Whew! The days are...

 ...flying by as we near the end of the year!

I've managed to get some work in on the 3' x 4' panel, and that's a good feeling.  

Some of the details are really starting to make a difference.  Photo-heavy below:

And just to get your mind back on Christmas, I'm showing you a plate of goodies (all gone now, unfortunately!).  They were scrumptious!

See you next week as we really get into the spirit!  I'm wafting scents of Christmas baking in your direction now.  xo

Winter provides some wonderful...

 ...patterns, 

and we've had our first snowfall to encourage the feel of Christmas.

A friend gifted me with a lovely poinsettia to add to the seasonal ambiance,

John has spent hours adding lights and ornaments to the living room

and dining area

and the frenzy of mini-ornament making has one of the studio tables well occupied.

The oven has been going at a near constant pace,

and the first roaster-full of nuts and bolts is out of the oven (does anybody use Worcestershire sauce at any other time of the year?).

Something tells me that the season is well and truly on the way.  I hope you're in the throes of the  excitement as well, and  your preparations are filled with wonderful smells, delightful makings, love, joy and hope that characterize the season.

It's a different kind...

...of creativity in the house right now, with Christmas baking at the top of the list.

It's obvious to me that the damaged Nanaimo Bar on the centre right must be eaten immediately so as to make any future photos of this plate look more elegant.  While I take care of that, you can check out the rest of the post.

Of course, being back from Linkland, I had to have some friends over to play - this is what the studio looked like before 9 am.  We had all the makings for a mini accordion book and tore right into it. 

Naturally, it got progressively wilder.  Linda (below left) wondered why all the photos of my playmates' faces appear so glum when they are having such a great time.  Of course, this is the only full photo I got of her.

Gay, below, had her happy face on for this one,

 as did Lynne.  Love the hands-on-hips-ready-to-speak-her-piece stance!

Lynne's mini accordion book is well on the way here, and looking delightfully full of geckos and butterflies!

Gay's book incorporates butterflies as well, accompanied by some dragonflies...are we seeking summer?

 Linda's book had a host of birds, carrying on the nature theme.

Mine had a Parisian fashion theme, so I fulfilled my mandate for being odd and what-the-heck unusual.

Lynne brought me this fabulous card in celebration of my new and very important status:

 the kicker inside just cracked me up!

I hope you're getting ready for Christmas and avoiding the stress that over-prep can create.  Tell me all about it in the comments below, will you?