MIRACLE ON 12th STREET

JARS OF CLAY

II Corinthians 4:7

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

How will you fill your empty 2014 vessel?

Might I suggest miracles?

All one must do
is
 look!

MIRACLE ON 12th STREET

(please click link for this amazing miracle)

MERRY CHRISTMAS LOVES

THE NUTCRACKER

THE NUTCRACKER

 is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by 

Marius Petipa

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

 Although the original production was not a success, the twenty-minute suite that Tchaikovsky extracted from the ballet was. The complete Nutcracker has enjoyed enormous popularity since the late 1960s and is now performed by countless ballet companies, primarily during the Christmas season.

I remember the first time I was "forced" to go see it, I had no idea

that I would soon want to make it a Christmas tradition.

Perhaps Bass Hall in Fort Worth, Texas was what was so intoxicating to me

I was smitten the first time I saw these matching angels

If you ever have a chance to see a performance here of any kind

you will be so glad you did

it is beyond lovely

It's priceless to watch this magical ballet

with a child

(this is my Betty with her best friend Acie just last week...they look like sisters)

The original production of The Nutcracker, 1892

Olga Preobrazhenskaya as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Nikolai Legat as Prince Coqueluche

Ivan Vsevolozhsky's original costume designs for Mother Gigogne and her Polichinelle children, 1892

 Ivan Vsevolozhsky's original costume sketch for The Nutcracker (1892)

This is the part where the snow falls from above

glittery and so real

M.A.G.I.C.

and while you're in Fort Worth

be sure and visit the Gaylord for some winter time antics!

Holy Nutcracker Ya'll!

FRONT PORCH SUSSIES

What you will need to pull off this fun 

ring the doorbell and run front porch surprise

project partners

dressing alike is an option

paperwhite bulbs

used and cleaned prayer candles

(it is very possible that your name was called at the lighting and burning of one of these candles)

I'm quite sure as we were thinking of friends and neighbors 

lots of good cheer toward you and your family was involved

ribbon, bells, ornaments

colorful message and instructions

we folded these fan style and placed within the jar

driver and chef have supper cooking and car heating up

it's cold outside!

story time break  in the pillow fort

fresh rosemary from the herb garden for a nice fragrance

laughter at  how it's going to all come together

its' getting dark enough to deliver

off we go!

to deliver 

a bit of handcrafted nature and it's promise

happy spaces

to include you as we remember

that Santa is on his way!

IT'S BEGINNING

to look a lot like Christmas around 822

Do you decorate your home each Christmas the same way?  Or do you like to change things up every year?

Since Christmas decorations can be rather pricey...I find myself being a theme decorator and using the same things year after year...and you know?  I really love it like that...

BUT...this year...I made a purchase that shook it all up!  Dontcha just love Hobby Lobby!

the 3 things I love about Hobby Lobby..
1.  the seasonal things are always on sale...like 50%!
2.  they play Christian music which I find so relaxing in the hectic isles during hectic shopping days
3.  they're closed on Sunday...big statement in this day and age!

This year I bought two champagne pre-lit tinsel trees that I am

C.A.A.R.A.Z.Y. A.B.O.U.T.

one for each side of the entry...each with just a jeweled cardinal or two

cardinals represent Christmas and winter to me

a girl can never have too many Nativities

I have them all over the house...no presents under the trees

just Nativities

isn't that what the gift is?

My favorite to decorate is the living room..the walls are a pale pink and it's so pretty with red

love the glitter

we have owls in our trees...so we love to add this element of nature all around this room

why look.... there are my two baby owl peeps...sitting in the nest...last year..one nest had a golden egg...

this year

that egg hatched

there are me and B...see that I have an owl on my shoulder?  I have had these decorations for 16 years and I still adore them

 another owl

more red birds

more owls

forced bulbs in the kitchen window

Nutcracker hanging on the door to the wine cellar

the bar

we love holiday cocktails with our friends and family 

and each other!

this little jacket shows how much American Honey I am NOT drinking

:-)

the tree at the baking station that nobody bakes at

surrounded

 by those Nutcrackers

I love old mercury ornaments

yesterday found me chopping

spraying and lighting

an old dead tree...70 degrees today

high of 12 Thursday

it's a wonder we don't catch pneumonia

medicine!

Pa rum pa pum pum ya'll!