Country Frog Creations: Catching up on December...

and boy how the time flew! Working, baking (or at least trying), swapping, buying, wrapping, decorating (not too much) and gift making - and not necessarily in that order. Was so I tired by the time the New Year rang in!

The holidays seemed to go so fast! I guess I wanted to accomplish too much, but didn't have the time. It was more of a laid back year with the boys too. Markie worked alot, and me and my extra job, time was not on my side. This year the "men" were responsible for putting up the decorations - I know, YIKES!!! (but there was a reason for my madness!) Let me highlight for you....

My husband drug the reindeer out from the attic and put them in the yard and they sat there for about a week before I mentioned it would be nice to plug them in BEFORE Christmas! Then, one night I pulled into the driveway after work, I chuckled. I admired the reindeer that were standing in my front yard, all lit up, except one deer had no butt, and the other had no ear. (are you getting the picture here??)

The Christmas decorations were also hauled out of the attic and sat in boxes in my living room for over a week. Then the tree went up. It had no decorations on it until a week before Christmas. My husband brought home an ornament someone made him from work....this was the only ornament on the tree - a big silver ball with "Mark" written on it! (are you still chuckling, or am I feeling some pity coming my way?)

Beautiful or what?? This was not a typical year for decorating by no means. I guess I won't procrastinate next year and will start putting up the decorations the day after Thanksgiving!!

Now, let's see where I left off....hmmmm, oh ya, I neglected to post the wonderful swaps I received from the swaps I participated in during the holidays.

Here is the package I received from Donna at Under the Raven's Moon. We were partnered in the Snowflakes & Sparkles Christmas Swap hosted by Holly. Donna was definitely a great partner! The wonderful packaging...

A beautiful angel that I hung in my living room doorway, a number of cool handmade items and my favorite - a basket of chocolate!

This was the only postal tragedy...

Thanks Donna!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I also participated in the Very Vintage Christmas Swap hosted by Holly's mom, Heidi at Foxgloves, Fabric and Folly. I was partnered with Kris at At Home at Lake Mac. What a wonderful partner! Here is the cool box of stuff she sent

I love the ornaments she made - they were way cool! I love the vintage apron - it actually fit around my big butt!! I wore it one day I was baking before work - LOVE IT!! Chocolate - always a goodie! And the tea - I love it- sooo yummy! I'm hooked! And she sent me a cool vintage Christmas book with ideas on a little bit of everything. I love the vintage ribbon and ornaments! The postal tragedy...one bulb didn't make the trip...

Thanks Kris!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am also in another swap - Winter Whimsy Mitten Swap over at A Swap for All Seasons. This is such a cool bunch of participants! This swap is all about mittens.(no duh!) So the host decided to have anyone interested to sign up to make a mitten ornament. How cool - and yep, I signed up! She picked partners, and Chris was mine! Sweet!! She's over at Red Lead PaperWorks. I was so surprised when my package arrived. How cool is this?

I didn't want to open it. She used a vintage envelope and added her own special touch. At first I was like "did she try to mail it in this?" then I came back to the land of the living and was like "duh -idiot!!" I am so learning....

Here is another view...

Here is what was wrapped so tight inside... Then I realized I could open it....(another duh moment!) Whalla...she used a match box and did a shadow box like display inside...WAY COOL!!