Feliz Ano Nuevo!

...a good year is considered to be a good one, if the old one, on its way out, while closing the door, has left behind packages full of wisdom, knowledge, and valuable changes...if the door that closes behind leaves the sound of an eco, then it has been a bad year...

...if all things that have hurt or scared you, have turned into images full of gratitude in your heart, it has been a good year...
...if you achieved to look at your monsters in the eye and not ran away...
...if you're thankful for what you thought was the worst...
...if you have left behind things that have made your every day difficult...
...if you cried out of gratitude and not out of  sadness...
...if you have let go of grudges and anger...
...if you discovered that you have grown...
...if you looked in the mirror and saw a few more gray hair but it didn't bother you...
...if you have things to look forward to...
...if you have gotten a bit over weight, but still had health...
...if your kids and your husband were healthy...
...if you complained "what to cook" everyday, but you still had food on your table...
...if you became more creative...
...if a friend of yours showed up at your door at 11:00 pm with a bottle of wine in her hand, after she heard you crying on the phone...
...if you made peace with any life changing situations...

....then it has been a great year...

...may 2011 bring good things to you...

...may you all have health...

...may you all keep learning...

...may you all have love...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Feliz Navidad a todos!

...I've been to places where I don't want to return...

...I lost my faith...

...I lost me...

...I cried...

...under a fuzzy moon I took the car for a drive...

...I felt gratitude towards those who put lights outside their homes...

...I felt warmth...

...my spirits returned...

...Christmas is magic...

...Christmas is love...

...Christmas is birth and rebirth...

...may you all have warmth in your heart...

...may you all feel the love...

Merry Christmas

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Una historia...

....every year when it's time to take down the Christmas tree I feel so sad...

..I try delaying doing it as much as I can...I use every excuse in the book to buy more time...like,  keeping up with Graceland and puting everything away the day after Elvis' birthday, on January 8th...

...I remember once my cousin called to inform me that Mardi Gras was about to begin and that it was time to stop celebrating Christmas!!!!

...ok, so I love Christmas and my tree has so much sentimental value for me and I'll tell you why...

...we bought it in 1988...Yes, 1988.  Back then it cost us 24,000 drachmas meaning $91,00.  It was just the two of us...we wanted to stop buying fresh out of respect for Nature..we thought it looked beautiful... 2,5 meters high and we had decorated it in the most kitchy way!

...the year we had our baby girl I had put white lacy booties and pink ribbons on its branches...after that, every year I would use a different theme, but for the past 5 years I have kept a certain style that has pieces of my life, our lives, my past and people that I love...

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...from an old Macy's box  come some ornaments from the 70's from when I was growing up in New York... they all have soul ...

...in every single one of them I see a girl who danced to disco music, wore mood rings and bell bottoms, loved to watch "Three is company", and wrote 4E on her books...

...

....I'm sure that Priscilla Presley's tree has no trace of the King...well...MerryChristmasbaby...huh!


...we have, the Vegas years...

...the '68 special...

...blue Hawaii...wait, there's more!

...the army years...and some others that I  don't want to bore you with...

...my tree is wrapped in vines that I collected, many years ago, from a field near my daughter's school, after I had dropped her off...

* * * *

...I also have a thing with Angels...

* * * *

...I keep a piece from my mom's chandelier...

...my son's first Christmas rattle and my daughter's first ornament...

* * * *

...there's candy cane and cookies...

...also, ornaments that I have made in the past, out of salt dough...

...my aunt's lace is wrapped around it as a big hug...

... and some toys from my mom's tree...

* * * *

...I love my tree because it's full of memories...

...I love it because every year it reminds me of the past and of the changes...

...and when I finally decide to take it down, I always make a wish for the next year and leave an ornament on one of its branches...for company...until we meet again...

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Compras o no compras

...every year I have a Christmas bazaar here at the house...

...it's a chance for people who don't know me to see my work, and a chance for me to see friends that I don't get to see often...

...there's coffee and lots of sweets to try and of course to buy...

....after the bazaar, I sleep for 24 hours to recuperate!

* * * *

...my 24 hours are now over, which means that it's time to defrost the butter again...

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De Jueves...

...and wreaths...

...they say that tomorrow will have snow...

De seguida...

...I'm still in my kitchen creating...
...I wish I was in full contact with my therapist instead!

...Miss Frosty...

...Mr. Moose

...and the Pup...

...this time, every year, I change my sleeping patterns, wear the same clothes, have as my companion the lap top, radio and tv...eat the fastest tasteless food...create...feel depressed for not being in touch with the outside world...and get edgy...

...don't get me wrong, I love what I'm doing, and it's very creative...but if you're in the neighborhood, come on over for some company and a hug...it is always welcomed!

Casitas, casitas, casitas!

...I want you to meet the village people!

...the dinning room table is full of these, to the point where I have to use my creativity to invent more space...

...it will be very hard for me to part from them, because I love them all!

...as for the smell of gingerbread....mmmmm,  is unbelievable!   The whole building has a bake shop aroma and I have people knocking on my door to see what I'm up to! 

...Christmas lights and candles...ginger and cinnamon....oranges and cloves...Dino singing "I've got my love to keep me warm"...and then Diana on her piano, "Christmas time is here"...movies like '"Holiday Inn" and "The bells of St. Mary's"...

...it might be a tiring period for many of us...or financially difficult...emotionally exhausting, too...but it's Christmas time and it's magic!  Let's put some warmth in our heart without too much....good friends, our loved ones, sleeping on the couch with the Christmas tree lights glowing...a glass of wine...a cat purring....it's so simple and so lovely!

                                             ~ ~ ~ ~

Nicholas

...and pray for the thunder and rain to quietly pass me by...

....happy Name Day daddy...

Mi regalo

...Angel...

...19 years ago an Angel came to me...to give me life...to save me...to bring hope into my life...to teach me...to make me discover what true, unconditional love is...

...an Angel child who only gives love...who turned her pain into creativity and strength...an Angel touch so therapeutic...an Angel voice so soothing...

...my precious gift I thank you for choosing me to be your mom...I exist only where you are...

Happy Birthday...

La primera casita

...the first one is done!

...100 more to go!

...no time to write much, I just wanted to share this with you...

...I want to say "shalom" to my cousin's mom in Israel who reads my blog every day, an amazing woman whose opinion counts....neshikot!

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Diciembre....Diciembre!!!

...Happy 1st of the month!