Back Home Again and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We're back from Indiana, safe and sound! We had a few snow flurries while up there but not enough to whiten the ground for Christmas day. Even though the temperatures in Indiana and here in Tennessee may be similar, the air up there feels much colder than what we're used to. Thank goodness for family rooms with wood burning fireplaces!

I took a prebaked gingerbread house kit with me. My son's three children and I put it together but the two girls did all the decorating. My grandson decided he would skip the decorating but would be available for tasting. As it turned out, the house itself was really too hard to be tasty. The icing, however, was a different story.

If I had a fairy Godmother who could grant me one selfish wish, I would wish that I could spend a holiday (or just one day, for that matter) with both my children and all my grandkids together. My daughter's family is in Louisiana, my son's family in Indiana and we're in the far NE corner of Tennessee. There are so many miles between all of us! Throw in work and school schedules, and the result is very little time with any of them. It's been years since my two children and I have been together in one gathering. My daughter's kids and my son's kids have never even met each other. I wonder how other people with family members scattered in various states are able to combine schedules for an annual reunion.

Susan (aka my "soap lady") had a variety of new fragrances for me and of course, they started selling the first day I restocked the shops!

All in all, it was a good trip but it's always nice to be back home.

Well, tonight is the Big Night! We had decided to go to a large New Year's party that one of the shop owners is having but hubby and I are both having back problems today. Mine has been bothering me for several days but I've barely been able to function today. So it looks like we'll be watching New York celebrate the stroke of midnight and will toast in the New Year on our front porch. We'll wake up tomorrow morning and marvel at how quickly 2007 passed by. AND, God willing, we'll soon return to our own weird degree of "normalcy".

I've been working on some items that are geared toward Valentine's Day for the shops and for Ebay. I'm hoping next week to once again break out the power tools, paint, etc. and work on some new Trash-to-Treasure goodies.

Please take care if you plan on going out tonight. The party we were going to is a nonalcoholic function;I'm going to guess that the majority of drivers tonight will have alcohol in their systems so I hope you remember to drive defensively.

Bye-bye for now; I hope to see you again next year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

What a hectic time of year! I'm writing this post from Indiana. We were planning to be here Friday but hubby came home from work last Stupid Tuesday, ill. He went to the doc the next day and found out he had strep throat. Thank God for strong medicines. We delayed the trip only one day. We'll enjoy Christmas here, then start back down south Thursday morning. Wednesday will be the day for some JoAnn Fabrics bargains and (hopefully) meet up with Susan to pick up more of her handmade soaps. http://harmonyhandmadesoap.com/ I'm telling you, these are the very best! I buy them for myself and put them in my shops. Everybody loves them! They smell so mmmmmm - they literally fly off the shelves! Time for me to end this post and get downstairs with the family. Until next time, please be safe and warm, enjoy your loved ones and enjoy YOURSELF, praise God and have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! Love to you all - Sher

Playing with Google Docs, Stupid Tuesdays and just plain rambling

Thanks to Suzy at the Backside of the Moon Primitives, I'm now playing with igoogle and Google Docs. My blog entry today is being written using Google Docs. I want to see if it's any easier to handle than writing directly to Blogger.

Today is what my hubby and I refer to as "Stupid Tuesday". He works at the Exide battery plant here in Bristol, and has a schedule of working three days on, two off - then two on and three off (12 hour days). It sounds a little complicated and is, at first. You get used to it. But a couple years ago, one of the unseen higher-ups (I'm presuming from the corporate offices) noted that workers had a few hours overtime every other week. The weeks without overtime were actually a little under the "normal" 40 hour work week. So, in an attempt to even out the hours and eliminate the overtime costs, the decision was made to have the employees work half a day every Tuesday. Confusing? There's more. Because there are different shifts involved, the shifts would rotate mornings and afternoons. Hubby's shift this week works this afternoon. Next Tuesday will be their turn to work in the morning. Thus, "Stupid Tuesday" was born in our home.

Well, as of today, I still haven't addressed the first Christmas card nor wrapped the first gift. There's a reason for the latter. I've yet to purchase the first gift, except for the very few little things I've purchased through the year, that is. The next few days around here are sure to be frenzied.

Today (this afternoon), I get to take my van to the van doctor. My check engine light just came on and I know a lot of people don't panic when this happens but I do. I have these visions of being out somewhere by myself and the engine exploding or something. We're planning on driving to Indiana for a few days and, given the storms they've had up north recently, don't want to take a chance on getting stranded somewhere between our driveway and my son's.

I've been having trouble lately with my blood sugar (I'm Type II diabetic) which explains a lot of my tiredness and basically being brainless as of late. The doc may have to tweak my Metformin to get me back on track. If you know someone who is diabetic and you've noticed this person is wandering away from his or her basic personality, have them check their glucose levels. You could actually be saving the person's life.

This blog is supposed to be a combination of trash-to-treasure experiences, combined with arts, crafts, antiques and some personal and family matters thrown in here and there. Have you noticed the absence of trash to treasure lately? (Gulp!) There's a reason for that. I haven't done any trash-to-treasuring for quite awhile. But I still have photos to share. They're just not mine! Check out what Barb has done: http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2905192810100962245ERYKbp?vhost=home-and-garden

She says this is her way of being cheap. I prefer to think of it as being frugal as well as being smart.

Speaking of being frugal - I've listed a presser foot assortment on Ebay. They all fit a Singer. If you know someone with a Singer Sewing machine, please send 'em over to my listing. This is a GREAT deal, as some of these feet retail for over $20 each and I've started the bidding for the entire lot at $7. Here's the direct link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200184874256&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=010 I have a whimsical pinkeep up for bid, too. (Something else I love to make, pinkeeps) If you are still using one of those tomato things for your pins and needles, try either giving yourself a handmade pinkeep or make one for yourself. They're much more fun to use than tomatoes.

...and that's it for now, Kids! I have to sign off here and try to do something productive. Have a blessed week!

Can we postpone Christmas?

Maybe for just one more month? Please? And will someone, anyone, out there in blogland please tell me that you haven't started shopping yet?

This is awful. I have never, ever in my now 59+ years, been so far behind on absolutely every task I have. Is anyone else in the same boat? Because I'm really starting to feel so sorry for myself that I'm becoming quite pitiful to me.

"Normal" activity for us at this time of year is to have our home, inside and out, glisten with lights and activity. Our lawn usually has lit with grazing animals and a large Nativity. Our porch is sparkling with smiling snowmen, lots of greenery and a welcome Santa. Wreaths are in the windows, candles are glowing, the back deck has elves playing. Every room inside is decorated and festive. I've baked cookies and breads for our neighbors and cards were mailed the week after Thanksgiving.

This year? (Gulp!) Last night I decorated our tree with only a portion of our ornaments after hubby covered it in lights two nights ago. Looking at my husband, I said, "Well, I guess we're done here..."

And let's not even talk about shopping.

See? Pitiful.

Okay, now that I've whined (please pass the cheese) about almost everything, let's move on to something else.

Five of us who frequent HGTV's Trash to Treasure forum participated in an annual T2T swap put together by TTRBB (aka "Becky"). All but one of us has received our package of swaps. So, if you are Poodlenana, stop reading here. I don't want to spoil the surprise! (Actually, she's probably received her package but hasn't had a chance to post it.) I've posted closeups here: http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/561748733TaSDEO.

These are the ones I made. They're little snowman heads sitting on unwanted silverware. I bent the silverware so the ornaments will clip onto the branches instead of hanging from them.

They were made with scraps of felt, an old baby sock, wire, loose ravels from a red weater, tiny screws and nuts I swept from my husband's shop floor and sheep wool clipped from our neighbor's lamb.

This past Saturday was an antiques lover/junkster's dream! A huge antiques store, built onto the owners' home, and separate auction house AND contents of all were auctioned off. It was a court-ordered sale, which was sad (a divorcing couple couldn't seem to reach an equitable agreement) but at the same time, great for the rest of us who were present there.

Here is a picture of the antiques store (the residence is in the far right of the building) and a pic of the auction "barn":

The store had a mix of vintage and new items made to look old. I took these pictures from the auctioneer's site. The auctioneer was Ron Ramsey, who also happens to be our State Representative in this area.

Although I didn't get any furniture, I did get some glassware and "smalls" (smaller items) for our shop. After cleaning and sorting everything, we took a couple boxes to one of our shops in Elizabethton.

I also took one of my latest "make-do" creations, this guy that I call a Dapper Snowman.

He has kind of a Dean Martin look about him, don't you think?

While at the shop, I happened to fall (clumsy gal that I am) in one of our spots. Nothing was broken except for a teapot and my sense of dignity. I was sore for a couple of days, but as I am an RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) patient, I'm usually sore anyway. At least I didn't break a bone, as I also have diabetes and my healing process is slow. It also slowed me down a couple more days on my Christmas decorating, etc.

I plan on doing a little shopping on Friday for the family. But, if anyone else wants to sign a petition to postpone Christmas this year...

I'm glad you could stop by! Keep smiling and God bless all of you!

Santa comes in less than three weeks!

...and I've barely begun to shop! I'm one who normally has most of her shopping, if not all of it, finished before now so excuse me while I freak out. AAAAGHH! (Deep breath...) I feel like Scarlett O'Hara; I'll think about that tomorrow. Nope, I wouldn't make a good Scarlett. I'll finish this post and as I'm pricing more shop items, will think about how I will accomplish Christmas in time for Christmas. Speaking of shop items, the Corner Nest had its first Open House this past weekend. I was there Saturday to witness literally hoards of people. It was almost like someone had moved the Bristol Raceway crowd into Elizabethton. Sunday was apparently just as busy so I spent Monday rearranging and adding more items. I have more glassware in storage that needs to be washed, tagged etc. - part of my "to do" list for today. Tomorrow I'll be in Elizabethton again to replenish both our shops before the weekend. Here's a shot of the main Christmas tree in the front of the store. I don't know how tall it is (20 ft, maybe?) but I can guarantee you that it's BIG! Of course, I took some "before" pictures. Most were taken before the doors opened to the Open House crowd so a lot of what you will see in the link below is already sold; however, if you see anything that you seriously want to inquire about in any of the booths, I'll see if it's still available and what the price is. Here's the photo link: http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/561659490MegBAj The following two pictures are of our third spot there.

I was "crazy-quiz" tagged by my friend Donna Marie in New England and decided to answer the quiz questions here. If you're reading this post and haven't yet been tagged by this one, consider it done and send me YOUR answers to the same questions: Two (or more) names you go by: 1. Sher 2. Mom 3. Grandma Two things you are wearing right now: 1. (Uh-oh!) Bathrobe 2. Glasses (Told you I've been late doing everything!) Two of your favorite things to do: 1. Sew 2. Shop for antiques Two things you want very badly at the moment: 1. My morning shower 2. A larger house with lots of storage on level property Two favorite pets you have/had: 1. My parrots Bailey and Tasha and Willie, a cockatoo I used to have and 2) my dog, Frankie (yes, I can count. I know that's four; I just can't play favorites. Two things you ate today: 1. fat-free yogurt and cereal. Two people you last talked to on the phone: 1. My husband (he calls me at breaktime) and my brother Two things you're doing tomorrow: HA! See above blog! Favorite Holidays: Christmas and July 4 Two favorite beverages: Coke Zero and water Thanks for stopping by! See you in a few days!