HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful New Year's Eve night. We decided to stay in this evening and watch movies. I am happily hooking a new rug. It's not very often I get an evening of just quiet so I am doing what I love to do. Tomorrow, we'll have a house full of men glued to the TV set in the living room watching every bowl game possible.

I've got my sewing room all cleaned and organized. So...while they are watching the games, I can sit and hook & stitch all day and evening, with the door closed...of course! There is something to be said for football!

BACK TO REALITY...BACK TO WORK

After a wonderful Christmas week, it's time to go back to reality and head on in to work this morning. Not that it's a bad thing..it's just that it is nice to play Donna Reed for a week. To be able to actually enjoy cleaning, cooking, without any time restraints has been quite a treat. Oh well....I think I do much better under pressure. Seems I do get more done when I work...my "to-do" lists are never ending and the little check marks by each task when completed, gives me a certain sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. I hope everyone had a nice Christmas.

The above hooked rug was a gift from my dear AAPG friend, Kelley Belfast. She not only hooked the rug, she is also the designer. "Merrie Wynter" says it all....here's hoping everyone has a Merrie Wynter!

COOKIE DAY AT GRANDMA'S...THE COOKS ARE ASSEMBLED

This year, I really wanted to have a special day with the grandkids. I have been off of work this week, so I decided to have the three oldest come over on Monday mid-day to bake some sugar cookies. Karsyn, Jacob,and Sebastian were all up for the task! I bought them each their own little apron and Santa hat. While the cookies were baking and cooling...we had a picnic lunch on the living room floor while watching Mickey Mouse's Christmas on DVD. I made them grilled cheese sandwiches and chicken nuggets with chocolate milk. It was so much fun...next year..I'll have six of them together for the baking...it should be interesting!

They are ready to start baking..I gave them each their own cookie tray..so they could decorate their own cookies...no sharing with licking little fingers and spoons...I was on strict orders from their parents!

Sebastian, who is also 3, is having a blast! Anytime these three little ones get together, there's always some type of excitement...

My second oldest grandchild, Jacob, who is three...is really getting into the decorating.

Karsyn looks like she has had "enough"! I don't know if she was tired of decorating cookies...or just tired of having to put up with the "teasing" of her two younger cousins!

Another busy week..but I did find time to sit and crochet a few of my favorite dish cloths to be given as gifts to two of my dear friends. I found these cute snowman hat baskets at Michael's this week and filled them with some lovely, linen Christmas kitchen drying cloths, some chocolates, a "to-do" magnet paper pad, and of course the red and white dish cloths. I think they make a nice hostess gift....even if they don't use them..they are kind of cute to look at just sitting on a kitchen counter. Have a great evening!

THE SIMPLE JOY OF CHRISTMAS

Yesterday, my husband and I went to cut down our Christmas tree at a tree farm we discovered last year. It's about 40 miles south of our home, almost to the Michigan/Ohio border. The road traveled is a narrow two lane, country road that is lined with farmhouses, barns, & acres and acres of corn fields. I love the drive to this tree farm. I often think of how different it must be living out in this quiet atmosphere as compared with living in suburbia. My husband always says "No way would I live out here"..but I would move in a heartbeat!

Anyway...my husband has got to the sweetest,most patient man in the world! Going with me to pick out a tree is like taking a 6 year old girl to the American Girl Shop in Chicago! I have to admit...I am ridiculous...you would think I am picking out a tree for the White House! And the tree I usually pick out is one that is a little scrawny, a little too tall. and of course the trunk is ALWAYS crooked! This year, I opted for a shorter tree, but I love it!! It is a Canaan Fir and is sparse just in the right places. Decorating is done for this year. I'm planning on taking it easy and enjoying the prelude to Christmas. Sooooo..take care, my friends....and have a blessed week...enjoy this glorious Christmas Season!

AN OLDE FASHIONED CHRISTMAS

Don't you just dream of having an olde fashioned Christmas, in these hectic days of time restraints, modern technology, and commercialism? I often think of Christmas long ago, where the simplest of gifts were so appreciated. An orange, a piece of candy, a simple homemade ragdoll. My mom used to tell me that when she was little, growing up in Alabama, Christmas was a very low-keyed celebration. No Christmas tree, no sparkling wrapped gifts. She and her cousins was so happy to receive an orange and some candy. Of course..could you imagine yourself as a child gettng so little or giving our children only one or two items?

It amazes me how much Christmas still warms my heart. No matter how old I get...it is still a magical season to me. The coziness of our home, being able to see family and friends. And now being able to see the excitement in my grandchildrens' eyes. Some people dread the Holiday Season and can't wait for it to be over...for me....I love every minute of it, dread the day after Christmas and then wait with anticipation for the months ahead knowing that Christmas will be back again!

OPEN HOUSE ON THE TDIPT

It's hard to believe, but the Christmas Season will soon be upon us! I love November and December. It's always so much fun getting ready for the big day and this year will be no exception. The TDIPT Mercantile is having their annual "It's Beginning To Look Alot Like Christmas" Open House starting this Sunday, November 1st. You can be sure that there will be lots of goodies offered from some of the most talented folk artists on the web!

A VISIT TO LORI'S

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of going to the Upper Pennisula, here in Michigan. My husband has several cousins that live in the western UP, Iron Mountain, Escanaba, and one even in Wisconsin. My main event, however, was going to visit my dear friend, Lori Rippey, who just happens to live a stone's throw away from one of the cousins. I was so fortunate to be able to visit with her in her beautiful, primitively decorated home on Friday afternoon. What a pleasure! I told her that the Country Sampler Magazine, needed to come to her home and do an article on her!

She made me a beautiful little wall quilt...her home is filled with her handmade quilts, her hooked rugs, and of course her dolls, that she designs herself. She also made me a gorgeous pincushion, as seen in the picture above. I then picked up a couple of her handmade dolls. Lori has such a way with aging her fabric. But...darn...she wouldn't tell me her secret...LOL! I don't blame her one bit! Check out her picturetrail...the link is on my sidebar. Lori is always making, creating new items to sell. You will not be disappointed! Plus you can see some really nice pictures of her home.

New Friends

I just love these little cloth dolls! Lori always puts her finishing touches in them to make them look so old...the little boy doll, I believe is my favorite! His sweet little face and clothes are so simple! Lori designed this doll after an early cloth doll that she has had for quite some time. The little girl doll, is so old and worn looking...she is very firmly stuffed with rags. I love how they look sitting on my early corner cupboard.

These are my fabulous "little quilts" made by my friend Lori Rippey. She does such a fantastic job and everything is by hand! I love her work!

HOOKING IN THE FALL

It's funny how my needlework hobbies seem to change like the seasons here in Michigan. In the spring and early summer, I love to do cross stitch. In the late summer, fall and winter months I love to rug hook and sew. I truly believe, that with the cooler temperatures, the "nester" seems to come out. This is a pattern I am working on. It is a little design I drew up and actually did a wool applique but then thought it would be a nice autumn rug.

I will be joining The TDIPT Mercantile October 15th and will list something new the 15th of every month. Please check out what this wonderfully, talented group of women have to offer on the 1st and the 15th.

SEWING RETREAT WEEKEND

For this month's AAPG weekend sewing retreat, the theme was "birds". Any type of bird....hooked, needle punched, cross stitched, or sewn. I had been under the weather with a nasty cold since Friday evening, so the best I could come up with was some little fabric birds, with wool wings, sized just right for my little metal umbrella tree. These retreats are so much fun! They really inspire you to "do something" even if you are in a slump!

FUN AT MALABAR FARM

This was my booth set up at the Spirit of Friends Show this weekend. What a wonderful show it was! It was a ton of work, but so worth it! I had so much fun meeting people, meeting up with friends, and making new friends. We worked like dogs..setting up, re setting up, redoing, undoing...anyone who has done a show, knows how much work is involved, but it was a blast!!! I made a great new friend, Terri, from Simply Eat Crow...she was my neighbor for the weekend and I couldn't have asked for any one nicer! We hit it off so well and she is also a TDIPT member! How fun was that?? I will post pictures of her booth later this afternoon and a link to her selling blog.

These are some of my handmades offered. The early Ohio sun was so bright and beautiful, that there is a glare. But...we couldn't have asked for better weather..it was PERFECT!!

Friends at Malabar...Lisa, Kaye, Julie, Lori, Sherry, Karin, & me

What a blast...a group of us gals from BLESTB, PRHG, and AAPG, all wonderfully, talented groups on ebay got together at my booth, Union Star, on the "hill" at the In The Spirit of Friends Show at Malabar Farms yesterday. What a treat!! Everyone was so excited and full of energy! I think I was more excited to see my friends than I was to sell at the show! I only wished we all lived closer...I think I might need to move to Ohio...seriously!

A NEW BED

Yesterday, I went to an awesome antique sale in Plymouth MI. My friend, Pat, always has the best primitives. It's about the only place you can pick up prims at a decent price. Well, I purchased this bed from her for only $25 dollars. I think it is probably from the 30' or 40's, but it is that heavy metal, painted brown, and then has the sweetest bouquet of flowers painted on the headboard and footboard. The comforter shows up to be quite bright, but it really isn't. It is a nice contrast to the dark brown of the bed. This is my "guest room", something I never thought I would be able to have, especially with raising 5 children...just never seemed possible.

Just a simple view of the footboard with the pretty painted flowers.

COOKING, CLEANING, CHOPPING, SHOPPING

Yep...that about sums it up for the past 24 hours. My dear husband turns 60 tomorrow and I am having a party for him! Now mind you....he only wanted his kids and grandkids..at first...then he added a couple of friends...then he added a couple of more friends...then he added his sisters and brother, plus the spouses....then he added more friends...then Holy Toledo...I think I am up to about 50 to 60 people! I just started planning this "Main Event" on Thursday afternoon, not to mention that I had to work on Friday! Luckily, I was able to order him a cake, rent some tables and chairs and order some chicken...

Today I cleaned like there was no tomorrow, then I shopped like a mad woman. When I got home this evening I started cooking, chopping veggies, fruit, making some kind of dessert called "Puppy chow" and now I am totally wiped out. So wiped out that I forgot to buy him a birthday gift!!!!!!! I think I will tell him that the party is his gift (I don't know if he'll buy that one!) but I really did forget until about an hour ago..o well, I am making his favorites.

Here's the menu:

Smoked Sausage with sauerkraut
Meatballs with Swedish style gravy
Chicken (from Kroger...the best!)
Cheesy Potatoes
Red Skin Potatoes (from my daughter, Renee)
Corn on the cob (I forgot to shuck tonight..darn!)
Chow Mein Salad
Veggie Pizza
Taco Salad
Buttered Green Beans with almonds
Veggie Tray
Relish Tray
Dinner rolls
Pistachio Pudding (from my daughter in law Sara)
Puppy Chow
Cake...

Sounds like a lot...well, maybe--- maybe not, depends on who shows up! So if any of you are hungry stop on buy..what's a few more?

HERE'S THE GANG...AGAIN + 2

A few months ago I posted a picture of all my grandchildren, attempting to sit on the couch to get their pictures taken...very, hard to do! Well, at Olivia's birthday party, we attempted the same feat but this time, we had two more babies to add to the mix...Parker and Isabel. I think all you can see of those two babies is their little bare feet! The "older" kids, ranging from 1 to 4 years old seem to be having a very difficult time in sitting and posing, we have to snap a picture when we can! Well...there are eight of them in this picture...but come spring their will be another one to add to the mix! Good grief...it was like Romper Room at my son's house...but so much fun..they are all our little blessings!

MY GRANDMA AND THE YOUNGEST

This my grandma, Divie Angeline as she holds her youngest great-great granddaughter, Isabel Angeline. My grandmother is going to be 98 years old in September and she is doing great..moves a little slower, but her mind is as sharp as a tack!

Olivia's birthday was a couple of days ago..this is her at her birthday party with her Birthday Girl Shirt on! She has beautiful red, curly hair and her eyes are crystal blue...and she knows how to pose for the camera!

OLIVIA'S BIG DAY

This afternoon we celebrated my little grand daughter's birthday. She is two years old and just as sweet as can be!! Not much of a little princess...she is more of a little tomboy. Olivia would rather play in dirt and collect rocks than play with dolls or other girlie toys! This is a card that I made for her with couple of sweet pictures.

SAUDER VILLAGE RUG HOOKING EXHIBIT

This past week, was Sauder Village's Rug Hooking Exhibit in Archbold Ohio. I can't tell you how wonderful it was! I went by myself and had the best time! The exhibits just get better every year. This year I actually remembered to bring my camera. I took quite a few pictures, but I only posted a few this evening. I went with the intention of not buying any more wool...HAH! That never happens..it's like saying a quilter will never buy any more fabric! Rebecca Erb was there and I bought a few pieces from her....she has the most amazing, buttery soft wool and her colors are gorgeous...no need to overdye..they are already perfect for hooking! Then I bought 4 fat quarters from a new vendor this year, "Among Friends". I beleive they are from Indiana and they had beautiful overdyed wool. You know how you have a color in your mind that you want to hook with and can never seem to find it or dye it right...well, I had been looking for a dark, teal-like blue to hook this adaptation of an antique rug..and found it at Among Friends. I bought three pieces...she called it "Blue Plate Special". I don't know if it was her combination, but it is THEEEEE most beautiful blue...cant' wait to hook with it!

LOVE THIS RUG!

I don't remember who hooked this rug (sorry), but it was one of my favorites! I just love the gal's face in the rug with her "thrift store finds"...I think we can all relate! It won a ribbon I believe for "Outstanding". It was outstanding!