Count Your Blessings

Happy Thanksgiving!

Do you ever find it hard to be thankful?  I mean between watching the news about the economy, what the job rate is and home prices, it's enough to bring anyone down.  (On the radio the other night I heard about a study conducted that said money or even the mention of money makes a person meaner!)  And an ungrateful attitude causes a person to dwell on what they don't have instead of what they do have, and places fear inside the soul.  Some of the most miserable people I know happen to be the most ungrateful and fearful.  Instead of cultivating this spirit of ungratefulness and fear, I want to start something new this Thanksgiving season.  What about counting your blessings, and naming them one by one?

This year around the Thanksgiving table have each person name 3 things they are thankful for.  And you can do this yourself before you go to bed at night too.  You'd be amazed how this simple act can help you develop a grateful spirit.  And no matter what your circumstances may be this Holiday Season, being grateful can make you a happier person.  :)

Gratefulness is a state of mind that should be practiced daily instead of yearly.  Make everyday Thanksgiving.

3 things I'm thankful for are- my family, my eyesight, the use of my hands.
What are 3 things you're thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving,

Martha

Yes Virginia There is a Santa Claus

Hi and thanks for stopping by.

Don't you love the story of eight year old Virginia O'Hanlon?  She's the little girl who wrote the famous letter to the Sun Times newspaper asking "Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?"  The response was "Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.  He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.  Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus.  It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias.  There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence."  

Amen to that!  If you'd like to read this delightful article go here.  This story always fills me with such hope and inspiration especially this time of year.  I for one believe in Santa Claus and always will.  :)   Above is a new charm I made with this in mind.

Take care and have a wonderful weekend.

Martha

XOXO

Welcome my Sweet Sis!

Hi there!  Here is my dear sweet sister Jennifer, and she has just started a new blog.  Please pop on over and check it out.  She is an amazing performer, and works for a children's theatre in Minneapolis. She is also a playwright and just wrote a funny post about Facebook.  

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and take care,

Martha  

A Little Peek

Welcome and come on in. I thought I'd give you a little peek at what I do to create a soldered charm. Above I'm cutting the tiny pieces of glass for the charm. 2 pieces are sandwiched between very thin glass. I have to be careful not to push too hard or the glass will crack, (and I might say naughty words.) I found a great cutting tool online that's like a straight edge which provides perfectly straight cuts. I tried doing this on my own, but was horrible with a hand held cutting tool. I could never get it straight.
Here's one of my most used tools above. It's called a second hand and it holds the pieces so I can solder, and place the jump rings on the top of the charm.
Here I am again soldering a charm. I use lead free solder, and it's taken me years to get used to it. This solder doesn't flow like normal lead solder making it harder to work with. But practice makes perfect right?
Oh joy a completed piece! I look forward to the joy of the holiday season ahead. I hope you are doing well, and have fun creating!

Take care,

Martha