Tuesday, December 23, 2008

How Did it Happen?

I've been having issues with this holiday season ... usually I begin preparing sometime in early October and have a bunch of stuff in the works & by December 1 I'm in a baking and making frenzy (believe me when I say that I truly enjoy every part of it, too) ... this year, I never really got started. Strange, really. I have baked a bit, made even less and now it's officially Christmas Eve ... this is so odd. I mentioned in an earlier email that I am hoping that my holiday clock is just set on delay ... who knows, maybe I'll have my holiday burst sometime in March. One never really knows ... I hope that I haven't bummed y'all out & your still with me - this next part is chock full of happy surprises, some pretty pictures (from that trip North) and a super happy face at the end.

A while back Elizabeth Beck (a.k.a. e.beck.artist) was having a giveaway & somehow the lucky gods were smiling on me ... I won an e.beck original! Due to life, art & other such stuff, it took a while for her to make her way to the post office. Even luckier for me as she decided to send me not one, but TWO of her little paintings (and a candy bracelet that my daughter quickly confiscated from me by calling dibs)! Whoa! and hold your horses! Check out what she sent:


I love, love, love them both & am thrilled to have them here in my home ... I may even leave the ornament up all year long (who knows, if I stare at it enough, that Christmas Spirit just might take its bite!). Go HERE to visit her blog & be sure to check out more of her wonderful art.


That's really good and awesome, right? But WAIT! there's more ... the most wonderful and loverly Cathie (a.k.a. Clevelandgirlie) decided that now was the time to send a little cheer my way (did she sense I was suffering from holiday zombieitis?!? I wonder) ... and what a precious little cheerleader I received ... introducing Mz. Meecies (yes, I do call her that & don't blame me if my goober hat shows once in a while - I was born this way & have practiced for years and years!):


Isn't she just the most adorable pin cushion EVER?!? She has a pin for a nose & Swarovski crystal eyes. You can actually put a spool of thread on her tail, too ... talk about a clever, clever design. I adore this little mouse. Right now she is sitting on the shelf right above my PC and just looking at her makes me happy. Go see Cathie HERE - scroll through some of her older posts as her talents are not only with a needle and thread ... plus, she has one loveable Gizmo.

Another wonderful and witty woman decided to send a little something my way ... imagine my surprise when this sweet package arrived:


Chris (at Prism Trail) sent the box full of hand made tags (when in the box, the lid doesn't close, but you get this amazing hand decorated box brimming with colors and ribbon galore - it's so sweet, but I wanted to show off all the pretty little tags & beads). Visit Chris HERE ... don't be surprised if you find yourself giggling for much of your visit.

You'd think after receiving such lovely gifts I wouldn't still be suffering from Christmas Avoidance Syndrome ... I wonder if there are meds I should be taking ... perhaps some Mint M-n-M's ...

You all said such nice things about the photo's from West Virgina, I thought I would share a few more:




And just for the sheer pleasure:


That's Secret. She's the miniature pincher that lives with the peeps we were visiting in West Virginia; she enjoys the ride from the house to the cabin quite a bit. :)


May you all be treated to a holiday filled with
love, laughter & good cheer!

24 comments:

Marilyn said...

Michelle, I'm not sure how it happened but I've experienced the same thing this Christmas. I finally was energized yesterday, but a lot of the 'usuals' will have to wait until next year...or I like your idea of March too:)
LOVELY gifts you've received--bloggers are so wonderful!
Love your photos--the blue skies are incredible...and Secret is just adorable!
Wishing you and your family the best of everything this holiday...Hugs, Marilyn:)

Mescrap said...

It's such a Lovely RAKs you receive in this wonderful Christmas Eve.

jennlui said...

oh yes!!! time is zipping by!!! i thought i was going to have plenty of time to get everything done and boom... x-mas eve... scary!!! so i just crossed off a bunch of stuff off my to do list, not essential for me to do and feeewwww what a relief!!! ha ha ha!!! there's always next year!!!

beautiful photos michelle!!! that's one thing i love about winter (well not the cold) but the beauty of nature in it's stillness...

have a very merry holiday week, full of loved ones and special treats!!! hee hee!!!

peace and love

Chris said...

Okay, this is my favorite post in a LONG time. This delayed holiday clock is SO common, and we all seem to have a bit of this. A friend of mine who thinks Christmas is the best thing ever and always goes a little WACKO! right now, is even having a bit of stagnation... Be Good To Yourself! It's your good friends and love and thankfulness that we see us through!

Thank you for your lovely blog. And that MOUSE!! Come ON! I'm going to her site right now, and do a little begging.

Chris said...

Oh, and you are SO lucky with those canvases! HOw cool. I love her stuff.

The dog? Don't you love that? They have some of the best faces, don't they? Last night I was sitting with Scout and giving her a back-scratch and she heard something outside and turned and looked at me with her ears back and her eyes not quite focused on me... It was one of the most frightening things I've ever seen in my life!

but enough about me...

AwtemNymf said...

HI Sweetie-
those paintings by e.beck are adorable! So small- I'm curious- whats the scale? I heart the green one! Congrats on winning that :O)
And how adorable that mouse is! CUTE!
Laughs @ holiday zombieitis!
I wish you a magical Christmas!
Hugs & Faerie Dust!
ps- you make me smile when I see you stopping by my blog :O)

Janet said...

Ohhhhhhhhhh I used to have a minpin...such cute lil dogs! Thanks for sharing that picture :-)

oliver rain said...

It's sort of been the same with me this year. I got a burst of holiday cheer around December 20th. My excuse is that it has been a wild December filled with sickness and school stuff. I'm looking forward to a lot of RnR between now and New Years.

You got some wonderful gifts in the post. I love the painting. What a lucky lady you are.

Merry Christmas.

Gail Lackey said...

Have a very Scary Merry Christmas and Happy Haunted holidaze!!
Gail & Miss "P"!!!

Kate Tracton said...

Hey there, Michelle!

I've been baking a bit too, but got sucker-punched by a cold. I love the idea of your delayed clock kicking in sometime in March!

And I truly adore those beautiful tags and their special box. Lucky lucky girl. :-)

I hope Santa brings loads of goodies your way tonight...

Kate

Lea said...

Thanks for sharing such lovely gifts with us Michelle... I think that is what is truly special about this time of the year, it is not what we do, but just to recognize the way people touch us in such special ways... you have no idea how your comments over the year have been a gift to me... now it is time for you to take time for you and to love and enjoy your family and friends... much love to you and blessings for this Christmas to you and your family... XO

ArtPropelled said...

Michelle, I know the feeling. I had to pull that christmas spirit up by the bootstraps. Lovely gifts you have received. I love the mouse!
Have a great christmas and the best New Year!

Anonymous said...

Glad you can get what you need from the season and not be burdened by "have to's". Hope your time is peaceful and calm, and that feeling follows you throughout the year.

Kathryn Costa said...

Merry Christmas my dear. What wonderful gifts you have received this year. I have one for you too! Visit my blog to download it.

I love that pincushion mouse. How adorable is that!

The handmade tags are a great idea. I'll have to make some of those.

I've had mixed feelings about the holidays this year. All in all though, I've been focusing on the gift of giving.

Merry Christmas!
xoxo k

The Studio at Crow Haven Farm, LLC said...

Michelle...my little friend... I understand completely how you feel..been feeling a little of the same thing. One thing is for sure, we are so blessed to have you in our world...may you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year... By the way, your photographs are absolutely beautiful..I feel like I can walk right into them! Thank you.
Cheers my friend

Our Hands For Hope said...

Michelle,
I am with you, I never got it together for the Christmas season this year. If you get it in gear in March, let me know and I'll join you! With that said I do hope you had a great day today. Merry Christmas.
blessings,
Terisa

julie king said...

this holiday season was a bit blah for me as well. i've promised myself to do less and enjoy more next year. i have a real problem with the do less part which leaves me pretty much exhausted today!!

3rdEyeMuse said...

oh yes, I am one grateful chicka - it's really helpful knowing that I am not the only one that seemed to sleepwalk through the holidays ... guess what ... I have actually made my holiday card list (and just might get some long overdue notes in the mail before the big ball drops for 2009).

first up, though, fulfill my shrine obligation & get it in the mail to arrive just in time. :)

Cindy said...

Hey gurl! Well, I'm sorry you never could get started! At some point, I just got bored with everything...LOL..but it was all nice and I enjoyed family time.
Hope yours was Merry and Bright! : D

c

Unknown said...

Your not alone in your holiday blues. I wouldn't call mine the "blues". However, I did a whole lot of nothing this year! I'm getting the mint chocolate kiss truffle treatment as I write. I'll let you know how that turns out!
K

MJ said...

Hope you have recovered from the pre-Xmas blahs and celebrated the day in style! I admired your lovely flowers in your garden (& almost contemplated what it would be like to have warm weather at this time of year!)! In case the X'mas spirit strikes you in March, freeze the perishables and craft like crazy and think how brilliant you are to be done all your X'mas gifts so early for 2009!

e.beck.artist said...

let's do christmas together in april ...or july ... or september ... i really, truly plan to this year ... i'll letcha know when i get there!!

glad my little canvases make you happy .... the happiest bit for me was that i was moaning to a girlfriend who was in my studio working ... and she volunteered to mail them for me ... save me a trip to the p.o.... i boxed up all manner of things for her to tend to for me ... very lucky!!!

happy holidays to you ... cookies are good all year round ... and maybe even better when you can make them rush free ...

happiness to you and yours ... e

Anonymous said...

Merry, Merry Christmas!!!

It seems that so many of us were late off the starting line this year. At my house it was due to illness and a new grandbaby - and things sort of skidded to a halt in September with my son's hospitalization...but, we pulled it off! =) Christmas day was a lovely day for our entire family and I am so grateful for that! We put our christmas tree up on Christmas eve and it was such a special time that they want to do it that way again next year...so, things DID work out...

I'm so happy for you and all the special gifts you received in the mail - I ADORE happy mail! =) And I covet e.becks canvases! lol! They are lovely!

E. is right - we can have christmas later...in fact, maybe we SHOULD pick a month to "begin" christmas together! =) That would be fun!

Take care and I hope you have a joyous New Year!

Donna

Anonymous said...

Great pic of lil' Secret dog