REFLECTING BACK ON 2011

It is amazing how time flys by. The older I get the faster it goes.
Looking back on 2011 I am amazed at all that can happen in one year!

Since retiring to Coos Bay Oregon from Corona California in 2006 I have missed my family so much, especially through the holidays. This year we did not put up a tree or decorate. I was just not in the mood and my thoughts were "why bother?". My middle Son said to me "because it is Christmas!" He is right. Next year I will put up a tree and decorate for Christmas. Even though I have no family here I should do it for me and to celebrate the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. That is what Christmas is supposed to be all about.

I paid close attention to all the Christmas cards I received this year and I only received two that said Merry Christmas or even mentioned Christ at all. I hate what this country is becoming. How can you take Christ out of Christmas? It is is his birthday weather you believe or not. The man was born and he was real and he does have a birthday. Well that is a sore subject with me so I will leave that for another time.

This past year I have felt heartache and despair with a divorce in my family. I have lost my favorite Aunt but was blessed with a beautiful Great Granddaughter. I saw my first born Granddaughter get married. My youngest Son is in his last year at the seminary where he will graduate with a degree in theology. My oldest Grandson started college this year. My youngest Granddaughter is becoming a young women .

I was fortunate to have my oldest Son and his wife visit me. An old friend also surprised me with a visit. I had not seen her in 16 years. I think my husband was ready to run away by the time she went home. We talked so much our throats were sore and so were his ears! Can you imagine trying to catch up for 16 years? It was funny trying to fit it all in.

My husband has leukemia/lymphoma and this past year his days were full of tests. Blood tests, MRI's, biopsy's, doctor visits and many trips to the pharmacy. He is at a stage that is "watch and wait, no treatment necessary". He recently had three swollen lymph nodes under his arm which one was removed for biopsy and showed nothing new. This is in addition to his chronic renal failure, enlarged prostate, chronic sinus infection, high blood pressure and two cataract surgeries. He has glaucoma in both eyes and has lost 90% of his vision in one eye. The cataract surgery has improved his vision so this is a good thing. Hopefully this next year will be a better one for him.

I have achieved some goals this past year. I finally reached my weight loss goal with the help of Zumba exercise and walking . I opened a new Etsy Shop Dec 2011 to sell my altered tin boxes, cigar boxes and altered jars. Most of my boxes are covered with my art work. The shop has done pretty good for the first year.

I was ask to design a month for a calendar book put together by Digital Whisper, a network I am a member of. I picked the month of June and that artwork and design was published in a desk calendar book for 2012.

I was honored when Digital Whisper ask me to be one of the administrators of their network. My job is to interview individual artists each month and post the interviews on the front page each month.This has been a challenge and a lot of fun.

This next year I plan to change some things on my blog. I want it to be interesting and more personal. My moto is "A place to meet wonderful people and share thoughts, ideas and life". I look forward to this new year and what it will bring.

Happy New Year to all of you! Be safe and God Bless you.

Remember this Lady?

Irena Sendler

Died: May 12, 2008 (aged 98)

Warsaw, Poland

During WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw ghetto, as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist. She had an ulterior motive.

Irena smuggled Jewish infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried. She also carried a burlap sack in the back of her truck, for larger kids.

Irena kept a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The soldiers, of course, wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking covered the kids/infants noises.

During her time of doing this, she managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants.

Ultimately, she was caught, however, and the Nazi's broke both of her legs and arms and beat her severely.

Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she had smuggled out, in a glass jar that she buried under a tree in her back yard. After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived and tried to reunite the family. Most had been gassed. Those kids she helped got placed into foster family homes or adopted.

In 2007 Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was not selected. Al Gore won, for a slide show on Global Warming.

Later another politician, Barack Hussein Obama, won for his work as a community organizer for ACORN.

In MEMORIAM - 65 YEARS LATER

I'm doing my small part by forwarding this message.

It is now more than 65 years since the Second World War in Europe ended.

This is a memorial chain, in memory of the six million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests who were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and humiliated!

Now, more than ever, with Iran and others, claiming the HOLOCAUST to be 'a myth'. It's imperative to make sure the world never forgets, because there are others who would like to do it again.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas to you all.

A couple of weeks ago our Etsy Team had its annual Christmas Gift Exchange.

Linda, Carla and Eve

Nadine and Susan

We met for lunch and a had good conversation about our plans for the New Year.

Sue and Pamela


Sue brought this bust she is working on with her mosaic talents. Isn't he funny?

This has been a hard year for many with the economy the way it is. Lets pray that the New Year will bring good happy things to all of us.

Thank God many of our troops are coming home to their families for Christmas. I am sure there will be lots of happiness.

(The view from my kitchen window this morning)

Have a safe and Merry Christmas while you celebrate the birth of our savior.
God Bless You all

WINNER OF MY GIVE AWAY

Mirror Mirror on the wall, who's the luckiest of you all ?


Today is the drawing for the winner of my Give Away.

I wrote the names on a piece of paper and cut them into individual pieces

Folded each name in half and put them in a bowl

Reached in and drew this name.... GEORGIE OF PUDDIN PIE!
Congratulations Georgie !

Thanks to all of you for participating and for following my blog and looking at my Etsy shop and adding my links to your blogs. You all mean so much to me for without you I would not be blogging :)
I am looking forward to another year of blogging with all of you and making new friends.
Love you all

MY LATEST CREATION

Digital Whisper challenge this week was "Stairs". This is what I did for that challenge.
3 layers, 4 brushes. I call it Paradise.

Don't forget Friday is the deadline to sign up for my giveaway.
Have a blessed day !

MY LATEST CREATION

Steam Punk Dancer

This will be going on one of my tins.

70 Years !

Today marks the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Let us not forget those who served, my Father included.

A Beautiful Surprise

I received this lovely Thanksgiving ATC from my oldest blogging buddy today.

Vickie has been a big inspiration to my blogging and my art. She is on of my biggest supporters and I love her. Visit her blog at Whispers of Inspiration .
Thanks Vickie, I love this.

A GIVE AWAY !

I have decided to have a give away here at Treasure Barn.

Why? No special reason. I entered my first post back in Jan of 2007 thanks to my dear daughter in law Mica, and since then have posted 925 posts and I have 114 followers and numerous followers on my Patricia Creations Blog which is my gallery of art.

I look back on the art I did when I first started and I am amazed at what I have learned. Mixed media was what I started with and then became interested in digital art. I still do both. I love both but digital is my favorite now.

I started with ATC's and then created bigger pieces and then turned some of them into note cards. I have created on Masonite and moved to canvas. Last year in December I decided to altered altoid tins and cigar boxes by adding my art to them. I opened a shop on Etsy and since then have been doing pretty good.

So I guess in celebration of all I have learned since Jan of 2007, I am giving away one of my first mixed media collages (A Victorian Bride) done on Masonite and a matching set of 4 note cards and envelopes.

A hard back "Altered Art for the first time" book .
I got lots of ideas from this book.

A digital collage I created in 2010, mounted on canvas and 4 matching 2 x 3 stickers.


Bits and pieces of trim that I use for ATC's and 3/4 sheet of handmade paper.

Four of my first altered tins which includes a Siamese Cat, a Giraffe, Bumble Bee and my very first Steam Punk tin.

Here are the rules for those who want to participate in this give away.

• Follow my blog if you aren't already
• Leave me a comment that you want to enter the drawing
  
• Post on your blog, announcing my Give Away with a link to Treasure Barn
  
  www.treasurebarnblog.blogspot.com and to my Etsy Shop Altered State of Tin
• Visit my Etsy Shop and "Favor" one of my items there.

The winner will also receive a 25% discount on any item in my shop if you see something you would like . Just email me BEFORE YOUR FINAL PURCHASE and let me know which item you would like and I will adjust the invoice for that item .

• Deadline to enter in the drawing is Midnight December 16th
• Drawing will be Sunday, December 18th
  

I will get all of these items in the mail to the winner on Monday December 19th so they can reach you before Christmas.

Thanks for being my blogging buddies. Without you I wouldn't be here!

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE !