Gone for a While

I won't be posting or checking emails and blogs until after January 4th.  We have burned through all of our minutes for internet until then. 

Hope you all had a wonderful and Merry Christmas, have a wonderfeul and safe New year!

I'll miss you all!

Love,
Kendra

Decor Pics, Menu,Christmas Cards, Last Post Before the Big Day

Almost ready for the big birthday celebration! 

 Happy Birthday Jesus!  

One of our nativities.  There is a more formal one in the LR. 

The other day I went into town to the prim store to show the owner the Santas I made and get an idea of what I should think about charging for something like that if I desided to make them to sell (still considering doing a craft show or Etsy thing, but I am scared and not real confident yet), she made me feel really good about my work, anyway, I asked about Sweet Annie but she didn't have any.  The next day she called because the night before she had gone to a show and someone was giving bunches of Sweet Annie away so she grabbed one for me!  I am so excited...the possibilities are endless!  It smells so good! 

I still need the boys to put the ornaments on the tree in the LR but they have been so busy the last few days.   I did make some cones from kraft card stock and put some of the Sweet Annie in them with pip berry sprigs that were on Christmas clearance at Michael's and a cinn. stick.  I made cinn. stick stars and some of Carmen's candy canes as fillers for the tree also.  I think it looks so nice and smells wonderful.

The family room done:

The tree in the hall:

The craft room tree with painted/rusty bells from clearance a few years ago and stockings from Goodwill (12 for .99!):

Oooo, someone (me) should make a skirt for that tree!

The dining room decorations:

 Garage sale find $5-.

Santa from my MIL.  She knows my taste!

Our bedroom tree:

A little more in the LR on the shelves:

 Lastly in the LR, the dollhouse that my Grandfather built for my mom in 1956 and remodeled for me in 1986.  I have since had to remodel because I had some ruthless tenants while it was in storage in my parent's garage (mice).  I added the bay window, I know it doesn't match...but it will eventually.

Jene's thank you card for any customers that give him a tip (he's a mail carrier).  I made 160 of these.

Our Christmas cards (60 of these):

I know it is a row boat, the canoe stamp was not cooperating.  i did put that disclosure in the card.  I feel kind of bad that I didn't do a religious card this year but I definately have that flair in our annual newsletter!

Somehow I deleted the back page, sorry.

I am suppose to be cleaning today...can you tell I am real anxious to get to it?  Jene's family is coming over to celebrate on the 26th.  I try to have a nice meal that they would probally not treat themselves to and include something that everyone has commented on in the past that they liked.  We are having:

Beef tenderloin

Spiral cut ham

Garlic shrimp with pasta

Veggie medley

3 cheese potatoes

green beans

Honey glazed carrots

Forgotten fruit (I forgot to put it out one year)

Salad with ranch, homemade tomato or strawberry vinagrette

Rosemary spiced cranberries

and homemade rolls/bread

We'll also have some snackies since we are opening gifts then eating afterward.  Of course there are turtles too!  Can you tell I love to cook for crowds?  We will have 20-25 people over that day.   I can't wait (just don't like that cleaning part)!

Sorry, all that was just me thinking out loud.

Well, I think there is a dust rag calling my name so I better go : (.  We'll talk again next week!

Hope you all have a very merry Christmas!

Love to all of you and your families,

Kendra

I Am So Exhausted I Can't Sleep!!!

Quick note, 'cause I should be in bed at...11:30pm and I am not!

Our day started at 5am, we were at the HS by 6:20am setting up for our club's wrestling tourney today.  I went from concessions, to bracketing, to concessions, to food delivery, to score keeping, to cashier, to clean-up...came home changed clothes from all of the liquid that had leaked all over my pants from the trash bags and went out to dinner because I certainly was not going to cook this evening!  No crafting during our tourney but we are off the hook for another year now!  I got to see Hiney wrestle once.  He got second place today.  Anyway, I am still so amped I can't possibley fall asleep yet, but pretty soon.

If I don't get my Christmas cards made early this week I am just going to send out our newsletter and that is it!!!  I still have to finish about 100 cards for Jene's work.  How long 'til Christmas, I still have a few weeks right?  With all this I may not get to talking to you all again for a while.  I have noticed that alot of us are slowing down on the posts in the past week and I am looking forward to when we can all get started up steady again.

This week is grocery shopping for the week and for Christmas with Jene's family (please pray for that to go well for us), JH wrestling practices (I won't be picking the boys up until 5pm every night : (  ), Jene's cards, our cards (???), and the slippers I am making for the boys (3 slippers to go!).  No other crafts 'til after Christmas. AHHHHH,  I need my creative time!

I ran out of lights for the LR tree so there is a huge hole in it...Jene walked in and told me about the hole...'cause, yah, I hadn't noticed that.  That tree was always very Victorian and I tossed it all 2 years ago (after 10 years).  I saw someone's tree today and I am relieved to say I am inspired and now I know what to do with that tree to prim it up but I need to hurry...so I guess I will be doing a little more crafting than I thought.  Oh, plus I wanted to do a stitchery for...Jene?  I'm sure that's what he wants...but I love this saying:

Don't spend your days with someone you can live with,

spend your days with someone you can't live without. 

This saying means alot to me so I want to share that with him with a gift from my heart.  

I am not sure if we are going to Cabela's tomorrow now.  Jene needs to help with wrestling mats and I am going to take Grandma to see my uncle, Uncle Fuzzy : ), in the hospital and we have to be there before 5pm to see him at his best.  (Yes, my family names everything and has special names for everyone...Uncle Fuzzy, Incle Jeff (Jene's brother), Gjo (my Dad's mom), Mopa (my dad), and don't forget Hiney.  Our vehicles have names too. Strange, I know.) 

If you have an opportunity please go over to http://yorkmountainprimitives.blogspot.com/.

OK, I am tired now.  I'd better go.  I'll probally check in once or twice more before the big day but if I don't I wish you all a Merry Christmas.

Love to all,

Kendra



I'm Off my Soapbox Now

First of all some of you, and you know who you are, are horrible listeners! LOL  I love you anyway and appreciate knowing that I touched you yesterday.  I just had to share and The Lord just puts words in your mouth sometimes and you can not hold them in.

After my special phone call on Tuesday I promised the Lord to get myself in gear and be more appreciative of things.  Yesterday I couldn't due to weather, but this morning after I dropped the boys off at school, I put on my running clothes and got out and did a 3 mile run with a 1 mile walk.  I figured this was the least I could do to show Him how thankful I am for my ability to do so.  CJ was so excited.  I hadn't run since Thankgiving day and not for quite a while before that.  It felt good. Getting into running is not as overwhelming as you'd think.  I started with a Couch to 5K program that broke it down nicely.  I started by walking for 1 1/2 min then running for 1min and then built up from there with longer periods of running.  Now I like to do 3-4 miles.  I think I am going to bug you all about this again in Spring!   

I had my lunch with a couple of  "my girls" yesterday.  One of them said "I started reading your post that said 'I hope they don't see this.'  I'm sorry".  At least she did get a surprise in her goodies.  They loved their treasures.  We had such a nice time and good conversation before we had to go pick-up our kids.  I am hoping to get together with the other two 'girls" in the week between Christmas and New Years.

The garden club meeting was fun last night.  We had a wonderful meal where everyone brought a dish to pass at one of the lady's homes.  You could tell she had fun getting ready for the get together.  In the gift exchange I got a HUGE poinsettia.  It looks so nice in front of the fireplace but I am not sure it will stay there.

I made turtles for the garden club cookie exchange where I needed to bring 18 of them.  I also brought some to "the girls".  The recipe makes a gross of turtles so after I had everything wrapped up to go to their destinations Jene suggested that the rest get bagged up for the wrestling club tourny that our club is hosting on Saturday.  That's what I did this morning after I got back here.  Jene also asked if I could make anything else.  "Yah, I thought about making cinn rolls."  "I didn't commit you to anything to the coach because I didn't know if you'd have time."  "Yah, I figured I'd make 2 dozen."  "2 dozen, that's not that many, they won't last very long!"  AHHHH, you didn't want to commit me but 'ONLY 2 dozen'!  I yi yi.  Guess what I am doing tomorrow.

I did make some turtles with dry cranberries in them.  We had seen this when we were in Milwaukee.  They are good...I mean chocolate, caramel, nuts, and cranberries...what's not to love?  I forgot to tell you about when I made them for the retirement party last month.  Jene asked if I could figure out how to make them sugar free because the retirey was diabetic.  For crying out loud Jene, why don't you ask me to rob a bank!  There are some things that are JUST WRONG!!!   

Lastly, I did finish my other Santa I was working on yesterday.  Again, the pattern was in the latest issue of Mercantile Gatherings.  It is a pattern from Piney Creek Primitives/Debbie Forgac, the pattern is called A Simple Christmas.

He welcomes everyone on the door between the porch and the kitchen.  I am so making one of these for my swap partner in next year's Christmas time swap (no pressure Amy : )).
I'd better go so that I can keep my promise to make this day that The Lord gave me worthy.  I plan on showing my appreciation for the home He blessed me with by finishing organizing the LR and CR.

Love to all of you!
K-

The Primitive Hutch: Something To Crow About Giveaway!!!

Check out this wonderful giveaway. Lot's of fun things!
The Primitive Hutch: Something To Crow About Giveaway!!!

A Christmas Miracle, Please Read This

I know I have never posted anything more about my extended family than a few mentions here and there but I feel it is important to share this.

In September my uncle, my mom's little brother, got very, very ill.  He has never been one to take good care of himself but I have always loved him so strongly and my mom had said to me before she died to "watch out for her little brother".  He is only 56 but has the body of an 80 year old.  We were told over and over that there wasn't anything more that DRs could do.  This was after several surgeries and him being completely delerious and having no idea where he was or being able to carry on a decent conversation that made any sense.  The sad part was that he had a living will that stated he didn't want any lifesaving measures taken on him if he was ever in this situation (he was on life support for quite a while) but he never changed the person to make that decision about that after his wife died 2 years ago, so everything was prolonged and I felt so aweful because of how things were and may turn out, his life would not have been what he would have wanted.

Tuesday I spoke with my uncle's best friend and he asked if I had gone to see my uncle lately or if I had thought about taking Grandma to see my uncle.  I told  him I am sorry, I hadn't been there, I couldn't bear to see my uncle like they were telling me he was and I don't know how Grandma would be and it scared me.  Between you and I with a few other issues I deal with in my life I don't think I could deal with this anyway.  I told him I would think about it soon. 

Fast forward a day.  Last night my phone rings, I didn't recognize the number but I figured I better get it incase it was about the property we are selling or the car I still can't drive!  On the other end I heard my uncle's best friend's voice say "Kendra" "Yes" "Hang on a second..."  I thought "no way".  Then I heard "Hey Kiddo", it was my uncle.  I burst into tears and I all I could say was "I miss you so much!"  "I know I miss you.  I am in the hospital and I am getting stronger everyday but am still very weak.  I talked to Mom [Grandma] and she is OK with all of this.  Do me a favor and just keep her on the up and up."  "I am taking care of her bills."  (My uncle did all this before)  "Good, if you have any questions give me a ring."  "Can I bring Grandma to come and see you on Sunday evening?"  "We'll see how I feel.  Call me before you come.  Maybe I'll be home by then."   (I don't know about that and I still don't know if he ever will be able to care for himself but to have this conversation after the last 3 months!)  I cried the whole time we talked and I don't know how many times I said "I love you so much" and he did too.  The fact that he knew who I was and we talked about relevant current things is a miracle.

I am praying that things keep moving forward with no regression.  I am hoping that this experience is a form of intervention for him.

I remember the night before my mom passed  I laid on the cool bathroom floor and prayed like I have never prayed before (you know the feeling when you close your prayer and you think "that was a good one" and you have that cleansed and refreshed and relieved feeling).  I asked The Lord to not let her suffer any longer than He needed her to.  I selfishly asked that it not be close to a Holiday (in my heart I ment Thanksgiving or Christmas).  My dad called me at 7:45 the next morning, my mom had be called home.

A prayer answered within 12 hours, a prayer answered in 3 months.  It's things like this that are amazing reminders that He is there, he is listening, sometimes His answer is "no" or "wait" but He always knows what is best.  We need to be content and have peace in our hearts with that.

Do me a favor, don't comment on this but take that time to pray and remember what the Lord has done in your life and thank him for it. 

Thank you Lord for all my blog friends, my other friends, for my family, for Jene's job, for my and my family's overall health, for our home, clothing, food for stomachs.  Lord please guide and bless of the leaders of the world and all the teachers in this world that are training our nation's future adults.  And Lord thank you so much for all of the reminders, both big and small, that you are there with me.  You are an awesome God.

K-

Busy, Busy Day Today!

Yesterday Jene stayed home from work because he has the horrible cold now.  His is all in his head like J's was, Hiney's and mine was in our chest.  I was asked to work for a couple of hours at my old job at the boy's former school.  It was alot of fun and I miss everyone but I am so enjoying being home...not that I am any more organized or get anything more done!

Today I have so much to do.  I am making a batch of turtles (the recipe I shared before) for the garden club Christmas party tomorrow, wrapping a few gifts that came in the mail, finishing cleaning the LR, laundry, and making up doggie treat mix bags.

Tomorrow afternoon I am meeting with 2 of "my girls" after they get done working at the school to give them some Christmas goodies:

I hope they don't read this post tonight!  There is a bag of Faye Henry's potpourri that I made from the recipe she posted, a spool Christmas tree, one of the stockings that I made quite a while ago, and a set of the stockings like the set from my giveaway, then I have a little something for each of their personalities in there too.  Hope they like it all!

Yesterday I made a Santa while the boy's were at wrestling practice.  He is from a pattern that was in Mercantile Gatherings magazine's holiday/winter 2011 edition.  The pattern is from Sweetpeas Primitives.

I finished this corner in the LR the other night.  The cabinet is one I made from an old crate I pulled out of the trash!  The rocker [from the bit of knowledge I have, I am assuming] is circa late 1800's and we got it from an auction for $12-.  It is solid and doesn't need to be reglued but it does need a back fabric panel and seat cushion.  I don't care for the period fabrics that this chair would have been made with so I am thinking about using an old flour sack, please tell me what you think...I was going to ask you all eventually anyway.  

  The light on the left was from another auction...$1-,  with the bulb but not the shade.

I made some of Carmen's candle canes from her tutorial the other day.  I made one for my not-so-prim SIL that I told you about.  She likes pink and zebra stripe patterns and sparkley things.  WARNING: the following picture could be painful to prim eyes:

Isn't that hillarious!

Some misc. pictures from around the house:

 Stitcheries I did in the DR.  Our family meal time prayer.  I love how the stitch is crooked and how the forks are worn, you can tell that the person who used them was right handed.

 Old, old family member pics, Great Grandma, a great aunt, and great-great grandparents.  These were in the FR before and now they are in the LR.  The book is a registry of all of our ancestors from this side of the family dating back to 1600 through 1995.

Just a pic. from the kitchen entryway with greens in the basket and a Christmas "hope" angel.

I got the last of my ornies from Amy's ornie swap.  This was worth the wait!  They came from Kathy at Primitive Echos.  I love the beeswax snow people the most but love it all.  Thank you Kathy!

I am saving the tag from the bag of candy canes to put on the Santa I want to make today...in my spare time.

During the wrestling tournament the other day I made a few things while waiting for Hiney's turn to wrestle.  

While I was cleaning out my craft room I found a box of cross stitch stuff from my mom (we lost her to cancer in 2003) and these were in the box.  It was like a gift from her this year!  I am going the sew the edges and put them on a rod to hang.  They are not quite finished according to the pattern that was with them but that is just a good reminder to make sure you don't have anything "unfinished" in your life because you never know when the Lord will call you home.

 

Lastly I want to show you how I store/display my jewelry:

Can you tell what that was in a former life?  Yes, a rake head.  I have a hoe head that will soon be a shelf.  Again, poor Jene just shakes his head : ).

Well, if I don't go I'll never get everything on my list done even by midnight let alone before I have to go pick up the boys!

Lots of love to all and many blessings as well!
Kendra

Winner and Stocking Tutorial

Good Morning Everyone!

First thing this morning I cut all the names from my list of people who entered my drawing apart and had Hiney draw one and he drew...Karen from http://mycolonialhome.blogspot.com/.  Karen was either the first or second of my followers and actually was the one who helped me figure out how to start this blog thing!
She does absolutely beautiful penny rugs (among other things) that she sells and one of these days I will have one in my home!

Now for those of you that didn't win, these stockings are so easy and quick to make!  Dollar General has a package of 8 pairs of toddler socks for $5-.  I instant coffee dyed them, baked them to dry, sewed a rusty (painted) bell on the cuff and strung them onto coffee dyed string!  The hardest part was finding the socks!  I am actually considering doing a booth on our craft walk here in town next winter and making these for one of the items I sell...we'll see, that whole planning a year ahead thing is overwhelming to me.

Feeling so much better today.  I am still waking up with coughing attacks but at least I have some enegry now!

I want to make Faye Henry's English Muffin Bread and Morning Glory Vintage and Prims's Baked Apple Muffins today.  That should make the house smell wonderful.

I made Faye's stove top potpourri up yesterday and I need to get tags made for the bags.  I plan on one going to each of "my girls" and I need to have it ready for our get together on Wednesday.  I am giving one for the garden club Christmas gift exchange also.  My truck smelled so wonderful as I drove home with the fixings...better than it usually smells with 2 teen/preteen boys "living" in it.  Which reminds me, yesterday there was a lock-down at the school (which is a new thing for me coming from the little private school they were at before.  I do not envy the principal but he does a great job.) and Hiney's class had to go to the girls locker room for it.  He was saying how much better it smells in there than the boy's locker room and J told him it's because of all the perfume and stuff the girls wear.  Hiney told him "no, it's because guys sweat and girls 'glow'".  Where does he hear this stuff?!  The other day Jene had on an Aeropostle shirt (from Goodwill) and J commented on it.  Jene told him "yah, I'm hip and with-it".  Hiney told him "if you use the words like that you are not 'hip' and from the other room we heard J call out "or 'with-it'".  Poor Jene.

Well, I need to go and excavate our LR so I can get the last tree up for our big family Christmas on the 26th.  I want to finish up the craft room today also...we'll see.

I hope you  all have a blessed day!

Kendra

I Think I am Still Alive

I finally got out of the house today after feeling horrible for the week.  I thought Monday was bad, Tuesday was worse.  Everytime i would get up from the chair I was parked in for three days the blanket would fall to the floor and I'd go do whatever i was going to do and when i came back CJ had already taken over my blanket.  When I would take it from under him the look I got!

I am so tired of soup now.  I did manage to make some turkey noodle yesterday.

I got Jene's stocking done:

I also managed to clean up the craft room a little...are you ever actually done doing something like that?  I got all my wool and fabric folded and stacked or in a drawer.  I even discovered some that I didn't remember!

Here are afew pics from our Milwaukee trip:

 My family and I in front the Christmas tree at the hotel (or ho and tell as J used to say when he was little).

The cute little tree I got at a Goodwill we stopped at on the way home (I felt well enough for that!).

Here are a couple of pics from 2 recent giveaways that I won:

 A fun penny rug pattern from Sandi Andersen and The Wool Buddies forum. 

There is a pattern for every season.  Perfect projects for when I am sitting at wrestling tournies this winter.

Thank you Sandi!

"Second place" from Dani at Sweet Home Stitchery.  I got to go over to her Etsy shop and pick out which of her tags I wanted.  I chose this set because I plan on having the "love" tag out all year!  I'll take "second" anytime,  I love these!  Thank you Dani! 

Lastly, my ornies from Amy's ornie swap came!  They fit in on our FR tree perfectly! 

Thank you ladies!

 from Shirley at Farmhouse Ponderings

from Lynn at Life on the Wienee Farm

Today I did get out and finish up some Christmas shopping and check on the prim stores in a town near us...dangerous.  I have to be careful not to step on Jene's toes this time of year because I tell him what I want and then go and buy it.  I have held back from buying the prim Santa at the store here in town because I didn't win the one from Lee Hill's giveaway...waaa, but I am hoping I DO get it for Christmas and I really can't be any more subtle with my hinting!!!

One more thing, today I saw that someone had made bags like the wool one I showed you from t-shirts.  Very neat.  I also thought that you could make the sleeves for around your reusable coffee cup from the sleeves.  Just a thought.

Dinner is done and the troups are "starving".  I keep telling these boys that if they keep eating this way we won't be able to afford to keep them any longer...they just laugh. 

Love to all,

Kendra

An Award!

Sassafras and Winterberry sent me a Liebster award!  What a wonderful compliment and blessing!

It's called the Liebster Blog award.  It's German for I love you.  Here are the rules:

1. copy and paste the award on your blog
2. thank the giver and link back to them
3. reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog
4. hope that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers

Though I love and would recommend any of the blogs that I follow there are a few that I am sure to check up on almost daily. 

1. Bumble Bee Lane is a great place to check out for swaps.
2. Ravenwood Whimzies is great about posting differant giveaways.
3. A Primitive Place-Tammy is a great place to check out for frugal craft ideas.
4. Carmon and the Primcats is great for frugal craft ideas also plus she is just so funny!
5. The Blessed Hearth is a great place to get refreshed and renewed.  

Mind you these are just a few reasons to check out these wonderful lady's blogs.  There is so much more to them than just this.  Please check them out if you do not already.

We made it back from Milwaukee and picked CJ up from my in-laws last night.  We never got to the conservatory which was fine with me because I now have the boy's cold and I am close to miserable.  We will go back in a couple of weeks to go there as we had promised the boys.

Anyway today will be short and sweet for my post from here on because I need a nap.  When I am done here I will have some of the leftover soup that J asked me to make for him when he was sick last week.  Here's the recipe:

Beef Barley Soup

1/2c each chopped carrots and onions

1T butter

4c beef broth

4c water

2c chopped cooked beef

1 can (14 1/2 oz)diced tomatoes

1c quick cooking barley

1 1/2t salt

1/2t pepper

1/2t each dried basil and oregano

1/c frozen peas

In a cast iron (doesn't have to be but I love mine!)dutch oven or kettle, saute carrots and onion in the butter until tender.  Add broth, water, beef, tomatoes, barley, and spices; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and let simmer for 20min.  Add the peas and let simmer for 5 min uncovered.  Makes 3 quarts.  I have had luck in freezing this recipe.

I better go eat, start another load of laundry, and get the socks out of the oven (you never know what you may find around here!) before I go lay down.

Do me a  favor and do something nice for yourself today, please.  I am going to get myself a sweet soda before I go pick-up the boys.  Let me know what you do!

Love to all, I'd send hugs but I don't want you all to catch this cold!

Kendra   

Tutorial: Prim Christmas Lights

My Christmas tree in the kitchen has the silicone bulb primitive lights on it.  Well they are expensive, a 32 light string cost me $14-!   I remember seeing a tutorial some where about making your own, of course I never found it but I made some from what I remembered. 

Prim. Christmas Lights

low odor clear silicone

instant coffee

cinnamon

potpourri spray of your choice (if you want scented bulbs)

string of 100 mini lights 

Hang your lights taunt & horizontally.  (I put hooks in the wall of my garage and a ladder across from that and went across 2x-does that make sense?)

In a disposable container (not very deep) mix about 3/4c of silicone, 1T instant coffee, 1/2t cinnamon, and 3-4 sprays of potpourri spray with a wood popsicle stick.

Start at one end of the light string and swirl a light bulb in the silicone mixture being sure to pull to form a stringy drip looking end.  Let dry for a couple of days.  I had to do this mixture 2x to do 100 lights.  Work quick and do not mix both batches at the same time, it will start to get hard to work with as it starts to dry.

Jene got home and walked in the garage and asked "what is going on here?".  I explained that that is why he bought the silicone the night before.  Never knows what he'll come home to.  I need to make another string of them for the bottom of the tree today.

I also saw some cinnamon grundgy lights at the prim store, so this morning I took a string of  20 mini lights, watered down a little white glue, painted it on each bulb and sprinkled on cinnamon.  Waiting for those to dry right now!  Very cute.

Lastly, just a few pictures of treasures from the craft walk yesterday.  This gal must really enjoy doing penny rugs as they were only $6- for the big ones, $4- for the square lamb one and the small square crow one was $1.50.  I think the stocking ornie was $3-.  I enjoy doing these things but not enough to only charge that much...well, I guess I just give stuff I make as gifts so I can't talk, nevermind!

I am going back today to a church thrift sale that was on the walk to get some gold wire reindeer if they are still there.  I am going to rust paint them and prim them up!  I'll show you when I am done.

Gotta' go get something done.  Hope you have a blessed and productive day!  Heading to Milwaukee tomorrow so we'll talk again next week.

Trusting in Him,

Kendra