I feel like I have been 100 miles away from crafting but I actually have accomplished a lot since my last post. I don't know if that makes sense or not. It goes back to the end of October when I was enlisted/coerced to agree to open my house for a Christmas walk to benefit the Fine Arts program at the high school. I cannot believe a said yes. I still shake my head when I think about it. A really sweet lady, Renee, had asked me to do it in 2007 but I just could not see how I could be ready in time. This year, I still could not see how I would have time to get ready but I did not want to put Renee off for another year either.

The week after I agreed to open our house, I found out that our church was going to put on its 1st Christmas Dessert Theatre and I was in charge of the tables. Maybe that sounds simple to you but there was a great deal of work involved. I enjoyed it all but I felt like I had no room to breathe. Every moment was filled with either cleaning/hiding things in my house or shopping/researching tableware and decorations for the church tables.

Our house had more Christmas decorations out in 2008 than it had since we moved here in 1997! The 1st floor of our house was not spotless but it was pretty clean. I did not allow guests to go upstairs as it was not a pretty sight. Our house is over 100 years old and it has some celebrity status in the community because the original owner endowed a substantial amount of money to the village when she died in 1982. She was 102 years old when she died.

I did not have time to make cookies for the open house so I bought some from a great local bakery. No, I did not tell everyone that I had made them...but I did not advertise that I had purchased them either...tee...hee. I had some great help the night of the open house. Jody and Danielle played Christmas carols on our piano. Shawna, Kelcy, Emma, my DH, and my kids helped supervise guests through the house and answer questions.

In addition to these two major events in my life, the day of the open house we also had a ladies Christmas brunch at church and I was in charge of hostessing and decorating a table. I had to pack a set of Christmas dishes to take to church and set a fancy table. My plan was to pack them as they were...dirty...and leave them in my car until the open house was over. Turns out my DH and another table hostess' DH, washed dishes for everyone! What darlings! I brought the dishes home and left them on my car until the open house was over. The tables at the brunch were just lovely. I wish I had taken pictures! Of the 5 tables decorated, each one was completely different. One table was all Fostoria glassware, one had a Cardinal motif, one had a snowman motif, one had a beautiful silver Christmas china pattern, my table was Pfaltzgraf Winterberry. I had given several pieces of Winterberry to my sister, Jan. She added to the set over the years. She wasn't using the dishes and her daughter was not interested in them so she gave it back to me. It is a lovely set of dishes. I added dessert plates to it for this event. I had to set the table for 8 ladies.

I also was in charge of the Secret Sister program at the church. Basically, the ladies sign up at the beginning of the year by filling out a personal survey. It shows their favorite colors, B-Day, etc. I randomly assign each of the ladies participating another ladies information. Throughout the year the Secret Sister prays and gives notes, cards, and small gifts secretly to her sister. At this brunch the ladies learn who was their Secret Sister for the year. I altered some pop-top cans for the unveiling. I again did not take pictures of this project. Each lady picked a can and popped it open to find a paper ornament. The ornament revealed a Secret Sisters. It turned out really cute and I used some of my lovely scrap paper to decorate the cans.

Back to the church Dessert Theatre...we had never done this before so I had to chose and purchase dishes, silverware, decorations, decanters, etc. I used my Cricut Expression to help with paper decorations. I don't have any pictures...whaaa...I was just too busy to really think about it and then...poof...it was over. In fact, I can say that about all of November and December, too! We did so much more than I can type here during that time but I think I am boring you so I will let it go and move on with 2009.

Can you believe it is February already? I made some adorable Valentines but I did not take any pictures. I have to get organized again or bust! Ha!