Christmas Spirit Abounds!

Here's a unique take on a Christmas tree.  

Look closely!  I was at Gateway this morning

getting some maintenance done on my car.

I miss you

my sweet brother

everyone loves you

I crocheted stars when you were sick

and gave them to our brothers, sister, nephews, nieces and
children to hang on their Christmas trees.

I miss you, Marvin.  Everyday.

2012 Christmas Ornaments

It'll soon be Christmas and my project this year is to make enough ornaments to give to everyone at our family Christmas gathering the second Sunday in December.  Last minute making, but it's fun.

Cutting and folding paper, I need 12 folded papers like those above
for one ornament.  I love the Houndstooth print I found last year.
Roll Tide!
 
 

I used the bottle and wire to make a drying rack for after I
Mod Podged them

 After spraying with a gloss finish, I use wire and beads to form a hanger and to add a tassel.  The red one is from Christmas 2011.

        
 I spent the afternoon cutting strips of wrapping paper to cut into 4-inch squares later.  I used all the Houndstooth paper and cut 10 strips from each of the two flower patterned ones.

The backside of Hallmark paper is printed with 1-inch squares,

making it easy to cut squares of paper for the origami folding.

This is what I use:  Hallmark heavy-weight gift wrap

"with cutting lines"  :-)  And I'm proud to report that 

Hallmark gift wrap is made in the USA!

See!!  It says so right there on the paper!

I'll let you know how the ornaments turn out.  Besides cutting paper, I've been busy today catching up with the laundry and dishes... mounds and mounds of both.  I'll cut the strips of paper into 4-inch squares tonight before I go to bed.  Good night, all!

  

          

                                                                       

Getting ready for Holidays!

My friend is making wreaths.  She says it relaxes her.  I know just looking at mine relaxes me!  She has done such a wonderful job and has many different designs and colors.  When I got it last Friday  I could hardly wait to get home to hang it on my door!  When I'm in the kitchen I can enjoy it.

                                                 

Red, White and Blue --
Christmas/Winter and Patriotic, too!

Note the Avon heart I pinned to his scarf!

                                                                                                   

Fall and Patriotism

No, this post isn't about the fall season.  I had my first "senior" (gah! I wish AARP would quit sending me those enrollment cards, reminding me that I'm getting older) fall today and hopefully my last.  Actually it wasn't exactly senior.  I had run my errands this morning, making several stops after getting out of doctor's office.  I was on my next to last mission back in my little town and had stopped to pay storage rental for November and parked in front of the office. There on the asphalt was a yellow strap used to bind a box for packing.  The strap is plastic and is heat sealed into a band that wraps around a package.  I never thought anything about stepping on it until my swing foot got caught in the band that my stance foot was holding down.  And right now I can't tell you which foot stepped on it and which foot got caught.  The next thing I knew I was flying through the air, trying to get my feet under me to keep me from a great fall. Gravity won, my right knee took the brunt, scraped my right pinkie knuckle and elbow and caught my balance with my left outer palm. My first thought was:  my new jeans!  I just knew I'd torn the knee.  Nope, just a dirty asphalt stain.  Whew.  I'll be alright when my  pride mends.

 Later I noticed that the pavement had scratched my wedding band and engagement ring......sigh.

On a good note, I accomplished all the missions I'd set out to do today, things that I'd been putting off doing until I could take a day off work and just do them (Nike). ha.

Now I don't have to rush next Tuesday.
Yea, me!!!

Sun Dogs

Growing up, my momma would point out sundogs to me if they happened along.  She said it meant a change in weather.  You've probably seen sundogs, maybe you didn't call them that or maybe you didn't know they had a name.  I thought momma just made it up until I happened to see a story on Discovery channel about sundogs.  There is a scientific reason for the halo and sundogs and it was explained.  Basically the information boiled down to a change in weather.  Go ahead, Google it. Momma knew what she was talking about. The ones I saw today were unusually bright.  They made almost a rainbow circle around the sun.  In fact there was a mirror image rainbow above one of the rainbows at the apex of the halo. They were beautiful making rainbow darts in the fall sky. And, I don't remember ever taking a photo of the sun.  Today was a first!

Pancakes for breakfast

Had a hankering for Pancakes this morning and wanted them to be different.  Here's my thought process regarding ingredients:  Bisquik.  And for moisture, Dannon Plain Greek Yogurt.  Mmmm... Blueberries.  Still too thick. Need a grain:  Ground Flax Seed.  Now for the moisture, some kind of juice maybe... don't want to use skim milk and not the soy or almond milk.  Opened fridge door and saw the container of Pineapple Rings full of juice. (100% juice, no sugar added).  Added enough Pineapple Juice to make the batter thin enough to pour.  Used my griddle and cooked 3 at a time (first batch).  Placed on my Fiesta Plate, opened fridge door for the I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray and saw the  Hormel Real Bacon Bits... hmmm.... love that Smokey Bacon!  Sprayed with the Not Butter Spray and topped with Bacon Bits and covered with Pure Maple Syrup.

Yum, so good!!  What a way to start my first day of VACATION!!!