Pink Roses

those old chairs...

My old dining room chairs are being put to good use around the house, they add a vintage touch and are good for holding things (they just were never good for holding people!)...

Don't worry, I'm not decorating for Valentine's quite yet...I just liked the colors together :)

In the dining room, another chair is holding a basket of old hats...

Hats I think I will take apart one day, but probably won't...

I'm ready to UNdecorate for Christmas, but I can't quite yet...Christopher's girlfriend Katie is flying in from New Orleans today to spend a week with us, so we are leaving it decorated till New Years.  Then we'll pack it up for another year.  Until then, I'm organizing the studio. Trust me, the mood to clean does not strike me often, so I have to work with it when it does!  I'll call it an early New Years Resolution...but those 10 pounds are going to have to wait...

staying warm...

The sun is out today, and the whole world looks happy and snowy outside my window, but it is freezing cold.  I'm staying warm inside the house building a fire, eating homemade soup, and wearing my sons new Christmas slippers!  Our Christmas was low key and perfect, and we are now enjoying the calm after the storm.  Hoping you are all well, and cozy and warm...

Merry Christmas...

From my home to yours...

wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

with love...suzanne

last minute gifts...

 

I'm busy making some last minute food gifts, and as with almost everything...if you make it cute, people will love it!  I bought a package of 50 cellophane bags at Michael's and we're filling them up with goodies...

First up was Peppermint Bark, and then Spiced Pecans...

Spiced Pecans

1 egg white + 1 Tablespoon water } whisk together with fork and add:

3 Cups pecans

(mix pecans into egg white/water mixture so that nuts are thoroughly wet)

mix together in separate bowl:

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

(you can also add: 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg & 1/4 teaspoon powdered cloves)

stir sugar/spice mixture into wet pecans

spread nuts on cookie sheet and bake 30 minutes @ 300degrees, stirring every 10 minutes

let cool before packaging

ps. I had a party on Saturday night & had taken a tray of these nuts out of the oven and set them to cool on top of the stove and forgot them. All night long, people walked through the kitchen and grabbed a few and by the end of the evening the tray was empty!  So much for presentation! I'm glad my friends feel at home in my kitchen!

what happened to nuts?

It was snowing this week in Atlanta, so I grabbed my camera and went upstairs to take a picture from my bedroom window.  I watched this little squirrel run up and down the poplar tree that is right outside my window, and wondered how he was liking the cold weather.  He finally ran up to a high branch and reached in the crook of the tree and pulled out a granola bar!  It was wrapped and he tore the wrapper open with his teeth and sat there and ate the whole thing!!!  I stood there for a few seconds and could not believe my eyes, and then I remembered I had my camera in my hand!  Where did he get it, and since when do squirrels hide granola bars?  What happened to nuts?

verizon called...

I've been sick this past week...cold , flu, and the worst of all...I lost my voice! I have been unable to make more that a squeak for the past 5 days.

My darling son (with all his caring, love and compassion), said to me yesterday...

"Hey Mom...Verizon called and said they were going to put out a missing persons report for you because you haven't used your cell phone in 5 days.  I told them you were still alive and that you just had laryngitis"  I laughed (but no noise came out).

It's not good to get sick before Christmas when you are a procrastinator and already behind.  But it is good to laugh!  My boy is home from college for one month...and he's made me laugh every day.  He is, by far, one of the best gifts EVER!

all year long...

We buy Christmas ornaments all year long, but there are rules: they have to be old...and CHEAP. Never more than $1.00.  It makes the hunt more interesting, and honestly we don't need any more, so it cuts down on buying.  We usually find a few at every flea market, so by the end of the year we have a little stash.  Here are some of my favorites from 2010.  How shocking that they're all pink!

Elizabeth found this MOTHER one for me...and these with glittered roses and polka dots...

If you know me at all, you know I loved the cotton string and rusted hook just as much as the ornament... 

oh, and this one too...

I wonder how many Christmas's these ornaments have seen?

And I found these for Elizabeth...she loves figurines...

The little angel with a bird is fitting because her nickname is "birdie"...

and the little angel with an "E" was part of a set that spelled NOEL, but a few letters were broken, so I was able just to buy the E, for Elizabeth.  Still decorating around here, I'll take pictures when I'm done, but it's pretty much the same as last year.  I started to say, how boring, but I'll just say, it's tradition.  Yeah, tradition.  I find comfort in that...

covered buttons...

This is my latest obsession.  Covering buttons with vintage textiles.  I saw this on Julie Collings blog a few months ago and have been wanting to make some.  Warning: it is addictive!  It is a perfect way to salvage a bit of embroidery or an old handkerchief, a fabric swatch, or a baby dress.  Yikes!  You could make headbands or napkin rings, use one in the center of a fabric flower...the possibilities are endless.  Now I may never be able to pass up a vintage linen at the flea market...as if I could! 

old dog, new tricks...

My kids bought me this super cute pink Ipod 4 or 5 years ago.  Up until now it's just been a decoration.  Now it's vintage.  Over Thanksgiving they finally taught me how to actually put songs on it.  It was very simple, as you probably know.  I can't believe it took me so long to learn.  Apparently, you can teach an old dog new tricks!