Trim the Tree

I am hosting an ornament exchange on Friday, I think it is my 7th annual. It is a great way to kick off the holiday season. It is a ladies only event where we enjoy appetizers and cookies, listen to Christmas music and share Christmas stories. Each person is asked to bring a wrapped, unmarked ornament to exchange. We draw numbers to see what order we go in and there is some stealing, but never so much to cause bad feelings. In the end we all have another wonderful ornament to add to our tree. I fondly remember our times together each year when we trim our tree and I hang each of the ornaments I have received over the years. I have 2 favorites. The first year I received a pair of ornaments, a set of boy/girl penguins that were hand made by my friend Jackie. They just make me smile. We count on Jackie to make her ornament every year and she has come up with some great ones. My other favorite is one given by my friend Teressa. It is a mini gourd that has been dried and etched into a santa. I love how the seeds rattle inside and how unique it is. I spend the entire year on the look out for just the right ornament to give. I purchased this years in PA while my DH and I were there for a church conference. I don't make mine as it would give me away but perhaps I should rethink that.
This is an ornament that was inspired by Ellen Hutson, see here Blog entry on ornaments here.
I love the kit she is offering. Her snowman is much cuter so I may have to order the set for next year. I had a few of these 2X2 frames and glass left over from a class I did last month so I set out to make my own version. This is a stamp I think I picked up at Michaels. I embossed in silver onto watercolor paper and used ink and an aquapainter to add the color. I love that the frames already come with a loop for hanging. They are by Ranger and work with the Memory Glass they carry. What a fun and easy project.

I am going to apologize in advance for the slow blog week, with 3 stamping events this week, my party on Friday and my daycare kids returning, I do not think I will have much to post. Maybe I will need the therapy of stamping for the same reasons so you never know. You can now subscribe to my blog though so you can receive updates when I post something new.

I had to share about my son Kaleb. His third grade chorus concert was last week. Doesn't he look sharp in his tie??! They did a wonderful job singing and doing motions to a variety of songs. We are so proud of him!