Outside

Still simple.  Still fresh.  Instead of my usual bough, I wanted to use my HUGE basket.  I sprayed it a few years ago with a protective finish when I copied a Pinterest photo .  Still one of my favorite Christmas doors.

With the newly stained house, everything is very dark and the dark blue basket is hardly noticeable so I opted for the bough.  Until …. I thought of a way to add a bit of red for attention.

 I purchased red burlap ribbon and tied it around the basket.  Also used a very cheap craft store basket (I sprayed dark blue) and did the same to our main entry. 

Since I paid a fortune for the new door and it is not glossy paint, I did not want to add a hole for hanging and have the greens scratch the flat paint.  So I used one of Mark's two way hooks to hang it from the light.  I'm more than satisfied.  Who would have thought?  Your eye is drawn to the two spots of red in all the darkness.

I will offer the Christmas giftaway Friday, probably a gift certificate as before so anyone can enter without me worrying about shipping international.

Split pea soup with smoked ham hock in the instant pot tonight.

Later, stitching buds!

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Just a little more

After going through a large bin filled with stitched Santas, I chose a few of my favorites to hang.  I forgot all about these Koguts.  First year the Schoolers are benched, but I didn't bring all of my trees down from the attic so there really isn't anywhere to hang them all.

Wonder how long they will stay there.  Maybe they will move to the iron hooks on the doors and Postman will grace this wall.  That's a good idea.  Hanging on doorknobs are the stitched gifts I've received from generous readers.  So what will I offer this year?  I'm thinking of the 2019 Book of Days from NeedleworkPress.  I've never seen one and haven't found much online other than it being a datebook sort of calendar.  Are there little articles, stories, sampler photos?  I guess I need to order one to find out.

 

Have a good Monday.

 

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Hiya.

How's it going?  Are you freezing with a white dusting daily?  I am.  And I've become more sullen, nasty, impatient, intolerant, crusty, morose, and all those other adjectives you can find in the online Thesaurus.  Never had this feeling at the holidays before.  On top of that, sadness that our friend Jamie Burch from Cricket Bug Corner blog (and Scott) lost their son last week.

 

A brief recap of recent events.  Carole is sick, being treated, cannot stop coughing.  My brother had the same and is recovering.  My nephew had the same and it's lingering.  He is depressed, has been, and has me worried. 

 

The shelves for the cabinets did not fit and we had to trim each and every board's corner, center front, and center back to fit around the standards (the long metal pieces that hold the brackets).  Took forever.  I will never do custom again.  Why didn't we just complain and demand corrections on everything?  Because Dominic has had a difficult year with his wife's diagnosis and just as important, it is not worth the delays and pickups and chance of it not be corrected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because of other large excavating jobs and the weather, Jason has not shown.  I had to pay to have the pallet of stones returned because I knew they would be in the way until ?????  So as soon as Mark left for an appointment, I started moving the old flagstones stored beneath a large pine tree.  They are around 40# each.  I balanced myself on slimy mud, bent sideways to get beneath the tree, and tried to yank a stone I did not know was embedded.  It did not move, but my body did in two directions at once with a snapping noise.  Seems the cartilage that attaches your ribs to the sternum can tear.  I am better, but it will take some time to heal.  The damn midriff brace is pushing the fat below my waist instead of up to my chest.  But I'm sure that is not the reason I needed to visit Kohl's with my coupons to purchase a size up again, in jeans. The sixteen foot area will not be filled in anytime soon, or maybe Jason will eventually show and fill it all with pea gravel so we (and guests) have a safe and level step down.

 

A new solid white stray will not leave and really tore up Nit today.  I hope the mobile vet can come next week to check him.  He will not use a litter box and is just as nasty as Missy.  Some ferals just refuse to adjust.

 

Haven't felt like decorating much and with the cold weather, decided to hang a bough on the door and call it a day.  Not even hanging the PS Santas this year, but it wouldn't be Christmas without the boys.

Hope all is well with everyone.

 

Thanks for the visit!

Annual Christmas giftaway coming soon.

 

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Bristle feather style tree

Hi folks. Visited Meander Hill in Austintown Ohio yesterday and as usual, a lovely colonial shop.  In case you are looking for a feather style tree, they do have these and are willing to ship.  A large version is available I believe.  The branches are fairly stiff and can hold your stitched ornaments and glass, not sure about really heavy ones.  This is their Facebook page where you can contact Evan.

 

https://www.facebook.com/meanderhill/

 

 

 

They had another short one that had more stems off the branches rather than singles, really really nice, more expensive.  The photos of that one did not come out!  Stringing lights on this style isn't easy but they are a perfect way to display stitched pieces, plenty of space to hang free.  Same goes for vintage or family glass balls.  They also have the German twig trees in two sizes.

 

Just thought I would mention for those of you that have no access to these sweet primitive trees.

 

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Almost!

The door and windows need painted but without cooperation from the weather, they may have to wait until spring.   I do like the contrast of dark and light which is one reason I wanted the beams for this room.  This light gray which I thought would never work, has turned out to be the perfect color.  Yes, I am amazed.
















Not sure I am loving the black hinges but they will stay.  I've decided against farmhouse style decorations, will stick with primitive/colonial but on a much lighter and more sparse note.

And someone is getting comfortable on these cold and snowy days.

Hope you are!!

I'm still a crabass.

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Another add

to stash I will never stitch.  But maybe, just maybe, I will have enough confidence and patience to pick up Sharon Cohen's designs one day.  I've managed to snag the pockets on Ebay, last month the Tree of Life, and yesterday this beauty.  Tent stitches on 32 count and I may be able to handle that.

 

 

Even if I never stitch them, having them is a good thing.  I'm sure many of you understand wanting to possess special designs that make us smile, even if we only look at the photo!

 

Have a great day.

 

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