Candice Windham Design Studio

It was a very good year. Lots of things happened that we prayed for, some things were gifts from God that we didn't even know we needed and some prayers were wisely denied by God. He certainly knows His stuff! We will ring in the New Year with a jam session at the home of Dianna Ford, musician and singer extraordinaire, with a lot of our Bluegrass friends. Usually, Larry is booked for New Year's Eve, and we haven't been able to spend the time with friends as much as we would like. That will change this year, and we're really looking forward to it. Reflecting on 2011, we had some ups: I finally was published in one of my fave magazines, Cloth, Paper, Scissors and shipped off my book to the publisher; and downs: Phil Cox, singer/songwriter/guitarists for Sorghum Hill was working in Nebraska, a far cry from Tennessee. He's home now, and Sorghum Hill and Andi Nash and the Ramblers will continue to entertain their fans, only a lot more often! Here's wishing ...

I am not ready for Christmas to end, even though I will begin removing the decorations today. I love the spirit of Christmas, the gathering of friends and families, the fun of selecting, wrapping and opening gifts and the soft glow of Christmas evening when it's all over. Even the hustle and bustle of last-minute shopping is different from any other time of the year. The Christmas spirit that pervades the atmosphere, especially around 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve, an hour before all the stores close, is magical. You hear strangers wishing each other a Merry Christmas and everyone smiles at everyone and there is a peace in the air that can hardly be described. I just love it. This particular December has been the best we have enjoyed in many years. There were parties every weekend, six in the last week alone, and lots of visiting with old friends, especially my BFFF (Best Family of Friends Forever), Linda, Ronnie, Charlotte, Debbie and Judy Gordon, whose home was the center of my teena...

Do you remember the macaroni necklaces we all made at Vacation Bible School and summer camp? I sure do. We carefully colored all the little curved pieces and then strung them on a string. I would take mine home to my mother, who would wear it proudly to church the following Sunday. Pasta as a decoration has come full circle. With all the fabulous, fun shapes available now, there's no limit to what you can create. That's why the Second Annual Holiday Noodle Party is hitting the 'net. This little addition was not my creation, although I wish it had been. My cousin, the extremely talented Linda McCaskill, made these years ago, and I had a set of six. This is the only one remaining, and I have cared for it lovingly, storing it in a cotton-filled tin to protect the sweet little bow-tie pasta wings. Every year it has a place of honor at eye-level on my tree. So here's to you, Linda! I love your work and I love you. To see more pasta creations, see the list of links on Eileen ...

There was a mention of a "wintery mix" in the forecast for this morning. Wintery Mix translation in the South: rain and maybe, just maybe, a little sleet. Imagine my surprise when I awoke to find close to 2" of snow on the ground. It was a perfect snow, however: Beautiful on the lawns, fields, trees and rooftops, but not a trace on the roads. That's my kind o'snow! It had already started blowing off the trees and rooftops when I snapped this pic from my studio, although it was a nice wet snow with great packability. Hubby had to go to the recording studio today, so I'm all alone, and you know what that means: I'm going to turn on my tiny space heater that keeps my tootsies warm, crank up the Christmas music, bake some yummy yeast bread and be highly creative today, even if I'm just doing a little artful re-arranging in my studio! Here's a nice shot I made of Sam, the Wonder Lab as well. I think he's trying to figure out why I keep pointing thi...

Caution: This is NOT a toy! It's time for another Designer Crafts Connection Challenge, and this month, I am out of my comfort zone. I never had a sock monkey as a child, never created one for my child, and the only fact I knew about them is that they were made from Red Heel socks. However, I do love a challenge. This challenge was conceived and sponsored by Ana Araujo of When Creativity Knocks . Ana has a new DVD, Sock Monkeys Go BanAnas , a wonderful instructional video which walks you right through the steps to create this icon of American crafting. Our monkey kits included a pair of Original Rockford Red Heel socks , Ana's DVD, Rit® Brand Dye and a precious little sock monkey stamp from Judikins . Be sure to see all the sock monkeys by clicking on the Designer Craft Connections button at left to hop forward or backward. You can enter to win your own Sock Monkey prize package valued at over $40! Here's what one lucky reader will receive: • Sock Monkeys Go BanAnas WCK ...