Merry Christmas

Charlie's ice....darn, I forgot my skates.....


My little nativity, Rebecca bought for me at a grade school gift fair. She is a senior this year.

And my favorite poem for Christmas is by Edmund Vance Cooke.

"Tis not the weight of jewel or plate,
Or the fondle of silk or fur;
Tis the spirit in which the gift is rich,
As the gifts of the wise ones were;
And we are not told whose gift was gold...
Or whose was the gift of myrrh."

A Story for Christmas I'm passing along...

The Cozy Yellow House Wishes You A Very Blessed Christmas Season!!: ~A Christmas Story~

You will like this story. It came to me via way of Rusty Thimble.

I'm going to Jonesville today to visit. It will be beautiful I know and I can see (not use) Charlie's outdoor ice rink and see Rebecca too.

A little snow today to make things white. Have a good Wednesday everyone.

From 1998....

Some of you will remember Lauren's booth at Town Peddler. We went there first to see what she had new.

This wall hanging was at Kynda's house. Dated 1998. Wonder what Lauren is doing these days. I hope she is still creating.

Happy Tuesday before Christmas 2010.

I'd Know You Anywhere......

Today I was at the Salvation Army store in Livonia and I bumped into this guy. It went like this...

Me: My, My, I haven't seen you in I bet about twenty years. You are looking really good!

Santa: I feel great, I've been living with some nice people who took really good care of me. However, they are moving this year so I was sent here to be with some of my old friends and help out the Salvation Army.

Me: It's so good to see you again...would you like to go to Tim Horton's for some coffee and then to my house. I have some friends who would like to see you too, Barb and Jackie, remember them?

Santa: Sure do, are they still making stuff?

Me: They are, and I have more friends now who appreciate handmade Santas like you. I'll put you on my blog so lots of them can see you. So let's go....Ho, Ho, Ho......

This is the end of the story but we left together, after all, I made him...all those years ago.
No way was I leaving him behind.

A good story......

Happy Sunday evening everyone. I hope it has been a good day for you.

I heard this story on the news, and if you missed knowing about Mr. Loren Krueger of Leroy, Minnesota, I hope you will take time and go here and read it.

The last part of the story is the best of all and I think Mr. Krueger would be pleased to know how his generosity inspired those he gifted.

Mammy always said "Giving begats giving".

Tussie Mussies..at The Farm....

I can never think to ask why they are called "tussie-mussies". Beautiful old handkerchiefs filled with dried flowers from The Farm's garden, and tied up with a ribbon...

I love them.

Happy Saturday everyone!

Our Christmas visit.....

Kynda and Mark's house looked so pretty, the florals she has made , some FRESH peonies, and a lot of stuff I made way back that I had forgotten about.


Of course we visited The Farm.....and Gail, who works so hard to make it beautiful.


A sign at another stop.... (it says Evaluation Center for Disturbed Women)
looking at everything... my girls shopping....


And Jeff, he's thinking "didn't they see that sign?" Resident dog waited with him.

I have lots more pictures. We had such a good time...seeing Vi..... getting home safely in bad weather....seeing a movie together...eating Mark's good food...seeing G and Lilla....and for me, a little chat with Mark at the kitchen table about Betsy and Kyle...and a few minutes before everyone else got up looking at Flower Chat with Kynda.

An unexpected blessing, the best kind.

But I've missed you all, hope everyone is doing well and ready for Christmas! Gotta run, Charlie Brown is on.

Things that fly....

Inspired by a TV show I've been watching.....

all they need now is a sleigh.....


and angels always....

There are so many nice Christmas posts this week, too many to pick one out today, and a whole lot better than what's on the television. I feel fortunate to have my computer. I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday.

A Part of Christmas...

I was so happy to be able to hear and see the Messiah performed in its entirety. I would never have expected that I would.

My pastor, Dave, has a post to be read titled Bittersweet. How we wish for better things to be for everyone and in his words perhaps it is an issue of the heart. A process that in the end will be good for our souls, a bittersweet Christmas.

I love you all.

Still Dancing...

After about 20 years he hasn't melted and is still dancing. I made these for craft shows one year and I wish I still had the pattern. I found this one on Rachel's tree. His mop is a cinnamon stick.

Most of these were made by Kynda when she did needlework. I especially like the crewel embroidered one top right. I bought the wreath at Value World, flat as a pancake, for $1.91. With a little tweaking, it turned out to be really nice.

The place I would most like to be tomorrow would be at The Farm for their Christmas open house. I know it will be beautiful and Kynda will send us pictures. How far is it to Petersburg, Illinois.....if we leave now could we make it???

Family photos for Jake

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See!

Homespun at Heart

I tore up a tree just to get this little base to sit him on. He didn't hang well and didn't look good in a wreath either. This seemed to be the only way to do it. Not too difficult sewing or painting. I would go with a lighter brown if I made another. Rudolph he isn't.

I Love It.....

My neighbor Midge passed away this summer and her children gave me this cabinet for my kitchen. PJ and Jeff moved it for me and yesterday I filled it with things we have rescued.

Ray found the glass bottles on his property at Jonesville, the large one is dated 1920.
A container from Joanne with a green top
A big green bowl from my neighbor Rose Fontana
A stack of Jewel Tea dishes that Jeff found under their porch when they lived in Melvindale
A breadbox that my grandmother used and an old sifter I can't seem to throw away.

Of course I really didn't have room for it in my little kitchen but some things we just make room for, and that doesn't just apply to furniture either.

I really miss Midge. I am probably the only person she forgave for interrupting her football games and lotto numbers. She loved to see Charlie too and he loved to go over there with me.

I will take good care of her cabinet. Happy Monday everyone.

A Table at Three Cedars....

The Christmas Sign is from my house...
If you have an old sled and a long table ....we always have too much food for this sort of thing. But it was very nice. The chairs had covers made for them with Mrs Santa on one end and Mr. Santa at the head.

Happy Sunday everyone, the sun is shining in Michigan.

Let's Decorate....

Okay, Olde Country Cupboard pattern that doesn't look anything like it's supposed to. I couldn't get the face right and that's the most important part. But he is what he is, for now.
Then, this is made by my daughter Kynda who gets everything just right. For her sis PJ's door. I love it and I hope you don't miss her creations on :www.canadagarden.blogspot.com .

The Annie that goes with the Candy Cane

She is supposed to hang off the side of the candy cane but I never could get her positioned just right. I will have to try later when I have more time. So I just added a pillow for now. The Olde Country Cupboard pattern to check out.

Beautiful sunshine for the shoppers today but I'm not going to be one of them. It would be fun tho.....

Cornbread Dressing

This is how it's done.....The night before make a recipe of Aunt Jemima Corn Meal Mix that is on the bag, except use buttermilk instead of milk and make sure it is soupy. Pour it into a hot skillet that has some Crisco melted in it. Try not to eat it when it gets finished because then you won't have enough for the dressing.

After you have hidden the cornbread, cook a chicken breast covered with water until done, that will be the broth you use tomorrow. Refrigerate overnight.

Next day saute 2 cups onion chopped and about 2 cups thinly diced celery in at least half a stick of butter until the vegetables are slightly cooked.

Crumble about a third of a loaf of bread and the cornbread, season with about 1/8 cup of rubbed sage or poultry seasoning some salt and pepper. Add the celery and onion and 2 eggs and the chicken broth. I usually add a can of Swanson's chicken broth for extra flavor. It needs to be a soupy mixture, like the cornbread was. Bake it 450 for about twenty minutes.

This is the way my mother and grandmother made it. No one ever wrote it down until I did, that's why it has a lot of vague instructions. You learn by doing anyway. Happy Thanksgiving!

Book Pick

Sometimes books show up on hold for me at the library that I didn't ask for. That's because I have my own personal librarian, Teresa, who knows what I will like.

This is a first novel by Todd Johnson who now lives in Connecticut but is a North Carolina native. It's about five southern women and friendship and aging. It is a lovely book, funny and sad at once. You will say "I can't believe this was written by a man."
And so for crafts, this is what I sold at the Town Peddler yesterday. It's half of the pattern by Olde Country Cupboard's Annie's Christmas. I just couldn't get the two parts together for some reason. I will post the other part later.

Happy Thanksgiving eve to all.

Deer Season

This is Charlie with his deer. He will be eating venison this winter.
And this is the one that gramma Peggy shot with her camera.

Town Peddler

In my book, a close second after Elvis......
A new booth at Town Peddler. I'm going to like it. Bought some things for my dolls here.
It wasn't that long ago, really....
I liked this little (actually quite large) Christmas shed all lit up. Is that an Elvis record?
Happy shopping everyone!

There's been some baking......

I need more energy to join in John Michael's dancing...however I did turn out some desserts for Blessed Hope this morning and last evening. All recipes by Kentucky cooks....

Brenda Hahn, Texas Sheet Cake, Lexington, Ky.
7 up Cake, Paula Philpot, Lexington, Ky.
Chess Pie, Clara Vanvactor, Paducah, Ky.
Curtis Grace Tea, Debbie Dempsey, Paducah, Ky.

My, my are we going to be sweetened up this evening.

Hope your Wednesday is sweet too..

There's always dancing......

Pictures from the Craft Show...

Garden Candy by Patricia Ryan.....she is moving to North Carolina soon...
The Whimsical Mind by Linda Nixon...a friend in crafting for a lot of shows....
Donna's Hats and Flowers and Vintage Clothes had a big crowd all day......
Bears are waiting and my Crows Roost snowmen are in the basket far end. What was left when the show opened.
Waiting for the people...Lindbergh is the nicest show I know of, not usually a place for elaborate displays but high quality, HANDMADE. Barb sold lots of items for Relay for Life, including those famous PLARN bags.

And next week I will have to tell you about the barbeque person at the food concession.

A very good crowd of the nicest people...I love Lindbergh and I am so thankful I am able to participate. Happy Sunday everyone, off to church now.