I'm So Excited

Exciting news has hit our area.  This wonderful store will soon be coming to our area.  Needless to say I am thrilled beyond words.  There is one in Boston but now this new store will practically be in my backyard.  Thinking of all the dreamy displays, the amazing clothing, the luxurious bedding.  The grand opening is February 25.  I am counting down the days!!

Some of my favorites:

I would love to serve dinner in this beautiful apron.

 Love this mercury glass candle.

Perfect mirror 

 Love this skeleton key bottle opener

 Anthropologie has the absolute best dish/tea towels.  Love them all.

While I wait for this amazing store to open I am finishing up some projects.  I completed this hat for my daughter.  I used this great pattern from Vickie Howell. I first saw it on One Pretty Thing.  It is one of my favorite sites.  There are always amazing projects showcased.  I find more than I have time to accomplish.

Our morning visitor

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Outside my Window

This is what we see today.  Snow and more snow.  We are running out of places to put it all.  There has been a snow storm every week since December 26.  Not small ones most nearing a foot.

I am thankful for this that keeps us warm.  It has been working overtime with our temps plummeting.

With the fire leaving ash everywhere and this cutie living inside due to the cold and all the snow

This is what we get everyday~a fine layer of fur, dust and ash on every surface no matter how many times I wipe them clean.  Now it's just time to look the other way.

 Our bush does not enjoy this snow.  The extra weight is doing nothing for its shape.

 What little melting occurs, refreezes and we get these long icicles and layers of ice everywhere.

 It's beauty is not lost on me.  The covering of white

 fresh, crisp, clean

But now we are clearly longing for spring. 

 The sky looks beautiful, causing me to hope for sunny days and slow melting.  

There has been more snow this year than I can remember in a long time.  The first year we homeschooled the kids were longing for a snow storm.  They wanted to go outside and play, build snowmen, sled, and chase the dog around the yard.  It never really snowed.  We had one storm that gave us maybe two inches.  They spent hours outside.  They carted all the snow to one location to build a snowman.  Their joy was evident as they completed it.  Now a few years later we are overwhelmed with the mountains of snow we have accumulated. The season is still young.  I am eagerly anticipating some warmer days without shoveling.  Soon our fence will be completely covered with our snow mound.  Home Depot has sold out of not only snow blowers but also shovels.  They can't keep them in stock.  There are no snow blowers to be purchased not only in our state but in the surrounding states.  

 .

In all honesty I wish I was here.  Meeting wonderful blogging ladies like this sweet lady and this sweet lady along with many more.  But I am here and I will try to be content, staying warm indoors and not peeking outside.  Resting my weary muscles after a morning of shoveling.  Drinking a whipped cream covered latte, reading a good book and crocheting.

Out With the Old

I have had this snowman picture in the basement waiting for a new life. I liked the frame and the grapevine on it but not the rest.

  I decided to give it a new life with some spray paint and embellishments. At this stage I already love it.

 I used a small can of Krylon white spray paint and gave it a couple of coats.  I pulled off the yellow wooden star and the rusty snowflake.

 I added some scrapbook paper to the inside of the frame

 and used these scrapbook keys I picked up a while ago at Joann's.

 The final piece.

I am so happy with how it turned out.  Notice our two tone walls.  That is from the enlarged opening to the kitchen.  We are planning on repainting the living room. I am trying to choose the right color.  I picked up hundreds of color swatches at Home Depot.  I am looking forward to the completed room but not the painting.


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Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

We are once again packed in with snow. Usually New England has 2 or 3 snow storms in a season but this year we have already had four snowstorms.  We are creating giant snow mountains and running out of space to put it all.  This weekend we will hit some very low temps.  The highs only in the teens, Monday we will be frigid at a high of 13.  Our son has snowboard lessons on Mondays for almost two hours.  We have purchased all the gear to keep him warm but I hope to find a spot in the lodge to stay warm.  I don't think I will survive two hours in that cold. I can just imagine the news headline now "Mom is frozen solid while watching son snowboard".  LOL~ I am not looking forward to it.

A taste of our weather

While we are hibernating inside trying to keep warm I have been working on some fun winter decor projects.

I love this idea with the epsom salt on the votives.  I added some "snowballs" and crocheted snowflakes I had made.

 Here are some more "snowballs."

 This pinecone was actually a Christmas ornament I picked up at Walmart.  I love the glittery blue.

Winter is the best time to sit and crochet.  I have been working on a scarf for a dear sweet friend.  Trying to get a couple more things finished and I can send off my package. I have two more scarves to finish before I send it off.

I love this pattern.  It is a fun scarf to make and to wear. 

First Project of 2011

We have been hit with our second big snowstorm here in the Northeast.  Just when the previous snow was all melting we accumulated another foot of snow.  While the weather outside is dreadful we stay indoors trying to keep the house warm.  I have been busy working on some crochet projects.  I have three scarves to finish for some friends.  My dear daughter wanted a new hat.  So the hands have been going as quickly as possible.  Of course, all of these enjoyable projects would be completed much sooner if it wasn't for the everyday fun of laundry, dishes, meals, vacuuming, and of course schoolwork. 

 The hat I completed for my daughter.

 These are a couple of afghans that I completed as Christmas gifts.  I love the cable pattern.  It was my first time working with this pattern and it was so easy.  It is actually from a book on baby afghans but I just used a thicker yarn to make them bulkier and warmer.  I made these for my great neighbors.

 Isn't this pattern beautiful.  I am thrilled with the crochet cables.

I am hoping to finish a few more projects this week and posting them ASAP.  Now if all this housework would just go away.  Maybe some cleaning fairies can invade my house.  LOL


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December Sorrow

On December 21, 2009 we tragically lost my husband's brother in a work accident.  Our hearts were filled with sorrow.  One of our greatest comforts were his two huskies we would be taking in.  You could read about it here.  We were so happy to have them with us.  They brought joy to our day with their antics.  The kids chased them around they yard.  They followed my husband everywhere. Sometimes, they would even try to "break out" of our yard to follow him to work.

In the middle of December Petie, the youngest husky, starting behaving strangely.  He would not eat his dog food and starting drinking voraciously.  I thought he was being picky with the dry food because when we gave him canned food or chicken and rice that I cooked for them, he would eat it all.  On Christmas morning, he gave a loud howl and passed out.  We were scared and unsure of what to do since everything was closed.  He was better the rest of the day and stayed inside with us.  The next day he did the same thing first thing in the morning.  His loud howl outside woke me up inside.  It was Sunday, the vet wasn't open and we were expecting a blizzard.  On Monday morning, he played in the snow with his mama, no passing out, no loud, painful howls.  We still wanted him to get checked.  We thought he might have an ear infection, or something minor like that.  My dh took him to the vet and they immediately wanted to keep him.  They said his blood sugar was in the 500's, he was jaundiced and we came to find out he had a cyst of unknown origin in his abdomen.  This led to a couple of roller coaster days where he would be better at one point and much worse just a short time later.  The vet suggested surgery as his only hope for getting better, we agreed.  They were never able to get the blood sugars under control and the jaundice any better.  We knew there was a risk.  They performed the surgery and he pulled through like a champ.  When I spoke to the vet that evening, things sounded promising.  We believed that the worst was behind us.  It was a great shock when I received the call from the vet on Thursday telling us that Petie had passed.  They tried to resuscitate him but could not. 

I was at a loss for words.  My heart was broken.  I did not even want to climb the stairs to break this bad news to my husband.  Petie was the dog he was closest to.  He followed him everywhere and sat by his side. My heart just breaks.  I cannot comprehend this loss at the same time of year.  It has been harder than I could imagine.

Petie had the sweetest disposition.  He loved everyone and wanted everyone to love him.  You can see in the picture below that he would lay down anywhere to take his naps.  He reminded us of  a gentle bear.

 You will be forever in our hearts, Petie.

August 15, 2005-December 30,2010

Celebrating Edie

Today is a special day for a dear friend, Edie.  Many of you know her from her marvelous blog, Life in Grace.  She is a very special, southern lady who immediately fills you with her warmth, charm and gracious manner.  

She is a beautiful person inside and out.  I stumbled upon her blog about a little over a year ago and can't stop reading ever since.  Her writing is heartfelt and sincere.  You immediately feel like you have been friends for years.  She wears her heart on her sleeve and shares all her domestic goddess tips with those of us who are a little more lowly in the domestic realm.  A special person like Edie inspires and encourages you,  draws you in with her southern charm, and touches your heart.  

I have learned so much from Edie.  You can visit here, here and here for just a taste of how wonderful she is. It was with a very heavy heart that I visited her blog on December 26 to read of the sad loss her family had suffered.  You can read about it here.  As a blog friend I felt helpless.  I wanted more than anything to reach out and lend a hand.  I wished I lived closer to her and could give her a warm hug.  Today is her birthday and her blog friends are joining together to send her lots of love and cyber hugs.  I hope she is feeling the love and knows that she has touched many hearts and lives.  

Thank you, Edie for being real~for opening your heart and home to us here in blogland.  I pray that your day is as special as you are.  May the Lord fill you with His peace.  Hugs to you dear friend.

Please join us at Edie's blog to wish her a very Happy Birthday!!