Finally....



 Finally, I figured it out....sort of!  Guess no one had this problem but me.  Have no idea why posting of pictures has changed on my blog but it has, so will deal with it.

It's been an extremely cold and snowy few days in our neck of the woods.  The roads are covered with ice and snow so I've stayed at home and worked on getting the house decorated.  Sometimes it's nice to not have any other obligations but to stay at home.  I decorate a little, then eat a little, then Facebook a little, then read a little and then take a nap.  Not a bad way to spend a day.  I did want to go to church today because Sage is taking part in the worship service but I called and explained and he said he understood.

I've also had some kind of a cold-thingy for about a week.  It has really zapped me.  I was drinking the vinegar, lemon juice, honey and cinnamon drink suggested on Pinterest but I'm out of honey and don't feel like going to the store.  Sometimes it's hard living alone.....especially when you feel bad.

Here are a few pictures of my house.....

My friend, Vivian, came by to visit a couple of weeks ago and brought me this box that she uncovered in her shed.  It was very dirty and had no bottom.  After cleaning and putting a finish on it, the box was perfect for one of my primitive trees.

 These are a few of the really small vintage ornaments that I placed on a small artificial cedar tree....

 I decorated my big tree completely with vintage ornaments this year and I love it.....

Sorry, but I took this before I wrapped the base with a plaid wool throw.  You can see the snow out the front window.  I used my battery candles in my windows this year.  It's so nice not having to deal with the cords.  I sell the candles at Leola's and if you haven't tried them, you should.  They come on every afternoon at 4:00 and stay on 8 hours then off.  You never have to mess with them.

 This is my old bike in the backyard in the midst of the snowstorm.  Makes the perfect Christmas decoration.

I bought myself an early Christmas present and just received it in the mail.  I've been studying cameras for the last year and knew I wanted to upgrade. Finally decided on the Canon ds1.  So much to learn but looks to be a long winter.

Looks like lots of people are dealing with the extreme winter weather.  Hope everyone takes care and allows a little time for just enjoying all the whiteness and the silence that snow brings (so sorry for those who have ice).  Stay warm!

Leola's Fall Open House.....

Can you believe it's that time again!!!!  Wish the weather was more fallish but the signs are all over.  There are heavy cobwebs everywhere, the locusts start making their sounds earlier in the afternoon and leaves are falling all over.  To top it all off.....TOMORROW IS SEPTEMBER 1!  How can that be?

I've been trying to complete some of my projects.  Does anyone else have that issue?  I have all these projects half finished and nothing completed.  So yesterday I finished 2 appliqued pillows and 2 lampshades.

 

These are the two lampshades I made.  Note to self "don't make lampshade with fabric containing large amount of polyester".  It was so hard to glue but thank heaven, I had lots of clothes pins and ribbon (& patience).  This was the fabric for the back of my pillows so thought it would be wonderful for a shade......and it looks great but was sooooooo difficult to make.  Actually, this shade (including labor) should sell for about $500).  But it won't!

Love the way it looks on the black lamp.....and with the pillow.

 This is the wool pumpkin pillow I made.  Do you know how hard it is to find orange wool.  Impossible!  So had to dye my own.

Guess I'd better get back to the work table.  Lots of projects to complete by next Thursday evening plus there are dozens of candles to be marked (did I tell you I don't like marking merchandise?).

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend and can stay cool.

A quiet evening....

Sometimes when I sit on the porch on a Friday or Saturday evening and it's so quiet, I think everyone is doing something exciting but me.  Not tonight.  The sun has gone behind the clouds and there's a nice breeze blowing and I'm so grateful to be able to sit on the back porch for awhile after the hot days and nights.  All's right with the world!

This isn't my porch but it makes me want to get mine looking like this.....

Worked at Leola's today after hitting an estate sale.  Found some wonderful primitives and thought it would be a good day to take them in.  I also ordered battery candles and this time, I only bought timer candles.  I love these so much.  They come on the same time every afternoon and stay on for 8 hours then are off until the next day same time.  I never have to touch them .  The ones in my g'kids rooms come on at 8:00 every night and they never know when they go off.  It will be so nice this fall & winter to have them in my windows and not have to turn them off and on.  If you've not tried them,  you should.....they're amazing!

These are some of the things I found at the estate sale.  The scale says "war postage scale, 1917.  The wood bowl is a really early one and the wood piece inside the bowl is a nutcracker.  Also found a cutting board that is perfect with the old bread knife I found last weekend.  Another old brush and a great white ironstone bowl that has a little nick out of the side of the rim.....it's wonderful.  I've probably told you that I'm in love with the old metal, rusty milk strainers.  Well found another one & loaded it with my dried hydrangeas.  They're all at Leola's and the bunches of hydrangeas are $8.00 each.

 I bought peaches at the farmer's market so think I'll water everything and then fix some fresh peaches and vanilla bean ice cream for desert.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend.  Stay cool!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas......

It's been a very busy couple of weeks in my life and it seems all I had managed to do was make a big mess with all the storage boxes.  After working most of the weekend and not accomplishing much, sister Judy came over today and got things moving.  Sometimes that's all I need.....a boost.

It's freezing cold here which makes it feel a little more Christmasy.  Even put a fire in the fireplace.  Tonight I've turned the overhead lights out and turned on the battery candles.  Feels like Christmas.  If you've never used the battery candles, they're wonderful.  Sometimes I leave them on all night.  It's so nice not to have to worry about forgetting a burning candle.  My grands use them for nightlights at Grandma's.

Things are coming together.  Now I need to get my schedule set.  Lots of programs with the grandkids and I'm wanting to have the girls from Leola's over for our annual Christmas party.  I'd also like to have some good friends over for lunch or dinner.  Always seems such a shame that we work so hard decorating and don't take the time to enjoy it with family and friends.  I've had reasons the last couple of weeks to think about how quickly time flies by.  We work and work at all the things we have to do and forget to enjoy those things that bring us the most joy.  I intend to bring more joy into my life and quit worrying about all those things I "should" be doing.

Anyway, enjoy the tour....

Have a good week!

A little break......

In case anyone has noticed, I've been a little slow with my blogging.  Just couldn't come up with anything to write about.  Normally, a picture will inspire me but the camera hasn't even tempted me lately.  My mother always called it "dog days" and that's how I'm feeling.  The ideas are floating around in my head but don't seem to have the energy or initiative to get started.  And it's not depression....it just seems to be the need to lay down on the couch every time I walk by it. 

The heat has finally lessened a little and the grass is turning green again from the rain.  There's kind of a hint of fall in the air.  It's been so dry here that our leaves are even falling prematurely.  It's just been a difficult summer, weatherwise, & we're hoping for a long, slow autumn.

My latest project is trying to make lamps.  If I'm going to make shades then I need lamps to go with them.  Personally, I have a difficult time finding lamps that I really like.  This is a wonderful old architectural piece I found.  I'm thinkin' it would be a really cool lamp.  What do you think?  And if I do, would it bother you if the cord comes out the top or should I have a hole drilled through the center to run the cord?

I've also tried to find a bunch of candlesticks to use with my candles I sell at Leola's.  All of a sudden mine have sold & with a new shipment of candles just in, I needed replacements.  Trying to decide rather to paint these or leave them "as is".  I'm thinkin' they would be great all black.





Love this German bread board.  I found it on my last trip to Iowa in the Amana Colonies.  Bread boards are one of the things I collect and it's difficult to find one at a really good price.  This one was a real bargain.....I think the woman knew it was going to a good home.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.  It's supposed to be cooler here so maybe I'll get something accomplished.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

I recently noticed buds on my forsythia bush so decided to cut some branches and look what happened.... What a treat!

These battery run candles have been selling like crazy at Leola's. I love them. I can have candles all over the house and not worry about fire and they burn forever on 2 AA batteries. These barleytwist candlesticks were one of my finds at Mission Road Antiques.

Finally, the house is finished and I'm starting to relax. I'm headed to church this morning to see the beautiful Christmas program at Kingsway UMC and of course to watch Sage and his choir sing. Allison & I made angel costumes last night for their roles in "The Littlest Angel" on Weds. night at church. This is the part of Christmas I really love.

Have a wonderful Sunday.