So the Christmas season is officially in full swing at our house. I can now openly listen to my Christmas music, watch my Christmas movies, enjoy my Christmas decorations, and be Merry! Hooray! This weekend my family and I spent a majority of our time decorating, yet we still have more to finish up. I'll be sure to share pictures. Now we did take a break for a trip to the movies to see Tangled  and it was agreed, the movies was absolutely adorable!!! I just love Disney! I can get the same warm, fuzzy feeling from a good Disney movie that I get from the Christmas season. And Tangled was no exception--I laughed, I cried, I had a great time. The animation was gorgeous, the music was beautiful and the story was sweet. There was a lot of talk about the importance of following your dreams. Now you can't argue with that, can you?

Today is the first Small Business Saturday . If it sticks, it's the small, local business's answer to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It's a great way to support the small business that keep our communities going. I am offering some fun holiday specials at my shop . I may not be local for most, but you can't get much smaller. So come visit me , or have fun shopping local today. And enjoy the holiday weekend with your loved ones.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Not only am I celebrating Thanksgiving with my family, but I am also celebrating 100 blog posts here at By Jen with you! I noticed that I was getting closer to 100 posts a few weeks ago, so I thought I should do something fun to celebrate. After much thought, I decided it would be fun to put together a list of 100 things that inspire me and make me happy as I travel along my creative path. Seems like a good idea, right? Well not only is my 100th post later than I first calculated, I also procrastinated in putting together my list. So here I am, Thanksgiving Eve and I have a list of 18 and I need to get some sleep. I had better start planning my celebration for 200 (as if a procrastinator at heart can really plan ahead). Well anyways....E njoy, feel free to chime in, and make sure to peek at the bottom because I've shared a little something extra for you. HAPPY INSPIRATION 1. The support I get from my family, especially my husband and two little girls. 2

Craft Night , originally uploaded by byjen . Last night was our monthly craft night and we made these adorable little holiday decorations with instruction from Paula. It ended up being a small group because of the holiday (me, Tina , Paula, and Paula's mom), but that just meant we got to make more projects. Can you believe these are made with brown paper bags? Too cute!!! And don't forget to check back on Thursday because not only will I be celebrating Thanksgiving, but it'll be my 100th blog post here at By Jen. I have a lot to be thankful for =)

Classic Without Edge Holiday 5x7 folded card Christmas cards and holiday thank you cards by Shutterfly. View the entire collection of cards. Can you believe it? Thanksgiving is just days away and Christmas is right around the corner. I must admit I have skipped over Thanksgiving a bit, but I just can't help it. Christmas is such a magical time of year. There's the music and movies, making gifts and treats, the lights and decorations, time spent with family and friends, etc.. It's also that time to be thinking of Christmas cards. I haven't quite figured out this year's design, but I do know that I hope to incorporate photos of my precious girls in two different Christmas dresses (it was just too hard to choose one) and maybe some with Sprinkles, too. And on top of that tall order, it's going to be tough to top last year's card. I captured the perfect Christmas photo by shear luck and, using Shutterfly , I made a simple but elegant card. The card was perfect

Precious Moments , originally uploaded by byjen . This past weekend the girls had the opportunity to ride horses at a special birthday party. I was worried that Katherine would be hesitant because she can be a bit cautious at times. But I was pleasantly surprised as I witnessed the joy on her face. She grinned from ear to ear the whole time. And she was able to do everything the "big" girls did. It was magical to see her fully embrace the experience. It made me appreciate all the experiences we have been able to offer the girls. Life is to be experienced, right? So here's to embracing life and all it has to offer!

This past weekend I was excited to receive my pre-ordered copy of Creative Bloom by Jen Swift , a fellow Kelly Rae Robert's flyer . I've truly enjoyed all the artists and blogs I have found by way of Kelly Rae Robert's past e-course. Sometimes it's hard to explain why we gravitate towards one blog or artist, but Jen was one of them. Her blog is well written (and updated regularly--something I'd like to be better about), her wire art was something new (and I seem to collect hobbies), and it was just really fun to see someone "real" in the final stages of getting a book published (I just LOVE craft books). She's been a great inspiration. Her success makes me feel as if I can dream big, too. So I knew I wanted to get her book when it came out, if anything just to be supportive of a fellow flyer. So I snatched up one of her pre-order packages and I'm so glad I did. The package arrived beautifully wrapped with precious wire art gifts and her book. I

Word Art , originally uploaded by byjen . So this weekend was crazy! Crazy fun and just plain crazy. Rebecca's Build-A-Bear birthday was a great success. The kids had a blast, as well as the parents and grandparents. We had a great time Trick-Or-Treating. It was really fun to see the neighborhood so festive and so many trick-or-treaters. Unfortunately, we all ended up with a cold by Monday afternoon, so the girls and I stayed home to rest yesterday. I think I might have got more rest had I gone to work. You gotta love all the energy of a 3 and 6 year old, even when they're under the weather. So in my time at home, I stumbled upon Scrapbook Expo's Creativity Showcase and I have to enter! They are looking for creative uses of scrapbooking supplies and I think my words would be perfect. Trouble is I can only enter two of my pieces and I am having a tough time deciding. Any suggestions?