Friday Stuff ~

Happy end of November to you!  How can it be?  

Living only a couple blocks from Lake Erie is advantageous in the fall.  (It's just the opposite in the spring.)  Things tend to grow a little longer.  I still have a couple stray blooms but this is the last of them.

I love that Thanksgiving was early this year.  It gives us an extra week to get ready for Christmas.  I am knee deep in decorations.  Here are some ornaments, some vintage but mostly newer, waiting to be hung on my antique feather tree.  

Even though I wanted to make some Christmas gifts, I have not gotten my act together.  A couple weeks ago I needed something to take to the Farm to hook.  I just grabbed a piece of linen and a bag of worms.  This is all I've gotten done in 2+ weeks and two of those nights were at the Farm.  I think I could make a dozen of these and not even put a dent in the worms.  (Of course this is photographing too bright!)

I started this little sampler by Country Rustic Primitives, but didn't plan too well.  She said the model fit in a 5" x 7" frame.  Well dumb me did not think about thread count and got more than half way done when I realized my linen was not cut large enough.  I've eliminated the row of numbers but don't have a frame it will fit in.  I guess it will join several other pieces waiting for some type of finish.  I really did know better.  I bet I won't be making that mistake again soon :)

Happy Friday to you.  Thank you so much for all your sweet comments about my accident.  I am very lucky and very thankful.  What I thought was "minimal damage" to my little SUV, is really $2700+.  I am just happy they did not total it!

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Google Wins ~

Thank you for the suggestions on how to deal with my Picasa storage issue.  I kept trying to see if the problem would self-correct but continued to get the message that I was out of space even though I was supposedly only at 19% capacity.  The picture size I upload is very small and should not even count.  I choose not to delete photos from old blog posts.  I know it's silly, but I want to leave old posts as they are.  With that being said, Google is now getting $2.65 a month so I can upload photos.  I guess it's a small price to pay when you have the "blog addiction", but I'd rather have it in my pocket than Google's :-)

* * *

I had so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday.  Older son Bill and girlfriend Melisa were able to make it from California.

Younger son "J" and girlfriend Jessica spent the holiday with us.

Great nieces Sophia and Alexis with grandson Jake.

Niece Elise and hubby Michael have a holiday tradition of spending Thanksgiving in Ohio.  They have been coming from Chicago for at least ten years.

Thanksgiving dinner is always at my brother Bill's and SO Lyn's.  I think my brother was having as much fun as the kids ~ giving them what he called a "bucket ride".

* * *

Very early Sunday morning after dropping Bill and Melisa at the airport, I was heading home on the interstate.  I hit any icy spot and started to slide.  I'm not sure what I did, but I had no way to stop.  I crossed three lanes of the highway and slammed in to the concrete barrier dividing the north/south lanes.  I may not be the most religious person, but I do believe Someone was watching over me.  Crossing three lanes of traffic could have been catastrophic, but no other vehicle was involved.  I was not injured.  The damage to the vehicle was relatively minor but it would not run and was towed home.  I am so very, very lucky and for that I am most thankful!!!

I am also thankful to have such wonderful blog friends.  Thank you so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Having Blogger Issues???

Can anyone help me???  I am trying to upload pictures to my blog, and keep getting the message that "I am out of space and am currently using 100% of my 1GB quota for photos".  When I go to check my status where they want me to buy more, it says I am only at 19%.  I really don't want to pay a monthly fee if I don't have to.

Have any of you had that message?  Did you have to purchase more storage on a monthly basis?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Happy Thanksgiving ~

My Thanksgiving wish to you ~

May your stuffing be tasty.

May your turkey be plump.

May your potatoes 'n gravy have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious.

May your pies take the prize.

May your Thanksgiving dinner

stay off of your thighs.

MAY YOU HAVE A BLESSED THANKSGIVING!

HAPPY HOLIDAY!

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Talkin' Turkey ~

So many bloggers are decorating for Christmas.  Geez, it was just last week I got out my turkeys!

These are vintage candy containers from the Fanny Farmer Candy Company.

Turkey candles . . .

Vintage papier mache turkeys, some of them candy containers, some marked Germany.

It wouldn't be Thanksgiving if I didn't display ceramics my dear mom painted.  This was one of her favorite pieces ~ mine, too :)

 

Only one more day of work this week.  I took a vacation day on Wednesday and have to be at the airport at 6:35 am to pick up my older son and his girlfriend.  It will be wonderful to have him home!!!  I will spend a good part of the day baking pumpkin roll.  My son and my niece (who always comes from Chicago for the holiday) would mutiny if they didn't have pumpkin roll ~ and at least one to take home with them!

Thanks so much for stopping.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Shades of November ~

It was a beautiful day here on Ohio's north coast.  My son came and blew my leaves to the tree lawn in anticipation of leaf pick up this coming week.  The problem is my darn maple trees still have half their leaves.

A few pics from around the yard.

I was dog sitting for a few hours today.  This is Ellen, or Miss Ellie as I call her.  She is a rescue belonging to dear friend Judy.  Grandson Jake took this picture and informed me I could put it on my blog!

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Fancy Feast . . .

. . . and I'm not talking Thanksgiving dinner.  I always joke that in retirement I plan to eat Fancy Feast, not from a crystal goblet but from a piece of antique pressed glass.  I've recently come closer to making that a reality.  

When in Tipp City for the Ali/Maria workshop, Melinda and I stopped at Patriot Antiques, a shop that was a true antiques shop.  We are talking pieces from the 1700 and 1800's.  Wonderful pieces ~ mostly out of my price range :)  I did spot this Leeds feather edge pepper pot.  It does have some discoloration and rim chips, but I thought the price was reasonable (for feather edge) so it had to come home and join my collection.  You can read about my collection and see pictures here.

After the workshop, I decided to quickly browse through one of the antique malls in town before heading home.  When I walked in, I saw this sampler and it was calling my name.  I went and took a look, loved what I saw, but walked away.  A little later it was SCREAMING my name and I asked what the best price was.  They called the dealer who came down 25%.  How could it not come home with me?  I absolutely LOVE it.  No alphabets, no name or date, but it is thought to be a circa 1830-1840 English sampler.  

The verse reads,

"How great the goodness and the grace

That on my birth has smiled

And made me in these christian days 

A happy English child

I was not born as thouands are

Where God was never known

And taught to pray a useless prayer

To blocks of wood and stone"

Last weekend the Christmas open houses were held in Avon, Ohio.  I picked up this sweet little hooked rug from hooker/antique dealer Arlene.  It measures about 12" x 15" and probably dates from the 30's.  I don't believe the blue on the sleigh and the brown line above the houses to be original to the piece.

This is the back side.  Pretty cool, no?

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Hugs & meow :)
Lauren

Throw Down ~

Some of the show and tell items from the throw down at Ali and Maria's workshop.  I thought I had taken a few more pictures but they are nowhere to be found.  So much talent!

The painting is finished (thank you son!) and the room switch has begun!  The new hooking room is not going to work out quite as planned.  The couch (which was a real bear getting through two doorways!) is longer than I thought.  I didn't want to put it against a wall, but to have it float (for lack of a better term) in the room with an antique table behind it to hold my sewing machine.  I want to be able to have the machine out instead of having to get it out and put it away each time I want to use it.  I am also trying to put ten pounds of stuff in a five pound room.  (My mom had a different way of saying that . . . lol!)  Bottom line is I just have TOO MUCH STUFF!  It is a work in progress and I will share when it's more together.

Please say a prayer for friend Theresa.  I've known this wonderful young lady for about seven years.  Just about six weeks ago I attended their housewarming party and Tuesday I am attending her 29 year old husband's funeral.  He was killed in a deer/vehicle accident and my heart just aches for her.  I hope she can find some comfort knowing he has provided the gift of life through organ donation.  Sad.  So very sad. 

Hugs :)
Lauren