Challenge for 2011

I have taken the challenge...Instead of a New Year's Resolution, I have taken the challenge to read more classic books by joining the Wordsworth Classic Reading Challenge. By the end of the year I have committed to read the following classic books:

Emma by Jane Austin
Lorna Doone by R.D. Blackmore
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
Moll Flanders by Daniel DeFoe
Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens
Adam Bede by George Eliot
Mrs Dolloway by Virginia Woolf

I can't wait to start. I am going to get downloading on my Kindle right now. Come on join me...it will be fun. Click on the button on my side bar to join...

Christmas Eve Visitor

How funny is that ghost in the background, I just loved him so much I didn't have the heart to take him down after Halloween...

Layton is still talking about how he met the real Santa...

Christmas addiction...book paper crafts...

I fell in love with book paper crafts this Christmas...so I thought I would share some of the projects that I worked on over the Christmas season...By the time Christmas rolled around I have to admit to being completely burned out on the whole concept of crafting...I was talking to my mother about it and she sent me the most perfect quote...it made my day and renewed my faith in the joy of creating..."I just want to make beautiful things, even if nobody cares. it's a peaceful place to be in life." She found the quote here. I think it may be my new mantra for 2011...
Well anyways here are some of my creations. It all started with the shredded paper for the bottom of my centerpiece...I got my shredder for $7 at a lawn sale a few summers ago with my sister...I use it mostly for crafting...


This is the gift I made for my secret santa that I joined through lillyella. It is a Rolodex...

I mounted it on a 5x7 frame and put a Christmas poem in it...

I haven't taken pictures yet, but my secret santa sent me the perfect present...a beautiful book paper craft book and two gorgeous skeins of yarn...she couldn't have picked it better if she had known me! How did she know I was addicted?



This is the package after I wrapped it...


I really liked the wrapping so I wrapped my dad's birthday present the same...

and my friend Karen's present...


I spent one evening crumpling up paper while my husband tried to watch tv, to make this...and then I took the leftover butterflies and put them in some glass bulbs
to make these...

I can't wait to look at my new book to come up with some new ideas...Especially after I got this for Christmas from my husband...

Yep...tons of gorgeous antique books...

Christmas Preparations...

My little helpers...



Chocolate men dipped in white chocolate...


Grandma mini's chocolate spice cookies...

Layton dusting the marshmallows...




Looks like we are almost ready...