Merry Christmas

Wishing you, my friends,

A very Merry Christmas!

Today I'm Just Thankful

Last week I was so busy that I didn't realize until Friday that I completely missed doing a Thankful Thursday post.  I settled in my comfy recliner with my laptop ready to share the thankfulness.  I turned on the TV, which I rarely do during the day, and all thoughts of writing a blog post quickly diminished.

The tragedy that occurred in Newtown, CT that day still weighs heavy on my heart.  So much so that sharing anything else just seems so trivial.  So I've been silent.  Reflecting on my life and how I live it.  Wondering what I can do to make a difference in this crazy world.  One thing I know for sure is that I am thankful.

I'm thankful for
     *  my faith in God and the comfort I receive from Him
     *  the way people come together to help each other in the aftermath of a tragedy or disaster
     *  love, in all it's forms
     *  every single person in my life
     *  the loving arms of my husband who makes me feel safe
   
Today, I'm just thankful.

xo Annette xo  

In The Sewing Room

I've been in the sewing room, but I can't show you yet what I've made.  This is just some of the fabric I used to make gifts and I'm really happy with how everything is turning out.  I will definitely show you after Christmas what this fabric turned in to!

Are you making or have you made any gifts this Christmas?

Happy Friday!

xo Annette xo

Thankful Thursday

Dear Friends,
Every Thursday I share what I'm thankful for.  Sometimes it's a serious or big thing, and sometimes it's a goofy or small thing.  I believe that no matter what is going on in our lives, there is always something to be thankful for.  Always. 

I'm thankful for this time of year for many, many reasons.  I could give you a reason every day of the month and still not give you all of them.  Right now I'm particularly thankful for the twinkling lights everywhere.  One of my favorite things to do is drive around at night to see all the houses lit up.  It just makes me happy and I'm able to forget whatever is weighing on my mind for a little while.  I come home feeling like all is right with the world.

I'm also thankful for
     *  sisters
     *  an afternoon of shopping with Erin
     *  bursts of energy to get things done
     *  the dishwasher

What are you thankful for today?

xo Annette xo

Wordless Wednesday

I came down the stairs and saw the reflection of the Christmas tree not only in the clock window but also in the pendulum.

Happy Wednesday!

xo Annette xo

Find Out If Your Photos Are Being Used By Someone Else

Hi Friends!
Did you know there is a simple way to find out if any of the pictures on your blog have been used and published by someone else?   It's really easy to do.  Once I realized some of the photos from my blog posts had been downloaded, I decided to see if anyone had used them on the internet.

I was so surprised at what I found when I started searching for some of my photographs.  I've know for quite some time that this particular post about the dining room curtains I made is my most viewed post.  So I shouldn't have been so surprised to find that the photos are the most used.

I did the search and found that these pictures were used in a variety of ways but only one person provided a link back to the blog post.  One person actually said she made the curtains herself.  There wasn't a way to contact her so I left a comment stating that the photos were mine, taken by me and left a link to my blog post.  The last I looked it was still there.  There were also several sites with pictures of curtains that included mine, but no way to leave a comment or contact anyone.  And the most disturbing thing I found was when I clicked on my picture on one of these sites, it took me to a porn site.  I was so angry and just devastated that one of my pictures was used this way.

Here is how you can search for your photos.
1.  Go to Google and in the upper left corner, click on images.
2.  In that box where you type your search words, click on the camera icon.
3.  You can either paste your image URL or upload an image from your files.

It's just that easy!  I hope no one is using your photos in a disgusting way or taking credit for them.

On a whole other subject, my friend Kathy at Kluless is doing a book giveaway with related items every weekend during the month of December.  You can find the first giveaway here.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

xo Annette xo