The New Year & The Year We've just been Through!

Well, it's a sort of dismal and grey New Year's Day here at home and in ways this is reflected in my mood.  I've heard and read many stories of how 2010 was a challenging, sorrowful and hard year for a lot of people and I know it's true because I've been witness to some of these trials.
The year for me and mine has actually been pretty sweet though....and I suspect my "dis-ease" has a bit to do with that.  Can I really be fortunate enough to experience another good year or is this coming one my turn at the bad stuff?  Scary thoughts like these plague me from time to time and I suspect it's due to just a bit too much downtime in recent days, so my solution is to get busy, but before that, some wonderful (and some just plain average) blessings that happened in 2010 are as follows!

-my 4 kids continued to grow and flourish, they drove me crazy alot, made me laugh even more and created dirty laundry like nobody's business but stayed healthy and strong and usually intelligent...what more could a momma want?
-my hubbie...he stayed!  Weaker men would have just thrown up their arms in desperation and left my sorry ass many moons ago, so the fact that he's as crazy as me has really worked in my favour!
-he also finally grasped the courage to sing...first, to me  (he's been singing to his cows for years) and then, as the year progressed, even to others...this is BIG 'cause he's finally doing something just for him!   
-my home, although not still (or likely ever) entirely finished is pretty cool and well, very much my HOME!
-my parents, relatives, friends all made it through 2010 and seem as though they are up to the challenge of living large in 2011.
-after over a decade of diapers, I finally closed that chapter of my life and did not regret it's passing!
-we planted 500 live and 1100 cuttings of cold tolerant grapevines on land we've been eyeing for years...now to see if our fledgling vineyard will flourish or fail, a new and exciting venture!
-I participated in my very first art exhibition ever...in my mind it was a success, I sold quite a few canvases and got my foot in the door of the art community.
-I am blessed to be part of a wonderful church where we meet as extended family, laugh, cry, discuss and support each other in what we do and have forged relationships that will last through and beyond all the daily junk that gets thrown in our way if we just remember to hang on!
-I've laughed, cried and lived and hope to continue with more of the same....all GOOD STUFF!

So, nothing really all that spectacular, but in putting my thoughts to print my grey mood has just about vanished and rather than look forward with hesitation and trepidation, I'm excited to see where 2011 will go!
Some challenges and maybe sort of resolutions  for 2011 are:
-to get in better shape, not the running up and down the sliding hill a gazillion times without losing my breath kind of shape that my incredible sister got herself into over the past year, but taking the time regularily for physcial activity to strengthen body and clear my mind.
-to create enough art to successfully participate in the "Pontiac Studio Artist's Tour" which I have signed up for to take place the middle 2 weekends of June.
-to later hold an exhibition at the local Cafe of the same art...or more...depending on just how well June goes!
-to think about me and mine before I take on or agree to numerous projects...this sounds a little selfish, but as our lives have spiralled into high speed in the past few years because of decisions  made, I realize I need to strengthen the "foundation" of the family before I go out there throwing it around in high winds on a daily basis!
-to organize my time, the home, the business, the financial situation, the mind...so that if or when that wind starts whipping around we will STAND.
-to take a couple of days to just BE with just hubbie and me, no shopping list, dairy seminar, dental appointment, or renovation project tagging along, but just us...something that we have simply not done for more than a couple hours since our honeymoon over 15 years past, I cannot wait!

 I really didn't write a whole lot of exciting up there, just average, so if you've managed to stay awake...congrats! BUT!... I think average is so much better than so many people throughout this great big world ever get the chance to have that I must be truly blessed!  May you be able to live your lives fully in 2011 and also be blessed in more ways than You can imagine...thanks for tuning in and hopefully the New Year will rock!

Christmas Home Tour!

Christmas conjures up sooo many different emotions and feelings for me and unfortunately near the top of this "emotion" list is stress and panic...so much to do, so little time, so many little and big people around I hope to make it wonderful for and no matter how hard I try I always seem to fall short of expectations, which are for the most part MINE and no one else's!

Don't get me wrong, I know the real meaning of Christmas and completely get that.  There is no other time throughout the season that I feel more centered than standing in church on Christmas Eve, candlelight glowing, Hymns being sung, Scripture being read...particularily if my own little "angels" have chosen to cooperate during these moments...a true blessing all in itself!

I've also read and heard and been told all about simplifying for the Christmas season, but find that no matter how hard I try I'm just not so very good at that!  I LOVE to decorate and I have a thing for Christmas trees, glittery, rustic, big or tiny, I love them all but natural and quirky are my favourite, hands down!  So, since I've started blogging, I've started to follow other's blogs and have seen many gorgeous homes, vignettes, ideas, etc... but realize I cannot do it all, and I likely wouldn't be true to myself if I copied other concepts, so for this year I'm decorating more or less like I've always done which I admit is kinda country, (even though I hate labels!...see previous post!)  a bit rustic, pretty informal and I hope just a little bit fun!

So without further preamble...Welcome to Jen's house tour!...I apologize for subpar photography, I entirely blame the camera, but I fear I haven't been quite good enough this year for Santa to bring me a fancy schmanzy one!




 


Little kid creations are a must on my Christmas tree!...

  

...even if they are sometimes gaudy!


















This was made by me when I was 4...does that classify as vintage or antique??



























My lil bro always groans when he sees this, he's 30 now and getting married!...but I love it, reminds me of when he was an imp, running in and jumping on me to wake me up on Christmas morning!  (by the way...he's still an imp!)
  

















Another favourite decoration, anything natural and free!


















About as "glam" as I get! 


 



















A cardinal crafted by my 2 year old...I just love how he stuck the wings on his tummy!



 



































Outside garland and a preview of that unfinished porch ceiling!

 




































some cute and cuddly snowmen crafted by my daughters...
 






















 ...the Seuss tree too!

 

And...since this is an art blog, my favourite art of all...my kid's!




 















Tiny village handcrafted by mommy and kids...kinda compliments the painting in behind don't ya think?   I'm sneaky like that!

And in case you didn't know, I have a rather large home, so don't worry, this is all spread out, it doesn't look nearly as tacky in real life, at least I don't think so!

By the way...did I mention, right now, while writing I'm just procrastinating? 
            I have commissions to complete,
presents to wrap,
                  cards to write,                                    no baking done,
         church pageant to help organize
                                                                 (how long could it really take to make a camel costume?)
                          and then all that daily stuff too!

Oh yeah...life is good!  I really do mean that, so blessed with so many choices that I simply can't choose!

Have a wonderful day! Jen