in the very front of the house.  Wow! does the house look bigger now - and in serious need of power washing.  The trees weren't only huge and over grown but also very, very close to the front of the house.

On the creative side, I also finished the face pendant that I started at the beginning of the week.  I decided that she looks like ISIS - Egyptian Goddess of Magic and Life.  She is all sparkly with Swarofski crystals.  The photo doesn't really do her justice.

I haven't decided if I will just do a pin back or if it will be a pin with a bale for a necklace.  I like to do viking knit chain to make the necklace and I think I will do that for ISIS too.  Stay tuned.

I also got back into the PIN DOLL ALLEY group through Facebook.  I used to belong to the group when it was on Yahoo Groups and it was always a lot of fun.  I had a great time making Ariel for the "little Mermaid" theme for August.  My partner was Connie and I received my Flounder pin from her today.  Talk about a cute pin - wow.  I will definitely put the pin back on him so that he can go out with me.  I enjoy wearing my pins because it usually makes people smile and that is always a good thing.  I can't get the picture I took to download so I will have to post his picture later.  Thank you Connie - he is great!

Making Pin Dolls on Pin Doll Alley again!

Good morning!   My first pin doll for Connie has been received,  so I can post a picture of her here.  Hopefully this is the beginning of something creative for my soul.

I can tell that I also have to work the kinks out of posting to my blog again too.  I will also be trying to make a few you tube videos.   Being retired from regular schedules is pretty much a good thing.   Here's looking forward to a more active creative life.

Wishing you a blessed day and a very happy week to come - Happy Labor Day!

Retired!

Well-almost.  I'm done with working though. The official date is April 7, 2014.  Now I am trying to fix the house up a little for my dad to come and stay for three or four months.  He has dementia now so it may be very interesting. I am looking forward to hanging out with him.

I am so scattered craft wise.  I'm doing some mixed media altering of boxes and I'm working on a couple of mini albums.  I've also started a couple of more face pendants.  Dolls are starting to fill my head again too which is a very happy thing.  I do have some things to put out here but it's a matter of taking photos and posting them.

Any way - I hope to actually start posting more often again.  Take care and God bless-

Kelly

January 21, 2014 - where does the time fly?

Not feeling too well today - flu?  Don't know but it's definitely icky.  I need to do more out here - I've made a few things and messed around with some other media and really should share it out - maybe when I'm feeling a little less under the weather.  I know I keep saying I will - but I will seriously try.  Problem seems to be the taking of the pictures and postting them out - not exactly seamless.  Oh well.  Take care - and keep dreaming...