Brrrrrrr! Winter is NOW!

Looking at weather news from other places, I know Florida must seem warm and wonderful to some of you, but for those of us who are natives, this cold snap is miserable.  And the wind!!!  So unlike our usual semi-tropical haven.  Another recent chill turned many leaves to red...... a gorgeous bonus this far south!

With two very active grandchildren and a slew of family pets running around, Christmas was fairly hilarious.  I'm so fortunate to live close to my wonderful family and all their excitement!!  

Calvin and Reggie taking a break...

"Princes" Ruby posing (and DD's toes)

How long do I have to wear this silly bow?

D S-I-L with his Storm Trooper alarm clock.

Received a generous gift certificate from my DD - see toes in photo above ;-) - for our local art supply shop, so am heading out soon to spend it!  Will bundle up and brave the weather.  Lumiere paint?  A couple of new stamps? A new Moleskine?    Hmmmmmmm.......

  

12 Gifts of a Florida Christmas...lakeside style!

Christmas Eve Sunrise

On the first day of Christmas my true love showed to me
    -a Kingfisher in an oak tree.
On the second day of Christmas my true love showed to me
    -two Green-backed Herons, and.... etc.
On the third day of Christmas my true love showed to me
    -three Glossy ibis, two..... etc.
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love showed to me
    -four basking turtles, three.... etc.
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love showed to me
    -five Great Blue Herons, four.... etc.
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love showed to me
    -six Anhingas swimming, five.... etc.
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love showed to me
     -seven Osprey's hunting, six.... etc.
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love showed to me
    -eight Cormorants diving, seven.... etc.
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love showed to me
    -nine Flamingoes fishing, eight.... etc.
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love showed to me
    -ten Fish Crows calling, nine.... etc.
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love showed to me
    -eleven Mallards paddling, ten.... etc
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love showed to me
    -twelve Wood Storks wading, eleven.... etc.

My Norfolk Island Pine drooping under the weight of the ornaments!!

Merry Christmas to ALL!! And Best Wishes for everything wonderful in 2011.....

~Susan

Adorable Santa

So simple, but soooo effective!  My friend, Lois, brought this cute ATC along with a gorgeous origami ornament she made (this is one clever gal!) for our Wednesday sewing get-together with a third friend, Audrey.  We so enjoy our time together, though we don't always sew..... Yesterday, Audrey addressed Christmas cards, I wrapped gifts, and Lois told us more about a recent trip she had taken.  We  practically inhaled the Yule Log cake, and had a nice mug of hot tea to go with.....chatting all the while!

Santa and his frosty blue background glitters and has two tiny seed beads for his eyes.

This beauty is a pyramid, but with a cone-shaped instead of a flat base.  Lois uses the most beautiful origami papers to make these stunning ornaments