Memory Monday

 I am joining Donna at Brynwood Needleworks for Memory Monday. This is a post done in December of 2009 for Pink Saturday with a little reformatting.

I love Christmas and all that goes with it – the music, the decorations, the food and the reason for its being. I always have. Growing up in New Jersey, we always made a fuss about Christmas. Gram Potter would come to visit from Sussex and there would be a wonderful dinner at Uncle George’s in Green Village. There was always a new dress, a doll, and books. My dress was usually red. The books were so that my sister and I would not bug the adults as they celebrated in another room.

Each year there would be a new ornament or two for the tree. As we got older, my sister and I got to help pick them out. My mother liked to decorate the tree. Each strand of tinsel needed to go on separately. It took forever and the lights could not go on until the tinsel was on and it took forever….. My dad would offer to help but one at a time did not work for him. The front of the tree always looked better.

I found this picture buried in a box while I was cleaning out paperwork. It was taken in 1953. Such different times. Gram Potter (my dad’s mother) was truly an influence on me even after she was gone. Her love of her home, her gardens, her family and friends was legendary.

Notice my sister has the Madame Alexander Bride doll and I have a fake smile…….I loved Madame Alexander dolls. I still think Santa may have made a mistake on that one….

Getting a head start.....

 Thanksgiving was wonderful. I didn't take pictures. I think I was on strike or some such thing. However, I will do a recap soon. I gained 5 pounds just from the potatoes and the dessert. Yesterday we started the decorating. I know it seems early but when one has a blog, holidays are perfect subjects. I am determined this year to shop the house and try to use what I have.

On the coffee table, I started with a shawl from Chico's that I have had for a couple of years. I have collected PB Mercury for a few years and I arranged some on top. I have a glass container from PB which I filled with ornaments.

I even found candles - you know the pretty ones that you hesitate to burn. This year they will be lit.

The sofa table by the stairs has a simple arrangement. The Vietri plate makes a nice background for the angel, I think. 

I started the Welsh cupboard but we need to get some boxes out of the attic before I can finish that job.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day and that this Holiday Season brings good tidings for you and yours.

Discombobulation!

I am discombobulated! Each November we come back to Florida and and every June we go back to Maine. Although there are always little inconveniences associated with the change, we have never had it be this difficult. We were delayed a day by the storm. Arrived at the house to have the neighbors tell me that the AC was cycling on and off and the pool was losing water. The new AC ($$$$$) was installed and the pool pump replaced ($$$). I had arranged to have Fios for phone and internet and that took all day and messed up my alarm system ($$). Fish tank sprang a leak (messy and new one $$). We did save the fish. Jack had a toothache and emergency dental services were required($$$). Whew - probably TMI but explains why I have not been blogging or visiting too much. Thanks for listening! I think the beautiful Christmas cactus helped.

I have a fondness for vintage pottery. We did get out and about for a day and I found some for the studio. I have a Murphy bed on one wall which looks like a bookcase when the bed is not in use. I am using the shelves to display the pottery I have collected.

 My plans to get the house organized and then live in my studio aren't quite happening yet. However, the last of jobs for the house should be finished today and Jack is making chili. Tomorrow I shall start some Thanksgiving dishes that can be prepared and frozen.

Think onions!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Holiday Projects......

I know it is early to be talking about Christmas but it will be here before I know it and I have many things I would like to make before the holidays. I make most of the gifts I give to family and friends or I gift items that have been in the family and need to be passed on to someone who will treasure the piece that is living on a shelf in a cupboard.

And I like to make calendars. Last year Shutter Sisters provided templates for 2011. These templates could be used with Photoshop. This year I found the templates here. I struggle with Photoshop but managed to make a start this week. I would love to make my own templates but I don't see that in the near future!

The templates provided by Rick LePage are wonderful and so I began. The hardest part is choosing the photos you want to include and getting them in a place where you can add them to the template.

I am still playing with my photographs and choosing the ones I would like to use. I print them myself on 5 x 7 photograph paper. Someday I will have them printed elsewhere but for now I do them myself.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday! Below is one of the designs I am thinking of for February and it is PINK.

Happy Pink Saturday!

This and that on a Monday morning.....

I was awake very early this morning...It will take awhile to adjust to the time change. We are getting settled. It takes longer each year. It is the boxes we pack and ship. I am ridiculous when it is time to go north learning that I really will not accomplish all the projects I ship to the cabin. The cabin is for photography and one or two very small projects.

This is fabric in a box. I have almost finished this quilt. Almost is the key word. The whole studio is sort of a shambles as I find a home for everything in the boxes.

The desk is a mess.

I have a weakness for McCoy pottery. I have rearranged the shelves and will show you pictures later.

Yesterday I had just had enough of studio chaos. I accepted that I will probably not be knitting socks and instead started a baby blanket designed to be made with leftover sock yarn.

 

It is called the Zig and Zig Sock Yarn Pram Blanket and was designed by Debbie Orr. You can find the pattern here. It was a real treat to leave the studio for a bit but today is another day and I will be putting away the last box and getting ready to work on projects for Christmas.

Hope you have a wonderful week!

Home at last...

A nor'easter changed our travel plans this year. Our flight was cancelled. However, I commend Jet Blue for the way it was handled. I received an e-mail that included new flight information for the following day. We were able to have the room at the hotel for another night and avoided the airport scene. It was a long day as we were up at 3am but the room was lovely and and we were happy to just hunker down for an extra day.

This post is sort of a good news bad news one. The good news being that we got home safely and the house was clean and sparkly and the refrigerator was stocked, dinner was almost ready and there were roses on the table. Thank you.

My grandmother always had a tin of these cookies called rocks. They make a most wonderful ice cream sandwich!

So all seemed well. The pool had a new pump. It was faulty and my neighbors had to fill my pool. It was not the most pleasant experience with the pool company. They were very angry that they would have to replace and eat the cost!!!!!

The air conditioner was cycling on and off every 20 seconds. A service call brought the news that a new one would be needed. There was no point in putting a huge amount of money into an old system. So that was my week! Hope yours was better.

I am still unpacking and arranging "stuff" - more on that later.