Happy Advent

The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, which means "coming." In the Roman Catholic Church, it is the name of the four week season which begins with the first evening prayer of the Sunday which is closest to or November 30 (Feast Day of St. Andrew) and ends with the first evening prayer on Christmas Day. The meaning of this season is both to commemorate the Incarnation of Jesus and to celebrate the eventual Second Coming.

The Advent wreath is a circle holding four candles. Generally the color of all four candles is purple (although it is an increasing practice for the third candle to be pink or rose). These candles are lit in a special sequence during worship services on the four Sundays of Advent. A candle is lighted on the first Sunday of Advent, and on each successive Sunday an additional candle is lit. In recent years it has become customary to have a larger white candle in the center of the Advent wreath. This is often called the "Christ candle" and is lit at the Christmas Eve services and on Christmas Day.

However you and your family celebrate, our family is wishing you a wonderful holiday season! God Bless!

Start Your LolliShopping!

Yeah! It's finally happened- LolliShops is up and running. Sadie, goddess that she is, has been burning the midnight oil with the programmers to get this new site off the ground. Congratulations!

If you're not familiar with it, LolliShops is a juried arts and crafts, mechandise, full o' bling and glitter site. That means that all vendors- including us- had to be approved to list our wares.

Tammy and I have changed our main store on this site to Twigs & Feathers, to avoid confusion with another store owner. Please show your support for all of us artisans out there, and go do some shopping!

HUGS- Lee

Happy Thanksgiving

Many thanks to all of my family and friends, for making this year wonderful!

hugs- Lee

Dreams

My dream of being published is coming true (as I've already mentioned here, just a few times...LOL). Click on the link ad you'll see a few chapters previewed, like mine above.

You can go there and pre-order one of these magazines. There will only be one printing, and I only get one copy for me! Maybe I should order a few more!!

hugs- Lee

Christmas Tags

Get them while they're hot, gals!! Tammy has been outdoing herself and making gorgeous tags. Some are very Victorian, with beautiful angels and birds to brighten up your holidays packages.

Others are extra-Christmasy, with tons of glitter and fun in familiar shapes.

I haven't gotten good pictures of mine yet, but I'll try soon. (she puts me to shame...)

If you have a a theme or color scheme you'd be interested in, please email me or Tammy.

hugs- Lee

For Jim

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light. (Dylan Thomas)

For my uncle, who fought so hard and gallantly,

To stay for a short while longer.

Who is loved and missed.

Who was remembered yesterday by family and friends.

His freedom from pain is well earned. We, who are left behind, find sorrow in our hearts.

But he is full of eternal happiness and love.

"As virtuous men pass mildly away,
And whisper to their souls to go,
Whilst some of their sad friends do say,
"Now his breath goes," and some say, "No."

John Donne's poem "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"

Crafting Frenzy

A friend at work is having a Tastefully Simple party, and she asked if I wanted to bring some of the creations to sell- well, of course!

So I had to bust out the supplies and start making more stuff.

I have work area in the basement, but it doesn't have near enough counter space. So I've been using the kitchen counter. It's easier to be upstairs with the kids too. Otherwise, they come doen to the basement, which usually isn't a problem, but they like to get into my crafting supplies.

I've been making a ton of Christmas and general gift tags. I've been using up some of my supplies that have been hanging around. I also treated myself to the boxed set of glitters from Martha Stewart. They're awesome! You can see them in the back of the photo.

I've also made 8 more rose pins. They were really fun- and each one is a little different!

I'll be scanning some of the tags later to show you. The weather is rainy and gloomy here- not the best for shooting pictures outside in the light.

Today is the memorial service for my uncle. The family is getting together to celebrate his life. I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around the idea that he is gone.

Have a good weekend- hugs- Lee

Christmas Already?

Yep- it's time to think about buying gifts. Please head on over to 2 Birds of a Feather and scoop up some of these beauties.

TFL! hugs- Lee

Life Goes on

This has been a tough week for all of us. My talented, wonderful uncle and godfather Jim McHale passed away on Tuesday after an almost year-long battle with colon cancer. He lived in California, and although I begged him to come stay with me, he chose to live his life exactly how he wanted to until the very end. There's dignity and strength in that choice.

He was an amazing artist who found his muse late in life. He didn't start really creating until the past 5 years or so. He loved digital media. He was lucky enough to have an amazing art show in October, courtesy of group called Dream Foundation. They arranged for him to have the show, kind of like Make-a-Wish.

I don't have any of his work. But I sent him lots of stuff over the past few months- art magazine, idea books, little journal, and hand-decorated moleskin folder, etc. He loved the mixed-media, collaged pieces I sent him. He understood me as an artist, and I understood him too.

He'll be sorely missed, and never far from my thoughts. Perhaps he'll be my muse now. Love you UJ!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

OK- so I'm a day or so late, but obviously the day had to happen in order to snap photos...

Jason and Adam had a blast carving pumpkins and getting dressed up.

We picked fairly simple costumes this year, because I knew we were going to a costume party at a pony show, where the rest of my family was. I needed to be able to put warm clothes on under the costumes.

Next, some grown-up stuff. My lovely friend Tammy sent me a great package, and it in was this great crow, all dressed in his Halloween finery.

Of course, Halloween isn't complete without chocolate, and although Fred the pumpkin thought he'd eat it- it's ALL for me!! hehehehehe!

Hope you had a safe and fun-filled Halloween.

Hugs- Lee