Giving Thanks

It's been another highly successful Thanksgiving here at manor.  Family and friends gathered.  They came, we ate and some even napped.  The menu was traditional and made from scratch.   I was so busy in the kitchen, I failed to grab the camera for any braggin' shots but trust me, it was a sight to behold.  I'm thankful for my faith, family, friends, and feasts.  A good time was had by all.


No shopping for me this Black Friday -  just wasn't in the mood to fight crowds and hustle about in the pre-dawn hours.   Instead, I packed away the Thanksgiving tableware and brought out the Christmas-ware.  I do love to set the table.  I'm thankful for time off work.


In the process of swapping seasons, I was compelled to clean out a few storage cabinets and re-arrange part of the pantry.  That felt great!  It was long overdue.  I'm thankful for neat shelves.


Tomorrow, I'll be hard at work again on Christmas party favors.   I.may.never.make.another.favor.as.long.as.I live.


:-)


Happy Stitching friends!

Johnny-Come-Lately and Grand Central Station

Other than brief glimpses, I hadn't seen a bluejay at the feeder all summer.  Today, he seemed very hesitant and cautious, but he came anyway and I was glad to see him.  Truly I was beginning to think something was happening to the bluejay population.  They used to be very common in the woods around my house.

check out the nosecone on this guy!

He wasn't alone though.  Every other variety of bird I've ever thought about feeding also swung by today.  It was like Black Friday at the Mall.

hog eaters -- trying not to envision pigeons when I see these doves

my goldfinches are sporting their fall colors

this little guy is very skittish and scurries off every time I make a move for the camera,

so this was the best shot I could get of him today.  His bigger 'red bellied' brother was hopping around too, but too far off for a good shot of him.

As you can see, it's been a very busy day at the feeder.  I had an action packed weekend myself.  Still looking forward to a "lazy" weekend sometime this year.  Maybe 2011?

Have a great week friends!

 

40 years ago...

...it was November 14, 1970.  Mom and Dad were on a date, a year before they would marry, when their evening was cut short by the siren of the volunteer fire department.  Mom sat in the car while Dad helped the other rescue workers do what could be done to sort through the wreckage.  The DC9 carrying the Marshall football team, coaches, athletic staff, and local supporters back from Eastern Tennessee had crashed short of the runway. 

They said the crash was "unsurvivable". 

They were almost right. 

The entire community became survivors that night. 

A classmate and teammate of mine was just a peanut in her momma's belly (a cheerleader) in November 1970. 

She never got to meet her dad. 

Thinking of you Michelle...

I was on campus today and took the opportunity to visit the Memorial fountain.

It will be ceremonially turned off on Sunday, at the conclusion of another memorial service.  

The fountain is not just located in the geographic heart of the campus, it also represents the true heart of the University.  Every year when the waters are stopped, you feel it.  You feel the pain, the loss, the silence in your heart.

We are Marshall.

An extra hour to play catch-up

Who likes losing an hour of daylight?  Not me, but...waking up at my normal time, I find myself with an extra hour before church.  Hummm....should I run the sweeper? start some laundry?  or enjoy a leisurely latte, snap a couple of quick pics and blog a little?  Yes.  Door #3 please.


If you've been keeping up with me here, you may realize I've been making favors for the annual Christmas party and therefore haven't been able to post many stitching pics lately.  I'd really like everyone to be surprised.   However...  I've put a few door prizes together to go with our White Christmas theme that I'm just dying to share!  So, since I'm really good at breaking my own rules making executive decisions, here are a few Christmas party door prizes (not favors) for your viewing pleasure:

I might have paid 25 cents for this milk glass compote at my local salvage store.  Not sure what I would do with it when I bought it, I started to scour my many Christmas publications and the internet for White Christmas ideas.  That was that a BIG mistake.  Now, I have seventy-eleven ideas running around in my head that I would love Love LOVE to put together before December 11.  Alas, I am still making the individual favors, so I must limit the time I spend on these door prizes.

The little blue bird was quick and fun.  Machine stitching made fast work of the construction, but as always, I left myself a too-small hole to turn the thing right side out and stuff.  Eventually, with the help of a chop stick and tweezers, I got it turned and stuffed. 

As much as I loved making the little bird, I think the best thing about this gift is the perforated rim on the dish.  Perfect to hold a pair (or three or ten) of your favorite embroidery scissors.

Different dish, same perforated rim:

This one just screamed PEPPERMINT CANDY BOWL to me, for some reason...so with a few cents worth of ribbon and peppermint, VOILA!

Even though the greenery is plastic, didn't this turn out pretty?  I really like the hobnail vase.......A LOT......hummm...

Moving right along..

I call this one "Bon-Bons in the Bathtub". 

Who couldn't use a little candle/teabag dish, candle, Moonlight Path gel, poof, and white chocolate truffles.  Sounds like a good way to spend an hour or two to me!

You can't tell from the photo but this one is made like a goblet.   I liked it as a potpourri/candle holder but it would also make a great server for pistachios, mints, cocktail sauce, veggie dip, olives, whatever. 


My challenge has been to spend as little as possible on door prizes since I shot the favor budget on, well, favors.  It has actually been fun to up-cycle, repurpose, and use what I had on hand to put together door prizes I wouldn't mind winning myself.  Wish I could show you the favors too.  :-(    Sorry Charlies.  You'll just have to be patient and see them in December.  :-)


I'm working on about four other door prizes that I may have time to share with you before the party.  One of them is my favorite thus far...  :-))


So, to say it local-like, "Y'all come!"


Hubby has been busy as a beaver lately too.   Several months back I showed him the bamboo DMC floss cabinet

that is being sold for $229 plus S and H.   And maybe I might have suggested that he should tell Santa about it.  Last week, he surprised me with not only a beautiful two-tone treasure chest (monogrammed, no less) but also a table to go with!

Not wanting the cabinet to get too much direct sunlight, the table will play host to my tea tray and elephant parade

while the chest will be situated close by, but not directly in the sun.

Check out the felt lining...

I love it very much.  :-)

I'm ashamed that I have yet to show you the work table he made for me, but every time I photograph it, I'm too embarrassed by my mess in, on and around it to post it.  As soon as I get a chance though, I promise I'll clear it off and share.


So, if you've made it this far, I really appreciate you taking time to catch up with me.   And, I am wishing you and yours a beautiful season of Thanksgiving...