Merry Christmas... and Happy Holiday's

Look!....
It's a photo of a painting my dad did, many, many years ago. (early 1960's?) He carried the photo in his wallet, by the looks of it, for a very long time. My dad passed away in 1993 at age 74.
He was very artistic. I remember this painting hanging on our living room wall.
I love that you can see the painting in the background, of the photo of me at Christmas...about 1962?...with my baby doll, and very favorite "Suzy Smart" doll. the toy phone would be sign of things to come....I'm now an Operator for a catalog sales company. Why couldn't that be a toy cash register instead? : P

It was very large, about 2'x 3'... under glass. My dad loved painting Winter scenes. He didn't have many art supplies, and I'll bet this painting was done on a discarded piece of cardboard, as were many of his paintings. looking at the painting, I wonder what his inspiration was, and what memories of his, were incorporated in this painting. He did grow up on a farm, not to far from where I live. We had the pleasure of visiting there a long time ago, but it didn't look like this at all.
I am ashamed to admit the fact, that I had the painting when I got married. When we moved, I left the painting behind!... what was I thinking?
I didn't know then, what a cherished thing it was.
So. I scanned the 2 x 3 inch photo, at 500 dpi, and it came out pretty clear! and luckily, the main part of the painting is not severely damaged, although, the photo itself, is aged and badly cracked. I tried to digitally repair it the best I could, then using my favorite, simple photo program "LIVE PIX"... I laid semi-transparent layers of color, section by section, diminishing the "crackle" while still allowing the original painting to show through.


I'm pretty happy with the results, considering what I had to work with. I thought the picture would make a wonderful Christmas ornament, to give to my family!
Of course, I never get these brainstorms weeks before, no... I get them hours before. I have to make 16 ornaments, and I've already printed and glued the images on card stock, and decorated the edges. I just have to antique the edges, and attach a string for hanging. I'll also add a little note to the back, giving the history of the painting.
I hope my family will forgive me for leaving the painting behind.

I just watched the Browns lose... and now we're at the mercy of another team, to get into the play offs. ohh well.
I'm going to make Christmas cookies in a little while. Our family favorite "Crescent Cookies"... They're not actually crescent shaped, but round, with a thumbprint, with powdered sugar, and colored sugar. The recipe is common, but I love these cookies!... to me, this is what Christmas tastes like!
My girls and I were supposed to make them together, as we do every year, but schedules got in the way, and it's just gonna be me rolling all those little cookie dough balls.

I'll be going to my sister Susan's house Christmas eve. Most of my family will be there. I love seeing them all, but will be glad when the Holiday's are over.. and everything goes back to normal. .......sorry if I've already mentioned that a million times in previous posts!

Thanks for reading my Blog
I wish you and your families a Very Merry Christmas.. or whatever holiday you celebrate.. (being PC xoxo)
And a Wonderful, New Year filled with good health, and peace!
xoxoox
~MaryEllen

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME!

Well, I couldn't resist... I bought myself a little Christmas gift! I got myself a T-shirt, with my Artkissed Logo on it! Pretty cool eh??? The color and sharpness is fantastic!! I got it at an online site called "ZAZZLE"... a place where I also feature some of my own designs, that you can get, on all kinds of things, like T-shirts, mugs, etc. Clever site. Artwork is submitted, and they print them! You get "royalties" when one of your designs is selected for their merchandise. I've sold a few T-shirts... or I should say "they" sold a few T-shirts, using my designs. Anyway, if you're looking to get a special shirt, mug, or other thing, to have custom printed, ZAZZLE IS THE PLACE!....oh... ya.. and I also treated myself to a LOGO mug too..
on it's way.. I'm bad!

The little package below, is one of my latest sales, ready to be shipped. 3 custom collage magnets... (see them in one of my recent Blogs) I like to make the packaging special. I imagine people opening each one, like a little gift! I don't like boring packages. They wrapping should be just as fun as what's inside right?

Well. It's almost.. no.. it is.. "HUMP DAY".. And Christmas is fassst approaching. I am soo not in the Christmas mood. Right now, it's just something to get over with. So, I have to work this Saturday 8 a.m-2p.m kinda good, that I'll be up, and when I get out of work, still have the better part of the day left. Much better than working in the evening!....Hmmm.. I'll bet it will be really slowww.. and I'll get sent home early!

I don't know if I'm brave enough to try and do any Christmas shopping, the last Saturday before Christmas!... ugghhhh.
I plan on getting busy making some Christmas gifts the whole weekend. I'm a "last minute" kind of person, and my creativity will flow ..... I hope! I haven't a clue what to make. But I'm hoping I'll have a "light bulb" moment, and make something wonderful, that everyone will love!

Happy Hump Day!

Welcome to Cleveland

Sunny?

yes, behind those snowy clouds was sun, I'm sure of it.

But we never saw any, all weekend. Instead we had Blizzard conditions, rain, freezing rain you name it.

the sunshine came in the form of a Cleveland Browns win! In the heavy snow, on a field where the hash marks were covered, and only the snowblower revealed.

It was a good day, to stay home, and watch the home team win one!

Hopefully, we'll end up in the playoffs with our 9-5 record.

So now, I'm hoping the snow lets up, and I have an easy drive into work tomorrow morning.

I'm not ready for Christmas. I've bought a few gifts, and, for the first time in my entire life.... I didn't put up the Christmas tree!

I thought I'd be in "my new apartment" and since that didn't happen, the few boxes I did manage to pack, are blocking the way to the Christmas decorations.

I would have put it up, if I were having company. But I'll be going to my sister's on Christmas eve, and my kids will be there too. I'm sure they'll all have plans for Christmas day, so putting up a tree would just really be a waste of time. I spend all my time here at the Computer, or in my art room, so I won't even notice my living room is missing a tree.

I'm already counting the days till Spring. Warm sunny days, and green leaves.

Just about 90 days! (if you don't count the rest of this month)... although, last Easter we had a BIG snowstorm!.... just the week before, we were enjoying the beautiful color of Spring.

so.... let's hope that doesnt happen again!

Have a great week, stay warm!

MY DAY OF FUN

Well... I'm up wayyy to late!
I need to get to bed!

I had such fun on my
"Slow" day.

I finished my custom order magnets, packaged it all up, ready to go.

So.... now off to bed,
and back to work.

The day went too fast!

SNOW DAY!

Well, the next best thing to one!
a "Slow" day!

Yes!... a day off.
I work for a catalog company, and the Closer we get to Christmas, the slower it gets at work. (Pleople realize they won't get their orders in time for Christmas) So yesterday at work, they posted a sign up sheet for anyone who wanted to be called, if the call volume was slow, and you didn't want to come in.

This morning, I had just stepped out of the shower, when the call came... "hi.. you don't have to come in today!"
"Oh, ok, thanks".. I said... and hung up.

I actually did the famous fist pump.... and shouted YEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!.. and I did a major happy dance right there in the bathroom!!!!
It's so nice to suddenly have a whole day to play!

I'm enjoying a quick breakfast, coffee.. (with Pepsi on the side.. ).. catching a bit of "MARTHA"
then I'm off to the art room to work on some custom orders. Then I'll get to the post office.

Have a good day!