Rain's Thursday Art Date: Christmas Present, meets Friday Smiles 452, but first

 

Before I show the rest of this post, I want to share a journal page I created for Try it on Tuesday.  If you are only here for Try it on Tuesday, I thought I would show it first, so you don't have to scroll through the rest of the post if you aren't interested in seeing my Christmas home.

Their theme this fortnight is Snowflakes.

I call this Snow Day.

The snowman is enjoying all the snowflakes that made him in the first place.

I started by creating a background of azure Staz-on and 91% isopropyl alcohol.  As soon as it was dry, I used VersaMark on a large snowflake stamp.  When the page was completely stamped with the exception of the very bottom where I wanted the snowman to live, I added white embossing powder, then turned it over and tapped off the excess powder.  I heat embossed the snowflakes, then allowed the embossing powder time to cool.  

I used dye ink on the snowman stamp, then was shocked when it didn't cover wherever the embossing powder was in place.  Although I had planned to stamp the sentiment, I decided to use stickers instead after seeing what happened when I stamped the snowman.  Live and learn.

Thanks for visiting and I look forward to seeing what others have created at Try it on Tuesday.

Rain's Thursday Art Date is Christmas Present, and I hope Annie (at A Stitch in Time), who hosts Friday Smiles, as well as the lovely ladies who also share their smiles each Friday, will get a smile from this post.

Since I'm combining two additonal link up blogs today, I decided it would be a good time to share my Christmas decorations.  Sadly, these are not very good photos.

It was bitterly cold and overcast the day I took these photos, so I didn't take a photo of the tree that sits on my front porch.

This is where I will put my Christmas gifts I receive.  I've already received and opened one (before I realized I was supposed to wait).  Note the trees and the rocking horses in the table covering.  I actually "hemmed" this fabric I purchased for this very table when I lived in Missouri.  By "hemming," I mean I used hem tape and turned the hem under that way.  At that time, I didn't own a sewing machine, but if I had, I would never have tried to hem this cloth (please DO laugh, Annie).

I'm worried about my rosemary.  It isn't looking all that good.

I'm hoping this is a better shot.  And yes, I leave my rocking horses out all year long.  The tiny trees on the table have bows on the large tree, Santas on the smallest tree, and rocking horses on the middle sized tree.

Every year I bring out my Night Before Christmas book and prepare Santa a sandwich (actually they are ceramic coasters) and a mug of hot chocolate.

I bought the glitter tree with balls specifically for this spot.  Of course, at the time, I didn't realize it was going to shed glitter even though I've sprayed it several times.  Why here you ask?  Because everything is vintage and I wanted something modern to offset all that old look and feel of my living room.  The three small trees are candles, but I don't have the heart to burn them.

This is my rotating art table.  Right now, the napkin holder will hold

Christmas cards and tip-ins I receive (and ones I've already received).  Most of the ladies at Friday Smiles will note the tribute to Shaz Silverwolf created by Debbie at TatteredRocks.  It has taken pride of place on this table.

 

Moving into the dining area, the only addition I included this year on one of the kitchen cabinets was this mini-muffin tin that I now use as a tea light holder.

Next up is my faux fireplace mantle, where I hang my stockings every year.  When I lived in Missouri, I had a cat named Dog and a dog (red Chesapeake Bay retriever) named Bear.  I bought stocking holders that looked like them.  Now Squiggles gets the dog stocking holder, while Bleubeard gets the cat.  I get the tree.  Bleubeard says not to make any off color remarks about the balls on his stocking!  You can see my newest rocking horse behind the dog.

Here's a better photo of my newest rocking horse.  He has already made friends with the others.  

Of course, I always have to include my very small stocking that tells how I feel about rocking horses!

I added a tablecloth to my dining room table and placed my oldest tree on it.  I see Squiggles has been rearranging the rugs and the cat toys again.  To the left of the front door is my cat tower.  However, neither of my cats climb, so they have never wanted or had any desire to sit in it.  BUT, if it's on the floor, they might fight over it (whatever "it" might be).  Do you see the mouse under the chair?  It was in the office upstairs earlier.

I received this tree for Christmas the year I graduated from high school and moved into my first home away from home.  It came with the ribbons, candy canes, and balls,

and I added the rocking horses years later to the points that only had ribbons.  These are glass and have Santas, mice, and snowmen riding the rockers.

The sun finally came out and even though it was windy and bitterly cold, I was able to take a photo of the tree I place on my outdoor desk each year.

 

With the sun finally out, I was able to take photos of my little trees on my table.  This one has Santas.  I see three in this photo.

The large one in back has ribbons and this one has rocking horses.

These rocking horses are ceramic and have teddy bears riding them.

My final tree was purchased specifically for my cardinal bath.

 

Want to know why my photos are a bit fuzzy at times?  This is the true temperature in my home.  It is 17 degrees C or 63 degrees F.  And this is the warmest room in the house because it sits directly over the central heating unit in the basement.

Thanks for joining me today for Rain's TAD and Annie's Friday Smiles.  Hope to see you both places.  And please don't forget to visit Try it on Tuesday, too.  Bleubeard agreed that there were too many photos of my trees for there to be any funnies this week.  He still wants you to know he is proud of his stocking!!