It is cold, no freezing outside!  When you live in San Diego, that's a true sign that winter is here.  By mid-day, it will be delightfully warm outside in the sunshine, but in my house, it definitely feels like winter.  That…and the fact that it's DECEMBER 1st and I haven't started decorating for Christmas yet can cause a good deal of panic at my house!  When I presented the idea of getting down the Christmas boxes from the attic shelf in the garage last night, my dear husband suggested that getting the laundry done first might be wise – I don't know…maybe because he needs to put the ladder somewhere!  So this morning, laundry is going full blast, next comes the dusting and cleaning, so that when he gets home this afternoon, there will be no excuses!  It is so much work to set it up that we like to have it around for at least the whole month of December, and frequently keep it around until the first full week of January is over. Along with the cold weather and decorating, the Christmas season brings lots of handmade crafts, goodies and gifts.  I am attempting to actually handcraft a pile of gifts  this year and there are always things that get in the way.  But if I do one or two things a day, I can accumulate quite a stash.  Here are a couple of cards

Thanksgiving cards, that is…there's ALWAYS time to give thanks!  With all the preparations underway to start Christmas, Thanksgiving doesn't seem to take center stage as a holiday anymore.  But we shouldn't forget to count our blessings.  Take time to make a list of things – or people – that you are thankful for and why!  The act of writing it down makes the blessing more tangible, and telling someone you are thankful for your relationship with them lets them know, too!  This paper line is called Domestic Goddess by Graphic 45…don't you love the name?  I love this line!  It has a vintage feel that invokes how I feel about the traditional role of women in the home and how we can make it feel…warm and cozy!  (As I once again sit freezing at my computer!)  Oh well, at least the product and projects are fun to look at!  I just have to clean before I dare bring a heater in here.  With all this paper around me, excess heat might not be a good idea!  Sometimes I feel a little non-symetrical and I rebel against sharp corners…I really did this time.  When I do that, who cares how the buttons are sewn on?  I love stitching "outside the box"…its amazing what patterns and designs that can originate with 2 or 4 holes on a button!  I have a little project that