~Snow~

We've had a warmer fall this year, which has meant that we haven't had much snow. The snow we did get, did not stick. This morning we woke up to a white world. I love to wake up and look out the window on fresh snow!

I don't necessarily like the cold that comes along with the snow, but I do admit that snow (freshly fallen) is so beautiful!

~I need your help~

My church is having an adult Christmas dinner, and I've been asked to provide a "dessert centerpiece" for one of the tables. There will be 8 tables, and 8 different ladies making the desserts. The word "centerpiece" is making me a little nervous. My goal is to make something very pretty and yummy but not something that is going to take me hours in the kitchen. I'm not looking to blow everyone's socks off (but, hey, if you can come up with something that is so fabulously easy and knock-down gorgeous at the same time, let me know. I'd be willing to knock a few socks off. *Giggles*)

The tables are round, and a friend has a number of cake stands and tiered plates I can borrow.

~A Unique Dining Experience~

Last night Kevin and I were invited, along with several other couples, to dinner at a couple's house from our church. The invitation was a little mysterious...we were to come with a good sense of humor for a unique dining experience. Hmmmm...

Well, we arrived, and the host and hostess welcomed us warmly. We were seated around the table, and the host and hostess told us that we were to have a relaxing, fun evening, and that they would be serving us. (I was very touched by that--an older couple serving younger couples. What an example! "Older" being relative in this case, somewhere in my parent's age bracket, and no I don't think of my parents as "old". *Grin*)

We were given a menu, with 16 items on one side, and we had to fill out our menu on the other side. We had to put down four choices for each of four courses, not repeating anything. Of course, the menu did not say "roast beef" and "bread" and "fork", etc. It was all in biblical terms -- the roast beef was the prodigal son's feast, for example.

Kevin picked out what he assumed were the silverware for his first course. That way, he would have his silverware for the entire meal. Well, he didn't know that each course would be cleared away before the next course was served! So he got a knife, fork, napkin and toothpick for his first course...and then no silverware to eat with the rest of the meal. LOL

For my first course, I received a roll, dessert (yummy! dessert should always come first! LOL), and rice. Oh, and a napkin. We all had a blast. It was hilarious--at some point in the dinner, everyone had to eat with their fingers. Oh, and it was delicious food! Totally worth digging in to! ;-) There was much laughter as we were served each course. I got a fork with my salad, which was handy. It was also handy that the hostess forgot to collect my fork when she took my salad plate. So I got to eat my next course with my fork. HAHA I was ratted out by our dinner companions mid-way through the next course, but since it was her fault for forgetting she let me keep my fork. Woohoo! ;-)

I think it is safe to say that we all came with a sense of humor, as evidenced by the laughter about the table! It was a very pleasant evening, and while I wouldn't normally be thrilled to eat with my fingers, everyone else was doing it, so why not? *Smiles*

I love it when we are invited over to someones house, and they are the "hostess with the mostest". It provides me with more Titus 2 examples and helps me to see areas which I can improve upon in my own hospitality!

~Long time no post~

I've been busy with "stuff". *smiles*

We put our tree up on Saturday. Each Christmas, my teddy bear friends come out and get to sit under the tree.



My tree isn't fancy with the latest decorating scheme. It is full of special ornaments, each one with a memory! Here's one that my great-grandma made me for Christmas quite a few years ago:



~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jodi wrote an excellent post today, and I wanted to point you over in her direction.

Have a blessed day!

~At least I wasn't the only one...~

I love seeing the searches that get random people to my blog.

Here's one from today:

sweet potato peelings clogged drain

I feel your pain!

LOL

~Happy Thanksgiving~

...a day late! *Smiles*

I hope that my American readers had a very blessed Thanksgiving. And for those reading from other countries, I hope you had a nice day as well. =)

It was just the two of us this year, but as I mentioned in my previous post, I still fixed all the trimmings. After all, leftovers are great to have! I won't have to cook any big meals for several days! LOL

We had a nice, relaxing day. I did spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but it was off and on. In the middle of my dinner preparations, the kitchen drain got clogged. Oh my! I had been doing SO WELL with the dishes, washing up after each dish I prepared. And then all of a sudden, the sink wouldn't drain. Ick. (It was the sweet potato peelings that finished clogging up the drain.) So I did have a nice little pile of dishes after all.

This morning, Kevin went and rented a snake and got the drain unclogged. The sink is draining just fine now! I'm so glad it was a simple fix.

Any Black Friday shoppers out there? I stayed in today. I do not like shopping that much anyhow, and then make it a crowded shopping experience, and I really dislike shopping! When it is so crowded, I can't concentrate on shopping, I'm just trying to maneuver around the crowds. So at 4 a.m. while people were lining up to get into Kohl's...I was sound asleep! *Grin*

However, a few years back, my husband, sisters and I did go out on Black Friday to do some shopping. The mall we went to was not crowded at all, and we had a great time shopping. At Gottschalks, I found a great gift at the jewelry counter, and went up to purchase it. There were two or three ladies behind the counter, doing nothing. Nobody was in line, or even near the jewelry counter. However, they wanted me to take a number. (At this point I was looking around for the hidden camera!!! Surely this was a joke?) I reluctantly stepped back and took a number. I had "99". The gal who had been "helping" me called out, "98...98". What'ya know? Nobody stepped forward! Then she called my number, and I walked back up to the counter. That wasn't my chance to be on a hidden camera show, it was just some workers following the letter of the law. Too bad. LOL

I'm now off to get some sewing done...have a great day!

~Yet another apron!~

This one is for me! I bought the fabric with my birthday money.

I made my own bias tape for this apron, which was a lot of cutting and ironing, but the sewing was so much easier with my bias tape than the store-bought bias tape. Plus, I love the fact that the bias tape has flowers on it, and it coordinates perfectly with the main fabric.

I am just so much in love with this apron! I love polka-dots, and I love pink and brown together!




This will be my first time to participate in the Tie One On challenge. I've thought about it before, but never got around to actually doing it. The theme this time around is "Polka-Dots".

I loved this combination so much that I bought enough fabric to make two aprons...one for me, and one for my shop!

But, no more sewing for me today! I have baking and housework to do! We're having Thanksgiving with just the two of us this year, but I'm still preparing a traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings.

Have a blessed day!

~Handcrafters' Holidays Blog Meme~

I have really enjoyed the Sew, Mama, Sew! blog, and the month of November has been especially fun over there since they have been posting links to tutorials the entire month. I have gotten so many ideas for new projects!

They created a meme for their readers to participate in, so here's mine:

Gifts

Do you have a favorite gift that you love to give?

I have literally made hundreds of cross bookmarks. They fit perfectly into a card, and it makes a nice little surprise for a thank you note or a "thinking of you" note.

If you’re making gifts this year, what are you making? (Post photos if you have some!)

Oh, how I would love to post pictures of some of the gifts I'm giving, but my family reads my blog! I will say though, that one of my sisters is getting something that I'm making from one of the tutorials posted this month over at SMS!

Do you have any good stories about handcrafted gifts you’ve given or received?

Being a handcrafter myself, I rarely get handcrafted gifts. However, a few years back, a lady who had just learned to crochet gave me a little doily that she made. I was really touched by this gift, because she knew that I crocheted doilies as well, and had been making them for years before her. It was so much fun to receive! So don't be afraid to give your handmade items as gifts!

Name one thing on your personal wish list.

I would love to get a subscription to Interweave Knits.

Do you make and sell things that would make fantastic gifts? (Link)

I have a little Etsy shop that I've been stocking with goodies lately! All of my items would make great gifts, but I'm especially pleased with my aprons. This apron was made with fabric and a pattern from SMS.

You can visit my shop by clicking here.

Traditions

What is your favorite family holiday tradition?

I have seven sisters and one brother, which makes for a lot of people (!) but every Christmas, we take all our gifts to my mom's parents, and open everything there. It is a long process, pretty much only one person opening at a time. Everyone gets everyone a gift, no matter the budget they might have. It is so much fun!

What do you love most about the holiday season?

The beautiful music!

What do you like least about the holiday season?

The commercialism!!!

Anyone close to your heart that you’ll be missing this year?

My great grandmother, who passed away last Christmas Eve. She was a wonderful, godly lady!

What is your favorite holiday food?

I love so many of the holiday foods, but one of my very favorites is my grandma's peppernuts (a German specialty-- a tiny, spicy cookie that is crunchy). She knows I like love them, and she usually sends me home with a Ziploc full. Grandmas are the best! *Smiles*

Do you have a great recipe to share?
This is very easy and yummy! You'll need almond bark (either chocolate or vanilla flavored) and then mix together equal amounts of: pretzels, almonds or another favorite nut, and rice chex. Melt your almond bark, and coat your pretzel mix thoroughly. Spread out in a thin layer to harden. After the almond bark is completely hardened, break apart and it's ready to eat!

~Another Apron~

Just for Christmas, just listed in the shop.



I just love the back:



Also, all my fall items are marked half off now. *Smiles*

~Are you a good driver?~

You Passed Your Driver's Test

Congratulations, you got 8/10 correct. You're a good driver - at least, when you want to be.

Are You a Good Driver?

~Friday's Projects~

I happily sewed today away!

Now in my Etsy shop:

Another "flapper" apon, made out of reproduction feedsack material. I just love the thought that it is *possible* that someone made this very apron in the 1930's!



Two more zipper pouch sets...





Next up: some more aprons, including one for Christmas!

~My sewing machine is home again!~

Woohoo! I can't wait to start sewing again!

It's all clean, and there's no lint in it! I'm sure I could have done that but it got the tension adjusted, and it's good to go!

I stopped by the fabric store and got some more fabric. Ahhh...I love that fabric store! =)

~Describe yourself in one word~

*sarcasm* Ahhh, the joy and delight I get from interviews! *end of sarcasm*

I had an interview this afternoon for a position, and that was one of the questions. How in the world do you describe yourself in one word?

The interviewer told me that she didn't know what she would say about herself. Hmmmm.

I said "honest" which is one characteristic that I hope describes me, but I also aspire to other character traits as well.

What would you say about yourself if asked that question? One world only.

~Holiday Shopping Carnival~

I found this great carnival taking place, and couldn't resist. The idea is to list five Christmas gifts that are not the run-of-the-mill, socks-for-dad type gift.

Now, the thing is, my family reads my blog, and if I put down what I'm actually buying, then they won't be surprised on Christmas morning. So these are just some really great ideas! *Grin*

1) My blogging friend Heather has an Etsy shop with zipper bags that are perfect for a number of things, including makeup and small knitting projects. They are gorgeous, and even though I sew, I am highly tempted to purchase one for myself. The best thing is that 100% of the proceeds from her sale are going into their adoption fund. Take a look at her shop here.

2) One of my new favorite CD's is called Higher Ground. If you know someone who enjoys Irish music, this CD is all Christian music, with Irish styling. It is very peaceful and enjoyable to listen to. Click here for ordering information, as well as to hear sound clips from some of the songs.

3) Sometimes it is nice to give your recipients the gift of your time. I found this free gift certificate maker that has quite a few ideas. It is easy to create and print gift certificates from this site. Or, you can get extra-creative and make them yourself! The only thing about giving something like this is that you have to be willing to redeem it. LOL

4) I know all the etiquette experts scorn gift certificates, but really, what's not to love about getting a gift certificate? I will never turn down a gift! *Smiles* If you do choose to give gift certifcates, you can still be creative in the presentation. Perhaps you can create a day's get-away for someone...a gift certificate to a coffee shop; a bookstore, mall, or department store; and a local restaurant. See? Your recipient will get to go have coffee in the morning, have fun shopping till lunch, and then a lunch out. Maybe she's a busy mom? You could throw in babysitting to boot. Now that's a gift that will make her smile!

5) Lastly, please check out my Etsy shop for some gift ideas. I have several hand-tatted heart bookmarks in my store that would be lovely to include with either a book or a gift card to a bookstore. Its delicate, lacy design makes marking any book a pleasure!

Those were my ideas--for more great ideas, head on over to the carnival and check out what others are recommending!

~Friday "hello's"~

Good evening to everyone stopping by!

I had a temp job the last two days, hence my lack of posting. I was so tired last night that I was falling asleep at 7:30, and got into bed at 8. I slept straight through till the alarm went off at 6:30. I practically bounced out of bed!

I just finished reading all my blog subs from bloglines. My goodness, everyone has been a prolific blogger in the last two days!

I made shepherd's pie for dinner tonight. That is probably one of my favorite comfort foods. Mmm. Mashed potatoes and gravy, can't go wrong with that!

Hoping everyone has a great evening/weekend!

~FO: Monkey Socks~

I really love these socks! They were a fun knit. I will definitely make these again!

I was standing in the leaves from this tree:


The leaves are in our yard, the tree is in our neighbor's yard. LOL

~Live from my living room!~

Wow, who knew getting set up with wireless access in our house would be so difficult. Well, I guess the guy at Best Buy knew, because he wanted us to have the Geek Squad come to our house to install everything for us.

But things are working now, and this is great! Woohoo! =)

In other news, I finished my Monkey socks tonight, and they are blocking right now. I've never blocked socks before, but with this pattern, the socks definitely needed blocking. I'll take a picture tomorrow!

The leaves are gorgeous around here, and are starting to fall rapidly. We're pretty close to our first snow-fall. Today it was rain mixed with hail.

Well, I suppose this is enough "this and that". Have a great day!

~I admit, I'm a dork~

(LOL)

Have you ever heard the radio commercials for OnStar? They are actual conversations between OnStar employees and people needing help.

They make me tear up every single time I hear them. I don't even have OnStar!

What can I say, I'm a dork!

~Bloggy Giveaway Winner~

And the winner is...

Nicole Baker

Congratulations, Nicole! Please send me an e-mail with your address, and I'll pop your prize in the mail!

Someone already purchased the similar set of pouches out of my Etsy shop, but I do have a few other things for sale, including some hand tatted bookmarks. And sadly, *sniff, sniff* I won't be able to make anything for a few weeks, because my machine is out for maintenance.

Thank you to everyone who entered my contest!

~It's my birf-day!~

Once Kevin and I were going through a Burger King drive-through, and the gal taking our money had dollar bills pinned to her uniform. Kevin asked her why she had the money pinned to her, and she said,

"It's my birf-day!"...all pleased and happy with herself.

So...

It's my birf-day!

I turned 31 today. Thirty was a good year, and I'm excited to see what the Lord will do in my 31st year! I haven't gone about town with dollar bills pinned to my shirt though! (LOL)

My sweet, darling, handsome, awesome, wonderful, superb husband got me the gift of all gifts: a laptop! I can't wait to be blogging from Starbucks, or for goodness sakes, the couch! =)

I've had a good day so far! Shopping, shopping, shopping! Here are my yarn goodies:

The deep red yarn is for a cabled scarf/hat set. The blue yarn in the front is another skein for my afghan, and the white yarn is mohair, for my scarf. I'm going to give it another go in the yarn that the pattern calls for. I totally love the yarn shop that I went to. They encouraged me to sit down and do my gauge swatch so I could tell what size needles to buy. How awesome is that? And I'm really glad I did too, it took me three different needle sizes before I got the right gauge!

The only downer to my day has been the panicky feeling I get whenever I think of my sewing machine. I dropped it off for maintenance and it is going to take about two weeks for me to get it back. The very next store I went to was my new favorite fabric store. I looked at fabric, I agonized over patterns, and then I walked out of the store. I couldn't bear to buy fabric and not have a way to sew it up! I'll be so happy to get my machine back! Oh, and my scissors too! They were long overdue to be sharpened.

***I'll be back later on to announce the bloggy giveaway contest! Stay tuned!***

~Have a nice day!~

~Happy November!~

Today I'm banning the computer from myself. Well, after I finish this blog entry, that is! This week I have spent entirely too much time in front of the computer screen, and I need to get some things done! So I'm turning it off and leaving it off!

One of the things that has kept me glued to the computer is the Bloggy Giveaways. I can't believe how many giveaways there are! Close to 600, last time I looked!

Well, I'm off...to clean my house, to spend some time in my sewing room, and maybe even curl up with a good book after all my work is done!

Have a great day!