All Things Pretty...

Happy colors...

Are there colors that just bring a smile to your face?  For me, it's always been pink... and over the past couple of years, my palette has expanded to include the softest shades of blues, turquoise, lavender, gray (I call it "silver lining" gray), creams/ivories (melting vanilla ice cream).

During this time of year, after all the white and blah dreariness of Winter, I am especially happy to see the yellows, pinks, and other sorbet colors springing up everywhere.  I have been known to stop the car in front of a complete stranger's house, get out to admire their garden (and maybe snap a photo or two)....  it is a bit scary for my husband, as he thinks I am trespassing and infringing on people's privacy.   But I promise, I stay on the street (never even setting foot on their actual lawn) and never ever look into windows!  I could be called a "bloom stalker."

Anyway, I digress.  What I really wanted to share with you today were these blooms I purchased at the local grocery store.

 

Yes, I know that some of them are not naturally this color and they have had a bit of assistance from the Dye Fairy.... but nonetheless, I could not resist them!

They were inexpensive, colorful... and last forever!  

(I brought them home over 10 days ago and they are still looking pretty!)

 

(pardon the crooked labels on these... not sure what happened, since they looked fine before posting... urgh!)

And while we are on the subject of "happy colors," I'd also like to share the April tag I made for The Altered Paper's "Tag-a-Month Swap."

The bunny is holding his very own Easter basket...

and is surrounded by lilacs and other Spring flowers.

 

(one of my favorite color combinations:  lavender and teal)

This was actually the second tag I made for my partner, Tina, due to the fact that we experienced a mishap with the first one.  My partner patiently waited for me to make another tag to send.

The sweet tag Tina made for me....

Miss Molly Cottontail is adorable!  She brought a smile to my face, and will be a lovely addition to my tag book... thank you so much, Lisa!

 (Linking up to Show & Tell Friday over at My Romantic Home)

Sunday pretties...

Now that the St. Patty's feast of green is over with...  we can focus on our next creative adventure:  Spring and Easter!   Definitely one of my favorites!

Today I'm sharing these lovely French plates found this weekend at an occassional sale.  They have a few dings, but did I care?!?   Vintage French plates are getting more and more difficult to find and when I run across them, I quickly snatch them up (as long as the price is right).

 

...the colors are wonderful...

..there are five in the set (three of which are in great shape!)...

 

Happy Sunday!

 

We're getting married!

My eldest, Byron, and his fiancee, Katt, have selected a wedding date and venue... I am so excited!   We will be having a Christmas wedding (December 21st) and I couldn't be any happier ((smile)). 

 

(ATC made for The Altered Paper's Lace ATC Swap)

 

If you have children you know how we hope and pray that when they grow up and fall in love, that the person they select is "worthy" (maybe not the best choice of words) and that they are right for each other... well, Katt is exactly that for my Byron.   If I had to select a daughter-in-law, Katt would my first and only choice.  Byron is a very lucky man and our family is blessed for having her. 

So... back to the wedding...  Visions of candlelight, twinkling lights, red and cream roses... oh, I'm getting ahead of myself!  I don't even know what the bride wants; and I need to be careful not to be the meddling "mother in law" (this will be a challenge, I admit)...  

but I have had a lot of fun browsing through online photos!  

Of course, I was attacted to all the PINK wedding themes (which definitely will not be the case here, as my future DIL is not a pink lover).

Like a pink wedding dress...

 

...and a second dress for after the ceremony...

(although, I'm not sure exactly how the bride will be able to dance in this one)

 

 

The bride's bouquet of pink roses...

 

 

 

Sweet, darling pink cupcakes for the guests...

 

 

The most beautiful cake...

 

 

Okay, now that I've had my fix of PINK weddings, back to the real world.  Stay focused, Mercedes, we are planning a Christmas wedding.... (more to come).

All this pink browsing put me in the mood for some pink roses.... so I ran out and purchased a little bouquet at our corner grocer.  ((sigh))

Happy Sunday, friends!

 

(did you remember to change your clocks?)

(and belated Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound)!

 

 

 

Can you smell the roses?

We are one week away from the time change for Spring and I can hardly wait.  The gardener in me loves this time of year....  the anticipation of things to come; if only the Minnesota weather continues to cooperate.  

First the grape hyacinths will peek through the soil, then the tulips and daffodils... (sigh)

We did quite a bit of Spring cleaning around our house this weekend... including having our carpets shampooed, moving of furniture, cleaning out closets.  

The bunnies have started to make their appearance for the season (more on them ina later post).

I decided my photo folders/files were in need of a bit of cleanup as well.  (But gosh, why is it so darn difficult for me to delete anything?)  As I went through the 100's (no, make that 1000's) of digital images, I would often stop at some favorites.

 

 

call me crazy, but I love taking photos of wilting blooms and fallen petals...

 

 

a heavenly scented Easter lily

 

 

when the garden is still at rest in the earliest days of Spring, the forsythia smiles as if to say "wait until you see what's in store!"

 

 a close second behind roses (my favorite~), lilacs are a must-have in my garden

 

 

(photo taken at the Macy's Flower Show, 2010)

 

 

(hydrangeas.... they appear everywhere around my home when in bloom)

 

...let us not forget the romantic peony...

 

 

 

 

 

geraniums from my in-laws' garden in Philadelphia

 

 

ah yes, I did promise some roses...

(with a few others beauties mixed in)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Wishing you many lovely things this week...

don't forget to stop and smell the flowers (even if they are store-bought)!

 

 

Beauty in the sunlight....

Many of my favorite little shops around town were visited this weekend. Little things of beauty, both new and old, made their way home with me.

On Sunday morning, I couldn't help but notice the gorgeous sunlight streaming in through the bay window in my living room.  

I grabbed my camera and clicked away to my heart's content.  My newly acquired little treasures were the subjects.

 

The gorgeous "Paris" paper in the background is new and came in a scrumptious shade of peachy pink.

The tiny flowers on the top and the blue ribbon roses were removed from an ugly "mop doll" purchased at the thrift shoppe for 29 cents.

The peachy chenille came from my favorite needleshop....   I resisted the temptation to come home with 3 yds. in every shade (my purchase total would have surpassed $50 just for the chenille!)

The dainty creamer is also a thrift shoppe find.

 

Another precious creamer... this one in white (the visible damage on the inside did not deter me).  I have a weakness for white creamers.

The velvet violets spray is new but has the same look/feel of vintage millinery.  

 

A closer look at the tiny blue ribbon roses...

My heart was craving flowers....  can you tell?  

Most of the purchase I made this weekend were florals.

But then... that always seems to be the case...

 

This is what is left of my anniversary bouquet from last week (24 years).

There were some gorgeous Casablanca lilies (my favorite) which have wilted...what is left now are asters and mums.  Still pretty.

 

I'm sharing my pretties in the sunlight with White Wednesday party over

at the Faded Charm Cottage; stop on by for gorgeous white inspiration.

Merry Christmas!

This year, I only used about a fifth of my holiday decorations... with the pending trip to Spain and all the craziness the season brings, there just wasn't enough time or energy to go "all out."

I do have some favorites that I'd like to share with you...

 

 

From my home....

to yours....

Merry, Merry Christmas!

All my love and best wishes to you!

(I'm joining Beverly's Pink Saturday party, celebrating everything Christmas)

Is it Halloween yet?!?

I don't know about you, but I feel like I've been celebrating Halloween for a very long time this year...  that could be attributed to the fact that I started working on Fall/Halloween swaps back in early September...  in any case, I think I'm ready to move on.

But before I do that, I'd like to share some of my favorites photos taken around my home this season.

  

"The witch's reading corner"

Some of my favorite fresh flowers of the season.

 

 

Did you know spiders love Hershey's kisses?

 

..even the dining room chandelier gets 'dressed for the occasion'

The spray can was my BFF this season, as I turned inexpensive orange pumpkins into spooky black pumpkins.

 

Wishing you a spook-ta-cular Halloween!

 

(linking up to Beverly's Pink Saturday party... stop on by for an amazing array of Halloween and pink posts)

 

Getting organized (a bit)...

In preparation for going back to work (classes start next week)...  I decided that I needed to organize the Sunshine Room a bit.  The last few weeks have seen a flurry of projects come and go, and somehow, I don't always put everything back in it's place when I'm done ((who does that happen?!?))  It seems like I have more "stuff" at the end of a project than I had to start with

(could it be that I won't stop shopping for supplies and bringing home even more stuff?)

 

Too many little things.

So I headed out to my favorite GW in search of yet another white cabinet to repurpose.

 

It was my lucky day... I found this piece for $3.99.  Had some stains and dings (nothing some paper or lace can't cover), but was nice and sturdy and had a few cubbies.

The photo above shows the piece in the midst of its mini-makeover.  I decoupaged the inside of the cubbies; any additional dings or ugly patches received a lace cover-up...

It's amazing what some paper, lace and buttons can accomplish~

I now have lots of space to store and display those odds and ends...

 

 

The top of the cabinet gives me ample display space.

 

 

While I was in the organizing mood, I also created some little vignettes using my latest experimental projects.  Sometimes I hit a wall with a project, put it aside, then come back to it later.  

For instance, altered tins...

Ribbon medallions...

(I'm currently in love with this color combo - grey, mauve/violet, turquoise)

I also picked up a few pretty but inexpensive containers to drop left-overs in...  the little pieces sitting on your table when you are done, that are too pretty to throw out.  

This blue bird container is one of my favorites.

So there you have it... a bit of organization.   

We'll see how long it lasts!

Hope you are having a fabulous week;

can you believe tomorrow is already September 1st?  

 

Linking up to

White Wednesday at Faded Charm

Show and Tell Friday @ Romantic Home

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Vintage Inspiration Friday @ Common Ground

Delicious, nutritious, PBP...

Happy Monday!

Today I'm joning my sisters at Bloggerette Sorority for a Recipe Blog Party...  don't forget to stop on by for some fabulous recipes and yummy photos... it looks like we all have a bit of a sweet tooth because I see lots of desserts!

The recipe I'm sharing is one of my all-time favorites -  peanut butter pie!  

I am a huge fan of peanut butter;  my daughter Bianca found this recipe onlineabout 4 years ago.  She modifies it to make it "healthier" and a tiny bit lower in fat  (she substitutes with brown sugar and organic products wherever possible).

 

 So let's get started, shall we?

Gather all your ingredients.

1 cup peanut butter

 1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup low fat milk (skim may be used)
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup total of peanut butter chips and chocolate chips
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust  (also yummy with chocolate crust)

 

Directions:

 
Beat egg whites until white peaks form.

 

 
In a second bowl, beat together egg yolks and sugar (until pale yellow)

 

Mix in peanut butter, vanilla, honey, and milk.

 

Fold in the egg whites.

 

Evenly distribute the chips on the bottom of the graham cracker crust.

 

Pour filling into the crust, decorate the top with chips if so desired.

 

Bake at 350 degree F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes or until the pie is mostly set throughout.  (It will look golden brown and not completely firm.)

Let cool for at least 30 minutes

(the cooling will allow it to set and get a bit firmer).

 

Enjoy!

...as you can see, I like to enjoy mine with a bit of chocolate sauce...

 

We discovered GrownUp Kidstuff's chocolate sauce during a recent trip to Chicago; it is decadent!

 

 

((Recipe is based on Patricia's Peanut Butter Pie on allrecipes.com))

Thank you to my daugther, Bianca, for being my chef! 

 

My lacy corner of the world...

I can't believe it's the middle of the week already!

Is it my imagination, or are these summer days lasting less than 24 hours?!?

Since I'm panicking a bit, realizing summer is almost over and I haven't finished the items on my "to do" list, I had a (sudden) creative burst of energy and completed a few projects!

This particular project was inspired by my visits to the amazing studios of bloggers who participated in the 3rd annual Where Bloggers Create party... if you haven't visited yet, make your way over!

I noticed and took note of the many clever ways these bloggers have utilized their space... and the creative, original ways they have organized their materials. That area always seems to be a challenge for me, as I keep accumulating more and more materials and supplies!

For example: lace. I have it in boxes, folded, rolled, in envelopes, spools, etc. When I am looking for a particular type of lace to use in a project, it takes me 4ever to get my hands on the perfect one!

There has to be an easier way.

That's where this little guy comes in (good bones + bad style = $1.99 price tag):

(( b e f o r e ))

The perfect find for what I had in mind... a lace hanger!

Here's his new look:

 

(( a f t e r ))

 

Not bad, right?

 

 

 

The little drawers/cubbies got decoupaged with lovely toille paper.

 

A pretty handmade lace rosette now adorns the top.

 

... the hardest part was deciding which laces were going here...

the one drawback my new little hanger has is that it is too small

(I need 15 more just like it!).

 

 

I opted for odds'n'ends pieces... the ones I need at a moment's notice.

The inexpensive stuff (dare I call them "common" ?)

Lace. Lace. Lace.

How I love thee.

Now it sits prettily in a corner of The Sunshine Room.

My very own "lacy corner" of the world.

 

 

 

It's happy; I'm happier.

 

 

I'm linking up to these fabulous parties:

White Wednesday party at Faded Charm Cottage

Show and Tell Friday @ Romantic Home

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Vintage Inspiration Friday @ Common Ground

The porch is blooming...

I've been working on re-doing my porch... not a major project, just a cosmetic, low-budget makeover (the major projects, like stripping and repainting the entire porch - floor and beams - still need completion before summer ends!)

My white wicker was looking a bit tired, so I decided to paint it all black ("Black?" my husband asked with some trepidation), cover (the no-sew type of "covering) the old cushions with vintage matelasse, tablecloths, throw a few floral pillows (love how the florals looks against the black!)... and there you have it.

A new look with minimal cost.

(the most expensive items were the 5 cans of spray paint!)

 

I purchased used floral pillows and shams from local thrift shoppes (the beautiful one above is a Ralph Lauren sham)...

 

 

 

The new color scheme required that I come up with some coordinating accessories...

This little lamp ($3.99) is perfect - the black/white stripes look great with the "new" wicker. (It looks like it might be a Tracy Porter lamp...)

 

 

I had an old frame which I had decoupaged a while back and was just sitting in my studio... I stapled a fabulous sateen in black with roses... hung a cream vintage plate from some black ribbon... a few seashell flowers.

 

Some fresh-cut flowers always add instant ambiance...

(yes, I'm still cutting armfuls of hydrangeas!)

 

 

I have a collection of vintage bunny planters and doorstops that come out to play every summer. Some have a nick or two, but I don't mind! I like to "hide" them among my flowers and plants for an unexpected surprise...

 

And recently, I've been buying "bird" planters and doorstops...

(the bunnies need a little vacation)

So far, I'm pleased with the porch makeover.

 

(still have a few little projects to complete before the final reveal).

 

I'm sharing my porch makeover with the following parties:

Show and Tell Friday @ Romantic Home

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Vintage Inspiration Friday @ Common Ground

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound

Time for a change... (?)

I've been taking a closer look at my home decor these days... while I still love the colors and accessories, I'm a little bit "tired" of the shabby/pinky/flowery theme. It's no longer sufficient to just throw different pillows on the coach, move artwork around, rotate accessories.... I'm just not feeling it anymore.

My current style for decorating my home has evolved gradually... but I can trace it back to the days when I started collecting Limoges china. The dainty pink flowers were my inspiration... I started displaying a few plates here and there. Then I started collected paintings of pink roses... vintage hats... and pretty soon, virtually every room in my home had a floral theme.

 

 

Even my kitchen "makeover" included a floral theme!

 

 

My family not only tolerates my flower craze, they encourage it!

(Or am I just imagining it?)

So now, after more than 12 years of loving this look, why do I feel the need for change?

I wonder....

Did turning "50" this week have anything to do with it? Or is it all those fabulous home decor books and magazines I've been perusing lately?

Maybe it's the beautiful rooms and homes I've been seeing throughout Blogland.

So what am I attracted to now?

The seashore colors.... white, cream, ecru, sand, washed out gray, with hints of the palest hues of blues and greens. Down would come all the florals... to be replaced with nautical, beachy, oceania, nature, sisal area rugs...

..nary a pink in sight...

My daugther very gently reminded me that we live in Minnesota, where the winters can be 7 months long.

Was that supposed to dissaude me?

Talk is cheap. We'll see if I can really go through with this.

I do so love my pink flowers.

 

Linking to:

Show and Tell Friday

Pink Saturday

Vintage Inspiration Friday

 

Inspired...

I've been visiting creative studios.... oh, about 30 or 35 of them so far... I have seen a fair share of romantic, cute, bohemian, chic... I have been awed and inspired.

Karen Valentine from My Desert Cottage is hosting her 3rd annual Where Bloggers Create party. And what a party! Hundreds of creative bloggers have opened their "studios" to the world... they have shared their most personal of spaces: the place where they create magic. Their studios are as big as 1000+ sq. ft.... or as tiny as a repurposed closet. One thing I've learned from my "tour" thus far - space does not matter where art and creativity are concerned.

After looking at all the loveliness, I went to my "studio" aka as "the sunshine room" and stood in the doorway. What would I have photographed and shared? (I found out about the party a bit late and was unable to join). What does my creating space say about me?

As I gazed upon the shelves of books, ribbon, ephemera, millinery... a strange thing happened. I started "seeing" things that I had never really noticed before!

 

... I always have fresh potpourri in the room... helps camoflauge the "old paper" smell of the 100-year-old books and sheet music I like so much! Also helps with the smell of hot glue, Modge Podge, and other mediums...

What I never paid much attention to was the lovely lavender Wedgewood bowl it sits in! Or the vintage German alarm clock that sits prettily next it.

 

 

..didn't notice the pale green hand-painted tin wall container I purchased ages ago for a quarter and which is stuffed with vintage wire trim (see the fading?); somewhere along the way I tucked in a pink rose and a butterfly.

 

...the top of a bookcase is used as a temporary landing area for new acquisitions (vintage little bird cage), handmade goodies, and other pretties that strike my fancy at that moment... it changes frequently, until the next project or purchase comes along!

 

 

One of my very favorite things in the room - my chandelier! I don't have a "before" picture - but believe me when I say it was "Plain Jane black iron." Purchased on clearance at HomeDepot several years ago ... I fell in love with its "bones" and knew I could make it look a bit more glamorous.

 

... its new looks includes tons of lace, tulle, decoupaging, pink roses and prisms... there are 6 arms for candles, but I usually use battery-operated ones (I have a history with candles and small accidents).

Another inspiration stemming from the tour was the need to create! I spent a few hours in there, just having fun... sorting, reorganizing (I need to get a jump-start on next year's tour!), making little things for me "just because." No swaps, no gifts, no Etsy, no timeline Just playing with 'stuff.'

These tags and cards were created using materials from my "recycle" box... this is where I throw bits and scraps not used in a project... a piece of lace left over, a spare button, 3 inches on ribbon... you know what I mean... the kind of stuff you just hate to toss when a project is done.

 

 

 

(this little gal is not finished... needs a few more touches!)

I urge you to get inspired!

Stop by this amazing blog party and visit some inspiring spaces..

Have a lovely weekend!

I'm linking up to

Show and Tell Friday

Pink Saturday

Vintage Inspiration Friday

 

In love with blue...

I've discovered that I have a new love in my life....  love for a  new color, that is.   Blues... soft, washed out, robin's egg, faded....  Without evening realizing it, I've gradually incorporated this tranquil color into my home decor.  

...little touches of blue against white look so delicate...

 
 
...this delicate French plate (tray?) sat in storage for ages... until I noticed all it's beauty and brought it out for display. 

And my glass box collection recently acquired a new member with a blue tint (my first in this color!)

 

Even my creative projects have been getting some blues...

 

 


 

 

HAPPY MONDAY!

I'm linking up to Smiling Sally's blog party for some more beautiful BLUE eye candy.

 

 

 

May Day

Happy May Day!

 

I can't believe May 1st is finally here... and although our Spring blooms are weeks behind, I was thrilled to see that my forsythia and magnolias have arrived ... 

 

..yay... the cheery yellows always make me smile...

 

 The sky was a crisp blue...

 the magnolias seemed to be reaching out to embrace the sunshine.

 

 

 

 
...this little guy was relaxing.... taking a break from eating all my tulip bulbs!

Since I had gotten a bit impatient waiting for flowers in my garden, I was forced to do a bit of improvising with silks and others...

 

 
... nope, I'm not embarrassed to admit that I've had to use silk "fillers" ... and a few bunnies in between.

 
(this gal sits on a bench next to my front door... waiting to greet you!)

 

Wishing you lots of sunshine and flowers on this May 1st!

 

Bye-Bye, Easter 2011....

Leftovers are refrigerated.... dishes are washed... tummies are full...  the temp is over 60 degress (yay!).... Yep, must be Easter Sunday afternoon.

I hope yours has been wonderful.... ours was very quiet and a bit melancholic due to family members that were not with us today.   Nonetheless, we had a wonderful meal, lots of family love, and gratitude for all the good things in our lives.

So, before we wrap this up... some final pics of Easter 2011.

 

.....pretty vintage Easter napkin...

 

..... can't have Easter brunch without some mimosas...

 

.... pretty, colorful table settings....  again, those sorbet colors that I so love!

 

....dainty napkin rings made by my mom almost 20 years ago...

simple but sweet!

Snapshots of Easter....

The colors of Easter always seem yummy....   they remind me of sorbet, jelly beans, cotton candy...  all things sweet and delicious!

Today I'm sharing some of my favorite Easter pics...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm joining the celebration at How Sweet the Sound... stop by for a visit!

A big "THANK YOU" to our hostess, Beverly, for putting on such a great party!

Small touches...

I'm not one of those people that take on major redecorating projects... that is, if you don't count all the times I've repainted the interior of my home (the kitchen/dining area alone have seen 5 color schemes).    Me - I like to make small, sometimes subtle changes to refresh a room.  Maybe a pillow here or there, new curtains/drapes, adding a cute little lamp, a new area rug... but my most favorite "little touch" is to add a flower here and there...

 ...the chair was a $3.99 GW find that I painted and decoupaged... it now sits in my shabby chic guest room sporting a pretty pillow and vintage hat.
 

...another way to make any room instantly look different is to create little vignettes on shelves...  the "little princess" is me in Cuba, circa 1963; one of the few pics we have from my childhood. 

...fresh flowers always create an impact... I like to use small vintage pitchers and teacups to display flowers on my kitchen window sill.  I can change the containers and flowers to suit the season.

  ..the corner table in my living rooms gets a new vignette just about every week...  I like to display pieces I've created (like this embellished glass box) and old photos.

 
 
...the above nightstand was from my daughter's "little girl" set.  When she was about 14 or so, a candle was left unattended and ended up burning down and charring the wooden top.  After thanking our lucky stars that our home was OK (we ALL learned a lesson that day!), I had to figure out how to salvage the nightstand AND have it still match the set.   I decided to sand, prime (the only way I could totally get rid of the burn remains) and then paint in a "wash" of sorbet pink and yellow strips.  The rest of the surfaces in the set got the look as well.  The nightstand got its second life in our shabby chic guest room and gets to be the perfect backdrop for my ever-changing "femme" displays.

I'm linking up to these great parties today... stop by and visit some amazing blogs!

 

                   

 

Snow, snow, go away...

We awakened this Wednesday morning to yet another snow storm.  Enough already!  I have been posting about Spring... getting my home ready for Spring...  watching my indoor garden bloom... oh well, I guess all that wishing didn't help!

Those of us that live in Minnesota know that Winter ain't over until the road construction/repairs begin.  The joke here is:  "In Minnesota we have 2 seasons:  Winter and Road Construction."  When I first heard that, I thought:  how absurd.  Sixteen winters later, I understand (unfortunately).

So enough griping!!!  I decided to have nice cup of tea..

...and admire, smell, and photograph (yet again!!!) my indoor Spring garden... 

 

 

I don't know why I am in such awe of these tulips!  Is it because of their vibrant color (such a constrast to the snow outside)?

I couldn't resist taking a closer look...

 

I love the contrast of the coral/flamingo blooms against my pale mint green walls...

 

...the daffodils are wilting, the hyacinth is starting to smell unpleasant... but then I noticed a dainty grape hyacinth standing proudly... as if saying "look at me!  I'm pretty, too!"

 

After tea, and the floral adventure, it was time to work on some project(s)...  I decided to tackle my recently acquired vintage floral fabric... it's colors remind me the tulips on my table...

 

... I'll save the finished project for a later post (maybe a Pink Saturday).

All in all, the day turned out to be a wonderfully inspiring one!

Merry, merry Christmas!

Wow!  I can't believe I've been blog-absent for two weeks! 

Where did the time go?

We've been very busy here; between all the snow, the shoveling, the snow-blowing, the sliding on the roads, more snow, a blizzard, having my car go head-first into a snow bank, more snow, more shoveling.... well, you get the picture!  Urgh!  I'm sick of the white stuff.   The worse part is that the accumulation will last until the Spring thaw (which here in Minnesota could be as late as May!).

Enough negativity... let's talk about the good stuff!

We have a new puppy!   She is an 8-week-old German Shepherd we named Bella Kala Luna (beautiful dark moon).  More on her and her story later this week.

 

So on this Christmas Eve 2010, I send you all my best wishes for a wonderful Christmas full of family, joy, sharing and love.

 

 

 

 

Snow... snow... more snow!

 I awakened this Saturday morning to a world of white... it has been snowing since last night... the kind of snow that is tiny, powdery, and looks almost surreal (until you have to drive in it).

 

The local weathermen are now calling it a "blizzard." They had originally predicted 6-8 inches !?!?   My husband joked about the fact that snow has never kept us at home; but that this one just might do it!  

 
Well... he might have a point there.   We started our morning with some warm, honeyed 9-grain cereal (purchased from the local bread shoppe)...  it tasted very "old-fashioned" and wintery.

It's a good day to finish my holiday gift-wrapping and decorating; I was off to a great start last week, then totally slugged this week. 

I snapped some pics of (more) favorite decorations... funny how you don't notice all the little details on things you've had for years until you snap a photo...

 

 

I began collecting these angel figures many years ago, when you could find them for a few $...

 

 

 

 
Another favorite.... I love the sweet faces on the deer.... 

 Happy Saturday!  I hope you are staying warm in your part of the world... let me know if I can send any SNOW your way!

Some shopping, some wrapping, some decorating...

 

 
I can't believe it's only the first week of December and I'm (almost) done with my holiday shopping!!!!  You have to understand---I am late to and for EVERYTHING.   And although I love shopping for holiday gifts, over the last few years I've gotten lazier and lazier... I don't have the patience I used to for the parking, the crowds, the not-so-Minnesota-nice sales people.  But this past weekend I made up for lost time!  We hit the stores with a vengeance Saturday and Sunday and shopped, shopped, shopped.  Whew! 

After all that shopping,  Icouldn't wait to get home and wrap everything!  Wrapping is my favorite part of gift-giving...  I usually wrap as I shop...  When my husband and I first got married, he didn't understand my obsession with wrapping early; he grew up in a household where the tradition was to wrap gifts on Christmas Eve.  But to me, wrapping is not a chore...

This year, I am using some thrift shoppe finds in my wrappings.  I found bagfuls of used/vintage holiday ornaments for 99 cents, and unopened rolls of Hallmark giftwrap for 49 cents!   And remember my bagful of white/ecru yarns?  They can in handy in lieu of ribbon!

 

 
(the fa la la paper is from Target... only retail purchased)

 

 

My guardian angel keeps watch over the gifts...

 

 

After a while... I needed a break from wrapping... so off I went to do some more decorating.  

 

 My garden angel comes in from the cold and gets a place of honor.

 

One of my favorite holiday counted cross-stitch projects...  when I look at it, I can't believe I actually finished this one!  I have a tendency to start cross-stitch projects and then... well, you know.  They DO get a bit tiresome after the first 3,000 little xxx's!

 
 

Hope you are having a wonderful week!  I'm linking up to these parties...