Thanks Misses Hotesses with the Mostesses Shirley for the cute card envelope with zinnia seeds. Merry Early Five Day Christmas 2 U Friend!!

Good Morning FOTESSERS,

Opening my mail from yesterday!!

Thanks so much Shirley (sjc48).....Love your SOLSTICE GREETINGS card. The Hyssop seeds are very much appreciated......those little seed packages are to darn cute!!!!

Shirley, wishing you and your family a beautiful Christmas. BE WELL....be HAPPY....be SAFE and have lots of FUN!!! WE can never stop having FUN!!

My shopping is done....my wrapping is done.....now I just have a good time!!

Enjoy your Wednesday!!

Annie

Shirley - thank you for the beautiful handmade Solstice card! It arrived just in time :-) Those little circle envelopes must take some doing!

Happy Solstice Everyone (it's today, some years it's the 20th). Did you know that the Celtic books I have say folks used to decorate their homes with greenery so that any nature spirits needing shelter in the winter would feel at home? (of course, they didn't consider the fay those to invite in - so yes, there is a dichotomy there ;-) ). Evergreens were considered symbols of immortality as they don't die back like other plants.

And, Brighid (later known as Saint Brigid of Kildare) - patroness of crafts people and artists (among other things) is the goddess honored at this time as her "light of inspiration pierces the the darkness of the mind and spirit at Yuletide". This is the shortest day of the year and from here forward in the season each day has more light :-) . https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/climate-weather/stories/8-things-know-about-winter-solstice

Shirley!, thank you for the beautiful Solstice card, and the rose colored sage seeds. Your talents are beyond my ken.

I'm a little slow, but I'm about ready to mail. :)

Thank you Shirley for the beautiful handmade card! I'm having such fun opening your card and seeing the Salvia seed. I like your paper folded flower-like seed holder envelopes. I like finding surprises! Heidi

Okay, I spent the afternoon grocery shopping - not my favorite thing, you may remember! My mood is not the best, but I'm glad the cards are arriving, some even on the Solstice!

And speaking of which.....

May the Solstice and its season be blessed with love, peace and everything good, for all my FOTESS friends and their families!

Off to collapse somewhere - that store was horrendous!

Shirley!

PS - Maggie, thanks for all the info!

PPSS - Another good one, Heidi!

PSPS - Alana, we have until the end of the year to mail out, please don't stress out!

Thank you Shirley for the card and the rose colored sage, was going to buy some but now I won't have to. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Thank you, Shirley for the lovely handmade Solstice card with Blue Salvia inside the handmade seed envelope.

Merry Christmas and have a joyous New Year.

Faye!

Just in case I don't make it back online here before Christmas, Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to everyone in FOTESS! When I get a chance, I'll check to see who sent holiday cards to me and send a thank you. I hope all of you have special days with family and friends.

I'm hostess for the FOTESS January Swap and am trying to narrow down my ideas. A new year and hopefully a bright beginning for all of us.

Things have been kind of crazy here. We went up to NC for an early Christmas with my younger daughter and her family and also had an early first birthday party for my granddaughter who was born last year. It was a wonderful time with all of them. After we got back home I came down with a bad stomach-intestinal bug and was so sick. It's still lingering, but the first 24 hours was really, really bad. So thankful for my husband who took care of me. Is this bug throughout the US or are we just the unlucky ones? My husband caught it a day after I did, but wasn't nearly as sick. I can only eat and drink a tiny bit even now. Most foods have no appeal to me at all and it's a good thing.

Yes, this has slowed me down on getting ready for Christmas at our house! It's a good thing we have no one coming for Christmas and we can keep the germs to ourselves.

Happy Solstice ... and Shirley, thanks for continuing this great FOTESS December Swap. I always enjoy it.

Jeanne

Jeanne, many wishes and prayers for you to feel better soon! Not a good time of year to be sick. I'm glad you were able to spend time with your grandchildren.

I look forward to this swap every year!

I don't know how many of you remember Ellie Holm; she was a member of, I think, the Making New Friends group, a few years back. Well, I received a beautiful Christmas card from her today, she is doing well, running a nursery from her home. It was really nice to hear from her.

My shopping is done, and gifts are wrapped! Now to get some baking done tomorrow. I'll be glad to slow down!

Oh, did I tell you about my tree - you gotta hear this!

I bought a bigger TV this past spring, and the only place it would fit was where the tree usually goes. Well, what a quandary! I finally settled on a small, 18" table top tree to set on my coffee table. I really like it and so do Vinnie and Willie. To make a long story short, the tree spends most of its time in the closet, so the cats don't make off with all the ornaments. What a Schlemeil! I had to drag it out today to show some friends. And yes, the cats were circling the whole time!

Its always something!

Shirley!

There was a beautiful handmade card was from Shirley in my mailbox yesterday. I love the circle envelopes you made, nice touch! Thank you for the tithonia seeds. I saw these growing at the home of a woman that hosted a plant swap. They are beautiful.

Shirley, I sent you a message.

I sent my 3 cards out the same day, 2 have been received. I hope the other hasn't been lost.

Edited to add my Thank you to Emily for the pretty peace. love. joy card and the blue bread seed poppies and magenta celosia. I'll toss the poppies out in my garden today and hope for beautiful blooms this summer.

Morning!

Lisa, I haven't received an email or houzz message from you. Hopefully, whoever got your third card will post!

Oh DUH, did you mean the other Shirley?

Off to finish baking,

Shirley!

Shirley, it was you I sent the message to. I'll resend.

Shirley, Thank you for the beautiful Solstice card it is so pretty and I love the hyssop seeds and cute seed holder! Merry Christmas! Amy

Shirley - Thank you so much for the hand made Christmas Card (they always mean more) and seeds. Hope you have the Merriest Christmas ever.

Oh my, so much has been going on, I've been forgetful. I honestly thought I had thanked Shirley for the beautiful solstice card and joe pie seeds. My bad!!!

Just a little update. Hubby is walking with his boot now. No more scooter. Therapy is going well and he is back to work mid January.

Family was together two weekends ago for daughters baby shower. So nice to have them all together and everyone finally has seen the new house.

The gift shop I work at has been crazy busy. I worked 8 hours today and with exception to my break, I never left the register.

Hope everyone has a most wonderful Christmas. Margo

Amy thank you for the Christmas card and 4 o'clock broken colors seed that you sent. Merry Christmas to you and all of the FOTESS members!

Jeanne - We had that awful.flu about 6 weeks ago. It spread fast n nearly everyone got some form of it, nursed someone through it and lots of sick kids.
We got a whiff of snow. Parents flew back from AZ to experience ice storm, snow and single digits tonight.
Do your men complain when you cook or bake lots but they can't have any until the event? Dad n hubby want to raid the kitchen.
Gave away 2500 candy canes last week n all got free holiday dinner. Never a dull moment.
Random question. Would you buy a wedding ring for yourself or significant other from someone who got divorced and was selling it? Bad mojo or thrifty deal?

Not at home, so not on much! Just want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Hopefully I can remember to list the January FOTESS Swap later in the day tomorrow. You will see why when I disclose the theme. You may want to save some of your holiday glitz and glamour for the upcoming swap - recycle, upcycle or not. Please continue here to acknowledge cards or just chat about Christmas and the holidays in general.

(I feel well enough now to clean ... I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Definitely good to be feeling better. Spending my day cleaning - not so much!)

Jeanne

Jeanne.....feel good! Looking forward to what you have planned for we FOTESSERS in January, 2018!!

Heidi.....yes, my husband can be quite a pest about getting in to sweets/foods before their proper time of consumption. I just tell him NO, NO, NO....please remove yourself from my kitchen now! Go make yourself useful somewhere else!!

On the ring issue....I might consider buying a "divorced" ring if I really liked it and it was a good deal. I would not think it was Bad Mojo!!

Merry Christmas to all.....wishing you a beautiful day tomorrow. Please be safe! Enjoy your family!

Annie

Merry Christmas, Everyone, hope your day is Great! Santa was here, All is well!

Shirley!

Merry Christmas to All!!

My parents flew in from Arizona. We now have 4" of snow and last night coming home from Christmas Eve fun it was minus 2. I don't want to know just how cold it got. I keep telling them we wanted them to get the whole Christmas experience. They're not new to Nebraska winters...but this is a shock to their system.

December has been fun. Each day my husband gets the mail and brings it in. I get most of the mail and he gets what's left. Then I open them up and say, "oooohhhh, Comsos...ahhhhh tithonia....wow salvia..." He almost pouted! Poor guy--he only got the bills and the ads.

What a great Christmas! Heidi

I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays.

Today I received a Seasons Greeting card from Alana.

Alana also sent Cushaw Squash and

Long Handled Dipper Gourd seeds.

Thank you so much Alana. I can't wait to try the gourd seeds.

Happy New Year everyone.

Faye!

Hoping everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I certainly did! We gone about a week and came home. One of the cards I was to send came back! Maybe Shirley can contact me and I'll let her know which one and get correct address and resend! I feel terrible she didn't get her card!

I received a cute, cute, cute card from Breanne...How did you get that Llama on your card???? Maybe a stencil???

Breanne wished me a Merry Christmas and New Year blessings!! She did receive the Christmas card I sent....and can not wait to get back in to FOTESSING with all of us!

Thanks so much Breanne....I hope your Christmas was beautiful!! Cheers to a most wonderful 2018....be happy, be safe!!

Annie

I found the correct address for the person whose card got returned! I'm sorry it is going to be lste, but I resent it today! Hope you rnjoy!

Not a problem, Melinda, please don't worry about it, okay? I've often thought the Holidays were perfect for being late, overspending, sleep deprivation, and the old stand-by - if something can go wrong, it will!

I received a Llama card from Breanne, and I would love to know the story behind it, if there is a story. Let us know, Breanne!

Would you believe I'm working on Valentine Cards? Yeah, I'm not sending many, just to family, but thought I'd get started on them now. The big question is: Where in H--l did I put that flower/heart punch? Guess what I'm going to spend the afternoon doing?

Have a great day, All!

Shirley!

Morning! Just wanted to pop in and close this Swap!

If you received cards and haven't posted yet, please do so. I know several people are wondering if their cards arrived yet.

Jeanne has the January Swap up and running, and it looks like a lot of fun, so check it out!

Have a great day,

Shirley!

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year! I finally shuffled through my Christmas cards this morning so I could thank those who sent a card to me. Each was lovely and I really appreciated them and any enclosures you sent.

Special thank you to: Ellie (not a member, but family of a previous member), Shirley, Maggie, Breanne, Jayeanne, and Emily.

I hope your holidays were very special.

Jeanne

Happy New Year everyone. I have not been a very good member in the past couple of months. I will say that I hope the new year will bring me more time and energy since Adrian will be going back to work on the 8th of January after his 3 months off for the crushed ankle. Having him here 24/7 distracts me from the everyday things I like to do. LOL His injury also was so bad in the beginning, I was doing everything around the house and taking care of him. I do thank God it wasn't a worse situation then it was.

Anyway, I am sure I thanked members for my cards but I also know I inadvertently deleted one a few days after I posted it. So to recap, I received the following.

Thanks to Shirley for the beautiful Solstice Greetings and the Joe Pye seeds.

Thanks to Faye for her pretty Season's greeting card and to

Lisa for her Happy Holidays card containing her favorite Columbine seeds.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and good health and hardy gardens to everyone in the coming year. Margo

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year.

Thanks to everyone that sent me cards and seeds.

Hey Poisondartfrog - ALANA, Did you ever get your seeds and card from me? The other three I'd sent all arrived mid-December. I saw you popped in here just before Christmas, but you didn't mention if you received my big glittery card and seeds. Curious, thanks.

I did not receive anything from you, but thank you for the effort. :>)

Only one of four FOTESS cards I sent have been acknowledged, so I'm still hoping they find their way home. They were mailed on Dec. 22.

Gosh - I'll pm your address to you in case there's something off about it.

There seems to be a lot of "no one getting their cards" this year. I am sorry about that. It would seem that the cards are either lost in the mail, or the mail is slow because of the holidays or folks just haven't posted yet.

LADIES!! IF YOU HAVE RECIEVED CARDS FOR THIS SWAP, PLEASE POST THAT YOU HAVE RECIEVED.

Shirley!

OH Mercy! I can not really remember?!? The only one I'm sure was from here was from Ellie (Mrs Cryptid).

If they did not say for sure I posted thanks on Secret Santa. Sorry ladies neither my memory or my record keeping is up to the challenge of two card swaps at the same time. Time to quit kidding myself and cut back. I'm feeling pretty OLD today

Ladies... if you had mailed to me, I did not post receiving any because I did not receive any from FOTESS. If I do receive any I will be sure to post that and when they arrive. I surely cant believe so many cards are not arriving to their destinations. I mailed (3) and all (3) arrived.

Mine were all mailed the same day and time, and at the same place. Faye had hers in 4 days, which is a long time considering that she is not that far away. I'm hopeful.

I mailed 3 cards and 3 cards were received. I received 2 cards, 1 each from Maggie and Emily and also 1 from our hostess Shirley.

There does seem to be an awful lot of cards not arriving to their intended destinations.

I'll have to go back and see if all mine were received. I have never known there to be an issue with no cards arriving. I didn't keep track. Margo

Interesting....three cards that I sent were received (Shirleysjc, Breanne and Ellie, Darrins wife) and another three cards that I sent are somewhere, wherever somewhere is.....RE: the three cards that are "somewhere", those persons have not been on here to post that they received from anyone. So either they have been out of town or they have not received or they have received and have not gotten on here to post.

Off memory, I have received FOTESS cards from Shirley (sjc), Shirley (brittneysgran), Maggie and Breanne. I did post for each one but am not sure if they are still visible....posts do have a way of disappearing....kind of like Samantha on "Bewitched" LOL!

Shirley, I do enjoy your December FOTESS swap. Thanks so much!

Happy Thursday!!

Annie

Jayeanne, I mailed a card to you with some stickers inside. I mailed them the same time I mailed to Nicole and Erica and they both received theirs. I am sorry it was not received. I have never known this to be a problem. Margo

Margo thanks for letting me know, but no nothing arrived. No need to apologize, If it happens to show up Ill let you know, Happy New Year.

Alana - my bad!! You thanked me for your card (plus blue fescue seeds) over in the SS Swap. I thanked Beth and Heidi over there (both sent gorgeous cards) and they may have been for this swap as well. phew, good to know the PO came through.

Melinda ... thank you very much for the beautiful Christmas card.

glad you are finally starting to get your cards, Pink! Oh the wonders of the US mail!

Not sure if it was this swap or another, but I read where Heidi was talking about "addiction" in regards to her and I making cards - how right you are! I am always on the lookout for something to use to make them, even the grocery store! Running out of room to store them, at least, to store them neatly!

I take a lot of inspiration from Heidi!

Just got back from shopping, my least favorite thing to do, and yes, I found some more pretty embellishments!

Hope all of you are having a great day,

Shirley!