Early Christmas Cheer and Grunge Sink Joy.

His belt's too tight, his hands are cold, and he's having trouble with the string lights.


This is a vintage-shop (junk) frame I painted bright red.  Had to do it, had to.

After working on that Santa and cleaning out my brushes I couldn't help but notice how happy the grungy art sink was.

Can't you just feel the happiness here?

Painting these Santas has put me right into the Christmastime spirit.
A lot of people complain about Christmas starting too early, but I'm in.  Let's get this party started.
Several years ago I finally succeeded in simplifying and spending less money.  It was the best Christmas ever.  I didn't think I would be able to ever do it.  Let's face it, we all want to give our kids the best biggest and brightest.  But it finally happened (after years of trying).  I cut way back on the gifting and the spending and the obligations and we simplified.  I made a list of the holiday happenings and then looked it over and really thought about it, about which ones we actually enjoyed and which ones we were just doing because it was tradition, habit.

I watched the teens trading gifts a few years back.  Small, inexpensive very sweet gestures filled with so much stinkin' love that it almost made me cry.  They were so happy smiling and trading goodies and laughing.  It sounds so stupid but it was a moment in time that I'll never forget.  They were the sweetest little gifts filled with thoughtfulness.  The feeling it gave me has never left me and I cherish that memory.  Time, love, laughter, attention, those are the things that make the gift trading so meaningful-not how much you spend.

One year my mother crocheted 4 afghans, one for each of us.  We live in a drafty old farmhouse so mornings are chilly.  We all got up on Christmas morning and we opened those first.  We all immediately wrapped up in our afghan and proceeded to open the rest of the presents all snuggled up in love.  Best gift ever.

I've never taken it off.