Blessed...

This is a time that I tend to reflect on my year... I am not a big resolution maker, life has taken me on many turns and I am dissappointed when I do not achieve them, so I do make goals for myself throughout the year (attainable goals) and the rest of the year I try to see where it takes me with as much direction as I can give it...(does that make sense?)

These are all just pictures from the past that I thought were pretty.... I wanted to participate in White Wednesday, even though I am a little late for the party...

Over the years, like I alluded to, I have had many things happen in my life that are not what I would have chosen... we all have. When I was having a particularly bad year, I had to chose joy and gratitude or I would have cracked.... I kept a small notebook and jotted down greatfullness.... sometimes it would be as simple as a good weather, those were the hard days...and others were the joys from my children and wonderful things that came to me that day..... Whatever I wrote, I knew that I had a reason to be grateful for something that day.....

This past year has been a good one.... simple and sweet... Good health (yes the occassional cold/flu to myself or a loved one..that is to be expected)

Nice adventures..... work for my hubby and I.... watching my children grow into adults... cute and rascally pets.... special children to enjoy at work... and making pretty things...my passion...

I am hoping to open an antique booth this year. This will satisfy my love of vintage, my creative side, my love to shop, my love to fluff and hopefully up our income (which has been the same for years, unlike the cost of living).... It will be extra work, but good work.....

I wish for myself, my family and all my friends (you bloggy friends too of course!) A good year... No matter what life brings you this year, I hope you find reason for gratitude and make even the littlest moment joyful.

I feel blessed with this life.... Thank you for sharing my year with me...enjoy the rest of your Holidays and Happy New Year! xoxo karen.....

I am sharing this on Faded Charms White Wednesday party...go see all the beautiful eye candy!

Happy Holidays!!!

Do you ever feel like you are in that Ikea commercial? Where you find a treasure and you feel almost like you were stealing it was such a good deal, and you want to run and tell your hubby to "Start the Car!" before someone figures it out? Well this cute white Santa planter left me ready to yell to my hubby..."Honeyyyyyy! Start the car!!!" but I went to the flea by myself!
I love him! I was looking at the other end of this booth when a lady questioned the price on him, I turned around and was instantly in love... Well, she walked away, I grabbed him, payed the lady and wished her a very merry and quickly left before she changed her mind....
Yipppeee! I love him!


I won this precious snow lady from Shari Repologie of Plays with Paper...isn't she darling?
Talk about falling in love- She just warms my heart! Go visit Shari's blog, you will find lots of wonderful inspiration!
Well, blogger is locking up on me and I can't download anymore pictures so for now, Happy Holidays to you all!
I hope you are happy, healthy and have a safe fun holiday! See you in the new year!
xoxo karen....

Snowflake Ornaments to give....

Just stopping by to show some Chrismas ornaments I made for my friends at work...

Simple. A target snowflake ornament (3/$1.00) a vintage music sheet rosette.. a scalloped cirle with a circle punched image in the center - both stickled and a fun sentament...tie a ribbon and voila! A sweet gift to give friends...

If you would like to hear a sweet Christmas story... click here.

Happy Decking the halls to you all!

karen....

Decking the Halls...and the Bathroom...

Hello my friends....
I have been missing for quite awhile again, the ugly flu bug has hit our house twice in 5 weeks and this last time it knocked me off my feet!!! But I am back up! Cough, cough... you know how it is, gotta keep going! Especially to bring all the holiday, cough, cheer to everyone!
The above picture is a shelf in our bathroom, ignore the ugly wallpaper, we live in my mom's home and she loves it...when you are 81, it is what makes you happy!

The above picture is "cartooned" by kodak.... I am busily trying to catch up a little and started the decorating and didn't realize that little plate was crooked when I photographed this little vignette but I wanted SOMETHING to show you, so I cartooned it!

I also have been trying to create goodies, I try to make one special something for our home and little gifties for friends and family... I finished an ornament wreath last night, something I have wanted to make for a couple of years now. I love it! I will photograph it in natural light so you can see it. I want to make more!

The little house on the outside of this gift is an ornament I made for a friends' sweet grandbaby.

I saw something similar in the Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Crafts magazine and had to give it a try. I thought it came out pretty cute, especially because my sewing skills are basically non-existent!

I hope you are having fun with your family and friends. Create memories and don't get too stressed! Have a warm and cozy week! karen....

Happy Turkey Day My Friends!

Life has kept me busy and away from my blog for awhile......

I miss you my bloggy friends! Everything is going well here at the Recycled household... just busy, busy. Like I said in a previous post, those cute little rascals at work are kicking my now 50 year old butt and I come home wiped...
But I am getting used to it...
Since I talked to you last, I had my birthday...WAAAAAHHHHH! My family and friends made it a nice one.... I have had the flu TWICE! UGGGHHH! but am doing well now... Hubby bought me a big shot die cut machine ( I didn't want a Cricut, I know I am the only crafter on earth who doesn't) and I am having fun with it...I have made about 2 dozen of Tim Holtz's rosettes to take on a trip.
And tomorrow we are leaving on a little trip! YAHOOOOOO!

My hubby and daughter and I are driving up north a couple of hours away, same place we stayed in the summer and just relaxing and enjoying the sites!

Of course I have packed a whole bunch of crafting goodies...I am so excited to start crafting for Christmas....

I will be back with pictures and stories of our trip...Until then, keep crafting.... all the above images came from the Graphics Fairy, it is a wonderful source for images...

I hope you all have a wonderful, safe and soul-filling Thanksgiving! karen....

More Swap goodies...What I gave....

I wanted to show you what I sent Lorraine for our little one on one swap... This was fun! Since it was one on one, there was no pressure...just fun!

Here are a couple of little black and white bowls- striped and polka dotted with some hand stamped candles wrapped in pumpkiny goodness....

A little fabric pin made with a vintage button.....

The box and goodies inside...another pin made with a vintage image and covered in envirotex, vintage cupcake toppers.. fabric yo-yos and an orange vintage millinery flower....

A yo-yo garland....

And a boo candle.....

Halloween fun!! I have enjoyed wandering around blogland and seeing everyone's halloween vignettes...I love all hallows eve!!!

A Happy-Halloweening-we-go.....

I have missed you my bloggy friends!!! Life has kept me busy but hopefully I will be posting more! Fall is my favorite time of year and I love to share things with all you cute people! I think I shared a looong time ago that I work with children with Autism in my day job. This year we have had quite a few darling 3 year olds start our program who are very involved and seeing that I am not getting any younger, (we won't go there!) They are kicking my butt!!!
BUT! I love them so much, they are the cutest.... and rascally.... oh yeah!!!!

Above are a couple of vignettes around my house, I had to take them outside to photograph them because it is so gloomy. I got the scale at the last flea and I love it's rusty self!!!

My friend Lorraine and I decided to do a one on one swap and I am sharing what she sent me...I am a lucky girl! We swapped decorated matchboxes- (halloween of course) and filled them with treasures to create with....Look how cute the box is:

Here are the fun treasures...some darling mini pumpkins, a decorated clothespin, wonderful sparkly orange tinsel, a handmade flower...... and more......

We also created 4 handmade items (neither of us stopped at 4) Here is my booty:

The little witch in the middle is made from an altoid tin and her apothecary shop is inside... I love that little thread spool with the crow! Here is a picture of the inside of the tin...sorry it's blurry!

I bought some fun collage sheets from Sandy of One Crabapple on etsy...I love her stuff! And some pretty goodies from Julie of the adventures of bluegirl so hopefully I will have some creations to share soon!

Hope your fall is starting out wonderfully! karen......