Out of bandwidth or something.

Will be back after Jan 4 when my limit resets.  Rats.

Merry Christmas

  I am so looking forward to Christmas visits with our grandkids.   For a few days now I've been working on their Santa Cookie plates.  One is finished, the other is still in progress.  I hope to get at least one batch of Christmas cookies baked.   That's it.  I'm as ready as I'm going to be.  There will be stuff left undone and I'm just fine with that.    Now it's time to enjoy the company of family who are on their way.   Our first guest arrives in two hours.  I'm going to finish the second plate and possibly get some sewing done this afternoon while R's out fishing.  Take care,  Merry Christmas and may you gather a handful of joyful Christmas memories to last a life time.

Christmas Village

 Sorry, I've removed several of the photos to conserve bandwidth.

          Just a few pieces a year and always at half price sales.  Here's our nautical themed village.

I love these guys chopping wood, and the one fellow wiping his brow.

Oh Christmas Tree, oh

 

Ho Ho Ho,  Hand stitched santa, one of several.

Cross stitched ornaments were made several years ago.

I love Santas and snowmen.

Vintage Bauble

 These wicker framed pieces are only 3 inches wide.  Such tiny stitches.

 

Hand Painted by Coleen.  Purchased at the Farmers Market.

Sunday before Christmas

Tree up.. check
Tree decorated.... check
Christmas cards signed, sealed, mailed... check
House decorated...check
Boxes put away.............ah, no.
Christmas puppet craft with Grandson...check
Grandson in bed after teeth brushed and bath...check.
Asleep yet.......ah, nope.  But we're having a good visit/sleepover.

Belated Birthday Present

Friday I finished the present for a friend.  But, I can't post this on the blog until after she sees it.

Front.  What you can't see are the multiple pockets on the outside,covering up the hand quilted front panel.

Back side.  Hand Quilted.

Close up, and insides showing pockets.

Friday's Update.

All the gifts that have been hidden away in closets...are wrapped!

Finished One Project

The birthday gift is finished. Woo Hoo!  Photos will post  automatically tomorrow evening while we are at a potluck with  our ~belated~ birthday gal.   Have to hide them until she sees the gift. 
I also added some snowy white glitter Bling to some  plain Christmas cards.     They should be dry now.  On to the next project.

~~Seven Days Till Christmas~~

You have got to be kidding!  It can't be.  My tree isn't up.  Not one cookie baked.  Not one light string untangled.  Not one family gift wrapped, except for the one that the shopkeeper wrapped. Not one Christmas CD played.  OH MY!
I have been sewing though... but here's the problem.  It's a birthday gift for a dear friend.  A November birthday.... last month...ahem...    Alright... I'm on it.

But first I'm off to see what's happening in Blog Land.   If you have time please read about Sasha's family Christmas pagent.  So cute.
http://sashabrodeur.blogspot.com/2009/12/chaotic-family-christmas-pageant.html

Finished with this project. Next...

This started out as a small project.

It shouldn't take long.  Right?

But multipy that by 41 or so.

It was no longer a little project.

Ready to take to work.

Each box is filled with 4 chocolate truffles from Seattle Chocolates.

The dark chocolate and espresso ones are really good!

OLD SPICE

Remember Old Spice shaving cream, aftershave, cologne etc. It's still around.  We have one can of  OS shaving cream left in the cupboard just in case we ever ran out of the good stuff.  Who knew he'd actually use up the Costco supply of Edge shave gel.  I mean there was a time when the cupboard held more than 8 cans.      Gotta love Costco coupons and faulty memories of how much we already have stored away..  Anyway the supply has been used up and he's down to the reserve can of Old Spice.   This morning:

Me  " You smell like a grandpa."
Him  "I am a grandpa."
Me "Yeah, but you smell like my grandpa."

Christmas Time

It's that time of year,  The fire is going and has been for days, but we're upstairs

making these boxes to hold truffles. I wish the photo showed them better.  Rick wants 40 for co~workers.  I counted.  We're up to 33.

 Patterns are from  http://www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/templates.htm

Back to the glitter, glue and paper, and yeah, the glitter is everywhere.  We're sparkling!

Cute, Ya Sure You Betcha

Yesterday this little fellow gave me quite a scare.  I didn't know what was making scratching noise against the house.  Sounded scary.  Was scared.  Door unlocked.  Home Alone.  Yikes.   He was clinging to the window sill, trying not to fall into the stairwell.  He made it across from the window to the porch swing and away to safety after allowing me to snap several photos.

Christmas Cookie Time

Chinese Almond Cakes
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup butter
2 Tablespoons water
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
2 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup whole almonds (I have also used sliced or slivered almonds)
Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Beat together sugar, butter, water, almond extract and the egg until well blended. With a wire whisk, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture. Mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2-inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten balls slightly with the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar. Press a whole almond firmly in the center of each cookie. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes, or until firm to touch, but not brown. Be careful not to over bake. Remove from cookie sheet immediately. Makes 5 dozen cookies. These freeze very well, and won’t last long. Don’t ask me how I know these taste good frozen as well.

Early Sunday Morning Craft

Gift box.

I actually finished something.  Supplies needed: 12x12 sheet of card stock, glue and glitter and a few helpful cutting and folding tools.

Photos from Sunday.

"Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt."

anonymous

Look what I found.

I was so excited to find this old enamel table with its charming red scroll design at a craft,collectible, and sewing shop.   I've given it a home in my craft/guest room.  I was thinking of leaving it as is with it's chippy white paint.   While cleaning, I found that it has already been repainted once.  So, I wouldn't be decreasing it's value (if any) if I gave the wood a fresh coat of white with red stripes in the groves.

I felt so lucky to find this.  I couldn't wait for Rick to get home so that we could take the truck down to the shop to pick up my find.  Luckily no one else had spotted it and taken it home before I could get back to it. I love this shop.  It's  the Crafters Mall on Park Marina Drive, just south of the American Cancer Society Thrift Store.

Christmas Questions

(1) What is your favorite Christmas movie?
I like the one with Bing Crosby, White Christmas

(2) What is your LEAST favorite Christmas movie?
Elf with Will Farrell

(3) What is your favorite Christmas Song?
I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas.

(4) What Christmas song(s) drives you crazy?
It’s got to be a tie, the dogs barking Jingle Bells, and Grandma got ran over…

(5) What is your favorite Christmas drink?
Hot cocoa

(6) What is your favorite Christmas memory?
The night before Christmas Eve's homecoming reunion when Rick returned from the Persian Gulf two years in a row.

(7) What is the best toy/gift you've received on Christmas?
 Rick managing to be home every Christmas during our Navy years. Duty days yes, but at least he was home.

(8) What is the worst toy/gift you've received on Christmas?
This would lead to trouble if I answered it. Let’s just say, I don’t know.

(9) What do you LOVE about the holidays?
family

(10) What annoys you about the holidays?
LOL,  family…no … my perceived lack of preparation time and procrastination.

(11) Do you prefer a star or an angel on top of a Christmas tree? Or something else?
I have a punched tin star Christmas tree topper, but probably would like something with a bit more sparkle now.

(12) What is your family favorite recipe at Christmas?
  It has to be a cookie recipe, but I couldn't limit it to one favorite recipe.

(13) Are you a Grinch or a Who at Christmastime?
I try not to be a Grinch.

(14) Christmas light displays - Love them or Hate them?
Absolutely love Christmas lights.

(15) Santa’s at the mall - Fun times or Creepy?
Creepy and has been since childhood and so are clowns by the way.

(16) Christmas cards - do you send them, yes or no?
Yes I do but I am sending and receiving fewer every year.

(17) What is the best thing about Christmas, in your opinion?
The quiet of Christmas Eve with just the tree lights on. 

(18) What is the worst thing about Christmas?
Opening presents

(19) When do you put the tree up and take it down?
No set time for set up. Takedown is usually New Years Eve.

(20) Out of the 12 days of Christmas, which day and item would you want your true love to give to you?
How about the pear tree without the partridge?  You don't believe that... ok then, so hand over the golden rings.

(21) Why do you think that Grandma got run over by a reindeer?
Snort… I’m a Grandma now. I can’t answer this

(22) Who is your favorite reindeer?
Prancer.  Did you see the movie? I liked it all except for the end which shattered the magic.

(23) Do you belive in Santa Claus?
Yes of course, I believe in the spirit of Santa Claus.

(24) What is your favorite smell at Christmastime?
Cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange peel, nutmeg, and ginger simmering in water on the wood stove, evergreen Christmas trees, cookies baking, and fresh yeast rolls baking.

(25) What would make you happy at Christmas this year?
Knowing that my kids and grand children are happy.

Ok, your turn,  e'mail me your answers.

What a guy!

Me~~     "Phylis, Beth, Shannon, Trish and I"

Him~~  "Have fun."

I didn't even get to explain what we are up to. 

Flash Mob: Inspired Dance at Shasta College in Redding

Flash Mob: Inspired Dance at Shasta College in Redding
Click on the above sentence to see the video.

Once in a Blue Moon.

This month has two full Moons--the Long Night's Moon of Dec. 1st-2nd and a rare "Blue Moon" on Dec. 31st.  Info courtesy of http://www.spaceweather.com/

 Check out their photo of   rare moon halos seen from Norway.   http://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=02&month=12&year=2009

Jury Duty

I am willing to do my civic duty and serve on a trial as a jury member. I think it would be interesting, and a part of our responsibilities as Americans. Yes, it’s intimidating (to me), inconvenient and certainly not something you would wish to do in December, with all the fun projects and activities that you hope to get to. Anyway, yesterday was my day to be summoned to the court house. Turns out it was a jury trial for a DUI case. Oh, I’m not sure I can do this. It’s my responsibility to judge fairly. Can I do this? With the problems that happened in my childhood past due to alcoholism. Can I make sure ~~if I am asked~~ that I would be certain to put aside my feelings about alcoholism and to judge this gentleman fairly? I’m not sure and so I debated myself all day yesterday in a freezing cold court room if I could honestly say that I would be impartial. I lost a friend to a DUI when we were stationed at a Naval Air Station in 1978. I haven’t forgotten. My cousin and his fiancé lost their life to a DUI. I haven’t forgotten.

Yesterday will stick with me for awhile, because I honestly don’t know the answer. Would it have been a lie to the judge if I had answered yes I can put aside my feelings and be impartial? I wish I could have answered yes. But I wasn’t asked. Out of 50 of us in the jury pool, there were only 13 of us left to be dismissed at the end of the very long day. I’m glad I wasn’t asked. But what if… and how could I have made the judgment without wondering if I really had put aside my prejudice.

Last days of November.

                                                                                                                                                                                             Wednesday morning, the sun rise was tinged in pink, making the oak  trees glow.  I couldn't get the camera fast enough to capture the color.   We don't have the spectacular foliage color that other locations get, but this year our fall is beautiful. 

Way Cool!

11/27/2009 ISS 05:32:11 pm WNW 05:34:27pm 44.4 -3.1   

Tonight at exactly 5:32 Rick and I went out and watched the ISS (space station) in orbit.  It  was so cool to see it sparkling like a bright star crossing from west to east until it dissappeared from view into the trees and beyond the hill.   Want to watch satalites cross your sky view?   http://www.spaceweather.com/    Look for the Simple Satalite Tracker, enter your zip code and get viewing times for your region.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 
I hope you all are enjoying this Thanksgiving with family and friends.  The pies are in the oven.  The turkey is ready to go in next. Wishing you all the best.  Love ya.  Clip art is from Gooseberry Patch.

Table decor from our garden.

The pumpkin couldn't last just a few more days till Thanksgiving.  It's rotting on the bottom. Rats!

Cooking Turkey

Our Senior potluck is tonight.  Yep, I'm cooking one of the turkeys for 45 people or so. Fun!  By the time Thanksgiving is here, I will have had three turkey dinners.  No matter, it's the friends and family that will be sharing the meals that's important.  Bring it on.

First Post. Well, not really, but the others were deleted.

Let's get this started. There's nothing like a blank piece of paper.. um.. blank blog entry form to paralyze the brain. Yes, I want to get this started. I've tried off and on for a couple years. It's time. I have an angel on my shoulder urging me to get back to it. Thanks for the push Auntie, I'm thinking of you and missing you with all my heart.   OK, here we go.