300 Days Till Christmas Project - March 31, 2011

Amazing to me that it's already the end of March!!  Here in Englewood, Colorado, March is going out like a lion.  It's a beautiful and warm day, except for the wind.  As one of the area weather forecasters occasionally says, it's one of those "small animal" days.  In other words, so windy out that you need to tie down your cats and small dogs!  Yikes!  Needless to say, the one cat that's allowed outside has elected to stay in.

Less than 9 months till Christmas.  If December 25 was truly the day of the birth of Jesus (it isn't, but that's another discussion!), Mary would be newly pregnant about now, give or take a little.  That's one of the things I've always liked about December 25 being Christmas.  Mary's pregnancy began in the spring, the time of new life and new growth.  Just another reason to celebrate this beautiful time of year! 

In addition to my almost obsessive knitting of bell ornaments right now, I've found some time for a few other crafty, Christmassy things.  First up, on Tuesday, was the continuing theme of card-making.  I found some blue cardstock (quite a bit, in fact!) in one of my boxes.  I still had lots of "pieces" from making cards out of the red cardstock, so I made about a dozen new cards, using the blue cardstock as base/background.  For a change, I'm showing only one photo of the front of a card, the rest are of the inside greeting.

And here's what goes on the back of every Christmas card I make.  The rest of the year, the holly stamp is replaced by a stamp of Piglet.  Piglet because he is small and seemingly insignificant, but makes a huge difference.  That's what I hope for in terms of myself.

Yesterday's project was something I've done before, and will continue to do -- Christmas themed thank you cards.  I don't know anyone who doesn't intend to send thank you's for their Christmas gifts.  So a few years ago, I made a bunch of cards up -- a Christmas stamp, a thank you stamp.  Instead of on a card with a card cover and interior, I just do it on a single "postcard' style card.  I don't send them as postcards, but in an envelope - just adds a really nice touch to do that.  So here are the ones I made yesterday.  I'll be making lots more!!

Over this past weekend, one of my original mentors in youth ministry and the living of life passed away.  Alden Tyrol was the director of the Silver Lake Conference Center in Connecticut for over 30 years.  He was one of the wisest, most caring people I've ever met.  He saw the good in everyone, and one of his goals was to help us all see that in ourselves and others.  Every week at Silver Lake started with his welcome to "our" conference center, and the reminder to "Love God, love your neighbor, love yourself, and you'll have a good week."  I hadn't seen Alden in years, but his lessons have always stuck with me.  In honor and memory of him, I'll be working on a God's eye ornament this afternoon.  Don't know if I'll get it finished today, but when I do, there will be a photo or two.

-Jayne