Here's to a New Year of Hope and Peace for Everyone!!

I haven't been very good at posting since my last one on the 20th. Such a busy time of year this is and with the going's on since my last post, it just slaps you in the face that live happens and so do bad things in the midst of such a joyful holiday.
My last post was about my dear Grandma King and what a gift she is to me and my entire family. We just a few days after that post she fell out of bed and they thought she may have broken her pelvis. She had a minor stroke and has lost use of her left side. Not completely, but enough so that she is now in a wheel chair and with her current memory loss, she doesn't remember that she can't get up and so she has fallen twice more. The poor thing just doesn't know not to try to stand up. She has always been very independent and being told not to do something makes her that more determined to do it!! She is a fighter, but they now have give her a mattress that has higher sides so she won't roll out of bed with out help. I just love her so much and hope that she will not have to suffer with much pain.
And then if Grandma having a stroke wasn't enough, a very good lifelong friend of our family got killed on Dec 23rd on his farm in rural NE Colorado. Jesse was doing what he loved, working outside and with his cattle, and there was an accident with his loader that took his young life. He was only 34 and had two young boys that thought their dad hung the moon. His funeral was yesterday. It was the largest funeral I have ever been to, so much sadness but also a great celebration of Jesse's life and his love for it. My heart goes out to his family and all the friends he has left behind, he will be missed.
Yet among the sadness and worry we did have a very nice Christmas with my family and have been able to spend a lot of time with our kids at home. They are so very important to us, and in light of the recent events we cherish them and everyone we know and love that much more.
My wish for all of you this New Year is that it is happy, healthy and prosperous and that you let the loved ones in your life know everyday how very much you love them. Even if you think they know it, tell them again and again, you can never tell someone enough...I Love You!!!
Have a Happy New Year all my blog friends. I hope you make the most of your new year and that all your dreams come true.

A Frosty Day... & ... What a gift I have!!!

On Thursday night we had a very quick and icy snow storm come through, but what a pretty picture it made for us the next morning!!!Jasper even had icicles hanging from his face. But he LOVES the snow and cold!!!
The fog was very dense and so cold, we had to "listen" for the bus this morning we couldn't see it.
But the best part of my day was this...my gift!! This is my 98 yoa Grandma King. She is in home here in town and I go once a week and do her hair. I don't do it as well as a professional would but it makes her feel better and it's good for Ashley and I to get to spend time with her.
Bless her heart, I have to tell her who I am almost every week and she thinks Ashley is a boy, but she loves on her and hugs her and gives her candy. Ash just loves Grandma King to death, she always has. Grandma is the oldest in our family and Ashley is the youngest, the fourth generation, so I feel lucky to have them both in my life and able to share some time together even if Grandma doesn't remember each time she is thrilled to have company and some time with us, Ashley and I will remember it and it is a gift for me each week that we get to go visit and get a hairdo!!! Love you Grandma!!

Thinking about you all Thrusday!!! Dec 18

I've been so busy the past couple of weeks I have neglected my blog!!! Thanks to all of you that keep checking in and leaving me your sweet comments. I love hearing from all of you so I'll try to keep up now that is is slowing down just a bit.. I have been busy...as I'm sure all of you are, it's not just me!!! I went to Ashley's pre-school the other day to help them make Gingerbread men, and alias I have no pictures of them because I was the one with the messy hands!!! But I got a great group shot of them by the singing snowman in the lobby of the school. Ash is the tall one with the pink pants and brown shirt on the left side.. And the one below here she is writing her name and being a reindeer!!


I wanted to share some of my Christmas decor, but haven't done it so the next two are of some of the things in my home. My tree is huge!! TOO big, I want a tall skinny tree, my hubby says next year!!! But this one is pretty is just takes up to much room in my little living room!! I should have taken a new picture of the tree, it does have gifts under it now1!! My angel swap angel found a home on the shelf along with some of my own creations!!


This last one is of the kids at the mall in Pueblo, CO. I had done a show the day before at my sisters school and the next day we got to go to Pueblo to watch my nephews play basketball the CSU-Pueblo. Jake and Ty both are on the squad there. Jake starts and Ty is only a freshman so he gets limited playing time right now, but it was fun to get to go see them and get some shopping done too. They kids hammed it up for me, as usual!!!


I truly hope all of you are ready for Christmas but remember the reason for the season and the YOUR FAMILY IS YOUR GIFT!! I didn't ask for a thing for Christmas this year, My gift is the health and happiness of my kids, that is all I need!!!

Have a great day everyone!!!

A Different Christmas Poem!!

I have been so bad at keeping up my blog. Sorry for those of you that have been looking and I have nothing new. I did a show last weekend and it was okay but not as good as my first. But it was at a high school during a basket ball game and there just wasn't a big crowd for the game so the show crowd was down also, but I got to spend the weekend with both my sisters and watch my nephews play basketball the CSU Pueblo in Pueblo Colorado and got some shopping done, so it wasn't all a bust.
I received the following poem in an email from GF of mine. Her son was in Iraq so this really hits home for her. It's good to remember those that are fighting for our freedom and having to spend the holidays away from home and away from loved one. Have a great day my friends.

A Different Christmas Poem


The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

" So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

PLEASE, would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many
people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due
to
our
U.S service men and women for our being able to celebrate these
festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we
owe.
Make people
stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves
for
us.

LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN
30th Naval Construction Regiment
OIC, Logistics Cell One
Al Taqqadum, Iraq

My Angel Swap Angel

We just had an "Angel Swap" in one of my eBay groups, I posted a picture of the wonderful one I received last week. This is the one I made. I just love her!! She was my first attempt at the pattern and also at needle felting the hair. She flew off to sunny California. I think I'll even make myself one of these. She was fun to make and I hope she will be happy in her new home!!
Now I need to get to decorating and sewing!!! So much to do!!! Have a wonderful day!!!

Cinnamon Ornaments!!

I have made these before and they are great for the kids to make with you and they make your house smell yummy while they are drying!!!

Cinnamon Ornaments

Making Cinnamon Ornaments are a perfect holiday fun activity for kids. The ornaments are easy to make and their aroma lasts long after the holidays are over.

Makes 12 to 15 ornaments.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 1/2 hours, or 1 to 2 days drying time

3/4 cup applesauce

1 bottle (4.12 ounces) McCormick® Cinnamon, Ground

Supplies needed:

cookie cutters

drinking straw

colorful ribbon

1. Preheat oven to 200°F.

2. Mix applesauce and cinnamon with hands in small bowl until a smooth ball of dough is formed. Using about 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll dough to 1/4-inch to 1/3-inch thickness between two sheets of plastic wrap. Peel off top sheet of plastic wrap; cut dough into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Make a hole in top of ornament with drinking straw. Place ornaments on baking sheet.

3. Bake for 2 1/2 hours. Cool ornaments on wire rack.. (Or, to dry ornaments at room temperature, carefully place them on wire rack. Let stand 1 to 2 days or until thoroughly dry, turning occasionally.)

4. Insert ribbon through holes and tie to hang. May be decorated with opaque paint markers found in arts and crafts stores, if desired.

DO NOT EAT

I has begun!! Yippee!!!

Ashley told me today she wanted to cut some fabric into squares and that she wants to sew with me so we can 'Hang Out" together!!! She is always in or near the room I'm crafting in anyway, If I'm upstairs sewing she is there, if I'm in my actual 'craft room' she is down in the basement with me. But for her to tell me she wants to sew and hang out with me made me very happy!! So I gave her some old fabric and let her at it, She made a cape with the red fabric. Of course it is the best cape I've ever seen!!!

Cutting out her first project

"The Cape"
so fashionable!!!

Oh, and I also got an email from a past customer from eBay and she ordered some stars from me for her Prim shop in Minnesota... Yippee!!!

Whatca Working on Wednesday!!!???

I'm not working on much this week, trying to get my house back in order and just an angle for a swap in one of my eBay groups. I don't have a show for a couple of weeks, so I taking a small break from doing to much and catching up on my sleep too!!! I just wanted to share some pictures from my last craft show. I didn't do near as well at it as I did at the one the week before, but I got to spend the day with my two sisters so that made it a good day. I did sell out of my gingerbread men, so more of them are in the works for the next one. There are a few pictures of some of the things I took, I took the pictures before I glittered them up, they are all sparkly now!!!








This is our booth, it kept growing and growing!!! But it got lots of attention that way!! Lots of lookers but not as many buying!!

This is my "SNOW ANGEL" box, the snowman has angel wings
on him!! It did sell.




This is an older sifter that I just added the prim stars to and then attached the 'LIVE SIMPLY" banners on, I added very fine glass glitter, it is pretty, it didn't sell, yet!!








This is an old sewing machine drawer with lots of snow covered pine and warm/natural stars with LET IT SNOW stitched on. It also didn't sell!!

The beautiful angel is from my friend Pat of ahl*cooped*up. She sells on eBay under that name, we had and angel swap in our group, and she got my name, I love it and it will have a special place in my home this Christmas and for many more!! Thanks Pat!!!

Ash Wants to know ~ Whatca Working On Wednesday? ~ Easy Candy Cane Twisting!!!

I don't know why this picture is sideways!!! I can't get it to turn!! But you get the idea!!!

You might think that after all my sewing and stuffing the last three weeks that I would be doing NOTHING!!! But there is another show on Saturday so I just have to try to get a few more goodies done so I have a nice table full again, I have about a dozen gingers and some Large Candy Canes, and my Assistant, aka: Ashley is helping me make these quick and easy Chenille candy canes, my sister, Toni, gave us this tip on how to twist them together in a snap making the whole process go so much faster... see our demo pictures below!!!

Whatca Working On!!!

Take two pipe cleaners like this!!!

Put one end into a power drill, Don't worry, MOM was right here!!!

Hold the other end with some pliers, you can use your fingers but if you do a lot of them your fingers get sore!! Now for the drilling part, just "drill" slowly, holding the other end tight until you get the twists you like!!

They will look like this, you may have to hand twist the ends where they were in the drill and pliers, now bend into the Candy Cane shape you like!!

Almost done!!! Sprinkle them with some fine glass glitter, and they are done or add some pips and a pretty bow and tie three together!! So cute and done in no time!!!

I did tea stain mine for a great prim touch!!! I also sprayed them with Candy Cane Spray!! Yummy!! Enjoy!! Great for your tree or add a special touch to your gifts!!!

Have you Thanked a Veteran today!!!???

Happy Veteran Day everyone!!! I thank all the men and women who serve our great country everyday. We have them to thank for our freedom!! My dad, Ron Northrup, served in Korea in the 50's at his him in 1952 a Senior at Stoneham High School in Stoneham, Colorado. He and my mom still live in Stoneham and only the gym and lunch room of his school still stand, it is the community building now. He is just as handsome today!! ;)
Thanks for all the sacrifices each and every Veteran has made to make me feel safe when I go to bed at night!!! Have a great day everyone and Hug a Vet today!!! I know I will!!!

Happy Monday....How many days til Christmas!!??

Oh I'm still recovering from my show Saturday. I don't envy you gals that do that all the time. But I think if I did it more I would get myself some dollies and rollings totes!!! I made lots of trips with boxes... I just wanted to thank you all for your good wishes and great comments about my things, My confidence level has not been the best..my sales on eBay have been non-existent since Ash was in the hospital and then when I did have a sale, I felt like all my work was for nothing, I was about giving my stuff away, so I tried to raise my prices and then they wouldn't sell, so then I'd lower them and then have the stealth bidders that swoop in at the last second and only bid the opening list price. So my plan didn't work ,to get them to bid on it if was low...lol. I do this because I love what I do but I also try to help out with some of our bills, and I haven't been able to do that for some time. So having a good show and having so many positive comments from you has given me some new confidence in myself and my ability and to make sure we all have a Merry Christmas without putting to much strain on the budget!! With the economy in the shape it is in I was happy to do so well and am thankful for all of it and you for your support!!! I love all my new blog friends!!!

The Craft show is OVER!! I had a great day!!!

Well my feet or sore, my back hurts and I need some sleep but it was well worth it!!! The craft show was a big success for me anyway.. I know there were some vendors there that didn't sell very much. It was a perfect day, No wind, and cool and a pretty good crowd, there were about 70 booths, and I think my sister and I had the only one with homemade crafts in it. One of the other vendors made a point of coming over and tell me that I had the prettiest booth at the whole show, that made all my late nights and sore stuffing fingers worth the effort!!
I sold all but two of my big snowmen heads and my "naked" snowmen from the box, all got pretty prim bows and were placed in a prim basket and I sold almost all of them!! I also sent some thing out to my mom's antique shop for their open house and I think I sold most of it too!!! Yippee!! My hubby even encouraged me to do the show that is here in town next weekend. I'll just take what I didn't sell and make more Gingerbread men ornies they sold very well!! So I may have to do some sewing this week but not much!! Sorry the pictures are all mixed up... I had to show some of my goodies and my table... It's late and my brain is fried!!!

A Big Thank YOU for Dani!!!

I've been so busy that I have forgotten to properly thank Dani, The Old Homestead Peddler,for my yummy grubby apple candles and the room/linen spray that I won on her blog give away. The box smelled so good I'm surprised the delivery person left it!! lol They are sitting in my kitchen so it smells like I'm baking an apple pie all the time, but much to my hubby's dismay I'm not.. When I get through these two shows I'll bake a pie!!! Thank you so much Dani I didn't forget you, I just got sidetracked!!! Now I need to get some sleep, it's been a very long week!!! Have a great day everyone!!!

I got a few things done today!!

I'm just plugging away with my stuff. It took me most of the morning to get all my stuff in one area so I can quit going up and down the stairs... The pictures are a cheese box, a sifter and all the stars and snowmen on my sons bed. I also got a really cool sleigh done with a tree and a teddy bear and toy tractor from Santa in it. I didn't take a picture of that yet!! I the box of snowmen reminded me of a box of chicks peeking out for a look!!! lol .. I know, I'm tired and getting punchy!!! I already told my hubby when we win the lotto I will have a huge craft room with a stove, sink, iron set up all the time, lots of shelves, baskets and ....and... and.. lol... Hey a girl can dream can't I??? Sorry the pictures don't really show these very good, they have to be mica or glitter dusted yet but I do that all at the same time in the garage, where the snowmen are held up now!!! tee hee...Okay enough fun..back to work...

Whatca Working on Wednesday!!!

I think the better question if what am I not working on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday....lol I have been burning the midnight oil the past 3 weeks sewing, stuffing, sewing more and not putting things together!!! That is what the table full of boxes, pot, sifters and what ever else you can put things in, I make make arrangements in them with some kind of candle lamp or tea light candle. Sometimes hard to explain so I'll post pictures when I get some done!!! I got all of all my big snowmen heads done, they are in the garage now, they got snowed on this morning. :0) I'll post more pictures when I get a minute!!! I have over 80 snowmen and I think about 200 stars and some Christmas tress, Gingers and Cardinals. I was going to try to get some penguins done, but there just aren't enough hours in the day, plus getting the kids to and from school and just being a mommy!!! We will be glad when it's all over!!! Have a great day, I need to get back to work..

Can you say Tummy ACHE???

Saying the kids got a lot of candy on Halloween is a gross understatement!!! As you can see by the pictures...they loaded up!! We started at 3 o'clock in the after noon and got home at about 9 but that was with some longer stops at "special" houses. We spent extra time at the kids teachers houses and then we got something to eat on the way home: Other than candy that is!!! lol The downtown merchants have trick or treat street, there are NEVER that many people down town at once any more!!! Then the rec center has a trick or treat event. All the employees dressed up at Olympic athletics. Then we hit the teachers house and then to some streets. There were more kids out than I think I've ever see, but it was 70 at 7 pm so it was perfect weather. As you can see by the huge bowl we got tons of candy, My hips well never be the same.!!! But we had a great time and it was a good break for me from my days and late nights of sewing a stuffing... Stay tuned for my Whatca working on Wed post, I can't even believe what I got done in a week!!! My fingers are sore and I'm tired!!! Until then!!!