Celebrating DAY 9

CELEBRATE DAY 9! Check out SHARON JOHNSON'S Party Central for the complete day happenings starting with DAY 1 and continuing through today! Anyone can play ANY of the challenges by ANY of the hostesses during our 12 days of Stamp Simply Celebrates! ***You DO NOT need to have a Blog to play — uploading your project to SCS (Splitcoaststampers.com) is not only permissible, but HIGHLY ENCOURAGED. When doing so, use the KEYWORD SSC08. We cannot wait to see what you create! TODAY'S CHALLENGE HAPPENINGS Jennifer Buck - The Buck Stamps Here - We all need some Quick Cards especially this time of year! Jennifer’s Featured Project will Challenge you to create some quick cards. Jennifer’s designers: Janine, Julie, Tammy, AJ, LeAnne and Sharon AJ Otto - The Willow Garden - How about a game? There is a DT Trivia Game AJ is hosting! You will want to be in on the fun! TODAY'S BLOG CANDY Jennifer Buck - The Buck Stamps Here - Jennifer is offering BLOG CANDY. AJ Otto - The Willow Garden - AJ has some BLOG CANDY! Sharon Johnson - No Time To Stamp? - SU BLOG CANDY today! TODAY I get to announce my blog candy winner! But, first I have to tell you I am overwhelmed with the heartwarming response to the simple question, asking you to tell us, what your favorite ornament is! Over 300 of you responded (yippee!) and I learned that a simple ornament or ornaments that we bring out each year to adorn our trees have meaning beyond words. Many watch the years of their lives unfold:

• as they hang each precious memory,
• placing ornaments front and center in honor of loved ones past,
• in homemade children's ornaments lovingly crafted by little hands.

Trimming the tree brings childhood memories to the surface, sometimes painful but mostly bittersweet. I am touched by your stories and as we, in my family decorated our tree, my thoughts kept wandering to your posted words. I could not help but feel many of the emotions you had described. It has been one of those years, and unwrapping some of those ornaments this year flooded my heart. Which brings me to this moment, wanting to share with you a blog I recently discovered. I can't even tell you how I got to this blog. You know when you hop from one blog to another? One day there I was reading , The ART OF CHOOSING JOY. It is about a young woman and her journey, living her dream and life amidst some circumstances that make her so determined not only choose joy but to share this journey of life she is experiencing. It touched my heart to the core, reminding me that it is up to me to choose JOY, remembering the true meaning of this season, celebrating the joyous birth of our king, JESUS Christ. We all have our own stories, we are still writing that story, day by day, and as this occurs we have the choice to choose joy. Check out Kolette's wonderful blog, and check out her paper crafting skills too! I know you will be inspired. Thank you for indulging my ramblings, I know you want to know WHO won that blog candy! So without further ado, I am not sure if I have a super favorite ornament but one of my cherished ones is from a woman I worked with 30+ years ago. It is a Betsy Clark figurine. She was a super lady and later I had moved away and she ended up very sick and was at the hospital I worked at for 6 months off and on. I was there for her during that time and that made it even more special. Her daughter stayed with me so she didn't have to pay for a motel room off and on during her mom's hospitalization. Later on she did die. Her daughter became a frequent visitor of my parents when I had moved to Texas. When my dad had his strokes she made a point to see him several times a week as well as my mom. She came to both of my parent's funerals. I still have tears when I bring it out of the box. Love your blog and what a great blog candy surprise. Thanks for sharing.Chris R. from Iowa Congratulations, Chris! Please email your address information and I will get those goodies out to you! My email is bjshome@sbcglobal.net. Thanks so much for stopping by today! I do appreciate your visits! Today and everyday may you find simple joy!