Naughty Doggy Christmas Card

Good day, everyone. Thank you for strolling by today. I hope you enjoyed your weekend.

I have something to share, which is a bit out of the ordinary for me to do. After seeing the cat sketch I added to the manila envelope I sent to my El Paso friend, another friend asked if I would do a sketch of her “precious” doing naughty on a Christmas present. As I’m not a fan of most animal card humor, I told her I’d give it the old college try. So, though the topic may be a bit off color, no pun intended ;), I think the card came out pretty good. Though the lighting the day of the photo was not so good – very cloudy, once again – so the white card looks terribly gray.

Naughty doggy!!

I began with a light pencil sketch, then an outline of black waterproof pen (I like the Micron brand. Lastly, I lightly colored in with watercolor, Much like how my Knittington Fairies were done.

Well, that’s all for now. Enjoy your day, keep your thoughts positive, and…

Until next time, may happy days abound!

Marianne

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Christmas Wreath Card

Welcome to Leisure Lane today. I hope you’re all enjoying the day. It’s full of promise – I promise!

Today, I’d like to share another Christmas card. I painted the wreath and decorated it with some craft stick-on “pearls” and some cute gold flecks. The flecks were from a package I bought at the dollar store in the cosmetics department. They’re for finger nail decor and the package came with different colors and shapes, like iridescent and silver stars, green circles, etc. So, next time you’re in the cosmetic section, look around – you may be surprised to find things you can use for craft projects.

Finished off the wreath with a raffia red bow and added one of those silver star flecks to its center. I used the corrugated cardboard as is; I think it adds something nice in its raw state.

Thank you for strolling by today. I hope you’re inspired to do something fun to decorate your home or give as a gift.

Until next time, may happy days abound!

Marianne

 

Christmas Card Bonanza

Good day to all and welcome to Leisure Lane. I hope you are enjoying the day.

I’ve been making some Christmas cards and thought I’d share some with you today. I did the above card for my son. I like the way it came out, but my writing leaves much to be desired. I practiced and practiced on scrap paper, but when it came time to write in on the actual card, my flow choked, and well…but, I think he’ll like it anyway. I painted the tree separately, then added it to another piece with a splattered paint border. I was looking to create something I could use with this pretty plaid scrapbook paper. Overall, I really like the way it turned out. Made one for his dad with a different painting, and I’ll share that one soon.

In a recent post I mentioned I got started with making the cards because of a friend in El Paso. I decided to send him the Snowy Christmas Card. If you didn’t see that post you can view it here. It’s already to mail off, and on the envelope I added a little extra something – he has a cat, so I think he’ll appreciate this sketch. I’m hoping it will bring some cheer the mailman, as well. Hmm…maybe another Christmas card there, too.

Giving this card to a friend – it’s sort of her Christmas present. I first painted the watercolor and tore the edges. Then mounted it on painted corrugated cardboard using those 3M mounting sponge stickers – they are perfect for giving that raised effect. I mounted a “merry Christmas” tag with the same 3M stickers and added a raffia half-bow on top. Simple, but sweet. We rarely get snow here, so this will give her the desired Christmasy effect without the slipping and sliding ;). But Oh, to be sledding down that hill!

That’s all for now, friends. Have a sweet day, and…

Until next time, may happy days abound!

Marianne

 

St. Nicholas – a.k.a. Santa Claus

Greetings everyone! It’s almost Christmas, and I’d like to share a wonderful article from Kenneth Copeland’s site about St. Nicolas, a.k.a.Santa Claus. I hope it inspires you for this most wonderful time of the year.

Each December, images of Santa Claus are everywhere. We see visions of a large man in a red suit with a long white beard and rosy cheeks. But the real Santa Claus, or St. Nicholas as he is known, was not some marketing invention. He was a godly man whose giving spirit became an example of Christ’s love.

From what is known about St. Nicholas, he lived during the third century in Turkey. He was from a loving Christian family who taught him the importance of loving God and honoring the Lord with his giving spirit. At 19, he joined the priesthood. His uncle, a bishop, prophesied that Nicholas would lead and encourage people. He also prophesied that Nicholas would become a bishop and lead a spiritually fulfilling and devout life. In fact, Nicholas did help the poor, became a bishop and lived with a desire to honor God in everything he did.

He was known to spend entire nights tirelessly studying God’s Word just so he could bring fresh insight and revelation to the people in his congregation. He was known for reaching out to those in need, praying, fasting and relying on God’s Word completely.

The true story of St. Nicholas is a beautiful picture of the giving that Christmas is all about. The greatest gift that anyone can ever receive is the gift of Jesus Christ. He was given 2,000 years ago to all mankind by our Heavenly Father so that we could have a relationship with God. Jesus is our hope, redemption and victory. He’s the reason we can experience the Blessing in our lives. He is our advocate with the Father, our blood-covenant friend who will never leave us nor forsake us and continually works to bring to pass the New Covenant. In Him we have the joy of living a heavenly life on earth.

St. Nicholas, the real Santa Claus, exemplified the real meaning of Christmas. Christ mass means “anointing celebration.” It’s the celebration of “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power.” It’s the celebration of how the anointed Jesus “went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil” (Acts 10:38). It’s the story of our triumphant Savior, Jesus the Christ, the Lord of lords and King of kings! Merry Christmas!

Thank you for visiting today. See you soon, and…

Until next time, may happy days abound!

Marianne

Note: The above article is from The Real Santa Claus/Kenneth Copeland Ministries

 

Snowy Christmas Card

Good day everyone! I hope you are well and enjoying this happy Friday.

Back in the day, I sent out handmade Christmas cards – that was about thirty years ago. I haven’t done it since and last year a friend who lives in El Paso told me in an email he always looked forward to my homemade Christmas cards. So, this year I decided to do one – and who knows, maybe two or three. But one will definitely go to him.

My apologies for the dark photos – we’ve had dreary weather most recently.

I finished a card last night (shown at top of post), though I’m still working on little paintings. It’s a snowy watercolor, with a background of odds and ends I had on hand which are glued to a piece of card stock tied with a raffia bow. I should paint more corrugated cardboard, as I’m running out of what’s in my stash. They’re always a nice touch to anything.

Thank you for stopping by Leisure Lane today and letting me share with you. Enjoy your visit, and feel free to stroll around the Lane.

Until next time, may happy days abound.

Marianne

Snowy Christmas Jar

Good day to all, and thank you for stopping by Leisure Lane for a visit. I am always happy to see and hear from you.

A friend requested a Christmas themed mason jar, as she liked her autumn jar so much. I thought this was a perfect day to do it – the sun was shining (we haven’t had too much of that lately), and the air is was cool and crisp. It felt more like early autumn in “normal” places, and the scene gave me hope for a white Christmas 😉 – one lives on hope in southeast Texas.

I had two crackled prepped jars left over from May, so I used one for this project. I used craft paint for the the snowy scene – a simple snow covered fir with a cardinal adding star to its top. It has a quiet and calm effect, I think. She asked that I add some wintery filler, so I chose berries and pine cones. I think I’d like one, myself, so I guess I know what I’ll be doing with the last prepped jar ;).

I hope this inspired you to craft some Christmas magic. I’d love to hear what you’re doing. Just leave a comment telling me all about any projects you’re working on, and…

Until next time, may happy days abound!

Marianne

French Apple Cake from Pinterest

French Apple Cake (with Rum)! Was it me, or did I hear someone say “Yum?” Hello everyone, and welcome to Leisure Lane. Just a quick note to share a fantastic, simple, and yummy-licious cake recipe I found on Pinterest. It was my son’s birthday recently and after finding this recipe I decided this would be the perfect birthday cake for a young man. It’s so easy to make and comes out beautifully! I added a third teaspoon of rum and when the cake cooled a bit, I poked holes all around close to the edge and poured in a rum syrup – just a bit, mind you. But even if you don’t go that extra step, this cake stands wonderfully just as written. Light, moist and full of delicious apples. Perfect for Christmas, birthdays, or any occasion.

If you try out this recipe, let me know how it turns out. Also, you can see other yummy recipes from my Goodies and Desserts board. Thank you for visiting today, and…

Until next time, may happy days abound!

Marianne

Note: Recipe from https://www.yummytummyaarthi.com/2015/07/french-apple-cake-recipe.html

It’s Almost Christmas Pin Time!

Reminds me of Emma’s first Christmas pin in The Christmas Pin Society novella.

Good day everyone and welcome to Leisure Lane! I’m excited because it’s almost Christmas pin time and you know how much I love Christmas Pins. I have a modest board on PInterest where I’ve been collecting some. So, if you’re also a Christmas Pin enthusiast, or you’re just curious, you can click here and take a look. You may see some that inspire you.

The candy cane pin above reminds me of The Christmas Pin Society novella and Emma’s first pin. For those of you who are new to Leisure Lane, The Christmas Pin Society is the perfect Christmas story with which to start off the season – full of traditions, family, friends, love, and miracles – everything Christmas.

Hear them ring!

There’s just something about Christmas pins. I remember them on my grandmother’s coat lapel. My mother and aunts wore theirs, as well, which always gave me a happy feeling inside. As a child, seeing them added to the warmth, excitement, and colors of the season. And to this day, whenever I see one, I envision a blanket of snow and a warm hug or two. Do you have any fond memories of Christmas pins? I’d love to hear.

The First Noel

This NOEL pin is such a beauty! An interesting tidbit – the word noel has its origin in the Latin natalis, meaning birth. It’s where we get the word natal. Oh, how fitting is the song, The First Noel – “the first birth, the angels did say…” – beautiful, indeed.

This coming season, get out your festive ornament. If you don’t have one then start your own tradition and get one for yourself and a friend. Pin it happily to your garment, and see if it doesn’t put a smile on your face. Let it remind you of the time of year when a “Merry Christmas” and a warm smile just might be the thing that helps renew someone’s soul and give it the wings that will help carry them into the next year with joyful expectations of good things from above.

Thank you for strolling by the lane today. I always look forward to our visits, and…

Until next time, may happy days abound!

Marianne

Note: the above Pinterest images were from the following sites:
Candy Canes
Red Bells
Noel

A Little Faith

“It takes a whole lot of hope to wish that mountain would move…but only a little faith to move it.” [Marianne Coyne]

Hello everyone, and welcome to Leisure Lane blog today. I hope you are all well.

I chose to share one of my pins from my Pinterest Heart and Soul board. Come by and visit a bit on Pinterest – you might find something there that you may be looking for – soul inspirations, fabrics and lace, goodies and desserts, tea party inspirations, romantic chic, vintage Christmas, craft ideas, and much more.

Until next time, may happy days abound!

Note: above photo from picturesoftheyearr.blogspot

Leisure Lane: a Thanksgiving Song

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends…

Here on Leisure Lane we are celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow. But truthfully, every day is an opportunity to be thankful for something, and I pray that there is something in your life that you can be thankful for and which can be a seed planted for many more good thankful things to come.

Among many things I am thankful for, one is this blog and the wonderful people who have visited here over its eight-year journey. So, thank you for making Leisure Lane a joy. I hope it has blessed you as much as you have blessed me. And in honor of all of this I would like to share this little song that popped into my head about 10 minutes ago. I hope it makes you smile…enjoy! (If I could sing, I’d make a video and sing it to you – but, yeah…that’s not going to happen 😉  )

L e i s u r e   L a n e

I’m skipping over to Leisure Lane,
Where happy thoughts are never in vain,
And the sun mostly shines without much rain…
I’m going to Leisure Lane.

My friends are coming to join me there,
We’ll breathe the cool, refreshing air,
And stroll the Lane without a care…
I’m going to Leisure Lane.

There are so many things to visit and see,
I wish you all could come with me
To share the sights and stop for tea…
I’m going to Leisure Lane.

I’m skipping over to Leisure Lane,
Where happy thoughts are never in vain,
I love to visit again and again…
I’m going to Leisure Lane….

Marianne Coyne
copyright 11/21/2018

Thank you for skipping over to Leisure Lane today. Have a joy in giving thanks where ever you are, and…

Until next time, may happy days abound!

Marianne

Note: the above song is by Marianne Coyne. All rights reserved.