Today the many boxes of holiday cheer were brought down from the attic.  As I began to decorate our home, I recalled how comforting it was to be in my childhood home.  Every year familiar items would appear that represented Christmastime to our family.  I have an image of this tiny wooden band of angel figurines in my head.  At some point, the pieces began to look worn, but it still represents a happy childhood memory of the comforts of home.

Transported by those thoughts, I set about decorating and putting up the familiar decorations that my children have come to expect.  It is amazing to me that we have lived in this home all of their lives.  All three of them have never known another house!  Never moved to a new town or state.  I cannot decide if that is a good thing.  But they are uncommonly happy – so I'll stick with the good thing tally mark for now.

I unpacked this clunky box of Christmas Bells – the kind you plug in and they chime out a song.  Not very Martha Stewart, but it gives me a tug of happiness each year when I turn on the switch and get them hung on the bannister with the garland and lights — and get them to chime rather than clank.  LOL!

This year, I added another familiar site to the bannister garland – a set of Christmas Tags from an alphabet tag swap with some creative stamping friends.  The kids love picking them up and looking at the techniques.  Ah, I've raised them well.  LOL!  The girls also decorated some Maya Road little birdhouse style houses that we picked up at Express Yourself's Black Friday sale.

But stepping away from the familiar is a good thing too.  For example, the other night we were supposed to go out for a birthday dinner with neighbors.  Things didn't work out as planned, and I had the evening free.  I called a friend and went with her impromptu to a party hosted at a local bead store, 'A Bead of Roses'.  I decided that this was how I was going to spend my birthday money from my Mom.  I was sure she would approve.  So I set out looking at all the beads and made my selections.  I got a good introduction from the owner and set out on this new territory of beading.

To my surprise, when I returned home I kept going and going until I ran out of copper wire.  I have to go there tomorrow to get more, and to get her opinion on my idea for a pair of matching earrings.  What do you think?  I put a prototype together with this wonderful copper Eiffel Tower charm from Renaissance Art Stamps.  I have one more strand to add to the necklace as well.  But I'm happy with the progress.

Speaking of which, there are canvases drying in the next room.  I'm resolved not to touch them until morning (and no, I'm not going to cheat and make that after midnight).  But I spent my lunch break leafing through "Altered Surfaces" by Design Originals, featuring Golden Artists Paints and Mediums — and it inspired me to play, play, play with all my heart tonight.  What a good thing it is to play.

When they are done, I'll post something so you can see.   This is just the beginning.

I hope you are enjoying some holiday traditions, making new ones or simply experiencing the art of play.

Night!  SL