Here is my gift from superiorgirl2. I was thinking I wouldn't be able to find a pair of ice skates here after seeing how everyone decorated theirs. So she must have read my mind. I love it. Thanks again.
Janet
{{gwi:128496}}

A big "Thank You" to my secret santa...Cait1 for the two miniature cute teapots and egg cup totem toppers. I aint never made a totem so i will be making that a project for the new year!
I hope everyone had a great christmas and i would like to wish everyone the very best for new year.

IMG]http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd118/gardening_sister/ss003.jpg[/IMG]

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:128446}}

Howdy Do Ya'll......
I'm Late... I'm Later... I ALWAYS .. L A T E!!!!!
I can NOT post my picture...today...but I promise to soon...
I did not want this YEAR to end 2007.... With out
A BIG T H A N K S !!!!!
To My SS...... Ms Nancy Jean Mc from..... N.J. !!!!!!
Nancy Jean sent to SusanJean alias...SusieSunshine
The Very Special Gift of a Wooden - fish...Center Piece painted...
R E D ~~ WHITE ~~~~ & Blue stripes... and on the little
wooden fish.... little places to place votive candles !!!!
It is SOOOOOOOOO CUTE>>>>> can be used:
For JULY 4th
For any Birthday Celebrations... for Beach time or YOU NAME IT>>>celebrations
and especially for if the electricity goes out up here in the cold NORTH... which happens ALOT !!!!
ALONG with the Fish Votive candle center piece...
Nancy Jean sent a fabulous CHRISTMAS CD !!! with lots of
special Christian Christmas Music....
So At Christmas time...
My family got to enjoy this pretty Center piece and listen to some special Holiday Music !!!!!
It makes me know that she paid attention to me loving
Jesus... Family.... and AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL !!!!
Thanks a MILLION
Ms Nancy Jean MC from N.J.
Pictures will follow ASAP !!!!! when I get help from
the outside world....
GOD BLESS
AND
A VERRY HAPPY H A P P Y NEW YEAR !!!!!!!!2008 ! ! !
SusanJean/SusieJean/GrammieJean
SusieSunshine

Ok, here's a link to two photos. One is of me posing with my Secret Santa gifts from Ellen's Joy in Oklahoma! Thank you again Ellen for the wonderful Birdhouse, rock keyholder, and metal frog! I opened it in Oregon at my in laws home. Hubby wanted to know why I wanted to bring it to Oregon just to bring it back to California again. I told him to bring it and that was that! :-) (He's a good sport).

Ok so the other is of MY Christmas Tree. I had linked another photo of it that was microscopic. Hopefully it will come up a bit bigger....

I've got to hit the hay.,

TTYL
Love, Jules

Here is a link that might be useful: Secret Santa Gift opened and Christmas Tree!

Could be just my computer Jules, but I can't open your pics. I get an error msg.

Sal

Me too!

~Sandy~

Ok, see if this works. My hubby is going to be on the computer the rest of the day so I may not get another opportunity until the 1st.....Hope it works.
Love, Jules

Here is a link that might be useful: Jules' link again

Nope, that didn't work either Jules. Try "copying" the HTML code of the pic and then come back to your msg, put your cursor where you want the pic to appear and then "edit and paste" the code right into your msg. (That's how we do it with Photobucket pic accts). We love pics, so just take your time and we'll see it when it comes up. No problem!

Sal

Happy New Year and THANK YOU!! to my Secret Santa Karalynn!!
I love, love, love everything you sent me, you are one special and talented gal!! Kara sent me plant sticks that she made out of knitting needles and tiny pots, a bud vase made out of the bottom of a knife (? is that right kara?), a wonderful set of chimes made from old silverware and ceramic ornies that she had handpainted herself!!! I have tried and tried to post the pics on here but am not having success today. I will have to wait until my computer literate DD's get off work. If I ever get the pics posted, I have to apologize for the way I look...I literally just rolled out of bed on Christmas morn and my hair is...shall we say...less than I would want it to be!! Since I usually take the pics on Christmas, I never realised (or cared) that I looked so bad!!!! LOL Its the real me, what can I say!!!! And by the way, I don't think I ever revealed my Garden Web name to Superiorgirl, who received my Secret Santa! It was me, Vicki!!!!!

It's so much fun being able to put a face on the names of people we feel we kinda know from posting here!!! Some of you need to go back and add your picture(you know who you are)!! I look like I just woke up, so don't be afraid!! We're all friends here!

Pic posting try #31

shoot, I can only post teeny tiny pics...does anyone
else use webshots??? Can you help????

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:128447}}

Yes Melvie, I use WebShots. I post pics by going to the pic I want on the webshots site, scroll down to the part on the right side slightly below my pic on the page titled "link to this picture" in a grey box. Click the tab marked 600 (for size). Click inside the field under "post in your blog or web site" to high light it. Copy and paste it into the "Message" box here on GW. Click preview and Voila! There it is nice and big right by the text you wrote!

Hope that helps!

~~Mimi

Ok, here it goes again:
Jules & Secret Santa Gift

and also a pciture of my Chrismtas Tree:
Jules Christmas Tree

Perhaps these will take you to a place where they are NOT thumbnail photos..

Love, Jules

PS: It should work cause I checked it out! :-)

Your welcome, Melvie! I'm glad you like your presents! Yes, the vase is made from a knife handle.

Kara

I am very late too and I can't post a picture because I can't find my camera, Waaaaaa!!! My gift was from luna_llena_feliz and it was a beautiful handpainted gourdeous birdhouse. Maybe she took a pic before she mailed it and would be gracious enough to post it. I really love it. Thank you So Much.
Lana

Ok, I can open the pics now Jules. Love your tree and you got some fantastic SS gifts there.

Sal

Lana, I'm happy you liked your birdhouse! I was hoping it would make it in one piece but I think my boyfriend packed it so well, they could have played kick ball with it and it would have survived. lol! Here is a picture I took of it.

{{gwi:128497}}

I was disappointed that the picture shows the "guts" but my friend who is the gourd birdhouse expert told me the birds love it for nesting so I left it in. I hope you are able to give some little birdies a new home with it!

Thank you for posting the pic. It is much prettier in person.
I can't wait until spring so I can find it a spot outside in time for the little birdies to move in. My mother grows gourds and I'm going to have to get some of them next year and try to make one too. Again, thank you luna_lluna_feliz, love it, love it, love it.

I'm so glad you like it Lana! The gourd birdhouses are easy to make. The hardest part is letting the gourds dry out and then scrubbing them with bleach and water to get the mold off.

I saw the picture Kirk posted of his little boy sledding and he said Carol made the cute little quilt he was wrapped up in. Which reminded me ... I forgot to post a picture of the cute coaster Carol sent me along with the birdhouse. The picture doesn't do it justice. The flowered print has metallic gold in it. Very pretty! And my B/F likes turning it inside out. he-he

{{gwi:128498}}

And the crazy old lady stuck that bird in there. I think she likes him.

I want to thank Brenda (aka Bright199) for the wonderful Secret Santa gifts. It is an electric lantern and an iron star which has red and green mosaics on it. I love both of them! As soon as I can I will post pics.

Sal

Just one of the really great things about the Secret Santa postings is...we finally get to put faces to some of the names. I think it's great! I wish everyone posted their pictures.

This whole thing has been so much fun, and I sure do hope we do it again next year!!

Did Santa Kirk's person ever get her present? That just blows me away. His is the last present I ever thought would get lost in transit!! chuckle
{{gwi:128216}}

~Sandy~

I AM ECSTATIC! MY SECRET SANTA RECIPIENT, CAIT FROM AUSTRAILA, RECEIVED HER GIFT TODAY!!!!! I mailed it November 13th but somehow it took forever to get there. That doesn't matter though! What matters is that a very creative and encouraging lady on the forum received her gift! That just made my day! I think I'm more excited by Cait getting her gift now than I would have been if she had received it early, because I had given up all hope. God is teaching me patience!!!! THANKS FOR MAKING MY DAY, CAIT! MERRY BELATED CHRISTMAS! BEAR HUGS AND TROLL HUGS! KIRK

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Kirk.... YOU'RE EXCITED????????????!!!!! I couldn't believe it when we got a note from the post office saying a package had arrived as was waiting for me to pick it up!!!

And do you know how long it took me to read through this post?? ForEVER!! And why are some of the pics already gone?? And why did so few post a pic of themselves??

Actually... the last one I read was where Sandy asked if Santa Kirk's person got her gift and I was about to write.. YEAH I FINALLY DID!!! but then I saw I hadn't logged in and by the time I did that and it came back to this page Santa Kirk himself had snuck in a post before MOI!!!!!! LOL

Kirk had emailed me to ask if I had gotten his gift back in late November I think it was and I hadn't but, hey, me worry? Naaaaaaaaaah. Unlike THE MAN, I do have the patience of a SAINT! I eventually thought it may have been the customs guys in Oz since this place may soon be a Commie Country (in which case I'll be back in the States quicker than you can bat your eyes!!!) BUT the package somehow got held up in San Fransisco!!! What the heck was it doing there?? The customs in SF didn't 'release' the package (poor thing, imprisoned and waiting impatiently for that boat trip across the Pacific)until December 13TH!!! Maybe the TROLL escaped and they were having a devil of a time getting him back in the box!!! Hmmmm, gotta ask Trygg what he was doing....

After I opened the box and read the lovely card I placed the gifts under my TREE to take a pic!!! See how much patience I have? I was reserved enough to snap unopened presents!!!

{{gwi:128499}}



I then of course tore off the paper and ogled my GORGEOUS GIFTS!!!!! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH KIRK AND CAROL!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE THEM ALLLLLLLL!!!!!! Carol sent me a beautiful coaster that she made. I'll keep that by my 'puter. I may keep all these lovely items by my puter!!! I asked the Troll what his name was and he, being of Scandinavian descent, said in his very Trollish voice, "Trygg". It means 'true'. Yup, he 'true'ly is a TROLL!!!! Ain't he wonderful!! And then there is this beautiful wood turned vase that's smooth as silk to the touch. I'm ab-silly-utely THRILLED both these items made it through customs as they don't tend to let wooden objects into the country.

{{gwi:128500}}



And lastly here' a pic of me in front of the tree with my WONDERFUL presents!!!!!!!!!!!

{{gwi:128501}}



In all honesty, one reason I wasn't very worried about the package being late was cuz I sent a little prayer to St Anthony about the package. Now for those who don't know about St Anthony he finds everything that's seemingly lost. St Anthony has NEVER let me down - even when I lost my wallet in Denver!! It was returned to me the very next day by a very good samaritan and nothing was stolen from it. That's how good St Anthony is!! And I sent that prayer up sometime around mid Decemeber so when I saw that the package continued its venture from America on the 13th I couldn't help but know in my heart it was then that I prayed to St Anthony and he found it and had the SF PO send it on to Oz. So a big thanks to St Anthony, tooo!!

THANK YOU KIRK AND CAROL FOR THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIFTS!!!!!!!!!!!
Bear and Troll HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!
Cait (and if this isn't the longest post I don't know what is!!! Make me stop already!!!!!:-)

Cait, Your e-mail and posting above made me very happy!!! Thank you! I woke Carol up to read them both as it is nighttime here. She was happy too! (Usually she's crabby when I wake her up! ROFL) Carol called the US Post Office last week to track your gift, but kept telling me not to worry. She just KNEW it would arrive. (There's that patience thing again!) I'm sooooo glad you liked your gift. I fell in love with Trygg when I first found him... like I said in your note, "He's so ugly, he's cute!" I'm glad he found a great home in Australia! I'm anxious to hear of his adventures! LOL Thanks again for making our day! I can go to sleep now! Bear and Trygg Hugs! Kirk

Cait, I'm so glad you finally got your gifts! And Kirk, I'm so relieved for you that Cait received her gifts! I know how frustrated and nervous you must have been. It took 2 weeks for my gift to jeannespines in Iowa to receive my gift from Illinois. I was getting scared. But this really gives me hope that a jacket I sent to a nice lady in Greece back on Nov. 26 will still get it. I'm going to pray to St. Anthony as soon as I finish this post!

Cait, I had the wildest idea....Trygg could travel with your where ever you go. Take a pciture of him in his new dstinations with you.....The Travelling Troll (like the Trevelocity Gnome) heheheheheee Glad to finally put a face with a name....it seems so much more personal now....
Have a wonderful week!
Love, Jules

country... never give up the faith! LOL I'm sure that nice Greek lady will get her jacket soon!

Jules... I've been thinking the same thing!! In that movie 'Amelie" (foreign French film) there was a gnome who would send postcards back from his travels all around and I have a sneaky suspicsion I'll find Trygg causing all sorts of mischief around the house and garden and who knows where else!! He's got that kind of look about him! LOL

And Kirk, I'm very happy you'll be able to sleep easily now! HAHAHA All the gifts are wonderful but Trygg - well he's looking at me while I write this, and he has the most impish gleem in his eye right now I know he's thinking something up!! He's a BLAST!!!!!!!!
Cait

Oh, I am SO sorry I missed this event! How much FUN you all had. Next year I hope I'm not traveling as I was during this year. Are there any more exchanges planned?

How 'bout Secret Easter Bunnies?

~Sandy~

Cait, you are just too funny! Ok you got me thinking. When Todd and I were first married he had this bean bag Kermit the Frog. We had it in our spare room. (It was more like a study room). So Kermit was this toy that Todd had used at Iowa State University. He and his friends would tie him up with rubber bands and play hacky sack with him. Now so we have him in our study. Each of us would position him in a different way for the other! It was tooooo funny! Sounds like Trygg is doign that too in his own strange way! :-) Now I've got to go find Kermit! Where is he?........
Love, Jules

I'm just a tell'n YA'LL that Sandy Woman never sleeps....
She just keeps on and on and on....and on.... heh...she must be kin to the EnergiZer BUNNY !!!!
so that must be why she wants us to
C E L E B T A T E The Easter BUnny.... keep it in the
family...aeh......????
Well.... this time your little plan
just might work...
THAT's it....... we'll TAKE A VOTE>>>>
TTFN
Signing off...
The Crazy Texan.... Woman....lost in the Frozen Klondick
or how ever you spell that...
SusieSunShine...
PS where in the blue blazes is the Dang Sun up North here?
****"Sorry Country Girl... and LenaLunaFenieriza....ho ho
don't mean to talk about ya'lls stomping grounds!)
IT"S DANG COLD UP HERE AND SNOW AS we Speak is falling by the inches...INCHES I say maybe Feet ! OMG!!!!help !

Oooo.Oooo...I want to do the secret Easter bunny, Sandy!! The Secret Santa was a ball...had so much fun reading everyone's post & looking at their gifts! Added a very cool twist to Christmas, no doubt! Only problem is...who does the organizing? Does "Santa KirknCarol" do Easter, or are they too tuckered out, or too snowed in, for a bunny hop?? :D *elaine*

Santa and Mrs. Claus retired for a loooooong winter nap. :o) (The Santa Exchange was so much fun though!) I'd be willing to give some helpful hints though if someone wants to organize an Easter exchange. (One of the ideas would be to ask people what their garden junk interests are so the giver has some ideas for gifts.) I'm still finishing up the Santa Exchange, making sure everyone gets a gift and hears if their person received their gift. Bear Hugs! Kirk

Seriously, folks...I was kidding about the Easter Bunny!

If we did another exchange so soon...it wouldn't be nearly so much fun. Christmas is such a magical time of year, it just made it more exciting. I say we wait, and hopefully do it again next Christmas.

And, Kirk, in no way was I suggesting you and Carol take on an Easter exchange after all of the work you've done...and are still trying to clear up. You both deserve to take a long winter's nap! snore

I didn't think anyone would take me seriously! chuckle

~Sandy~

Sandy, we think alike! SCARY!!!! Hee hee! I was thinking another exchange so soon would take away from the specialness of the Secret Santa Exchange. It's like a birthday...once a year you have something to look forward to (OR NOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO! HA! GETTING OLDER?!!!!) Anyways, I agree that once a year would be special and fun and not overwhelming. Bear Hugs! Tired Kirk

I got my secret Santa package today! Thank you so much Sharon (Sharon 4457), I love everything! It was worth the wait! I received a lovely plaque that says "Welcome to my garden"and a circular one that says "Bless this garden". Another plaque that says "Gardening: cheaper than a shrink" ( I love that one! ) An iron hook that has a ladybug (or beetle? on it) Two bags of hazelnuts ~ (Hickory smoked and Cappuccino). And last but not least a garden marker for a very strange plant called "Overolica Watercus"!!!!!! Yes Sharon, I got the joke!! LOL All my plants might like to be over watered but they surely aren't! You went above and beyond, and I love everything! Thank you so much!
Now, I would love to post pictures but I left the camera at school, taking pictures of the kids for their yearbook. So hopefully Monday, if I can figure how to post, I will show everyone my treasures

Thanks,
Denise

This has been soo fun!!! We maybe could do a Christmas in July .....hee, hee. I just love surprises. One more BIG thank you to Kirk and Carol you are the bestest santa's helpers!!!

I agree with Kirk.Once a year at Christmas brings back the kid in me!I had the best time in the weeks before Christmas.It did make it magical.And I think next year everyone that wants to do SS should post their interest.
Thanks agin Kirk and Carol.

Okay...I guess it is better late than never...

I had a hard time getting a picture up close enough that you could see it all...so I had to tape a couple pieces together...but you can see it pretty well.

It is a wire basket with little rusty garden tools , watering cans and clay pots with moss on them...on top it has a rusty metal flower attached to a metal branch...VERY VERY CUTE...
{{gwi:128502}}

Thank you again...craftyjanjan....ya did really good.

patti

omg
tHAT IS TOTALLLLLLY THE CUTIEST THING i HAVE SEEN
IN JUST
FOREVER....
DID CRAFTY JAN MAKE IT...????

wow YOU ARE A lucky dog ms patti!!!
woof woof!!!!!
i MIGHT TRY TO TAKE THAT AWSAY FRM YA !!!!

i w a nt it>>>> i gOTTTTTA HAVE IT!!!

dANG IT IS SO CREATIVE...
GUESS...
THAT IS WHY THEY CALL THE cRAFTY jANNNNN jan
c r a f t y !!!!! c r a f t y !!!!!

C R A F TY JAN JAN !!! pLEASE..... PRETTY PLEASE !!!!
TELL US..
HOW DID YOU DO. IT......????
gEE
i
WANTA MAKE ONE !!!!
E V E R HEARD THAT ONE B4????
happy new year !!!
2008 !!!!
don't be late.....
TTFN
SusieSunShine
Over and out!!!!
but not ( N O T ) forever..... heh! heh!

Susie, I want to make me one too. I almost didn't send it to Patti because I loved how it came out. Lol. I found the basket at a TS, and turned it upside down. I had the rusty flower and branch from a windchime that fell apart, I wired that to the top of the basket. I also had the watering cans and tools in my craft supplies. I screwed eye hooks in the top of the tools and antiqued the handles. I painted the metal parts with rust paint and attached them with chain that I also painted to look like they had rusted. I covered the small terra cotta pot with moss. Then added a few flat back marbles to the basket too. I'm glad someone else liked it as much as I did.
Janet

Howdy: Ms Craftyjanjan:
Oh girlfriend...... that little thing is to die for....
I just totally adore it !!!!
and thank you sooooooooooooooooooo very much for the
instructions.....
YOU make it sound so easy...and fun !!! and I think
gathering up the pieces must be fun to.... I'm so trashy !!!!!
but the
thing could be produced and SOLD.... it is GREAT !!!!
I am just so proud of
you for sending it on.... that is very
commandible or what eeveeerrrr that word is...
IT IS VERY VERY NICE OF YOU !!!!
YOU ARE A BIG PERSON>>>>> you know what I mean...
I am saying...
that is so like us alll.......... we make things...
that we LOVE.... cause that's what us JUNKERS and
Crafty people do.....
we love the making and gathering....
but to do it as a "Labor of Love" that is special!!!!
and
sometimes... the things... are "ONE OF A KIND" and
can be replicated...
but not the same...
SO>>>>>
My Hat's off to you Ms Janet.......
(but not for long cause I'm FREEZing to death up
here in the FROzen Klondiac!!!)
So
H A P P Y NEW YEAR TO YOU 2008 !!!!!
God Bless !!!
SusieSunShine
************* you just keep those IDEAS rolling in
a send the pics and instructions... and we Appreciate YOU!!

Mimi, Thank You for the instructions on posting from Web shots. Sorry I haven't responded sooner. I have been in Florida for 2 weeks for training for work. Florida is lovely at this time of year but I spent most of the time
locked in a dark windowless room staring at a computer screen. I did get some seashells from the Melbourne beach!!! Here goes the posting attempt.....

Here is a link that might be useful: SSanta

LOL...OMG...its worse than I thought!!!! I am a scary lady first thing in the morning....my poor hubby has to wake up to that every day!!!...Bless his heart!!!...if you look carefully over my left shoulder at the framed pic, you will see me when I'm not a scary old lady!!!! HA HA Hee Hee and I thought I'd do MORE posting on GJ this year...Kinda afraid now!!!

OMG, I can't believe I forgot to thank Patti for her wonderful little gifts. She didn't give me her GJ name, but thanks Patti!!!!
Sheree

Finally getting around to posting my secret Santa gifts!
I can't wait to put them in the garden!
Thanks again Sharon!

Denise
{{gwi:128503}}

Very cool haul! I especially like the hook. I love metal! The one sign reminds me of my favorite ancient Egyptian saying, "a walk in the garden is a cure for insanity." That's why I need LOTS of flowers! (and Junk!)

~~Mimi

I haven't been keeping up on this thread and was surprised to see that Christmas isn't over! I was wondering why it was so white outside! What wonderful stuff everyone got!

SusieSunShine, believe me, I don't take offense at your complaining about the weather up here! With every year I get older, I come to fully understand why people head south when they retire!

Thought I'd bump this since we are getting ready to do it again. So the new people can see how much fun we had. Some pictures have been deleted but there's still lot to look at.

I'm so glad you bumped it up, Bright. It was too fun re-reading all the posts and seeing the photos. What a magical time we had last year. I think we all returned to being children on Xmas morning.
Is this much fun allowed on the Internet? LOL.

hugs, Karen