m.o.M - mother of Michael

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I love corned beef and cabbage. I may even like it better than Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners rolled together.

This year the cabbage came from my garden. Four pounds! Not a country fair winner by a country mile, but considering it was fertilized with neglect, I'm pretty happy! Oh, and it was delish!

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Boiling corned beef has always been hit or miss for me and the couple times I've baked it, it's been wonderful. Ree Drummond, aka Pioneer Woman, has done it again. I bow to the awesomeness that is this woman's cooking. Follow her St. Patrick's Day recipe to a tee and you'll be humming at your dinner too!

 

Black Friday - One-Minute Writer

Today's prompt from One-Minute Writer is:

"Do you prefer to do your shopping from home online, or are you out there in the stores, fighting mano a mano for the deals?"

I prefer to stay home and enjoy a quiet stree-free day. After three days of cooking, knitting, eating leftovers (aka NOT cooking) and possibly working on holiday crafts is my idea of a perfect Black Friday.

Occasionally, I will poke around on Etsy for ornaments to send to the assorted neices and nephews, but that is the extent of the shopping.

There is too much crazy to come in the next 27 days. Just give me today to regroup and take a much needed deep breath before I jump into the fray that we call "The hap-hap-happiest time of the year!"

On the sidewalk in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Yep. Black Friday - even countries that don't celebrate Thanksgiving participate. We're just spreading the crazy, one country at a time.

Thanksgiving - One-Minute Writer

Today's prompt on One-Minute Writer is:

"Write about something you are thankful that you have moved on from and no longer have to deal with in your life."

I am SO thankful that I have quit smoking. The time and money wasted...crazy! 11 days and counting, but with the support of my family, friends and most of all, myself, I know that this time is my time. I'm over it. I'm done with it and I'm thankful.

Also, Thanksgiving dinner was on the table EARLY because I wasn't skipping off outside to have a smoke in between tasks in the kitchen. How about them apples?

 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

It's a Cracker Christmas!

Every year, during the first weekend of December, the my favorite holiday event occurs: Cracker Christmas!

Held at Fort Christmas in Christmas, Florida, artisans, crafters, re-enactors and musicians gather around the fort to kick off the holiday season! It's a time for shopping, visiting, eating and laughing under the big oak trees and tall long-leaf pines.

This year I was lucky enough to spend the day hanging with Leslie P., my favorite Park Ranger, introducing my friend Leslie H. and her mom to the event and catching up with my buddy Patti.

As always, there was lots to see (and buy!) on a warm, sunny Sunday morning:

Woody - adorning one of the many bright red vintage tractors.

Old license plates displayed on the bed of an antique truck.

Blacksmiths creating their wares on the spot.

My favorite soap lady making soap and telling stories about her Scottish grandmother who taught her how to make the soap. (The ladle she's using is called a squirtle. She bought it from a little lady named Mrs. McCurtle....or so the story goes!)

Door mats made from upcycled ship ropes.

Pickin' and grinnin' music!

And of course, kettle corn! Yummy!

 

But Can I Keep Up the Momentum?

Ever since I painted the nasty old brown paneling in my computer/sewing/craft room, I have loved being in this room!

                                                                                             

These are some of the things that have been churned out of the beach ball yellow room:

Origami tree ornaments using paper torn from magazines:

Gift boxes from card stock to deliver above tree ornaments:

Gift bags from placemats that were not being used:

 

Quilted Stocking from neckties:

 

And a special request "Flaming Skull" quilt:

 

There were also pajama pants for Lizzy and a robe for my dad among other things.

The cost of making these gifts: $0. The pleasure I got out of making them? You got it! Priceless!

This Little Piggy's Ringing in the New Year at Home!

Piggy - Before felting.

 

Piggy - After felting.

Happy New Year to all and to all a good night! (I think I have my holiday's crossed)

My Funny Valentine

Sweeter than a card; this is what my Valentine gave me this morning!

Now that my tummy's full of love, I think I'll go show a little love to my garden today.

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

I am Thankful For...Helping Hands

It's that time of year again: Time to chop, slice, simmer and baste!

It's a Recyclasaurus!

When Michael announced that he wanted to be a red dragon for Halloween, he came prepared with a very detailed description of what that dragon would look like. Smoke, scales and fangs.

At first I wondered how I would pull this off and then it hit me: Shop the recycling bin! A Folger's coffee container, milk jugs and the styrofoam trays that vegetables are sold in. Throw in bits of an egg carton, some batting and stir well with felt scraps. Garnish with joint tape and voila! a recyclasaurus is born.

Boo!