~FREE HOLIDAY GRAPHICS...Planning Early with Christmas in July~

Yesterday I  popped into our local Hobby Lobby (you KNOW this is another fabulous OKLAHOMA based business, right?) and once again I saw aisle after aisle filled with Christmas merchandise that is sure to make both our hearts and heads spin!  What a sight!  Such a beautiful, magical, sparkling menagerie of color and all during the middle of SUMMER!  Can be a bit overwhelming if you think about it.

When I was a little girl, many moons ago now, you NEVER saw Christmas merchandise offered for sale until right after Thanksgiving.  Once Turkey-day was over the chimes began to ring out that it was OK to begin decorating for the holidays.  There were times in my family when our Tree wasn't even put up until a few days before Christmas.  My how things have changed.

I'm long past being irritated by seeing Christmas decor so early.  With the enormous crafting movement that is underway I've learned to both accept and understand that it is necessary for crafters and artisans to be able to get their hands on supplies in order to have their finished products ready for Christmas marketing.  This is especially true when so many of us ship overseas.

In keeping with the "Christmas in July" tradition, I'm offering for all you Blogging Peeps a few FREE Christmas Graphics for use in your own holiday projects.  I scanned these several years ago and have since sold the originals.  The DPI isn't as high as I'd like but I still think many of you will find them charming and fun to use!

I'll be sharing more next week!  Think ahead!  Plan ahead!  It's sure to relieve at least a LITTLE bit of the HOLIDAY STRESS during the most wonderful time of the entire year.

(Just "LEFT CLICK" to enlarge and copy the images!)

Blessings for a lovely summer day...

Love to you~

~THANK YOU...BABY SHOES...and CHRISTMAS in JULY~

I KNOW I can't be the only person out there who is choking back a bit over today being the first of July!  Where has the year gone?  My daddy use to say the days of one's life fly by after the age of thirty!

Tis true!  TIS TRUE!

~Lovely Gifts From Cindy~

I have several things for you today but first I will start with saying a great big ol' THANK YOU to Cindy of Whimsical Musings!  I won a recent Give-A-Way she was having a was excited when a sweet little package arrived at my doorstep yesterday afternoon!  Can anything be sweeter than this? 

 I hope you will stop in and say hello to Cindy!  This girl is talented!  She is a Mixed Media Artist and creates the most beautiful treasures.  I won the darling Robin's Egg Blue Clips you see above, but she sent me a precious hand embellished Tin and a 2die4 Box that includes my name.  And...that CARD!  Just darling!  These sweet little beauties are going to find a new home in my office.  Thank you, Cindy!  Blessings to you~

Next...I'd love it if one of you (or many!) could point me in the direction of a Tutorial on just WHAT to do with the darling Baby Shoes you see below.

~Early 1900's Baby Shoes~

I know I've seen some great ideas out there!  Do any of you have a favorite Tutorial?  How about Dawn from The Feathered Nest?  Maureen from A Rose Without A Thorn?  Barbara from Treasures From the Heart? Lori from Katie's Rose Cottage?  

Both of these darling shoes are precious...one has tiny little buttons and the other one has the original ribbon lace.  I purchased them at an Estate Sale (you know they are my favorite places to shop!) sometime last year and I would LOVE to do something special with them!  Since I only have two left shoes I'm not sure what to do!  I can't help but wonder where the RIGHT shoes ended up!  :)

Last...

~Precious in Pink Christmas Stocking~

I want to give you a heads-up about the Christmas in July Sale over at my A Gathering Place Website.  It will begin this weekend and last through the end of the month.  There will be Pillows and sweet little Christmas Stockings and maybe even some pink rose Ornaments offered up for your buying pleasure!  My goal is to offer up a new Christmas related item every day for the month and there will be special pricing, too! 

 ~Pink Rose Santa Christmas Stocking~

Over the years I've rarely participated in July Sales, but I've found I'm sooo busy with family, parties and worship during the Holidays that I NEVER EVER finish everything on my 2-Do-List.  So...this year I'm trying something new...and starting early!  I hope you'll visit.  Above is a sampling of what's coming up!

Before I go...

Thank you for the kind thoughts, words and prayers regarding my sister and her accident.  I spared you the graphic details of her injuries but I can assure your prayers are being heard (an answered) by The Most High.  I'm off to give her a call...

 and

 then I will visit as many of you as I can.  Don't forget to send me ideas for those sweet old baby shoes...

Blessings for a lovely Summer day...

Love to you~