In my household of late...

Good Day everyone in blogland...oh how I am missing you. I have tried to keep abreast of what is going on out there, comment when I can but time is tight these days as many of you well know, and some things just fall to the bottom of the imaginary list...not today!

I downloaded some pictures off my camera this morning and thought I would share all that has been happening in our household of late.

The tree is up and trimmed. This is my favorite thing to do getting ready for the season ahead. Nothing starts until the tree is up for me. My husband tries to hold me off as long as he can, but this year he did a wonderful thing and surprised me with a tree... Or he would have, had I not looked at the bank account and noticed a transaction that did not make sense. Still it was a nice surprise that I totally needed. More important...he knew I needed it. I could love him for that alone.

Last week I came home to find this wonderful craft that my daughter made at school, it is her handprint on a glass ball with the fingers made into little snowmen (I'm sure you've all seen versions of this on pinterest) but it was so nice to receive it along with it's little poem about how fast she will grow up...not gonna lie, I cried...yup it was a nice gift to receive and hang on our tree.

 My tree is steeped in tradition and memory. My family growing up was not big on following the same traditions each year, there was never a right way or a wrong way to do Christmas, but the one thing we always had were our ornaments. The same ones went up every year, I always had my favorites, and I still do today. the ornaments have been passed to me, and for that I am thankful. Each year I realise just how much these simple little things mean to me. I am not one to hold onto things for sentiment, so these things that I pack away every January and dig out every December bring me great joy.

Another thing I try to do each year is to build a Gingerbread house. One year I even made my own gingerbread...only one year because ugh that was a chore, and a frustration to beat all frustrations...so now as un inspired as it is, I buy a kit. The girls and I did this one day last week, it was fun, they enjoyed and I let them...meaning I did not take over too much, try too hard to control the outcome wanting perfection, these moments were perfection enough...

 

A self portrait by Isobel...I couldn't resist :o)

So this is what has been up in my neck of the woods in my moments at home with the girls...the rest of the time I have been in the gallery where I am happy to report that people are shopping local and buying handmade.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to each of you!

2 Days until my big girl comes home...

2 More Saturdays to shop...

10 Days until the big day...

YIPEE!

Snow is in the forecast...

We have had a very mild November here in Muskoka...I'm not complaining, just stating facts. However it appears we are in for our first major snowfall of the season with over 10cm forecast for tomorrow. We'll see it the weatherman is right.

Monday I posted about my planned adventures in decorating the gallery for Christmas...well I'm done...I think. I am always receiving new items from artists so it is a completely evolutionary thing that is never quite done. Regardless all the Christmas paraphernalia is out and it looks pretty...I have even had Christmas music on to get me in the mood...or mode really.

Anyhoo...I thought I would share the fruits of my labour with you. So here are a few pics of the gallery at the moment...soon the art will be switched over but I need both my husband and I in the store to do that and that can't happen until my parents return from their trip in early December. So until then here it is.

Okay...that was a bit more than a few :o)

Happy Wednesday all!

It's beginning to look alot like...

Happy Monday all! I hope you all had a great weekend and that this week starts out on the right foot...I love Mondays for that reason; you feel like it is a clean slate each week.

We had a busy weekend here with my eldest home for a few days and ending with a trip to Ikea...not bad at all.

I am feeling festive today. I love Christmas and it is that time of year isn't it. For me I have had Christmas on the brain since August, that is when I have to start getting my ducks in a row for the gallery. I have been doing a small facebook ad campaign for the last 5 weeks or so providing a gift idea a week for the 12 weeks leading up to the big day...some people are hating on me for that but what can I do? Did you know there are now only 6 Saturdays until Christmas? If you want to follow along, 'like' Silver Bridge Gallery on Facebook and if you see something that is of interest, let me know we can always ship.

So today is the day we start decorating the gallery...yay! I would love to do it earlier, but out of respect for our veterans we like to wait until after Remembrance Day. I am excited, but it is always a bit of pressure to fit in with all the great window displays on the street. Regardless, decorating for Christmas is fun and I am happy to start my week off in just this way.

To add to the Christmas spirit today, Chantelle at fat mum slim introduced me to the Gifted 2011 online magazine produced by Creature Comforts



via Creature Comforts

A great publication with some great ideas...check out last years while you are at it.  It is wonderful as well, with some great little DIY ideas. 

If you really want to get into the spirit, check out Jen at Rambling Renovators' blog today all about Christmas Street at the Bay. Enough to make you want to sing carols...

Happy Monday...ho ho ho :c)