11^th day of Christmas,

Family Traditions

We all have traditions that we have practiced for years.  Some we do consciously and some we do it because it’s familiar, what we know or what our family always did.

Today, I’d like to share a few of my family traditions.   We always opened our presents on Christmas Eve and of course everyone knows that “Santa” comes on Christmas Eve.  My parents were very creative and we always went to my maternal grandmother’s on Christmas Eve and when we got home, low and behold, Santa had come while we were gone.  It wasn’t till I started to get a little older and wiser, that I realized that every time we left for Grandma’s, Dad forgot something in the house.  It was his wallet or he forgot to turn off a light, and I began to think either he’s getting forgetful or you know the rest.

After my maternal grandmother died mom took over the Christmas Eve event.  I was 14 and my brother was 13, so we were past the Santa thing.  To this day, everyone comes to my house to eat and open gifts on Christmas Eve.  When my granddaughter, E was born, we began going to their house on Christmas morning to watch her open her presents and have brunch.  She’s 18 now, but we still go there just get to sleep in a little now, because we mostly go for brunch.

For me, Christmas evening after everyone is exhausted or gone to bed is my time.   I sit in front of my Christmas tree and reflect on all the goodness of life.  I think of Christmas past, present and think about what Christmas future will look like.  It is my time to spend quiet time to say goodbye to Christmas this year and move on into the New Year.

I would love to hear about some of your family traditions so please feel free to comment and share some of those.

On the 10th Day of Christmas

On the 10^th Day of Christmas

Giving…and Joy

These two go hand in hand in my mind so I just couldn’t separate them.

Remember my husband, (the bah-humbug guy?)   Don’t tell him I told you this, but he is the first one at Thanksgiving and Christmas to ask me if I know any people who are in need and to tell me we need to do something for them, and when he found out the neighbor lost his job his first words were write a check and take it to them.  We both like to give anonymously as much as we can.   I haven’t always been in a position to give money or things of value, but I have always believed we can give time and ourselves as much as we can.  Giving brings so much joy to a true giver.  So now you can see why I can’t separate the two.  I think that is why the Bible says “it’s better to give than receive”.  God is the ultimate giver and He understands the joy it brings to our lives.

 It is also hard for givers to receive when they are in need.  I hate to admit it, but it is a very humbling experience to be on the receiving end.  I was there once myself and I had a hard time receiving and the individual who was the giver at the time, said this to me.  “In order for me to receive the joy that God has for me, you must receive this gift I’m giving you, and in doing so, you are giving me great joy”.  This is one of the reasons I love Christmas so much, because I see so much giving and joy in people that we don’t often see throughout the year.

As I was writing this, I thought what does joy look like?  What kind of a picture would represent joy?  I thought, painting a picture of joy, is a little like describing the color blue to a blind person.   Then I thought when I look into the eyes of a happy child at Christmas time – I see what I can only describe as “pure”, unfiltered joy.  So  here you go…you be the judge.

At Christmas time and all year through, I am blessed with “joy unspeakable  and full of glory” at the wonders of God’s love and blessings.  I hope you receive great joy as you give this Christmas.

On the 9th Day of Christmas

The 9^th Day of Christmas…

Random Acts of Kindness

A couple years ago, I was in the Starbuck’s drive through lane waiting to get a coffee.  I was about the 6^th or 7^th car back.  When I got up to the window, I handed the lady a $20 dollar bill  to pay for my coffee, the lady at the window, said the person in front of you paid $4.00 toward your coffee this morning.  I was surprised and responded with “really?”.  So as she handed me back the change I’d given her, I handed her $4.00 and said do the same for the car behind me.  She laughed and said, “this has been going on all morning, isn’t it just amazing?”

As I drove the rest of the way to work, I couldn’t help but think of what a chain reaction the first person that morning had started.  I felt so uplifted and my heart was light and it truly made the rest of my day.

My last post, I talked about giving and joy and it reminded me of the Starbuck’s incident.  Each year, I try to do something like that.  So I thought wouldn’t it great if we could think of lots of ways to do “random acts of kindness during the Christmas season, like taking a few extra seconds and letting a car in front of you or if you see someone behind you looking for a parking spot and you drive past the first one you see and maybe you find one farther away but as you are walking the extra distance, think of how good it made you feel to do something random for someone you don’t know and will get no “thank you” for.

I’d love it if you would post a comment with your ideas for random acts of kindness.  I’ll collect them and after the first of the year, I will list them all in a post to inspire us to start the New Year the same way, practicing “random acts of kindness”.  The definition of “random” is happening or chosen without method or conscious decision…haphazard…by chance.
 

 I decided to post a picture of my church here because my church is so awesome.  Everyone in our church has such a community spirit, in fact my Pastor preached on that for several weeks.  I believe the people in our church practice random acts of kindness nearly every day because they really care about people.

On the 8^th day of Christmas …

Music

Music has always been a huge part of my life since I was little.  I can remember when I was maybe only three or four years old, my grandmother would put me up on top of a picnic table at the annual family reunion and say “sing for everyone”.  I would sing “You are my sunshine” and top it off with a sort of childlike soft shoe ending.

Over the years, I was in school choruses, several church choirs and even went on the road with my late husband as evangelists and sang in churches and faith groups all across the United States and Canada.  All anyone had to say was “sing, Shavanna” and I would break out in a song.  I remember one year at the airport in Washington D.C. while we were waiting for a flight, a group of us girls were just coming home from an Aglow Conference and one of the gals said the “magic” word and right there in the airport, I began to sing “hail Jesus you’re my King”….and everyone in the airport stopped as the gals echoed the song, which is how it goes.  About half way through I realized we were in a very public place and I looked around to see if I could read what people were thinking and they were all smiling and clapping and seemed to really be enjoying it.  I have always believed that music is a universal language, because even if you don’t understand the words, music touches the heart, heals the soul and enriches our spirits.

So it goes without saying that I absolutely love Christmas songs.  I have several favorite tapes that I play each year for a variety of different reasons.  My fun favorite is my redneck Christmas tape, and probably my most moving one is my Vince Gill tape.  I play Alan Jackson’s, Let it be Christmas because that song so speaks my message of “let it be Christmas everywhere, let heavenly music fill the hair, let every heart sing and every bell ring the story of hope and joy and peace and let it be Christmas, Christmas everywhere.  There is one song on the Vince Gill tape that always makes me cry because he wrote it about the first Christmas since his brother passed away and it so fits my youngest brother because Vince sings about how Christmas time was his favorite time of year.  I like to sit in front of my tree with only the Christmas lights on in the house and listen to the Vince Gill tape and reflect on what Christmas really means (which by the way is some of the words he says in one of his songs).

 I hope this Christmas that music fills your heart, soul and spirit and makes your Christmas Merry and Bright.

7^th day of Christmas

Baking…mmmmmmmmm

I have always loved to bake.  My grandmother was a wonderful baker and she taught me how to bake.  She taught me the “art” of making Divinity candy.  Not many people make it because conditions have to be just right, i.e. not too humid or dry in your house, and if you make it the old fashioned way, that is without a candy thermometer, you have to know how to let the corn syrup mixture “spin a good thread” to be sure it is cooked just right.  Then it takes a lot of beating (thank you, KitchenAid).

So, needless to say, baking is another important part of my Christmas festivities.  I like to make everyone’s favorite, my daughter in-law likes 7 layer bars, my son-in-law likes lemon bars and I even learned to make the wonderful cookie bars that my step-daughter, Jennifer likes (gluten free) as she discovered she can’t have gluten in her diet.  My son, likes my peanut butter fudge and last year, I introduced “Crack Cookies” to my granddaughter.  She loves these.  I know that is a terrible name for them but the gal I got the recipe from said, “she called them that because they are so addictive”.  She was right and yet they are so easy.

Here is the recipe if you want to try it.

1 Box Cake Mix – any flavor (chocolate doesn’t work that great but lemon, funfetti rainbow ship work well.  1 8oz cream cheese (softened), 1 stick butter(softened) and 1 egg.  Beat well and chill dough.  Take teaspoon fulls of dough and roll them in a ball and then in powdered sugar and bake for 8-9 minutes at 350 degrees.  They might not look like they are done, but they are.

From the time my granddaughter, E was about 2, (she’s now 18) we have baked together every Christmas and I have taught her what I know and she in turn loves to bake and is very good at it.  She is even considering going to culinary school and maybe becoming a pastry chef.  I am so happy that I was able to pass something down from my grandmother to me to my granddaughter.  That’s what traditions are all about.

I was going to just put a picture of goodies here, but I decided to put a more beautiful one.  One that never fades…because it is in my heart forever.

Each Christmas, I say to myself “she’s older now and she won’t want to come and spend time baking with me, she has a job and a life of her own”, and yet each year she still likes to come and that really makes me smile.  Our son-in-law is deployed this Christmas and it was fun to start some early baking and send him a care package of goodies.

I hope you have a “baking party” or a baking tradition that adds some sweetness to your Christmas.

6^th day of Christmas

Handmade Christmas Cards

Each year for many years now, I make all the Christmas cards I send out.  It’s usually only about 30 but it is an important tradition for me.  I love getting cards with hand written notes.  Think about it for a moment, you just pulled a stack of mail out of your mailbox, you have a couple of advertisement flyers, some magazines and maybe other junk mail, a bill and one card…quick now….which do you open first?  If you are like me, I open the card first.  I also love the chatty newsletters that some of my friends from afar include with their cards.

I love making and sending the cards, because our lives get so busy and I for one, can just get caught up with working and life that I don’t connect with people like I should.  I may think of them throughout the year and pray for them, but am very bad at picking up the phone or even jotting them a note, so for me it is very important that at least one time a year, I let them know they are not forgotten.  So I have made it an important part of my Christmas tradition.

This year, a few friends and I put together about 30 cards for our service members and what a privilege it was to write to them.  My hope is that in some small way wherever they are it will bless them.

I hope this year, you receive many beautiful cards that bring cheer to your heart and laughter to your soul and that you will send a hand written note in each card you send, regardless of whether you make the card or buy it.

On 5^th day of Christmas

Movies
Who doesn’t like to sit down and watch a good Christmas movie?  Surprise, Surprise, I absolutely love Christmas movies.  (I have been known to even watch a Christmas movie or listen to Christmas music NOT at Christmas Time), I know, you are probably thinking, that’s crazy.  Some of my most favorite movies  are the “Christmas Shoes and the sequel the “Blessing”; Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas”, the “Note” and “The Christmas Card”.  I recently watched a new one this year called the “the gift of a heart”.  If you haven’t seen that one, it will move you beyond words to thankfulness and what is really important in life at Christmas time and gives new meaning to luminaries.    My husband (remember the bah humbug guy J) actually likes watching Christmas movies with me.  He calls them “feel good” shows.   Each one has a message and ends in a way that just touches your heart in a special way.

 I hope you find time this Christmas to watch a good Christmas move together with someone you love,  whether it’s “Home Alone, Santa Claus or Santa Paws” with your children or “it’s a wonderful life” which is a classic for the whole family. 

4^th Day of Christmas:

A Living Christmas Tree…

About 4 or 5 years ago, I had a stack of Christmas Card photos and I thought “what a shame not to do something with these”, so I decided that I would create what I now call my “living” Christmas tree.  I started making photo ornaments of all sorts of shapes, sizes and dimensions and each year I added a few more.  It is such a joy to decorate my tree each year, as I re-discover the old pictures of family members since gone and friends I now connect with only once a year when I send them a card with my chatty newsletter.

Sometimes it brings smiles and laughter as I recall the photo and what the event was and sometimes tears when I come to the ones of family members who are gone but I know that as long as I hold their memories in my heart and I see them once a year on my tree – that they are not gone or forgotten.   For  I have learned that as long as we hold them in our hearts – we hold them forever.  Last year I added some updated ones of the twin grandbabies and next year I’ll have yet another grandbaby to add to the tree.  I add a few plastic icicles and some kind of garland thingy just enough to make the tree seem full, but my main focus is the pictures.  It gives me so much joy when I look at each photo and remember as I place it on the tree. 

It is interesting how all the kids – even the big ones- go up to look at the tree and make sure their picture is on there and where it is as they always seem to end up in different places each year.  It’s kind of like an Easter egg hunt although I call it the “photo hunt”.

I hope whatever things you do at Christmas brings you much joy and wonderful blessings.

 

By the way, the last photo on the tree is me...when I was a teenager in my majorette uniform.  Talk about some nostalgia.

 

Blog – Day 3

Bell Collection: 

Bells have always been a fascination of mine.   Each one has its own tone and song to sing.

My bell collection started so long ago, I am not exactly sure how it got started.  Maybe because Ray (my late husband) and I traveled and moved so much, and it was a way to keep a little piece of everywhere I lived or visited.   My bell collection consists of over 130 bells from all over the Unites States and a few countries that friends visited and brought one back to me.

Bells seemed to represent a symbol of women to me.  Bells come in different shapes, sizes and colors.  Some are petite and soft in their ring tones, some are tall and skinny, some are short and more rounded, and yes I have bells that are large and brassy too.  I even have a cracked one and kept it because it reminded me of broken lives.  I patched it up with super glue to remind me of how God fixes all our broken and hurting parts.  Each bell also represents a time, place or season of my life.

This is just a sampling of my bell collection:

 

Bells to me are a symbol of joy which is why I incorporate them into my decorations and even in my jewelry at Christmas time.  I hope your Christmas will be full of joyous ringing bells.

On the 2nd Day of Christmas

On the 2^nd day of Christmas,

A Nativity Scene…

The first Christmas, after moving into Chuck’s house, I started looking through his meager Christmas Decorations, and I do mean meager.  It is important to note here that he does not share my love of all things Christmas.  He humors me, but throws in a “bah humbug” once in a while  just to remind me.  He says my version of Christmas is a “marathon”.  I’m sure he exaggerates.J

However, my quest was not in vain as I did discover an awesome treasure in his attic.  It was a nativity set.  He said it belonged to his mother and that year, it was one of the first decorations I put up.  He kindly said, “you don’t have to put it up just because it was my mom’s”.  However, for me it was the epitome of what Christmas is all about plus the fact that it belonged to his mother.  It gave me a chance to honor his mother, and bring a little of his family into the mix as I tried to find ways to marry our families and the traditions that were important to me together.

It is hard for me to fathom giving birth in a barn in the hay with animals all around; and what humble surroundings that was for Jesus to be born in.  Yet I can't help but think what a lesson that is to us.  It is when we are humbled that we are often most effective in our life.

When my son was small, it was so important for me to have a nativity set at the base of our Christmas tree.  I wanted it to be the focus under the tree not the presents.  People who came to my house were surprised that I would place a nativity set at the base of my tree with a small child in the house.  Even though he was “all boy”, he was so gentle with the nativity set.  He and I would sit on the floor in front of the tree and pick up each piece and talk about the role each of them played in the birth of Christ – yes even the animals.  These are things that never leave us as they stay in our hearts forever.

The 1st Day of Christmas

Day 1…

My love of all things Christmas – and an Advent Calendar

My birthday is on the 23^rd day of September so I start counting down to Christmas that day…it is exactly 92 days till Christmas at that point.  I am one of those annoying people who start reminding people at work of how many days it is much to their chagrin. 

What I love about Christmas, well it’s everything!  As a faith based person, it is a very spiritual time for me and has been ever since I first became part of the family of God.  But, it all really started with my mom, who was like me the lover of all things Christmas.  Her birthday was in December and all she ever wanted for her birthday was lights, Christmas decorations and a tree decorating party with us kids.  However, she was the one who put the tinsel on the tree and it had to be perfectly placed.  How many of you remember “tinsel”.  You younger folks, its’ ok, never mind, it would be a little like explaining the typewriter.

I thought I was the lover and knower of all things Christmas, however, I had an amazing revelation in church on Sunday.  Our Pastor spoke on the Advent.  It’s important you understand that I have made or bought advent calendars for years for my son when he was little, my granddaughter and even myself.  However, I always thought the advent calendar was just to keep kids from asking a hundred times a day, “is it Christmas yet” or just for me to count down the days?  I realized Sunday, that it is really all about announcing the coming of Christ.  About now, you are probably saying ‘duh’.   For me though, it brought a whole new meaning to the Advent calendar for me.  Just so you know, I am the mom who had a “Happy Jesus Birthday Party” each year for all the neighborhood kids, complete with birthday cake and ice cream.  I sat on the floor in a circle (not as easy to do  these days J) with the kids and read them the story of Christmas from the Bible, gave out presents to each kid and explained to  them why we put up lights and a Christmas tree and give presents to each other from a biblical perspective.  How I missed the whole point of the advent calendar, I don’t know.  Great news, I now have a new tradition for Christmas though that will include a spiritual advent calendar.  Our Pastor’s daughter, shared pictures of the one she made for her room, wow, what a talented young lady.  I wish I could post her picture here, but next year, I’ll post my own.

On each of the other 11 days of Christmas- Shavanna style, I plan to share at least one tradition, or meaning that is particularly significant to me.  While we all have our own traditions, I hope that sharing some of mine, will bless you, touch your heart in some way or bring hope and encouragement to you if you need it.

Christmas is so much more than shopping, baking, making the perfect Christmas dinner, having the right gift to give (even though for many of us, much of that is included in our Christmas’s).  It is about traditions, family, what’s in our hearts and most of all Jesus, “the reason for the season”.  I hope you will tune in every couple of days to see what comes next.

I know everyone is busy at this time of year, so I will try not to make these too long, because I would love for you to open this gift I’m giving to all of you and think of Christmas with peace in your heart. 

This is an older picture of one of our granddaughters.  When I look at this picture, I see so many things going through that little mind of hers.  I decided to post this picture to start with because I wanted say, let’s all try to see Christmas this year through the eyes of a child.  It could change our perspective in some marvelous ways.

Hello Blog Friends,

Today, I wanted to share a card I made for my Pastor’s wife as an encouragement to her regarding a task she is being called upon to do.  I used pearlescent card stock.   I rounded the corners then I cut the corners off of a square doily that I bought at the dollar store and placed them at the two opposite ends.  I matted the flowers in the pot that I stamped from my collection of “Heartfelt Creations stamps then I colored it with Copic markers.   I stamped a scripture verse on the same papers I used on this card and placed it at the bottom.  The scripture verse is from one of the scripture series from “Our Daily Bread Designs”.  An unusual card for me, no bling and no ribbon, go figure.  I think it turned out o.k. though.   

Also............

“An Exciting Announcement”:  Coming are the 12 Days of Christmas – Shavanna style…

Christmas is upon us…so tomorrow I will begin a series called “the 12 days of Christmas, Shavanna style”.  You won’t want to miss this series. Christmas is my very favorite time of year.  It all starts for me at Thanksgiving.  That’s when I begin making lists of things I’m thankful for and people who have impacted my life and how thankful I am for the things they have imparted in my life.  I begin making lists, lots and lots of lists, gift lifts, card lists, baking lists…well you get the idea – I’m obviously one of those list people.  It is hard to explain what happens to me at this time of year, but my heart just overflows with love, peace, joy, thankfulness and giving.  I give everywhere I can and as much as I can.  I have always thought it would be wonderful to be rich so I could give to the whole world, but I’m not, however, I realized I can give  something to all of you, so this series will be my Christmas gift to all of you who venture in.  I know many  are hurting this Christmas and struggling to pay their bills or put food on the table, and know that for those of you, I’m praying for you that those needs will be supplied, but this is a gift from  my heart to yours. 

             “Life doesn’t come wrapped in a bow, but it is a great gift”

                                                                                      Shavanna

We recently celebrated  Veterans Day and as usual, my mind and heart begins to reflect on our military.  My Grandfather served in World War 1, my father did his part in the 3C’s during World War II because he had 3 small children (he was raising on his own) and they wouldn’t let him enlist.  My oldest brother served in the Coast Guard prior to Vietnam and my second oldest brother served in the Navy during Viet Nam.  Currently, our son-in-law is a Captain in the Air Force and is currently deployed for the second time.  He and my step-daughter have 3 small children under the age of 5 and a 4^th on the way.

I wanted to share a card I made in honor of our veterans and wanted to share not just that but my love and appreciation for our son in-law Matt, and  Holly, his wife  who amazingly keeps things going at home (on her own) when he’s gone.

I decided to share this now, for two reasons, one because I didn’t want to take away from the day we are to honor just our veterans, and two, It is almost thanksgiving and I am thankful for all who serve.   I also thought it would be great if we could all  say a prayer and pay tribute to all the spouses (particularly moms)  who are at home serving their country  in a way that make it easier for our service men to leave.  Not to leave out the dad's who stay at home while the women are deployed as well.

Thank you Matt for your service and thank you Holly for your support of him.

 

Have you missed me?

Hello everyone, I thought I should let all of you know why I haven't posted in  the past few weeks.

I have been under a lot of stress for the past few months, and it finally got me down.  At work, I'm doing the job of two persons, and doing it in 32 hours a week instead of 40 so I can have one day a week to dedicate to my personal business activities.  I know I'm wining, but wanted to give you an update.   I have pneumonia and have been in bed for the last 10 days.  With all that said,  I also took the most amazing E-course ever to help me with my creative business, which I am also working on in the other 84 hours of the week I have.  I know, I am a glutton for punishment.

In spite of all that, I did manage to make a card for my pastors for Pastor Appreciation month, so I've posted it here.  No instructions with it, sorry, but if you email me or post a comment, I will put them on in a few days when I'm feeling a bit stronger.  Hope you enjoy the card.

I also know it's not good etiquette to ask people to follow your blog, but I am trying out for some design teams and one of the things they look at is your following.  I would really appreciate it if you would click on follow and forward my blog link to others that might find it interesting.  In the next couple of weeks, I will be updating this blog a bit with some slight changes, so I hope you will keep checking back.  Thanks for stopping by.

Define Yourself

Summer has been awesome.  I went to a 4 day work week (32 hours) and I seem to be busier than I was working 40 hours.  It's funny how that works.  I have really enjoyed the warm days this year.  While Fall is one of my most favorite times of year, I still am kind of sad to see the warm weather go away. 

Over Labor Day, I did kind of a fun project.  I was thinking of how I would define myself if someone ever asked and what I might say...this card kind of came together as a result of those thoughts.

Supplies I used:  Prima - Say it with crystals, Teresa Collins everyday moments cardstock, brad and saying, Ranger - perfect pearls mist (blue raspberry) love this color. and Tim Holtz Distress Ink - peacock feathers.

Using a piece of basic cardstock, I layed the pearls and crystals on the left side of the 5 3/4 by 6 1/4 card.  I then cut a rectangle and a circle piece of cardstock from the Teresa Collins "Everyday Moments" line.  I am a huge fan of Teresa Collins.  I edged the circle and the tag with Tim Holtz Distress ink.   I misted a paper doily and a white flower with Perfect pearls mist.  I made the tag and used a brad from the Teresa Collins Everyday Moments line to attach the bow to the circle piece.

It is always fun to see how easy it is to coordinate several different designer products and how well they all fit together.

Thanks for checking in.

Journals are fun

Hey blog friends, I thought I would post one of the journals I made last week for a special friend.  I just altered a regular compostion book from the office supply store.  This is a great time to buy them as they are usually $1 or less.

Supplies I used were:
Bo Bunny dot paper
White door knob from Tim Holtz
White flowers
Pearls
Quote from Quick Quotes
I used a velcro closure system, the door knob was more for looks but does help open it kind of cool.

Thanks for checking out my blog.  Jjournals are really fun, you should try one.  I'll post some specific directions on how to do this one with a flap over soon, so keep checking back.

Music Card

Music has always been a hug part of my life and yesterday in church, I saw the essence of this card in my mind as I was asking God to strengthen my creativity.  I went home and pulled out my stash and began to create.

I started with a die cut card I purchased a long time ago from Craftworks Card, back to basics and added the music notes paper I purchased from The Hens Den (be sure to check out their website) at  www.thehensden.com.

For the bow, I used Hug Snug seam binding (log brown) on my Becca's Peg Bow Maker ( check out her blog) at www.amazingpapergrace.com.

I inked a paper doily from the dollar store and the endges of the card  with Tim Holtz walnut stain distress ink.  Then placed a Spellbinders classic cut circle and a simple round circle made with a Marvy punch, also inked on the doily  and stamped the sentiment from Just Rite Romantic Sentiments stamp collection with a 1 5/8" round Just Rite Stamper.  The pearls underneath it all were Prima "Say it with Pearls" slip leaves cream color.  This was such a fun card to create.  I hope you enjoy it and have a blessed day.     Shavanna

Blessings

Today, I was so blessed in church.  The visiting pastor talked about how God is always  present in our lives.  I thought about this blog and my website and the title, "Its a gift".  I see everything in my life, from family, friends, talents and resources as well as life itself as a GIFT.  I am truly blessed and my life is a precious gift.  Be Blessed today and more to come if my video works.

Welcome to my new blog.  I am going to attempt my first ever tutorial tomorrow.  If it works, I will publish it here.  Looking forward to sharing  my projects with you.