2015 Christmas Cards!

I know I'm a little late posting my Christmas Card Door this year!  But here it is!  I love hanging my cards on my entry door!  I usually keep my cards up through the month of January!  Well, life has been a little busy lately so I am still enjoying them....Thanks to all my dear family and friends!

2014 Christmas Cards

Before I take down my Christmas cards I want to share them with you.  I always tape them to my front door so I can view and enjoy them as I come and go.  Hope you enjoy too!

Happy New Year to all of you!

I know I have been somewhat quiet the for the past year and a half.  Sweet Sketch Wednesday kept me rather occupied along with life in general.  But I want you to know I am still around and hope to create from time to time now that I have passed on my responsibilities to Sally at Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2.  It's been a little sad to let go of Sweet Sketch Wednesday.  It was Arlana's creation and it was so much fun for Nancy and I to help her with it.  We had 4 1/2 years of incredible sister time as we worked together to make SSW a place where you could come to get inspiration and positive comments.  We have appreciated all of you who have supported SSW whether you were with us from the beginning or just found us.  We especially appreciate your continued support at SSW2.  Sally is creating such a wonderful site and continuing on with Arlana's legacy but with her little flare!  We hope you will want to join in on her fun.  I know you will love her fresh new ideas!

Well, I am a little late taking down my Christmas decorations this year....as I was watching three of my grandchildren for a week.  I was really feeling my age this week...as I was having a hard time keeping up with the 18 month old runabout!!!  Well, I got some exercise anyway!  I had some great crafting time with the kids...they loved creating with Perler beads...  I'll have to take photos the next time.

This evening I have been gathering up my decorations to store them away for another year.  In doing do I am hoping that next Christmas doesn't come as fast as this one did.  Of course, a wedding for my son, a trip to Hong Kong, a wedding reception, Thanksgiving, Festival of the Nativities, a progressive dinner, a birthday celebration, a Scrooge play family activity hardly gave me enough time to get ready for Christmas.  But amazingly  I was ready by Christmas Eve morning...giving me time to make my last card for Sweet Sketch Wednesday!

Well, this evening I took this photo of my Christmas cards which I display on my front door.  I love displaying them where everyone can see them as they come and go.  This is one of my favorite Christmas memories....I love receiving cards and photos from my friends and family.  Looks like there are a few less cards this year.  However, I received two today and will probably receive 5-6 more cards before the week is over.  My cards are the last to stay up....usually through the middle of January.  I just enjoy looking at them a little longer!!!

Hope you are enjoying the New Year!  Thanks for stopping by!

Don't forget to visit 

Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2.

Updated photo with a few more cards!

~Judi~

Traditions! Traditions! Traditions!

Well, it's been some time since I have posted. Today as I was preparing for our holiday festivities, I decided that I would share some of my tradtions with you.

For years I never really knew what to do with all the Christmas cards that would arrive.  Some people have Christmas card hangers or pockets to put their cards in. But even with that a person is not able to have full view of the cards.  Eighteen years ago I got the idea to tape them to my front door....that way I can enjoy them through the season and vistors can see photos of old friends as they come to visit.

This is what my door looks like this year.  During the next week I will be adding about 10 more cards that will arrive after Christmas.  This is the last of the Christmas decorations to come down.  I usually keep my cards up through most of January.

At our household the best holiday dessert is a homemade deep dish apple pie. My mother was a fabulous cook and loved to bake pies of all kinds. Everything I ever learned about pie making I learned from my mother!  Below is a photo of our holiday apple pie which I baked this evening to be devoured tomorrow evening on Christmas Eve.  If you are intested in my recipe, you can find it here.

Years ago I use to prepare a full turkey dinner for Christmas but  about 12 years I realize that I was the only one that wasn't having fun on Christmas...so I changed the Christmas menu to the traditional ham and potato casserole that practically cooked itself while I watched the glow in our children's eyes as they enjoyed their presents.  Sometimes traditions have to be changed! 

Then again sometimes you don't even know that things are traditions until your family speaks up when you don't do them.  My homemade rolls are like that. I used Costco rolls one year and I've never lived it down.

Of course, the best tradition of all is just being together with family!

Whatever your traditions are

enjoy them with your family and have

 a very Merry Christmas!

One of my favorite memories from each Christmas is receiving Christmas cards from friends and family.  I have always had the tradition of posting our Christmas cards on the inside of our front door... so I decided that I wanted to take a picture of it for you and also as a memory for me!  My cards are the last to go down.  I usually keep them up for a month after Christmas! Sounds crazy but I just love to enjoy them a little longer!  And sometimes there are a few more cards to add to the collage. The Tin Soldiers and the Mistletoe doll will be put away this week with the rest of the decorations.

Several weeks before Christmas I received this surprise package in the mail.  Inside was this gorgeous Christmas card from Linda, one of our dear DT members at Sweet Sketch Wedneday along with the Cuttlebug Sledding Embossing Folder that I had been wanting to purchase but couldn't find at any craft store.   Instead of the embossing being raised, it is indented.  I love the look it gives!

Thanks you, Linda, for your beautfiul card and your thoughtful gift!

Happy Undecorating!