Family...Vintage Tree...Awards....

Happy Black Friday!

Okay, I must be getting older since I didn't make it out to Michael's last night for their 6 pm - 9 pm Thanksgiving Day sale. My mom and I had a magnificent dinner at
McCormick & Schmick's and quite frankly, my belly was sooo full that I just wanted to go home {gasp!}. Our meals were absolutely delish and we would definitely do it again. I was surprised to see how full the restaurant was...

I have a couple things to share....every year my kids get their pictures taken. I have a "picture wall" in my dining room that has photos of them since they were 1. I'm trying to get our family photo taken every other year...we look so different from our last one taken in 2006. I didn't buy enough photo's to put in with everyone's Christmas cards and I still need to make another batch of cards. I didn't have enough but decided to deal with the 2nd batch over the weekend. It took me forever to write in the 50 I'm sending out tomorrow. I forgot how much I don't handwrite...I'm so use to emailing and texting. I typically do short & sweet messages in the cards that I send out but there are peeps that I like to be "chatty" with...I "packaged" our photo's in glassine bags that I bought at
Paper Zone.

I'll share my main Christmas card design early next week. The next thing I wanted to show you is my vintage Christmas tree. I'm a HUGE fan of Cavallini products. I have their Japanese Woodblocks calendar in my dining room. I have several of their stamp sets... Recently I picked up a set of their Holiday Bird Glittered Gift Tags...look what I did with them:

I love my Vintage glittery Christmas tree!!! Here is a close up of one of the tags...they are wonderful...you can't really tell but they truly are glitter'licious. I replaced their strings with the fabulous Stampin' Up Riding Hood Red grosgrain ribbon...whaddya think?

Stacey over at The Crafting Adventures of a Left-Handed Blonde gave me 2 awards. She is such a sweetie pie {from the UK}..you have to go check out her blog. She says the cutest things like: blimey, yonks, chums, Marmitey...lol....AND of course, she designs fab cards!
"This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships!These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind blogger's aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight blogger's who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

~AND~
"Pick 5 bloggers that you consider as your best blogging buddies and deserve this award for their contribution towards the blogging community, no matter what language.State the name of the author of each blog as well as a link to each one's blogs.Each blogger (upon acceptance) of this award should do a post and show the award on their blog and put the name and link to the blog that has given her/him the award."

I'll go ahead and nominate 6 blogging friends. I'd love it if they can play along but no pressure...they can select 1 or both of the awards:

1. Catherine of Inksomnia
2. Angie of Schwoo!
3. Susan of One4Joy
4. Suzy of Paper monkey
5. Carla of Paper Pastorale
6. Elaine of A Place for Ink

I could soooo add more and more people but will go ahead and leave it at these lovely six people. They all have fabulous blogs and are super creative.

Whew! Hugely long blog post...thanks for taking the time to visit! I hope you all had a magnificent Thanksgiving and were surrounded by the ones you love.

Comments

Marlou McAlees said…
oh wow Amy, I loooove your tree!! how fabulous!! great photos too, enjoy your weekend :) x
Elaine said…
So much in such a short time, Amy! You ROCK! I never went to bed...stayed up and made cards! :) Did you want anything at Michael's? I bought almost everything in the store so if you need anything....lol
Love that tree - that's not a Cavalini too, is it? Gosh I could go on forever- your kids are gorgeous like their mama! I'll see if I can figure out the blogging buddy deal and get that up....but my son is looking forward to going out today - so maybe I'll get an hour of shut eye! lol! Take care!
e
Anonymous said…
Hello my friend! Thank you so much for the award you are so sweet to think of me! You already know how much I love and admire your work so this is especially an honor coming from YOU!

Your glittery tag tree is so fabilous - you know how I am with those shiny sparkly things! Where did you get the wire tree? I LOVE it!

xoxo
Suzy
Angie Tieman said…
Wow! First off, your Christmas tree has me drooling over here! Whaaaa, I want it! lol! Those birds are amazing and you are SO clever to use them with that yummy ribbon for that darling tree!

Next, your family photo is precious! What cuteness in one family and you can so see the love there!

Lastly, thank you for the awards, you are too kind! I consider you a best blogging buddy too, so I give them right back to you! Hugs!
Janine said…
What a great read Amy!!!
Lauren said…
Wow! That tree rocks Amy. I love the picture too.
Allison Rankin said…
Great pics Amy and I love that tree!
Stacey said…
Hahaha! I'm now creased up laughing and hugely aware of my Englishness!!!

Great tree by the way hun ~x~
Carla said…
Oh, goodness, Amy, you are the sweetest thing! You have no idea how happy this makes me! You are such an amazing friend, and I'm so glad to know you!!
Julia Aston said…
Your family photo is just super Amy! what a great shot! and I love your vintage tag shimmery tree! I have one of their bird calendars that I keep next to my computer - I love their wonderful images!
Anonymous said…
Hi Amy. Beautiful family photo! And that tree is fabulous! The glittered bird tags are so pretty and that pop of striped ribbon really takes it over the top!
Savitri said…
Oh, what a great tree and I LOVE your picture!!! So so nice! We only take nice family photos every other year too. When M was itty bitty it was more but we got over that :)

Hope your weekend was fantastic and your shopping nice.
Ann said…
I LOVE your glittery tree! And your kids are gorgeous! Congrats on all the awards--you deserve every one of 'em! :D
lauren bergold said…
oh yes, one can definitely both *SEE* and enjoy the glitterliciousness of said tree. in fact, if it looked ANY BETTER in photos, there would be a considerable danger of me showing up inna cat burglar costume (avec lint brush naturally, to clean up glitter transfer!) and making away with DA GOODS!!!!!!!!! :)
Rose Ann said…
What a fantastic family photo, Amy!! I totally LOVE your vintage tree!!
Catherine said…
Your tree is so beautiful, Amy.

Your family picture..love it. You and your girls are so pretty and love your smiles :)

And congrats on your blog awards and thanks for passing it along, I really appreciate it. But if you notice I never post it on my blog because i really don't feel i deserve them, anyway, thanks again and see if i have the guts to post it...don't hold your breath though...hahaha.
Carolina said…
Thud - wow is your tree adorable!!! Love the vintage look and huge congrats on the awards!