Good Morning!

Image from Paragon.com

What I Did On My Blog Break!!!

We had a lovely Thanksgiving and I hope you did too!

I enjoyed my short blog break.

I relaxed.

I read.

I cooked.

I got the hooks out and had some hooky fun.

Cassie decided she had to help me while I had the camera in hand.

She's getting soooooo big!

Our vet says she has a sweet disposition ... we agree ... most of the time!

This is what I'm doing with the hook:

really cute Christmas trees, Gingerbread Men and Houses.

You can find the pattern for the trees (and other wonderful crochet goodies) at

The Royal Sisters.

The Ginger Bread Man and House are from a pattern of six Christmas potholders that I've had for years.

I think I purchased the pattern from Annie's Attic.

The designer is Crochet Village Designs.

The trees are fun, but I have to tell you I don't like the yarn I used to make them.

It was left over from a doily project I made last year.

The sparkly thread running through the yarn has a mind of its own.

I want it to go one way and it wants to go another! 

But it does make a pretty, glitzy, Christmas tree!

I'd like to thank Mary for being our hostess for Mosaic Monday.

Each mosaic is different and has its own story to tell. 

Wishing you all well and a JOY filled week!

Wordless Wednesday

A Labor of Love

It wasn't too long ago that I posted this photo of
Raggedy Ann and Andy from the Vermont Country Store...
an early shopping through the catalogs
looking at the *old fashioned toys*.

Did you have an Ann or Andy when you were growing up?
I didn't.
But I do now!

Just look at her!
Isn't she beautiful?
My sista made her for me -- with her own two hands
and a little help from her sewing machine.
This doll is almost as tall as I am (5' is stretching it).

I love you.
I love you, too!

And, the doll comes with memories.
Memories of this little girl,
one Halloween
when her Mom made her a Raggedy Ann costume.

Hard to be believed --
that cute little girl is all grown up.
This beautiful young woman
celebrated her 23rd birthday this year.


Memories
Labor of Love

How do I say Thank You?
How about -- I love you, too.

Ho-Ho-Ho!!!

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Merry Christmas

A Jolly Christmas to You


May your world be warm with peace and joy,
may your life hold love and laughter,
may all that's dearest to your heart,
fill your Christmas and each day after.

Thank YOU
for your friendship.
We wish you the merriest of holidays.

Wordless Wednesday

Holiday Music Favorite

My World/Winter Solstice

Be sure to visit My World to see more of our world
or to participate yourself!


To celebrate the shortest day of the year and
moving into light,
here are a few doors decorated for the season
in my neighborhood.







I love the swing with the red pillows.

This wreath smells like cinnamon.

Love the red ribbons.

Snowmen -- one of my favorite holiday *things*!

A giant Candy Cane

Happy Yule!

Postcard Friendship Friday

Our lovely postmistress, Marie, brings Postcard Friendship Friday
to us each week.
Be sure to drop by for a visit.


In preparation for the upcoming Holiday,
two more postcard reproductions from
the Lillian Vernon Corporation.

A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year

A Merry Christmas

Sing a song of Christmas Cheer
Of Santa Claus who'll soon be here;
Of dolls and other lovely toys,
To please both little girls and boys.

Ho-Ho-Ho!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Postcard Friendship Friday

Postcard Friendship Friday is brought to us by the lovely postmistress, Marie!

Here are two more of the Lillian Vernon Corporation
reproduction Christmas Postcards.

A Jolly Christmas to you.

Best Wishes for Christmas

Happy PFF!

Hallelujah!

Creative high school students take on the Hallelujah Chorus.

Postcard Friendship Friday

Postcard Friendship Friday is brought to Blogland by our lovely postmistress, Marie!

It's THAT time of year.

Some more reproduction holiday postcards
from the Lillian Vernon Corporation.

Have a beautiful weekend.
We will be staying home and watching the snow fall in Houston!!!!!

Ho-Ho-Ho!
Happy PFF!

Christmas Links For You!

It's time for a little catch up. I really haven't been missing in action. We finally got the art work back up on the walls downstairs. Mr. Dragon is painting one of the bedrooms upstairs that had some drywall/plaster work done. I've spent way too much time reading blogs, but have enjoyed every minute. It's been sorta like *down time* seeing what everyone else is doing.



One of the blogs I check in with every now and then is Sorta Frugal. She had a wonderful post about finding a forgotten Christmas treasure backed away in a box -- a wonderful little paper angel. Not long after I read her post I was looking in a closet and found my own forgotten treasure in a box. Not sure I would call them a treasure, but they are cute! When we were living on Galveston Island, I had a *Santa's Box* -- a box I kept in the closet that I used to put small little gifts that I would buy throughout the year -- things I found on sale. I used these little things as hostess gifts, secretary gifts. Nothing much, just a little something nice that said *I remember you*.



Opening the *Santa Box* I found these tins -- Mr. and Mrs. Claus and Mr. Snowman. Their heads pop off and you can put candy or little trinkets on the inside. What was amazing to me was what I found on their bottoms -- MADE IN THE USA -- with a 1981 date. They are in our living room today and I promise, I won't forget them again.



This is *Zoe Nathan's Cranberry Orange Cornmeal Cake*. Doesn't it look delicious? Some of my favorite things in this cake: cranberries, orange zest, cornmeal, ricotta cheese. I love The Wednesday Chef web site and I think you will too. Check it out. Isabelle is very entertaining.

One more link for you for the holidays (or any day). Check out Eddie Ross. He has suggestions for hostess gifts and a tutorial for making a wreath.

I have to add one more link for you. My friend Julie is a digital scrapper and she has a wonderful set of Christmas tags for you. I'm not a scrapper, but I can really use new gift tags! Check her out at Julie It Is.

Handmade Christmas

How about some handmade (crochet) Christmas potholders?

Christmas Tree

Stocking

Wreath

Poinsettia

I think the wreath is my favorite. They are doubled making them extra thick. I think they will look very nice on the table this Christmas. Those of you who are looking for your box from Twisty Lane, don't read this post! The patterns are available from The Crochet Village and Annies Attic.

Old Town Spring

Our girls craft day was canceled again. Last time it was Hurricane Ike that delayed things. This time our hostess had walking pneumonia and my other buddy was stuck at home getting a new fence (the old one knocked down by Ike). Someday we will get together! Hopefully soon.

Mr. Dragon and I decided to drive out to Old Town Spring. As far as we can guess, it has been at least twenty years since we last made this journey. Amazing! I remembered it fondly and thought since it was holiday time, it would be a treat and the shops would be decorated. Our little trip was fun. Neither of us remembered the Old Town being as large as it is today. Street after street of little shops.

Old Town Spring was decorated for the holidays.

Old Town Spring has a magazine and map that we quickly took and marked out our afternoon. We decided The Little Dutch Girl was a definite stop. They make fudge -- all kinds. We came home with a 1/4 pound of four different flavors - chocolate chocolate, chocolate walnut, maple nut and pumpkin. You read that correctly PUMPKIN. The Pumpkin was my favorite. Delicious! Definitely worth the drive! Now I have to find a recipe for Pumpkin fudge.

We couldn't resist the toy store.

Another toy store window.

This was my favorite shop. Metal, Petals and More. They have two shops filled to bursting with metal, antiques, flowers, candles (favorite candle was Snapdragon) -- you name it they have it. My favorite pieces were the wonderful metal holiday decorations.

Metal, Petals and More

Metal, Petals and More

Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home had the most delicious aroma when we opened the front door. They have wonderful coffee. One of the local television stations was filming in Old Town Spring and the camera man and young woman reporter were here warming up with coffee.

Mr. Dragon gets points. Old Town Spring is definitely a girly place. We had lunch at Ellen's. The food was very good although we waited over an hour before we were served. For the longest time, Dick was the only male in the place. Soon there were two more gentlemen -- both looking as if they had no idea what they had gotten themselves into. Mr. Dragon was well aware of what he was getting into and went along anyway! What a guy!

Christmas Is Coming!

more animals

The kitty in the Santa suit looks just like our little Riley -- if Riley would let us dress her up -- same disgusted look I imagine she would have. Too funny! Have you made your list? Checked it twice? I'm heading off to the post office on Monday with the first of the boxes. I'm helping Santa!