Thursday - last day of Holiday Shimmer

Today is prep day for procedures tomorrow. If you're over 40, you have probably experienced the preparations for endoscopy and/or colonoscopy. Such fun. (NOT!) Going to hospital to have both tomorrow.
Here is the last of Holiday Shimmer:

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/57614067/2016%20freebies/HolidayShimmer/ws_HolidayShimmer_12.zip

Wednesday - Happy Birthday to my Jeremy! Lots to do, Holiday Shimmer freebie and Wacky Wednesday freebie

Holiday Shimmer is almost at an end.

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/57614067/2016%20freebies/HolidayShimmer/ws_HolidayShimmer_11.zip

Tuesday freebie - zip 10 Holiday Shimmer

Here is zip 10 of Holiday Shimmer:

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/57614067/2016%20freebies/HolidayShimmer/ws_HolidayShimmer_10.zip

It's Monday! Holiday Shimmer zip 9

Today we have Holiday Shimmer zip 9:

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/57614067/2016%20freebies/HolidayShimmer/ws_HolidayShimmer_9.zip

Saturday - tired & a freebie

Got to spend a little time with grandson, Tyler, today after Snowball Express. He is anxiously waiting to hear from Virginia Tech and George Mason University this coming week. dad says he is doing okay but the guys reported that his bruises are pretty dark and he admitted that he is aching on right side where he fell. Will check in on him tomorrow.

Today's freebie is zip 8:

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/57614067/2016%20freebies/HolidayShimmer/ws_HolidayShimmer_8.zip

Friday freebie & late Wacky Wednesday

Friday is disappearing fast! Husband took Dad for his Coumadin check and asked the nurse to check out his injuries. He has a huge black bruise on his head and under the eye on that side but the nurse said he looked okay and told him the same thing I had: if he experiences any confusion, headache or visual disturbances, he is to go to the ER immediately. While they were at the doctor's office I manged to get things a bit better organized, wrap a few gifts, and do some minor cleanup. Not too active though as I am suffering from the side effects of that course of penicillin. Got a short nap in before going to pick up the girls. Went to Cracker Barrel for dinner then to the Norfolk Botanical Gardens to see the holiday lights. Larkin ooohed and aahed. And she loved the Beanie Boo snowman, Scoops, I'd brought along for her. Saw it the other day when I did some shopping and knew she would like it.

Tomorrow is Snowball Express, the area Red hat Christmas party. Wish I were looking forward to it but I'm not. The best part will be spending some time with my pals, Mary and Joyce, and seeing some of the other ladies from our group and a few others I know. I borrowed a red top from Mary, more so she wouldn't feel Karen's discontent with my lack of compliance to dress code, than because I care. Didn't get around to making the fascinater I'd planned on so have hastily wrapped some white feather trim around a headband and added a red poinsettia that has some sequins on it. What I'm looking forward to most tomorrow is getting home, into comfortable clothes and doing some baking. My fruit cakes have not been baked yet! I am going to have to douse them with brandy a little more than usual.

But the tree is up, wreath on the door, the majority of gifts are wrapped. I've even chopped veggies except potatoes so that I can make a stew when I get home tomorrow. Next week we have 2 appointments to take Dad to and then I lose 2 days to my medical prep and procedures. I can't seem to get caught up, let alone a bit ahead.

I totally forgot to post a Wacky Wednesday freebie!

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/57614067/2016%20freebies/Wacky%20Wednesday/ss4cu_WinterWonders_green.zip
That is a Cu 4 Cu element pack I never got around to putting in stores. And the preview is missing something. See if you can figure out what lol.

And today's zip:

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/57614067/2016%20freebies/HolidayShimmer/ws_HolidayShimmer_7.zip

Thursday freebie

Just past midnight here but today will be hectic. Last night Dad fell again and this time he hit his head on the edge of the brick hearth. I was so alarmed when we got there and found him on the floor in front of the fireplace and I could see his bloody forehead. He's on Coumdain so excessive bleeding is a big risk. He had a sizable lump just above his forehead but part of the abrasion had already scabbed over and the other was no longer actively bleeding. I wanted to take him to the ER but he told my husband and me he was okay, just needed help getting up. I cleaned the wound gently, not taking any chance of causing it to bleed again and made him apply ice after we had him settled in his chair. My husband went out and got him his dinner while I sat there observing Dad and listening to his frustration about his condition. He wouldn't come home with us and didn't want me to stay over but we stayed awhile to make sure he wasn't showing any signs of a concussion and checked on him later by phone. I feel so bad for him. He does not like the way his health has been this past year and is discouraged that the cardiac inversion did not correct matters. I will take him to the cardiologist on the 19th and talk to him about a pacemaker.

Yesterday was also my DIL, Berkeley's, birthday. I was late calling her but she was cheerful and I was relieved to know that her birthday card arrived on time. Due to unanticipated complications in her new boss' health, B has been working full time instead of part time and getting lots of experience. She and Jeremy have been working hard these last months and are looking forward to being here for the holidays.

I'd best go ahead and give you zip 6 before I go to bed as I've got an eye appointment today plus checking in on Dad and numerous other to-dos.

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/57614067/2016%20freebies/HolidayShimmer/ws_HolidayShimmer_6.zip

Yikes - Wednesday already!

Didn't accomplish much yesterday so today will have to push it. Tree is up but needs decorating, still some packages to wrap, lots of baking to be done. Hubby and I will have to take turns using the oven. We are so hoping BIL will be able to get by and fix dishwasher. Tomorrow I have to run out to Virginia Beach to try my new contacts (I wear hard gas permeable ones). Friday we will be busy for hours with the girls. Saturday we will both be going to events at different times. Holiday season can be a whirlpool of activities for sure.

Today:

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/57614067/2016%20freebies/HolidayShimmer/ws_HolidayShimmer_5.zip

Hope all your plans and activities are going smoothly. Hugs!

Dreary Tuesday & freebie

Gray, chilly, and raining here today. Lots to do as always this time of year. Today's zip:

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/57614067/2016%20freebies/HolidayShimmer/ws_HolidayShimmer_4.zip

Busy Monday and freebie

It was a running errands day: pharmacy, grocery store, Dollar Tree, take rosemary to lady at Kindred Spirits, then to Dad's. He'd slept through his appointment for Coumadin check so I had him call to see if he could come in, got him dressed and took him up there. Perfect score! Back to Dad's to take out trash and recycling, hang the wreath over the fireplace and fold a load of laundry. Poor dear, he was worn out with all that fluid buildup.

And today we have:

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/57614067/2016%20freebies/HolidayShimmer/ws_HolidayShimmer_3.zip

Lots to do & freebie

Thursday was a Daddy day. Took him out to get his hearing aid cleaned and hearing test updated. Then he wanted to go to The Original Mattress Factory and get a quote for a new mattress and box springs. A couple shops over was Dollar Tree where he buys all the new word find books he can (he likes a particular publisher) so he will have something to do. When I got home hubby had made spaghetti with homemade meatballs for me and Italian sausage for him. Yummy! He had wrapped some gifts while I was gone and did the dishes. I was so tired after dinner; I didn't do much more than work on a crocheted sweater for Larkin while watching TV.

Friday I was having trouble with the penicillin upsetting my stomach and didn't get much done. Tidied up a little, paid bills, sent birthday card out to Berkeley, put some gift clothing in tissue and boxes, and prepped the fruit for fruitcake. A lot of you are probably groaning reading that. That's okay, I didn't like fruitcake for a long time. Then one day a lady I worked with in the telephone company (years ago) came in with what she referred to as a golden fruitcake. She made it herself and our whole crew was glad to have it. Her name was Flo Byrd, and she insisted I give it a try. Way different than the dark, dense, heavy with nuts fruitcake my Welsh (maternal) grandmother used to make. I got the recipe and have tweaked it over time to come up with "Sherry's Brandied Christmas Cake." Now I make some for a lot of friends and family and I look forward to having some with coffee. That candied fruit is so waxy and tasteless when you buy it. I found that mixing up all the required fruit in a huge bowl, dousing with apricot brandy, and letting the fruit sit a couple days, stirring occasionally does wonders to bring out the fruit flavor. That's the step I'm at now. Ideally the cakes should have been made in November and wrapped in brandy soaked cheesecloth and put into tins to mellow. Still, by Monday I should be able to bake and will just make sure I watch to keep the cakes moist until giving time.

Today our yard man will come over to cut grass one last time and clean up pinecones and other debris. I'm going to make turkey pot pie, do some cleaning, and try to finish the sweater pieces. Will also get out ornament boxes and take tree down and set it up. Decorating will happen gradually over next few days. Also do some more wrapping. Just about done shopping but what is left is really important - gifts for my husband, son, and new DIL. Hubby is hard to buy for. Son and his wife have been together for some time now and have most things they want. We used to exchange wishlists but didn't this year so I'm having trouble thinking what they might like. Their birthdays are 12/7 (hers) and 12/14 but I decided to just go with cards and checks so that is taken care of.

Wondering how your Christmas preparations are coming. Will you be making special family treats like cookies, candy, party mix?

Here is today's zip:

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/57614067/2016%20freebies/HolidayShimmer/ws_HolidayShimmer_2.zip

Day 1 of Holiday Shimmer

Kinda busy. Trying to clear off and out the window seat so I can starting putting the tree up tomorrow. Set up Holiday Shimmer for daily freebie and, guess what? It is only going to go so far. Therefore there will be a second kit to follow it. That one is called Christmas for Kiddies.

Here is today's zip preview:

http://s290.photobucket.com/user/DAmbrosioArts/library/Sher%20Scraps%204%20CU%20and%20Wonderland%20Scraps
{Google won't take preview! Tried to add thru Photobucket but it's been so long since I used that & not sure if it will post for you)
Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/57614067/2016%20freebies/HolidayShimmer/ws_HolidayShimmer_1.zip
Got it! Had to sign out and back in before it would take preview.