A couple of easy little projects...

Hello my dears..

We have a bit of snow here in Maritime Canada... Not a lot but a little skiff of it anyway.. It is also cold and crisp out..

How are you all doing? 

Our house is almost all decorated.

Thank the good Lord..

It should be finished tomorrow hopefully..

Here is a little project that I thought you might like..

The idea is on PINTEREST of course.. smile..

They had used a chair but we have a bench in the front foyer that we painted black awhile ago.. So.. when I was decorating in there I remembered this pin and thought that perhaps it would work on the bench.. 

So ... tada..... 

I just drew the snowman head on there and painted it in..

The stars are stenciled and the word love is just freehand..

Then a coat of water based sealer... All done..

Not a perfect job by far but still a little change..

The foyer is all done in snowmen that I can leave out until about March... smile .. Then I will just paint the bench all black again..

Or maybe a different color.. Who knows... grin..

Trevor made that bench for me when he was in high school.. He is very creative and loves wood work... the dear lad... smile..

Anyway....

Here is another easy idea that I have done on the top of the fridge for a couple of years now..

These are old mason jars and a depression glass measuring cup with a beater in it ... I just stuffed a couple of sets of lights in the jars and placed a bit of greenery up there..

Very cozy at night...

You could use any kind of clear glass jars...

Terry and I are almost ready for our little Keepers of the Home supper on Saturday.. We bought the groceries today..

We are looking forward to having the girls and their husbands..It is the only time that the men are included... smile..

Thanks for dropping by ...Are you all ready for the big day?  I know you are all busy but I do look forward to hearing from you..

Blessings...

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there are so many wonderful ideas at this site..

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A Kitchen Wall Decorated for Christmas...

Hello my friends..

Another Monday has rolled around and we are that much closer to Christmas Day... Terry and I are in for a very busy week..

Our little supper party for the Keepers of the Home is on Saturday night along with a Ladies Night out  and a Family Christmas Gathering with our Church family.. They all take place this week..

I managed to get the kitchen and family room decorated over the weekend..

I thought I would show you the main kitchen wall..

Looking through the rusty bells..

They hang on the chandelier..

Here is a better view.. smile..

 I told you in  a previous post  that this is the first time I have decorated with Santa for many years..

Shonda and her family gave me this Santa last year for Christmas..

I needed something long to fit that spot and I thought he looked great sooooo... The kitchen is decorated with santas this year..

I love the nativity and the fact that Christmas is about Christ is my focus.. I try to put the nativity wherever I can ... But for this year there is a bit more Santa than usual.. smile..

Anyway, onward with the wall..

You have to admit that he is kinda cute.. She bought him at a craft show so he is homemade and prim..

I really like him..

Some fresh boughs and candles and antique cookie cutter...

An old reindeer cutter made from old tin...

And an old star cookie cutter with a green handle..

Just a bit of greenery and berries added to the bowl display..

Well, girls that is all I have for tonight..

I will be sure to show more later on .. Today, I finished cleaning out all of the cupboards and decluttering them..

I managed to get rid of a whole box and a garbage bag full of stuff.. Yeah!!

While I was cleaning out the cupboard where I keep paper stuff I came across and old photo of Dustin (our youngest) and me..

I figure that it was taken about ten years ago.. Both of us have aged... smile.. He is much more mature and so am I ... grin..

Terry told me to put this on but he told me not to say how old it was.. grin..

Oh well, as my Mom always says ... time and tide wait for no man..

The last ten years have surely flown..

 We are that much closer to the coming of our Lord..

 Just any day now...

God bless you all and have a grand week..

I will try to get back to you soon..

Looking so forward to hearing from you all..

Hugs..

Come in and have some breakjfast...

Good Morning my dears...

Here we are on a Saturday morning in December and not  a speck of snow:-)  Are you all in the Christmas mood?.. I expect the malls are flooded today with shoppers.. We are staying home today.. I think... smile..

Look, Terry forgot to turn off the lights in the kitchen window..

See the new Santa Toile curtains that I made yesterday? 

I kind of like them for a change.. I usually am not a Santa person since our kids are all grown and even our grandsons are past the age  but I saw this fabric and it called out to me.. grin..

Anyway, it is a bit dark in here but for some reason I love puttering around early in the morning..

Quiet and a bit dark.. Do you? 

Where is the coffee pot?

Ahhh... there it is... The first thing I usually do is put Sammi out and put the coffee on..

And then I go into the Family Room and say good morning to my Lord .. He always meets me there.. Every morning.. smile..

I was wondering if you would like some coffee and perhaps a piece of the English Muffin Bread I made yesterday..

I haven't made it since the kids were living here ... I saw it in my cookbook yesterday and as Terry loves this I thought I would make it again.. Besides, we are trying not to buy bread... I just want to make it..

With the no knead recipes it is quite simple.. We don't eat a lot of bread but he likes his toast in the mornings..

Let me slice a couple of pieces off for us, eh!

It has cornmeal on it..  I will toast a couple of slices..

Would you like some homemade strawberry or perhaps the dandelion jelly.. It is so good.. I am so glad I had some left over for us...

I am so glad you dropped in for breakfast...

Are you already for Christmas?  Today, I hope to get the mantel decorated and perhaps the front foyer..

What are your plans?

Oh, yes here is the recipe for the bread..

HOMEMADE ENGLISH MUFFIN BREAD..

2 packages of dry yeast  (I used 4 tsp. of instant yeast)

6 cups of flour

1 T. sugar

2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

2 cups of milk

1/2 cup of water

cornmeal

Combine 3 cups of flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking soda..

Whisk together..

Heat liquids until quite hot and add to dry ingredients..

Stir in the rest of flour to make a stiff batter..

Grease and sprinkle  2 x 8-1/4 by 4-1//2 inch pans with cornmeal..

Spoon  into pans and sprinkle with cornmeal..  Cover with a tea towel and let rise until doubled for bout an hour..

Bake in 400 degree F. oven for 25 minutes or so..

Remove from pans immediately and let cool..

Well, I must get to work.. So glad you dropped by..

Have a blessed weekend.. Let me know how you are all doing..

I so enjoy your visits and comments..

Oh my... it is still raining out there..

Is it raining where you are? 

God bless you all..

Is it Christmas yet?

Just dropping by to wish you all a blessed weekend..

Terry and I took a wee trip across the border to Maine yesterday and today I have decided that this old mare isn't what she used to be... grin..

I made some Santa toile curtains today..

Will share them with you later but for tonight I am of to bed..

Hugs and Blessings..

Some crochet humor for you all..

Good Evening everyone..

This is my second try at posting tonight..

My first one published without me clicking it .. I don't know what happened.. Oh well..

Here I am again..

I wanted to share something with you that I came across in the Sun room when I was trying to get it organized today...

I sew and do a few crafts in there, too.. 

It is this ....

It is an old fashioned craft .. I bought a box of very old crochet at an auction ages ago and loved this little project..

It was on a piece of construction paper with these instructions..

Soap Wheel..

Put your bits of soap inside this wheel..

And pull the string uptight..

Then take it to the bathroom with you...

And scrub with all your might..

Isn't that sweet and so kind of old fashioned?

Do you know how to crochet?

Then here is a little humor for you... grin..

I found  it in the Sun room, too.. My dear friend Patricia sent me before we had a computer..

I do not know who made it up but I love anything funny and she knew that I would love it.. And I did..

 Hope you have time to read it.. smile..

A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years.  They had shared everything.  They had talked about everything.  They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box at the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about..

For all of these years he had never thought about the box, but one day the little old woman had got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover.  In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoebox and took it to his wife's bedside.

She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box.  When he opened it he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling $95,000.00

He asked her about the contents..

"When we were married," she said.. "My grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue.  She told me if I ever got angry with you I should keep quiet and crochet a doll."

The little old man was so moved he had to fight back the tears..

Only TWO precious dolls were in the box.  She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving..

He almost burst with happiness..

"Honey,"  he said, "that explains the dolls but what about all of this money?  Where did it come from?"

"Oh," she said, "that's the money I made from selling the dolls."

LOL... Isn't that hilarious?

Well, here is a little prayer that was written on the bottom, too..

A prayer...

Dear Lord..

I pray for wisdom to understand my husband..

Love to forgive him..

And patience with his moods..

for....Lord if I pray for strength..

I'll beat him to death .. because I don't know how to crochet..

Grin.. Funny, eh!

That's for all you dear girls who love your husbands..

No matter what...

Love to you all..

xxoxo

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INSPIRE ME FRIDAYS

Just Another Country Bedroom...

Hello my dears..

How are you all doing?

It is a rainy and windy night here.. Can you believe how fast time is flying by.. Not long before the big day:-)  I am not ready.. How about you ladies?  Of course, my dear and close friends are not surprised.. I didn't used to put our tree up until Christmas Eve..

I do a little better now.. smile..

I HOPED that you wouldn't mind seeing another bedroom.. Remember there are four here..

This used to be Shonda's room .. We redid  it after awhile.. We changed the carpet to a pine floor and repainted and redecorated..

Anyway... I will let the pictures do the talking, I think...

Decorating these rooms for Christmas brings back so many memories ... Sweet and dear ones.. Treasures for my heart... Blessings from my wonderful Lord.. 

I think that this is all for tonight my friends..

Thank you so much for your visit and I hope the new followers are enjoying the site.. I have received so many sweet emails from ladies who live near me and I so appreciate that..

Looking forward to hearing from you..  

Peace to you all.. 

Hugs..

MONDAY... MONDAY...

Good Evening one and all..

Just a short post tonight.. Today was a lovely warm day here but the temps are supposed to be getting much cooler with some snow ..

As you may know I love Mondays.. A long week ahead full of potential.. smile.. 

We had company today.. My Mom and Step-Dad dropped by for lunch and we had a lovely visit.. My Mom looked sweet.. I should have taken her picture.. smile.. 

There is no one I would rather cook for than her.. She always loves everything and tells me I am the best cook she knows.. grin.. 

Today, I made a Chinese Casserole, Bread, and a Garden Salad with a Homemade Tomato Dressing which she loved.. She took the rest home along with the recipe.. smile.. And a Chocolate Oatmeal Cake for dessert..

Terry is still painting and I am still puttering away.. 

This is the Dining Room this evening..

Sorry about the quality of the pic but I could not get a good one because of the lighting, I guess..

I worked on a little table scape today..

Using some homemade type cloches.. 

I am not sure this is what I want..

More on that later.. 

Here is the recipe for the dressing in case you would like to try it.. 

HOMEMADE TOMATO SALAD DRESSING..

In a small food chopper or food processor put

1/2 cup of good mayonnaise

2 T. red wine or apple cider vinegar

2 T. olive or canola oil

1/3 cup of chopped onion

1/2 cup of seeded tomato

3 sprigs of fresh parsley

salt and pepper..

Puree...

Thank you dear friends for your visit..

As always, I look forward to hearing from you..

Have a blessed evening wherever that may be..

Hugs. 

The Burden Carrier..

Good Evening everyone..

It is lovely here in New Brunswick tonight..

It surely is not Christmas weather, though.. Oh well...Bring on the snow later..  Showing my age aren't I? ..smile.. 

How is your weekend going thus far?  We did not accomplish as much as  we had planned for  today as we were on the roads.. again.. Just picking up a few gifts and such..

We were up to our old farm though yesterday, I believe and I had noticed these things growing in the ditch the last few times we had been up.. I have not seen them in all of my 50 odd years.. grin.. 

So my sweet hubby picked me some... 

They grow on a vine and look like cotton balls..

Do you ladies know what they are..

I twisted them around and sort of made a wreath with them..

And then I put them on the olde spinning wheel..

I really haven't started decorating the living room yet..

But I did place the snow girl that I made last year in there..

For now.. grin.. I like her in a couple of places so it is hard to say where she will end up..

So I will say good night for now...

The sun is going down here in Eastern Canada...

We bought some really good coffee today so I think I will make a cup..

Tomorrow again is the Lord's Day.. smile..

I am so thankful for the blessings of this past week.. So many times I noticed such a joy in my spirit... For some time now I have been carrying a burden... It was heavy... And although, I knew that I need not do that.. I kept it anyway... He said if we would give our burdens to Him that He would make them light...

So, many times I would forge on ... Trying on my own to fix things or whatever.. This one was getting hard to bear..

Monday morning when I got down to pray I carried such a heaviness and  suddenly I remembered times in my life when I had given Him my burden and oh the joy of leaving it all with Him..

It was as though He said to me... Remember..

I realized then that I need not put myself through this.. I only needed to give it all to Him...

And I did.. Thank you, Jesus... What a faithful God we serve..

Down to the little facets of our lives He is there..

I am so thankful that He reminded me that He could give me peace..

Tonight.... six days later and I am not fretting..

He will look after it for me.. smile..

I had no intentions at all of writing this.. 

Perhaps  though, there is someone out there who needs a little reminder of how faithful Jesus is.. He is our burden carrier...

Have a blessed Sunday dear friends...

God bless...

Matthew 11: 30

Psalms 55: 22

I Peter 5: 7

Christmas Stovetop Potpourri Gift Ideas...

Hello ladies..

Hope all is well with you tonight..

We are still having mild temps here in Atlantic Canada.. Terry and I went into the city today and I did not need my coat .. just a sweater...My Mom was telling me that the weather is as it was MANY years ago when I was born..My birthday is this month...

She also told me she can't believe how Old that I am getting.. Job's comforter.. grin.. What are Moms for, eh!

Anyway... I think one of the most wonderful aspects of Christmas are the smells.. pine, apple, vanilla, balsam and so many more..

I make a stove top potpourri every year..I was going to make some and thought you might like the recipe..

This is what it looks like...

Here is the recipe...

This makes one batch..

CHRISTMAS STOVE TOP POTPOURRI..

2 long cinnamon sticks, broken

2 T. allspice whole

2 T. cloves

1/2 nutmeg

1 bay leaf

1 T. dried cranberries (opt)

1 dried orange slice

1 dried apple slice

1 star anise...

Directions to use..

Place contents in 2 cups of water and bring to simmer on low heat..Keep adding water..

This lasts for 3 days..

A little idea is to pick up an old teapot and place the mix in that..

If you have a wood stove it is nice on that, too..

You can make this and put in zip lock plastic bags and then in brown paper lunch bags, a tag with directions and perhaps a piece of pine and some raffia or add a few rusted bells..

If you had an old teapot place it in the pot and tie some pine and cones on the handle along with a tag..

I sell this in the shop and place it in old book pages..

These needed the tag and grocers string added.

Just a couple of ideas for you..

Well, my dears that is all for tonight..

Thank you so much for dropping by and also for your sweet emails and comments... Just wanted to welcome all the new followers of the blog and thank you so much to you faithful commenters..

I so look forward to hearing from you all..

Have a blessed day tomorrow and take care...

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