Revisiting the Paper Bag Santa, and more......

 I can't believe it's been nearly a year since I've posted here....we faced deep heartache in our family this past year, some health issues, the passing of best friends, but the most heartbreaking and life altering was losing our sweet, sweet Ryan in April.  I'm sure most of you know of his passing.  He left us all too soon. Our Christmas won't be the same this year, or ever.  

We continue to strive to stay positive and happy and live life to the fullest, as Ryan wanted us to and how he would if he were with us. 

For all who have followed us here or on other sites you are familiar with the story of the 

Paper Bag Santa.  If for some reason you aren't and would like to read it, you can look in the left sidebar here under Archived Posts.  Scroll to 2021, click and then choose December.  I think it will be the second post.  

I decided to revisit him, not for us, as we see him each and every year.  He oversees the Christmas festivities from a special perch so he doesn't miss a thing.  I am revisiting so that those of you who haven't read it or those that didn't know about Ryan could read if you choose.  

The above photo was taken by Ryan.  It's one of my all time favorites.  He left us with so many wonderful photos that bring us sweet memories.  Memories of his many gifts.  His gift of being an accomplished artist.  His smile, that each time I see, I hear his contagious laughter.  His brilliant mind, his knack to take a bunch of groceries and quickly turn them into a gourmet meal.  Most of all I remember his kind, kind heart and his ability to make everyone feel like they mattered when it was needed most.  

 Our special Santa sits well above the Keeping Room with full view of the festivities.....

right here on the top of the hall cupboard, where he can oversee all the family as we gather.  There will be laughter, mischief, lots of food & gifts of course.  Ryan's nephew River will be here sharing his first Christmas with us.  River will not remember a Christmas with Ryan.  He will hear all of our memories of Uncle Ryan and come to know him through us.  We will introduce him to our special Santa and tell him the tale.  

It will be altered just a bit this year, the special man who gifted this Santa won't be the only one watching us through the eyes of Santa.....Ryan will be right along side him.  

There will be a sadness in all our hearts without Ryan among us.  There will also be joy knowing he is with Gramps, keeping watch on us all.  

Merry Christmas from Our Family to Yours  ❤️

THANK YOU ALL.....

 for your overwhelming response to our most recent OFFERINGS update!  We were in a packing frenzy for a few days and are just now getting to the final orders we'll be taking for the items in this offering.      

Working on some everyday offerings now as well that will be posted soon.  Also have Easter and Spring items in the works.  There will be some items posted for pre orders as well so we'll be sure to have them done and ready to ship in time for you to use for the season.  

New cinnamon ornaments coming for the small trees and some sweet tree toppers for your trees, too!

Check in here on our home page for any news on our updates and other news from the Lane.

Thank you again for your support 🤎

From the Lane,

BigPops, Sharon, Lola & Ivy

All About ❤️❤️❤️'s

 A belated Happy New Year to everyone! 

I didn't realize it had been so long since checking in here...... truthfully, I have been absent from most places here on the computer.  So much going on in our little world and sometimes it's just hard to keep up with.  I'm sure that many of you can relate.  

I am working on uploading photos and descriptions on our "Offerings" page and as the title of this post reads, it is All About ❤️'s.

All handmades with plans to mix a few everyday items to feather your nest.  

I have my Christmas packed away but I surely haven't been on top of decorating for the New Year.  BigPops has helped me rearrange the furniture in the Keeping Room.  Not once of course, it takes several moves to be sure it's going to "look right" there.  It's good for now, let's see what tomorrow brings, or maybe this afternoon!!

Here's one of the heart items that will be offered.....                                                           

just a sweet little mat using pieces of an old wool blanket and an old quilt.  The page should be open sometime later today.  I will give all instructions for purchasing at the top, descriptions with each item.

Enjoy your afternoon ❤️

~Almost Thanksgiving....

 

and here we are at the Christmas Offerings~

Before getting to all of that I hope you are noticing our cover photo ~ GRATITUDE ~                        

 I want you all to know how truely grateful I am for all of you.  Not just for your support of all I throw at you, your purchases and patience with me a lot of times..... I am most grateful for your friendships, love and support over all the years.  It's been a great ride and to all the longtime friends and the new ones just jumping on the train, thanks so much for taking a seat.  Hoping for a long ride ahead, so hang on!!

Now on to the Christmas Offerings~

We will be doing it the same as always, but for those of you who haven't joined us this is the drill~

The OFFERINGS page will appear in the sidebar of our home page (right here) at 7pm est, Sunday November 20.  At that time you'll be able to click the OFFERINGS link and it will take you to our sale page, where the shopping begins!  *Note ~ be sure to refresh your page at 7 or a few seconds after if you aren't seeing the OFFERINGS in the left column below HOME.  I know some have looked for several minutes for the link and because they were on the home page prior to 7pm it hadn't been added.

If/when you find something you'd like, I take all requests for items through email only and only at  SNIPPETSHOME@GMAIL.COM  

I won't be checking any other emails so be sure to use this address, please.  I take all emails in the order received and will respond as quickly as I'm able.  Please include your FULL mailing address with your request.  If the item is yours I will reply and include other info you need.   

I do have multiples of some items but many are one of a kind creations.  I do combined shipping priority mail and charge exact or a bit less than I am charged.   

Wishing you all good luck in picking up something you love.       

Let the fun begin, tonight November 20, 7pm est ~ Right here!!                                                

HAPPY FALL!!

 

Hello All ~ I hope this finds you all as smiley as this little Jack is!  

We are having a beautiful autumn day here in Michigan, albeit a bit breezy... the sun is shining bright and the temps are hoveing right around 60*  

Sweatshirt weather for sure!!

I have a few things uploaded to the Offerings page.  Some remnants of what is left of fall and being I've already moved on to Thanksgiving and Christmas (yes, I said Christmas) I'm hoping these few fall items will find their way to a new home to be happy and enjoyed!!

My plans are to move things over to the new site I've been creating and hope it will be before the Thanksgiving update

You will not automatically receive the posts from the new site to your inbox

If you would like to be on our mailing list to receive the posts as well as other much needed ;) info

PLEASE, PLEASE 

send me your request to 

SNIPPETSHOME@GMAIL.COM

I will add you and you'll be set.  If at any time you wish to be removed just shoot an email to this same address with REMOVE in the subject line.  We'll hate to see you go but we don't want you receiving mail you no longer care to.  

OFFERINGS 

page is up now.  If you see something you would like please send and email to

SNIPPETSHOME@GMAIL.COM

Enjoy this wonderful season.  Do something fun, maybe even mischievous....

Always be kind

From the Lane,

Sharon, BigPops

and the Girls

New Season ~ New Offerings......

THANKS FOR A GREAT SALE!

We have a few items left if you missed the sale on Friday.  Click on the OFFERINGS option in the left sidebar and it will take you to the sale page.  

If you're interested in being notified of our sales and other news please contact us at

SNIPPETSHOME@GMAIL.COM

Please include your NAME ~ MAILING ADDRESS ~ EMAIL WHERE YOU WANT YOUR NOTICES SENT

And Most Importantly........

 

Make Magic, Dreams and Madness....

~Sharon

Merry Christmas......

from our home, to yours ❤️

May your Christmas be Merry and your New Year be Bright!

BigPops, Sharon, Ivy & Lola

 

The Paper Bag Santa......

the Santa that watches over our family each year throughout the holidays.  

A year ago I wrote a short story about this sweet Santa and it was published in FOLK magazine along with the photo that my nephew Ryan took.  Sadly, when the magazine arrived and I opened to see and read, I realized that I had sent my rough draft to Ben instead of my finished story.  I'm going to go ahead and tell his story once again, here, to all of you.  It will be told a bit differently, as it will come from my head and my heart and not copied from the draft. 

 

Many years ago, my Dad popped in to see me.  He was carrying a paper bag, lunch sized.  My first thought was that he brought me cookies!  His first words were, "I found something for you".  I remember the words, because those were words I heard from him many times.  He proceeded to pull his find from the paper bag, his face lighting up as he revealed his find.  I remember that moment when I laid eyes on the sweetest old Santa.  At one time, when he was new and shiny, his arm animated to ring the little bell.  Dad knew me well.  He knew that I was a lover of anything old, Christmas and most especially that I was always drawn to the less than perfect.  I didn't mind the tattered and torn, the well used, well loved or sometimes not loved enough.  He knew this Santa was perfect for me, he knew my heart.  

Each year as I prepare to dress our home for the holidays, I pull a brown paper bag from a cupboard.  The brown bag that Dad held with this precious Santa inside.  Sweet memories of Christmas' past.  Years of memories with him present.  Too many years of his presence only in spirit.  Tears always fall, some happy, others sad.  We have so many good memories of Dad, at Christmas and year round.  We also have one sad memory that re visits us each year at this time.  The memory that Dad spent his last Christmas in ICU at the U of M hospital.  He was in need of a heart, a heart to replace the one that so much love had flowed from over the years.  The doctors advised that he stood a better chance of the receipt from a donor over the holidays.  We all knew that he didn't have many days before it would be too late for the gift of life he was in need of.  I vividly remember that Christmas Eve, as we readied to leave his bedside for home.  Giving him the choice of staying or going home with us.  He gave it long thought and his answer was that he would stay, giving up this one Christmas at home in hopes of many future ones spent with all of us.  It was one of the hardest things I've ever done, walking out of that room and turning to tell him one last time,  Merry Christmas Dad.  

His last Christmas on earth, the man with a heart bigger than the sky.  The transplant coordinator said that God couldn't find a heart big enough or good enough for Dad.  Three weeks later she attended his funeral service, something she had never done for a patient that she wasn't supposed to form a personal attachment with.  In her words, an impossible task, he had found a place in her heart.   We like to think that he still holds that place in her heart and that, like all of us, she thinks of him at this time of year.

Each year, this special Santa, is pulled from that brown paper bag and placed in a comfy spot to oversee all of us who loved him so, and who he loved back.  He was 63 years young.  This year makes 25 years of Christmas without him.  In body.  He is always with us in spirit.  In our hearts and our memories.  Always spending Christmas with us at home, through the eyes of this old tattered and torn, seen better days, well loved or not loved enough Santa.  The most perfect Santa of all.  

Merry Heavenly Christmas Dad.  You are loved and missed every day.  Every single day.  

❤️

                           

 

GingerBread Bars Recipe.....

 I posted this morning on IG that I would be baking my GingerBread Bars, and well..... requests for the recipe came in, so sharing it here with all.  

I hope all of you are having a wonderful December of getting ready for Christmas and making sweet memories to revisit in years to come.  

Remember to look for the good..... it's there.  Sometimes you have to look a bit harder than other times but  it's there if you just take the time to find it!

Now..... here's the recipe.  Enjoy!

Have a great rest of your weekend.... 

I'll be sharing some Christmas photos later today or tomorrow for those who've asked ❤️

Make Merry!

Sharon 

Sweet Isabelle......

from a teeny tiny ball of fur, rescued from the edge of the swale, to a beautiful gray tortie....  Mothered by Gracie and then by Sophie.  Ivy gave her a run for her money and she loved every second of it.  Lola took to her instantly and the feeling was mutual.  

She blessed our lives for many years..... 

Our hearts broke...... she is mended.

Rest in peace our sweet, sweet Isabelle Lee.