T Stands for Tuesday & Packing Craft Room Begins & & Happy New Year 2019

Wow our last T party for 2018 is here, and a brand new year is soon to be upon us.
  I find it amazing just how fast this year has gone by for me, and new adventures await us.

  T Stands for Tuesday is where we gather together and share a drink related post.
    I want to thank Elizabeth for hosting and bringing blogging back to my world-thank you everyone in the T Party-you all mean allot to me-hugs.
  Find the link to the T Party in my right hand column hosted by Bleubeard and Elizabeth-you are most welcome to join us.

  My creative muse has been with me for a bit. I couldn't sleep last night so I worked on my June journal pages. I was getting tired and when I looked at the clock it was 2 am in the morning-Wow-time to get to bed for some sleep lol.  This morning and also through out the day I finished my page-I am quite happy with it. 
    I will do a post tomorrow with photos of my June fabric journal page.

  We went up to the lake house on Sunday, so the day before I started on those 8 foot long shelves-with books, fabrics, and batting for quilts.
    My boxes were mostly too large or too small for heavy books. I packed them any way and got them in the car-and then just carried armloads full down the stairs into the house-I am not crazy about the driveway to the house or the steps into the house-but it was a compromise as many lake houses have steep steps down to the lake and into the house. Something new to adjust to. and good exercise lol

This is one section of bags of mostly quilting fabrics, my reclaimed silks and linens, laces, and a bag of rug hooking supplies-most of this I didn't take yet.

I did get packed most of these two shelves. To the right a stack I am not keeping, and the second shelf needs packed.

This bottom shelf is mostly weaving, spinning, and rug hooking books. and on the floor to the left is weaving materials etc, and lots of things in those little drawers-stamps, inks and more.  This will get packed up next.
  On the very top shelf-not shown -is lots of quilt batting-some wool some cotton.

  I bought some shelving that came in on Saturday-which will fit into my closet opposite those deep steps. Will see how many books I can get on that-may just stack them up two deep.

   Do you do anything special for New Year's Eve? 
       Some years I make us special foods this year I didn't. I did decide to make up a fresh cranberry-blueberry pie tonight-baked in a ground cashew nut crust-anxious to see how this turned out, it just came out of the oven. I don't usually do a nut crust for a fruit pie. I sprinkled the top with sugar free fine coconut

  My husband and I don't do crowds so we have never gone out to a party for New Year's Eve. 
     Hubs just goes to bed early lol but I like to stay up and watch the tv. Remember Dick Clark? His show was the best.

   I did find some bubbly in my pantry-I bought it last year and we never opened it.
   I may pour me a glass tonight or save it for breakfast tomorrow morning.

Happy T and Happy Happy New Year!!!!

Crazy Weather & May Pages Finished

  Hi everyone,
    We are continuing to have spring like temperatures here. Rained all last night, stopped raining this morning early but the howling winds have returned. We are in the mid 60's at the moment-waiting for the weather to crash to the 20's tonight or tomorrow night-sounds like a tornado waiting to happen for sure. My head is not happy at all with all this wind But I wanted to accomplish some things today.

   Hubs went with a couple helpers to the lake house today, hoping to get the rest of the concrete out. Hoping it all went well this trip.

  So, I am catching up on some laundry, and also worked on getting my May pages for my fabric journal completed today.
  I took notes on the calendar months, but something was missing on my page, and I ended up with some blank spots.
  So I stamped some rain onto reclaimed jacket lining, sewed that in place-still needed something. Then I remembered I had saved some things about Yellowstone to add-as this was the month for the year anniversary since my trip.

   I am happy with the May pages although I don't think it is composed as well as it should be. 
    That piece on the top right is from a water bottle I bought in West Yellowstone. I needed to overlap that a bit so it would fit-I only embroidered around the top and sides to keep the bulk down.
  I also added a piece of cardboard with the bear-down on the bottom of that page- that I got from a pamphlet while in Yellowstone. 
   So I think I am pleased. I did add allot more to the garden space since you last saw it too.

Photos will enlarge to full size just click on them

   I have decided since my fabric journal is getting really thick-those blue wool pages are thick to begin with too-that I am going to make two 6 month journals. So after I design the June pages I will stitch this all together and then start on the second book July through December with it's own cover page as well 
   Glad I cut out those extra pages at the time.

   Late afternoon yesterday Hubs had his final check up on his second eye from catarack surgery-so I made an appointment for me as well. My eye sight has gotten worse over the last few months. 
    So after all the tests--I am next for the surgery too on both eyes. and next week I will get results on the glaucoma test-he was a bit concerned about that. So hopefully it will be nothing. We were there til 5 pm do to an emergency he had-so we were anxious to get home.

   Happy weekend coming up

T Stands for Tuesday & Merry Christmas & Cards

  Tuesday stands for T and Merry Christmas this week

This is where we share a drink related post with our T friends, you are most welcome to join us. Find link to our hostess Bleubeard and Elizabeth in my right hand column.

 First of all Merry Merry Christmas to all of you. 

Hubs and I don't have much family, especially down here in Missouri. Before retirement I just worked all of the holidays for the extra money (double time and a half was great at the time) but now that I am retired I have more time to  bake and cook up more of our favorite foods. 
    In the past we would invite friends over that did not have family like us, down here in Missouri not so much. 
    These past few years though we have gotten invited to holiday dinners by our friends with the big log home-so we are always very grateful, Thinking of baking up a fresh cranberry-blueberry pie with a nut crust to take over.

  Years ago I started one of our own traditions by making homemade tamales for Christmas Eve. I just finished up the first batch and invited one of our bachelor friends over. We eat around 2 pm now for our main meal.
   I also fried up a big skillet full of my own canned beans spiced up with salsa and peppers in adobo sauce-so good-these still need to get mashed up a bit.

  I have plenty so you are most welcome Big tossed salad for the side

I wanted to share two more lovely handmade Christmas cards I received in the mail this past week. 
    Thank you so much to the both of you-they are beautiful

The first one if from Erika-love those snowflakes

and this lovely card is from Eileen

One of my favorite homemade snacks is Chocolate Popcorn.-I don't remember if I had shared the recipe here or not-if any one wants it just mention in comments and I will post it.
   I had tried several recipes and most come out soggy-not this one-crunchy and wonderful just like the store bought gourmet ones

I gave out over half of this for gifts-I had made two batches of it-and froze the rest for later. Surprising that this freezes really well.

  I was so happy with my gluten free cut out cookies this year. Especially the gingerbread turned out so good. I cut out mostly Yellowstone animals and gingerbread boys and girls.

We got a nice surprise-a flock of wild turkeys eating and walking along the woods tree line-we hadn't seem them in awhile

For my beverage share I am sharing my eggnog again-This bottle is just about finished now

Happy T and Merry Christmas everyone!!

Good Morning Saturday and a Film

  I was catching up reading blog posts before we drove up to the lake house this morning-another 50 degree day today-wow am loving it. and read that Bleubeard and Elizabeth shared a Bruce Willis film.
  I like most of the films with Bruce Willis, great action and he is a good actor. So I thought I would a share one of my favorites-or two.




Red and there was also a Red 2 Lots of action, lots of awesome actors and actresses Fun movie

A link about the film here

Trailer:

Red 2

Happy Saturday!!

Merry Christmas

                                   

   (vintage card found online)




        

T Stands for Tuesday & Christmas Cookies and Cards

  Another December Tuesday is upon us.
      So it's time to join friends for T-you are most welcome to join us-- just share a drink related post. 
   Find link in my right hand column, our hostess Bleubeard and Elizabeth.

  Wow we are so warm right now during the day-sometimes mid 50's and some days even with sun. Am Loving the weather for sure. Looks like most of the week will be in the 50's or 40's so am not complaining at all. 
   If we were younger and didn't need to rely on help for heavy duty construction work right now we would be at the lake house every day for sure-getting that concrete sidewalk out-working on being patient, have a little help coming on Thursday.

  Sunday I mixed up batches of cookies for cut outs-I love those at Christmas time. Growing up as a child at home the cut outs were my most favorite cookie.  After leaving home,over the years I have collected a small trunk full of cookie cutters, and those jello molds. I also have cookie pottery molds, cookie stamps, a wooden carved piece, and two of those rolling pins from Europe with the designs on them. So when the holidays come around I have lots to choose from lol
  I don't have many people any more that I gift with a tin of sweets, but I do love to bake a bit and make a little candy.

  I mixed up batches of gingerbread dough-wheat and gluten free, white sugar cookie-wheat and gluten free, and a new peanut butter roll out cookie recipe gluten free. I also changed up all the sugars-to be coconut sugar with Stevia, or coconut sugar  and molasses or Splenda. I also changed up the flours for gluten free-using half almond flour and half gluten free flour blend. Baked with half butter and half coconut oil.

  I baked up two batches today.  
      I am terrible at decorating and frosting cookies-are you good at that? I never can frost them to look as beautiful as I have seen them done. My Hubs does not seem to mind as long as they taste good lol

    I did not get many photos as my hands were always full of dough-this is the last batch out of the oven for today-and my set up. This is a vintage bread board that I just love-was a wedding gift from my  brother some 36 years ago now.

My Mom had taught me when rolling out the dough to use powdered sugar instead of flour-keeps the cookies from getting tough as you are working the dough til it's used up. It sometimes makes the cookies puff up a bit-but that will get covered with frosting.

I wanted to share Christmas cards that have arrived and were hand made. I love them all and thank you so much.

This first one is from my friend Carole in North Carolina (USA)
   and hers was set up to recycle-just detach the sticky note and replace with another greeting on a sticky note-thought that was clever.

I could not get a good photo

This next one is from our Wisconsin friend that gifts us with their own homemade honey, maple syrup, veggies-His wife makes gorgeous cards

I think you will know who this lovely card is from when you see the script-

sorry another photo that kept reflecting back on me

CJ also sent me these awesome deer-so I would have deer at the lake house--this is amazing CJ and thanks again I will find a spot for them in my craft room

and this beautiful card is from Bleubeard and Elizabeth-love the sheet music and the Santa stamp especially and the deer-well actually everything hugs thank you

When I realized that all of my wax seals did not make it through the mail-sigh-I did some research on that-and will share in another post. I love to use those seals. but want them to make it through in tack.

  We just started getting our deer visitors again. The other night a group of 8. I took this one just as it was getting dark, and through the window glass I don't get good photos during this time of day-this was the best one. 
    You can see in the back we have been so warm that the grass is green again.

For my beverage share-I found a Christmas wine from Germany at our Aldi store, that I bought last year-so decided to open it last weekend. It is good warmed up or also at room temperature too.

Happy T everyone!!

Looking Out the Window and Through the Deck Stairs

  We spent the morning working at the lake house. It's been beautiful in the 50's with sunshine

   I took a break and looked out the wall of windows
              (photos will enlarge just click on them)

There were two groups of geese swimming by

The geese found something to eat along the dock

Several boats on the water

Hubs needed to take out a few tiles and I have been working on getting concrete off of those two sections of oak flooring-I need to google for some better ideas.

Muffins and a Movie

  Hi everyone,
        I had found a recipe last week for blueberry muffins that looked really good. I wanted to try it out. I think it's also paleo friendly (minus the honey)
Recipe here

photo from the link



       I messed up and put in 3 cups of flour instead of the 2 cups-ugh-so I needed to just make a double batch.  I had just one cup of fresh blueberries left so I added for the other cup fresh cranberries.  The recipe calls for honey so I changed that to Splenda Naturals which has stevia in it.  
    They were just a tad dry but tasted really good with all that fruit. and I liked this sweetener-new for me, no after taste at all. Taking out the honey which is a liquid caused these to be a bit dry.
    The second batch I added a little milk to the batter.


Photo of my muffins

     I will have to admit that I am getting tired of too many Christmas movies every night now. There are still brand new movies on Hallmarks channels both Saturday and Sunday evenings and the closer we get to Christmas the movies are getting better.

    Looking for something to watch on the tv I found one of my favorite movies. It's a love story and I cry every time I see this movie-but the acting and the story is so special

The Bridges of Madison County with Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep

Happy weekend everyone

Surprise Visitor at the Lake House

    We went to the lake house this morning with a friend-who is helping us break up the concrete sidewalk in front of the house-quite a job.  We stopped along the way up to the lake to rent a saw that cuts concrete-new one for me lol

   Next up will be chiseling this concrete out. 
      This is the problem with the water in the basement-no drainage was put in to direct the water away from the house-and this area should be small gravel with paver stones-not concrete-so the water can get directed where it needs to go.

While he was working on that-Hubs and I tore down the other stone corner wall. That one also smelled strongly of kitty urine-so glad that is out of the house now.

First photo we thought we got lucky as this one had wood across a couple inches down-not so-rest was large and small rocks 

Before breaking this out

Of course I totally forgot to take a finish photo-this is all gone now and rocks outdoors

Below is part of the sidewalk that needs to come out-He cut this in several rows so easier to chisel out without hurting that rock wall or house

On the top of those rocked pieces in the house were shells-these are the shells-and cool this second one had three quartz crystals-these can be found in the Ozarks I have found a couple much smaller ones here in our woods 
    I may see if I can learn how to wrap one of these with jewelry wire for a necklace.

    I have a box of my late father's shells that he had picked up in different places-I will add these to it

    And here is the surprise-sitting in a tree across the road where the guys were working: an eagle--I can't tell you how excited I was!!      
    There are allot of eagles that nest here in Missouri along the rivers. Especially seen in the winter months. I had never thought that they would be near the lake too. How fun!!  Our friend told me that he knows there are several nesting eagle pairs in this area.
   

  We also saw 3 Canada geese swimming along the lake's edge-that put a smile on my face too

   I brought several more bags of spinning fibers and a big bag of weaving cones of yarn. I have a few more bags of things to bring next time-and then that's it til I can get some shelving in.  Getting these bags up to the lake house will give me some room to work in my present craft room-as I need to go through things and only keep what I know I will be using. (shhhh don't tell Hubs, but if there is room-it is coming with me smiles)
   I forgot that we need to blow in insulation up in the attic-so since those deep steps are the way into the attic I won't be putting my craft things in that closet just yet. We could not believe it-there is no insulation up there-unbelievable to me.

Anyways just had to show you the eagle for sure-