Twelve Weeks of Christmas! Wreaths/Door Decor

Twelve Weeks of Christmas!

Wreaths/Door Decor!

Week 8

This week we are to share a wreath or door decor.

This is the perfect time for the coolest Santa ever to make his blogland debut!

I found this Santa at a really wonderful shop in Wichita, KS, in the Christmas of 2007. They knew I was "in love" with him, but he was pretty expensive (OK, a lot expensive)! But, after Christmas, the shop owner gave me a sale price, and I snapped him up and brought him home to Texas. That year I left him in the den all year. In 2009 he moved into my studio but now is back in the den "presiding" over all the other Christmas tra-la-las.

His gorgeous raffia beard is four feet long!

I have no tutorial on creating him.

He may be one-of-a-kind, but you need to meet the coolest Santa I've ever seen!

A little closer view. . .

(click on both pics for a closer view)

Be sure to visit Red Writing's other TWOC participants for some great ideas and fun blogs!





I'm offering FREE SHIPPING on my website, www.mysongwithin.com
for the holidays!

PROMO CODE: msw09


Christmas Blessings,
Jayne

Pink Saturday - Teapots!

Happy Pink Saturday!

Teapots!

When thinking about decorating for Christmas I remembered a box of teapots that I hadn't unpacked when we moved a few years ago. Hmmm...., why not make them become a new decoration this year. So, here is a pink teapot with a little bling added.


Look around and see what unexpected "containers" you may have that could become a new Christmas decoration this year! A few picks, a little greenery, and for no expense, a new look! I did this with several teapots (but only showed the pink here, of course).


For more pink fun, be sure to visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound!


Thanksgiving/Christmas Blessings,

Jayne

Twelve Weeks of Christmas! Crafts #2

Twelve Weeks of Christmas - Week 7

Crafts #2

Teapots!

Why not fill them with Christmas decorations (picks/greenery)?

As I was thinking about what to post for TWOC this week, for some reason a packed-up box of teapots that were in my closet came popping into mind. Why not get them out and make them become a Christmas decoration?

The first one (above) was my mothers. The lid is long gone, but it's at least 75-years-old. The gold painted decoration is probably 18 k gold.

So, I got out several others and filled them with picks bought at HL at half price.

Soooooo..... look around for the unexpected (containers) at your house and turn them into new Christmas decorations this year! The sky's the limit!

Pink, but still Christmasy....

This last container is a planter with faux greenery; I may still add some bows to these teapots, or they may be done.

Be sure to visit Red Writing's TWOC for lots of good craft ideas!

Visit my website where I am offering FREE SHIPPING for the holidays!

CODE: msw09

Christmas Blessings,

Jayne

Twelve Weeks of Christmas! Shopping!

~ Twelve Weeks of Christmas! Shopping! ~

~ Mr. Snowman says, "Welcome to TWOC, week six!" ~

~ Santa I found on sale last year after Christmas! ~

We are half-way through Red Writing's TWOC Event!

This week we are to share shopping ideas/events/sprees/whatever!

One of my favorite finds is this desktop fireplace. I found it at the Dallas Gift Market and just had to share it with you. The stand is metal; the logs are resin; the candles are tea-lite size, and I found some dark colored candles so they sort of blend in with the "logs."

One set will sit on a table in my bedroom and one on my desk at work. The one at work will have to have battery powered candles in it or I may try to get a string of mini-lites attached to it somehow. That one is still a work in progress.

Next is a shopping spree that my daughters and I took last year the week after Christmas. We always visit a wonderful gift shop located in an old fire station (in Kansas) when we're together. They carry wonderful gift items, and I love to shop there before and after Christmas! Shown here are pictures of some of their decorations in the store (after Christmas) last year!

~ Cute santas and snowmen ~

~ A tree in the store ~

I bought the ornaments shown below on my own little tree last year at half price! Love them!

I love to unpack these kinds of great finds a year later; it feels like they were free! I highly recommend after Christmas shopping - both for gifts and for decorating your own tree and home.

Shop pre-Christmas, too! Our small business owners need our business!

~ Love this snowman! ~

The first two ornaments on this blog post were bought last year at half price!

~ Go forth and shop! ~

~ Shop Early - Shop Often ~

I look forward to the cooler weather, the decorations, the Christmas music, the Salvations Army Bells, even the hustle and bustle.

And, it all happens, Because He Came!

Be sure to visit all the participants at TWOC's week six shopping event!

Click here!

~ Christmas Blessings! ~

Jayne

Pink Saturday!

Happy Pink Saturday!

I decided to post something I have made for Christmas this year! After all it's only 49 days till Christmas! Does that shock you? It's time to be thinking Christmas, Christmas, Christmas!

This is a picture in a fun frame that I have made for gifts and for my website this year. There are lots of people out there who don't do red and green for Christmas decorations - many (of you) do pink!

A close-up

A back view - sheet music taken from an old copy of J. S. Bach's "Mass in B Minor."

Be sure to visit everyone who is participating in Pink Saturday over at How Sweet the Sound!

Pink Saturday and Christmas Blessings!

Jayne

Twelve Weeks of Christmas - Homemade!

~ Twelve Weeks of Christmas - Homemade ~

~ Week Five ~


I make Greeting Cards - lots of greeting cards - have been for about twelve years. So, I thought for Red Writing's TWOC event this week, I would show a couple of cards that I'm making for Christmas this year, both to send and to sell; they are on my website My Song Within.

This first Christmas card is a two-sided card (it doesn't open) that is new this year. It's made of warm-white linen cardstock; I outlined the message layers on front and back with a gold pen, added a gold Christmas tree brad on the front side and tied a generous bow made of a wide, white shimmery ribbon. I always use ribbons - they add so much to a card! I look forward to sending this card which has a "touch of elegance" to it.

This first picture is the front of the card.

Shown below is the front and back of the card.

The message on the back is Isaiah 9.6

Next is a Christmas card I made using stamping, layering and tulle.

It is a card I sent several years ago and this year I brought it back 'cause people liked it so much. I did change the design some.

The angel is directing music and the birds are singing!

The message on front is,
"for unto us a Child is born . . ."

As you can see, the burgundy cardstock is torn across the top and the stamped, warm-white cardstock is also torn. I like that look.

The inside message, below, is Isaiah 9.6; I tie the tulle ribbon over the inside left page (you can see the words "Christmas Blessings" peeking through) and around to the front side, making a fluffy bow across the picture.

I like to use tulle and sheer ribbon on my cards as you can see words

and embellishments through the ribbon.

I also make framed Scripture pictures and below is one all done up in pink. Some people have pink Christmas decorations, so I made this pic for those people who don't do red and green and are always on the lookout for pink!

Christmas - Because He came . . .

Thanks for visiting and checking out my homemade goodies!

Be sure to stop by all the other participants
for Week Five of TWOC presented by Red Writing.

Christmas Blessings,

Jayne

Twelve Weeks of Christmas! Food! Week 4

~ Twelve Weeks of Christmas! ~

All About the Food!

Week Four!

This week Red Writing asked us to share something about our Christmas food traditions for week-four of our TWOC event.

Our family has many food (have to have it/don't change it) traditions for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the main one that I have been in charge of for over 40 years is "the perfect sweet potato recipe"! When my kids were little we had a nanny who made this dish for us. I asked her one day if she would give us the recipe. She said, ''there isn't a recipe." She just made it by feel! So, I asked her if she would let me watch her and create a written recipe. The result is "Dorothy Sweet Potatos" and we have had it every Thanksgiving and Christmas since that year; and it is passing down to my kids and grandkids.

Dorothy would be proud if you decide to give it a try!

~ Dorothy Sweet Potatos ~

Peel and cut into chunks (approx. 1 to 2 inch) 10 to 12 sweet potatos

Cover with water in dutch oven and boil (uncovered) till tender

Remove from heat and drain well

Add: two sticks of butter (NOT margarine) - cover and let butter melt

Add: two cups sugar

Mash/mix with hand or bowl mixer till consistency of mashed potatos

Allow to cool some

Add: seven/eight eggs, slightly beaten, a couple eggs at a time; mix well between additions

Add: one to two T. cinnamon; one to two T. nutmeg; one T. vanilla flavoring, mix well

Add: one cup milk or heavy cream (we use cream); mix well

Pour into (sprayed/greased) 9 X 13 inch baking dish - the above ingredients will make two pans worth (depending on the size of your potatos - I buy medium sized and we want leftovers)

Bake uncovered at 350 for one hour

Add marshmellows, return to oven and allow marshmellows to melt and brown slightly

Serves: 12/14 (with some leftovers)

Done and Delish!

This weekend we are having "Thanksgiving" in Kansas; the Texas connection traveled to KS this weekend, and we are pretending it's November. With work/school/college schedules, we couldn't swing it next month. So, the above recipe was eaten TODAY! YUMMY! And we have leftovers; and, it will be made again Christmas Day!


Be sure to visit everyone who is participating in TWOC and see what other good recipes and ideas may be out there for all of us to try this year!

Blessings,
Jayne @ My Song Within