Shall old acquaintance be forgot...

Every new year people make resolutions to change aspects of themselves they believe are negative. A majority of people revert back to how they were before and feel like failures. This year I challenge you to a new resolution. I challenge you to just be yourself.

                                                                                                                                         Aisha Elderwyn

Thank you friends for visiting and sharing My{View} this past year.  I so treasure the wonderful  friendships that have occured in this amazing world of blogging. I can't wait to see what 2011 will bring our way, but for now, I raise my glass to each and everyone one of you and say...

Happy New Year!

Catherine

Merry Christmas to all...

God bless us everyone...

                                                                                      Tiny Tim

XOXO

Catherine

December Daily...

Progress report:

While in Mykonos I met a most charming woman extraordinaire, Hilsen Gudren

...who most graciously gave me some of her beautiful Christmas papers, which can be found here.  Upon receiving these lovlies, I knew at once they would become a part of my Ali Edward's inspired December Daily journal, which I have made for the last two years.

I also knew that I wanted to find very special embellishments to complement the photos and stories waiting to be told.  And while visitng Virginia for Thanksgiving, my Sweet Pea, Cristina, was my creative muse with her bountiful collection of sweet vintage ephemera.

We sat on the floor together, while I shared the beautiful papers, and she started pulling out the sweetest accoutrements to coordinate with the background papers...

I had also found some vintage delights along the way, love the French Lotto card, which matches the color palette perfectly.

So I am running behind, but am taking photos and journaling daily and once back home will build the foundation as a first priority.

Thank you sweet Gundrun for your generosity and making my 2010 December Daily extra special and extra beautiful!

The Season begins...

Catherine

I cooked and then I cooked some more...

First I baked pies...



Pumpkin

Apple

And then came the fresh Cranberry Sauce

Followed by Grandma's little kitchen helpers

We carefully stuffed the turkey

Our lovely centerpiece

Place setting

A first this year, Pioneer Woman's mashed potatos, Sweet Potato Casserole, Honey Bunny Carrots and delicious biscuits rounded out our Thanksgiving meal.  We gathered round the table, said a prayer of thanks and then the food frenzy ensued...

I sincerely hope your Thanksgiving was filled with joy, love and some yummy food.

xoxo

Catherine

A walk in Athens...

Ouzo and fresh home grown grapes given to us at the end of our several hour lunch

Street vendor food, yummy sesame pretzal like bread...

Street signs contain ancient Greek, modern Greek and English lettering...

Changing of the guard..

Radio City Rockettes, watch out for these high kickers.

Look, it's the Acropolis...

Odeon Theatr at the base of the Acroplis...

We sat on these ancient marble seats, under the moonlit sky and watched a ballet.

Tribute to Rudolph Nureyev 

Sigh

Park bench, shady plaza, and an iPhone...

Thanks for sharing My {View}

Catherine



It's beginning to look a lot like....

Sweet Cristina, of SweetPeaInk, is hosting a lovely vintage Christmas ephemera swap.  If you love vintage papers, labels, sheet music you might want to visit her lovely blog and sign up to play along.

.

The talented Amy Power has just released her newest edition of, inspired ideas, christmas edition.  I hope you will visit her blog, inspire co.  and take a peek at all of the holiday yumminess.  And if you look carefully you just might find  photos of two very special felt Christmas ornaments I made long ago,  on the "very favorite ornaments" page....

Thanks for sharing

My {View}

Allhallows eve...

-noun
the evening of October 31st; the eve of All Saint's Day; Halloween: observed esp. by children in costumes who solicit treats, often by threatening minor pranks.

Dracula wine from Romania, to enjoy...

Burnt orange, sigh...

My view,

And just in case you need some ideas for your creative muse, why not try...

Eye of newt, and toe of frog,

Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,

Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,

Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,

For a charm of powerful trouble,

Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

William Shakespeare

CATHERINE

the inside peek...continues...

Thanks for taking a moment to visit,

My {View}

Catherine

Istanbul was Constantinople...

Where do I find the words to describe "the women" of Istanbul?

They are simply put, beautiful...

Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople

Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night

My {View}

Catherine

Travel Journal, a peek inside...

We began our journey in Paris...

Remains Of The Day Journal

Page One:  ledger paper from the 1950's, sweet vintage cherry shelf liner paper, and Tim Holtz tissue paper tape.

Pages two and three

On page two I used more vintage ledger paper and stickers from The French General, while page three is a page from a Better Homes and Garden magazine, 1948.

Pages four and five: more ledger paper, Jenni Bowlin paper, calendar and label sticker

Pages six and seven: vintage sheet music, old magazine pages, vintage paper doily and vintage Dennison label.

Pages eight and nine: two more styles of vintage ledger papers and tape measure paper

Pages ten and eleven:  Postage label from The French General, old tape measure and beautiful old  french wall paper.

My process, for creating the inside background pages for Segment 1, was to use mostly vintage found and collected objects from my "stash".

Merci, mes amis...for sharing My {View}

Catherine

La Vie En Rose...

Monday in Paris and we hop upon Le Metro, line 4 to St Ouen, to spend time at the world famous flea markets.

Guidebook in hand, "Born To Shop Paris", checking out the map to be sure I know where I am, ready set go...

Favorite find, a delightful vendor with wonderful displays of vintage hand carved wooden stamps.  I could not believe my good fortune when I found one with the initials, A and E carved together on one stamp.  I knew at once I needed to buy this for Ali Edwards, as a little teacher thank you.  It was from the 1920's, hand carved, and had wonderful typography...

Window shopping, adore "Le Chapeau", so Coco Chanel

Oh those Frenchies, they have such a sense of design.  Just look at this vignette.

My new car, "Le Citroen"...LOL

Hold me close and hold me fast

The magic spell you cast

This is la vie en rose

XOXO

Catherine