Junking in Georgia

The Man of the Hour on Christmas Eve

I've set this post to appear when Christmas Eve is about one minute old.  This is the most special night of the year.  I was simply beside myself with anticipation when I was a child.. I still remember how it felt. Christmas excitement and magic I haz some, and I hope you do as well.  This year there are lots of shadows around our Christmas trees... our family has two job seekers .. my niece who was laid off in New York City last week and my son just graduated from Law School. Great news came late yesterday afternoon--my niece has a new job. The people who hired her were kind enough to do it before Christmas.   Many of us have less than we did last Christmas.  To say it is not the best of times is an understatement.  Most of us have a list of things to worry about that is longer than Santa's list.  What we need to do is let the glow of the Christmas tree and the faces we love push the shadows back... all the shadows. The world will pause and another Christmas time will come ... from my house and family to yours  Merry, Merry  Christmas.

SO CLOSE TO CHRISTMAS

A slightly out of focus shot of Christmas candy to mark the hours before Christmas eve.  I have suitcases to unpack and a cake to bake today and anything else that needs to be done that I haven't thought of yet. My son's law school graduation and party were wonderful.  I saw a little snow and was it cold....... 0 yesterday morning.  I was happy to head back to warmer weather.  The Atlanta airport was not the madhouse we expected it to be last evening when we landed.  Lots of things for us all to do today... Christmas is coming in just a few more hours...... 

It is cold in Kansas on the first day of Winter

It is currently noon and a bracing 8 degrees.  The sun is out so from the inside looking out it doesn't seem that cold.  Once outside the wind is brutal.  I feel that I know really understand the thinking of snowbirds.  We are heading back to Atlanta and warmer weather tomorrow.   Stay warm where ever you find yourself on this the first day of winter.

I'll be home for Christmas

There are golden times in all our lives.  Special times to enjoy and to remember.  Friday is such a day for my family.  My husband and I celebrate our 36th anniversary and our son graduates from Law School all on December 19, 2008.  We are heading out to Lawrence, Kansas in the morning so I'll be away from Junking in Georgia for a few days.   We are throwing the new lawyer a party on Friday night.  It should be a great weekend.  I will see how much my grand dog has grown.  I enjoy going to Lawrence; it should be pretty just before Christmas.  I wish you a wonderful weekend of fun the last one before the big day.  If you have family starting any Christmas trips, I wish us all good luck at the airport.... we don't need any nightmare before Christmas weather to make travel even harder.  I will be home just before Christmas Eve so until then Merry Christmas take care and remember to enjoy it all as much as you can... Karen

My Own Front Door

In my last post you met the blow mold Santa standing by my front door this Christmas.  He is not alone. He has a small white Christmas tree and this to keep him company:

A snow ski or snow shoe...I been told this long tapered end makes a snow ski rather than a shoe .. a shoe would be shorter and rounder.. I am a Southerner so I don't know..

Blow Mold Christmas from Christmas Past ( mostly the 1960s)

Before the monster blow ups of today there were plastic blow mold Christmas items.  Recently I learned that they are not being made any more.  It is safe to predict that they will become more sought after as a result.  The golden age of the blow mold was the 1960's. There are earlier ones that would be great to own.  Here is a gallery of blow mold goodness.. don't get rid of any if you are lucky enough to have some.  If you run across one at a flea market or thrift store you should consider getting it.  What? they are large and take up room to store the 11 months of they year you don't use them?  We are talking vintage Christmas are we not?

                                                                    

This is the blow mold Santa by my own front door:

I love the way he in glows in the dark night.  Tackey perhaps?  Back in the day I sure thought so but now it is more vintage fun.

Nothing says Holiday like glitter

Glitter is a topic that provokes strong feelings.  I will place myself in the ranks of the pro-Glitter.  While I don't think putting Glitter on everything is good, I do feel a small amount of Glitter in the right place will improve most things.  Crafters do get carried away and smother objects in a coating of glitter.  The abuse of glitter has produced a glitter back lash.  I have read blogs that warn put down the glitter and step away.  One blogger in the anti-Glitter camp went on and on about why she had used glitter on something.  Reading her blog I wondered if she had confused Glitter with illegal drugs.  In the end she promised not to use Glitter again.  Use of Glitter will not lower your IQ.  People will not view you with pity and do an intervention if you use glitter.  For the Glitter user it is well known that Martha Stewart Glitter is the good stuff.  It is finer than basic grade school quality Glitter and comes in some wonderful colors.  Then there is the ground glass German Glitter which is the holy grail of Glitter.  Vintage glass Glitter is like a fine aged wine.  I am lucky enough to have found a bottle of this old stuff.  The label is a treasure in itself. I would never use it.  I just enjoy looking at it.  I use white or silver glitter with the smallest touches of red here and there.  People, it is not a happy time... in fact, times are hard.  We all need a little Glitter to make our Christmas a little brighter.

Short Days until the Winter Solstice December 21, 2008

We have rain coming down here to make the short day even darker.  It rained yesterday as well.  We need it badly, but it makes traffic and Christmas shopping harder.  How is that list of yours?  I hope you are checking things off.  Wrapping gifts is something I tend to put off doing, however, as we are going away next week I have everything wrapped and ready for the big day.  I do still need to find a few things to surprise those on my list.  That is the real fun watching someone's face light up when they see something that they don't expect.  Problem people those who are impossible to buy for are difficult. I am sorry if you have more than one of these on your list.  Good luck if you do.  The solution is just to pick something and be done with it.  There are those who wouldn't be happy if you gave them the Hope diamond.  It is far more fun to focus on those who aren't perfectionists or super picky.  My sister doesn't read my blog so I can tell you what she is getting.  She told me she needs earrings so I've made her seven pairs ...a week's worth of earrings.  It was fun to design each pair.  They turned out rather well so I doubt she is thinking I will get lots of earrings this year.  

Blogs are reflecting the season.  I have seen so many creative and pretty things people have done for the holidays and then posted for everyone to enjoy.  I know there is more fun to come so let's all get out there and enjoy it all. 

Little Christmas Houses

A favorite of mine for as many Christmases as I can count.  Tiny little paper houses with glitter snow.  I have vintage and reproduction houses.  I love them all.    Two reproduction houses that are somewhat bigger have taken up residence on my mantle for this holiday season.

Elves