Merry Christmas dear friends

May this Christmas season bring joy to you and yours. 

Wishing you health and happiness.

I so appreciate your visits and every one of your comments is treasured.

Merry Christmas to you all. 

Gina 

Almost ready for Christmas

Only a few more fun chores to complete.

Fresh greens and fresh fruit for the table centerpiece.

It will be replaced with a white rose bouquet at dinner time. 

(Don't you hate to look across the table when a tall centerpiece takes center stage). 

Lifesaver Garlands are still my favorite Christmas Tree decorations.  

More and more of the "open" water is disappearing.

Early morning surprised us with new snow.

It's time to get out the cross country skis and pack up a picnic.

Geese need to fly south.  

Friends are stopping by to wish us well.

That is  my favorite part of this Christmas Season.  

May light and love be with you always.  

Gina

Don't put your paints away yet.

 We've all been painting glass Christmas ornaments. Right?   

So, while the paint is still wet, why not paint a few wooden hearts.

What's great about painting wooden hearts?  You can paint them on both sides.  

So if you don't like one side. Turn it over.  

Just saying.  

Love ya. 

Gina 

Twirl, twist and roll.

To create one-of-a-kind.

Christmas tree ornaments.

All you need are clear glass balls, acrylic paints and water.

Mix acrylic paints with a little water and squirt a small amount into (the inside) and at the top of the glass ball. 

I use old bottles that have very little paint left in them.  

Thin to a consistency so that the paint covers the inside of the glass easily.  Rotate ball covering only a small portion at a time. 

Repeat with next colors until the inside is covered all around.

Let dry upside down on paper towels.

3 to 4 different colors is all you need.  

They look great with the rest of your Christmas decorations. 


Happy creating.  

Gina 

The First Advent

Last Sunday was the First Advent

This year it fell on November 29th. 

Advent Sunday is the fourth Sunday BEFORE Christmas Day. 

How excited we were.

Running up four flights of stairs to wake up the first Räuchermann (incense smoker).

Impatiently waiting for grown ups to catch up.

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 Gently taking him out of his box, gently carrying him down to the Gute Stube (the best room of the house).  Only good little girls and good little boys are allowed to carry him. 

  

Placing  him on the fireplace mantle where he fills the air with exotic incense. And where soon he will be joined by three more Räuchermännchen, the next three Sundays.

Christmas Season had officially begun.

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Cone incense is placed inside and lit.

German ebay

We were spellbound, waiting for the smoke to come out of their mouths.

The tradition is observed in many parts of Germany and other central European countries. But nowhere more celebrated than in the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains) central Europe near the Saxony/Bohemia border. 

Ore Mountain Folk Art, in the form of Smoking Figures (Räuchermännchen), Christmas Pyramids, Nutcrackers and many other colorful and hand carved ornaments are known the world over.

Happy First Advent to you, my dear

Blogging Friends.

Gina

http://betweennapsontheporch.net

What do you think?

Is it time to get into the Christmas spirit?

And create a few masterpieces.

No talent required, just a little white glue and thin paper napkins.

After gluing paper onto glass balls I've added a few painted dots. 

Most paper napkins can be separated into thin layers, the thinner, the better. 

Tear paper napkins into small and irregular pieces and glue onto glass or plastic balls, covering every inch.  

When dry, spray with a little sealer.  

Plastic balls (available in craft stores this time of year) are more practical.  

You can also paint them.  With acrylic paints.  I'll show you how in a few days.  

Now is a good time to head to your craft store.  

Clear Balls are only available this time of year.  

Happy creating, 

Gina