Category Archives: holiday

Nov22

And on this day…

Posted on Thursday, November 22, 2007 by Dianne

I’m taking a little break here. Everything is ready except for the potatoes. I was going to make biscuits, but I have a ton of stuffing! We’ll see if I can push myself just a little more. We got a free 16 pound turkey so that’s been cooking since noon. I also have corn, candied sweet potatoes (mainly for me), the stuffing and green bean casserole. I didn’t bake this year, but we tried the apple pie with our lunch since we have no company coming this year. Mom stayed home and the guys (and maybe me) are taking Bri’s dad his dinner. I like cooking to get things out of my head and then we got a few phone calls and I told the ladies who called about next week.
I actually got to see some of the Macy’s parade because I wasn’t cleaning like a mad woman! LOL. I did clean thinking I was having company, so it’s not that bad.
Have a scrumptious dinner and I hope you get the long piece of the wish bone.

Nov8

Thanks

Posted on Thursday, November 8, 2007 by Dianne

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Thanks for your comments and emails. I’m a bit drained today and not feeling well in the tummy, but I’m doing things like washing clothes and vacuuming. I need to go to the store, but can’t seem to walk a straight line, let alone drive. My ‘helper’ is going to have to go with me, and I know how he just loves that, not.

My flowers bit the dust overnight, well all of them except the salmon nemesia that was in with the more fragile wax begonia which are almost unrecognizable now from the freeze. My little sunny pinwheel zinnias were almost spinning yesterday and just starting to droop today. I do have some miniature roses on the front step and one has the most perfect ivory colored rose-I should get a photo of it.

I got a nice magazine yesterday (at what must be the biggest bookstore in the area)-Paper Crafts Holiday card making issue. In the back they have some holiday sayings and this struck my fancy as I am sure you will like it too:

What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.
~Agnes. M. Pharo

Look at the pamphlet I got in the mail-please notice the blue suede shoes under the tree. If you have $120.00 kicking around, why not pick up one (my comic relief for the afternoon!) I do know one person who may like this as she’s a big fan of ‘The King’.

Oct31

Happy Halloween!

Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 by Dianne

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It will be over soon, but I wanted to stop in and show you a few nice photos.

I sent mom some flowers from Hallmark that came in a cute haunted house cookie/candy jar. I love the orange and purple! She loved them too.

My niece as Dorothy from Oz. I think The Wizard of Oz is our favorite movie.

My silly family-my sister-in-law, niece, brother and nephew as a hillbilly. Those are the candy corn hats I crocheted for the kids a few years ago.

I gave them this cool Gothic haunted house as a present this

year. It’s about 10″ tall.

I had given T. most of these stickers and she made this awesome poster out of them. Pretty nice and following in my footsteps maybe?

Footnote-I have to get a few more x-rays done because I put down a symptom on my mammogram form that I fill out every year and never did this before (they didn’t say this, but that’s what makes sense to me). I hadn’t seen the message today and Bri said, the radiology dept left a message-oh great! I had it done four days ago and thought I was ok for a year. I’m trying not to be nervous as the tech almost didn’t do the ‘standard’ mammogram because of what I wrote down. I’ll keep you posted. That was my 9th one too. Knowledge is power-Oprah is right! My mom and sister-in-law agree with what I said above.

Oct25

What a great idea!

Posted on Thursday, October 25, 2007 by Dianne

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Like me, you probably get tons of catalogs before the holidays. I really like to look through them for unusual items, especially for people on my list who seem to have everything. The heading on one catalog really caught my attention: The Most Important Gift Catalog in the World-Heifer International. What’s this you may ask? An org that assists 140,000 families (last year) with the gifts of animals and training and passing on the gift. What you can give is a flock of chicks to a needy family for $20 or a ‘share’ in a water buffalo-$25 toward the $250 full price. Now what would be a better way to teach kids about giving? The kids are so happy in the photos. I am definitely giving some chicks! There are bunnies, heifers, goats, etc. If you love animals, you know the gift of one is extra special. If you like this idea, feel free to post the link on your page. The link is :www.heifer.org/catalog

Sean had a low key birthday but enjoyed some emails from friends and did pick up his package (which I bet had been sitting in the mailroom for a few days), so that brightened him up. He has a few things here he ordered-the Phillies championship shirt and a cafepress.com shirt. Speaking of cafepress.com, I added some new photos to some of my items. I’m still waiting for some sales. I may do a few vintage things for t-shirts, etc.

The mam slam went ok. She questioned why I said I was sore, but I explained it was mostly my pecs and upper back which are much better. She called the doctor to make sure! She noted that I had strained myself lifting books. Geez.

Dreary weather here! I plan to do a bunch of crafty stuff and the laundry tomorrow. I have a craving for nachos! My appetite hasn’t been great this week-thinking about today and of course my pal’s mom. I ordered her 32 mini-roses in assorted colors which were suppose to be delivered yesterday. I hope they were pretty.

Hey cookbook fans! Molly Coddled is giving away a doozie of a cookbook filled with Taste of Home recipes. Go check it out-you only have one more day to leave a comment.

Oct20

My old mug

Posted on Saturday, October 20, 2007 by Dianne

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This mug was my favorite mug back in the late 70s. Mom just gave it back to me. I’m enjoying a mug of jasmine tea right now!

This is a little tree that I hung some tags on that I bought from a lady on eBay. I love other people’s art work and these are sweet. This artist is Honeygirl Studios.

Bri and I planted 3 mums on the side of the evergreen in the front yard. I also dug up my Persian Shield plant. It wore me out as I had about 4 hours of sleep last night. I got up to go in the bathroom at 6 am and heard the answering machine in the family room beeping. What? So I went in and it was my mom’s # on the caller ID at 2:37 am this morning! I listened to it and it was a lot of muffled stuff. Now it sounded like she had been mugged or something! I didn’t call her at that time of the day, but waited a few hours and she has no recollection on even touching the phone which concerns me. Weird.

Oct10

Some autumnal decor

Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 by Dianne

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I had to take a lot of stuff off here to add a lot of stuff!That’s a mirror I have had there for ages. I like the look of mirrors over fireplaces. I took down the mantel clock. I didn’t want to have any blue glass at all, it just didn’t look right. I keep the little lanterns up all the time, but added the floral garland. I decided to break up the trio of mosaics I had on the dining room table, just too big. So, two went on the mantel with the cornucopia and some Halloween decor. For Thankgiving, I’ll take down the Haunted house and pumpkin guys.

Oct7

July crept back in…

Posted on Sunday, October 7, 2007 by Dianne

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Bri and I did go to the flea market, but if was rather miserable it was so hot. When the sun went in, we got a little relief. We actually had people asking us to buy stuff at what we wanted to pay. I got a cute butterfly dish with a brass back, a nice photo album (I don’t like really big ones, and I just filled the one I had been using for 2 yrs) and a Brown Bag gingerbread man cookie mold (to resell) all for about $4. I found some really old kids’ books for snipping up for my collages, etc. One is a math book from 1928. I had been doing a page of a little boy and girl and just couldn’t get it finished. I found the perfect illustration from the new math book find and presto, it’s done. I think Bri bought a Paul McCartney lp (we still have a bunch) for $1 and he thought that was too much.

We hit the mall, no decent restaurant and I didn’t finish the filled pizza slice (like a sad Hot pocket with processed chicken) I ordered. I did venture into Boscov’s and found a garnet red top with a little sparkle I purchased for my 30th class reunion. Now to figure out what goes on the bottom. ; )

I added some lights and figures with lights (Casper the Friendly ghost and a trio of pumpkins) to the front window when I got home. The house is bit in a jumble, but who wants to clean when we have this kind of weather?

Thanks for your comments yesterday. And Lost Roses, yes, your team deserved to win, and that’s all I’m saying. ; )

Oct5

Some shares

Posted on Friday, October 5, 2007 by Dianne

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Finally! The ’57 Thunderbird for Elijah at Love Quilts is finished. I think it looks cool. The variegated floss for the border and flames was one ‘x’ at a time.

And here is where I hung up my framed pieces.

The lighthouse is in the living room over a watercolor of the same lighthouse in Cape May!

Doesn’t this photo look like my cross stitched piece?

Walk in the Woods is hanging over the entertainment center on the only gold wall in the family room. I look at it every time I watch tv or am stitching. Great inspiration!

I have another ‘share’ but you can’t see it until I send it to the recipient.
Today I was decorating for fall and Halloween in the middle of an allergy attack. I am not careful when I vacuum (like behind the entertainment center) and am down in the basement digging for boxes. I do wear a dust mask when it’s a planned session-lol But it wasn’t funny today. Took a few doses of allergy nasal spray. I am far from finished. Maybe tomorrow!

Jul4

Happy Independence Day

Posted on Wednesday, July 4, 2007 by Dianne

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And Happy Birthday to Dave!

We’re planning on grilling ‘something’. My mom was suppose to come here yet again but it fell through (and she was bringing steaks!!). Sean went to get the oil changed in his car and sat and sat waiting. He never did get it changed and by the time he left it was 4:45 and Mom was a bit peeved about it and said to forget about him picking her up. I hope Sean will be making better decisions at the main campus as he should have left after an hour of waiting, especially if some sale was going on. Not sure if Mom will come out tomorrow or if someone, probably me will have to get her. Sean is working all day. I am making the food. I doubt Brian will go down for her as he drives so much during the week. She wants to drive herself, but that makes me nervous as she is wearing old glasses as she never found her newer ones.

I fiddled around here, cut down weeds, planted some yard long beans, zinnias and teddy bear sunflowers (seeds from last year) and realized I needed to get a few picnic necessities at the market. My father-in-law is coming over and he hasn’t been here since Easter. He usually eats and leaves. Right now the yard with the shade is a mess because of the chestnut tree fuzzies called catkins (I finally looked it up and they are the male part of the chestnut). We do have a nice table with an umbrella on the back patio.
I hope everyone has a nice day-and try to relax!

Check out this cool night blooming waterlily video

Red Flare from konapete and Vimeo.

Taken minutes ago right before the rain hit. It’s been a rainy evening here in Philly. You should see the people on the Parkway in the city!

Jun18

Traveling day

Posted on Monday, June 18, 2007 by Dianne

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First I’d like to thank Vonna for her sweet scissor fob. I see she surprised other stitching bloggers as she did me. Her thoughtfulness touched me to the core. I promise to add a photo when I do a WIP progress photo soon.

Yesterday we ventured over the Commodore Barry Bridge to my brother’s house in NJ and the grad parties for his sons David and Patrick.

It was a bit steamy, but breezy too. We were luck to avoid an accident on I-95 (which we saw in it’s beginning with the traffic starting to back up).

I toted along the camera but ended up not getting good shots as the graduates were hard to track down. My mom said she took more, so I’ll scan some of them. My sinuses were not good and I think bothering yet another tooth, so I was keeping a low profile and talking to old friends of my sister-in-laws. My greatest gift was how nice my brother Dave was to me. I know, that sounds funny, but usually he doesn’t have much to say to us. I showed him the new camera which he really liked.

So here are a few measly shots (I’m not the only one who can take photos guys!) The two bridge shots were on the way home and taken by Brian.