Look Who's Helpin' in the Kitchen

Look who was helping me in the kitchen on Christmas morning...

It's Mr. Claus and he was here all day with me and he couldn't help but keep me company while I was cooking up a storm for Christmas dinner.

And, along with him were his other kin around the house here and there...

There was Mr. Elf...

And of course his other friends and cousins...

A lot of his friends and family were hanging around here waiting for him to come and play...

Some were out for a winter's night ride...

Others were just "hangin out"...

Some were dancing a jig or two...

Others were looking up to the heavens...

Ho Ho Ho says this fellow...

And this fella seems like he was doing a little hip hop dance...

Fuzzy wuzzy bearded guy...

And one with the sweetest face...

And others can't wait to get outta town...

Wanna come along?

The rest of the gang was having a party on the buffet - I guess no one ever told them it's not right to dance on tables...

Oh Christmas tree...

Hey, let's check out Mr. Claus in the kitchen - he might need some help with supper...

A Christmas cake for you...

Ride em' cowboy!

Here's winkin' at you...

Hope you had yourself a very Merry Christmas...

And that you will have a very Happy New Year...

All the best to you and your yours in the coming year...

Merry Christmas!

Here's wishing you and yours a very blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year! May the time you spend with your family and friends this season be filled with merriment and joy!

Not a Merry Christmas for this Pooch

It won't be a Merry Christmas for this pooch....poor Lucy the beagle...had to have some surgery the other day - they removed a huge fat tumor off of her backside. So, she has looked like this for the past 48 hours situated in front of the warm fireplace...recooperating and sleeping.

Another 10 days of this...she is not impressed!

A Christmas Tree

I love the warm glow that a decorated Christmas tree gives...it creates an ambiance to a room that nothing else can. Magical colors radiating a room...green, red, yellow, white and blue...soon there will be packages gracing the skirt bottom ready to be opened on Christmas morning by excited boys and girls (and moms and dads too!)

How do you decorate your tree? Do you go for a themed tree? Treasured ornaments? Color coordinated? I always seem to go for decorating my tree with the type of ornaments that bring back memories of my childhood. I always remember those knee-hugger elves from my childhood. I was on a search for some to make some craft projects with and still haven't gotten around to it so now all those eBay and etsy finds are gracing my tree this year. Looking at them makes me happy inside and that is what seems to count this year for me.

Aren't they just the cutest?!

What makes YOU happy?

A Forest

It's a white forest in my kitchen! Since I've been spending most of my time at the sewing machine these past two weeks, I needed a break from sewing aprons and decided to get at those bottle brush trees I bought last year.

So, I've been bleaching the trees so I can dye some of them red and keep some white.....then will add some glitz and glamour to them with lots of glitter and mercury glass beads. Some of them will be part of my Christmas decorating and some will be incorporated in my Christmas crafts. Right now they are drying on my kitchen counter...

"When I grow up I want to be just like the tall trees..."

I'm trying to keep the Christmas comin' so I feel like decorating the house!

Ahh...Christmas Decorating

Just thinking about Christmas gives me the warm cozy feeling.....but, the thought of hauling up from the basement ALL OF THOSE BOXES doesn't! I usually have my tree up by this time but I have a million things swimming around in my head - could it be because I am not even a quarter done Christmas shopping?! Could it be the mess that has been on my dining room table for the last month because I am trying to get some things listed in my etsy shop before Christmas comes and goes? Organization really is a strong suit I have but I'm not feeling that organization love right now! Where are all my Christmas helpers, elves and fairies? Don't they see the red alarm light going off on the top of my roof signaling for help?? I think they are just too busy these days helping out all those other moms who are feeling it too!

But, I know by crunch time I will have everything done, but right now the stress factor is creeping into my subconscious and messin' with my brain! Go away...go away...I am only supposed to be having "happy" thoughts right now because it is Christmas time and the Christmas music is playing where ever you go and everything looks so festive everywhere and Starbuck's has eggnog lattes and cranberry bliss bars and there are craft fairs to go to and soon it will be snowing and have that "Norman Rockwell" look.....every where except for in my house right now! Luckily I decorate with red so I do have some sort of head start on all of you out there!

As I look at the photo above it conjures up thoughts of what Christmas was like back in those "vintage" days. I'm sure it was nothing like it is now. Probably a lot simpler and low key. Decking the halls probably meant just decorating a Christmas tree and not your whole house. Yeah, I could go for living those days right now...in fact, I am going to promise myself NOT to go all out this year and keep things simple! Since it is only "me, myself and I" providing the help, I think this is the year to go streamline...a few simple things put out so that it is only a "few" simple things to put away once the time comes.

SIMPLIFY...I'm lovin' that word right now! Let the simple decorating begin....

Happy Thanksgiving

All decked out in fall finery! Here to say "Happy Thanksgiving" and may your day be filled with many blessings and much to be thankful for!

Pretty much like this today...the way it is outside and the way I'm feeling now...

Best Burger Joint

Last night after our daughter's basketball game we went out to dinner to this burger joint in Vancouver. I gotta tell you these burgers are fabulous!! I ordered a bison burger with all the fixings including bacon and grilled onions...yummy! They also have lamb burgers and beef burgers too. This has got to be the best burger I have ever had.

So, if you are visiting Vancouver, B.C. and are craving a juicy burger, be sure to visit Splitz Grill on Main Street.

Before...

After...

Altered Re-Do

A few weeks ago I began transforming my youngest daughter's bedroom into something more sophisticated and more in keeping with the decor of our home. I neglected to take any before pictures but let me set your imagination: sage green walls, country blue ceiling, green linen curtains, and years and years worth of dust bunnies and dog hair that had accumulated in all the little nooks and crannies in this room. It took a while to clean it first and then the paint process began. To keep the flow going in our house, I chose to go with the same wall color that is on the majority of our houses' walls. It seems to go with whatever I accessorize it with, so it works for me!

Once the room was painted I began the part I love the most - DECORATING!! I picked up a few goodies while on my trip to Portland knowing that I would be filling this room with most of them. The color scheme is red and black and white. I found a black and white toile bed coverlet set at our local Home Sense a while back and this is where everything else followed.

Today I altered my daughter's old dresser with some vintage sheet music. I then applied some ebony rub and buff to give it a more "old and worn" look. I love the way it turned out and I am thinking I want to move into this bedroom now!

Accessorizing the dresser with some of my neat finds...

A close up view...

Some vintage little girls shoes...

An old mirror/brush/comb set...

I fell in love with these shoes when I saw them at Monticello's antique store in Portland...

An old iron/crystal vintage lamp...

And this chandelier ties everything together with it's black crystals and red frame...love it!

All lit up...

The mannequin that used to be in my bedroom - it's better suited in this room...

Houndstooth taffeta crinoline dress and pearls...

And lastly this cute bisque doll that I found from Annie, Fannie and Abigail Antique Studio at the Queen of Tarte Barn Sale - her name is "Jolly Dolly"...

And she now resides in my home...

More of the room transformation to come...