The twins' birthday is today and last night I was making chocolate chip cookies (for Cameron) and brownies (for Courtney) to bring to school today.  Tonight we'll all go out to the ice cream place for dinner.  And then on to the joy of Thanksgiving and the holiday season.  Is it any wonder that I love this time of year?

I won't be traveling for Thanksgiving.  We're being economical and Neil is using two frequent flier tickets so that he and Cameron can go visit Grandpa MacDonald and the family in Arkansas.  We'll have a family Thanksgiving at home when they return.  But the girls will be girls while they are out.

Meanwhile I'm decorating around the house a little bit.  A favorite tradition is to look through family photos with the kids during the holidays.  I have some of these hung on the wall on either canvas or acrylic frames.  Today I added one more, of my Mom.

I love the little smirk on her face.  The youngest of four children, she had her work cut out for her with older sisters Vergene and Rosemary being quite flamboyant in dress and manner.  She resembles her brother Bill in her more subdued but sociable manner.  Ever the artist, the woman can actually draw (which wasn't passed down to me!), but hopefully I'm carrying the artistic banner in other ways.

So I used the Peacock Fan Blade stamp from Prickley Pear, like she is coyly peaking out from behind them with some elegant pewter embossed roses and tumbling down of rubons and crystals.  These are all colored with Copic Markers.   I finished off the frame with a beaded trim.

Here is more of a closeup on the Peacock Fan Blade stamping and coloring.  I tried to capture the Spica Glitter penwork too.  They shimmer so nicely!

There is one more piece of wall art that the kids just love.  Cameron and Courtney were swinging the little swing just yesterday on this canvas piece:

I love the bright colors and the fact that it doesn't remind me that it was a cold 19 degrees this morning.  So this bit of fun is hanging right next to my Mom this morning.

I'm off to attack Mt. Washmore.  Happy Friday, everyone!

P.S. I have a gazillion things to mail and I'm doing that on Monday.  Thanks for your patience!