Wrapping Central

So where are you guys wrapping gifts this year? I used to set up a card table in a bedroom corner, but this year my back is balking at that kind of bending so it's back to the dining room table for me. (Yikes! Alliteration run amok!)

We had a good wrapping session last night, my sis and I. She knows all about atmosphere and had purchased the nutmeg candle just for that purpose. We sipped on our hazelnut coffee, chatted, and she wrapped while I watched :) and opened Christmas cards.

Ohhh, do you see that one? It's from Kari. She loves to send cards. She thinks it is important. She loves to make her own, too. This one is so pretty. There's so much detail. I love it! I've already told her that I may have to reform and start sending more cards again. I also loved finding mine in the stash she photographed. Now I can say, "there it is!"

Okay, now I'm wondering if I have time, before work, to bake cookies. I was supposed to take some for a cookie share day and I just ran out of energy last night. Let's just see...is the call of cookies louder than the beckon of blogs? Hahahahahaha...sometimes I just crack myself up. Later!

Christmasing With You

Greeting cards have all been sent
The Christmas rush is through
But I still have one wish to make
A special one for you

Merry Christmas darling
We’re apart that’s true
But I can dream
And in my dreams
I’m Christmasing with you

~Frank Pooler & Richard Carpenter


Finally found my Christmas cds over the weekend. A couple of years ago, my nieces, deciding that I was, after all, a definite 70s gal, gave me one of the Carpenters' Christmas cds. Last night, I drifted off to the sweet, mellow tones of Karen singing "Merry Christmas Darling." Must be true because that's what I woke up singing this morning. ;>

I miss Karen. I miss John Denver. I miss Mama Cass. I miss Bobby Goldsboro. I miss my darling. I have been missing a lot of family and friends who are no longer with me. This missing is a painful fact of life. Second only to seeing the Lord is the joy of knowing that I will see my loved ones again. Still, sometimes Christmas feels lonely...

Creating a Header All By Your Very Own Sweet Self

or how to change something like this

< photo removed >

to something like this...


A blogging bud asked me for some advice about creating a header. Since it was going to require thinking and stuff, I decided to write it down as a tutorial and then anyone can see what I do. Disclaimer: This is how I do it, which doesn't make it the best or easiest way.

1. Take a picture.

2. Upload to the computer.

3. Save it in Pictures or wherever you save your photos.

4. Open PAINT. (I am using a Windows XP and I find PAINT by clicking the START button, clicking ALL PROGRAMS, then clicking ACCESSORIES, finally clicking PAINT.)

5. Once in PAINT, you should see a big white page with color choices on the bottom, tools on the side, and these words across the top: File Edit View Image Colors Help
(These words are where the action is for creating a header.)

6. Click on FILE and then on OPEN in the drop-down menu...this takes you to a box where you can select the spot where your photos are stored by using the arrow at the right.

7. Find the photo you wish to use and double click. Your photo will open in PAINT and be gigantic! Do not panic.

8. Click on the IMAGE button at the top of the page and select STRETCH/SKEW from the drop-down menu. A new box will open...you'll only be working in the top half or the
stretch section. You will see two small white boxes with these words: Horizontal and Vertical. Each box will have 100% written in it. I use 30% in both so change both the horizontal and vertical boxes to 30%. (Whatever you do in one, you must do in the other or the photo will be distorted...perhaps you'd like to experiment with distortion, but my world is wonky enough.)

9. Click the OKAY button on the right and the photo will now be completely visible to you.

10. Return to the FILE button and select "Save As" at this point.

11. Choose a new name to write in the "File Name" box that opens just to be safe...you don't want to lose all your good work so far.

12. Leave the photo in JPEG format in the "Save As Type" box. Hit okay on the right side. This saves your photo and you'll be able to find it again back in Pictures if anything should happen during the next steps.

13. Your photo will be square...this is where cropping comes in...either that or you'll be resizing once again by returning to step 8.

14. Crop by finding the teeny-tiny-wee blue button in the middle of the right side of the photo or the middle of the bottom of the photo. Click on the blue button and drag inward or upward to your spot. Now you may find that you have extra photo at the top or on the other side. Do not panic. You'll have to flip the photo. I said, "Don't panic!" :)

15. Flip the photo by going to the IMAGE button and selecting the Flip/ Rotate button that opens in the drop-down menu.

16. Select "Rotate by Angle" and experiment... I usually just work with the 90 degree angle until I can use the teeny-tiny-wee blue button that only ever appears on the right and on the bottom (have I already said that?) Actually, there is a teeny-tiny-wee blue button in the corner as well...it can be useful...experiment!

17. Once cropping is complete, straighten the picture by using step 15.

18. Return to the FILE button use SAVE AS and rename the photo in the filename to something that includes "header."

19. Back at the blog, you'll upload the photo in the usual way for the header. I just use my font and font colors to create my header from there.

20. Wasn't that fun???? (Good luck, Judy!!!)

Now, if anyone knows of an easier way using PAINT, I'd love to hear about it. Thanks!!

Warmth and Cheer

...whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. ~Philipians 4:9

Scenes like this one warm me to the bone and, after posting the new header, I decided that my haven needed a little warmth and cheer itself.

We all need warmth and cheer and how is it to be achieved? Should we wait for others to toss us a bone? Should we shop until we drop? Sip our brandy alone? I don't think so! We begin by creating for ourselves what we most need. And, if we take care of ourselves, we can take care of others. Instead of focusing on whatever is going awry (there'll always be plenty of that), we can focus on all that is good and right. I stole one of FlyLady's expressions some months ago and it is proving to be helpful...I may not be able to do THAT, but I can do THIS.

Enjoy your Sunday by creating a marvelous one! God bless...

Picture Source

Friday's Thoughts

Everywhere a blogger looks these days in the blogging world, there are such delights for the eye and the imagination. If you haven't visited The Inspired Room lately, try eking out a chunk of time and just enjoy.

Pam Garrison is a busy gal this year with a recent move and a business, but for beautiful images one can't go wrong to visit Christmas 2006 in her blog.

Thank you all for being so supportive...even though I never got the cup of tea that Linda suggested, I skated through the day quite cheerfully just anticipating my imaginary cup. And, I'd like to especially thank Barbara who sent me the sweetest letter. What a community of support I stumbled into back in July. I am truly blessed.

Have a blessed Friday, everyone!

(Clicking on the paragraph about Pam Garrison will take you right there!)

In the Mood

Let's see, it's December 6 (the official beginning of the Christmas season) and I am already weary of it all. I am blaming it on the fact that I deal with the general public day in and day out and the general public can often be, in a word, rude. That's right—rude. I work on phones all day long and come home with a headache daily because one too many persons decided to slam the phone in my ear or scream and yell at me or worse...I really don't like being called an "idiot." The challenge is to remain sweet and cheerful for I can catch a foul mood just as quickly as the next person. The strain of being sweet and cheerful (so far I have managed...;>) is taking its toll. "Just three more weeks of this," I say to myself every night as I drag myself over the snowbanks to the lot at the furtherest end of the building.

In the meantime, I must reclaim my Christmas joy. It is not about the decorations, gifts (ackkkk), and food of the season, it is about the fellowship and love around the One who was willing to show up on this planet in the first place.

When I taught first graders, I would tell the story of Christmas in ways that they could better understand. "And she wrapped Him in *burial cloths and laid Him in a cow's dish." (*Jesus was the only baby ever born who was meant to die.)

Over the past few nights, I have been reading Max Lucado's "Traveling Light." At one point, Lucado asks his readers to ponder just this line: The Lord is my Shepherd. When I do that in the way that I told the Christmas story to first graders, it simply astounds me. Try it and see!

In the meantime, wishing you and yours the most meaningful Christmas season ever!

Tagged!

I've been tagged by Miss Sandy at Quill Cottage . Miss Sandy is a sweet and gentle soul who can take her readers away with a few words, a few photos, and that lilting music that she has playing. Hmmmmm, heavenly! (Annnnndddd, you should read how cleverly she approached this five new things tag.)

The rules are simple enough. When tagged, a blogger should link to the person by whom tagged and mention five things about yourself. (Mercifully, no one mentioned anything about being interesting things.) Further, one must tag five new people telling a little bit about each of them and providing a link to their blogs. Finally, one must visit each blogger and leave a message that she's been tagged. Or something close to that. ;>

Five things, eh? Five things I haven't mentioned before in blogging? Oh dear. Sigh. Hmmm. I stew over stuff like this. Let's see...*fidget* Oooookayyy, teaching school was my career from 1979-2003. I have taught every age from pre-school through college level with the exception of kindergarten. My favorite ages to teach are first-graders and adults. Teaching first graders is a delight because one gets to watch the light go on for reading. Incredible! And teaching adults is a rush because they care about learning...very much, and it is always a joy to teach a student who cares. Phew! I made it!

I tag the following:

Terri @ Wind Lost ...she owes me! LOL! Terri has an incredible heart and her spirit comes through in every post. One should go back to the beginning of her blog and read every single thing. You'll be glad that you did. She also has a wicked good sense of style.

Vickie @ Sand Flat Farm because she's new to blogging and this will help her to get her feet good and wet. :> She's doing an amazing job and has an adorable, wee, yellow house that is incredibly charming. Check it out!

Judy @ My Front Porch has posted about so many traveling adventures with gorgeous photos, she has such good recipes, and wonderful, creative ideas to share. You'd be missing out if you don't visit her! I do every day.

HappyOne @ who says that she's just an average person, but don't believe it. She has three blogs and keeps them all going without a hitch. You'll find some amazing letters shared so don't forget your tissue box.

Kari at Just Livin' Large because if I really tick her off (and this just might do it), she'll write some funny stuff and then we'll all have some laughs.

And that, dear ones, will be the best that I can do for you!

P.S. If anyone wants to be tagged...I'll be happy to tag ya if you'll run a little slower! No rules means no rules, right?

A Little Picture Story

Bell Tone

My goal was not to post today. BumbleVee said that I was loquacious a blabbermouth and it hurt my last feeling. Sigh. LOL!!

But something happened last night that I wanted to write about. A friend presented me with this little silver bell found at a local flea market last July. It says Merry and Happy on one side and Christmas and New Year on the other. And, as dear as it is, that's not the best part. The best part is its tone...pure, sweet, and delightfully clear.

So I said to him, "You must have watched The Polar Express last night." His puzzled look assured me that he had no clue what I was talking about. As I explained the premise of the story...that the little boy asks for and receives the first gift of Christmas—a sleigh bell from Santa's sleigh, that the bell has a quality unlike any other and that as one grows older it is difficult to hear the bell, but the little boy, now grown old, can still hear it...well, you should've seen my friend's face then. He asked me what I thought about it all and I said that, as a believer, I always take these things as allegories of the true meaning of Christmas. For me this story is about faith, not in Santa, but in the Lord.

My own faith has been wavering too much lately, but the gift of this little bell reminds me again that there is no happenstance in this world.

So it was just too good not to share and I agree with BumbleVee...I am certainly a blabbermouth!

P.S. Don't forget to leave a comment on yesterday's post!! (Don't forget to visit BumbleVee either!)

One Hundred!

Today is the day that I am celebrating my 100th post. And to honor the day, I am shamelessly requesting comments in order that my pretty pink depression glass jar may be filled with your names. Someone other than myself will draw the winning name.



I have been pondering what to gift as I sit here sipping my coffee this morning. Originally, I hoped to give a Country Living subscription because that is my very favorite decorating magazine...then I thought that many of you may already receive it. Soooo, for those of you who might, I will substitute a Christmas Joy Keepsake book from Susan Branch. If anyone has both, we'll worry about it later! :)
My twin Vee celebrated her 100th post yesterday and she is giving away one of the most adorable of her creations. Check it out right *here* !
Edited to Add: You only have the weekend to be considered. I'll be announcing the winner Monday morning bright and early. Thanks!!

Hope in the Mail

Yes, sometimes hope arrives in the mail. ;>

When I saw this creation of Margo's (see Robolady on the sidebar), I knew that I had to have it. It is intended as a Christmas gift for my niece, but I'm liking it terribly well. LOL!

The photos don't do it justice, but I'm sharing anyway. If you have the opportunity to visit Etsy shops or the gals who work so hard on crafts and treasures, you may find that your Christmas shopping is easier than you could imagine!

I love it on the Christmas tree! Perhaps I'll just tag it and leave it right there!

I Don't Want to be a Humbug

But in this season it is well to reassert that the hope of mankind rests in faith. As a woman thinketh so she is. Nothing much happens unless you believe in it, and believing there is hope for the world is a way to move toward it. ~ Gladys Taber

So I found one of my favorite little Christmas books yesterday... Christmas Joy by Susan Branch. The quote above is from the opening pages and the following snippets are from page 43.

For some, Christmas is a time of high anxiety. It has always been my opinion that people, including myself, create an unnecessary stressful atmosphere by their own lack of planning. Susan has this to say about what happens to those who wait until the last minute to pull things together: they...hurry instead of bustle, they buy the first thing that they see, they spend too much money, and it's no wonder that so many are not sleeping and not celebrating. Her remedy is to shop all year long. (Mine is to stop by at FlyLady's.)

Forcing myself to sit down with a notebook and pen, I finally created a plan. It's late for said plan, but most of it will include online shopping. I already feel the anxiety level dropping a notch. How about you? How're the planning and shopping coming along at your house?

This year, I'd like to do more meaningful things and try some new things...no time for that if I am still wrapping gifts at midnight on Christmas eve, which has happened more than once. To avoid all that, I am getting all planning done before December 1 the FlyLady way.


One of the new things that I'd like to try is sugaring fruit for a fruit bowl. Susan says that one just stirs up an egg white, rolls the fruit in it, then rolls the fruit in white sugar. It looks just heavenly, don't you think?

Hmmmmm...wonder if there'd be any trouble with critters.




Picture Source

Mexico Meets Narnia Tree

And so it was that little sister decided to leave a day early. Not a problem. She left me a note on the table and off she went with nary a word. Fine. Really Fine. It gave me an entire extra day to get started on Christmas decorating. I can read the writing on the wall and it said, "Ha ha, you're it!"

Good thing that I have been paying some attention to all the decorating blogs such as Linda's at Restyled Home and Melissa's at The Inspired Room and Terri's at Windlost (though I know that Windlost is not entirely about decorating.) What I have learned there, I have been able to apply, which is a diggedy dog good thing as I have precious little natural talent.

So without further ado, I'll share what I was doing yesterday. Please forgive the quality of the pictures...Santa Baby already knows what I want for Christmas. ;>



Here's how things looked in the morning. Yes, I moved the sofa down through that same narrow hallway, but I had help this time! The tree is in the high corner of the room so I hoped that the idea that Linda had shared of a tree on an antique trunk would look good so let's see...

I'm happy with the look. Now what is that "stuff" all over it? That is my "buying time" look where instead of getting out all the ornaments right now, I toss on all the silk poinsettias that I can round up and call it good. I have never been able to pass on actually getting out the ornaments at some point, but this may be the year. (Well, shoot! I'll take a daytime photo...hang on.)



There! That's a titch better. You can see the riot of poinsettias and the crocheted angel tree topper that my mother made me. The crystal icicles are quite difficult to see. I think that I need another string of lights...white, thank you. And the garland in the center may not be quite enough. Gee whizkers, it's amazing what the cruel, hard light of day has done to my beautiful tree. However, the trunk idea did save me a small fortune since I was able to use my regular tree without having to purchase a new taller one. (Thanks, Linda!)


Yesterday, I also went tipping...evergreen tipping that is. My carpenter allowed me to use his property and he even went along and dragged out the bags for me. Nooooo, I am not being charged. :) Anyway, just to prove that I was a very busy gal...here is the window box awaiting winterberries. I'm hoping that I'll find some red today!




When I got home after tipping (Yes, I did wear blaze orange and I looked simply fetching...trust me), the quality of the light was so delicious that I had to run for the camera, even if it isn't the best camera, and grab this photo before the light faded. Leaving you with this and a wish for a golden day for us all!

Single Serving Quick Bread Pudding

On cold mornings, nothing satisfies quite as well as a hot breakfast. When I feel the urge to splurge on scones or something off my plan, I make this banana bread pudding recipe. It is so yummy and nutritious that I am rescued from sinning on my diet. Perfect! Oh, it can be doubled, just adjust the cooking time up to 10 or 12 minutes. Easy!


Beth's Breakfast Banana Bread Pudding for One

Ingredients:

* 1 egg
* 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
* 1 slice bread whole wheat
* 1/2 to 1 whole ripe banana, diced
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
* 1/2 tsp. vanilla
* 1/2 cup granola, if desired

Method:

Combine everything together (except the granola) in a cereal bowl. Microwave approximately 7 minutes or until set. During the last minute of cooking, sprinkle on the granola. Serve with warm cream or milk. This is especially good with fresh berries or even dried berries (a few tossed in before cooking).

I am cheating again with the picture...this one has apples, which I think I'll have to resort to myself since the bananas are all gone...

Hmmmmm, Which One to Choose...

I've been thinking about Christmas traditions of late and which memories are the most vivid and why. Oddly enough, one of my favorite memories is of my grandfather's response to the beautifully wrapped gifts beneath the tree..."Just look at that. They're much too beautiful to open!"

A favorite, but brief tradition from childhood, was the gingerbread house. It began sweetly enough one year and ended all too soon. I suppose that it ended because it was a big pain for my poor mother to pull off every year. As I recall, she tried again to revive it with my children...also brief. Still, I remember it so fondly that I want to re-create it for my grandsons. Now they are still a little young yet to appreciate such things, but I think it would be nice to start early.

Being a smart gal ;>, I'm thinking a kit is the way to go. The one above or the one below are the two that I'm considering.

First Gingerbread Source

Second Gingerbread Source

Acceptance: My Answer?

I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—the great locust and the young locust, and the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God who has worked wonders for you... Joel 2:25 and 26a

So this is where I'm hanging out today over there on that chaise with my laptop. Wait. I don't have a laptop; I'm just pretending. ;) Trying to keep my lid on has become a fulltime pastime of late, which leads me to the rest of my story today.

A week ago, my friend brought me a sheet of paper with too many words on it. Definitely too many to read at the time as I was b-u-s-y. It was a decorative item that his sister had framed and placed on her wall. He asked her to please make a copy and that is how I now have it. I was so busy flying around last Sunday that I barely took the time to acknowledge the gift. (I know. I told you that I'd be relaxing in that big stuffed chair, but you know all about the land of make-believe. ETA: And that was two weeks ago...the golden library pic...where does the time go????) Since I was much too busy to bother reading it, I popped it into the recipe notebook I was using for Thanksgiving notes and recipes. See? There it is on the right.

You may vaguely remember that I had offered to host Thanksgiving. I offered to host Thanksgiving for everyone except my sister's beloved. I really didn't want him here. I don't like him much. It's not even that I don't like him; it's that I don't like what he represents to me...loss and a lot of change. Anyway, I was going through the week happy that he would not be attending. Then my sister said that if he was not welcome then she was not welcome and that they'd be going to McDonald's. Oh the drama of it all!

A few short minutes later, there I was face to face with the gift in my recipe notebook. It says:

Acceptance is the answer to all my problems.

When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation—some fact of life—unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God's World by mistake.

When I focus on what's good today, I have a good day, and when I focus on what's bad, I have a bad day. If I focus on a problem, the problem increases; if I focus on the answer, the answer increases. (The source for this material is, apparently, Alcoholics Anonymous.)

It was enough to get us all safely through Thanksgiving. I am not sure that it is enough to get us all safely through Christmas. I am still working on my one day at a time philosophy.

Now on to happier things... I had soooo much fun reading blogs yesterday. It resulted in my adding several more to my growing list in the sidebar. One was Little Red House where Mary hosts lovely tours of her charming home and writes about all manner of fun things. Check out her tribute to the movie "The Birds."

Then I visited Posie Gets Cozy where one can see the most lovely photos. This is the one that I want to share, but don't look until you finish reading here or you'll pop over there and you won't be back in a hurry. LOL! When you arrive there, you'll see a clump of Christmas lights. Just a clump. Anyway, that was the spark to begin my Christmas decorating. See?



Do you think that I can get away with my clump, too? I kinda like it. This could be the easiest decorating I've ever done!

Lastly, Vee (BumbleVee) at The Bearister Bookcase posted an incredibly compelling story about a late night visitor. You'll find it fascinating and food for thought.

Have a wonderful Sunday and a blessed week!

ETA: I'm confusing Melissa by not naming my picture source...oops! It's Pella.com

Counting It All Joy

Ahhhhhh, the next few hours will be spent completely alone. Yes! Thanks be to God. I am going to spend them visiting blogs and enjoying reading about how Thanksgiving was spent and about others' Christmas plans. Since my own decorating plans are on hold until my sis leaves for Iowa in a few days, I have the luxury of having this down time and I am counting it all joy.

Picture Source

Collapsing, Relaxing, Relapsing

The last guest left last night around 11. Phew! Long day! For all of you women (men, too) who have ever prepared a Thanksgiving feast...kudos! Anyone who can pull off the shopping, planning, baking, cooking, cleaning, decorating, inviting, etc., well you could run the country!

It was also a very busy day right here at my haven because Alison of Brocante Home (see sidebar) was sending tons of traffic my way. Today, she has posted her five finalists so if you have a chance to check on any of them, vote for your choice. No, I was not a finalist, but man that was fun. If there's ever another Puttery Challenge, I'll be certain to let you know.

Anyone planning to hit the stores today? One of my young friends was going to hang out at Best Buy in the wee hours of the morning hoping to be early enough to snag the laptop for a little more than $200. When he drove by last evening at 9, he found the queue extending all the way around the building. He was actually quite grateful.

Off to work...should be a wild and crazy day. You have a good one, but I hope that you have the opportunity to just relax.

Happy Thanksgiving!

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. ~Albert Schweitzer

It's so true! My blogging buddies have come to mean a great deal to me and you do "spark" me. That's not nearly as painful as it sounds! :) I am grateful for each and every one of you!

Wishing all of my fellow Americans a very Happy Thanksgiving! To the rest of the world, a thankful Thursday as well.

A Votive for the Thanksgiving Table

This is one of my favorite, easy holiday decorations. I suppose that it's pretty self-explanatory, but all one needs are cranberries, a votive candle, and an empty grapefruit or orange half. I rest mine in a small decorative dish. Place the votive inside the hollowed out grapefruit half, sprinkle the cranberries all around both inside near the candle and outside lining the dish. Nothing to it! I make several to use around the house and they smell terrific. It lasts several days; I keep making up new ones throughout the holidays.

Kari and Kijsa have some wonderful ideas for the Thanksgiving table. They're two very creative gals and did you know that they are sisters, too? (Currently, I am fascinated by the dynamics of sisters. ;>) Anyway, if you haven't already, run over there and have a look!