happy mail . . . and LEGO Jesus

 I always good intentions of posting her more regularly, but don't seem to get it done.

Yet, I don't give up this blog completely.  So for now . . . when it happens - it happens.

I just wanted to share my Happy Mail, LEGO Jesus (which I just had to have), and my green hair.

Today is a great day for a great day!

Peace on Earth . . .

This was in my mailbox today . . . what a wonderful surprise!

Thank you Lorraine!

My dad used to make wood cutouts similar to this.  He would have liked this one.  I have a feeling he would have looked for the pattern and made a few.  

Lorraine also makes the most wonderful cards.  

I am always so excited when I receive one . . . and I love snowmen!

Peace on Earth!

For Today . . .

Outside my window . . . early morning sunshine and early morning chill

I am thinking . . . I really have a lot to do before tomorrow

I am thankful for . . . a week off for Thanksgiving

From the kitchen . . . later today - pies

I am wearing . . . still in my pajamas (I love vacation)

I am creating . . . painted rocks and paper cranes

I am going . . . to relax and enjoy everything about today

I am reading . . . Desperation by Stephen King (I think I need to read another author . . . I went for a walk last                                      night and my imagination went a little "Stephen King" . . . 

I am hoping . . . for some more rain

I am hearing . . . Richard flip through the newspaper - talking to me about the articles he is reading

Around the house . . . paper, colored pencils, markers, color books . . . 

One of my favorite things . . . Charlotte's hands

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . Thanksgiving with family

From my picture journal . . .

October Happy Mail . . .

Last week I was expecting a package from the zombie doll swap that I had joined.  I was so excited when it arrived with  Woodstock Wendy and all her goodies . . . but yesterday I was not expecting anything and what a surprise when our mailbox had not one, but two packages waiting for me.

 I recognized that familiar blue flying pig tape.  That box was from Lorraine - Paper Vernissage  

 Filled with fun little paper pockets . . . which may just be cut and folded into paper cranes.  

 Lorraine makes the most beautiful cards.  This skeleton is cut out of paper and the coloring underneath is wonderful.  She said she was experimenting with some powdered watercolors.  The experiment was a success!

I love it . . . 

. . . and everything else! 

Stickers . . . ribbons . . . a lovely lavender sachet . . . . munchies . . . a book mark . . . 

I will probably wear that day of the dead bracelet throughout the whole year!

Thank you Lorraine! 

 . . . and then another box.  This one was from my zombie doll partner Val - Yarnigras.  I could not have been more surprised.  She said she had forgotten the Halloween goodies in my first package.  Oh how I love Halloween goodies.  This little Frankenstein pin cushion will find a spot on my sewing desk (too cute just for Halloween)

  . . . a cute owl timer

. . . a beautiful handmade scarf.  The colors are perfect for this time of year!

. . . and look at this Day of the Dead apron! 

 I was just looking at all the wonderful Day of the Dead fabrics in the store this week.  I have always been interested and liked the tradition of Day of the Dead . . .

 but I also think for me . . . it is all the colors. My three year old granddaughter looked and it and told me, "That's really cool." . . . and it is!

Thank you so much ladies!!!! 

You not only surprised me . . . your thoughtfulness touched my heart!

"Woodstock Wendy"

We stopped at our mailbox on the way home last night . . . Richard got out to get the mail and turned around with a smile on his face and a key in his hand.  The key meant there was a package in the larger mailbox.  The package could only be one thing . . . . ZOMBIE SWAP! . . . and my zombie doll had arrived!

 What a fun creative package!

This amazing little zombie doll - "Woodstock Wendy" was inside with all of these goodies and a warning . . . "There is a very small chance your Woodstock Wendy consumed some bad 'shrooms.  If she did, DO NOT open this package.  She will eat your face.  Good luck."

 "Uh-OH!  It looks like your Woodstock Wendy ate some bad 'shrooms.  If you opened this package, you are already expose.  Good luck."

 She came with some Magik 'Shrooms, Woodstock Wacky Pak soup mix, a flower power hair band (for my inner hippie), some heart stickers, a skein of tree hugger green yarn to crochet a bitchin' hat, (which is exactly what I am going to do), and a journal. 

 Everything was wrapped in what looked like scraps from an old apron.  I LOVE how the soup mix was tucked in a pocket!

Thank you so much Val for the wonderful package, such an amazing little zombie doll, and for organizing such a fun swap.  (You should be getting your package soon.)

I don't think Woodstock Wendy will be put away after Halloween . . . she may just have to find a place to sit permanently.  

Life is ridiculously amazing!

I have been away from here for awhile . . . for no specific reason - other than I have just been busy relaxing, spending time with my mom, and enjoying my vacation.  

 I made Charlotte some bandanna pants tonight.  I made these a couple of summers ago and felt like making some more.  I sewed one pair to get the size right for her.  I now have all these fun bandannas to turn into pants.  

 I have also been working on this old entertainment center that I bought at Goodwill last winter.  I am turning it into a dress up sort of closet thingy for Charlotte.  I still have to get the bar in for her to hang her princess dresses . . . and I need to find some baskets and trays for all of her dress up stuff.  I will post better pictures once I am finished.  It was fun to make, but I am tired of pink paint and stain and sweating in the heat of the garage while I was working on it.  

My mail challenge has brought so much fun to my mailbox.  This all came one day last week.  

Now that my 365 day mail challenge is nearly over . . . I am going to try to keep writing letters . . . maybe not every day, but my challenge was more successful than I had anticipated. 

 Charlotte loves to help me in the kitchen.  We made "messy" biscuits" the other day . . . very messy biscuits considering the biscuits were actually a roll of Pillsbury biscuits and I just gave her flour, milk, butter, and some eggs to keep her busy and let her think she was really making biscuits.  She also did a very good job of placing the Pillsbury biscuits on the baking sheet . . . 

. . . and the mess was easy to clean up.  

. . . and this???

MAKE TODAY RIDICULOUSLY AMAZING!

t-shirts . . . fun mail . . . new mug . . .

I have been so busy . . . only it is the kind of busy that I love.  I just wanted to post a couple of pictures from this week.  We are definitely going to tie dye again this summer . . . we learned a few things this time.  I am getting ready for a very special visitor . . . my MOM!  I am so excited!

walking and other good stuff . . .

"Joy is what happens to us when we allow

ourselves to recognize how good

things really are."

~ Marianne Williamson

Yesterday was full of good stuff . . . 

. . . walking home with Lily.  Oh, the conversations we have while we are walking.  She is full of questions and wonder, and knows that if she asks for something Clare Helen is apt to say yes . . .  

There is a lot to be said for spending time with a child.

. . . a letter from Aunt Sue

She wrote her letter on ads that she cut out of the newspaper.

I love this idea!

I have had so many students from room 12 stopping by my desk for help with folding paper cranes.

PEACE ~ LOVE ~ CRANES

 . . . and MadBum was brilliant. 

"Hitting is timing.  

Pitching is upsetting timing."

~ Warren Spahn

Forever . . .

They say nothing lasts forever.  

We'll have to prove them wrong.

I love these Forever stamps.  They are much cuter than the American flag ones that I tend to use because I can buy them when I am at the grocery store.  I had to stand in line at the post office to get them.  I think the grocery store should carry a variety of postage stamps, but then I guess they don't want to deal with people taking the time to make up their mind what stamp they want.  It is probably easier for them to just have the one kind . . . easier is not always better.

 I found this wonderful card in my mailbox this week - from my friend Dawn . . . my little Sis.  I met her when I was in 6th grade.  I miss her terribly . . . one of the big drawbacks of moving 2000 miles away from where I grew up.  

The power of the #2 . . . this was a postcard we received in the mail at work.  Something about it I liked . . . so it may find it's way into a journal.  

My little ladies . . . life doesn't get any better than this!

"What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment 

that's gone forever, impossible to reproduce."  

~ Karl  Lagerfeld