Happy New Year ...

... and a few of my resolutions, revealed through this treasury.

It'll be "live" at Etsy.com till 7:32 a.m. Sunday, January 3rd, so before then click here to view it and take a peek at these wonderful sellers' shops!

Meanwhile, I resolve:
To slow down ...
To take time out ...
To restore balance between work & play ...
To enjoy my friendships ...
To simplify ...
To cherish my home ...
To LOVE, and to say it to my dear ones
   ~ including my furry companions.

May your New Year be filled with love, hope, peace, joy, and all things good and true.

Happy New Year to you and those you love!

Story Treasury ~ "I had the STRANGEST dream ..."

Subtitle ~ I shouldn't have eaten cheesecake at midnight!

Okay, here's the story this treasury tells:
A kitty cat takes a nap and finds a key to open her dreams ~
She dreams she is a marigold velvet cat, dreaming of catnip strawberry cheesecake ~
Since this is a dream, the colors get mixed up in a swirl; the cheesecake is a pair of earrings ~
The earrings belong to a beautiful pink woman in a lovely painting, who suddenly becomes a beautiful redheaded model in a green cap ~
The green cap turns into a blue and green halo, and the redheaded model into a red mama bear snuggling her cub ~
The bear cub becomes a baby doll on a magnetic locket ~
The doll turns into a baby model wearing the bear cub's hat which, since this is after all a dream, ends up on our sleeping kitty's head.

Well, like I said, it was a strange dream ...

Maybe I'll turn this into a treasury series.  Then again, maybe I'll avoid that midnight cheesecake.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Till 2:13 p.m. Wednesday, December 30, you can view this treasury by clicking here.

A Poem for Tonight

The Maid-Servant at the Inn by Dorothy Parker

"It's queer," she said; "I see the light
  As plain as I beheld it then,
All silver-like and calm and bright--
  We've not had stars like that again!

"And she was such a gentle thing
  To birth a baby in the cold.
The barn was dark and frightening--
  This new one's better than the old.

"I mind my eyes were full of tears,
  For I was young, and quick distressed
But she was less than me in years
  That held a son against her breast.

"I never saw a sweeter child--
  The little one, the darling one!--
I mind I told her, when he smiled
  You'd know he was his mother's son.

"It's queer that I should see them so--
  The time they came to Bethlehem
Was more than thirty years ago;
  I've prayed that all is well with them."

Celebrate the Holidays by Giving to Others

What better way to celebrate this joyous holiday season than by giving the gift of hope?

Of the millions ways, both large and small, to give of yourself, here is one suggestion:  Etsy Project Embrace is an effort by an ever increasing number of Etsy.com members who have joined hands and hearts in a team effort (TeamEPE) in the quest for a cure for cancer. 

Team members not only donate portions of their Etsy sales proceeds to the American Cancer Society, they also provide love and support for those whose lives have been touched by the disease and work diligently to raise awareness.

 
The top list in the sidebar to the left of this post features a few team members' items for sale at Etsy.com.

For a linked list of TeamEPE members:
http://team.etsy.com/viewteam.php?id=685


To find Etsy Project Embrace designated items, click here.

 
 To meet Laura Slocum, the courageous woman who inspired Etsy Project Embrace, click here.

                    

And to chat with team members, click here.

You can also find a clickable list of team members by scrolling down my blog for several posts ... :)

However you celebrate, please remember that giving is the true meaning of the season.  

Merry Christmas!  Happy Holidays!  Happy New Year!

Mollie

My 101st Post! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Ho Ho Ho!   Here's our favorite part of Christmas and the entire Holiday Season ~ the ritual of decorating the tree!  

This time of year our human neighbors have all flown south with the snowbirds, but that doesn't mean we're alone here.  Every day we have visitors come to call ~ deer, fox, bobcats, red and grey squirrels, bunnies, chickadees, woodpeckers, seagulls, eiders, crows, turkeys ... perhaps an occasional black bear or moose.

But indoors, unless you count a dozen or so tropical fish, it's just the three of us now ~ Joe, kitty and me.  It's unlikely that any of our own kind will be around to see our tree, our wreaths, our lights ~ but that doesn't matter.  

We continue our ritual this time each year ~ 

Because it's Christmas, 

Because we are here.

This year our main tree is a 9' fir, fresh from our Maine woods.  No pruning or shaping allowed here ~ the shape is all natural, just as it grew in the forest! 

Some of our decorations are vintage pieces from Joe's childhood in Portland, others we've collected here and there over the past 28-1/2 years, and some we've made by hand.  It's an unmatched, eclectic assortment, but we cherish each ornament for its own (often peculiar) charm.  

And isn't that what these joyous Holidays are really all about ~ cherishing each and every one of us for what we are, without "pruning" or "shaping"? 

So ... to quote Tiny Tim, "God bless us ... every one."

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Wishing each and every one of you the Merriest Christmas ever!   
~ Mollie and Joe

Merry, Bright and Festive Treasures from TeamEPE - Etsy Project Embrace

Here are just a few of the wonderful Christmas and Holiday treasures you'll find when you search Etsy.com for "TeamEPE Christmas" or "TeamEPE Holidays" -- click either link to search now!


TeamEPE (Etsy Project Embrace) comprises a number of Etsians who have joined hands and hearts in the ongoing fight against cancer, giving support to those whose lives have been touched by the disease, promoting awareness, and making donations to the American Cancer Society.  To learn more, please click here!  Many thanks!

Old Maine Firelight - Garnet and Crystal Earrings

Brrrrr!!!  Winter is only a few days away! 

Time to light the fire, toast some marshmallows and curl up with a good book -- while the Christmas tree lights glitter and twinkle and the wind taps at the shutters.

Old Maine Firelight Earrings -- created for a night such as this!

Click here to view them, or visit my Etsy shop, Rough Magic Creations ~

http://RoughMagicCreations.etsy.com.

What are you doing New Year's Eve? And more to the point, what are you wearing?

Before we know it New Year's Eve will be here, so it's time to start planning your fashion statement for 2010!

And what better time or place to show off your "new look" than at that special New Year's Eve Party?

Where to begin?  With your jewelry, of course!  
Last year's party dress can be updated with a bit of clever stitchery.  Last year's clutch can be refreshed with a pretty silk flower or a smart brooch.  Even last year's strappy sandals can look brand new with a change of accompanying hosiery.

But last year's jewelry?  Well, of course you could polish up your silver, maybe add a crystal or two ... but every updated ensemble needs something brand new, especially on New Year's Eve!

So, where do you shop for just the right necklace, bracelet or earrings to make you sparkle like New Year's Eve Champagne?

Rough Magic Creations!  I have two shops online at Etsy, so it's easy to shop and check out!  And I ship within 1 business day after your PayPal payment clears.  I'll even ship your order via Priority or Express Mail if you'll let me know in advance.

To visit my shops, click either link below.  Whichever you choose first, you won't have to come back here -- each shop shows links to the other!

For Rough Magic Creations ~ http://RoughMagicCreations.etsy.com

For Rough Magic Holidays ~ http://RoughMagicHolidays.etsy.com

You'll also find a link to Joe's vintage shop, Prospero's Bookshelf ~ http://ProsperosBookshelf.etsy.com

When you order online from any of our shops, you can be confident that your items have been handcrafted with care, that your personal and payment information is secure, and that you have the added assurance of handmade quality that Etsy shoppers enjoy.

So come on over and do some browsing -- we hope you'll like what you see!

Meanwhile, we wish your and yours Merriest Christmas '09 and the Happiest of New Years in 2010!

~ Mollie and Joe