Blessings on Your Memorial Day Weekend

From the Writers of ReviewThis we would like to send our United States readers best wishes for a lovely Memorial Day Weekend. 

In remembrance, we celebrate by honoring those who have paid the ultimate price to defend our freedoms.

For those outside of the USA, here's a quick summary of what Memorial Day is about: It's origins are from Decoration Day, a day of honor following the US Civil War. By 1971 Memorial Day became an official federal holiday to honor all those who lost their lives serving in the US armed forces.

Honor, Grace and Love - To All Who Lost Their Lives in Defense of Country

Photo: Via Pixabay 

This hauntingly gorgeous song, "When the Angels Came Down" by Kevin Costner (yes that Kevin Costner) and Modern West, remembers history and the Fallen - It's very moving.

If you want to read more about this song, the story behind it's writing and it's meaning, you'll find it explained here at The Heart of Country Music.

For those who have suffered loss and who are remembering their loved ones, we're thinking of you and we thank you and your family. We remember.

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National Hamburger Day Review

Image Source: Pixabay

Date Celebrated:  May 28

Memorial Day and the 4th of July wouldn't be the same without a juicy hamburger, so it is appropriate that a national day has been set aside to celebrate this favorite picnic food. There is no official origin for 'hamburger day', but we are glad someone picked out a day to celebrate it. 

Cook your burgers on an outdoor grill or fry them up inside.  Add your favorite fixings and enjoy!  If you add cheese, you suddenly have the popular cheeseburger, which has it's own day (National Cheeseburger Day ~ September 18).

(c) Wednesday Elf

If you don't want to cook your own, or are out-and-about on “Hamburger Day”, then stop by a local Five Guys Restaurant for a tasty burger fixed in a homemade style. 

A Few Hamburger Facts

• The hamburger was originally created in Hamburg, Germany (thus the name), but eating a hamburger on a bun is an American idea.
• The hamburger was originally made from ground up meat scraps from cutting up other meats.  First it was made with beef, but today it can be found in other forms, such as ground chicken and ground turkey for those who prefer a non-meat burger.  Other meats, such as Buffalo Burgers, have also become popular. 
• Seymour, Wisconsin has a 'Burger Fest' each year and in 2001 they made the largest hamburger ever – weighing 8,200 pounds. Burger Fest is held each August and includes a parade, a hot air balloon rally, and, of course, lots of hamburgers to eat. Check out their website Home of the Hamburger for details.
• Americans eat about 50 billion burgers every year, which equals approximately three burgers a week for every person in the U.S.

Handmade Hamburgers

The title of this paragraph indicates that here I will give you a lesson in making the perfect hamburger patty – so I will.

Image courtesy of Pixabay

Take a ball of meat the size you wish your burger to be.  Some like them big served on large hamburger buns; some like them a bit smaller.  The choice is yours.

Press the meat into a patty, pressing down in the middle and patting in from the sides as you turn the burger around in your hand.  Continue until the patty is even and uniform.  It needs to be a solid disk of meat that is compacted tightly

A tip I read online at EATS – How to Make Hamburger Patties said to prevent the cracks around the edges as the burger cooks (caused by shrinking due to the cooking process), slightly depress the center of the patty when you are finished shaping it to make it thinner in the middle than it is around the edges.  The depression tends to push a little extra meat towards the edges, making an even patty once it is cooked.

More Handmade Hamburgers

Now, since I am a craftsman of handmade items, I shall continue a bit with my 'Handmade Hamburger' theme and show you a few clever handmade items representing this favorite food.

Hamburger Cookies

Homemade Hamburger Cookies

Mona Flood of Orlando, Florida makes homemade cookies.  Her Hamburger Cookies are adorable and perfect for a picnic-themed party or to celebrate Hamburger Day in a fun way. Each cookie is roughly 3 inches in size and is individually packaged in a FDA compliant clear cellophane baggie and heat sealed to ensure freshness and a safe arrival. 

They are a made with a Shortbread cookie recipe, a rich buttery cookie that melts in your mouth.  

The ingredients list is in the listing in her Etsy Shop called Merci Bakery.  Each cookie is individually decorated. 

Hamburger Apron

Handmade Hamburger Design Apron - Etsy

This hamburger design apron is perfect for those backyard BBQs, especially when burgers are on the menu.  Handmade by a crafter from Clare, Michigan and featured in her SweetApronzNCupcakes Etsy Shop, this is an adult size apron made of a black fabric with large hamburgers on it. Some of the hamburgers are singles, others are double deckers, some have bacon on top, others have lettuce and tomatoes.

Hamburger Playfood Crochet Toy

Crochet Amigurumi Hamburger/Cheeseburger Play Food

Kimberlie of Redlands, California created this cute hamburger/cheeseburger play food 7-piece toy for kids who love to play in a pretend kitchen. The set contains 7 separate play-pieces to stack the perfect burger.  They include the Top bun, Tomato, Lettuce, Onion, Cheese, Patty, and Bottom bun. 
All the pieces are soft and squishy, especially the top bun, which has been stuffed with polyester stuffing. 
The entire stacked burger measures about 3.5" tall, and about 3.5" wide. 

It can be found in Kimberlie's Etsy Shop she calls ShopKimberlie.


Related Links:

Handmade Crochet Hamburger/Cheeseburger Potholders Tutorial

And for my fellow crafters, here is a free tutorial to crochet a set of potholders which look like a hamburger or cheeseburger when stacked together. 

Hamburger Month

In addition to May 28th being a DAY to celebrate the humble hamburger, The entire month of May is is known as National Hamburger Month. 

So get those burgers grilling, pile on the condiments, and enjoy National Hamburger Day and Month with a tasty hamburger! 


(c) National Hamburger Day Review by Wednesday Elf

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I Am Your Child - Happy Mothers Day, We Love You

Photo: Via Pixabay

Happy Mother's Day from the Writers of ReviewThis

To all the moms of the world, thank you.

Whether you're a dad occupying a dual role, a fur baby mom, a step-mom, a guardian, two dads, two moms, or a family member who has had to step in and be that soft place to land for others, a working mom or a stay-at-home mom, know that your contributions and sacrifices are never forgotten.

We've noticed it all:

• When you handed us the full plate of food, and kept the smaller portion for yourself
• That time you reached in your pocket to hand us your last few dollars, and said, 'oh that's ok', I don't need it
• Your picking us up late at night when you were exhausted
• The trips back and forth as you taxi us to our events for years
• Planning our birthdays on a shoestring and making it memorable
• We heard you cry from time to time and watched you pick yourself up every time
• You laughed at our jokes that weren't funny just so we could smile a little more
• You held your pain inside so as not to worry our young minds
• You let us have our childhood and didn't demand we grow up too soon
• You held us when we were sad or upset, and it always worked
• We hurt your feelings sometimes, we know we did, and you held yourself with grace, just for us. When we look back, especially as parents, we see where we erred, and how it hurt you.
• You made us face our weaknesses and when we had to grow a pair, you showed us how
• You put our needs ahead of your own more often than we can possibly count
• When we accomplish something we are aiming for, you are proud of us
• We watch you continue to worry about us as grown-ups, and in that we learn from you how to balance that never ending scale of worry-don't worry
• Remember when you held our child for the first time, and that tear rolled down your cheek, we felt that too
• That soft shoulder you have .... we're still trying to figure out how a rock can be so soft

"Whatever I am, you taught me to be, I am your hope, I am your chance, I am your child" (Lyrics)

This Song is for You: "I Am Your Child, by Barry Manilow"

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Dolphin Review for National Dolphin Day

Dolphin Photo - Pixabay

National Dolphin Day is celebrated each year on April 14th, an unofficial holiday that mainly focuses on bringing awareness to the ban on the hunting of dolphins. 

Dolphins are mammals and are related to whales and porpoises.  They range in size from 4 feet up to 30 feet and are found all over the world in the shallow seas around the continental shelves.  I have even seen them in the inland waterway between Savannah, Georgia and Beaufort, South Carolina and in the Savannah River, both of which have access to the ocean. 

Dolphins are very social animals and live in groups called 'Pods'.  

No one knows who originally started National Dolphin Day, but many organizations promote it, including conservation groups, zoos and aquariums.

Things to do on National Dolphin Day

• Visit a zoo or an aquarium near you.
• Go on a Dolphin Tour if you live near the ocean. My son & grandson took such a tour on the Savannah River in Savannah, Georgia last summer. 

• Watch this amazing video about dolphins

• Read a storybook about dolphins to a child.
• Watch a movie about dolphins.  Remember Flipper?

Pink Dolphin in Plush

• Read about the rare Pink Albino Bottlenose Dolphin in this article by Sylvestermouse.

Toy Dolphins

An Etsy Dolphin Pod in Plush Handmade Crochet

I am a crochet crafter who has lived near the sea for many years and toy dolphins in plush crochet are my favorite animals to create.  I have them in many colors in my Etsy Shop Coastal Crochet Crafts. 

Dolphins are usually gray or bluish gray with a lighter gray or white underbelly.  But cute crochet dolphins are toy stuffed animals, so they can be any color you can imagine! 

For more crochet dolphins, visit Crocheted Handmade Toy Dolphins by Wednesday Elf on Crochet, Crafts and Cute Critters. 

National Dolphin Day

So enjoy this magical of creatures, the wonderful sea animal known as the dolphin.

Plush Dolphins on Etsy at Coastal Crochet Crafts

National Dolphin Day

Every April 14th

The Month of March is 

Dolphin Awareness Month

(c) Wednesday Elf. Article written on 4/4/2018. Updated 3/29/2019.

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Five Easter Home Decor Ideas

Easter Home Décor Product Items Here - by Funkthishouse.com

Decorating for Easter can be as simple as changing the centerpiece on the table, to a more dramatic change, such as changing out the art on the wall with a seasonal Easter/Spring piece.

Let's review five Easter home décor ideas that are both traditional and unconventional.

1. Be Unconventional and Decorate a Dollhouse for Easter

Heads-up Grandparents, this is for you! Mom and Dad too of course. It's a great idea for parents (Grand and all) who don't have time to decorate the 'real' house for Easter.

Get a dollhouse and decorate it, it gives the kids something to play with and something to decorate.

Place the dollhouse in a central location, perhaps on a table in the foyer, and decorate it with Easter related characters, eggs, fun dollhouse lights, or have the kids make items for it. Get Easter cut-out books for the kids to decorate with, or just make décor items from scratch.

2. Decorate the Table for Easter

Our dining room table or kitchen table sits ready to be used as the focal point for the special occasions yet we tend to avoid using it.

The problem with using a table to decorate is ensuring it's still usable for eating. But hey, no problem, just keep it simple.

Cover your table(s) with an Easter themed tablecloth or Easter placemats and feature a lovely Easter centerpiece.

More Easter Fun by ReviewThis

3. Place Easter Bouquets or Easter Ornaments in the Main Rooms - Add an Easter Wreath

The easiest way to add a touch of Easter, is to include a bouquet or ornament in the room. You don't have to go with a standard flower bouquet (although that's always lovely) ... try an Easter egg tree or a lighted Easter display ornament.

Add an Easter wreath to the front door or add several inside the house. Place one or two in the foyer and of course find a place for one in the living or dining rooms. Again be sure to scroll down and view some examples.

4. Easter Wall Art - Add Fun Creative Pieces to the Wall for Spring

The nice thing about Easter wall art is that it works for both spring and summer. Get a piece or two and put it up in the foyer, living room or dining room for both seasons. You'll have Easter covered and the fun continues through all the warm weather.

5. Easter Pillows and Throw Blankets

The standard décor pieces for a seasonal change are pillows and blankets. They're easy to display and easy to put away. If you have pillow covers, you can just cover your existing pillows. That's a particularly popular way to change out pillows, as pillow liners are easy to store.

Changing your throws and pillows to pastels or soft tones also helps to lighten up a room giving it that fresh, airy appeal.

See the Products Here

Happy Easter :)

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Hobby Time from the Review This! Contributors

hob·by - an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure. 

January is known as National Hobby Month.   The contributing writers here on Review This! each have their favorite ways to enjoy a relaxing pursuit and have written many reviews of various how-to books, crafting supplies and DIY tutorials, gardening tips, recipes & kitchen aids for the cook, photography lessons, reading or listening to music, sports, and a host of other hobbies. 

These are but a few of the hobbies enjoyed by the Review This crew. The list of hobbies is almost endless.  If you are interested in looking for what we writers here have reviewed, type in the name of your 'hobby' either in the box in the top left-hand corner of any Review This page, or in the search box down the right-hand side. By looking at the author's name, you won't have any problem figuring out which HOBBY is each writers' favorite! For instance, mine  (Wednesday Elf) is crochet and my hobby is shared by several other contributors here, so we learn and share with each other. A more comprehensive list is shown below.

National Hobby Month

Begun by the Hobby Guild of America in 1955,  National Hobby Month was celebrated in April until 1976, then in October until 1986.  Since then, it has been celebrated during the month of January. 

January was most likely chosen for National Hobby Month as it is the beginning of a new year and a good time to start a new hobby.  Many people have never had hobbies during their working years or while raising a family and begin one in their retirement or after the children are grown.  Others try many hobbies throughout their life before finding one or two that gives them the most enjoyment. 

Hobby Examples on Review This!

Hobbies can be passive (such as crafting, reading, writing, listening to music or watching a movie) or an activity such as gardening, cooking or participating in sports. Many people have more than one hobby and often combine them, such as listening to music while crafting. 

In addition to writing reviews here on Review This!, most of the contributing writers here write for their own blogs and websites.  Writers consider writing to be more work than hobby, so time away from writing is important. That's where the activities done in our leisure time become such a pleasure. It is also interesting to note that the passion we feel for our hobbies is shown in many of the subjects we write about.

• Barbara Tremblay Cipak (Brite-Ideas) is crazy about country music and frequently writes about the artists and their music she is so passionate about.  She is also loves to experiment with color in home décor. 
• Dawn Rae does crochet and participates in a group of fellow jeep owners.  She also enjoys gardening and lately 'learning about homesteading'.
• Cynthia Sylvestermouse is a freelance writer and photographer who loves all different kinds of crafts, including crafting in the kitchen, creating fancy cakes and cupcakes. 
• Barbara (BarbRad) is an expert on books and loves to read.  She is also a nature photographer who most enjoys photographing her central California area. 
• Mary Beth Granger (MBGphoto) is a fabulous photographer who continually takes photography classes to learn more.  Photography has become her passion in her retirement, along with traveling.  Lighthouses and beaches are her favorite subjects. 
• Wednesday Elf loves crochet and needlework, watching baseball and reading. 
• Beverly Owens is busy researching her Native American Indian heritage and loves to write about spirit animals and the wisdom of her ancestors. She also enjoys crocheting. 
• Olivia Morris loves gardening and following the fashion world.
• Brenda Little (Treasures By Brenda) collects coffee mugs and researches the history of vintage cups and other vintage items which she shares in her eBay store.  She also loves reading, great movies, cooking, and pop culture. 
• Diana Wenzel (Renaissance Woman2010) enjoys an off-the-grid lifestyle where she pursues her interests in animal rescue, wonderful nature photography, and DIY projects. She also loves to read. 
• Louanne Cox (Lou16) loves reading, 80s music, zombies and dolls, among a host of other interests. 
• Heather Burns (Heather426) is an artist, illustrator and graphic designer. Her hobby is her artistic accomplishments, including the colored pencils she has created for coloring pages and coloring books. 
• Coletta Teske is a published book author and loves to sew. 
• Sam Monaco enjoys cooking and he has a passion for preserving old family recipes. These can be found on his blog Sam's Place. He also loves history.
• Jasmine Ann Marie Annie (Raintree Annie) loves gardening and nature. Her favorite hobby is photography and photographing the wildlife, animals and birds in nature.

These are just the highlights of hobbies and interests I have observed from the articles they publish and the interaction we have as a team here on the staff of Review This!.  I am sure there are other interests each of them have.  

Quick View Home Page

By clicking on the Quick View Home Page button at the top of any Review This! page, you will have weekly examples of many of the articles your hobbyists here enjoy (plus many non-hobby reviews).  

Stop by the comments section and tell us your favorite hobby or activity. The Review This! staff would love to hear about what gives you pleasure in your leisure time.

(c) Written by Wednesday Elf on 1/20/2018

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We Wish You the Best This New Year

All the world welcomes a new calendar year today.

This time of year is a time to reflect on things passed. Whether or not you set New Year's resolutions, the beginning of the new year is often viewed as a fresh start with feelings of rejuvenation. A time to plan for the coming year.

A Year in Review at Review This!

Thanks to our beloved readers, 2017 was a good year for our site. We continued to grow this year and over time have welcomed 795,884 of you to our site. Your visits, comments, and shares are greatly appreciated. 

2017 also brought us grief and loss with the passing of one of our writers - Susan Deppner. She was (and is) loved by so many. 

As we look ahead to 2018, our goal is to continue to provide heartfelt and honest reviews. We plan to continue to share those things that make us happy; those things that make our lives easier and more enjoyable. Our hope is that you continue to find our reviews helpful. 

On behalf of the writers at Review This! we wish you all the best. May your 2018 be filled with joy, peace, health, and success. 

Best Wishes,
Dawn Rae
on behalf of the Review This! writers

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Loading 2018 - Happy New Years Eve from ReviewThis

May you face 2018 with an unstoppable, focussed and determined attitude that brings you peace, success, and a ton of love.

As you celebrate, stay safe .... oh, and don't forget to keep climbing!

For a little motivation, listen to Rascal Flatt's 'Unstoppable' - And Remember it's Winter Olympic Season coming up, so whether you're watching the Olympics or participating, go for your dreams this year!

(Lyrics)
"You find your faith has been lost and shaken
You take back what's been taken
Get on your knees and dig down deep
You can do what you think is impossible
Keep on believing, don't give in
It'll come and make you whole again
It always will, it always does
Love is unstoppable"

Read More: Unstoppable by Rascal Flatts - And don't let anyone ever stop you from reaching your potential!

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Amazing Things to Do Between Christmas and New Years Day

One of my Favorite times of year is Christmas, but once it's over you can feel let down.  So let's Review Ways to keep that after Christmas Depression at bay!

If your family is anything like mine, the days leading up to Christmas have been full of all kinds of trips, errands to run, parties to attend and a host of other fun and time consuming activities.  Depending on the ages of your children or grandchildren, there will also be more than one Christmas recital to attend as well.

This is not a complaint, but, it is a reality.  We get so wound up with places to go and people to see, that when it stops, we feel lost!  Some of us will only feel that way after the New Year because we are still in the middle of all the partying still.  Others, who do not go "all out" for New Years will feel that way sooner.

The bottom line is, it doesn't have to be this way at all!

Part of your planning for the holidays should include that time between the holidays, so that holiday let down is minimized or completely obliterated.  No one really wants to be depressed at the best time of the year. 

So let's make those plans now!  If the plan is in place,  you will actually follow through.  

So let's get down to some concrete ways to stave off any negative feelings.

First of all, if you have family visiting, make arrangements to go somewhere on an outing.

• visit the downtown area and look over the lights and Christmas Displays
• Go sledding or skating, if your body allows that kind of seasonal fun.
• Make Snow Angels (with the above caveat)
• Go to a park with a handful of bird seed, for those birds who don't have a feeder close by
• Pick up some small gift cards for a coffee shop and give them to "Street People" to enjoy
• Visit a local church and see their Nativity Displays
• take lots of pictures while out and about
• when you come home, make some Hot Chocolate and watch a favorite movie
• Be Thankful for the Blessing of Family and Friends.

Between Christmas and New Years is a great time to make some plans for the next year too!  Many a lively conversation could be had over those plans.  Will you make resolutions for 2018?  Will you decide to travel more or less?  How about making a resolution to get together with friends more often?  It is a great idea to look forward, but also take some time to look back and be thankful for all the good things that happened in the year just past.  

When the hustle and bustle has come to a standstill, it's no longer a dreaded fear, rather it's a time to take stock.  Look ahead at what might be coming your way, and look back to see where you have been.  If things weren't the greatest, find ways to make this year to come, better.  If the year past was wonderful all around then celebrate this wholeheartedly, and pray that the year to come will be as blessed as the one just past.  Gratitude for everything is a great way to live.  You don't become nearly as disappointed and you really don't let yourself become engrossed in the things you have no control over either.  

Start taking note of things you are thankful for and try to do something new in the coming year.

If you need help thinking of all the things to be grateful for, there are several different types of journals that can give you some coaching either in pictures or scriptures.  One of my favorites is the one:

If you don't have a gratitude journal, a blank book works well too. Sometimes though in our busy lives, we need a hint of encouragement and for that a true gratitude journal is a bonus. Each page will give you a little inspiration to get you started with the right attitude. If you are not a particularly spiritual person, there are journals that remind you of gratitude without scriptural readings. Whichever one is to your liking, will be a good choice and they are inexpensive.  Maybe Santa brought you one, but if not that's okay too.  You can always get your own when you feel the need for it.  It will be an investment in yourself, for your mental and physical and spiritual well being.

May I take this opportunity to wish you and all your family a most Beautiful, Blessed and Wonderful New Year!

pictures courtesy of Pixabay.com

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Christmas Wishes

To our readers,

We wish you peace during this holiday season.

We wish you safe travels. 

We wish you warm homes -

And hearts filled with warm experiences.

We wish you contentedness - 

And joyous times with belly laughs.

We wish you good health.

And we wish you the best gift of all - love.


Merry Christmas,

From Dawn Rae 

and the Contributors of Review This!

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T'WAS the Night Before Christmas

When all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse

Relax and enjoy the Classic 'Twas the Night Before Christmas Cartoon' with the family tonight:

To your family from ReviewThis, ... Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight. <3 

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Fun December Review of a Few Christmas and Santa Memories

A collection of personal Christmas stories....
 

Coal in the Christmas Stocking … and Baseball Cole

Handmade Lump of Coal soap by SEAandCLEAN on Etsy

The old-fashioned custom of children who misbehave finding a lump of coal from 'Santa' in their Christmas Stocking instead of presents has many origins, mostly cultural.

In Italy gifts at Christmas began with the birth of Jesus and is where La Befana (a witch who delivers presents) instead of Santa Claus leaves toys for good children, and coal for bad ones. Today, Italians use a candy, called Carbone Dolce, (dark, rock-like candy that looks just like lumps of coal), as a joke.

In Holland, the coal legend began around the 16th century. Dutch children would put their clogs by the fireplace before stockings were used and got a lump of coal if they were bad and a small toy, cookies or candy if they were good.

Other countries have their own legends or stories to tell.

Interesting to note that in Scotland and Northern England it is considered lucky to receive a lump of coal as a gift on New Year's Day. It's part of their 'First-Footer' celebration and represents warmth for the year to come.

Being a baseball fan (and the baseball fan contributor here on Review This!), I tend to relate 'everything' to baseball.  A December 2014 headline in MLB news is what brought this whole story about.  It stated “Which Club will get Cole in its Stocking?”  The story goes on to state that there are a number of 'Cole diggers' (baseball teams) vying for  the acquisition of the Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels.  We didn't  know for awhile which team ended up with Cole as their new pitcher, but the Boston Red Sox seemed the most interested at that moment. (Red Sox ~ Stockings ~ Hmmm!)

*Editor's Note: Cole Hamels actually ended up with the Texas Rangers in 2014.  Today he is pitching for the Atlanta Braves.
 
Christmas stocking Coal or Baseball pitcher Cole.  The stocking lump-of-coal seems appropriate for this time of year. Baseball is appropriate ANY time of year (to me, the baseball nut). :-)

Santa, I Can Explain...

eBay Cross Stitch Pattern

I sell craft supplies and patterns on eBay and it is always delightful to receive a note from a customer about a particular item.

I sold this cross stitch pattern shown in the photo of a cat sitting next to a tree ornament lying on the floor and the words “Santa, I can explain!” 

The buyer sent a note saying she couldn't wait to cross stitch this design as her cat takes all the stuff off the tree and hides it.  Then takes the branches and gets rid of them.  So this picture is for her cat. :-).

Personalized stories like this make my eBay selling most enjoyable and gives me such a nice feeling that something I've listed is exactly what someone wanted or fits a situation perfectly.

Handmade by Santa?

Handmade Christmas Coasters Available on Etsy

Since early childhood, we've known that Santa, with the help of his elves, makes all the Christmas toys for good little girls and boys. As we grow up, we begin to doubt that Santa Claus actually made everything by hand.

I confess I had some doubts myself, until last month when someone bought a batch of yarn I had for sale in my eBay store.  You see, the shipping address for the yarn purchase was – wait for it – NORTH POLE, AK.

I'm now totally convinced that 'Santa's Workshop' actually exists.  

Santa Humpty Dumpty

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

 

(c) A collection of stories originally written by me (Wednesday Elf) on a former online site.

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