Keeping the Christmas Spirit . . .

We are asking the Lord with much prayer for ALL the victims in Newtown, to heal and find as much Peace as is possible.  It is difficult to imagine such a sad taking of so many precious, young & innocent lives.
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This will, I am sure, be my last post until next year.  So, may I wish you All a very  
Merry Christmas 
with Love, Peace & Blessings

 and a 

Happy & Prosperous New Year.

Also, here is a picture of my final Prairie Schooler, #8, Santa ornament ~ I did it, Yaaaa!

& my last Cloved Pear has nearly shrunk down to the size of my first but, with a better shape ... wished I could say the same.
Am sharing some of our Home with Christmas Decorations ... Hope you enjoy the visit.

 

Thanks for following and Blessings to ALL...

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CHRISTMAS CLOVED PEARS

AN UPDATE ON MY TWO (so far) CLOVED PEARS.

I love these as much as I love making the traditional orange and lemon pomanders.   

Up 'til this year I never saw anything like a cloved pear. 

Perhaps I am living a sheltered life, 

which I highly doubt.

When I saw Marly's I knew I had to try my hand at it.

She has been very generous and patient giving instructions on 
'How to Make' these lovely and delightful pears.  

Thanks so much Marly (Samplers & Santas) for sharing this enjoyable tradition.

The one on the right is my first big plump and juicy (NOT a Bosc) pear and I thought I'd never do another.  It was labeled 'Bosc' (what do I know about pears as they are not one of my favorite fruits for eating) so I bought it.  

Next time shopping I found a real 'Bosc' pear - properly marked, and I knew instantly that the first one was NOT.

The pear on the right is the 'real Bosc'.  Certainly a more wonderful, taller pear shape.  

It has been about 4 days since being cloved and appears to be doing very well.  I did not roll and rub this one around in ground cinnamon and cloves as I did shorty (now about 4 weeks old) and I do prefer the look.  Looks like it is shrinking nicely.

Happy Holidays! 

Thanks for visiting ...

Peace & Blessings to all.

progress still in the works

 I am finally on my very last of 8

~ Prairie Schooler ~

'Father Christmas' ornaments.

that's the blue Santa (bottom left)... 

I WILL finish in the next two days!!!

  The green guy was in the trash at one time, when I had an epiphany to try and salvage him.  He was the first one I attempted to finish with the backing and ending up being all lop sided ... not at all acceptable.  Then the linen started to fray when I began ripping apart.  I came up with the solution to work around the frayed ends using fray check which is visible as a darker tint around the frayed edges. 
Anyone have any suggestions on how to fix this 
or blend it in???

He will not match the others but then that is better than trashing all that work.

 

  This is the backside (center) still needing to be hand sewn to the stitched side with some polyester batting in between.

The one on the right is how the others all look finished... with yet one more to go this weekend.  I am so ready to get busy with some other project ... like finish my "Briar Rabbit" by La-D-Da that was interrupted to stitch these guys when I was so inspired by Marly and her works of the same pattern.

My brood of Father Christmas ornies stacked in a knife tray with some Sweet Annie in the back and twigs of Cedar tucked in around the front side.  They all do not fit & that's OK.

 Not sure where they will be displayed as I have just dismantled all the Fall stuff.

YUP, those are my sad cloved Pears ... 

bottom right. 

Gots to get busy and to work or Christmas will come and go and I'll  still be at it ... hahaha, so typical of me ... Pokey Grama.

Thanks so much for visiting ... Enjoy.

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE...

I finally put my "squirrel", special request from 

Lori Ann Corelis : The Spotted Hare  

on the sideboard with other fall gatherings ... 
getting ready for the kids Thanksgiving Day visit.  

 Gonna let the grandchildren name him/her. 
 Now I have a companion for my Bunny, Thumper, also created by Lori Ann.  
I can't say enough how much I cherish her works.

A close up really shows how impeccable Loriann's creations are.  
He/She is holding an acorn mounted to a blackened makedo candle stick holder.
It is perched on one of my wooden pedestals,
& I poked some bitter sweet around Mr. Squirrel to add a bit of color to the festivities.
Above is my Grandmother's crocheted 'BREAD' piece,
 another one of my treasures.  

 Thank you so much LoriAnn ... I LUV him/her.

Just a quick look at my stitchin' corner - with the basket from  

Joanna's Collections, 

Country Home Basketry & More

 & 

Primitive Rooster Silhouette from 

 Pumpkinvine Primitives 

by Roger and Susan Walker.

both are on ETSY.

Thank you all - these are incredible works. 

It just gives me a warm & cozy feeling when
 bringing into being X-stitch samplers while stitching in MY chair.

 Thanks so much for visiting, hope to see you again.

Just needed to express and show some
 Happy Thoughts and pictures.  
Hope not to bore you.

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HAPPIER THOUGHTS

I just hung my new Candle Holder from Carol at

 'Firecracker Kid' ... 

I love it and it's perfect here in my entry above Papa's chimney cabinet.

***

Then there is my 'Clove Studded Pear'. 

Not as pretty as Marly's but, it is my first.  I Plan on doing more even though I was frustrated after poking all those cloves into this big and juicy pear ... 

It will be smaller and I will not dust the pear with ground cloves and cinnamon.

At least it is NOT all green and Fuzzy!

***

HOPE EVERYONE HAS A 

HAPPY & BLESSED THANKSGIVING 

WITH YOUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS.

Thanks so much for visiting.

 PEACE to all.

*** 

It is too guiet...

We were thrilled to have my son Jeff and our two beautiful girls, Kohana and Kylie and Deuce too, our furry grand son, visit for the past 3 days while Mommie was attending an Insurance Seminar in Los Angeles.  Everything, except for cooking, comes to a halt.  We so enjoy their antics at the ages of 3 and 1 1/2 y.o..  Always something new!

Here is Kohana posing for her picture to be taken...such a ham!

This is Kylie... a face of unlimited expressions.

They had Auntie in stitches and Papa wondering what was so funny.

 Kylie adores Papa...

and Kohana is getting hugs from Daddy as Deuce looks on.

 Auntie Sandy just takes it all in

 

  & Kody has a good laugh too...

while Kylie is trying to get Papa's attention
  as he is intent on the ball game.

 Some sibling rivalry over who gets to sit in Papa's chair...

 and finally before bedtime, the littlest tries on Grama's shoes for size.

* * *

They spent the night... Had pancakes for breakfast then got on their way back home to see Mommie...

For us the house is now empty & it is just

 TOO QUIET...

Thanks for visiting...
Blessings and Peace to all!

***

Home for Halloween...

Home for Halloween

Just added a few more touches for Trick or Teators, that being our Grand Children, all three of them...

Kyle, Kohana & Kylie.

or at least that is what I tell myself & Papa.

Oh yes, Sandy, our daughter won't let me get away with it either...We are both Halloween nuts.

I fully enjoy decorating for any holiday, but am slowing down due to a 'bum' knee and most lately an adjustment that has left me very sore. 

The Dining Room 

I have a limited collection of J-O-L Gourds,(Pinchneboutique on Etsy) so I have used this BIG one to be the Center piece of our farm table, with Indian corn, strawberry corn, Bitter sweet and raffia all nested in the wooden trencher.

 

A little corner in the Family Room

 My recent purchase of this Bucket Bench, still needs dusting and more Halloween stuff.  I managed to include the little "Trick or Treators" chair, a Helan Barrick" design, I enlarged the pattern & painted over 20 years ago for Sandy.  We bring it out every year.

The game boards I purchased not too long ago from Pam of 'Goldieloo wood works'.  They compliment this corner soo perfectly.

The Bench in our entry

My Chimney cabinet that I painted too long ago to mention is for Papa's stuff and is out all year,  as are my Izannah Walker Dolls.  More gourds, indian corn, a bowl of acorns from VT., a tiny framed JOL painting by Michelle Palmer, some of my needle work on the walls and paper mache J-O-L's on the peg shelf above complete the entry, 

greeting friends & foes alike.

Since we live in a 55 community, we do not get Trick or treators ... something I dearly miss.  On the other hand, it is not costing us lots of $$$ for the Treats. 

Still gots a bit more to do, but for now I am pooped and done for the day...got to ice my back.

Papa is bringing home some yummy Pizza, something we eat sparingly, so it is a treat when we get it.

Thanks for visiting... 

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stitched Santa Ornaments update ... Father Christmas series

Santa Ornaments (PS-Father Christmas)

6 out of a set of 8 ... for sure!

I will be putting on the backings, stuffing and FINISH 6.  Then 2  more to go.

I decided to use 'that' (looks like swirls of snow flakes to me) fabric for the backing ... I darkened it little more with my 'grungy formula' and like it better.

They have not been pressed yet as I just washed them with Orvis paste.  Since I do not use a hoop but rather in the hand X-stitched,  they needed a little TLC & cleaning.

The Prairie Sampler's, Father Christmas series are so 'dad gum' cute.  Will do the last two after I get these completely finished.  Hopefully in time for this 2012 Christmas.  I will be giving them my all, and they will be on their way ... A promise to myself.

Hope you are not too bored with this update, but I am just so delighted with the lot.

Thanks for visiting!

"Peace"

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Lookee what I found~Strawberry Corn

I cannot believe I found these at our local 'Winco' Market, just this mornin'.  
I am going back for more too.  Call me greedy, but it has been like "looking for a needle in a haystack" 

trying to find them. 
I love placing them in my Fall arrangements...They add that special touch.

 'Dried Strawberry Corn'...

 They are so sweet looking ... just like a strawberry.  
That is probably how they got their name. 
These can be stored away safely after this years use for next.  

I always buy some cheap bay leaves to include 

when puttin them into storage.  

This helps to help keep the bugs away.

Have not had a problem yet!

I will be soaking the husks in some warm water to soften them up. 
Then I can shape & form them to do what I want.
Then they are not so brittle...not at all what I would want.

Thanks for visiting...it has been a while for me.  
Trying to get those Prairie Schooler, Santa Ornies done. 
I am slow and still 2 more to go to complete the set of 8.  

Will I make it ??? Ya never can tell.

 Finally got started on the backings. 

 The top picture shows the husks  fluffed up after giving them some water...rather they have bloomed open, like a flower,
this softens them and they are not so brittle.

Have a great day with Blessings & much Peace!

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DECISIONS ~ Choosing the backing ? ? ?

My Prairie Schooler's  
'Father Christmas' Ornaments... 

 

I am making progress as I had surgery on July 18th 

and simply had NO desire to do much 
of anything for about 3 1/2 weeks.

I am feeling back to normal and back in the saddle.

 4 are stitched, but no backing.  

Must make a decision.

Can't get started until that is made. 

 This 

OR

That

 I will be using the 'envelope' method

 Marly has shown in one of her tutorial blogs. 

This will probably be my choice.

I like the rambling vine with berries design.

That looks too busy, 

but I like symmetrical designs 

and to me I see snow flakes.

Both have been stained with my 

coffee, clove, vanilla & cinnamon grungy mix.  

That is why the snow flakes pop cause the stain 

was resisted and not absorbed as it was on the 

unprinted parts of fabric.

Also, I must decide what to use for the filling.  Hmmmmm!

What say You???

'Girl in white with Cat' is framed...

Just finished another faux grain painted frame ...
I think it looks good for my representation of 
'Girl in White with Cat'...

Have listed the painting & frame on my ETSY

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A Folk Art Portrait rendition ~ Mary Briggs

Just finished my rendition of this Folk Art Portrait

by an unknown artist of Mary Briggs ~ 1840.
It has been painted on an 8" x 10", Acid Free,
Double Primed Canvas Board. 

Also, I painted the Faux Grained Frame, 
which was made by one of my friends and her hubs, 
Joanne and Frank who live nearby in Victorville, CA.

Of coarse the VFA watermark is not a part of the painting.

I truly enjoyed doing the profile of this precious little girl.  
Now I am looking and searching to do another.
I really do not know why it took me so long to bite the bullet. 
 BUT,
Now I Gots to finish my 4th X-stitch Santa Ornament from
the 'Prairie Schoolers' Father Christmas collection 
with 4 more to do after this one.
I am determined to have all 8 done by November.


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Just had to Brag ... Sandies Puzzle

Sandy will be 48 yrs young (She keeps me young) on 8-18. 

She has Williams Syndrome.

This recently completed 1000 piece puzzle, 
will soon be taken apart to make room for her next one.  

It is one of the few things she does that will keep her entertained for hours.  

I have decided to take a picture that can be framed as a token. 

Hopefully, she will not be so heart broken when it is dismantled.

I am truly amazed at her tenacity ... it was NOT an easy task ... 

What say you?

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