♥ The Letter A ♥

Hi everyone!
Well, here it is Friday already and almost the month of February, can you believe it? January flew by for me and I think it did because of my "attitude":) I decided to stop and see the beauty of the month of January instead of being down in the dumps about it, it used to be the longest month for me I also think it looks better with all the snow we got and it not going away! Don't get me wrong I'm very glad it's going to be over and we can head into the month that represents "love". Speaking of love, I asked Joy of Doodlebugs to assign me a letter and she gave me the letter "A", my first thought was A???? what can I love that starts with the letter A. Believe me I really had to put on my thinking cap for that one, so I grabbed a piece of paper and pen and thought....... so here are my ten things that start with the letter a that I love:)
1. The first word that came to mind was...angels, I believe they are always around us and that our Father sends them in situations to help or save us. The next was Alex...she has the prettiest hands I've ever seen, long, slender and you can tell that she will be able to have long fingernails one day, I always tell her she has angel's hands:)

2. Abundance...I love that I have an abundance of love from my family

3. Attitude...I really have a different attitude since of got older. I don't care what others say or do about me, I like me and that is all that matters.

4. Antiques...Oh, how I love them and I've had a love for them since the late 70's so much I wish I had more of them but I'm very happy with what I have:)

5. Airplanes...I love to travel in them, I know some of you are saying "Is she nuts"? But I do, I love take off and landing.lol Of course I always love to sit in the first seat of a roller coaster too:) Must be the adventurer in me!

6. Awesome...I think my kids and granddaughters are awesome, the love I have for them is "awesome".

7. Acceptance...I've learned how to accept the situations in my life and knowing how when I do that I can move on to something better:)

8. Achievement...I love to set small goals for myself to get to the bigger goal that I want to achieve.

9. Agile...I love to exercise, I think I've mentioned this before, but I do it for my health and yes, to look good in clothes I'll admit. I also want to have good balance and be agile for when I get older, I don't want to suffer with a broken hip someday and I think we should think of these things when we decide to exercise.

10. Amen!!!

I got Sydney off to school today and here she is on the computer before she had to get dressed. She always asks to read Joy's blog and I know when she gets old enough she will want to do a blog too! I can't wait for that:)

♥ Whatcha Working on Wednesday and a Recipe ♥

Well, I did it...I painted my corner cabinet black and it felt so good to get rid of the memories that it had when it was stained.lol It took two coats but I think it turned out great. I've also quit fighting the country blue carpet that is in here and brought in my blue Amish apron to hang on the peg rack, I hate the carpet but for now it is here until we are able to do the floor like the livingroom and diningroom! After I took the first picture I changed somethings around and took this one I don't know if I'll keep it this way or not. Michele gave the dark red, wooden heart plate to me a long time ago so I brought it out for Valentines Day. I've also taken these first three pictures without the flash and it does show my wall color so much better.

The cheese box on top I want to replace with a darker shade of blue, I think it would really show the wood plates off:)

I've also worked on my mantel yes, again and I finally think I got it right, Carolyn from Cranberry Crossings left a comment that was so helpful...thanks Carolyn! She suggested seprated into 3 parts the things that I had up there instead of spreading them all out, well I did it this way and I think it looks so much better, I can add on the ends if I want but for now I like this, this was taken with the candle light setting!
Stop by Leslie's to see other blogging friends and what they have been up to:).

Now here is something that I definitley will be making for the Super Bowl party this Sunday, men loveeeeeeeeeeee it:) I've been making it for about 7 years and I'm always asked to make it for any gathering we go to, Chris just asked me to make him some because his friends just love it too.

Pepperoni Dip

Cut plain bagels into bite size pieces...I always cut mine like little triangles, to use to dip with.

Prep time-10min

Cook time-15min

Ready in 25 min

1/2 pound of pepperoni cut into little pieces

1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup

1 8 ounce package of cream cheese -softened

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. In medium baking dish , mix the pepperoni, cream of mushroom soup

and cream cheese.

3. Bake uncovered 15 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned. I let

mine get brown around the edges.

Strange ingredients I know but it is just wonderful! It tastes great whether hot or cold, you can even stick it in the mic to warm it up.

Have a wonderful day.♥ School is canceled again today, I even had to cancel my hair appt. till next Wednesday I figured it's not worth wrecking the car over:)

♥ Where I Blog ♥

I've enjoyed seeing where Leslie, Janae, Linda and Karen blog so I thought I'd show mine,
I blog in my little corner of the diningroom...my space:) When I first moved in Stush wanted to know if I wanted my computer in the bedroom but I had read where your bedroom should be a place of peace and rest, which means not getting up out of bed to check your email or bank account:) I wanted the computer where I could be with him but not next to the tv...I've never regretted putting it here because I can turn and see the tv if I want to and while Stush is relaxing in the livingroom we can still talk. I have it on top of my washstand, which I'm thinking of painting black, I know your not surprised with that statement are you? lol, and you can see how small the area is so to put a computer desk there is really impossible and I'd certainly want a prim one too! I'd love for Stush to build me one sort of as wide as the washstand but with shelves above and below. I also can keep an eye on the granddaughters when they are on it. BTW the blog that's on is Leslie's:) I don't think I've ever showed this picture to you...my dad painted it when I was about 14 or 15 and I always loved it and put my claim on it right away:) I have it on the wall right next to my computer, it's done in oil and in it's original frame. It's a picture of a general store/post office:) This is the bedroom which I took without the flash, just trying to learn what looks good and what doesn't.

I just looked out and it's snowing again...schools were closed today so I had the girls here this morning until there dad came to pick them up. I don't think they will have school tomorrow either from the look of things and the weather report.

I'd like to say thanks for stopping by for a visit, I always enjoy reading what you have to say , also thank you lurkers too I hope you enjoy stopping too:)

Well, tomorrow is Whatcha Working on Wednesday so I'll be back then.

♥ Valentine Stitchery by Sydney ♥

Hello everyone,
I hope you all are having a good, restful Sunday, I know I'm tired and you'll see why later in this post:)
Here's the stitchery I talked about in my last post, I know I was supposed to post about it Friday but life gets in the way sometimes...Sydney drew this for me on the osenberg fabric and then I stitched it with DMC 902 because I still haven't made it to Jo-Ann's, I sort of like this shade of red anyway it's darker then the DMC 221. I didn't have a frame to fit the piece that she drew on so I thought I'd add some scrap wool that I had, I blanket stitched it on the top and bottom, in a very prim way since a 7 year old designed it.LOL You should have seen her face when I showed it to her...a great big smile:) Can you imagine when she has her own home and she puts this out to decorate with...I can:) Here is the corner where I have put it, I can see it when I'm in the kitchen. I also took a picture of this sitting down, Linda suggested we try this and it does take a better picture but I'm still disliking the fact that my walls look white when there not. I wanted to get a shot of the corner cupboard anyway because I'm seriously considering painting it black and removing the yelloware bowls. I was on Primp Your Pad at Gathered Treasures and was looking at her webshots loved Cheryl's prim home and I got an idea from seeing her corner cupboard. This cupboard has been this way painted inside for a few years (before I had it painted a colonial blue) and it's been stained since the 90's so it's time for a change:)

Now the reason I'm so tired today is I went roller skating Saturday with Michele, Nick and my niece Paula and of course the granddaughters. The first hour and half was the lessons...the two youngest were really wobbley but Sydney caught on really well, she still fell but was off skating by herself! Samantha fell oh, I think a zillion times but still had a smile for the camara...

Alex had been to Gymberie for kids and then on to roller skating so I think she was tired also tired of falling:) I can't believe she will be 5 in two months she's so teeny I think she only wears a size 4 :)

Here's Sydney...she got her roller skates from Uncle Mike for Christmas:)

Michele and Nick....hmmmm payback time. LOL Michele said today that her arm is killing her from holding Samantha up:)

That is my niece standing by Michele in the light colored pants with her son Paul:)

I wasn't going to skate so afraid of falling and hurting knees or hips but then I thought that's no way to live I should do it...so I did... I hadn't been on skates since my 30's when Chris was about five! I was scared to death to put my roller skate down on the wooden floor but I did and it took me about four times, of almost losing my balance, around the rink for my brain to remember how to do it:) I just prayed that I wouldn't fall.LOL The shock and smiles on the girls faces when I went whizzing by them was priceless...I could hear them say "Look... grammy's skating." So if your looking for some good, clean fun try it again... plus it's great exercise!!!

But wait my day wasn't over yet...Stush and I went out with friends in the evening to dance to a disco band...believe me I don't need to do the Dancing with the Stars DVD today, I had enough exercise yesterday:)

♥ No...Not More Labels ♥

Hi everyone,
I wasn't bored today I took Sydney to the bus stop and took Samantha to and from school then took her thur Mc Donald's. I had a Happy Meal but I sure wanted a Big Mac... I love them and allow myself one every six months.:) Tomorrow morning I take Sydney to school so I'll have the rest of the day free:) When I got home I did clean then also stopped to visit on here. I did do a stitchery today it's so neat because someone special drew it for me and I'll show you that tomorrow!
Janene from Primitive Lifestyle (sorry it won't let me link to your blog ) recently did a breadboard like mine only I think mine isn't as thick, she wanted to know if she should have three prim things or just two. So here is a pic of mine Janene:) two things on it I found at Goodwill and the other I got for .25 at the barn sale I went to. Odd numbers rule!!! I've been going around my house making sure I have odd numbers in my displays.lol I also stopped at the library to see if I could find something to read...I found these the series is called "Dear America" I don't know if they are for kids or what they don't seem to be but they were near the "Little House on the Prairie" books. I think I'll enjoy them though: Coal Miner's Bride is set here in Pa....Early Sunday Morning is about Pearl Harbor. Christmas After All is about the depression and they are wrote in a journal or diary form from a young girl.

They should be interesting, hopefully so, because I think I've read every book in our small town library:)

Have a good evening everyone!

~ Whatcha Working on Wednesday~

I think I need to get a job...I haven't done anything today but play with my camara again and do more labels. Yesterday I got my Valentine labels in the mail from Yankee Lane Primitives alot of neat ones too! So I've been doing that plus I painted a barn red candlestick black. Here's a pic of it:) I also moved this jar from my keepingroom into the diningroom. This picture I took with the candlelight setting maybe it would have turned out better if it would have been night. I found this paper mache container in the bottom of my hoosier and decided to put a label on it...painted the lid black too over brown paint.

I think it turned out neat...still working with learning the settings:)

I like being able to make these myself!

I've been labeling everything it seems...here are two black tins that I got a while ago at a yard sale, they already had labels on them but they were a dark orange. I put the labels on over top of the orange and it didn't even show thur.

This is an old jar that I got years ago I had clothes pins in them so this label that was with the ones I got yesterday went great with it.

Still cold here, I think it was 8* this morning, I was looking at pictures I had taken last spring and sighing.lol So I had to quit...is anyone else getting cabin fever?

♥ It Must Be the Weather ♥

Can you tell I'm bored? I've been playing with my camara...I really want to learn the different settings and use them. I know you have seen these rooms before but maybe not in this light which to me is to light. This pic and the one below is of my keeping room. On the table is a wisk broom I won on ebay for just .99 I felt lucky to get it because some are going for 12.99 and up especially if they have a grouping of three. I watched 3 go for $46.00 can you believe that? I remember my dad having one to clean out the car with:)

You can see all the snow out the window there and of course it's cold out too.
I'm also thinking on painting the corner cupboard black, the inside of the cupboard is painted barn red.

I can't wait to tear down this wallpaper in the entryway...it never photographs well, it is red ticking!

Not much going on here...I did finish my little pillows and they turned out pretty good! I've also been watching the inauguration seems senator Kennedy had a spell... I hope he is okay.

Tonight we at least meet some friends for a while, it will feel good to get out for a little bit.

Have a great day everyone:)

♥ Such a Sweetheart ♥

No, I'm not talking about my granddaughters, although they are, I'm talking about Susie from Libertylane Primitives this is the email she sent to me this morning...

I just wanted to let you know that my labels are FLYING off the internet shelves. I can't thank you enough for posting the info to my ebay and Lemon Poppy Seeds on your blog. I'm sending you out a set of my new Valentine Labels as a thank you. Susie
What a great way to wake up...thanks Susie you put a smile on my face this morning:)

I finally got my picture put up from Jennifer from Christmas...the little white box that is on the shelf has a cutout of a snowflake and I have a flicker light in it but it didn't show I have it there because of the weather we are having -6 with a windchill of -24 below, for those of you that have even colder weather I feel for you.lol All the schools around us are closed for the day so they have a 4 day weekend what with Martin Luther King Day on Monday:) I have been following the rule of using odd numbers such as 3,5 and 7 to decorate...sometimes I forget though but I must say it does work so soon I'll be taking the snowflake down...hopefully:) A side veiw, sometimes I don't like these high ceilings!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh...the mantel, do you have a place in your house be it corner or wall that just never satisfys you and is always a thorn in your side so to speak? Well, the mantel is mine, in length it is so long and hard to fill. Plus the brown brick wouldn't have been in the running if I had had to chose...I see that I have to much on the right and not enough on the left, maybe I'll add some fabric on the left side, I can't put any in the middle because of the fireplace insert heat. BTW I'm now glad Stush put it in, it is a cozy kind of heat and the furnace hasn't been on in a week!

Another pic of my shelf!

Decluttered here...this is where odd numbers work!

I love this long John basket, I've wanted one for quite a while...yes, $7.00 at the Country Store! I hung it on the side of my hoosier.

Well, that's all for today, not much going on around here, to cold, we are venturing out tonight for a birthday party for one of our friends, I need to get out of here for a while too...the Steelers play Sunday...go Steelers!!!

Have a great weekend too!

♥ Whatcha Working on Wednesday ♥

I know I'm a little late but I've been putzing around here all day...it is so cold but not as cold as in North Dakota which they said was -40* whew...I don't think I could take that.lol

Anyway here is may candle mat all finished, I used no. 8 ecru cotton thread, the first time I used two different colors of thread on one project:) I used my antique trunk that I have beside my couch as a backdrop for it. "Practice makes perfect"... is what I keep saying to myself as I do these penny projects:0 These two I just cut out , the one on the right is a cat with a heart on it and the other is a heart... I don't know what I'll do with them when I finish but again it will give me practice.

I'm thinking spring as many of us are, so I decided to stitch, I haven't done it for a while since way before Christmas because I worked... then the holidays came. It felt good to pick up the needle and the DMC! I got this far then ran out of the barn red thread, I thought I had more but I didn't so I'll have to pick some up maybe tomorrow but it's supposed to be even colder than today!!! he's a bunny and I think I'll stitch the words Happy Easter or I may change it.

This picture is for Sue...I told her I would take a picture of the shelf Stush made me because she lost her catalog...so here it is Sue:) I hope this helps:)

Here is more pictures of my purchases at the Country Store. I got this Gooseberry Patch cookbook for $7.00 it was the last one left and I always wanted one but would never pay the full price because I'm not that great of cook. I like to look at the recipes and pictures of cookbooks but that's as far as it goes:) Maybe someday;)

Two more things here...I've always seen this jug in Country Sampler and always admired it, yep only one left and I got it for &12.00! The cutery tray, I think that's what they call them, is so cute it's only about 7 inches wide if anything and paid $5.00, there was a blue one but the lady already had it in her hand so I couldn't do anything about that.lOL

More cold expected for tomorrow and they said more snow, we got about 2 inches and at one point it was really coming down...then it stopped, I just wanted it to keep on coming down:)

Have a wonderful, warm evening everyone and thanks for stopping by, I always enjoy you!

Gee, I almost forgot...stop by Leslie's to see all the wonderful doings that some great bloggers are up to:)

♥ Now Don't Laugh!!! ♥

But this is what helped me lose a 1lb (also watching what I eat) after doing it 7 times:) You see when I gain weight I don't gain in the behind, hips or thighs....I gain in my stomach and waist and I hate it! Last April I finally had my knee operated on, it was a torn cartilage, so almost a year or more of just putting up with it then the three months of recuperation after having the operation really put the weight on around my middle because I couldn't excercise without pain, even walking. I must say it is fun and hard but I'm dancing:0... well trying too...it's not easy to move your hips like they do believe me and your arms feel like they have ten pound weights on then by the time the hour is up! I've noticed a difference in my stomach, legs and waist they seem to be tighter, today I did it the 7th time so on the 14th try I'll let you know if there is anymore difference. Of course watching Maxium makes it all worth while:) I found it at Walmart, all the excercise dvd's were on sale so for 9 bucks it was so worth it, I bought another one too and I'll use it after I can do these 4 dances like a pro.lol I promised more picks of what I got at the Country Store...these are star ornies which can be hung but I prefer them in a bowl, the one in the middle is a little different then the rest...I got them all for $10.00, I've always wanted some ornies in a bowl:)

She also had some faux little plants but I can't remember what I paid for them:) The one in the front isn't faux it's an African Violet that I've had for a few years now:)

I'll show more tomorrow plus tomorrow is Whatcha Working on Wednesday...don't forget!!!