Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy New Year!

I hope your Christmas was wonderful and all your wishes came true. I couldn‘t have asked for a better gift then to be surrounded by family but I was completely spoiled as they showered me with gift cards to all the craft shops in town as well. What can I say, they know and love me. LOL!

Growing up in Hawaii New Years Eve meant fireworks and lots of it. Every Dec. 31st, shortly after dark, my family and I would all gather on the large front steps of our home as though they were bleachers. Dad would put on a marvelous fireworks display for us on the front lawn. To this day whenever I see a fireworks display, no matter how grand it is, I can’t help but think Dad’s were always better. Guess it was the love he added.

Later we would walk to my grandparents home.  They thought rock and roll was the devils music and should be banned but after diner my Aunty Alice would take us kids out on the screened in porch and turn up the radio anyway. We had no idea how to dance but we had a wonderful time trying until we ended up literally rolling on the floor laughing. Aunty Alice always made every holiday special for us kids, for New Years she served us Highballs that LOOKED just like the ones she made for the adults. What fun memories.

Back home again my siblings and I would run thru the yard writing our names in the air with sparklers and set off firecrackers under the strict supervision by our parents. We would be in bed long before midnight but were wide awake until well after. All over the island people climbed to the top of power poles and attach strings of firecrackers the length of the poles. At midnight they would begin to set them off. It seemed to go on for hours and the air would be filled with smoke long after it was over. For the next week there were tiny bits of red tissue paper scattered on the ground everywhere.





Those memories inspired my card. The firecrackers are rolled red tissue paper stitched together with gray floss for the fuse. I embossed a gold band on my red card stock to highlight them. The sentiment was printed, I have no idea where it came from. It sits behind a window made with Spellbinders Labels Three. The sparkle was added with a Quickie Glue pen and EP.

I made this card at the dinner table with the entire family as my audience. I did it in part because The Closet is an utter disaster area and partly because I was asked how I cut those fancy shapes and how I got that shinny stuff to stick to my cards. I fully expected the men to head for the hills but they were as fascinated by the workings of the Cuttlebug and the melting of the EP as the kids and the gals were.


I wish you all Good Health, Prosperity, Peace and Everything Wonderful in 2012.

Blessings
Bernie
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Saturday, December 24, 2011

Merry Merry Christmas

Hello Dear Friends
I do hope you and yours are all well and the weather is being kind to you.

When I last posted I had no idea it would be so very long before I’d be back. You see I won the lottery and I’ve been on a world cruise, I’ve seen all the lovely sights…  Errr you aren’t buying it are you. That would have been so very nice but the truth is I’ve just been busy with every day life.

It’s all good. The house is all shiny and bright, the halls are decked, everything that needed to be has been mailed, the gifts are wrapped and the stockings are hung. We are enjoying two glorious weeks of children, grandchildren and in-laws, 15 in total. The house is full of joyful laughter and more food is being consumed then anyone would believe.

Since we are a family of yours, mine and ours, our tradition is to celebrate and open our gifts on Christmas Eve. Everyone is free to spend Christmas day as they wish but since we have open house most of them filter in and out through out the day.

The house will seem empty and be very quite when everyone leaves. I’ve miss playing in the Closet and I’ve missed all of you but I am enjoying every second I can with those I love. I will return and visit with you all after the first of the year.

I wish all of you and yours all the joys and peace of Christmas.  May all your Christmas wishes come true. 

 
Have an Amazing Christmas!
Blessings
Bernie
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