I'm Busy Being Creative

I have too much "stuff" so for the month of November, I am challenging myself to 30 Days of Creativity with the goal in mind of using up lots of supplies.

In cleaning the garage, I came across a stack of plain white tea towels I ordered from Amazon last year and I can't for the life of me remember why.

I stenciled two of the towels and will hang them in the kitchen when it finally gets painted next week.

I have way too much paper on hand so I used a little to make a Thanksgiving banner for the mantel.

I painted a Welcome sign on an old cabinet door

and used a scrap of wood from the wood pile for this Christmas sign.

I have been making wire wreaths

and trying (unsuccessfully so far) to write words.

My sewing cabinet is overflowing (way too embarrassing to show) so I am making Christmas decorations to use up fabric.

I don't really need any more banners or stockings so I did a Giveaway on Instagram.

I announced the winner on Saturday and was incredibly touched by the response.

As I drove into Los Angeles yesterday, I thought about the winner's reaction and decided that I need to do a Giveaway on the blog too.

If you are interested, leave a comment on what colors and words you would like for your runner.

It's Day 9 of my Creativity Challenge so I need to get away from the computer and make something.

she keeps the tradition alive . . .

 I do not like the drive into Los Angles, but yesterday I was happy to be headed east.

 I was meeting these two very special people, my sister on the left and my cousin on the right, for a Christmas lunch.

This picture was taken last January and it was the last time I saw my sister because she has been working in London for the last few years and rarely in California.

I am so happy that her project is complete and she is back in California.

The first stop was Marcia's house where I managed to snap a few pictures - her Teddy Bear Tree in the family room,

some of her magical fairies and a fat old Santa.

We didn't have much time because we were meeting our cousin Vicki in the charming little college town of Claremont - it's the halfway point between Vicki and me.

We met at a favorite shop, Barbara Cheatley's, where both Vicki and Marcia purchased some Maileg elves, enjoyed a great lunch and exchanged Christmas gifts.

My absolutely favorite part of Christmas as a child was our stockings - mother went to a lot of trouble to select special items for each of our stockings - and Marcia keeps that tradition alive for me.

My bag was filled with items lovingly collected especially for me over the past year.

Mother always put a bear in my stocking and Marcia buys me a bear or two each year - the one on the left is from Budapest and she found the one on the right in Salzburg.

Marcia found fun gifts at this shop in Prague - notice the little angel in the window.

I now have a cute little angel along with a necklace made of cloth beads and a felted pin.

Marcia always find me sweet things for my crafting - these buttons will be part of the Valentine hearts I plan to start making next week.

And, she always includes something from our childhood - we shared a cherished fairy book and neither of us know what became of it.

A beautiful tea cup and some delicious Godiva chocolates will be enjoyed when I browse through Tea Time and Victoria magazines on my iPad.

I love all the wonderful gifts from my sister and her love of tradition,

but by far the best gift this Christmas is that she is back home and it won't be another year before I see her again.

I hope you are deep into the "traditions" part of Christmas with your family.

You Don't Mess With Tradition

There is a line in the movie Mystic Pizza that goes, "You don't mess with tradition".

I learned that the hard way.

Since 2003, we have gone on a family vacation for Christmas so I don't go all out decorating like I did when the kids were growing up.

Our very first Christmas together, I crocheted stockings and made extras assuming we would have children.

As the children were born, I added their names to the stockings.

In the summer of 2005, I decided to knit all new stockings for everyone.

After nearly 35 years, the crocheted stockings were looking a little ragged and with JP getting married, I needed to add a stocking for our new family member.

I thought it was a great idea.

That year for Christmas, we flew to Chicago for the wedding and spent Christmas Eve in a hotel.

Late that night, I filled the new stockings and set them out in living room of our hotel suite.

When KC awoke and went in search of her stocking, I heard a loud "what is this?" coming from the living room.

She was not impressed with the new stockings.

I had not realized how important the stocking tradition was to her.

We had gone away the past two years, so being away from home wasn't the problem.

She was bothered that there wasn't a single bit of Cook Family Christmas that year.

We were in a hotel, going to the home of strangers for Christmas Day and wouldn't open our presents in our usual early morning tradition.

And now she didn't even have her stocking.

The striped stockings became a new tradition and every year they hang on the mantel.

 But, wherever we are spending Christmas, the old crocheted stockings tag along.

They are already in my suitcase even though we don't leave for 9 days.

So wherever we are, at least we have something from home.

Because, you don't mess with tradition.

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I am linked up at

Savvy Southern Style - Homestyle Christmas Vignettes

The Lettered Cottage - Christmas Mantel Decorating Party

My Romantic Home - Show and Tell Friday

Mockingbird Hill Cottage- A Favorite Thing