Jake has done it again – a post to challenge my photographic abilities. I haven’t been too successful with night pictures or inside pictures. So here is my trial. Thanks to Leanne Cole and Russel Ray Photos for the tutorials on Photoshop to spruce these up!
Most of our Christmas ornaments stay packed in the boxes each year because one of us doesn’t like them, and because V likes simplicity. I have to agree with him on that when I see it. He is our decorator. I play on the computer.
The question is do you prefer the pictures with or without frames?
With or without snow? Oops, I got carried away with the snow. I just couldn’t help myself!!! I resisted until I had the frame made, then poof, out came the snow!!! Thanks VERY much Leanne! Now I’m hooked!
So do you like the heart, the bell, or the snowmen ornaments best?
So I’ll TRY on this picture to lay off the snow can!! Wish me luck!! Whew, I did it!!! 🙂
What else can I try? Remember that on my own, I am not creative. I HAVE to copy people. Here I managed to insert notes, but when I tried to insert a second set and make it a song, the first set disappeared. I couldn’t change color either. So I guess I need a tutorial on that skill.
When I was little, my grandma and I would decorate her windows with sponge on wax which was supposed to look like snow. We used stencils, and when we finished, we made taffy. I felt like I was decorating the windows with this picture. I got carried away with the tree, and totally snowed on it, too. I probably should have put ornaments on it, too, while I was at it.
So welcome to our simple Christmas. The table is set ready for you, but the food is not made. Are you coming tomorrow for Christmas Even dinner with Paula and the kids? Since V is Italian, we are having lasagna tomorrow, then going to our neighbors’ on Christmas day. The day after we will celebrate with Cindy, V’s sister, since she is working both Christmas and Christmas Eve.
When I was growing up we had turkey for every holiday. Grandpa or Dad was in charge of the roaster oven and carving the turkey. Mom ran interference with the grandmas in the kitchen. Grandma Golda was a LITTLE bossy. Her mother, Grandma Newkirk said, “Golda, I think I know how to put butter in the refrigerator!” Randy and I stayed out of the way, playing outside, testing the turkey as it was being carved, playing with new presents – if Dad wasn’t already playing with them. And, of course, we posed for pictures.
So from our home to yours, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Years.
Lots of love,
Marsha Lee & V 🙂
For more ideas and beautiful pictures of Christmas take a look at Jakesprinters. He always welcomes everyone to share with him. He’ll tell you all the rules. 🙂
Marsha Ingrao - Always Write 
49 responses to “Sunday Post: Christmas”
Wow, wonderful handcrafted ornaments.
I’m a bit late to wish you Merry Christmas…I’m always late on that.
Photoshop and related programs aren’t so hard to learn. You only have to cool down and enjoy. If you ever find yourself in need of help (I know I did when I started out..I played with the brushes and set them on Overlay, Multiply etc instead of Normal so instead of purple I would get yellow and so on…Yeah, the pics turned out weird) feel free to poke me and I will help you as much as I can. 🙂
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Awesome. I was really frustrated last night because I couldn’t get something to do what I wanted it to do . Sometimes I stumble on things, then I don’t remember what I did. I’m building slides right now that have multiple pictures. I may have to invest in some other programs as well. 🙂
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The snow and frames are cute. I like the bell the most too. Simple, but sweet. Love you Marsha Marsha. Lovely Christmas fun tonight too. Thank you so much!
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It was a riot! Loved every second!!! M 🙂
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Great pictures Marsha,
I wanted to wish you a very Merry Christmas and I hope you have a wonderful day.
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I prefer no snow, just my opinion. Frames are okay. I like the bells the most.
Happy Christmas and A Merry New Year!
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I can always count on you for an opinion, Rommel. You’er the bomb.com. Merry Christmas!! 🙂
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Your pictures are beautiful! I remember frosting our windows with Ivory Snow soap when I was little. Merry Christmas!
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Yes, we used that too. But she had some kind of window wax. I can’t imagine having enough time to WAX my windows!!!! 🙂
Merry Christmas dear Sally. Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog. It means a lot!!! 🙂 Marsha 🙂
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Merry Christmas my friend!
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Rarrrrrrffy Woofmas roo rooo roooooooo, Rumffy! Rarrrrrrfff 🙂
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Your pictures are beautiful, with and without snow or frames. I don’t have photoshop but can imagineit is fun playing with it and getting carried away! Keep practising. I still have a lot to learn about wordpress… UTe xx
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Me too, Ute!!! and I just have the simple, starter version of WP! Lots of love to you. Merry Christmas 🙂 Marsha 🙂
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Wow that is one very cool snowman standing in the corner. (pardon the pun) Aren’t Leanne’s tutorials great, very easy to read and follow. I’m sending you some sunshine…
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Yeah! We’ve been in a funk. I finally started working on California Council business to keep my mind positive. 🙂 It works!!! I’m creating collages, and I’ve never done that before!! 🙂
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Hmmm, that doesn’t sound like much fun, but the collages would be great.
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Actually, it was, Carol! We needed some new slides for our rotating slideshow on our ccss.org website, and I volunteered. Given the pictures I had, I think they came out pretty well. It was quite a challenge, but I was pleased. I finished 3, and I have 3-4 more to go. Marsha 🙂
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Well done! It’s Monday evening here and we are about to sit down for a delicious baked dinner for four. It’s lovely to have our girls home!
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Yum! Say hi to everyone for me. Enjoy your dinner. take a picture or two!! 🙂 Before you eat!!! hahaha Marsha 🙂
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It’s a balmy 23 degrees here this evening which is 80 for you. We are eating outside…lovely!
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That sounds perfect. I’ll be there ASAP. Hold over some good food, and beautiful weather for me!! 🙂 Marsha 🙂
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and Black Forest ice cream cake for dessert!
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I’m there!!! 🙂
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They all look pretty good to me, Marsha. I think you chose the right ones to frame. Lovely memories of your Grandmas. 🙂 Christmas hugs to you. xx
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Lots of love to you! Hope you’re having lots of fun! Marsha 🙂 XXX Are Xs the hugs?
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Hugs and kisses. 😀
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🙂
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I really love the picture of the table setting and the one of you with your little white laces, sled, big black eyes, pert nose and big smile. Made me smile. I shall look forward to your reply in the morning Marsha. Good night 😀 Ralph x
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I have no great answer worth waiting up to read! That was me after coming back from a winter-time picnic. Too much champagne! V and I are both in a funk with all the rain, cold, dark yuckiness outside. We need a dose of R humor, and some Australian sunshine.
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You mean I stumped you for an answer. Way to go !!! On second thoughts it doesn’t quite look like you. I originally thought that you went over the top with your photoshopping 😉
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Hahaha! I’m not quite THAT advanced. I’ll work on it though. His nose is a little longer than mine! Oh, he may lie more than I do??? All this time I thought he was just whispering nice little compliments, but behind my back, he must have been telling some doosies. I’m going to have to be careful about falling for innocent-looking faces! 🙂 ML
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Especially snowmen as they just melt when you look at them !! 😉
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Yes, and I do melt when you talk to me, Ralph! And here I am with work to do to clean up my house and get my lasagne fixed, and I’m becoming a big puddle spilling my buttons, hat, and carrot nose all over the floor right here at the computer!!! 🙂 I hate when that happens!!! Of course, it doesn’t help that it’s warm and cozy inside, either!!! Lots of love to you, my friend. Keep writing, you always bring a smile to this snowgirl’s face!!! 🙂 Marsha Lee
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Poor V. Where did Marsha go ?? A puddle mopped up, coals and twigs on the fire, carrot fed to the horse, old clothes sent to charity. Why am I writing this ? There’s no one there, Silly me 😉
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Sorry Ralph, she melted. Life is SO lonely without her. I hope I can find another woman as cold and sparkly as she was in her prime. Signed V 😦
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Hi V. I’ll miss your IceWoman. She had tales as long as the Mississippi, stories as tall as New York’s highest, She never stopped to draw breath. I think lack of oxygen was her downfall. She will be surely missed by all who didn’t like or comment. The rest of us will……….
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sobbing brokenly
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Sobbingly broken
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Are you correcting V’s grammar? 🙂 Sobbing is a verb that needs an adverb to modify it. brokenly is an adverb. OR are you saying that V is broken? I’m confused? Dead, but still confused! 🙂
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I am so pleased that you are so confused. That has made my day after Christmas day…..day!! 🙂
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My dear Ralph,
Oh the imagination that you ignite in my brain. All night I dreamed of flying snowmen fading in and out of pictures with big angel wings attached to them, decorating and redecorating your website. Landing on your birthday pictures, blowing ghostly xs and os across the continents! Alas, I do not have enough photoshop expertise, time or inclination to make that happen, so alack, now that Christmas is over, Renee’s birthday is past, I’m going to just have to settle down, knuckle down, buckle up, and get back to the business of writing a normal, sensible, educationally oriented expert blog. …………………… NOT! hahaha, fooled you !!!!! ML
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Yes. Marsha is back !! Normal service has been resumed. Oh dear !! 😉
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You keep trying to kill me off! Then when I come back like the cat with 9 lives, you say, “Oh DEAR!” I’m pretty sure you don’t mean dear (sweet, lovable) Marsha! I’m getting a complex!
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Oh erda !! A dear with a complex. Well, I have to keep you on your toes. I have two new posts to look at now and I MAY comment 😀
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I’ll be right over. I’m not dead YET!!! And frankly, I had the complex a long time before I met you!!!! Or maybe it’s just that I’m so complex. I can’t keep it straight! 🙂
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Marsha !! Your complexity is so complex that your complex is too complex to recognise the complexity of the complex problem that you feel you have. I don’t believe it. I think that you are just a nice, pleasant simple woman with a COMPLEX !! 😉 Ralph x
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PLEASANT???? SiMPLE????? Really, Ralph????? SIMPLE???? oh right, Yes, sir, you’re right sir. Thank you for telling me, sir. Good day, sir.
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Practice, Practice, Practice, isn’t that the coach ,piano teacher and many more instructors tell you. Oh and read Merry Christmas
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I did read it! Beautiful. I read it on my email, so I haven’t gone over to click like or leave you a comment. I’m conserving gigabytes. I will probably run out by tonight!!! My worst expense of gigabytes is going to other people’s blogs. After Christmas it’s a new month for me. I try to surf after midnight, but I’m finding I can only get to 6-7 sites per hour! I’m so slow!!!! Merry Christmas, Jim. Glad you’re back!! 🙂
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