More Good Christmas Reads and More Studio Progress

In case you'd like more book ideas ... to continue the Christmas spirit ... I have more good Christmas reads for you today, as well as an update on the continued progress I've made in my studio.  The first two books are books for children, but adults will enjoy them as well.  They're really great for the entire family.  If you don't want to read them now, tuck this idea away for next Christmas.  The art work is absolutely stunning!

The Christmas Candle tells a message about the true meaning of Christmas.  One year, for our children's worship service on Christmas Eve, my husband took a lantern (We hunted through several antique stores to find it.  How fun!) and told the entire story (from memory!) to all the children as they gathered on the steps at the front of our Sanctuary.  It was really special.

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey tells the story of how a child warms the previously cold heart of a sad man who suffers from the loss of his wife and child and helps him find joy once again as he carves an entire Nativity set from wood.  Both of these children's books would warm the heart of any reader and both have such beautiful art work and stories that they're worth reading again and again.  I highly recommend both books.

Most readers must have read a book by Fannie Flagg somewhere along the way.  Her story of A Redbird Christmas is one of the most charming stories I've ever read.  I try to read it again most every Christmas. 

Another book, for which I did not take a photo, that I love is A Christmas Story, by Jean Shepherd.  If you've seen the movie, you should read the book, too.

Now, I'll bet you're wishing I'd show a sneak peek of my studio.  No way!  Not yet!  I'm suffering greatly from all the plaster dust clean-up and can't wait to be finished.  I've completely emptied and cleaned all the upper cabinets on the back bar, as well as the 8 drawers on the back bar.  The first drawer, the hardest one, took 2 hours to clean!  It had multiple open containers of embellishments that were covered with plaster dust.  I put them in a veggie keeper that had a plastic mesh insert and washed them like that.  I wanted to do the hardest drawer first, to get it over, knowing the rest would be easier. 
Now, to do all the lower cabinets on the back bar.  Each day, I've also cleaned part of the storage room.  It is just horrible.  I need to finish all the storage room before we can get the furnace ducts all cleaned.  Can't wait to be finished.  I've had lots of moments of discouragement and near meltdowns, but know I have to just keep plugging away.  Some day, when it's all finished, I will be so glad.  I have about 6 more boxes to take down from the upstairs (from my temporary studio in our dining room) and then all can be put away once the cabinets and drawers are cleaned out and room made for them.  Ugh!
I'll give another update soon, as well as more creative inspiration.  Be sure to check back soon.

SPECIAL NOTE:
I've been working on my 2019 schedule and have posted classes and events for January - June of 2019.  Check it out here!