New Year.................

Here is comes, 2016. Can you even believe that? Time passes so quickly now. Maybe it always did but it seems childhood was forever and a day. That summers were so long and free. Now they spin on by like I am on a slide getting ever faster and faster. My Dad was 68 when he died and I have lived longer than him. It does not seem very "old". Mum was 71 when she died. Will I do better?
Do you have traditions? No, we don't I don't even bother to stay up most New Years Eves any more. There was a time long ago when we would go out and party. Seems like another lifetime, a different person.
The most fun and memorable New Year was while living in London and I have told that story before

I can't think of any others that even came close. For a few years we would go out with friends to parties and stay for breakfast but they are really not memorable. Just fun times long ago.
I don't go in for watching parades or any of that stuff, we have no traditions for NYE.

When Tristen was small he was obsessed with the fireworks. At that time we did watch fireworks around the world.
Now one thing I do, that I have done for as long as I can remember is to keep a diary. That turned into keeping a journal. It helps me to keep track of birthdays and other important things. When to pay bills etc. The first thing that goes into the new book is my list of goals for the New Year. Not resolutions but ideas, things I would like to try or get done. When the end of the year comes I can see what I have accomplished, or not. I love doing that. It gives me a sense of fulfillment. One thing that is always on the list is weight. That is a given. I did loose 18 pounds last year but put back about 6. So my goal will be the same this year, lose 20 pounds.

some people keep art journals and I do a sketchbook but this is different.
I don't mind sharing some of my goals.
I need to get back on my diet and loose 20pounds to keep my blood under control (sugar)
I want to paint some pictures with the idea of selling in an ETSY or Facebook shop.
Same thing with sewing. I want to make felt objects and small quilting projects to sell.
I need to use up my "stash"
I have not set this goal in awhile, but I would like to try a new recipe at least once a month.
Use those dang cook books I have piled up.
Make all my Christmas gifts for next year out of things I already have on hand.
Pay off my main credit card or at least pay it down.
work on the house and update it.
Get out hiking as much as possible this summer, collect things from nature for inspiration in art.
learn to make jewelry
OH and so much more that I will share in due course. That's enough for now. My journal serves to keep track and to inspire. I like it when they have inspirational verses, I had a nice one last year but this year I got a Marjolein Bastin

I like her art work. I find that inspiring because she draws and paints things I enjoy. I like to see a lot of goals, the more I write down the more I am likely to see completed.
I need to go through all the packed away boxes downstairs and see what I can put in a Spring garage sale. I have plenty of time to sort and price ready for that. Then towards the end of the year I will go through my Christmas stuff and see what can be given away to Kids and grandkids.
All I have to do is get rid of this dang cold/cough so I can get started.

Red ware ........

I am not sure what it's really called. Red Ware fits the bill for me anyway. When I did my last post I had forgotten the basket that I found and bought. I really liked it and will fill it with glass balls. A good time for that as I am now getting the Christmas stuff out. I think this year I will sort it and maybe get rid of some of it. Pass it along that is. I can't help it, I keep seeing more things I like and already have way too much. Well, that's getting off track, I will do a post on that when I do the tree tomorrow.
So anyway, this is the basket I found at the Red Dresser.

Isn't it sweet?. Well I had to rearrange a few things. I decided I would put it with the tea set that I have in the entrance. I may as well keep things together right?

I really liked this set. I went through my cupboards to see if I could find anything else. I did, so they all sit together now.


I have two plates in the dining room, on the wall that were my Grandmothers. They also belong in that line but not enough room out in the entrance where the big dresser is. So this gives me something else to hunt down now. Red Ware. Hmmmm


I need to make a trip to my thrift shop. I did find another couple of pieces that I didn't take pictures of, those I put out with the others.
After Christmas, when it all dies down, maybe we can begin to do some painting. I can maybe rearrange things and get a bit better organized. I don't know. I do know I have way too much stuff. I still have boxes downstairs of the things that were in the bedrooms when they flooded. I never did go through them to see whats packed away. I should do that.
I could use another glass display cabinet but would have nowhere to put it. Do you think I should downsize? ..............but I love finding treasures.

The Red Dresser and things.............

As I mentioned on Bluebell Woods today, Laura and myself went shopping. I love the Red dresser. It's a shop that sells antiques and crafts and somethings in between. Eclectic. Anyway, I found a few things I wanted to show here. The rest I took pictures of so I would remember them and the ideas.You can check that out on Bluebell Woods.
I found some really cool things. I forgot to take a picture of a red china basket that I found but I can add that later.
Meanwhile I found a few things I could not live without. I got a couple of Santa's



They were both around 9 dollars each and I loved both of them. I will be sorting my Christmas stuff out when we decorate at the weekend.


I collected snowmen and Santa's and I am not sure I want to decorate like I do every year. I usually put away everything and decorate with all my Christmas stuff. I mean all pictures off the walls and everything. I usually do that the weekend of Thanks giving so now I am feeling its too late. We will at least put up the tree this weekend.
Back to the subject at hand. I was looking for a gift for Edna. I wanted an English china cup and saucer. We went to the Park Place Gift shop first and I could not find one I liked but did find a little milk and sugar set. The Park place is one of our older and more up scale hotels and they have a lovely gift shop.

She will like it


Well after we left the Red Dresser we stopped in at the Salvation Army and voila! I found a cup and saucer and guess what? It matched.Blue cornflowers

Back to that later. So,back at the Red Dresser. I found some table linens I could not resist. One will go on the coffee table, it reminds me of the Christmas candy, you know, the red and white peppermints.

Just what I need, more linens, but hey, I don't have to iron them. I don't have to sort out the ones I ironed and put away so there.
The craft items I got were pot holders and a tea towel. I intend to make some but so far have not and so these are my back ups, or I may just keep them. I did buy some that I intend to decorate if I have time so..........


Well after we left The Red Dresser we stopped in the Salvation Army store. I found a cute plate for cookies maybe to give Christmas stuff away on.

I also found the cup and saucer that I already showed and this one I am keeping for myself. It has honeysuckle on it.

These two little candle holders were 1.25 each, the cups 8.00 so it was quite thrifty.


They had about 4 more of the candle things but I didn't know what I would do with them so left those for someone else.
I had forgotten to say on my other blog that our first stop of the day was at the Park Place hotel. They have a great gift shop. Its unique because it has a large stock and variety of gifts. I found the 4 plates out on the sale table for 8 dollars for the set of Santa's. I will give those with a cheese ball on for a gift for someone, or cookies. each plate is different and so I can keep for next year those I don't use.

I bought the little hand made pendent for me. I can use it to see how to do the silver work when I start mine.

I also found this scarf, again for Edna, she likes cherries.

So all in all I think I did pretty good. That's about all the shopping I will be doing for Christmas. Well, maybe not as Edna and I are going down town next week haha. Then again, there is still Tristen, but I have quilts for most people and apart for a couple of gift certs I am good.
Woooo hooooo.

Poodles Again.............

Well the snow is gone, the Poodles are bored. They like to go outside a lot but it's been raining. They do NOT like the rain, don't mind the snow until they get back inside all wet, but then they have their blankie. Electric blanket that is. Well, heating pad to be precise.

To break up the boredom of a day I will give them a chewie, or a dental stick. They like this one. Its Peanut butter and I think parsley flavour. They all set to. Bijou is not thrilled with chewies so Bodi manages to finish off any leftovers.
Here is Bella, she has lost a lot of her teeth but she certainly can get through her chewies


Bodicea and Bella having a chew off

Bodi resting her jaws

Bijou enjoying a sunny day, she loves being outside but barks at anyone going by. That gets the others outside. I leave the back door open so they can go in and out as much as possible.

Here is Bella in a spot of sunshine

Brea also likes to be outside if there is something to shout about. She does not quit. She takes any and every opportunity to yell at anyone or anything. So she gets hauled in quite quickly if I can't quiet her down.Here she is looking for trouble


I just love my poodles. They are getting fluffy, soon be time for a hair cut. I am hoping to wait until January at least. Keep up these lovely sunny days so they can play outside.

Thanksgiving poodles................

We had a visitor for Thanksgiving. Carrie and Justin brought Winslow with them. He is feeble. The sweetest doggie ever. Love him to bits. He thought he was getting away with something getting petted on Gerry's lap. He is not allowed on furniture. He soon cottoned on to that and came and asked.Do we look crowded, five kids on the seat with us?

The Poodles all accepted him into the fold. Only once did Bodi object when I was petting him. She was not happy about that but only growled a little bit.
He settled in and was quite at home.

Ya think?

Meanwhile the Poodles all napped as well. When they all awoke Winslow (who is deaf) slept on.He doesn't see well either and when he went outside he kept going in the garage thinking he was in the house.


Bella relaxes much like Winslow

When they wake up they want a drink. They have to have my water out of a glass. Gerry tried to get a picture of them both with their heads in the glass but Brea got in so deep Bella had to take a breath.


That was the Poodles Thanksgiving, everyone had a good time. You know, sleep, eat, sleep, drink and get a few pets in and so on.

Linens saved................

I have written about this before but as I just finished ironing all afternoon, well, I had to share my love of linens again. There are many beautiful linens to buy and choose from on the market today. I prefer old linens though. When I iron them I see how much love and work was put into them. It's just not the same when something is mass produced or manufactured. Mine have imperfections and stains and that's OK. It's a part of who they are. They were used and loved once and so when I see them at garage sales I buy them. I have way more than I will ever use, drawers full now. People don't like to iron things anymore. I don't mind that. I just had to be in the mood. It took most of the afternoon but had been accumulating for a couple of years maybe.
So here are a few pictures of some of my lovies.





I am always amazed at some of the skill of the people who did the embroidery. I can't say ladies because my Dad was quite skilled in the art. Dad did this table runner, detail of one end. I remember both mum and dad sitting by the fire with needles flashing.

Some are just pretty and the linens that they are sewn on is so soft and always comes up beautiful after a wash



Some of the towels, I can't imagine doing all that work and actually using them. I have a whole drawer full of table cloths, they get used frequently. The tea towels and guest towels though, not so much.

I use the table runners a lot, keeps dust off of bedroom furniture for one thing.

I have some favourites. This next one......The back is as lovely as the front, someone was very skilled.The French knots have flattened and are soft now.


Some have been mended and the skill of the people who darned them is as great as those who embroidered. This one is a table runner and was apparently not long enough for the hand crochet lace.
You can't see the stitches they are so small.

I do love the crocheted doilies, have done several of those myself. I doubt I will do any more now. Too much else to do and no one really appreciates the time and skill it takes. I often wonder if any of the girls in the family will ever take up any of the domestic skills.?

I think only by doing this yourself can you appreciate the work that goes into it. I taught myself crochet but embroidery and sewing were taught in school. Not an elective either. We began in the early grades and worked up. Learned it all. One of the things was thread pulling.

We learned cross stitch on gingham, we learned to hem and gather stitches and sew a pocket on an apron. Then embroidered it with cross stitch.


I have yet to learn tatting. I should really as I would love to know how. Is there any point now I wonder


I really like the stitches on this one. Applicate and the embroidery is so cute too.

Remember when ladies had hankerchiefs?

Look at the French knots on this one. What a beautiful blue.

Well, that's my ironing out of the way and I did enjoy it and the memories it invoked.