Yes, Sketchy is just as much fun today as she was 37 years ago. Look at what came in the mail today. I still cannot believe my eyes. I am once again the proud owner of my favorite childhood doll. It just goes to show you if you believe in Santa magical moments happen at any age.

And YES… we still have our Christmas tree up (but it sure is a great photo op for the mini album I plan on creating). Once Christmas is over CHA kicks in and I never seem to get it down. I thought for SURE I would get it down before March this year since it was a much easier tree to decorate than last years. Oh well, I don’t turn the lights on like that makes it any better but the neighbors have come to realize this is me and they like me anyway.

Note to self… take the tree down before Spring Break!

Oh this little sneak peek is full of wonderful Maya Road new release items. So much fun I tell ya! In this little Valentine for daughter #2 (don’t worry daughter #1 I am making something for you too) you will see lots of new Maya Road goodies… Heart Beads from their Trinkets Beads “Hearts and Butterflies” collection, Crochet Shimmer Blossoms, Scrolls II, a butterfly from the “Butterflies and Bugs” collection and a Heart page from their new 2-Ring Heart Chipboard Book. So much fun!!! The possibilities are endless with all the new products. My brain cannot keep up with all the ideas I have swirling in my head. I do believe their new flowers and scrolls are what sends me soaring over the moon. I can use them on everything and LOL… I think I have.

Oh and Santa is picking the RAK winner today. I will announce the winner tomorrow. Good luck. I hope you all have been very good.

Enjoy your day!

Just wanted to wish my dear Dad a.k.a Santa a very Happy Birthday.

Love you Dad!

And since he is such a giving kinda guy I thought it would be fun to give a Maya Road RAK in honor of his special day. This RAK will have new release products included. Which means you will be one of the first to have them. So, please leave a comment wishing my Dad a happy birthday and I will have him randomly pick a winner.

Good luck!

Thought I would share a little recipe to create some magic reindeer food for those of you who might have some little ones that feel the need to help guide Santa’s reindeer to their house on Christmas Eve.

Magic Reindeer Food

Ingredients:
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup red or green sugar crystals

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a small bowl and mix. On Christmas Eve be sure to take this magic food and sprinkle it on your lawn. Santa’s reindeer travel miles and miles before the dawn. The smell of the oats and sugar path will guide them on their way then you’ll wake up to Santa’s gifts bright and early Christmas Day!

Alan added the Mitten Tutorial to my store for those of you who are interested in creating my Mitten Project.

Here is a fun “Getting to know you” Christmas questionnaire. My sister sent this to me so I thought I would share it with all of you. I am making a few ornaments that I will share with you tomorrow. They are easy and fun to make. Oh and this is for my friend Patti…. you will be happy to know it will be 80 degrees here in Frisco tomorrow! It was only 7 degrees at her place last night. Talk about put another log on the fire.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping Paper… Terri and Ansley are not trustworthy for gift bags!
2. Real tree or artificial? We have an Artificial
3. When do you put up the tree? Every year is different. Ours is going up this weekend.
4. When do you take the tree down? If you look in the Winter Issue of Scrapbooking and Beyond you will discover that last year it was MARCH!
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but my Dad’s is my favorite.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? When I was around 4 or 5 I got a Baby Etchn Sketch Doll (the name is something like that) I loved that doll and wish I could find one.
7. Do you have a Nativity scene? No
8. Hardest person to buy for? My DAD! Sorry Dad but it is true.
9. Easiest person to buy for? Ansley
10. Worst Christmas Gift you ever received? Honestly, I have never received a gift I didn’t like.
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, I feel some things should be done the “old fashioned” way and mailing Christmas Cards is one of them.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It’s a Wonderful Life
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? December and yes I tell myself every year that I am not going to wait until December to start shopping and here I sit once again with not a gift purchased.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Never
15. Favorite things to eat at Christmas? Mom’s Peanut Butter Fudge and my Chewy Chocolate Chip cookies and Pecan Sandies
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Every year has always been white but this year Ansley has talked me into C7 colored lights like they have on the trees in Hollister, one of her favorite stores.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Holy Night is my absolute favorite and it doesn’t matter who sings it.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Have traveled every year but I’m trying to talk my Mom and Dad into coming up here this year!
19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Well of course I can.. you know my Dad is Santa don’t you?
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Neither, I have a really cool vintage glass topper that the girls cannot stand but I LOVE!
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? When the girls were little we opened one on Christmas eve and the rest Christmas morning, now we celebrate on Christmas Eve. I love the room dark with just the glow from our tree and a few years ago it actually snowed here on Christmas Eve. It was the most magical Christmas ever and one I will never forget.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Rude people just don’t get this at all. I understand we are all stressed but being rude certainly doesn’t make it any better.
23. What is the “silliest” family tradition you do, or miss doing? We don’t have one that is really silly but I do usually have one of the girls on some sort of crazy treasure hunt to find their gift. Not sure who my victim will be this year.
24. Ugliest Christmas Decoration ever invented? I think the long thinly cut silver tinsel that was supposed to drape down from the trees branches to look like icicles
25. Which looks best, theme trees or homey trees? I love both
26. Gingerbread or sugar cookies? Sugar Cookies to me, Gingerbread is for Houses
27. Do you like Fruitcake? NO

This layout by Judi Van Valkinburg reminded me of the very first Christmas ornament I recall creating. I’m so glad my Mom kept it. I was 6 years old and in the 1st Grade at Longfellow Elementary, in Mrs. Young’s class. I remember thinking how funny it was that her last name was Young and she was so old! Anyway, I remember sitting at my desk, cutting out my gingerbread man, hat and vest (making sure I got my lines as straight as I could), then gluing everything together and putting my glue and glitter in just the right spots. Now it is a little tattered and torn but that is to be expected … after all it is 35 years old. My ornament hung proudly on the family Christmas tree for many years.

I also love this letter to Santa that my Mom wrote (check out her hand writting) for me when I was really little… around 3 or 4 years old. She wrote just what I said. It reads, “Dear Santa, I have been a good girl and Richie has been a good boy. How are your reindeer? How is Mrs. Santa? Thank you for all our gifts. Love, Lisa I love you Santa.” I think my little scribbles are cute. I really need to figure out something to do with these two cherished items so that I can bring them out and enjoy them each holiday season.

Wishing you all a wonderful day and holiday season.

Sorry I don’t have any projects or layouts to share today. But here is a really cute photo of “Sonny” my golden retriever. He is wearing the Santa hat “Zeus” had his photo taken in a few days ago.

At the moment, I am working on several things for Maya Road and Cocoa Daisy but can’t share until Jan. 1st! I think this is the hardest part about being on a DT. I always want to share my creations as soon as I finish. The waiting just kills me. So, I found this really cute list of questions on the net and thought it would be fun to share them with you. I plan on making a mini album using all my families answers. On Christmas Eve I’m going to hand this out and have them fill in the answers. Then take a photo of each person and create a journal. I think it will be fun to have and reflect on in the future.

Christmas Questionnaire

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?

3. Colored lights or white lights on tree/house?

4. Do you hang Mistletoe?

5. When do you put your decorations up?

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?

8. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

9. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?

12. Can you ice skate?

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?

15. What tops your tree?

16. What’s your favorite holiday tradition?

17. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?

18. What is your favorite holiday dessert?

19. What is your favorite Christmas song?

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?

21. What is your favorite Christmas special/movie?

ALWAYS leads to another in this house especially when it comes to creativity. I have needed a photo of Terri wearing a Santa hat for weeks. Well yesterday she finally let me take one.

Isn’t she just the cutest! So… after I got the photos of Terri I needed we both looked at each other and decided it was time to take some photos of Zeus for her Christmas cards. Poor little guy had no idea what he was in store for but I must say he is a natural. This dog will pose forever.

Click here to view more photos

We had so much fun. Now Terri just needs to pick one photo! She left the house with a proof sheet of 9 poses and will try to make up her mind by this evening. I wished her luck as she left the house. I love them all.

I know you are probably getting tired of seeing my Dad in his Santa suit but I just love this photo. He looks so jolly! I took it when visiting my parents a few days before Thanksgiving. I think my Dad is the best Santa ever!

I wasn’t able to create any new projects yesterday. I am the lucky one that has been picked to get the terrible head cold going around in the family. I will have Ansley draw the winner of my RAK tonight and announce the winner in the morning. I will also upload a photo of what you will be receiving in the mail. I hope you all have a wonderful day. I’m heading back to bed.

Oh and one last thing… If you want to see some ADORABLE tree ornaments you have got to go to Notes from the Journey all the design team members created tree ornaments using Maya Road products. They are really cute and so easy to duplicate.

at a project I am working on right now. I have seen so many altered puzzles and have always wanted to try and create one with a Christmas theme. I love the old world Santa so the Daisy D’s Christmas paper is perfect for my project. Well a few days ago I found the cutest size puzzle in the $1 section at Target. I grabbed several to alter and give as gifts. I am just about finished with the inside but thought I would give you a peak at the front. I should be finished in a few more days.

This so called Plump & Juicy Young Butterball Turkey is sitting in my freezer. Yep you read right… my freezer! I’m just a bit nervous since I will be the one cooking the turkey this Thanksgiving and I’m not a cook! My Aunt always told me if you can read you can cook! Well, I hope she is right. I’m a pretty good reader but there is just something that happens when I step into the kitchen and that something isn’t always good. I told my Mom to keep the phone glued to her hip because I was going to be calling ALL the time for help. My Mom can cook the best turkey! If you all have any great recipes you want to share please e-mail them to me. I will gladly take any help I can get.