Bits and Pieces of Life on a Tree

Thought I'd share a few Christmas tree ornaments that have meant a lot to me through the years......

The jingle bell, stocking girl was one out of my childhood. I have such fond memories of hanging this little ornament on the tree each year. I have always given it a good jingly shake when I hang it up and it just makes me smile.
Cutting down and decorating a tree for Christmas was always a highlight of the year, as a kid. I loved the time with my dad, going to our woods and selecting the perfect evergreen (we had the really nice Frazer furs), with lots of spaces between the branches and a smell that was simply heavenly.
Decorating of course started with lights, the old fashioned jumbo light bulbs that looked like candy and burn your fingers when you touched them were the best. I was a bit sad when little twinkle lights replaced those.

Here I am about three years old, I guess. Grandma had given me this little ornament that year and I've always loved it and still have the cute little retro box it came in.

This one was an ornament my hubby had as a kid. I love it that we both were able to keep some of those traditional pieces of the holiday and make them a part of our lives now.

Someone gave us this ornament the year our first son was born. There were so many new things that year...the start of a marriage, a new house, being a new mother and living by a new family. I remember those early days as a new mom with such fondness. The times with baby K and I snuggling and napping together on the couch were the best.

The year my youngest son was born we acquired this "cow jumped over the moon" ornament. I just thought it was so fun and it reminded me of all the stories I read to the boys that year. Bedtime or nap time was usually preceded by about a half hour of reading. Even as the kids got a little older I kept that tradition and read chapter books to them. It was an effort to do that everyday, but I really enjoyed it and they did too.

This cute little marshmallow pooch we bought for Ginger's first Christmas with us. She was such a cute puppy!

This was just a simple one, but special because it is wood from trees on the farm where I grew up. Mom had put one on all of our presents years ago. I love that it is in her writing. Even though she has been gone 10 years I still miss her, especially at this time of year. She loved Christmas so much and kept a look out all year long for little bits of joy to share with those she loved.

Hope you enjoyed my little ornament tour.

Wishing you a joyful and merry Christmas!

Thanks and Winner

Thanks all who posted links or promoted my Etsy site in some way. I really appreciate it!
J at wcwagners won the crocheted pin! Yeah J!

Wishing everyone a happy Monday!

Up and Running at Etsy

Hi friends....well I've been busy this week at lots of different things. I had a show this week and an all day craft sale on Saturday. Both were busts for sales. I only sold one item at each event. The friend I went with sold quite a few things. Good for her, bummer for me.

Oh well, just keep going...that's what I tell myself anyway, and I try to keep in mind why I'm doing this in the first place. So, instead of getting bummed out about my stuff not selling I just decided to try another venue. So I took the plunge and signed up with Etsy. Who knows how successful that will be, but I guess it's not too big of a cost to give it a try.

I have an Etsy mini posted on the right hand side of my blog with a few thumbnail pics. Check it out and let me know what you think. I have about 20 items on there so far and hope to add a few more this week. Boy, it was a lot of work to take all the pictures, get them ready to go, describe everything and figure out how it all works. But it will be easier as I get used to it I suppose.

If you promote my site by talking about it on your blog or putting a link to my site - www.tookietrinkets.etsy.com , on your side bar, I will put your name in a drawing for a free crocheted flower pin.

Snowballs on a Snowy Day

Today is my day off and I was up early...dishes got done, a roast was stuck in the crock pot and the laundry was humming away while I priced/inventoried and tagged new jewelry creations. I pulled my Tookie Trinkets work into the TV room and watched Holiday Inn. I don't think I have ever seen that movie. I enjoyed it!
This afternoon the snow is falling and so I thought I would make snowballs. Actually they were my husband's grandmother's recipe and she called them skillet cookies, but I like to call them snowballs.

Snowballs
1/3 c butter
1 C sugar
1 pkg (80z) cut/pitted dates
2 eggs beaten
1 c chopped walnuts or pecans
4 C Rice Krispy Cereal (measure out into large bowl)
4 oz flaked coconut

• Combine butter and sugar in a non-stick skillet, cook until butter melts.
• Add dates - mix and cook for a minute or two over low/med heat.
• Add eggs - mix swiftly into mixture, don't be alarmed if eggs look like they are scrambling, just mix well and chop up any bigger egg pieces with a spatula or wooden utensil.
• Cook until thickened.
• Remove from heat, add nuts and mix.
  
• Add mixture to cereal and mix well.
• Allow to cool slightly.
• Spray your hands with Pam (cooking oil spray) to keep mixture from sticking.
• Scoop up tablespoon size portions and squeeze/roll them together in your hands, then roll in coconut. I usually squeeze the coconut around the ball so it sticks well.
• Set out on trays to dry a little.
• Keep in freezer till ready to eat.

Enjoy!

Favorite Ornament

In one of my last posts I promised to share some of my favorite Christmas Tree ornaments with you. This is my most favorite. It is a large frosted glass ball with a bride and groom surrounded by a wreath of roses. This was a present from a family member given to us at our wedding shower. Since my hubby and I were married shortly after Christmas, 17 years ago, it was a fitting present.
I have enjoyed hanging this ornament on our Christmas tree every year and it is special to me because it reminds me of how many blessing I have experience being married to such a wonderful man.

Do you have a favorite Christmas tree ornament?

TV Interview

Wow it has been a whirl wind week! Lots to do at home and work and for my Tookie Trinkets jewelry business. In fact my friend ( who is my business partner) and I received a surprise email this week from a local news station asking if we would do an interview with them about our business and why are doing what we doing.

We were both a bit nervous at first, but the man who came out was really friendly and put us both at ease, and then we were able to share from our hearts. Because of confidentiality reasons I wasn't sure about posting the link openly here, but if any of my blogger friends would be interested in seeing the clip I can send you the link via email. My business email is tookietrinkets@gmail.com.

I think back a few months and wonder how all this started. I certainly never asked for all that I am doing now, but know that it is the right thing for me to be doing. I am so grateful that God was the one who laid this path out and all I had to do was say yes and walk in it. That's all any of us has to do.

The Tree is Up!

I love putting up and decorating a real Christmas tree every year. Every step in the process is fun. The wonder of trekking down aisles of trees, brushing against their prickly freshness and feeling lost among them, brings back memories of times I spent as kid in a small forest of evergreen trees near our farmhouse. I would wile away the hours there, pretending and reading, lost in the world of childhood.

As we trudge through the tree farm we employ a standard method of choosing just the right one...not too tall... not too fat... not too full....just right. All of us agree on our selection and the tree is cut and loaded with us in the wagon. After picking out a wreath and ornaments and eating some popcorn, off to home it is.

Tree set up is easy, as we have a hole drilled in the trunk. A metal rod then fits up the hole and holds the tree in the stand. Simple. On to the lights...gold and white. But bummer, this year on one of my biggest strands half the light were not working. I didn't want to run in and get more, so I added a strand of colored lights that we've had for ages and it was nice. I think I kind of missed the colors. Now to the trinkets....

I am not a fan of tinsel or garland, so my basic decorating design involves some kind of silk flowers/leaves and lots of ornaments. Both my husband and I have ornaments on the tree from when we were babies and a few on through the years. Now each year we add to our collection. I figure that way the kids will have decorations to take with them when they are adults and have families of their own. Hubby and I buy one each too, so we're not left with a bare tree when their gone. So right now, our tree is looking pretty full. It was a challenge to find spots for all of our treasures.

As the days go by this month I'll share a few pics of special ornaments with you and the stories behind them.