Christmas Graphic

I found this via the Graphics Fairy.

She has the best clip art.

This would make a really cute Christmas card!

Go here to get this clip art for yourself:)

Boxwood

Boxwood is my favorite greenery to decorate with for Christmas.  It stays green and fresh looking much longer in my corn-heated house.  It is also lovely when mixed with other fresh greenery - I did that last year.  But the other greenery started looking dry and dull much sooner than the boxwood.  My boxwood wreaths usually make it through spring though they are changing color by then.  One year I had a garland of boxwood that I hung over my china cupboard.  It stayed there till late summer and could have stayed but I was tired of it.  It slowly changes to a beautiful yellow/gold color depending on how much light it gets.  This year I have a HUGE 26 inch wreath on the shelf in my living room and a whole lot of loose boxwood tucked in her and there and everywhere!  I promise more pics are coming soon.  Today I'm off to help a friend dec out her house:)  Next week I get to help decorate our church building:)  I'm definitely getting my decorating 'fix' this year and I'm loving it!  Need help with yours?  Send me and email or text!

Bridesmaid Dresses

Here are some pics of the Bridesmaid dresses I added straps to.  I shared a pic or two of just the dresses, which were not the best pics.  Here are some of them on the girls!  It's always so much better to see them being worn instead of just on the hanger:)

Christmas Decorating

My house looks like it is the Christmas season!  I'm so glad this season starts a month or more before the actual day.  Decorating, parties, teas, time with family and friends.  The season of good will towards men.  Let's keep that good will in our hearts all year long!  It's what Jesus would do!!

Cath Kidston

I love the spotty stuff from Cath Kidston

You can find all these things here:

http://www.cathkidstonusa.com/searchadv.aspx?SearchTerm=spot

Let the Decorating Begin!!!!!

'Tis the Season!!  I'm going all out:)  Love decorating for Christmas!!

I'll be back when the place is decked with glitter, boxwood, and nativities!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Pilgrims
In the year of 1620
on a cold Decembre day
a hundred and two pilgrims
sailed into Plymouth Bay.
Still wary from their voyage -
still gacing winter's chill -
they kept their sights on freedom
with courage, work, and will.
Pilgrims did not stop to think
of riches, fame, or glory
while bravely playing starring roles
in our new nation's story
by Bobbi Katz

Thanksgiving

*I copied this whole post from my sisters blog.  She doesn't even know I'm doing it - heehee!  But she said it all so I got lazy and just used her post.  Thanks Sis!!

www.adelightfulglow.com

Over the river, and through the wood,

When Grandmother sees us come,

She will say, “Oh, dear, the children are here,

Bring a pie for everyone.”

Over the river, and through the wood—

Now Grandmother’s cap I spy!

Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?

Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

~Lydia Marie Child

What is your favorite Thanksgiving food? Traditional or untraditional? Do you have a menu that you use every year or does it vary from year to year?

Pumpkin pie is definitely one of my favorites! With my mother’s pie crust. I love fresh-baked rolls and my grandmother’s cranberry salad. And, of course, the stuffing, and mashed potatoes. I don’t have to have sweet potatoes, but my mother-in-law makes a really good sweet potato casserole. Green beans are always good and you can’t leave out the turkey and gravy. Yum! As one of my great uncles used to say,

“My, aren’t we blessed?”

Almost time...

It's coming!  My favorite decorating season:)  My stuff comes out Friday.  I always try to make myself wait till after Thanksgiving.  And I think I always have - with the exception of the year Little Sister was born.  She was scheduled for November 15th.  So we did the Christmas decorating the week before she arrived.  If I hadn't it wouldn't have gotten done that year:)

I have a new blog header ready - trying to wait till Friday on that too!

Today I'm sewing with a friend (after my girls get school done) so we both have new clothes for the holidays.  I'm gonna try a dress for myself (unless my friend nixes the idea when she sees my pattern and fabric) so think about me today - LOL:)  This might get interesting.

Shopping Trip

We recently took a weekend, couples only shopping trip.  I got some things the girls were very much in need of:)

Long sleeve shirts.  Boring but very much helps take the summer wardrobe to a winter wardrobe.

Leggings.  Same story.

Hanna!  One of my favorite brands.  It was so fun to go in an actual store instead of just browsing the catalog or online.  And since this was on the sale rack and my girls were sadly lacking in sweaters that were not too small for them it was only natural that I bought this:)

Sweaters from Target.  They look adorable in these.

Dresses from Carter's.  I love Carters brand.  My girls are getting too big for it way too fast but I found these.  Middle Sister can wear them and then they can be handed on to Little Sister.

'If they could just stay little till they outgrow their Carters...'

Sweater from Old Navy.  I forgot I got this one when I bought the 2 from Target.  Oh well, Little Sister can use two!!

Outfit from Target.  I absolutely adore the stuff Target carries for newborn through 5T.  And since I can still sometimes squeeze Little Sister in the 5T I still look at the stuff.  And this stuff came home to become her birthday present.  It might just be the last of her cute Target 5T clothes though:(

New 'cool jeans' for Travis.  The Teenager thinks he should always wear 'cool' jeans.  Now he has two pair that she considers 'cool'.

And the ties.  I love it when guys dress up:)  He wasn't overly impressed but he WILL wear them.

They really aren't as shiny as the picture shows but I couldn't seem to get a good shot.

Target has the cutest tinsel.  And mushroom ornaments.  In several colors.  And a lot of other neat stuff that I had to leave there.

Home Goods.  Couldn't resist the glittered birds.

Anthropologie.

I'm loving my new number stamps:)

It was a very fun shopping trip.  Can't wait for next years!

My new boots!

I got these boots on a recent shopping trip.  There were six of us ladies shopping together - four of us bought these:)  $25 at TJM*X.  We later saw the same thing in brown at DSW for $70.  We patted ourselves on the back for the deal we got:)  The teenager wants these for hers.  I'm not giving them up yet though!  I love grey, I love boots, and it's winter in Ohio.  I'm keepin' em.

{Caramels}

I have a sewing story to share with you in the near future.  I'm waiting on some final pics.  It's quite the story:)  I received some absolutely delicious caramels in the mail after agreeing to take on the sewing project.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE it when my clients go the extra mile like this?!!

Packaging was so cute!

I had no idea what I was getting.  Did not recognize the return address on the package (my client had a client of hers send these to me)

Love that happy tape:)

Caramels have always been a favorite of mine - especially homemade ones!

These are absolutely the best I've ever had.  The addition of the bit of fleur de sel salt puts them over the top!

Some other people who live here liked them too.  I had to guard them with my life to get any myself!

The maker of these delicacies is in the process of selling them online I think.  I'll post about it when I have that info.  You WILL want to order some.  They are worth every penny.  And pound - heehee!

And I promise the sewing story is coming soon.  Before Christmas I promise:)  Just waiting on the bride to get me some final pics!

A Daily Duty Ditty

 

 

There are dishes to wash, There is laundry to fold,

The dust and the clutter are getting quite old,

Stuff to pick up, and then put away,

Food to prepare day after day. 

Did you brush your teeth? Did the pets get fed?

Bring down dirty laundry and please make your bed.

Lists to check off, shoes organized,

Rugs that need shaken, Trash goes outside. 

Lessons to grade, bills to be paid,

Sheets to be washed, beds to be made,

Windows are sadly in need of a wash,

Gather up papers and give them a toss,

Calls to be made, Ironing to do,

Math and Reading and some English too,

Spelling words to be heard as they’re properly spelled, 

(Lunch in the oven, how good it does smell,)

Cleaning chores to be done right after we eat,

Later on we’ll have cookies for a little treat,

Schoolbooks put away, all done for the day,

I think we will all give a little hooray,

These tasks aren’t hard, they just don’t stay done,

That’s the part that’s not so fun,

Dirty dishes accumulate so fast it seems,

Yet through the mess a blessing beams,

‘Cause we’ve plenty of food, cupboards aren’t bare,

Dirty laundry means we’ve something to wear,

Boots on the floor mean my husband is here,

(I’m so thankful for him, he’s such a dear,)

and all of the stuff that we have and we own,

is much more than many have ever known,

My children are happy and healthy and whole,

Shoes on their feet, their tummies are full,

They can study and learn, They can play, sometimes fuss,

We live and we love, The Lord’s so greatly blessed us!

-Deborah Flora (my sis!)

Teenager Cooks

When I was a preteen/young teen I did not appreciate the term 'big' when applied to me.  So I'm assuming that 'Big Sister' may get tired of the term being used for her.  So I've decided to give her a new 'blog name'.  We'll call her 'The Teenager' from now on.  Yes, I know she is a few months shy of actually being a teen.  But she acts like a teen and who cares about a few months anyway?

Anyway.  'The Teenager' likes to cook.  When it is her idea that is. 

Recently she wanted to make these.

So she did.

I will refrain from telling you how long it took to get to this point.

They were so cute:)

She also wanted to make carrots with honey glaze.

So she did.

She made them first.  So they sat while she made the pot pie and then had to be reheated.

She's learning.

It was very pretty and yummy:)  I'm considering turning all the cooking over to her.

Then I remember that she likes to cook when she WANTS to cook. 

And most of the time sometimes with teenagers it's easier to do it yourself.

Images from the 'Creative File'

These images are all from here and there in cyberspace.  Added to my 'creative file'.  All of these look very fun to me to make.  But my creating will probably be limited in the next few weeks.  I sprained my ankle (for the 3rd time) and it's a bad one (this time)

So I'm babying it.  Using it when I need to but it doesn't take much till I'm feeling sick to my stomach and very worn out.  So.  Creating will have to be done from the couch.  And in my daydreams.

And the cleaning?  Not getting done any time soon:(

I want this for my Christmas dress!

I really like this.  It would be fun to use as the inspiration for a wedding dress.

Cute and so simple.  I think maybe this one was on the blog 'Made'.

I hope to do my own version of some kind of word sign someday.  I really like the ones they call 'subway signs'.

This one could be done from the couch dontcha think?!

I HAVE done a version of this before.  But not in linen.  This would be so easy and quick.

Darling for the little girls in my life!

Fun scarf:)

I really like this version of a pennant banner.  How SIMPLE!!!!

I need to find a large piece of leather and make me one of these.  I love the combination of leather and ruffles.

Another adorable option for the littles in my life:)

See how that bookshelf is made out of a book???  What a super cool idea!

This room was designed by Kara Pasley in her upstairs room.  She was, until recently, employed as a designer for Anthropologie!!  Now she and her husband are pursing other design stuff.

Check her out, it's truly inspiring!