Happy New Blessings!!

Hi Everyone~

I would like to wish all of you a Happy New Year and

a 2011 filled with blessings!! Thank you for being

an important part of my 2010~I feel so blessed

to know all of you and look forward to our

sharing in the new year ahead.

XO

Cindy

Hi Everyone~

I hope you are having a wonderful holiday

week!

I just got great news...This "Sanctuary" piece

was chosen to be in an Etsy treasury--that

was a fun surprise!

If you would like to look at all the Sanctuary

pieces, you can click here.

Sending blessings your way,

Cindy

A Little Christmas Message

Hi Everyone--

I just wanted to wish all of you the most wonderful

Christmas. You have all been such a blessing to

me in 2010.

I hope that you will all join me in prayer for people

who are sick, suffering from financial problems,

dealing with relationship issues or finding

themselves alone for the holidays.

I pray for safety for the people of California

experiencing severe storm conditions.

I wish everyone peace in their hearts and

joy in their souls.

Merry Christmas!

XO

Cindy

P.S. That's my little Maltese, Jamie!! Notice that our gifts are on a table behind me because I don't know if he'd try to open them if I leave them under the tree!!

Weekly Wisdom--Enjoy the Holidays

Hi Everyone--

I hope that you all have a beautiful

Christmas...I just made this

digital art piece from vintage

graphics from the Graphics Fairy

and wanted to share it with you.

Wishing you Christmas blessings,

good health, and happiness during

this beautiful season.

XO

Cindy

Weekly Wisdom--Anything is Possible

As we approach Christmas and see all the beautiful lights and signs of hope everywhere, I am reminded that with love, anything is possible.

I think if many of us look back on our lives, there have probably been times when we wondered if things would ever change...Even when we didn't, we still kept our faith.

Maybe things didn't change in our timing, but they changed nonetheless.

I can always feel the changes coming during this time of year...a time when joy and giving come to the forefront...a time of remembering those we love...a time of planning surprises just to see the joy on someone else's face...

I'm like a little kid at this time of year...what about you?

XO

Cindy

A Little Surprise

Hi Everyone--

Today I would like to share the work of Marfi from Incipient Wings...But why? Not only because I love her work and she is a wonderful friend, but also because it is her birthday on Friday! Happy Birthday, Marfi!

And there's something else I would like to share with you...Marfi has been making adorable toys and leaving them in various places to be "found" as Christmas surprises...how precious is that? If you'd like to see some of them, they are at her blog here. I think this is so inspiring that she has decided to do this for the holidays.

I am linking this to Fearless Fridays and Spiritual Sunday.

XO

Cindy

Holiday Decorating--Homes filled with love

Hi Everyone~

The other day, I showed you pictures of my friend

Sharon's fireplace, but I didn't put the photo in

that is a close-up, so I wanted to post it today.

Isn't this beautiful?

Sharon's artistic nature is seen throughout her entire

house--and oh, do I love Christmas decorating!!

My friend Donna just got her tree

decorated~Aren't these just the

most lovely pictures?

Donna is so creative...She made garlands,

wreaths, and everything so beautiful

for the holidays...They're in her Etsy

store and on her blog.

I love all the creativity that so many people share in the blogging world. It is such an inspiration. And now, during the holidays, it has even more meaning when we contemplate the source of creativity.

When I am in the midst of my own creativity, I feel "at one" with Our Creator....I feel fully involved in "the dance" of life as colors and textures swirl in front of me.

It is a blessing to be able to express ourselves, whether it is through art, music, photography--whatever our outlet is.

I have been doubly blessed by so many of you who share your talents--and friendship--and prayers. You lift me up.

I hope that these pictures "lift you up" today as you enjoy the holidays

and all the preparations.

Love,

Cindy

Up-Coming Blog Event!

A little birdie told me that this Thursday will be “Christmas in Dreamland” on my Whimsical Musings blog...Be all set for a Southern Christmas with all kinds of crafting goodness, including tutorials to make a last-minute gift. You won’t want to miss it because it will be lots of fun--and invite your friends because I’m sure they’d love it too!

Hugs,

Cindy

Gifts Made from the Heart!

Hi Everyone--

I have created some pieces for the holiday season--

one is for a "Christmas Day" giveaway (garland

pictured above) and the others are in my Etsy shop.

Yesterday I received the biggest surprise in the mail.

It was an adorable wallet from my friend Donnie and

her husband. It was made by a woman named Teresa.

She sells all kinds of handmade goodness in her Etsy shop

and every piece was created to help us organize

our purses! Thank you so much, Don and Donnie!

If you would like to visit Teresa's shop, it is here.

My friend Linda has simply gorgeous

items in her shop too! Here are 2 of her

handcrafted Christmas stockings. Not

only does she sew them, she is an expert

at calligraphy too. Her work is

spectacular and as you can see, her

stockings tell a story...Wouldn't

anyone just love these?

Her stockings are items that can be treasured for years to

come! To reach Linda's blog, click here. The link to

her Etsy store is on her right side bar. Once there,

you can read about these in detail.

And I just couldn't pass up the chance to show you this

amazing mantel transformation by Sharon. Isn't

it awesome?

(If you remember, Sharon is the artist who paints the

incredible portraits I shared a few days ago, but her talent

spreads throughout her entire house!) To reach Sharon's blog,

just go here. Sharon has an Etsy shop too and I

know you'd love browsing through it. It's called

"Sweetie Pies" and it's on her right side bar.

I think of what this season means and how Christmas holds

so many memories for all of us. What better way to say

"Merry Christmas" than with pieces that were made

by some very special women whose love goes into

each stitch or drop of glue?

Weekly Wisom--Enjoy Your Inner Child

Our New Orleans Home

Christmas is a special time of year in which our “inner child” is alive and well!

And part of that is our ability to “play,” whether it be by decorating or baking--

Isn’t it wonderful?

I have so many creative friends and I wanted to share some of their creativity

with you!

Vicki's ornaments

Isn't this precious?

http://rustyroostervintage.blogspot.com

Julie's Christmas Collage

http://avintagechic.blogspot.com

If you want to see an amazing

Christmas recipe, you can see

it on her blog in addition to

her art!

Donna's Christmas Wreath

Donna's French Christmas Garland--

ooo-la-la!

http://myshabbychateau.blogspot.com

Linda's Decorating With Vintage Ornaments

Linda's Table Ornaments

http://itsybitsandpieces.blogspot.com

These are only a "glimpse" of their beautiful

decorations and creations...If you'd like to see

more, just visit their blogs! (It will be worth it,

I promise!)

New Guest Artist and Christmas Day Giveaway!

"Walking down the "hall of splendor"

Hi Everyone--

I hope that you are having a wonderful

holiday season!

I would like to introduce you to an

amazing artist named Sharon....

Just look at her paintings...Aren't

they spectacular?

They made me realize that as we go

through life, we are often observers...

And if we can touch the lives of others

in a positive way, what a blessing that

is!

Thank you all for being a special blessing to

me...and thank you, Sharon, for being

such an inspiration!

I hope you'll visit Sharon and say "hi."

Her blog is here. I know that she'd

be happy to hear from you!

Also, if you are interested in having

her paint a portrait for you, you

might want to ask her about it.

Her work is gorgeous as you

can see...

And now, without further ado, I would like to

announce my Christmas Day Giveaway for this

Shabby Cottage-style garland....

If you would like to enter to win it, just go to my

other blog to read about it...easy!

It's here.

I am linking this up to Fearless Fridays

and Spiritual Sundays!!!

Hugs to all of you,

Cindy

Weekly Wisdom--Enjoy the Season!

Hi Everyone,

I just completed making this tag for

Tag Tuesday and we were asked to

create something in turquoise,

red, and navy blue.

This is my creation and I made

it to honor this holiday season.

So, what is my "Weekly

Wisdom" for this week? It is

to enjoy the season--the little

things and big things...the

lights, the joy, family--all

that it means to each one

of you.

Sending love to all of you

at this holiday time!!!

XO

Cindy

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Hi Everyone--

I want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and hope

that you have a blessed holiday and weekend!

Thank you for being a blessing to me--sending

(((hugs))) your way!

I am linking this to Fearless Friday

and Spiritual Sundays.

XO

Cindy

Weekly Wisdom--Express Your Thankfulness

Hi Everyone--

For this week of Thanksgiving, I would like to say

how thankful I am for all of you--I wish you

a blessed week and hope that angels will watch

over you.

This week, our attention turns to God and to

express how grateful we are for our blessings,

but I would also remind you to thank those

in your life who bring so much to it--a kind

word, a smile, encouragement--those things

that they give to you on a daily or weekly

basis.

Have a wonderful holiday--and be blessed.

Hugs,

Cindy

Blessings to All of You

Hi Everyone--

As we approach Thanksgiving, I wanted to share

some of my latest creations with you....

And here are 2 journals that I just

completed...I have created these

to be "Gratitude" journals...a

wonderful way to count our blessings

daily. (These are available in my Etsy shop.)

"French-inspired Rosette journal"

As we come upon the weekend prior to Thanksgiving, I want to wish you a wonderful time of giving thanks with family and friends. And I want to tell you that as I count my blessings, I thank each one of you for being who you are and adding joy to my life.

I am linking this to Fearless Fridays and to Spiritual Sundays!

Hugs,

Cindy

Tag Tuesday--My Entry

Hi Everyone--

Louise’s Tag Tuesday is a fun weekly challenge. Louise has asked a guest artist, Pam, to help with the challenge. This week, we were asked to create a background for a tag.

So, I used a graphic from Shabby Cottage Studio (as some of you know, I am their Artist in Residence.) Then, I stamped it and inked the edges. So, this is not a completed tag--It is merely the background for one. (I don’t know about you, but it looks done to me!) It is pictured here resting in American moss.

But, this tag brought to mind that no matter what is going on in our lives, sometimes we are not quite aware that God is in the background helping us all along our way...What a comforting thought. So, as you look at this little creation, I hope that you will remember that you’re not alone and always have someone on your side....someone who's always in the background cheering you on through life.

Weekly Wisdom

Hi Everyone--

Here is a digital piece that I created

entitle "I Wish You Roses." (It

is watermarked.)

So, this week and I want to say that

I wish you roses, smiles, and

inner peace. May angels be

with you and greet you each

day.

Love,

Cindy

Bringing Out the Child Within

I am having a giveaway drawing for this pink

bracelet on my other blog at:

http://cindyadkinswhimsicalmusings.blogspot.com

Isn't this just too special for words?

And doesn't this just melt your heart?

When I saw these absolutely precious cards by Julie, I just knew I had to ask her to be a guest artist on this blog! Aren't they adorable? Julie is not only talented, she is so kind and her blog is an amazing place of heartfelt stories that accompany her art...so delightful! You can visit to see what I'm talking about at:

http://avintagechick.blogspot.com

And with these cards in mind, I would like to ask you the Question of the Week---What is one of your happiest memories from childhood? I can't wait to hear what they are...

I am linking this up to Fearless Fridays!

I am also linking this up to Spiritual Sundays so everyone can play along!

And thank you, Julie for reminding us of the whimsy of childhood and the special memories it holds...

Love,

Cindy

Believe it, Know it, Be it

Hi Everyone--
If you have ever had a dream and wondered if it could come true, I can tell you that you have THE biggest fan you could possibly imagine--and that is God.... He is there cheering you on even if you can't hear Him....He is there in your corner even if you feel alone...and He is there making all those dreams possible--Pray and see how He helps your dreams take shape. Keep doing what you're doing and you will be amazed at what doors open up...

Just remember that through prayer, your dreams are carried on the wings of angels directly to a Heavenly Father who loves you...In the past few months, I have seen His hand in everything from surgeries working out to packages getting delivered to their recipients when it appeared all hope was lost...

I have felt Him lift me up higher than my own vision could see--because through Him all things are possible. What began as a prayer blog seems to have become a testimony...how wondrous!

Oops! I think this pic is too dark to see that the metal piece on this mixed media piece I created says "Believe!"

XO
Cindy

The Lord Watches Over Us

Image credit: NASA

A long time ago, someone told me that if I look at a crescent moon, it looks like God's thumbnail....What a beautiful thought, don't you think?

I hope that you will see God's hand in everything you do today and know that He is with you. A simple prayer of "Lord, please watch over me and mine" could be powerful and make all the difference in your day.

XO
Cindy

Wishing You Miracles!

Today my prayer for all of you is to have a beautiful day filled
with miracles.

I put up this picture of the sky outside my house to remind you to
"look up" to where our answers come from...God sees us all and
hears our prayers...

It is as if the sky is one giant prayer shawl and He has
us wrapped in His care.

Wishing you all a very blessed day!

XO
Cindy

Weekly Wisdom--Turning to Friends

Hi Everyone,

After this week, I have come to the conclusion that some of the most precious friends are the ones who can help us in our time of need and pray for us...(I learned that a few weeks back too when all of you prayed for Ralph--and I'll never forget it.)

My two friends, Patti and Donna whom I met while blogging prayed for me all week--and it helped more than they ever knew...Let me explain what happened...I had sent my art to an art gallery--and it got lost! ($1,000 worth of art.) I was in a total state of panic and my 2 friends prayed for me and wrote every day asking what the latest news was...I just found today that it all finally arrived safe and sound--When I sent the boxes on Monday, I was 56....By Friday, I think I was 86! lol I'm sure I aged that much, for sure!

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that if you are ever in a bind, turn to friends who turn to God with you--it makes all the difference in the world...It can change your life and your future!!!

In fact, it was so awful that I was afraid to worry anyone else with it (I didn't even tell my mom.)

Well, that's my story and I wanted to share it with you...and one more thing--Patti said the most amazing thing in one of her letters. She said that the Lord always finishes what He starts...Wow, that was powerful--and something I'll never forget.

I am probably the most grateful person on the planet right now--grateful it got there safe, grateful that I didn't look like a flake, and grateful for 2 friends who got me through this "slippery slope."

Now, there may be those of you who are thinking, "Wow, why didn't Cindy tell me?" Honestly, because I was so nervous about it. It was beyond comprehension that such a thing could happen. It went clear to a different part of the state! Well, thankfully, it's in the right hands now...

As you go about your week, I hope that you will learn to turn to God for everything...I know in this circumstance I had no other choice...and it was a valuable life lesson...I wish you all peace, love, and packages that arrive at their destinations!

Doubly Blessed and "Weekend Question"

Hi Everyone--

I know it's been a long week, but I had no idea that when I went to post on this blog for my "Weekend Question," I did the whole post on my Whimsical Musings blog instead...lol So, I guess that maybe people there will answer my weekend question too! How funny is that? Well, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to not one, but 2 guest artists--Roselle and Nancy. (Read further and you'll understand why.)

My friend Roselle from Seaside Rose Creations is a wonderful artist and I wanted to share a picture of her precious, hand-painted Christmas bulbs--they’re available in her Etsy shop. Aren’t they just the sweetest treasures?

They got me to thinking about something...which brings me to my question for you for this week--What is one of the sweetest things that someone has ever done for you? (And I hope it will be something that caught you by surprise--something you weren’t expecting.)

Roselle actually surprised me with the sweetest package that arrived a few weeks ago...It was an envelope filled to the brim with “artist’s” treasures...vintage paper, book pages, ribbon, lace--you name it, it was in there! Sometimes, life has the nicest way of smiling at us through friends and family.

And right as I was in the midst of preparing this message, a gift arrived from my friend Nancy from The Trinket Collector--I was so surprised! She and her husband had been to Atlantic City to celebrate their wedding anniversary and she sent me Salt Water Taffy from there AND also, amazing vintage postcards--I couldn’t believe my eyes!

Every day is, indeed, a special package that we open--ours to do with what we choose...

Unwrapping gifts of caring from friends is such a delight and I can’t begin to express how

they warmed my heart.

I am linking this up to Spiritual Sundays!

I don't usually ask people to visit my Whimsical Musings blog, but I have an amazing story to tell you...I hope you'll go over and read it! It would mean a great deal to me to share my story with you!
Love,
Cindy

A Song-filled Day!

I wanted to wish all of you a song-filled day

and what better way than with a "nesting" box

that was created with a great deal of joy?

This is a piece that I just completed for the art

gallery and it is laden with music as I feel that

our homes are happier filled with music and

prayer. There is something so comforting

about a nest--I don't know why--I think

it always reminds me of the Bible verse

that tells us not to worry--that if the

Lord takes care of the birds, then surely

He will take care of us....And who could

have a lovelier song than birds?

I am linking up to Dezinaworld--

Wishing all of you a wonderful,

song-filled day!!!

Love,

Cindy

Weekly Wisdom--Try to do what you can for others

Hi Everyone:
A few weeks ago, I heard of an amazing project called The Butterfly Effect. People are being asked to make butterflies, 1.5 million in all to represent the children killed in The Holocaust. I made 3 butterflies that made their way safely to Trudi in Canada, a wonderful artist who has decided to encourage people to make the butterflies.


In this post are the 3 butterflies I sent.


If you would like to make one, just go to Trudi's blog and see how you can participate.


It's easy, actually. You make a butterfly and send it to her...Later, they will be on display at The Holocaust Museum in Houston.

And if this is not something you want to do, as part of my "Weekly Wisdom," I would say, "This week, try to remember someone who needs something, whether it's a prayer or a kind word and try to be of assistance." I think it's important to remember this every week, but I think it is a wonderful message to start out the month of November in which we celebrate Thanksgiving.
Have a wonderful week!!
Love,
Cindy