I GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS...

Family and friends ~ HUG THEM TIGHT AND COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS ~ and remember those precious lives lost, so senselessly, this past week.

 

A Christmas mug of cheer from my dear friend, Jackie - hot chocolate (or even "better" - I just saw the ad for the new maple flavored Crown Royal) will taste extraordinarily wonderful from this one - set amongst a fabulous tea set I bought about twelve years ago at a speciality store "Going Out of Business" sale, and have never taken out of the box until this week.  Did I need it?  Evidently not (BUT, in my defense, it was 90% off the original obscene price).  Is it FABULOUS?  Look ~ LOOK with your special eyes!

Friends in my Mom's childhood doll buggy, with her doll being the beauty with the bonnet.  I believe the blonde friend was my grandmother's...someone in the family loved her, I know that.  The Mohair bear in the front was made by me, years back - took a class with an "at the time friend" (friends come in so many guises, and serve many purposes in a lifetime) in the art of real fur/old fashioned ways bear making.

The white bear wears a baby sweater that was knitted for my firstborn, by a dear family friend.  Tiny, beautiful white bunnies knitted into the design - too special to pack away, it now keeps my furry friend warm.  I made the second, golden bear, also...actually, he was the first made - never start easy when you can jump right in with an open mouth (much like my own!).  Both are heavily weighted and have jointed arms, legs, and heads.

The past few weeks brought some special treats from Internet friends, both far away (Denmark), and one state over.  Dorthe, at DEN LILLE LADE, sent me another of her enchanting little angels, who has joined her driftwood friend on my tree.  Sherry, at CREATOLOGY, gifted me with a beautiful little Christmas bag, perfect for holding some special jewelry items (and with two secret pockets!), a handmade (actually, it's all handmade by Sherry) journal with clever pages inside, and some delightful little Christmas adornments for my ears and scissors.  Thank you to you both, dear friends. 

 

My old Christmas Cactus, in the corner, never lets me down come December, though buds this year are sparse.  Running (literally) through the grocery store, looking for tree lights, I ran straight into this new cactus, loaded with about 200 blooms (literally).  Lighter in color than my first, I WILL be posting photos of this as it takes off and opens up.

A bevy of fake, but yummy looking, gingers from my friend/sister, Joleen, sits on the antique plate I recently obtained from yet, another friend...another gift, from Z, sits under my tree and will make an appearance here after I know her other friends have seen theirs, so I don't spoil anything.

Yes, I DO get by with a little help from my friends, and count each one among my dearest assets in life!  I hope your Christmas is wonderful, friends...if I don't show up here on a regular basis for the next week or so, know that I am VERY happily making wonderful Christmas memories with my dear folks (including physical therapy for her while she's here), and my own little family.  Merry Christmas ~ XOXO ~ Tanya

 

"Many merry Christmases, friendships, great accumulation of cheerful recollections, affection on earth, and Heaven at last for all of us" ~ Charles Dickens