Tag Punch

I LOVE SAVING MONEY!

And this paper punch is just the gadget to do it. I came across this punch on some blog where she was using it for her scrap booking ventures. Now I don't scrap book, but I do like saving money via recycling.

I am so excited. I already had a box of used card fronts for use in church bulletin boards and other craft ideas, so this punch was a perfect match. If you flip the punch over you can perfectly center your tag over a design and PUNCH the job is done. I then add a small hole punch at the top, loop a thin ribbon and OOO LA LA you're tagging like the professionals. These tags are perfect for gift bags or packages or for elegantly tagging a banana loaf you give to a friend. Brilliant!

I always love to hear where things are puchased

and for how much ....

Jo-Anns Fabrics in the United States

With their 50% off coupon

I purchased this baby for about $8

Slow But Steady Progress

The ultimate goal is the completion of my quilt / sewing room in a shed behind the house. Although that is the goal, so much else gets in the way of its completion.

Hubby did manage to complete the tile work at the entrance. Great story about this tile if you are a thrifter like me. We did a lot of garage sale-ing this summer, and one spot had a pile of 21 granite tiles for $20. My normally very quiet husband seemed to have gained garage sale savvy over the summer, and somehow got them for $7. (Another reason why I married him!) Over the last week or so he has glued down, grouted, and sealed 20 of them in a 4 X 5 foot landing for the entrance door.

He also took out the garage door on the back wall and replaced it with a 'man door'. Thank you, THANK YOU, Thank you!

Of course, the room is completly painted now. I had at least helped with that task. It is a lovely warm caramel / butterscoth colour. (Not sure which flavour it is!)

Next is the laminate flooring. I will keep you posted.

Crystal Sleigh

After almost two months, I have returned. Probably nobody has missed me, but that is okay. I am doing this for me. A journey of my not-so-exciting yet worthwhile life.

Christmas has come and gone. My two youngest have come and gone back to university in South Caraolina. And now it is back to regular business.

One of things that I have missed has been my visiting thrift stores in the area. I happened upon one last week as I had a few hours between appointments.

Looky what I found ... A crystal candy dish sleigh. It is simply wonderful yet alas the pictures don't do it justice. It is a shame too that I have to store it away for a year before I can put it on display, but what a pleasant surprise it will be!

I hope that you had a blessed Christmas!

Showing and Telling # 2

Kelli over at "There is No Place Like Home", hosts an amazing Show and Tell each Friday. I have joined once before and thoroughly enjoy the different blogs that are showcased. A great way to see what other bloggers are up to.

Today I would like to share a book that I purchased at a thrift store years ago. It is entitled The New Dictionary of Thoughts published in 1959. I consider it one of my most valued reference books.

In years gone by I have created many a bulletin board for church hallways, and many a church flyer or bulletin entry using quotes and thoughts from this edition.

Can you read this interesting quote on this page?

A great thought is a great boon, for which God is to be first thanked,
then he who is the first to utter it,

and then, in a lesser,

but still in a consideraable degree,

the man who is the first to quote it to us.

~ Bovee ~

Love the creative way that they made the index.

This preface, if you can read it, details how Tryon Edwards first compiled a book of quotes in 1852 under the title JEWELS FOR THE HOUSEHOLD. Huh, I wonder if people back then were more refined in their speech and careful in what they said.

Thanks for looking at my Show and Tell

Not My Dog!

A dog's life can get in the way of its master's life, can't it? I know from a bit of experience with dogs. For most of the last 12 or so years we have had four dogs joined by a leash to our family circle. Most times have been good. Some not so much.

Today, it is pouring rain outside and I am sympathetic to my present two dogs, Matty and Luky. I don't cherish the idea of having big dogs inside my house, but I know it is beneficial in the Dog / Master bond. Today is one of those bonding times.

I go about my regular business

and they do more or less what dogs do best:

ZZZZZ Sleep ZZZZZ

While I am at the computer emailing friends and looking up recipes, Matty, our one year old, totters off. She returns with a sock in her mouth that belongs to the 'Genius'. Now as much as I love my dogs and know that they are very smart, Matty isn't THAT talented. She did not open his drawer and carefully select a lone sock. Dogs don't have opposable digits. The answer, my friend, is that my son, the 'Genius', has a different system for storing his clothing.

His motto: "Wear and Toss"

God still loves him (and so do I) but his room's mess makes a tornado look like a summer's breeze.

Now back to the problem at hand: Matty with incriminating sock in her mouth. I correct her, retrieve the sock, and throw it back into his room.

Instant replay. I am on the telephone chatting with a friend. Matty seems so pleased as she brings the sock to me the second time. I guess it is like a game of catch to her. I couldn't deal with it then (remember I'm on the telephone), so I flash her a mean glance, and continue on with my conversation. She twirls around and lays down on the floor beside me ~ * ~ Nice doggy ~ * ~

Well, you guessed it. That twirl was the fatal turn of events. Oblivious to her actions (remember I was engrossed in conversation), she proceeded to rip and shred her prize. Uh oh. Funny how life is like that sometimes, isn't it? Chalk it up to another valuable lesson learned and just move on.

The Sweet Life

Well another Hallowe-en has come and gone. Candy wrappers can be seen swirling with the golden fall leaves. Kids look dazed from sugar rush. And Christmas decorations have sprung up in the shops. As a family we have never celebrated Hallowe-en. I mean really, how can you celebrate witches, and demons, and evil??? I am not against young children having fun, or depriving them of a few sweets. Just the fact that the day represents so much more ... but I will hold that thought to another day.

Let's concentrate on the candy issue. Being very frugal, thrifty and down right cheap, I find it hard to resist a great deal. I happened upon one such deal yesterday ...

75% off all Hallowe-en candy! Wow! Honestly ... It was like the three boxes jumped into my cart by themselves ... each with 90 or so mini candy bars ... at a meager total of about $9.00 I had purchased enough calories to sustain a whole army! What was I thinking? Obviously it was clear that I wasn't. Looking back I recall being somewhat peckish while walking the aisles at the grocery store. That was it. That most important rule of ALL rules was forgotten ...

~ * ~ NEVER SHOP HUNGRY ~ * ~

Well, what is done is done. The 'Genius' son has been off sugar for months now. I knew that. The Hubby is able to eat anything he wants and so he will have his share of the plunder. Myself, I have to lose a few ... OK many, many pounds, so I should keep the candy at arm's length. And then somewhere in the back of my mind, I have a faint recollection of our two daughters trying to scrape out a meager existence for themselves in their univeristy dorm rooms. That's it! I can just see the sheer joy on their young faces when they open a carefully wrapped and candy laden care package from me ... their favourite mom.

Problem solved ... Life is indeed sweet!

Work without Fear

Some say if only my fears and doubts will leave

then I will get to work.
But instead you should get to work

and then your fears and doubts will leave.

~ D.L. Moody ~

'Being confident of this very thing

that he which hath begun a good work in you

will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.'

Philippians 1:6

Quilt Room

My Hubby is the owner of a beautiful work shop ... if 'beautiful' is the proper adjective you use for a work shop. For years he crammed his tools into a 400 square foot building. A pretty ridiculous concept now that we look back. Something had to be done. So a few yers ago his dream shop was built: A 2,000 square foot structure with sky lights, windows, doors AND a 14' high garage door. For a tradesman, my Hubby had arrived!

And right on his heels was me ... "Whatcha going to do with the 400' shop?" I sweetly asked him. Never being able to resist my sweet talk, the idea of a dream quilt room began!

In my dreams, however, nothing seems to go in fast forward speed. So it has been with this quilt room. Slowly but surely there has been progress. The room has been mostly emptied. The walls filled with paste and sanded. The corners have been painted their first coat.

Isn't it beautiful?

Of course, I will keep you posted with the progress during the next many weeks. We hope to work on it most Saturdays and some week nights. The word 'work' doesn't quite fit here as each step is sheer joy to me. I consider myself one lucky girl.

Fall Flower Blossoms

Another enjoyable day! I had a bit of time to put together a few Fall flower arrangements for display at our church. I went hunting through my home for containers and came up with two large baskets, a recently acquired vase that reminds me of a large acorn, and a tall metal vase with handles. I am not an expert as you can very well see, but they will do. Much better than the 'nothing' that was there.

~ * ~ All to the glory of God ~ * ~

I spoke with my daughter, the 'Dreamer', this morning. Many happy words pass between us on Skype knowing that they are all for free! We spoke about how we should use our individual talents for God in home, church and career. Don't be shy ... All of us have them. And they were given to us by Him to use.

Bring them to the fore front, dust them off, polish them up, and

USE THEM.

His Creation

"What a glorious world Almighty God has given us!

How thankful we are, and how we labor to mar His gift."

Robert E. Lee

Fall Arrangement

I'm so excited. I have been asked to be in charge of Seasonal Decorations at our church. What a fun job! I have to put together a proposed budget ... and then, of course, try to stay within it.

I was off to Michael's and couldn't believe my eyes as I walked in the door. ALL Fall artificial flowers were 90% off. Ninety percent? That's almost like free! I joyfully danced around picking flowers and loading up my shopping cart. When the cashier announced $38.56, I about dropped my teeth.

Although strictly on a 'church business trip', I happened to pick up a few 'posies' for myself. Let me explain further ...

With about $5.00 worth of flowers, I decided that I needed a fall vase or container to put them in. Although Michael's was the place for cheap floral, vase and basket prices were a bit steep. Off I flew to some of my favourite thrift stores in town.

I happened upon this top off of a hurricane lamp. The bottom was no where to be found, so it was marked down to a dollar. I snatched it up. So you can understand the hurricane lamp conception I placed it on a canning jar. Get the picture?

Next, I flipped it over to reveal the venting holes.

Can you guess where I went from here? I thought to myself, hey, these make perfect holes to stick sprigs of flowers. Wow, sometimes I amaze myself. With wire cutters I proceeded to snip the branches into shorter sprigs. Then I stuffed. Longer ones in the center hole, shorter ones in the side holes. And within a short time ... here it sits on my kitchen table. You just never know how you can re-purpose an item. Thanks for following along.

Tri-Coloured Trees

FALL ... Oh what a wonderful time of year! I love the colours, the smells the cooler weather, and the cozy nights around the glow of the fireplace.

Today, the Hubby and I picked about 5 bags of leaves that had fallen from our stunningly beautiful maple tree that grows in the center of our driveway. First he tested out a leaf blower that he purchased that afternoon and then the physical bagging of the leaves. We let the bags of leaves sit for about a year and then use the leaf mulch for compost in our vegetable raised beds. The circle of life is just wonderful if you think about it. God is a masterful creator!

Luky enjoys the soft bed of leaves too.

Isn't it a wonderful life?

Folk Wisdom

"Do not try to preserve your name

by writing it on the trunks of trees

or upon the walls of old buildings,

but write it in the memories and affections

of your friends

by your uprightness and sweetness

of character."

THE OLD FARMER'S ALMANAC, 1893

Grassy Pastures

It has been a while since my last post. Life has somehow gotten in the way.

Right after lunch today, I hopped on the old John Deere lawn mower and headed out back to the back forty. Well not really forty acres ... more like a three grassy acres. But I tell you after just about two hours of a bumpy ride, and constant hummmmmmmm, I was thankful it was only three!

During lawn mowing time, I sing, think, and talk with God. I admit I even cried and had to wipe my work jacket sleeve across my cheeks a few times. I've didn't solve the world's problems. Gas isn't cheaper, the economy is still in turmoil, and cancer isn't beaten ... but God is still good. God is still faithful. And God is still in control.

It's hard not to fret and worry because we are such frail creatures ... especially us women ... but as My Hubby always says,

"God is never in a hurry,

but He is always on time"

I hope that you had a lovely Saturday.

Folk Wisdom

If you get to thinking

you're a person of some influence,

try ordering

somebody else's dog around.

~ * ~

Showing and Telling # 1

Over the past many months I have been first introduced and then intrigued by blogs. In fact I have a few that I frequent EVERY DAY!

One of my favourites is 'There is No Place Like Home'. (Check out her blog with the link below) Kelli amazes me from week to week with her crafts, wisdom AND recipes.

http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/2008/09/show-and-tell-friday_18.html

Every Friday she has a Show and Tell and invites everyone to participate. It is a grand way to visit other blogs with kindred spirits.

As my second posting ... EVER ... I am Showing and Telling you about some Pear Honey that I made. (Thanks Kelli for the recipe!) It's amazing.

Yesterday my 'Hubby' and my 21 year old son, 'The Genius', informed me that they would come home from work much later than usual. I had planned using up left overs for dinner, so I had a bit of spare time before they arrived.

I said to myself, "Self? Why not try that Pear Honey recipe?" I already had purchased a small sack of pears and so all I needed was a few other ingredients.

~ * ~ Pear Honey ~ * ~

Yields six pint jars

8 cups (about 3 pounds) peeled, cored, and chopped pears
One 20-ounce can pineapple with syrup (crushed is best, but you can use chunks, tidbits etc)

10 cups sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Mix all ingredients in a large saucepan.

Cook until pears are tender and mixture thickens, approximately 30 minutes ... strirring often.

Transfer to a blender and puree. Transfer back to saucepan and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes. (I own a Bamix hand blender and so simply pureed while simmering.)

Pour into sterilized jars and seal with snap tops and rings while still hot.

Carefully place jars on towel-lined counter. Do not tip when transporting. Allow to cool at least 8 hours. They will snap as they cool and seal.

Enjoy!

I topped with circles made from some quilt fabric that I had, cuddled the jars with a pretty grape vine, added an extra pear and Voila! French for "Wow, I can't believe I did that!"

Please try the recipe yourself. You and your lucky family with thank me :o)

And so it begins ...

I have always loved the 1940s and 50s and even into the 60s.

It seemed like morals and family life abounded ... or maybe this idealic life was portrayed only in the media.

Remember the 'The Andy Griffith Show' and 'Leave it to Beaver' ? They remain two of my all time favourite shows.

Dad was respected as the loving head of the family.
Mom was loved and supported.
And the kids? Well, kids have always been kids, but back then they were actually corrected for wrong doings and yet continued to KNOW that they were a cherished part of the family.

Home was that wonderful and secure place.

Alas ... it's 2008 and we're not in Mayberry any more.

Maybe we should look retro-spectively.

Join with me in my humble attempt to help ladies ... like myself ... realize the importance of being a mom and help-meet extraordinaire.

Ready or not ...