This is my mother back in 1985.

She looks so happy and full of sparkle.

She died 25 years ago today.

This photograph makes me smile.

We were fooling around in my Aunt Brenda's pool.

I was taking loads of photos because I wanted to create

a photocollage in the style of

David Hockney.

Look carefully at this photocollage and you will see how Hockney

created this one picture with dozens of photos.

He experimented with these designs between 1982-1987

and he called them joiners.

I was fresh off an art history program in London

1985-1986

where I learned all about David Hockney

and was excited to create my own joiner.

I never made the montage

but I came across these photos when my sister asked me to dig

for old photographs so she could create a

computer photo frame for our father.

Dad loved seeing all the old pics.

Last year I did a wonderful post on my mother

and how she inspired me

and still inspires me - click here.

I think about her often

and

wonder how different life would be if she had lived a long full life.

I am almost the same age as she was when she died.

Hard to believe.

I miss you.

I saw these posters from lesley and pea of the keep calm gallery

on swissmiss a while back

and

the sentiment is just perfect for today

it's a new year.

Veni, Vidi, Vici

I came, I saw, I conquered?

2010 was a hard year.

But I pushed hard and kept talking to myself in the mirror.

I can do it. I conquer each day as it comes, task by task, issue by issue.

I am supremely grateful for the good things in my life. I believe that we are all exactly where we are meant to be, but it takes superhuman strength to push through some of the difficulties. And to believe in yourself and to push on. "...accepting hardships as the pathway to peace..."

I will conquer.

Bust adorned by baubles - creation of Mary Tucciarone. Mary of this week's previous posts. Photo by Tim Geany.

There was no time before Christmas for much blogging

but I am ready to go now.

Take a look at my friend Mary's terrific Christmas decorations.

These photos were published

in two magazines:

Christmas Ideas and the Wilton Magazine

Mary has three boys

but they indulge her girly, glittery, decorated look.

Don't you just love the place setting

For all her little princes.

Hard to read but the crown has a banner with Thomas printed

Such fun a fun place card.

What a happy home this must be!

before and after we finished shoveling...

you can barely see my little white lights

it looks like we live in a swiss village - our stairway is carved out of the snow.

a lovely sight

the nor'easter blew in

weathervane is now almost covered by a snowbank

three times we shoveled the driveway

a tree came tumbling down

shed unscathed

I said a prayer of gratitude

winds still howling

that's it for the weather report.

Christmas Greetings again

I donned my Christmas hat for Midnight Mass

This is a Tracey Tooker original dating back to 1992.

I love this hat. A lady on Madison Avenue once told me it was a happy hat.

I agree; it makes me happy every time I wear it.

It has wonderful memories too;

I bought it with the profits of mrr design after my first year of business.

Giant poppies, a velvet ribbon, and navy,

just perfect for me.

While I receive compliments from outsiders,

not too many folks within the family fold are keen on the hat.

but that doesn't deter me.

Here, here for being me!

Christmas Day 2010 Greetings from my house to yours

I have taken this straight from the Writer's Almanac - because it is spot on:

Novelist Oren Arnold had the following Christmas gift suggestions: "To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example.

To yourself, respect."

With all my good wishes for a wonderful Christmas and if you do not celebrate this holiday, a peaceful day. Thank you for visiting the blog.

Peace and happiness to everyone who is reading.

xo Marnie

Christmas Eve 2010

Variations on the

CRÈCHE

Somewhere in Rhode Island. Photographed by Dominique Browning from Slow Love Life

I would have stopped in my tracks too if I drove by this creche.

Makes you think.

Traditional, I have forgotten where I found this image.

Sweet, as seen on Inchmark Journal

Whimsical, as seen on Chance

designed by comic strip artist Massimo Giacon for Italian design house Alessi.

Simple and beautiful from Switzerland.

A friend gave this creche in a log to me last year.

It is a 3-d puzzle piece - the pieces push out for a wonderful effect.

And finally, the creche from my youth.

I love this not only because it is beautiful but because of the family associations.

It fills me with joy when I set it up each year with Miss Is.

And for an extra treat, you can wind up the music box

and hear lovely Christmas music

Oh Come All Ye Faithful

&

Silent Night

I have been swamped this year with work,

both at the day job

and

with mrr design.

A good problem to have

but I am derilict in the Christmas decorating category.

This vase of flowers was all I had until today.

The arrangement is stunning in real life;

my camera doesn't do it justice.

This lovely arrangement was at a wine tasting

that my firm sponsored.

It was a lovely evening

and

I was happy to come home with these beautiful flowers.

Lucky for me because that's all I have had for Christmas decorations.

Today I caught the brief 24 hour mild weather window

and

was able to quickly fill my urns with evergreens.

The soil was frozen solid 48 hours ago

and

it is snowing now.

Just in time.

In a few more days time, I will get the wreaths up

and

the Christmas Card boards,

creche,

and finally the tree.

Before I know it - pouf - Christmas will have come and gone.

photo above from B Designs website

Here are my neighbors from the boutique last weekend.

Karen and James

of

B Designs Letterpress

A wonderful photo

with the design duo.

Husband and Wife team

so happy

and such

beautiful letterpress stationary.

Their products were a big hit at the show.

Karen is the artist and James is the letterpress guy.

I enjoyed getting to know them.

Here are a few more shots of their paper

The paper is in boutiques all across the country.

and you can order online

check out the full line of stationary products here

Everyone needs some special paper on which to write their

thank you notes.

Christmas and presents and other holidays are right around the corner.

Everyone loves to receive a hand written note.

A thank you via e-mail, no thanks!

Now is the beginning of the exciting daily mail ritual -

Christmas and holiday cards

and then notes from nieces and nephews...

Each day I scurry to the mailbox

to check out the new cards.

So much more fun than the standard bills and junk.

When you check out the B Designs Letterpress website

be sure to read about their dog, Lucky

Jardiniere Ltd

A few years back, at one of my many trunk shows, I was positioned next to a booth called Jardiniere; the owner of the shop was a charming and pretty lady about my age. She seemed familiar but I couldn't place her. As the day went on and we chatted, we discovered that we went to college together and dated roommates; my time with the roommate was short-lived - a disaster of a romance - better that it ended quickly, but I liked Kathy.

So almost 25 years later we find ourselves in another phase of life - with children in college and running our respective businesses. We both love the excitement of entrepreneurship. Kathy had a store back in 2007 when we first reconnected. These last two years we met up again at the Church of the Redeemer boutique in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts where Kathy sold her fabulous english toffee. Kathy has been making and selling this scrumptious toffee at Christmas boutiques for the last 10 years or so. When she has an idea, she runs with it; other businesses have been floral design, window box design, and her beautiful home goods store in East Greenwich, Rhode Island which was called Jardiniere. Kathy has a flair - just look at her table at the recent Church of the Redeemer boutique and the candy is delish! It is packaged in tins with giant red grosgrain bows or red toile bags and boxes topped with the same giant red grosgrain bow. And this pretty drawing for the label hidden in plain site on my messy desk below. If you like good toffee she might have some left. I will give you her contact info if you are interested.

We also discovered that we both loved Dominique Browning's book Slow Love: How I Lost My Job, Put on my Pajamas & Found Happiness. Someone you know might enjoy this book for

Christmas.

Last show of the season under my belt.

I will do a couple of profiles on my boutique neighbors later this week.

You can see the Letterpress folks next to me busy at work.

Right now, old man winter has blown in -

Oh the weather outside is frightful,

But the fire is so delightful,

And since we 've no place to go,

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! ...

I have lots of orders to finish

and the studio in the garage is just too cold and drafty

so I moved the studio inside the house

a crazy mess

but so cozy

Just back from a whirlwind trip to Boston. I pulled out of Wilton before the crack of dawn on Friday and returned late Sunday afternoon. My Boutiques are now finished for the season - phew - but I am still delivering product to retail stores. Just dropped another 2 dozen frames and a few memento boards at the Wellesley Boutique, 100 Central Street, Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Stop by if you are in the area. You will find a wonderful assortment of presents etc for the holidays.

A few weeks ago a commenter asked if the economy looked any better from my perspective as I sell at boutiques from Washington DC to Chestnut Hill MA; it is tough going. People are being very careful with their spending this year. So while the economists report that we are technically out of the recession, the buying public is still in the trenches. But today I heard a good piece of news; Pam Lofblad, owner of the Wellesley Boutique, told me that business was very good at her shop. She has a "pop-up shop" in Wellesley, MA. The shop opens seasonally for a couple of months at a time. Pam is a savvy entrepreneur - she has terrific inventory and vendors that change weekly so there is always new merchandise. People keep coming back to see what is new. She only pays rent for two months and works non-stop. But it is worth it. The place was buzzing with people and excitement today. Fifteen people were waiting to get in when the shop opened today at noon. I was thrilled to hear that because I just dropped off more frames. One final push for the season and a few more orders to complete.

I plan to the visit some other stores this week to see if they might want a few more frames for the season. At the other end of the spectrum, two stores that I have sold to for the last few seasons have decided to close. I think it is going to be a long, slow climb out of the deep financial hole in this country and abroad. There are bright spots here and there, but mostly it is hard work. There is not much a robust recovery in sight.

So try and make the best of it... find something good about each day and be grateful for that.

Make each day matter. You never know what tomorrow will bring.

Get ready for the holidays

Frames

just calling out for your Christmas photo.

Why send all the cards to your family and friends?

Keep a photo on entry hall table

in one of these

festive frames.

or that magical picture of your little one with Santa

You can find the monogrammed frames at

The Christmas Market

Church of the Redeemer

Chestnut Hill, MA

Dec 3rd and 4th

(you can meet me too)

Pam Scott of Catch All

based in Westport, Connecticut

Sea Beans Studio

Wilton, Connecticut

Preppy Pink Pony

McLean, Virginia

The Wellesley Boutique

Central Street

Wellesley, Massachusetts

or contact me directly

I can do any monogram or embroidery

see contact info on blog.