Thursday, December 31, 2009

I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU

On Christmas day, Frannie had a happy surprise. She went here...
(went home with one of these)and here...
(Rockefeller Center)
and here...
(St. Patrick's Cathedral)
and here...
(New York Library)
and here...
(Lord & Taylor Windows)
...and finally, here.
(Grand Central Station)
(Laser Light Show With Music On Ceiling of Grand Central)
S.W.A.K.
Happy New Year
from Frannie And Me
May it be filled with lots of Happy Surprises!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

SANTA BABY

Been An Awful Good Girl
Santa Baby
So Hurry Down The Chimney Tonight

MAY YOUR CHRISTMAS BE FILLED WITH
SUGAR & SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE

FRANNIE AND I WISH YOU PEACE AND LOVE

S.W.A.K.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

CAROLING CAROLING

Brownies Caroling At Stew Leonards
With Santa, Mrs. Claus & Stew Jr.


Ding Dong, Ding Dong

Christmas Bells Are Ringing

S.W.A.K.

MY CHERI AMOUR


Snowball Cupcake With A Cherry On Top

S.W.A.K.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

CHRISTMAS CANON



Frannie's first violin concert.  Here she is with her BFF.  They've only been taking lessons since September.  She loves it!

S.W.A.K.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS

...AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

This vintage-inspired, bead-knitted change purse is hand-knitted with size 11/0 seed beads and size 8 pearl cotton thread. I call the color of these beads "vintage pearl". The purse is attached to a brass-tone kiss-lock frame with additional pearl seed beads. I have also added a brass colored pocketbook charm to one side of the frame. The change purse is not lined, but coins do not fall through the knitting. Purse is finished off very nicely on the inside as well. Click on the photo for a close-up.

S.W.A.K.

CHERRY CHERRY CHRISTMAS

Have A Merry Cherry Cherry Christmas

Tonight I'm going to show off this sparkly lime-green purse. The purse is attached to a silver-tone kiss-lock frame. I have also added a charm with two pink cherries and green leaves that match the bead-knitting. The change purse is not lined, but coins do not fall through the knitting. Purse is finished off very nicely on the inside as well. Click on the photo for a close-up.

Check back tonight for another bead-knitted change purse - a vintage pearly color.

S.W.A.K.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

BUTTON UP YOUR OVERCOAT

Here is one of the Christmas decorations I have been working on this year. She's almost ready for Noël à Paris. All she has to do is adjust her chapeau.

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - There are more to come.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

CHRISTMAS IS COMING

SLIDE SHOW
So tell me, where does the time go? One minute you've written a blog entry and then before you know it, two weeks have passed and you haven't posted a thing!

Well, here is something I have been working on over the past week, although this is not exactly what I was referring to in my last post - I'll be showing you those soon, and I promise, not another two weeks to see.

Back to the business at hand - do you remember those wedding party favors I made last spring? Well, I had a few empty cones left over, and I thought, hey, maybe those would be good for Christmas. So out comes my handy-dandy glue gun, pipe cleaners, glitter, bells, and crepe paper ruffles and the next thing you know, voila! Christmas candy cones! And what do you think they're filled with? Here's a hint - S.W.A.K. - Hershey kisses, of course!

I also made some, what I call, "candy crackers". I've been saving empty Reynolds foil tubes - they are really the perfect size - not too wide in diameter. I cut the tube into 4" lengths (3 pieces per tube). I wrap each tube in a piece of decorative paper (I've used more Paris map and Sonata music sheet paper) , dip each end in glitter, fill with kisses, then wrap again in clear cellophane and tie each end with ribbon. Very festive. By the way, all the ribbons used here are vintage - a gift from my husband's great aunt. I just love them and I have a lot of different reels in a variety of scrumptuous colors!

I'll let you in on another little secret - did you notice the tier stand that the cones and crackers are displayed on? Have you any idea what that is? Well, several years ago, this was a Starbucks Christmas display - you may have seen it. It had all kinds of wooden figures glued to it. I admit it, I rescued it from a terrible fate - it was sitting next to a dumpster. I took it home and gave it TLC. First I removed all the wooden ornaments from each tiered tray (and yes, I did save them - I'm sure they'll turn up in a later post), then I took each tray and gave it fresh paint and glitter so they sparkle like snow and ice. Finally it was time for re-assembly. Each tray was turned upside down so they are no longer trays, but shelves. It makes a great display piece. You never know what you'll find!

Did you notice a theme going on here?

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - It's comforting to know that there are others out there who are up all night we me!