Scrappy Holidays!
No, don't worry, I'm not becoming one of those anti-Merry Christmas people. It's just that this holiday season seems to have been one big scrapfest. I wrote on a recent blog about giving from the heart and making most of my gifts. Well, they were a hit!
The picture on the left is an altered muffin tin that my cats gave to my parents. OK, I made it, but they did help. They didn't steal any of the pieces and they didn't step in the paint. Mom and Dad loved it, and Mom has already chosen a place of honor in the kitchen to hang it. There was no hole in the top of the pan, so Daddy will be using his new drill to put a hole in it. Speaking of giving from the heart, Daddy got a new drill for Christmas from Debbie and Jamie. He really wanted one, and Jamie had a ball picking it out for him. Mom and I are afraid, though, that Daddy will try to fix things around the house. He's just not that handy!

The picture on the right is one of the altered composition books I made. I made several of them as gifts, and they were hits. My cousins and friends loved them. I was really pleased. I didn't know how people would react to them. I had so much fun making them. They're easy to do and quite practical.
I also received some scrapbook gifts. The furbabies gave me a gift certificate to my LSS Scrappin Buds. I can't wait to spend it! I also got a set of foam alphabet stamps from my friends the Miserendinos. Eight-year-old Jenna picked them out for me. I'm eager to use them too.

I've been doing a lot of scrapbooking since the storm and especially during this holiday season. One reason is because I have so much free time on my hands, but another reason is that Hurricane Katrina has taught me what is important--family and friends. Scrapbooking helps me preserve that.

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Please feel free to comment and let me know what you got for Christmas or what you think of this blog. :-)

Merry Christmas!
I just wanted to wish all of my blog readers a very merry Christmas! To all of you who have stuck by me through the last four months I can't even begin to thank you enough. I hope you know how much of a blessing you are to me and how great a gift your friendship has been. This Christmas will be different, but the reason we celebrate is the same. We are celebrating the birthday of Jesus! You can't get much better than that. Merry Christmas and love to all!

Yes, Bridget, There Is a Santa Claus
It's amazing how children can bring certain things into perspective. I believed in Santa Claus until I was nearly 13 years old. I was very naive. No, maybe I was just innocent and wanted to be a child a little longer. That's what I love about children, their innocence. Anyway, Mom made Christmas cookies the other night, and she invited our friends' daughters over to decorate them. That's Jenna, Mom, and Emily in the photo making the icing. I helped the girls, and as we decorated the conversation turned to Santa. They said that some kids at school said Santa wasn't real, but they knew he was. Their parents couldn't possibly be the ones who put out the presents, they explained. Emily said that her parents slept all night and her daddy snored too much, so they couldn't possibly put her presents under the tree. It had to be Santa Claus. Jenna said that she knew kids who got the same things from their parents and from Santa Claus. The only reason to explain the duplicate gifts was Santa. When they asked me if I believed, I told them I did. I said that Santa represents the goodness in people's hearts, so of course I believed in him.

I believe in children. They are the most amazing little people. And let's face it, the reason we celebrate Christmas is the birth of a child, a child who would grow up to save the world. Isn't that reason enough? Merry Christmas!

Giving from the Heart
Being unemployed means I don't have a lot of money to buy Christmas gifts. It also means I have a lot of time on my hands. I couldn't not buy gifts, but I couldn't go into debt either. Instead I decided to put my crafting skills to work and make my own presents. Oh, I did buy things for my parents and my sister and her boyfriend, but I tried to buy meaningful things. Rather than buy something for the sake of buying, I tried to buy things that I knew would make them happy. I chose things that were related to hobbies or interests or their favorite things. I think they will be pleased.

When it came to other family members and friends, though, the funds were running dry. I chose to make gifts for those loved ones. And you know what? I had so much fun making my presents! It just felt so good. And isn't that what Christmas is all about? Come on, did the Three Wise Men fight the mall crowds to buy gifts for baby Jesus? No, they gave gifts that were appropriate for a king. Well I feel that my gifts will be appropriate for my loved ones. They may not be fancy or expensive, but they were made with and will be given with love.

You Wanna Know Something?

1. What color are your kitchen plates? Um, blue and white with Santa Claus on them. They're paper plates!

2. What book are you reading now? Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (again)

3. What's your favorite board game? Trivial Pursuit, any version

4.Favorite magazine? Creating Keepsakes and Lucky

5. Least favorite smell? Cat poop

6. Favorite color? PINK!

7. Least favorite color? poop green

8. How many rings before you answer the phone? On the home phone it's two.

9. Future children's names? I've said Brent and Madison before, but I may name the kids after members of the Manning family. No, seriously.

10. What's your goal in life? To be the best person I can possibly be.

11. Favorite actor? George Clooney

12. Favorite actress? Julia Roberts

13. Favorite non-alcoholic drink? Diet Coke

14. If you could meet anyone, alive or dead, who would it be? Jesus

15. Favorite alcoholic drink? Beer--any kind as long as it's not skanky

16. What is your sign and birthday? Scorpio, November 18

17. If you could have any color hair what would it be? I like my hair color now--dark brown with blonde highlights.

18. Favorite movie? Gone with the Wind. A recent favorite is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

19. Do you type with the right fingers on the keys? Yes

20. What's under your bed? Cat toys

21. What is your favorite number? 8

22. Ketchup or mustard? Actually, I prefer barbecue sauce.

23. Hamburgers or Hot dogs? Hamburgers

24. Favorite soft drink? Diet Coke

25. The best place you have ever been? Edinburgh, Scotland

26. Burger King or McDonald's? Wendy's LOL

27. What screen saver is on your computer right now? A slideshow of photos.

28. What do you want for Christmas? Flannel sheets