Ornament Exchange Extraordinaire 2011

The Annual Christmas Ornament Exchange with my gal friends.  It was all about the Sugar Plum Fairy and sweets this year.  I couldn't resist.  The red and green glass cupcake appeared as the green glittered Sugar Plum Fairy waved her magic wand. The box of ribbon candy was the real deal.

No package of mine is given without a stitched, hand lettered and painted tag.

The Sweetest Holiday Season

100 Bottles of Grenadine on the Wall

Too much cellophane for an iPhone to handle a good picture, but you get the idea...count 96 bottles of grenadine on the wall, 96 bottles of grenadine, take one down pass it around 95.... 

 

The drink was on us this year, the junior high PTA president asked if I could chair the teacher appreciation this year.  I knew it was for birthdays, but I didn't know it included Christmas and a week in May at the time of acceptance to her begging.  These PTA presidents are absolute angels in my mind for all the freebie work they do, I couldn't say no to her, or worse yet, to quit.  She allowed me to get a committee or partner, so I enlisted my dear friend Margo.  And since I thought a gift for 96 staff members would be easier than a breakfast, the above flood of cellophane is what we got ourselves wrapped into.  Lots of cello, cute striped and polka dot straws and some beautiful bottles of cherry red grenadine syrup.  I'm so grateful I didn't have to haul the 96 bottles of 7-Up that we paired this little package with so they could make Shirley Temples for their holiday guests.  I inserted some fun mocktail recipes (including the recipe for the original mocktail, a Shirley Temple) inside the jadeite colored tag.  It was reported later that morning that the gifts were quite the buzz in the halls.  So happy we merrified the school.

And the Christmas Holiday? It's All Been a Blur

Sorry for the bad photos, but the phone camera was all I used this year, I have no idea why.

The stockings hung from the windows with care.

Could I hide the fact that I STILL don't have a mantel any more?

Matt's Christmas Tree

My Christmas Tree

Who has 5 sets of Christmas Dishes? I know, ridiculous, right?

June has begged for lights on our house every year.  This was the best I could do for you June.

Hope Santa was good to you this year!