Cherished Gifts

NOTE: So as not to confuse anyone with the giveaway details...that post will go up at midnight tonight.
There is going to be a Giveaway this week right here at Scrap For Joy.
I am turning 62  on Thursday and my favorite way to celebrate is to give things away!
 I have to gather the treats together before I can tell you about it so check back after 12:00 AM EST
Until then...

 I would like to show you some amazing things that have made their way to me in the last month...

First is this amazing santos figure that I have been wanting for a long time.

I first saw one of these beautiful ladies on Mary Lou's (House of Whimsy) blog. (Mary Lou is one of my idols...I only mean that in a good way...and I find her constantly inspiring!)  These next 2 pictures have been lifted from her blog. She uses her santos in very creative ways for the holidays

This particular figure was found at Ballard Designs here, but is no longer available. They do have some similar figures. To make a long story a little shorter (I don't know how to tell a short story), before Christmas, Ballard's had an estate sale and featured this beauty......and the day I saw it they offered an additional 25% off....well, I couldn't resist any longer. When I told my sweetheart I had ordered her, he kindly offered to give her to me for Christmas. {{Sigh!}} She is even more beautiful in person than in a picture and I know I'll have a lot of fun decorating with her.
 Thanks for the inspiration Mary Lou.

I have written about my friendship with Marie (Spun By Me) on several occasions. We have been blogging friends for several years now...we've written to each other and have even spoken on the phone.

Our goal is to meet in person this year and I'm confident that it will happen. Anyway, because we are friends, we know each other's taste pretty well. Marie surprised me at Christmas with two beautiful gifts.

The item on the left is a pin, made from the hollow handle of an old knife. Marie made a little arrangement of greenery to tuck inside, tied it with a bow and added a little metal tag that says "believe". Isn't it sweet? The other item is a magnet, made using a small metal tray and decorated with vintage ephemera. Marie and I both love chubby birds (and squirrels...but that's a whole other story!) so this was fitting from one bird lover to another. Marie is a woman of great faith and exceptional talent and I love these gifts from her.

Another blogging friend that I've talked about many times is Michelle of Wood and Fabric.

Michelle hasn't been blogging for very long and I first "met" her through her Etsy shop. She lives in Quebec and is one of the most amazing stamping paper crafters I have come across. I have bought  many things she has created and she has gifted me with some beautiful things also. For Christmas this year she sent me two cards.

The first one featured a figure she often uses in her crafting...

Beautiful-no? But the next card will completely knock your socks off!

It's called a never-ending card. I had never seen anything like it before...

Michelle lifted pictures from my blog...converted them to black and white and created this...

Do you see the slit in the middle...that creates doors that you open to the next page...

Open the doors again...

and again...

and one last time...

and you end up back at the beginning.

I wish you could hold this card in your hands and see the wonder of it!

It is the most amazing card I have ever received and of course with pictures

of Charlie, Miles and David...it was even more treasured!

If you link to Michelle's post here, you can see one of these cards that she made

 for herself in a 12X12-inch size. I really want to learn how to do this! 

Michelle and I just found out that we are partners in

A Swap For All Seasons, Mini Fabric Collage Swap.

(The button for the swap is on my sidebar)

How lucky is that?

Thank you Michelle...this was the most amazing gift!
I hope you have time to visit Mary Lou, Marie and Michelle today.
Tell them I sent you.

Speaking of handmade things...many of you have written asking me about the

roses on the box and tag I featured in my last post...

I did not make them...my friend did, but here is a link from Stephanie of Under the Table Dreaming

with some simple directions. Another tutorial can be found here.
Aren't they fun?



xoxo
Joyce