I get the best doggone mail!

I love my Mail. Even on days I don't get any Mail ART, I can find pleasure in even the junk mail, because I can usually cut it up to make something else. The mail has been kind of slow ever since the holidays, but the stream opened up and I got some really good stuff this past week. Sometimes the mail lady brings my packages to my door if she can see that I am home, she likes to comment on how cool they are!
Or if she knows I am waiting for something that is slow to get here.

Saturday she delivered this:

A Priority Mail envelope, stuffed full of great ephemera,for making journal pages and other artsy "stuff". From Nancy Lynn, from the RoD Journal class that Mary Ann is teaching. She sent old book pages, painted papers, ribbons and lace, and all kind of fun tid bits. Some of us in the group are swapping stuff with one another. How fun to get paper scraps and such from other parts of the world. Then, the decorated box is from one of my best Mail Art pals, full of wonderful stuff. Rubber stamps, paper, fabric, all manner of "stuff". I just love "stuff"...HaHa At any rate, it was a veritable explosion of pretties for me to fondle and drool over for the week-end.


Today, I got all this! Been waiting for the one from Canada, the other two were surprises. A very good start to my week I'd say.


Earlier last week, I got this "stuff" from Melissa. Great clip art book, and she also sent me some ATC's she's getting rid of from the old days of ArtErratica exchanges. One of mine was even in there.

How cool is this packaging? Hot pink tissue, tied with blue chenille rick-rack.


Does anyone think I need a new word for "STUFF"? Geez, some days my vocabulary does seem rather limited.

The Ups and Downs of Texas weather

After quite an extended cold spell, by Texas standards, we have had a warming trend, and it has been 15 degrees above what is normal for this time of year. Enter the time for "cedar fever" which gets a lot of us down. I've certainly had a bout with it. The cedar pods pop, the wind blows it around, we have had a lot of winds. It doesn't help that I do like having my windows open, for some fresh air, but with that comes more allergies. This morning it was 47 and we are expecting a high in the 70's. T-shirt weather! We will get another cold front moving through in a day or two. I much prefer the cold, I do not complain, because it is easier on me than the triple digits we have in our long long summers.

Last night around 5:30 I stepped out my front door just in time to see these jet contrails in the sky. Since I collect X's, I grabbed my camera.

Texas Feels Like Minnesota

This past week we have had temperatures in the teens, and a few days that it didn't get above 35. Thursday and Friday we had 20 to 30 mph winds and some gusts even higher. Had to go out and do a few errands that I could not avoid on Friday. It was 22 with a wind chill of about 15, when I was tromping through the icicles to take these photos. This was in a roundabout area and cars were zipping by with folks looking at me kind of funny. The wind was whipping my hair into my eyes and I had to take off my gloves to operate the camera, so I was pretty chilly. This particular ice was a result of irrigation sprinklers someone forgot to turn off, but I thought it looked pretty cool. There will come a time later this winter when we will get a serious ice storm and the shrubs in my yard will look just like these.

I Forgot to Show You

Here it is, time again to hit Anthropologie for the new month/New Year display for inspiration/ideas. But I forgot to show you the ones I took last month. Most of them are kind of Christmasy, but I still think they are wonderful, and worth seeing.

Very white, with decorations and Gertie, the bird. I think she's an ostrich.


Candles and snowflakes


Burgundy ribbons and filled ornaments


I adore antlers


Vintage bulbs and other glass against my favorite blue wall

Christmas Week-end

I hope everyone is recovering from whatever way you celebrate your holidays. Hubby and I had what was probably the most relaxing Christmas ever this year. Most years we like to keep it pretty simple anyhow, but with this past years challenges, we were really determnined to do so. We stayed home, watched a few Christmas movies, and just enjoyed quiet times. Sounds boring I know, but it was very restful. Lots of coffee, chocolate, and snacks, so we both still have a sugar rush. Ever notice how once you start eating sweets it is hard to stop? We haven't set an actual date to stop yet, but we have discussed cutting back. Ha Ha

Sammy T.Squirrel says Merry Christmas


On Christmas eve, while watching The Nightmare Before Christmas, I strung this little garland. The papers are from the Ferrero Rocher candies hubby brought home. Thankfully I have other people eating these and saving the cups for me.

Solstice Greetings

Mid 60's today. We are cozying in early tonight, with a supper of soup and bread, candles and Christmas tree lights glowing. I am happy to still be sleeping with the windows open at night even into the low 40's.

Blue skies finally, and some pretty swirly clouds. Some are contrails.


The birds were very chatty this morning, and the ones that weren't in the trees were busy swirling around,preparing for winter.

Even I'm Getting Tired of Grey

As much as I don't really mind grey, rainy weather, even I am getting tired of it. We've had what seems like weeks of it, even though we have had a few days when the sun has peeked out for half a day or so. I love the blue skies of Texas and the fluffy white of the clouds, so I miss them. It is a good day to be at home, and a good day to cook soup and bread, so I am going to do both those things. I have the Christmas lights on and I am burning candles and listening to music. I have a few projects to finish up by this week-end, and then I am taking it easy for the rest of the "holidaze".

Through the window and screen