Final Celebration

Welcome 2011.  I hope everyone has had a great start to the new year!

On January 29th last year, I started Pink Tea as a creative outlet.  It was to be a "tea break" in the day to rest, replenish, and be inspired.  It has been an amazing adventure, and I have met so many wonderful people.  Thank you to everyone who has read my ramblings, maybe left a note, and always inspired me.  I am so thankful to you all.

Over the holidays, I took time to re-evaluate my life.  As family, work, and volunteer activities take up more time these days, I have come to the realization that I need to take an indefinite sabbatical from Pink Tea.  I'll continue blogging through the end of the month to complete the first year.

Please join me on this final month.  There will be new projects, recaps of popular old posts, a couple of guest posts from wonderful women I have met this past year, and hopefully even a theme-day project.

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Pink, Ribbon, and Ballet Slippers

It is finally time.  Shoes as precious as ballet slippers cannot continue to be hauled in the back of my boy's diaper bag.  Ballet slippers, and the magic they hold to transform every little girl, need their own special home.  Someplace safe until it is time to lead little feet in arabesques and plies.

What better starting project than to create a special bag for a very special dancing princess.  A sweet ballet-inspired fabric, a simple bag with ribbon drawstring, a pair of ballet shoes... so simple, and yet so sweet.

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Tackling Resolutions...

May I share with you the delight awaiting me under the Christmas tree this year... isn't it lovely.  For those seamstresses among you, this might not mean much.  But for a girl who has never learned to use a sewing machine (I never even took home economics), I am so excited.  My husband gave me this to help me accomplish one of my long-term resolutions... learn to sew.  I am so excited and have already begun trying out some super easy starter projects.  Maybe I'll even share a few.  And if you don't hear from me for a while, you'll know why.

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Sights and Smells of Christmas

The sights, smells, and tastes of Christmas...

Delicious clementines

Sugary goodness decorated with a three-year-old

(our cookie shapes of choice were trees, guitars, and pineapples)

And chocolate cookies with peppermint glaze

Merry Christmas to All!

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Santa's Workshop #5: A little painting

[Note:  If you are related to me, you should probably stop reading this blog until after Christmas.]

Well, after a crazy work week, I am now in the mad rush to get everything prepared for Christmas.  And hopefully I will get a few of those ideas posted.  How about you?  Is your workshop busy these days as you finish your preparations?

In the spirit of last minute gifts, don't forget the joy of freezer paper stenciling.  It can make anything personal and unique.  Just set up your work station (in my case, my ironing board)...

Start painting

And then get a unique and special gift for someone you love.

(And my apologies for the night-time photos.  The challenge of December.)

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Celebrating Advent

Christmas can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people.  For me, Christmas is about worship.  It is about preparing our hearts for a sacred celebration of the birth of a child that continues to change the world.  I was recently reminded of the Advent Conspiracy, a concept I first heard of last year.  The premise is simple:

• Worship Fully
• Spend Less
• Give More
• Love All

This has me thinking these days about what season we are in.  My husband is adamant that we are currently in Advent and that Christmas doesn't begin until December 25th.  (Yes, we are one of those houses that keeps our tree up until Epiphany in January.)  But I find myself constantly struggling with taking the time to celebrate Advent as... well, Advent.  Advent by its very definition means arrival.  It's the celebration of an arrival... it's the anticipation, the wonder, and the preparation.

As I look at the four key pillars of Advent Conspiracy, the first one hits me hard.  Worshipping Fully.  We are taking steps in our life to Spend Less at Christmas... cutting back on the presents and extra, drawing lines so that we focus on what matters to us (such as my refusal to participate in Secret Santa or White Elephant gift exchanges since they just stress me), and trying to do more homemade gifts (as seen in my recent posts).  We are looking for ways to Give More... giving more of our time and gifts to others.  And we strive daily to learn to love others more and judge them less.  But I still find myself so busy in December that I don't stop to Worship.  Perhaps that is why I love Advent Wreaths so much.  They are such a wonderful opportunity to stop, breathe, and worship.

And that is my ramble.  I hope that you find time this holiday season for the things that are important to you.

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Beauty in Imperfection

This isn't going to win any contests.  It isn't picture perfect.  But there is great beauty to me in its imperfections.  As I look at it, I see a little girl covered in icing, eating as much candy as ended up on the gingerbread house and tree.  I hear the laughter as we tried to get the candy to stay put.  I hear her voice telling me about her day.  I feel warmth and love and laughter surrounding me.

Here is to your imperfect moments...

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