Happy New Year ~

Many thanks to all who read my blog, leave comments, send emails and share your friendship with me.  It is why I continue to blog :)

Since I will have no more company this Christmas season, I started taking down the decorations today, a couple days earlier than normal  I am so thankful it comes down MUCH more quickly than it goes up.  Of course I could not get through the season without breaking an ornament and of course it had to be a really neat vintage one from my patriotic tree :(

A couple fun things I received this Christmas.  Eggplant ~ a gift from my brother and his DSO ...

. . . and from hooker friend Karin a salt glaze Santa to add to my growing family (tall one on the back right) . . . 

and this wonderful, vintage boot.  Now that I have two of the mache boots, I think it is the start of another collection :)

Tonight will be a quiet evening spent with DSO.  Just the kind of New Year's Eve I love.  I did not finish my hooked Santa mat, but did start on the urn.  So I will spend the evening pulling a few loops, sipping some wine and spending time with my sweetie and of course Ernestine.  Perfect.

Happy, happy new year, my friends.

Thanks so much for following along on my blogging journey.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

New Year's Eve Eve ~

Jake is so much like his dad (and me) in that he hates having his picture taken, but I can't resist.

Ernestine ~ just because she is so stinkin' cute and sweet.  What joy she has brought us :)

I am working on transferring my pattern to linen.  (I use window screen to transfer a pattern.)  I'm trying not to wait until the last minute before heading to rug camp in less than two weeks.  At 24" x 34", this is a big pattern for me.  Tulip and Peony by Maggie Bonanomi found in her book "A Day at Sunny Brook".

I still haven't finished my little Santa mat.  So ludicrous (or as someone I know says ludicrist) since it really is a small pattern.  Next on the frame will be this pattern by Olde Scotties Primitives (ebay seller wpd74), titled Three Leaf Urn.  Also on the paper pattern it says N.E. Gravestone Urn ~ c 1778-1898 .  As you can see by my redrawn lines, I've tweaked the pattern a bit.

Wools I have chosen ~ of course better in person ~ and will have a dark background.

More snow today and C-O-L-D which will continue for another week, but nothing like what Cathy at Acorn Hollow is experiencing in New Hampshire.

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

The Wish ~

Ernestine hopes that all your Christmas dreams and wishes came true.  I am so happy she found her way in to our lives.  Please, if you are considering a pet of any kind, adopt, don't shop.  

Weeks of decorating, shopping, preparations ~ over in an eye blink.  Unfortunately grandson Jake did not get to spend any of the day with us, so we will celebrate again tomorrow with him.  

I've seen on Facebook people who already have all their decorations put away.  I like to enjoy mine a bit longer.  I know some of you leave yours up until the feast of the Epiphany, but mine begin to come down on January 2.  Thankfully they come down MUCH faster than they go up.

My hooking mojo has recently disappeared.  I have another Santa mat almost done, but I have to force myself to even pull a few loops.  I did transfer a simple pattern to linen, so maybe if I start that I will be inspired.  My mojo better return soon because I leave for rug camp in two and a half weeks.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas ~

Merry Christmas from my house to yours.  I hope Christmas is everything you hoped for ~ and more.

We are having a white Christmas :)  It's not often we do and just a couple days ago there was no snow in the forecast.  We got a bit yesterday and we received more today.  Not enough to cause problems but enough to be pretty.  My wish is that it all melts on December 26 and the temps rise to 80*.  Definitely wishful thinking on my part . . . lol.

Ohio Pug Rescue had a wonderful day yesterday wrapping gifts at the local Barnes and Noble.  Our grand total was $1,161.85.  I think that was a record for us and can help so many pugs.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Almost Here ~

The big day is almost here.  It always arrives so quickly, but at long last, I am ready.  I had to pick up a few perishables at the grocery store today.  Crazy busy, but they had lots of registers open so it went surprisingly fast.  Tomorrow I will do all the prep I can to make Christmas Day as easy as possible.  There will only be six of us, but they are the most important people in my life.  Only my California son will be missing.

Thursday grandson Jake's orchestra played at a local mall.  He finally has his very own cello, a gift from his dad.  I do hope he keeps it up.

Today I spent a couple hours gift wrapping for Ohio Pug Rescue.  We wrap each year at Barnes and Noble who so graciously provide the paper and even allow us to bring in the pugs.  We work strictly for donations and people are most generous.  We even had one woman hand us a $100 bill.  OPR is an all volunteer group so no one gets paid.  100% of the donations goes to help the pugs.  Vet bills can be outrageous.  Remember my Pretty Girl?  (How could you forget her . . . lol?)  She had two surgeries while in rescue that probably totaled $2500 and her adoption fee was only $180. 
That's me in the tacky pug shirt holding Ernestine.  

I have been collecting patriotic items for many years.  Here are some of the Santas and a patriotic nutcracker.  The Santa on the back right is also a nutcracker.

In a small cupboard.  I opened the door because I could not avoid the glare of the glass. 

A few of my patriotic ornaments.

This snow guy just makes me smile :)

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

White Lights ~

I love white lights.  Here they are on my Walmart tinsel tree.  I have fallen in love with this tree.  I added more vintage glass ornaments.  The ornaments are easy to find, but I only like to spend a dollar or less for them.

Santa tree in the dining room ~

Another tree in the dining room ~

Also in the dining room ~

In the downstairs bath ~

The "big" tree in the living room ~

Stairway leading to the second floor ~

Patriotic tree on the upstairs landing ~

The little battery lights on a thin wire with a timer come in so handy.  {Kohl's currently has a great deal on them.}

Blow mold Santas, cheesy but fun :)  (They really are red, not pink.)

Only five more days until Christmas.
Thanks so much for stopping by.  
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

TubaChristmas ~

If you've been a follower of my blog, you know that I LOVE TubaChristmas.  Yesterday's performance did not disappoint.  This was the 22nd year it was held at our Palace Civic Center, but it has been around for 40+ years.  This year's tuba players ranged in age 11 to 74 and one participant came all the way from Las Vegas.  His tuba was from 1914.  The number of tuba players appeared a bit smaller this year (they did not tell us how many) but the audience was by far the largest.  I was hoping to add a little video I took, but it would not load properly :(

I finally finished Jolly, another fun little mat from Star Rug Company.  He is just too sweet.

At a primitive show this fall, I saw this tree but would not buy it.  My BFF kindly purchased it for me.  I just think it's a hoot, made from old funnels.

The Christmas season does fly by.  It's hard to believe in just a week we will be celebrating.  I do believe this has been my most stress free season ever.  It is a good WONDERFUL feeling.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren