It's Looking Like Christmas!

 

 How is everyone? Are you all decorating and getting cards done? This is the earliest I have ever had the decorating done-it took me three days (it gets dark so early and I can't do it without the daylight) but it's always worth it! 

 I pretty much keep everything the same year after year. Here are a few more pics:

                           This is on the kitchen table. And above it is a shelf:

 I have a very eclectic mix of new, vintage, and handmade sprinkled throughout the house. That Santa hanging on the first knob is a hand painted starfish from an uncle of our BFFS. He's been gone quite a number of years but we treasure all the things he gifted us with over the years.

Moving into the den area:

  One of the two corner cabinets hubby built. And next to it is this very old small table hubby refinished:

      I got the snow globes years ago from Macys. Hubby made the clock, and I made the tree. I made lots of those trees in different themes and colors and gave them as gifts over the years. And this is my handmade ornaments tree that holds ornaments from swaps and exchanges past years. I cherish this tree which sits on a vintage small roll top desk!:

The main tree is in the next (sitting)room:

and then into the front living room:

     My main Santa collection

 And the nutcrackers:

 They sit on a beautiful antique cabinet we bought from a neighbor up the street some years ago when they were having  a yard sale and we got it SO cheap:):) Our front door is to the left, and on the right you can get a glimpse of the way I decorate the windows with garlands. There are other tables and decorations but I won't overload this post with pics of everything else😉

 Time to have dinner and a drink to link with T Stands For Tuesday:

 

 I had been dying to try this vegan Irish stew for quite awhile and finally made it. It is my "almost vegan" Irish stew because I did not have vegan stout - only a regular dark stout to put in the stew. It was absolutely delicious and a hit with not only my hubby but also our son and DIL! And the warm garlic bread and Cabernet Sauvignon and/or water choices went perfectly with it. I also introduced a new to them vegetable- parsnips😁 Cheers!

 For Tag Tuesday (Christmas or Anything Goes), and Try It On Tuesday (Sparkly Christmas) I made this:

 I used a wood veneer tag (I got a bunch of these freebie sample tags from Home Depot) and decoupaged a napkin onto it. The German scrap is vintage- a small box of a variety of designs I got at a flea market. It has a beautiful gold shimmer which I had a difficult time capturing. The felt die cut angel, dimensional peace sticker are from Michael's, and the hand died ribbon came from an online shop no longer in business.

And for Art Journal Journey(The Meaning Of/Anything Goes) with guest host Tracey this month, the Simon Says Monday Blog Challenge (favorite technique), and Paint Party Friday:

  A mixed media page with lots of layers!! I love using many products to build up layers and get messy! I used Dina Wakley paints in Marine, Turquoise, Evergreen, and Lime. The word stencil and Curly Frond stencil, and image are also Dina Wakley. I added some mark making with a pencil, white Posca pen, black acrylic paint, and a black Fude Ball pen. Now this represents the meaning of... play... don't you think?

 OK, now I have GOT to get going on Christmas cards if they are to arrive on time to their destinations. Have a super week ahead!

" Creativity, which is the expression of our originality, helps us stay mindful that what we bring to  the world is completely original and cannot be compared."   Brené Brown