Here we are, already 9 days into the new year! Can we believe it? Will January go fast??? Yes! I must admit, it's always kind of a letdown after Christmas, following all of the hustle and bustle, and after the final NEW YEAR'S EVE excitement. Although I really don't do anything 'exciting' for New Year's Eve, it's the anticipation leading up to midnight that gets me every time. And then, New Year's Day, I kind of crash land! Is it like that with you?
So....... the first few days of 2026 have been a little "down" for me. I don't seem to have much motivation for anything. I think I used up ALL of my motivation the last couple of months of 2025!
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| Looking forward to Valentine's Day crafting. |
My decorations are still up. I put them up so late (December 24th), I'm going to keep them out awhile, as I so enjoy the pops of red, plaids, and lights at night. I wait until dusk to turn on my tree lights... it's always something to look forward to.
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| My Maddie kitty has a new friend - she loves sleeping with him! |
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| My Daphne is blooming! |
A surprise for me is that my Daphne shrub, that I planted the summer of 2024, is blooming again! I thought they only bloomed in the early Spring! But no... it's been full of flowers since early December! Before my son and Terra came over on Christmas Day, I picked a bunch and put two flowers in little glasses, all over the house! Such sweet fragrance.
One day right after the 1st of January, I decided to start making my Christmas cards for next year! I got about 12 cut out and ready to paste and decorate, but that's about as far as I got. They still sit in a pile on my dining table. They're from some gorgeous new Christmas papers (Christmas, from Carta Bella Designs) I received as a gift from my sister. I just HAD to work with them now, and not wait another year. I'm happy to say I DID get my dining table all cleaned off and most of my Christmas papers and epehemera, ribbons, cutouts, etc. put away to free up my space for more seasonal crafting.
Made a special card for my nephew's 40th birthday.
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| Of course, had my cup of tea - tried out the new honey sticks I received from my sister for Christmas. |
I'm enjoying walks around the mobile home park where I live. There is a stand of very very old giant Cedars that greet me every time I walk down the path. They are so stately. I can imagine when someone planted them as seedlings, so many years ago. So far (knock on wood) the high winds haven't knocked any down!
It's time to get back to "work" on my two part-time jobs! One.... photographing and listing jewelry in my daughter-in-law's Etsy shop, Terra Stones Astoria.
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Her jewelry is exquisite! Her Etsy shop is having a 10% off sale this month, on total purchases of $100.00 or more. I think her brick and mortar store in Astoria is having an even bigger sale!
And I need to be entering new digital items in my own Etsy shop, Rocking Horse PrintsUS. Time for making new Valentine's Cards and St. Patrick's Day cards and all the fun stuff! Here are a couple of cards I already have in my shop, ready to cut and print.
The work never ends it seems.................
Hope everyone is recovering from the holidays, and safe and well and healthy.
Marilyn
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Happy New Year Marilyn! I am in agreement with your sentiments! We are still enjoying our lights. And the letdown after Christmas and New Years is real, and yes perhaps it's because we are exhausted lol! I am glad you had a nice Christmas. The Daphne blooms are beautiful! So wonderful to enjoy this time of year. That's awesome that you are helping your DIL with her business. Her work is amazing! Always love your creations! Yes always so much to be doing. I am glad you take time to walk. It is always the best part of my day! Blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteMarilyn, glad you are still enjoying your lights! I bet they are so so pretty with snow outside! I do like taking walks....... wish I would walk further and that is my goal. My back starts hurting alot so I don't go real far, but I know that if I would walk more, maybe that back problem would go away! I'm glad to be having some respite from all the busy-ness of the holidays. I'm taking it easier each day, and for awhile, only doing what I really WANT to do! Hugs....... Marilyn
DeleteI am amazed that you have plants blooming outside this time of the year. I just turned my thermostat up an extra 2° a few minutes ago because I was chilled. Nothing's going to be blooming around here until, maybe when the tulips pop up the end of February or the 1st of March. Looks to me like you've been quite busy so there's no reason why you shouldn't be feeling a little exhausted. I love hearing that you're out walking, that's so good for you. If I walk this time of the year it's either inside the grocery store or on the treadmill.
ReplyDeleteNice to see you posting again I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Have a great week, your blogging sister Connie ♥️🥰♥️
Hi Connie.... I too have turned up my furnace a little bit! I get chilly some nights and wrap up in my snuggly thick fleece blanket. I love that! It feels so cozy and with my tree still up, and the colored lights, I'm very content. I tried to post a "short" post from my phone, but it kept putting my photos in sideways! So had to go finish up on my computer. Seems to be no wait to rotate those photos on my blog, from my phone. Very maddening... as is so easy to post from my phone on the spur of the moment, as that's where my photos are! I did have a treadmill that I sold when I moved from Madras. Now I want to get a Nordic Trac skier machine. I had one back in the 90's and loved it. Such good cardio exercise, plus good arm movement, and so good for the legs too. I'll do that as soon as I have a little extra money! have a good weekend! Hugs.. Marilyn
DeleteI'm not surprised your Daphne is blooming. I'm age 65, and I have never seen a year when I still had flowers blooming on December 30th. My first killing frost this winter was New Year's Eve. I hope we make it until Spring with no more frosts...that would be a minor miracle.
ReplyDeleteI get New Year's "pinks" as apposed to blues. I love three seasons, but I'll never like winter. My mood surges up on December 21st, when the year turns. The day after New Year's I can convince myself that Spring is just around the corner, even if we still have two more grey months to slog through. I'll have to check out your Etsy store. I believe I did last year when I stumbled on your blog , but I think it was closed at the time?
Hi Kris, where do you live? I know you told me but I forgot already! I don't think we've even had a real killing frost here yet. Kind of, but yet some of my other flowers are still blooming too, like my snapdragons! Weird. I too get the winter blues... always perk up on a nice sunny day, which I'm thankful does happen here probably at least once a week. Living in Svensen, there are more sun breaks as the storms move through. I did have an Etsy store called My Pink Paper Cottage, which was all paper goods I made, plus vintage items that I either had or purchased at various sales.. I also sold vintage fabrics. I closed it maybe 3 years ago or more, as had been sick with Covid, and was planning to move, and it just seemed too much. I meant to reopen it, but never have. I now have a new Etsy store called Rocking Horse PrintsUS... which is all digital products, like cards, card fronts, stationery, printable envelopes, papers, and "love token" circles with sayings.. usually some for each season. I also do some Subway Art for printing and framing. I enjoy it so much, and am working on building up my inventory. I only started it less than a year ago so it's a work in progress! and yes!!! spring is just around the corner! Marilyn
DeleteI looked at your new Etsy store, and I love your cards. Alas, I don't have a computer or a printer. I didn't even have Internet at my home until 2020 when I got my first smart phone.
DeleteI live just a tad east of the Hillsboro city limits. I put in a new lawn in October of 2024, and it was looking pretty scragglely until this past November when the rain started dumping. Now it's lush and green and I'm excited for the gardening season to begin, now that I have a green canvas to work with. I'm also going to double my food garden this year.
Hi Marilyn. I am with you it is a let down when the holidays are over then it is pure winter cold and snow for us. Love your new digitals. Happy New Year. Hugs. Kris@junkchiccottage
ReplyDeleteHi Kris.. from Marilyn... love to see when you visit! i bet you are getting alot of snow back there! So far none here, thankfully! xoxo Marilyn
DeleteYour photos are gorgeous, and I love your creative talent! I am fortunate in that I love the winter and snow....it is the ice that makes me uncomfortable. I am a 69 year old retired lady living in Montreal, Canada. You have a lovely blog, thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHi Linda... thank you for visiting! I always love seeing new followers! You ARE lucky to love the winter and snow! I've lived in areas of Oregon and Washington my entire life, with LOTS of now. I usually live at high elevations and once lived in Wyoming for 2 years that had snow all winter! Did not like that! Thank you for the liking of my blog! Marilyn
DeleteI hope your motivation has come back around - although perhaps you need a break time!
ReplyDeleteHi Carrie... yes perhaps a break is needed. I'm dabbling here and there, but nothing substantial! I'm sure the mojo will come back one of these days! Marilyn
DeleteBrand new and dropping in through Nana Diana this iron-cold morning!! Just the graceful sweetness of that glorious Daphne---I've never heard of it, so it was my LEARNED for today!!! The PINK in your title drew me in, and I sank into the nostalgia of all the Original REDS of your decor and lovely surroundings---I'm in a totally Pink phase of Life now, and will be "from Here on Out," as folks always said when I was growing up down South.
ReplyDeleteI have not a single chromosome for any kind of art or crafting, and I especially loved the Birthday Card for your Nephew. I have a brand new one, born almost the New Year Baby on the morning of the brand new year, and will not see through to his 40th, so I took in all the nuances and colors of YOURS for a projection into the future.
And a bit of my only small crafting in return---building things with words:
"And does he love all music then, or does he play the Cello?
Or have a special fond HeartSpot for CARMEN or OTELLO?"
Looking forward to a lovely New Year, Looking in on your adventures.
Hello Racheld.. thank you so much for visiting! I loved your "coloring with words"... you write beautifully and I've thoroughly enjoyed it! I went over to your blog to visit and will subscribe. I'm on blogger so probably won't receive notifications when you post... I'll need to write your blog name down, which I love by the way! I love tea... afternoon tea and a dessert is my favorite.... learned that from my mom. I've always been a "pink" girl! I've strayed away a little bit since I moved to my new home 2 years ago.. my previous house in central Oregon, had our pink master bedroom, and everything else pink in it! Ater 9 years, I was a little worn out with the pink, so my "now" bedroom is a darker tan walls with white and cream picture frames and teal blues and some yellows.. is a nice change, but I can see the pink creeping back in. I just can't resist pink! On the other hand, I do love the REDS of Christmas! Sometimes I want to be daring and try to decorate with red! One day I might just do that! I've been a crafter all my love.. just love to make things, whether paper dolls when I was little, or drawing, or coloring in coloring books, to sewing and making my own doll clothes, and then my own clothes, and then making custom clothing for others, to quilting,,, and eventually papercrafting. I love it all! But now seem to be sticking mostly to paper crafting, cards, gift bags and boxes, little photo albums, and the miscellaneous "something" now and then. Glad you enjoyed that card. My other blog posts, if you go to the side and search the labels, under "cards" you'll find many of my homemade cards over the years! More later! Marilyn
DeleteWHAT A LOVELY GREETING TO RETURN TO!! I actually returned to respond to your lovely note on LAWN TEA---I've been away from blogging for more than five years, and this small return is struggling to remember the way. I do welcome your presence any time, and loved hearing your own successes with all your own Family Tree.
DeleteSpeaking of TREES, and I am, often---your stalwart parade of cedars is a magical sight to behold---those graybeards have seen centuries, I imagine, and oh the times of toil and war and jubilee and joy they must have witnessed!! Such rich coats they have, and they hold the seriousness of the world on their shoulders. But I DO believe the one third in from the front in the top picture has a bit of the scamp left in his ancient soul---he's broken the ENT-CODE of invisibility with showing his right eye above his aquiline nose and the hint of a smile beginning on his lips. Do go tell them they are loved by a Tree-Friend far, far away, and that I DO always have a bit of a soft spot for a sweet rascal.
I thought I was the only one who left my Christmas decorations up this long! Although, I think mine has more to do with a lack of motivation than anything. Between trying to recover from Christmas and work, I'm completely wiped. Maybe I'll get them taken down before the end of the month. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Alex, Yup.. I like leaving mine up until at least the end of January. I'm so enjoying all the pops of red, and my tree and lights, and little twinkling candles around my living room. Nothing better than a cold winter's night with all my lights on (just the Christmas lights) and the lamps off.. snuggled up in my red plaid quilt, watching a good movie (and popcorn of course!). I'm so glad I'm retired as don't know how on earth I did everything back when I worked, and still had any time to craft! Take your time removing your Christmas decorations and enjoy them for as long as you want. I had a friend who kept hers up until into March, and hers was a real live tree! Marilyn
DeleteHello Marilyn, thank you so much for your visit and kind comment on my blog today. 😊 Sure, please feel free to write about or share any quotes on my blog. I post on Mondays and Thursdays.
ReplyDeleteAs far ad Blogger goes, I am normally able to see new posts on blogs that I subscribe to in my Blogger news feed. I do have a few followers that use Feedly or Bloglovin for keeping up with blogs that they subscribe to.
I look forward to your posts and your visit and comment on my blog means so much to me.
Hi Linda! Wow that was a quick reply! Thank you so much. I used to follow so many blogs (and still do) but never get notifications in my email inbox, so I've forgotten many of them. How do you use Blogger News Feed? People mainly subscribe to my blog, but then I don't know how to go see who they are unless I keep my own written list. I would love a central place to see all of my followers, and figure out how to get notifications when they post. If someone is using Word Press, I do get a notification, but usually that's the only one. I'm going back to your blog to save a few of your quotes! Marilyn
ReplyDeleteHi Marilyn, I get a lot of comments on my blog, which I am extremely grateful for, but it would take a lot of time to respond to each one, so I don't unless someone had a question. I don't like the email option because not everyone wants to give their email address, and I respect their privacy.
DeleteI don't expect people to respond to my comment on their blog and actually prefer the person to visit me and comment on my post instead.
Each person has a different method and for me I don't mind.
For blogger news feed...
There is an option that is called reading list. If you are subscribed to a blog, the new posts will appear there once the person makes a new post. I mentioned to you that I post on Mondays and Thursdays so that you know when my new posts will show on my blog...hope this helps you.
ReplyDeleteI will leave this information for you that I shared above and hope it helps. Thank you so much and I wish you a wonderful week ahead. 💕
ReplyDeleteThose trees are amazing.
ReplyDeleteGemel, yes they are! Pretty amazing. Marilyn
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