HAPPY NEW YEAR DEAR FRIENDS!

Well, another year has nearly come to an end. And with that, I look forward to another great year of blogging, bearmaking, collecting and most of all making more amazing friends like you!
I am immensly grateful for the past year for that reason. I made so many terrific friends...long distance friends, mind you but really good lifelong friends none the less and I cherish every single moment of knowing you as you have all enriched my life! Thank you!

Christmas came and went...funny, I didn't seem to be in the Christmas spirit this year. I don't know why but I did do my best to enjoy it and I even decorated which I enjoyed in spite of my drab feelings on the subject. Please forgive me but I was a little drab and judging by some of my friends, they were in the same frame of mind.
I had a few friends help me decorate and they did a great job, I think...what do you think?

I don't know if anyone realizes, unless you're a true "Arctophile", that bears can be quite obedient, helpful, creative and yes, true friends who unconditionally love you no matter what. My bears all pitched in this year and made it a wee bit easier to get through it. Now I wonder where they are now that I have to clean it all up! Hmmmmm....
And that's just what I have to do...it's time to clean it up...so now, the work begins, the organization commences...it's time to put it all away until next year...

Before we move on, however, I'd like to share a few more photos with you...my grand daughter, Cierra...or "Tinky" as I like to call her...sat for some lovely photos...her mother is an amazing photographer...and an amazing young lady...thanks Nancy!



Being a Grandma is a beautiful thing...

I received some lovely gifts this year...but here is a peek at some of my faves...my sweet, adorable hubby went through a lot to get them but he found the vintage lithographed tin kitchen playset, circa 1940's-1950's. I just love him so much!
And my beautiful children gave me the Tinkerbell figurine...with a loving message..."Think Happy Thoughts"...and I do.

Finally, a special note to four very special ladies! Piggy, Sooz, Jo and Chris...I want to thank you, again, for being such amazing friends! Welcoming me into your "friendship circle" means more to me than you know. And to be able to take part in your "ornament exchange" for the first time was a beautiful blessing. I love all of my new ornaments so much that they will not be packed away with the rest of my Christmas items...no, in fact, they will be displayed in my sewing room where I can look at them every day and remember just how much you all mean to me.
For the rest of my friends...check out the photos to the right of your screen...the photos of the ornaments I recieved as part of that wonderful group of ladies! If you're interested in seeing more of the work by a couple of these ladies, check out their Etsy shops:

Sooz...Poplar Street Prims
Chris...Homespun Handcrafts

I do have more bears on the go...I'm a little slow at it but I assure you, more bears will make their debut here as soon as possible!

Also, I have created a "coupon code" for my Etsy shop...I'd like to let you all know that from now until January 15th, I am offering a 10% discount to all of my customers on anything in my Etsy shop. All you have to do is find something you like, go through the purchase process and in the coupon code box, put in VINTAGE2011 and you will then be automatically given that discount! My way of saying thanks for your support and your friendship over the past year!

Have a beautiful, safe and fun New Year's Eve and please keep in touch in 2011! I'm always here and look forward to hearing from you!
Love and Best Wishes,
Michelle

Merry Christmas My Dear Friends!

I'd like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year!
Have a wonderful, joyous, safe and above all, loving weekend everyone!
See you in 2011!
Hugs,
Michelle

Good Morning My Bear Lovin' Friends!

Well, the big day is nearly here! Christmas Day that is! I can't say that I'm completely ready for it but I'm happy to report that my stress level hasn't hit the roof! In fact, the house is decorated, the baking is about 95% done (thanks to my beautiful daughter-in-law Nancy and my adorable granddaughter, Cierra, our official taste tester!) and I'm done my shopping!




So, that leaves me with some quality time to spend with my husband and to sit and create brand new little teddy bears!

With that being said, I've recently listed some new bears in my Etsy shop. Over to the side of my blog, you may have noticed "Lily", another large bear with a music box inside of her that plays "You Light Up My Life" and a sweet little pin cushion bear! She's adorable and functional...use her for storing your pins and needles or if you don't have the courage to do that to her (don't worry, she's very brave and can't feel a thing...honest!)you can have her sit near you while you work on your creative endeavors....she can be your "inspiration" and perhaps even your project's "final inspector"!
My newest teddy is a little "antique style" plush chap named "Roland"...or "Roly" for short! He's ready to hit the dusty trail with his tiny vintage toy horse to find the next great adventure!




Finally, I received a wonderful surprise this morning! My blog has been chosen for review! I'm flattered and humbled that I've been given this wonderful review and the chance to hopefully welcome many new friends to my little corner of "Blog World". Thank you so much to Sarah-Jayne Leverton who wrote the reviews! What a great honour!
For a look at my review and others including the amazing "Paula Carter" whose unbelievable work I've been a fan of for many years, please check out the following link:

http://www.clifford-james.co.uk/blog/
This link will take you to a page that begins with adorable cats! Scroll down the page to see the bear blog reviews!

Wow...it's going to be a great day!

Merry Christmas Everyone!
Hugs!
Michelle

And let the baking begin....!

And so it begins...the baking! Lots of yummy, warm your heart and soul baking! I'm going to bake batches and batches of sweet cookies!

My list includes my famous "Lemon Whispers" and "Gingersnaps"! The yummy tart lemon cookies will be a sure favorite of my daughter-in-law's who is here to help me bake for the first time and the Gingersnaps...well, my daughter, Brandi can't help herself around them! They are so incredibly yummy and I can't wait to dig in myself!

So? What's everyone else making? I'd love to know...tell me here and maybe send me a recipe or two when you have a moment! I'd love to share a few of mine with you as well and that is something I will be doing this week! I'm going to post a few of my faves as my gift to you for being such great friends!

If you feel like sending me your faves...you can post them here in the comments if they're short and sweet OR you can send them to me via my email: happy-cat-jinx@hotmail.com! If you post them in my comments, then everyone else can try them too! MMMMMMMMM!

Happy Holidays Everyone!
Lots of Hugs,
Michelle

AND THE WINNER IS....

Happy December 1st Everyone!

First and foremost...it's time to announce the winner of my second Blog Giveaway!





CINDY HOPPES!!!!!!!!

Cue the applause....YEEEEAAAAAA!!!!

Congratulations Cindy! I hope you enjoy your little pin cushion teddy, vintage sewing basket and timeless vintage sewing supplies!

Thanks to everyone who entered my second Blog Giveaway! This was so fun and I really enjoyed your beautiful comments and I hope that many of you become good friends of mine! Holding these free blog giveaways helps us to promote each other and that's a wonderful thing but I love the fact that so many of us have so much in common and become friends in the process! The world gets a little smaller every single day.

My creating "mojo" has sort of hit rock bottom as of late. I do have a couple of new bears and will post photos very soon but in the meantime...the Christmas season is upon us and it only stands to reason that I show off my own holiday decorating skills! I've got a passion for Christmas trees and Vintage Santas! My house is only 1100 square feet in total but I have managed to cram in 7 Christmas trees and a whole lot of Santas! Now, before I show pics...don't be alarmed...I didn't put up 7 large Christmas trees...nope...that would be a disaster! No...I have two large trees and 5 smaller trees...all decorated...all beautiful in their own right.
As for the Santas...it's a small but growing collection! Santa Claus is obviously the epitome of the season and each and every one of my Santas makes me smile. I look forward to bringing them out of their summer slumber to grace my hallway...my tiny hallway...with their cheerful holiday presence!

Here are a few examples of my quirky decorating!









Have a wonderful Holiday Season everyone!
Hugs All Around!
Michelle