THE CRUD, ETC.

Well, I haven't been out of the house since going to church on Christmas Eve.

I have what is known in our family as "the crud" - really nothing more than a nasty cold with runny nose and a cough.

But, I haven't moved out of my chair for three days.

Bob just brought in the Christmas tubs - I think he is telling me that it is time to get on with it.  I literately just turned around from my computer and took this picture - that's how much energy I have.  You know -- what's a blog post without a picture?

Christmas was good -- everyone was here - I cooked, and cooked some more!

When did boys start wearing culottes disguised as basketball shorts?  
At any rate, I was informed they were b-ball shorts!!!!

I'll be back when Christmas has been cleared away (but not from my heart!).

PS:  Guess I need to make a new header for the blog, also.  Tomorrow, tomorrow!

JOYOUS SEASON

I will be taking a little break from the blog world so that I may concentrate on

  the celebration of the birth of our Savior.

It is time for me to focus on what is really important -- our faith and our family.

May you also experience the joy and hope of this special season.

Sally

THE YEAR OF THE PLAID!

Did you think I would let the season go by without a post on plaid for Christmas?  For years I've loved plaid, especially at Christmas.  I can't believe how much plaid I have seen on pinterest and the blogs this year --- I'm finally trendy!!!  I know, however, that next year I'll probably be out of style again; but that won't stop me from pulling out the plaid during the month of December 2015.  It's just part of the Christmas season to me.

"Tartan" Christmas quilt I made in 1988 

Here are some pictures of the plaid that has exploded at our house this year ------

Christmas card I made in 2011

I'll always believe in plaid!

I'm joining the following:
Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks

FROSTY FRUIT

 Every year about two weeks before Christmas, I make this Frosty Fruit recipe.  It's great to have in the freezer to pull out during this busy season when you want a "not-so-sweet treat".  My family likes it as a side dish, a dessert, a snack, or even for breakfast.

Here's the easy and fast recipe:

FROSTY FRUIT

1 12 oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 12 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 16 oz. package frozen strawberries, thawed
1 40 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice
6 bananas, chopped
5 cups water

Mix well in large bowl, and set in freezer until slushy.

Pour into 9 oz. plastic cups and cover with plastic wrap.  Freeze solid.

Partially thaw (slushy and fruit still frozen) before serving.  Makes about 20 cups.

P.S.:  Gift giving spanning the generations -- that adorable Santa in the background was made by my grand daughter when she was in pre-school 15 years ago; and the pedestal wooden stand was made by my father in his high school wood-shop class 84 years ago as a gift to his mother.

I'm joining the following:

Art and Sand for a Sweet and Simple Christmas
Be Different and Act Normal for Show and Tell Saturdays
Boogie Board Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Monday
Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at our Home
Coastal Charm for Show and Share Tuesday
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday

VINTAGE CHRISTMAS

Today is Vintage Christmas day at

Have A Daily Cup.  Since practically everything around here is vintage (including us), I wasn't going to miss this opportunity to celebrate with Jann.  Be sure to hop over and visit her delightful blog!

 In my last post I said I wasn't the glitzy, sparkly, glamour type --- well, I lied as I do have a fondness for shiny, vintage ornaments.

Ever since I inherited my parent's and grandmother's Christmas stuff in the 1990s, I have been searching for more vintage ornaments.  I've been keeping the collection under control, however, by buying only those priced way under the current market value.  My search centers on the balls with the cardboard hangers from WW II.  In all of the years I have only found three.  In our part of the country, they must not have been into conserving metal for the war effort; because they sure are elusive!!

In addition, I'm attracted to the vintage tree toppers and bottle brush trees.

I inherited several of the bottle brush trees from my grandmother when I received her collection of cardboard houses.  I love this little church and its tiny bottle brush tree.

We also like the old Christmas postcards which we display on this vintage grocery store receipt rack along with some pictures of our Christmases Past.

Look at this picture of our children taken 40 Christmases ago.  Santa has a death grip on Jenni, and Mike was ready to also grab her if she tried to escape.  Later in the day, we discovered that Jenni had come down with the chicken pox -- we have often wondered if we were responsible for Santa later coming down with the pox.  Plus, did he then have shingles later in life?  He looks a little scared, doesn't he?  I feel guilty........but at the moment we didn't know.

I guess you could consider some of our stockings vintage -- I knitted the first one for Bob before our first Christmas in 1958.

Another touch of vintage - my two grandmothers' and my mother's rolling pins.

I'm joining the following:
Have a Daily Cup for Vintage Christmas Thursday
From My Front Porch to Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Nancherrow for Fridays Unfolded
Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks

RUSTIC CHRISTMAS

Even though I enjoy pretty dishes; I'm just not the glitzy, sparkly, glamour type.  I have scads of silver wedding dishes (1958 variety) which have been stored under the guest bed for 40 years; plus a lot of crystal which very occasionally sees the light of day.

But give me a homemade hutch and a cupboard salvaged 

from a farm out-building ----

combine it with 19th century brown transferware ---

and a candle holder made from a farm machinery part ---

then add natural Christmas decorations ---

And, I'm happy!!!

I'm joining the following:
Thoughts from Alice for a Rustic Christmas Tuesday
Coastal Charm for Tuesday Show and Share
Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Savvy Southern Style for WOW Us Wednesdays

IT'S A START!

I've made a start on Christmas Decorating Week.  

The first thing I did was to put some Christmas cheer in one of our tool boxes on the entry table.

In a desire to avoid some of my week-long mess, we moved in the tubs of stuff and instead of stacking them as usual in the dining room; we put them in the computer room.  We eat every meal in our dining room and it is right by the front door; so for a week it WAS always a mess and drove me crazy.  Duh -- move the stuff to a room where we can close the door!!  How come it took me 17 years to figure that out?

One of the things I like to do right after Thanksgiving is get out the Nativity set. 

 We actually have two sets -- we have an unbreakable one that the kids have always rearranged and played with. And then, we have this very special one. 

In 1968, Bob was gone on a business trip right before Christmas; and I was at home with a young baby.  He returned with my Christmas present -- Mary and baby Jesus -- a start of a Hummel nativity set.

  I was thrilled, and then over the last 46 years when finances and availability allowed;  one at a time he added Joseph, the shepherds, animals, the angel, and the three wise men.  It is one of my most cherished possessions, and always a reminder of why we celebrate Christmas.

In the next few days, I'll get out the other set.  As old as my grand kids are now, I will still discover after one of their visits animals laying on their sides taking naps or missing all together.  

But they know that the Hummels are Grammy's to rearrange!!!

Must get busy -- two big trees with 100s of ornaments to hang on each tree plus lots of vignettes to do.  It's just the start of things to come.

I'm joining the following:
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Monday
Coastal Charm for Show and Share Tuesday
Kathe With An E for You've Gonna Love It Tuesday
Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Green Willow Pond for What We Accomplished Wednesday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
Imparting Grace for Grace at Home Thursday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Nancherrow for Fridays Unfolded
Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks
Be Different Act Normal for Show and Tell Saturdays
Smiling Sally for Blue Monday
The Dedicated House for Make It Pretty Monday

FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW ---

At our church's Thanksgiving dinner a couple of Sundays ago, we sang "The Doxology" as a blessing for our food.

Growing up and into our adulthood, this praise was sung every Sunday during church service.  It seems we never sing it anymore, which makes me sad.

It is such a beautiful melody dating back to the 1500s with lyrics from the 1600s.

So, it was with joy that at our dinner we all joined hands, and all 100 people sang this to bless our food.  Everyone seemed to pull the words from out of their memory bank, singing harmony and without accompaniment.  It was beautiful.

The words say it all, "Praise God, from whom all blessings flow."

May you have a blessed, thankful, and joyful Thanksgiving.

LITTLE BOXES

Occasionally, I get the urge to make something with no eventual purpose -- I just want to make something!  I've been seeing some fabric covered boxes around, and decided to try my hand at it.  No pattern; just figuring it out as I go.
This little project appealed to my frugal sense.  All I had to purchase were the two wooden boxes and the smaller cardboard box from Michael's (under $5 for all three).  I have this great stash of fabric scraps all organized by color and type saved from 50 years of sewing for just such a project as this.

The best part for me is to see the PROCESS of this ----

turn into this ----

In my years of teaching quilt making, I discovered there are 'process' people and there are 'product' people.  'Process' people thoroughly enjoy the act of making something, being creative.  Sometimes they don't care very much about the finished product or its use after creation.  'Product' people, on the other hand, have something in mind for the end result.  They know they are going to give it away, use it themselves, or sell it.  'Product' people sometimes get frustrated during the creative process -- they want to get done and move on to the part that gives them the most satisfaction: the after-life of the product.  But 'process' people enjoy every hurtle they encounter during creation; and consider it all as a welcome challenge.  Once they are done, they are ready to move on to something else and forget the product.  Of course, there are the rare 'combination' people that enjoy it all.

I am definitely a 'process' person as I enjoy every aspect of the act of creating, but not so much the after-life of the product.  

So, I have my same problem again. What in the world am I going to do with three little boxes now that the fun is over?

Are you a 'process', 'product', or 'combination' person?

I'm joining the following:
Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks
Be Different Act Normal for Show and Tell Saturdays
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Smiling Sally for Blue Monday
Coastal Charm for Show and Share Tuesday
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday
Green Willow Pond for What We Accomplished Wednesday
Savvy Southern Style for WOW Us Wednesdays
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
The Dedicated House for Anything Blue Friday

THE MANY FACES OF CAITLIN

When she is rich and famous and writes her tell-all book about friends and family, she can write a chapter about "We were so poor, my 75-year-old grandmother had to take my Senior pictures with her 'point and shoot' camera".  

I was hesitant when Caitlin first asked me to take her Senior pictures; but she kept saying, "We can do this."  She has good editing skills, so I knew she could remove an antenna pole growing out of her head if necessary.  I do have a decent eye for detail, plus lots of practice with the zillion pictures I have taken of her beginning with the day she was born.

She really hated to spend such a large amount of her hard-earned summer money for a professional photographer, as there are a lot of extra expenses during a Senior year in high school.  I'm not knocking the pros -- they really do earn every cent plus have an investment in equipment -- it is hard work, believe me! 

So, we ventured out.  She and I really are pansies (actually prissy) out-of-doors.  We enjoy looking at nature -- just don't want to interact with it too much, as we don't like to get dirty, step in unknown stuff, etc.  And, we did encounter wind, bugs, cactus, bear scat, and dirty rocks and logs.  However, we did see a lot of friendly people out and around.  At first, I thought they were smiling because Caitlin is so adorable; but then I thought they must be laughing at the old lady's antics trying to take the pictures. 

Now don't you laugh at that image in your head (but we laughed a lot). 

Over three different months, we did four different photo shoots -- first at two different parks in a neighboring big city; then in the countryside; on our local river walk; and at the historic city hall building where her Papa Bob worked for so many years.  She and I had spent many a time there waiting so we could take Papa out to lunch for a treat after pre-school.
And now, she is all grown-up!

 I used my trusty Sony Cyber-shot HX5V camera.  This little 'point and shoot' has photographed everything from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to cathedrals in Germany to shrines in Japan.  So why not Senior pictures?

And, Caitlin was right -- "We can (and did) do this!"  

I hope in years to come when she looks at these pictures, she remembers the fun time we had in this little adventure together.

These are some of the out-takes ----  (It's hard to stay focused ALL of the time.)

 Caitlin has given me permission to show off her many faces. Thanks for indulging this grandmother during this very long post! 

I'm joining the following:
Nancherrow for Fridays Unfolded
Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks
Be Different Act Normal for Show and Tell Saturdays
Smiling Sally for Blue Monday
Boogie Board Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Confessions of a Plate Addict for The Scoop Tuesday
Coastal Charm for Show and Share Tuesday
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday
Kathe with an E for You're Gonna Love It Tuesday
Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Green Willow Pond for What We Accomplished Wednesday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
Imparting Grace for Grace at Home