Monday, February 28, 2011

My Very First Mug Rug

I have had a very busy month but I knew that
I wanted to do the Christmas Through The Year with Allie
 so I got busy tonight and whipped up my very first mug rug!


Last month I did several projects.  This month I was lucky to  get  one
Christmas present done.  But I did it!!!

This is actually going to be a set of 4 for someone special.

As you can see I actually am working on 2 at time here.

Don't look too close at the pictures.
Remember this is just my first one.

I could not believe how easy this is.
I am so excited.

And here it is all finished!!!
I made lots of mistakes as I am sure you can see.
But the next one will be better.

I am also joining Peg and Kris with our One Project A Month!
On my sidebar you can see my finishes for the month. 
As I said, this was a very busy month but I am proud of what I did get done.
Thanks for the encouragment Allie, Peg & Kris!

Here is the tutorial that I followed as I was making this. Click Here!
Mine is not anything like hers but I was determined.

Today I am thankful for.............Determination.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Just For Me

This is why I blog.
Now don't get me wrong.  I don't blog for gifts.
But it is so much fun when you don't have a clue
that someone has thought enough of you
to send you something.............. just because.
I drove up and found a little box at my door
and thought to myself.....
For me????


I was so excited that I ran right in and
opened it and found all these goodies.
Just for me.


Jenn sent me this sweet card  and made
me some special gifts from her heart.
The note inside was so sweet and I will always keep this card.
Just for me.
  
Jenn made me this beautiful necklace out of precious black stones.
You need to see this in person.
It is beautiful.
Just for me.


These are wool felt coasters that Jenn made.
In her letter she says that they are seasonal.
She says I can use a different one each season or use them all at the same time.
I will have these out all year long.
Aren't they beautiful?
Just for me.

Jenn doesn't know this but these gifts
came on a perfect day.  You know those
days that you just need something, but
you don't know what you need.
The gifts are wonderful and I will treasure them forever
but the friendship we have means more to me
than she will ever know.
She was my Angel today and she came right on time.
Just for me.

Winter.
Just for me.

Fall.
Just for me.

Spring.
Just for me.

Summer.
Just for me.

And you have to see this.......
A watercolor painting done by Jenn.......
Just for ME!!!!!
Thank you is not enough.
Aren't bloggers the best??
***************************
The Miracle Of Friendship 

There is a miracle called Friendship
that dwells within the heart
and you don't know how it happens
or when it even starts.

But the happiness it brings you
always gives a special lift
and you realize that Friendship
is God's most precious gift.

Today I am thankful for......precious gifts.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

My Day.....Seriously!

I decided to wash my car.  As I start toward the garage I
noticed that there is mail on the hall table. I decide to go
through the mail before I wash the car.  I lay my car keys down on
the table, put the junk mail in the trash can under the table,
and notice that the trash can is full.

So I decide to put the bills back on the table
 and take out the trash out.  But then I think, since
I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the trash anyway,
I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my checkbook that is on the table, and see that
there is only one check left.  My extra checks are in the
desk in the den, so I go to my desk where I find the bottle of coke
that I had been drinking.

I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the coke
aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over.  I see that the coke
is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.
   
As I head toward the kitchen with the coke, a vase of flowers
on the counter catches my eye--they need to be watered.  I set
the coke down on the counter, and I discover my reading glasses that I've
been searching for all morning.

I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going
to water the flowers.  I set the glasses back down on the counter,
 fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote. 
 Someone left it on the kitchen table. 
I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV,
we will be looking for the remote, but nobody will remember that it's
on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den
where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.

I splash some water on the flowers, but most of it spills on the floor. 
So, I set the remote back down on the table,
get some towels and wipe up the spill.

Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day, the car isn't washed, the bills aren't paid,
there is a warm bottle of coke sitting on the counter,
the flowers aren't watered, there is still only one check in my
checkbook, I can't find the remote, I can't find my glasses, and I don't
remember what I did with the car keys.

Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today,
I am really baffled because I know I was busy all day long,
and I'm really tired.  I realize this is a serious problem, and
I'll try to get some help for it, but first I think I'll check my email!!!!
SERIOUSLY!!!
*********************
Today I am thankful for................tomorrow!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Friday Night Sew In And Wedding Preparations

I love being motivated by Heidi and Bobbi with the Friday Night Sew In!
But this past Friday I didn't get much done in the way of sewing projects.
I did work on several crocheted red dishcloths this past week so I am hoping that
they will count as my sew in project even though Friday night I was busy with other things.

Our friends Gayle & Bruce were getting married
yesterday so Friday night
I was washing strawberries for the reception.

Then I dipped and dipped and dipped some more!
Friday Night I was pooped!!!
I am not the only one that had a part in this.
The groom's sisters were working on other things
to make this wedding special too.

Gayle had requested my little meringue cookies too.
So I fixed these.  I learned from a couple of different people that
these cookies are also called "Forget me Nots" and also
"Ressurection cookies".  I was also told that you can add nuts to them.
I will have to try that.

I made about 150 dipped strawberries and
 150 meringue cookies for the wedding.

After I dipped the strawberries in the chocolate, I let them cool
and then I dipped them again in white chocolate. 
I thought they turned out pretty good.

"Sweet Hunter" said the house smelled like a bakery.
He got to eat all the rejects and lick the chocolate bowl.
He is so spoiled!!

I love doing things like this.
It is a lot of fun but a lot of work.


This is how the strawberries looked at my house
before going into the refrigerator.

This is just a few pictures of parts of the wedding.
I want to wait until the Bride and Groom get back
from their honeymoon before posting more pictures.
I took 335 pictures!!!

This was a small wedding but it was beautiful.
A lot of friends & family made this a very special day!
Isn't the cake beautiful?
It was as delicious as it was pretty.

This basket is what we fixed up for the Bride and Groom to take with them on their honeymoon.
It has lots of goodies in it.  I made them some homemade Cinnamon Sugar Bread and homemade margarine (not butter) to go with it.  My blogging friend Angela shared the bread recipe with me.  It is delicious!!! There is sugar cookies, chicken salad tarts, lemon drops, caramels, dipped strawberries, dipped pretzels, meringue cookies, and wedding cake in the basket.  We even included some instant coffee for the groom and hot chocolate mix that "Big sis" made for the Bride.  I hope they enjoy it all.  We all enjoyed putting it together for them.

And I can't leave without showing you this magazine. 
My Sweet Mother gave me a subscription to this magazine for my birthday.
I absolutely love it.  Thank you Mom!
And guess what?  A blogging friend Jeannie B. is featured on page 68!!!!
I feel so priviliged because I feel like I know her in real life!!!!
Oh how I wish I could learn everything this woman knows. 
She is so gifted.
Congrats Jeannie B.!
Today I am thankful for........new beginnings!

Friday, February 18, 2011

Wanna Go On A Drive With Us?

It was the most beautiful day today.
Spring is in the air or at least I hope it is.

I had all of my Grands this afternoon and as we were driving to my house,
"Little D" went to sleep.  So we decided that we would ride around out in the country
hoping that he would get his nap out.

I asked my Grands if they would like to see the house that we built when
their mother was a little girl.  They were very excited to see it.
They asked me if I would want it back.  I told them it was way too big for us now.
I would love to have the 20 acres and the barn but a smaller house.

As we were riding around out in the country we saw so many pretty things.
"Sweet Teen" got my camera and snapped most of the pictures.

I love old houses, barns, old churches & covered bridges!

These horses were so friendly and the kids loved seeing them close up.

Looks like this tree was uprooted and they are trying to cut it up.
It was huge.

"Little D" woke up during our outing and got to enjoy the sights with us.

The Grands said that they never get to do anything like this.
I think that they enjoyed it as much as I did.
Sometimes it is good to just slow down.

Up close & Beautiful.


This horse was rolling around and scratching his back.
Angel & Brother loved this!

We were trying to figure out if someone lived in this old house or not.
Then we saw a satellite dish on it so we figured that they did.

It's funny how the Grands had so much fun just riding in the car
and listening to my stories.

You don't always have to spend a lot of money to make a memory.
You just need to take a little time.

We found this little log cabin in the woods.  When we came home and showed
Paw Paw (aka "Sweet Hunter") this picure he told us that they had moved that cabin in there
and that he had been inside of it before. We all thought that was pretty neat.
***********************
Snippets From My Heart
I love doing things with my Grands that will make them think.
I love telling them stories.  I love slowing down when I have them.
I love to let them do things that they don't normally get to do.
It may be simple things but when I see their eyes light up it is worth it all.
My Grands are so busy with school, ball, & church
and shopping, etc. that when they come to Gran's house,
I want them to remember walks, games, stories, making cookies,
 and yes, even going for a drive
in the country. When I get them for a day, they don't ask to go to
malls, movies or out to eat.  They always ask to go to my house.
That means the world to me.
  I want them to know how to slow down
and enjoy each other. They say the best gift that
you can give a child is time and that does not cost a penny.
 I hope that we can help them make memories that will last forever.

Today I am thankful for..........making memories.