Another gift from far away

If you are here looking for my Tea Tuesday post, just scroll down. If you are here looking for today's 12 Days of Christmas Swap photos, I apologize. I have not had time to open, photograph, and download the gift. I will show two tomorrow, though, so everyone is caught up.


This package came all the way from Canada, but I think it was brought here by Mounties. This is the second time I've gotten mail from Canada that took much longer than it should have. However, the good news is, I had it waiting for me when I returned home at Christmas.


What I found inside was a lovely package wrapped in feminine lace and tied to a rocking horse tree ornament. I know my photos aren't the best, but this shiny ornament is in 3 layers. I have two others, and I now have a third that I can add to it and make a real collection piece. Thank you dear Annette. Yes, this is from my dear friend Annette, who I met on WOYWW and became instant friends with, especially after her move to Canada from Saudi Arabia. It all started when I began teasing her about coming to play in her new scrap room. It is to die for, so I hope you'll check it out. OK, enough blabbering. What's in the package and that HUGE envelope?


First, the most awesome card made in the form of a tree, and second, a book for storing ATCs, in which several of the pockets were already filled.

Although Annette sent me several photos of the ATC book, I snagged this photo from her blog. Her camera is much nicer than mine, and it shows more of these lovely trees she made. The size is big, and

this one is all mine (and Bleubeard's).



I know my picture doesn't do it justice, but how much more personal can it get? Annette signed it from herself, Pandy (Pandora) and Tom-Tom, both cats she rescued in Saudi Arabia and brought with her when she and her husband moved to his latest assignment in Canada.


I let Bleubeard read it, and he was delighted. I think he has a crush on Pandora! If you want to know more about these darling fur babies Annette and her husband took on, you should read Pandora's book, a combined journal and scrapbook. You will be laughing one minute, crying the next.


Also part of the gift was this lovely ATC book. Look at all that bling and detail. This photo is Annette's, so please be respectful and don't copy it.

I seem to do better with close-ups and the "BE" stands for Bleubeard and Elizabeth. Everything was absolutely perfect, right down to the copper chain links!


Annette made a series of ATCs, and was willing to trade them. Fortunately, I got one before the others were spoken for. Again, this photo and the two remaining ones belong to Annette. Thanks for allowing me to use them, Annette. They are so much better than the 60 or so I took.


Here is the lovely Time ATC, the one on the far left in the photo above as it looks inside my new ATC book.


The richness of detail in each of these is amazing. The book is so well constructed, even sporting metal corner protectors. And each page is preceded by an ATC legend with stamped or decorated papers on the front, and this stamp on the reverse.

Annette provided a mini tutorial on her blog showing how the above ATC and tags were made. Words cannot describe how delighted I was to have received some of Annette's incredible art. Thank you beyond words, Annette. What a perfect Christmas gift.

I hope you will visit Annette today or tomorrow, tell her hi, and take a peek at her new craft room and her adorable Pandora and Tom-Tom. I promise, these two get into more funny situations than Bleubeard. They will have you rolling on the floor with laughter at their antics.

Now I must get to my friend's house with her gift. I can't believe how long it has taken me to prepare this post!

New Year's Tea

It's nearly time to ring out the old and ring in the new. What better way than to share it with Kimmie and all my Tea Tuesday friends. You can join, too. Since I still had my Holly glasses unpacked, I thought I would use them at least once more.


Today I'm serving eggnog in the same carafe I made sun tea in this summer. One of these days, I'll actually use this carafe for its intended use, using a tea light or sterno container to keep the liquid warm. However, eggnog, which I vowed I wouldn't make ever again, is usually served chilled and my vow has been broken.

I remembered making eggnog years ago and it took half a day to make it. However, I couldn't find the recipe I used in any of my cookbooks. I'm glad too, because I went on the internet and found one much easier and quicker.

There are tons of eggnog recipes on the internet, but the majority use raw eggs. I know! I ate raw eggs as a child when I "licked the batter bowl," but that exposure was minuscule compared to using six or eight eggs in a drink recipe. So here is the rexipe I used when I made this yesterday. I actually doubled it, since I'll be taking some to a friend this afternoon:

Ingredients:

• 8 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1/2 quart whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 6 ounces bourbon (optional)
  
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated nutmeg
  
• 8 egg whites

Before we begin, I want to say I'm a non-alcohol drinker, so there is no alcohol in this recipe. However, I simply skipped the alcohol and it tastes as wonderful without the bourbon. You are more than welcome to add some when you visit me. I may even have some in my liquor cabinet left here by visiting friends. I don't have anything against it, I just don't care for the taste (and occasionally the smell) of any alcoholic beverage.

Instructions:

Beat egg yolks using a mixer until they lighten in color. This took about 5 minutes using my mixer. Gradually add 2/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, over high heat, combine the milk, heavy cream, and nutmeg. Bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and gradually temper the hot mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Then return everything to one pot and cook until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F (71.1 C). Remove from the heat, stir in the bourbon if using it, pour into a medium mixing bowl, and set in the refrigerator to chill.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. With the mixer running gradually add 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold, then whisk the egg whites into the chilled mixture. Serve cold.

Add noisemakers and count down the timer to New Year's Day.


Today I'm visiting a friend whose gift I hope will finally be finished. As you can see, I've just added the embellishments to the quiltlet. I still need to wrap the stick and add either wire or ribbon I'll be using for the hanger. I felt this piece was disjointed and not exactly cohesive, but I tried all kinds of arrangements and this seemed to be the least disorganized (did I mention that composition is my downfall?). This is for a friend's new sewing room. I hope she likes it because altered art isn't exactly her thing. Next time I make something similar using old book pages, I'm going to follow Dianne's lead (see her fabric collage in my previous post) and coat the paper in matte or gloss medium.

Today marks my final Tea Tuesday blog. I was certain I had featured Nathalie when she first joined our little tea group, but a search of my blog shows that was not the case. So today I am pleased to introduce our latest Tea Tuesday player, Nathalie Thompson from An Artist's Legacy. Nathalie introduced me to the concept of orphan and widowed tea cups and saucers, and it opened my eyes to endless possibilities. Her blog is filled with art made from old thrift store and garage sale finds. And it is AWESOME art, too. Of course, she adds a few rubber stamps and some hand stitching to the mix, but most of her art comes from the same places mine comes from: other folks' cast-offs. I love what she makes, and of course, if you love it, she has an etsy store where you can buy some of her art. I hope you'll stop by and visit Nathalie today. An Artist's Legacy is well worth the visit.

Gifts from far and near

I have received so many gifts these past few weeks and if I don't get them on my blog soon, people are going to think I'm ungrateful. The first gift is from Donna. Her gift was mailed to me on November 13, about the time I was working on the replacements for the first 12 Days swap. At the time, I would not have appreciated the lovely things I found on Christmas day when I finally opened the gift.


I had to laugh at the note Donna sent about the canvas tote. She said she sent it to the trash in disgust, but maybe I could do something with it. I looked it over and fell in love with it. I didn't even notice the bit of bleeding on one of the leaves until I had looked it over several times and had finished photographing everything. I have some ideas how to fix it.

Donna also sent me a phone book full of dried ginkgo leaves. I admired them on her blog and she said she would dry some for me. Little did I know I would get so many. I'm totally thrilled.

And to top it all off, I got True Colors wrapped in some wonderful wrapping paper I used in my art the last time she sent some. I can't wait to start reading this one. Along with Donna being a generous friend, she is also a wonderful artist. She draws, she paints, she makes awesome altered art. I hope you'll stop by and say hi to her at Findings Art.


The next gift came from my friend Halle. Halle and I often talk on the phone, and Halle told me she would make a pattern for my art journal covers after I whined to her about all the troubles I was having with them. Not only did she do that, she also made two completed covers all ready to assemble some of my pages into. What a joy! Halle said she didn't really think of this as a Christmas gift, but just sent me things she knew I could use. Included in the bounty is a fabric remnant, three boxes of old fashioned slide mounts, some mailing stickers, book pages, hair ties to be used for book cover ties, and postcards from South America. I will use these postcards in my Seven Continents altered book. Included in the package was a lovely photo of Halle and her family, but I won't show that because she and her hubby don't show the kids' faces or names on their blogs. Many of you probably know Halle because she 's been in the Project Dress Up and is a regular Tea Tuesday participant. I hope you'll stop by and say hi to Halle, too.


Next came a package decorated to the nines. You may have seen the lovely angel gracing the front of this package in an earlier post, and the back is equally beautiful with a hand drawn face by Dianne.


I received one of Dianne's drop dead gorgeous hand sewn, beaded, and decorated fabric collages. She put a few more on her blog, too.


Dianne is both an artist and a seamstress. Her journals are filled with her paintings and sketches. Her hand sewing is gorgeous. The above is a tiny example of her talents. I hope you will stop by Dianne at Art Beneath the Cottonwoods, too.


And finally (although I have two more packages to open and show you), these rubber stamps came from Sue at Scoopy's Stuff. Sue is a fellow WOYWWer and a dear person. She recently had a giveaway and out of 64 entrants, I won. Now I need to learn how to stamp!


And Sue made me this funny card to go with my prize. In case you can't read the sentiment, it reads "All I want for Christmas is Santa's naughty boy list." I got a big laugh out of that one. Sue is a stamper and card maker. If you want to see more of Sue's cards, please stop by Scoopy's Stuff and say hi.

Tomorrow I'll share another gift I received when I got home for Christmas. I can't wait to show you! Have a super evening, too.

Day Two of the 12 Days of Christmas swap

Day Two of the second group's 12 Days swap belongs to me. Never let it be said I would miss an opportunity to throw in a mini tutorial along with the gift I made.


Those of you who follow my blog, saw a teaser of this back in November. Because this was day two, I hand drew the "2" on wax paper using white glue. I tried to control the glue as it came out, but some of the "2s" are better than others.


I spent an insane amount of time placing plastic confetti birds on the glue, and unfortunately, made the "2s" a bit wonky.


Next, I added single layers of facial tissue to the tops, using watered down glue. Be sure to dab the glue/water mixture on at this point. The tissue is quite fragile and tears easily.


Allow to dry, preferably overnight.


After the "2s" were dry, I cut them to size, then backed them (still with the wax paper on them) with dictionary pages, again using white glue, this time full strength again. Then I sewed around the piece.

For the paper, I used some deli paper and painted them fun Christmas colors. Since the deli paper was a bit see through, I backed them with sheet music. Then I inserted the art square gift and sewed the package shut using the longest straight stitch I could get from my machine. I made a small tag and stapled it to the string I left hanging, in hopes the recipient would be able to easily pull the string freely. Click to see them larger.

While I was looking for ideas for pages for the first 12 Days swap (Dec. 13-24), I learned the doves I had created were not turtle doves. In fact, the more research I did, I found that turtle doves are smaller than other doves, and have a beige body. The turtle dove's tail is key, though, because it is wedge shaped, with a dark center with white borders and tips.


So I dug out my black marker and beige stamp pad, and went to town on the doves. The words in their beak are stamped (yes, I stamped) on seam binding. It was already doubled, so I didn't have to deal with raw edges. I printed a portion of the 12 Days song, colored it with Staz-on/alcohol mixture, then sewed the front to the back (which contains my personal information). I added the two doves using foam dots for lift. Click to see them larger.

Since today was my day, my blog pick is one that I missed in the first set of 12 Days. Patt of Patt's Ponderings was featured on Day 8 of the previous 12 Days swap. I just learned about her blog, and wanted to feature it today. Patt hasn't been blogging long, but she makes some lovely ceramics, along with altered art. I hope you will visit Patt's Ponderings today.

And I'm going to try to get around to visiting everyone who left such wonderful and heart felt comments while I was gone. Seems like I haven't been around so long, I have no idea where to begin. But I'll try to visit today or tomorrow, since I'm still working on a few Christmas gifts.

Boxing Day and the First Day of Christmas

Today begins the traditional 12 Days of Christmas. According to several online sources, contrary to popular belief, these are not the twelve days before Christmas, but in most Western Churches, are the twelve days from Christmas until the beginning of Epiphany which is January 6th. The 12 days count from December 25th until January 5th, although in some traditions, the first day of Christmas begins on the evening of December 25th with the following day considered the First Day of Christmas (December 26th). In these traditions, the twelve days begin December 26 and include Epiphany on January 6. These are the days we voted to open our 12 Days of Christmas swap gifts.


Day One starts out with a lovely fabric wrap from Liz Kettle. I couldn't get the details of this fabric to show well, because it was so late this evening when I photographed it. However, the fabric is black with lovely gold threads running through it.


Inside the package, I found this gorgeous Partridge in a Pear Tree. Luckily, Liz explained to our group how she made it, so here is the description in her own words:

I began by painting a pear branch and partridge on watercolor paper. I am still very much a beginner with watercolors but think this turned out pretty well! I scanned the painting and reduced it to 5"x5". Then I printed it out on tissue paper 12 times using waterproof pigment inks. My base is a craft stabilizer to which I used a heat activated fusible web, Misty Fuse, to apply a sheet of gold scroll tissue paper. I cut these into 5" squares. Next, I used matte medium to apply the partridge in the pear tree image. The matte medium renders the tissue paper transparent. I stitched around the pears and leaves using gold metallic thread to finish up.

I would say Liz did a marvelous job as a beginner watercolor painter. This is one stunning, stunning piece and is the perfect addition to my collection.

In addition to the beginning of the 12 Days of Christmas, it's also Boxing Day in Canada, South Australia, and the UK. According to Wilkopedia "There are disparate theories as to the origins" of the term. The more common theories include:

It was the day when people would give a present or Christmas box to those who had worked for them throughout the year.

Many years ago in England, it was common practice for the servants to carry boxes to their employers when they arrived for their day's work on the day after Christmas. Their employers would then put coins in the boxes as special end-of-year gifts. The servants carried boxes for the coins, hence one possible theory for the name "Boxing Day." Both of the above theories can be compared to the modern day concept of Christmas bonuses.

Another theory is that it was traditional to open the church's donation box on Christmas Day, and the money in the donation box was to be distributed to the poorer or lower class citizens on the next day. In this case, the "box" in "Boxing Day" comes from that lockbox in which the donations were left.

"Boxing Day" was also the day when the wren, the king of birds, was captured and put in a box and introduced to each household in the village when he would be asked for a successful year and a good harvest.

Another theory of the name is that because staff and servants had to work on Christmas in England by serving the master of the house and his family, they were given the following day off. As servants were kept away from their own families to work on a traditional religious holiday and were not able to celebrate Christmas dinner, the customary benefit was to "box" up the leftover food from Christmas day and send it away with the servants and their families. Similarly, as the servants had the 26th off, the owners of the manor may have had to serve themselves pre-prepared, boxed food for that one day. Hence the "boxing" of food may also have been the reason for the term "Boxing Day."

Many people believe that "Boxing Day" is the day where families return unwanted presents to the store from which it came in exchange for money or other merchandise.

In the UK, it is a "bank" holiday, and is an optional holiday in Canada. In the US, it is the day we find super bargains at big box and local stores. Whatever the reason, here is how I spent "Boxing Day."



Today's blog belongs to Liz Kettle at Textile Evolution. You should check out Liz's blog, if for no other reason than to see her lovely art square. It is stunning and she has it photographed beautifully, too. It shows all the lovely stitching and rich detail that my photo didn't pick up. Liz is a seamstress, and has written books on various aspects of fabric design. Liz has appeared on Quilting Arts, the PBS TV series, and holds classes in her home in Colorado (in the US). Please check out Textile Evolution today.

How to spend Silent Sunday

Home at last!

Leaving the country late this afternoon, all we saw was a beautiful blue sky that was filled with vapor trails left by aircraft rushing people to their destinations.


It was amazing how the camera caught these depending on which direction we were heading.

Although the windshield distorted the photos, you can see there is enough moisture in the atmosphere to cause the vapor trails to last a very long time before breaking up.


Even though the sky put on a lovely show, I was glad to get home. When I got home, there were several gifts waiting for me in my mailbox, along with ones I had saved to open when I could appreciate them. I hope to open my gifts when it warms a bit in my craft room, which was a chilly 47 degrees F the last time I checked. Until then, I'll be removing over 240 photos from my camera, sifting through them, and snuggling under a warm blanket next to my new heater while I'm working in my office.

What would Christmas be without a Christmas blog? And it seems as if Alek Komarnitsky and his family love to put on a Christmas show. Alek, who lives near Denver, CO (in the US), tricked visitors to his web site in 2004 into believing they could control his light show. However, after catching flack, he actually found a way to allow internet viewers to control the light show at his home. To make this a story of interest, because quite frankly, the lights and displays are not all that pretty or unique, Alek uses 100% wind energy to power the lights and animated toys. So, here is a Christmas blog, that is a bit late, but still fun to see some of the videos produced by Alek Komarnitsky's Christmas blog.

And a belated Christmas to all of my wonderful blogging friends. I hope it was your best ever.

It's really here! Christmas, that is

I'm still on auto pilot, or at least my blog is again today. However, I will be home in time to open the first gift tomorrow, and prepare a proper post.

For the rest of you who have followed the opening of this advent calendar, we now get to open the final box. The numbers for today are stickers I attached to a metal plate. The box is for necklaces and serves as the base of the tree.

I know, I know. This camera and I have issues! That seems to happen when I'm in a hurry. This is the top of the case. It is a lovely piece of decorative ribbon that has bangles and baubles attached.


And the bottom of the case tells the whole story. Everything I used in the boxes of this tree could be used in altered books, altered art, and assemblages. I stamped a borrowed "B" on some of my handmade paper, and the rest of the letters are vinyl letters and one sticker. I hope you enjoyed this tree as much as I did making it.


Here again is the tree before any of the boxes were opened.
And here it is in all its glory, with every box opened to reveal "AB STUFF." Merry Christmas to all my dear, dear friends in blogland. I sure miss you today, and hope you are having a wonderful day whether you celebrate Christmas or not. I know mine will be because you, my dear friends, are in my heart.

And because I didn't have time to find a Christmas blog before I left, I will post one when I return.

Advent Calendar Day Twenty four and 12 Days swap, Day 12

I'm still not here. I'm on autopilot again, but hope you didn't think I would leave you out in the cold. I'm with my friend Scott and his family at his parent's house. Expect pictures after I return home.

This countdown is really nearly over, and I've had so much fun opening the boxes and seeing what pops out each day.


And today is no exception. Out popped a set of vintage sparkly earrings. Now I could have altered them, but at the time I made the box, I just couldn't bring myself to do so. They look too sweet this way.


And they would have been so lonely if they had been separated.


It was fun seeing how artsy and creative I could get photographing these. Now I know why people like to photograph jewelry.


And look at the final day's packaging of the 12 Days of Christmas swap countdown. I sort of hid the packaging, because once again, this one was packaged with the individual's name who it was intended for. Since I was not supposed to play in this swap, the name doesn't match mine. But the one on the package sure does!


Inside I found a clever little Lord Leaping, the final gift in the song and the swap. This one was completed by Rita at Art by Rikae. And it looks like I'm going to be filled with glitter in the coming months, especially when I use all these lovely colors. And we all know how glitter sticks to any and everything, so you might even get some on you.


Don't these look lovely all bunched together? I'm so glad I actually got to play in this swap. Now all the headaches and frustration have melted away and I'm left with some pretty spectacular art.


On the 26th, we will begin opening these, and tomorrow, I will open all these spectacular gifts you see people have sent me. I'm simply overwhelmed by the generosity of this blogging community. Thank you all beyond belief.

Today's blog goes to Rita at Art by Rikae. I met Rita when she took my free online altered book class. Although she admits she hasn't blogged since the class, she should be doing more of it. She is a super artist who thinks she's a novice. I think she's a super person, full of giving, caring, and artfulness. So please say hi to Rita today. And prepare yourself for the big day tomorrow!