Decorating

David said he had a surprise for me when I get home on Tuesday.

This is on his workshop right by our driveway.

This is a vintage poster he found years ago.It has stayed rolled up in the closet for years.

at one point I thought I had thrown it away. he built a frame and put glass in the front to keep

it safe. I can't tell you what a surprise it was and how much I love it.

It is at least 6 feet tall.

A few years ago on my way out of work I passed a dumpster that had this in it.

I tried to get it, but it was out of my reach. I went home got David and his truck we could stand in the back

of his truck and pull it out. He rewired it and now I have this amazing vintage tree stand.

My husband is so in the spirit. My neighbor came in to the store and said who is decorating? She laughed and said I think it is grand . Of course she has a tastefully lit wreath on the side of her house. I tried taking pictures of our grand mess, but they didn't come out so great.

I have been doing a bit of decorating myself. Some of my vintage Santas.

I made another batch of pantry cake and put it in a Santa mold.

It really is hard to see but he smells great! Julie said I could share her

recipe for it

1cup of water

4Tab of used coffee grounds

1Cup of salt

2 Cups of flour

3Tab of cinnamon

2Tab of cloves

 

Mix coffee,salt, and flour,and water well

spray mold and dust with spices.

I will tell you those spices lasted me 2 batches. I also

dust everything with the spices when it cools off.

Bake for 6 hours at 170degrees.

(Remember this is for smelling not for eating.)

 

This is Miss B's Christmas card. She is getting so big

She is coming to her gram's to see the parade, sit on Santa's knee

then there is a bonfire, and a huge cookout with fireworks to cap it off.

It should be fun and exhausting.

***

I am off to a church fair and out to dinner tomorrow night with a friend.

I am looking forward to that so much.

David is an elf at the polar express and just loves it.

***

I am still working on my rug I will show you the progress next time.

Happy Decorating!

**

The crisis of today is the joke of tomorrow

H.G.Wells

On To Christmas!

I thought I would do a bit of decorating today. This is 

my ornament hangers. Oh yeah off to a good start.

The painting my husband purchased off a old guy

that had no money for about 80.00. We had no money ourselves we had just

purchased our first house, we were young and money was tight. But I guess David

felt he needed it more than we did. I now really love it we have had it at least 35 years.

Very folk art feeling.

Decorating isn't the only thing I have been doing. I have been busy hooking.

This is the pattern in Rug Hooking Magazine this month.

I made a few changes. I chose a lamb instead of a horse.

and I tried to make Santa rounder. I am waiting to get some back ground around the starts to decide if

I like them or not. I am hand cutting the strips for the tree and the background I will be glad

when I get better at that I am slow and crooked. Santa's beard and the fluff on his hat and cuffs is wool roving.

And what would a weekend be without some dump picking.

These have the tags on them made in the USA.

lead crystal. We have several yankee swaps, these with a bottle of wine

from one of the NH wineries sounds like a good gift to me.

***

David has so much Christmas spirit he has been running round outside putting lights on any

thing that doesn't move. The big problem he bought the lights last year at a close out sale

and not many match. So it looks a bit like the circus has come to town.

I say let him go he had a tough Christmas last year. (but oh my beautiful saltbox house)

***

The hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any.

Fred Astaire

A Treasure

This book came into the store yesterday.

It was published in 1926 it a reminder to live the lovely life and a cook book.

I read this page and felt it rang true today. When she is writing about

nondescript houses of the early "70's" she is talking about the 1870's

So if you haven't decided what to make for thanksgiving here is a thanksgiving cake

that feeds a lot of people.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Hello I Am Still Here!

We have been fighting the crud. David had to go to the Dr twice last week

and lo and behold I now have it. But as you can see I have been hooking.

Between going to a marketing class, getting together with my girls group

for our annual thanksgiving, and going to Boston,I have been a bit busy. The best thing is David is feeling more like his old self and is over flowing with Christmas spirit. (This is the start of

the rug that was in rug hooking magazine this month. I made some changes

to be seen later:)

Saturday morning I had plans to meet with up with a great friend

to go to a couple of Christmas craft fairs and out to breakfast. I am sad

to say I got called into work :( for the whole day.

Today I went to a needle felting class, I was a bit disappointed I

was looking for more than beginner. But the people were so nice

and it was a great contact to get roving. I did enjoy felting a bar of soap.

So to all my friends reading this yes this is what you are getting for Christmas!

I made a pantry cake. It is not for eating just for smelling and it

smells soooo good. I think I am feeling the christmas spirit a little.....

Do you? because He is watching:)

I know I know Gobble Gobble.

Thrifty Finds

A few weeks ago Miss B and I went thrifting and yard saling.

While Miss B chose great items like books and a cute stroller for her

mickey mouse. I found these, I spent a total of .50 for them.

Lots of them! There is a lot of damage but I think I can fix most of them.

It really was a company that made these even though I have never seen them.

A new leather lizclaborn wallet at the dump oh yeah.

Clean as a whistle.

And Today lookie what I found at the dump. I ran a lot of white vinegar

through it and then flushed it.

the reservoir is in the dish washer it works great, daughter is all over it.

***

Husband is fighting something and something for him is big.

so keep him in your thoughts.

***

To be really great in little things, to be truly noble and heroic in the insipid details of everyday life, is a virtue so rare as to be worthy of canonization.

Harriet Beecher Stowe

***

I am joing the thrifty groove

Light!

We lost power for 38 hours and oh what fun NOT! By the third morning

I had a melt down poor David went out and borrowed a generator. He got it all

hooked in and the power came back 3 hours later. We are so much more blessed then what happened in New York.We have a northeaster coming by Midweek

so we have kept the borrowed generator for awhile.

So lookie where we went yesterday!!! Oh yeah and I was very very good I bought only

some linen to draw a rug on and some weavers cloth to try needle punch again.

We went to a mansion on Lake sunapee that was decorated for Christmas it was a lovely home

 I was told to come back for the summer the gardens are wonderful.

It was owned by President Lincoln's secretary, he was at Lincoln's death bed.

I was not allowed to take pictures sorry.

I get Maryjane's magazine, this month came it had bread baked in cast iron frying pans

So since I was making beef stew tonight I thought I would give it a try. I will say this is the first

bread I will bake again and again. It was so good. David ate 2 big chunks of it.

Look who came to visit today! I have no idea where he or she came from.

She stayed and stayed and is now perched in a bush by our driveway.

Now I am sitting here worrying about this chicken.:(

****

Guess who I saw today? for those of you who remember Courtney from sassafras and winterberry

She is taking a law course and is on several committees. But hopes to get back to blogging soon. She is still hooking though.

***

You all touched my heart so much with all of your wonderful comments

David read them all and is very thankful for each of them.

***

I have a simple philosophy. Fill what's empty. Empty what's full. Scratch where it itches.

Alice Roosevelt Longworth(1884-1980)

An Amazing Anniversary

It will be one year on Saturday since David's bone marrow transplant.

 what a long way he has come. Our grand baby will never remember

all the time away from her.She will only remember the Pepe who reads to her,

who watches Micky Mouse play house and laughs.

He was in the hospital for a month, this was his first minute home.

He had to breath the healing air of HOME.

The 100 days of confinement with only each other and our sweet little kitty.

He is still healing but is well on his way.

There are still trips to Boston and tests to take but there is much to be happy about.

Thank you to my blogging friends for all of the amazing  emails and comments.

Some of you sent cards and well wishes. I wish I could hug you all

You made a big difference.Our local community cleaned our yard and plowed our

driveway and put in our wood. Our daughter was amazed at the support

we received. Friends and family kept the cards coming and the daily email

jokes to keep his spirits high. There were so many things done for us it would take pages and pages.We have many blessings in our life and we will pay if forward.

David is growing a beard to be Santa's elf this year for a charity believe in books.

I am taking this month to be thankful for we have much to be thankful for.

***

I will keep those so impacted by this storm in my prayers

I hope you are all save and warm and with those that you love.