A Christmas Ramble...

Well.... 

Hello everyone.. 

Hope you are all great and enjoying the season!  

I am so sorry for missing for so long!  

I have no excuses so am not going to begin but it is nice to get organized enough to chat with you all finally.

I couldn't believe it today when I checked back and it has been a month and a half since I did my last post.. 

The longest I have ever been away, I believe!  

But here I am and all is well.  

Thank you for all of your concern... 

I have been on Instagram and am truly not as happy on there as here but it does take much less time.. 

I must begin my ramble here now.. 

Are you all ready for Christmas?  

Will try and catch up with all of our doings.. 

Making.... 

Some old fashioned Christmas tags.. 

I was going through some antique Christmas cards and found a World War II card that was handmade like these tags.. 

Thought I would give them a try.. 

Just drawn and crayoned...

And of course ... 

Journals for gifts.. 

Our grandson got my printer going for me so here are some Tasha Tudor tags.. 

And doing...

We were out to the farm for a day and did a few last chores.. 

And.. 

Had a meal.. 

A lovely bowl of Chicken Soup... 

I was able to still pick Thyme from the Herb bed.. 

On the way home I took this pic... 

It was a beautiful evening!

And then the next day it looked like this!  

Life in Canada, eh!  

That was about a month ago and we hardly have a skiff right now here in Eastern New Brunswick... 

I actually do not mind!  at all!  

I was born on a green Christmas and it has always agreed with me since.. grin.. 

Well... rambling along here.. 

This is a long post to make up for all the missing ones.. smile.. 

More making... 

Winter Potpourri... 

The link is at the bottom of the blog here if you want the recipe.. 

Over half is gone already.. 

Love passing bags out to company... 

We made a couple of trips across the border to Calais, Maine and I bought some lovely fabrics from Mardens.. 

This is a bunting I finished... 

Hanging over the Family Room window.. 

Have been enjoying the fire... 

A lovely cozy thing about making Winter....

There is a hashtag on IG called #making winter and I love it..  

Another view of the bunting.. smile.. 

We were blessed to have our ladies group visit last Saturday.. 

It was lovely.. 

It was certainly an incentive for me to get my house trimmed!  smile.. 

And make stuff... 

Little clove filled trees for my pantry to make it smell nice.. 

And I painted a counter mat... 

Or whatever to place on our counter.. 

I am not a great painter.. 

When I had my craft business I used to have a couple of girls do that work for me but I gave it a try...

Kind of like a floor cloth.. 

Terry siliconed it to the counter.. 

It is actually darker in reality but it is not a work of art by any means.. lol... 

Did this wreath for the front hall... 

My friends are so impressed that I have my tree up.. 

It has always been the last thing that gets done.. 

My sister and I grew up with the tree being put up on Christmas Eve and I continued the tradition for many years.. 

But... 

We finally broke down and bought a fake... 

Yup..... 

It is pretty though and with boughs everywhere it still smells nice in there... 

Just a couple of pics of the livingroom... 

I did a couple of things in the pantry.. 

A little tree in a huge crock my Gramp left to me.. 

Decorated with little utensils and such.. 

Made a dried fruit garland... 

And organized my herbs and spices with mason jars and covers from the Pioneer Woman... 

So love them.. 

I can only find them across, though... 

At Walmart... 

Rambling along.. 

I found these dear old pics in my craft supplies.. 

I journeyed to my workshop in the basement and could have spent the winter there making stuff.. 

I can't get over how much I am loving crafting again... 

Anyway.. 

On with the story.... 

I painted some holly and berries on them.. 

Sprayed some sparkles and punched a hole in the top.. 

I love the little tree in the bedroom.. 

It lights up too.. 

And this is in there also.. 

My first Christmas gift from my parents! 

I was born 10 days before Christmas and they brought me home on Christmas Eve.

My Dad and Gram and went to town and bought this for me.. 

And these were my shoes.. 

My Mom kept everything and I have treasured these for years.. 

I believe my sister who was born a year and half later wore them also.. smile.. 

This is another spare room.. 

Rooms that used to have children sleeping in them every night. 

But now... 

Well... 

I better not get going on that.. 

Let's just say that if I could turn back the clock and have them all under our roof again I would be a happy momma.. 

Time flies and there is no going back except in the turning of the pages of your memory.... 

And they are very sweet!  

Thank you, Lord!  

Well now.. 

I did a wee bit of baking today.. 

Ginger Short Breads made and in the fridge.. 

And date balls... 

The recipe is from a sweet friend of mine.. 

Bonnie.. 

Hope you can read this.. grin.. 

Anyway dear hearts... 

This is all for tonight.. 

And a great long post it is.. 

Just skip half of it!  grin.. 

Hope to get back here before Christmas but just in case I will wish you all a very Merry Christmas...

From our house to yours... 

And may the Christ of Christmas be as real to you as He is longing to be... 

Looking forward to hearing from you and your lovely notes... 

God bless you.. 

from  Terry and Faye... 

Sending you Christmas hugs!  

The Autumn's Past Ramble and Roll...

Hello there!

How are you?  

So happy you dropped by the Blessed Hearth today.. 

It is Sunday evening here in Eastern Canada and last night our clocks went back an hour.. 

So... 

I would say the Autumn is over!  

Although we have had a glorious Indian Summer!

But...

When the time goes back to me it is onward and upward to Christmas!  

I don't usually get too involved until after Remembrance Day but this year I must admit to starting earlier.. 

I am hoping to have some special Christmas company and so I want to get things organized at least in my head!

Hoping it gets further then that!  smile.. 

But we will ramble on here a bit and show you a few things we have been doing the last couple of weeks.. 

The table centrepiece has changed..

Terry made me this old box many years ago and I just found it down in the workshop when I was  trying to find fall decor.. 

He picked these hyrangeas because I planned on making a wreath but yesterday I plunked them in here instead.. 

Just until the Christmas one is decided on!  grin

I was so excited to make some beeswax candles... 

Last winter I took a Hibernate course and one of the projects were these candles.. 

I am so slow but finally got around to doing them and I love them.. 

Of course, I made a mistake but it is fixable! 

When she said to use a certain size wick then don't make do just because one already has some.. 

I burned the first one and  after several hours it began to smother itself out.. 

The wick was not the right size but I melted the wax and replaced the wick and it burns lovely!  

Lesson learned!  grin.. 

As you dear followers of the blog know I am a definite 

soup junkee...

This is the season for sure although I eat soup all year long.. smile.. 

This is Cabbage and Leek in a beef broth and so tasty!  

I put this on Instagram and mentioned a little tip I do.. 

Buy fresh Bay leaves from your Supermarket and then dry them yourselves and they are fresher... 

Better for crafts too as they are more flexible.. 

Like in making a dried fruit, bay leaf and cinnamon stick garland.. 

I have that on my to do list to hang in my pantry.. 

Do you make them?  

A nice gift too.. 

Ok.. 

Rolling Onward... smile 

Every Fall I collect rose hips... 

\

Just so much you can do with them and they are so healthy for you. 

We went picking them the other day.. 

I picked them in a bowl and Terry decided this was the easier way!  

I wanted them both ways anyhow.. smile.. 

I especially like to use them in a face oil that I put on before I go to bed.. 

Very easy to make.. 

Dry your hips just a bit 

I have this old fashioned flower dryer that I use.. 

When they are pretty dry then put them in a mortar and pestle and smush them up a bit.. 

Put them in a jar and cover them to the top with Almond Oil.. 

About half and half... 

After a few weeks just strain them through a cheesecloth or coffee filter and put in a lovely decorative jar.. 

Then you just wash your face and apply ... 

They are full of Vitamin C and make a lovely syrup or jelly...

I wanted a bunch to make my wreath I was talking about.. 

Hydrangea and Rose Hips but we will see.. 

I hope to make a Wild Yarrow and Rose Hip Soap for Christmas gifts.. 

He said he would help me very soon.. 

I find soap making is a two person job in this house.. 

Two temps and such make me nervous...

And I found a recipe on Vimeo for Rose Hip Pickles.. 

You only make one jar so I guess I can handle that.. 

I washed up and packed all the preserving stuff and he took it back to the basement.. 

Sooooo glad it is done!  

I love doing it but after awhile it is like Whaaaat!  

More veggies!  lol... 

This was my final preserving project..

Pumpkin Chutney... 

Oh my it is delicious!  

I will be using it for gifts but it is so good with cold meat and cheese... 

Also I made a pumpkin jam... 

You can make a pie with it..
Imagine!  

Here is the link.. 

Here..

You can use up your pumkins you used to decorate with.. 

I love working with paper crafts as you know... smile..  

Made this journal using magazine pics from "Somerset Magazine".... 

Almost done dear hearts.. 

just a bit more rambling along.. 

Roasted Veggies..

Put several cloves of our garlic in there to roast with them.. 

Love having our garlic harvest.. 

Just so fresh!  

We had a huge rain and wind storm here this week.. 

Wow!  

You know how I love the wind and rain... 

Must be my Scottish bloodline!  grin.. 

Anyway.. 

It was lovely until the hydro went off!  

I really dislike it when that happens but at least it was not for long and it was not freezing cold out.. 

Very mild actually! 

Our farm was out of hydro for over 2 days... 

I really need to get my act together for the coming months.. 

I have a feeling that it may go out more often then before.. 

I usually have a standard plan but don't think it will cut the mustard anymore with the way the weather is.. 

We do have a generator but ohhhhh.. 

I do not like it.. 

Anyway... 

A supper meal.. 

I know I post this meal often but it is just so good.. 

Rice with mushrooms, onions, garlic and celery.. 

Chicken Breasts.. 

Oh and use cream of mushroom soup in the rice.. 

Sear the chicken pieces first, too.. 

Not a real recipe but not hard to do.. 

When I make it there are not any leftovers as he likes it.. grin.. 

Him and Dustin used to say the sentence... 

She ruined the chicken again..... grin.. 

Just because I like trying new recipes.. 

Sheesh... 

This one is acceptable though.. grin.. 

Well.. 

Almost finished.. 

Gathered up all the Fall stuff and packed it away again.. 

And on to newer things... 

A couple of new Make and Do books!  

Love them.. 

The best ones I have bought in ages!  

Starting tomorrow I am spending at least an hour or so a day making something!  

Stay tuned.... lol... 

Meanwhile.. 

Another Sabbath is over.. 

God has been faithful as always the past season and I know He will be in the future.. 

The lights are on earlier here at home now.. 

Home... 

Such a lovely word.... 

But as Terry and I were talking in the car the other day after our country's election... 

We don't know what is down the road for our country... 

The love of God and sacred are beginning to be among the missing elements of Canada.. 

But the thing is ... 

This world is not our Home.. 

We are just a passing through.. 

Some sweet morning we will be going Home.. 

To be with the One who loves us..

That is what we are looking forward to.. 

But for now we love the precious gifts that Jesus has given us with our Homes and sweet Families... 

Thanks so much for stopping by.. 

I love your notes and hope to hear from you... 

Take care of yourselves and your dear ones... 

Till next time.. 

I will keep you in my prayers...   

God bless!