Season's Greetings to All.............

Merry Christmas to each and everyone of you.

Blessings,

Barbara

National Cookie Day

Good Morning Everyone.....

Today is National Cookie Day, so I'm posting a bar cookie recipe that is so good.

Praline Cookies

Graham Crackers (enough to line a 15 x 10" cookie sheet, must be a 15 x 10 pan)
1 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup chopped pecans

Line 15 x 10" cookie sheet with whole crackers. Bring butter and sugar to a rolling boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add nuts, and spread over crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes (no longer, no less). Cool and cut into 1" squares.

These are very simple, easy to make cookies and taste wonderful.

Have a Great Day,

Blessings,
Barbara

A Day off..........

We took the day off yesterday from all the painting, cleaning, and the mess we have here, and went shopping! I stopped at Hobby Lobby and found the cutest Christmas tree, its only 24" tall, in a pot wrapped in burlap, but the ribbon on it is ugly, so I am going to put something different around it, also picked up some DMC threads, cardstock paper, small ornaments for the new tree, a couple pieces of fabric and a packet of needles. Went next door to CATO and purchased 3 new tops and a sweater set all for myself. Then we made a stop at Bed Bath and Beyond, where I purchased new hot mats for my new kitchen counter tops. Picked up 3 in a packet of cork hot pads and a couple of silacone hot pads, a small cutting board, a Christmas scented candle, and a bag of Limited Edition Ghirardelli Holiday Chocolates. I love Ghirardelli chocolates!



Then Wayne wanted to stop at the plumbing supply house for some items and he picked up another grab bar for my bathroom, which he says I need getting in and out of the shower/tub. So that's okay with me.



We went to Mazzio's for pizza, where we usually go on Tuesday evenings (its old people night!). Then home to a nice warm, cozy fire as it was very cold last night, but we got up to 55 degress this a.m. Weather is strange, I think Mother Nature is undecided about what she wants!



Today is back to painting and trying to finish up before Monday, when they come to put in the new carpeting. I will be so glad when all this is finished, and I can get up, sit in my chair and drink my coffee, without having to worry about painting and cleaning out something.

A forlorn little tree without any decorations, but hopefully soon some will be added. At least there are chocolates to eat!

My new hot pads for the new counter tops. Click on the photo to get a little better view of the counter tops.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day.

"Being happy is something that comes into our lives through doors we don't even remember leaning open." Rose Lane

Blessings to All,
Barbara

And still more Birthday gifts...........

Last week brought more belated birthday gifts to me. This is fun getting gifts when least expected!

The top photo is what I received from Joni, who lives in Pennsylvania. She and I have been friends for a very long time. We both belong to a great cross stitch group of very caring wonderful ladies. She was very generous with her gift for me. She knows I love sunflowers so this gift was very much sunflower related, containing fabric with sunflowers and sunflower buttons, two sunflower scented votives, a sunflower scented car candle, and a small notebook with sunflowers on the cover. I carry the notebook in my purse, as it is just the right size. Thank you so much Joni, you are such a very dear friend.

The other photo shows what Francoise from France sent to me. Francoise does very elegant cross stitch work. Her friends and I don't think she ever sleeps, because she can stitch a chart in almost a day's time. The chart she chose to stitch is from Notforgotten Farms and it is Ruth's pocket. She also sent a bookmark, as she knows I enjoy reading, and the card she sent is in French, and I think it is a recipe for something with chocolate and cherries, but I don't read French, so I need for Francoise to translate the recipe for me. This special gift will be wonderful displayed in my new sitting room.

And yes, we are still in remodeling mode at our house. All the rooms are painted, well all most, the bedroom that is going to be my craft/sewing room won't get painted until after the new year. We still have one small closet to paint. And we need to do some touch up work in some of the rooms. The counter tops are on, the back splash is on, we need to put up a piece of paneling, where we took down a wall. Then on Monday, December 8th the people are coming to put new flooring in the kitchen, back entrance, main bathroom, and front entrance, the rest of the rooms all get carpeting. Then we can start turning this house back into a "home". My goal is to have everything back in order by December 15/16, so I can put up some Christmas decorations and do some baking, as our DS and DIL arrive on the 19th for a weeks visit.

Now, I want to share a recipe with you:


Chocolate Chip Sensation

1 (8 oz) refrigerated cookie dough
8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 pint (2 cups) cold half and half
3.9 oz. package chocolate instant pudding
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Press cookie dough within one inch of the edge of a large round baking stone (it will be really thin..but will puff up when it bakes).

Bake 12 - 15 minutes until light brown..COOL 10 minutes and loosen cookie from baking stone with serrated bread knife (VERY important..otherwise you will never get it off the stone).

Mix cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Spread on the giant cookie within one inch of the edge. Mix half and half and pudding together for 2 minutes, let it stand for 5 minutes (it will thicken). Spread chocolate mixture on top of cream cheese mixture.

Top with nuts, if using.

Enjoy!

Blessings,
Barbara

A very complete Thanksgiving.........

Today was a very quiet Thanksgiving for Wayne and I. We painted this morning, went to Joplin for lunch, and ate way tooooooooooooooo much! We ate buffet at Golden Corral and it was good. Of course, it was not as good as you get at home, but still good.

We heard from our son and DIL stationed in Germany, and from our grandchildren in Mississippi. I also visited with my mom, my half-sister, and two of my aunts, so day has been complete.

I hope everyone enjoyed your day. Now on to Christmas............................and I will continue with this never ending remodeling project!

Blessings,
Barbara

Still remodeling.............

We are still in remodel mode here! I was beginning to think it would never end, until yesterday when they installed new Quartz kitchen counter tops. They are beautiful, but we can't put the back splash up until tomorrow and the counter tops have to seal to the cabinets with the product they use. I don't even have a kitchen sink to use, the sink is sitting in the cabinet, but the new faucet and disposal are not installed and hooked up! But, tomorrow they will be and the back splash will be put up, then we get to wait another day for the glue to stick! Tomorrow we will also paint the walls in the kitchen. But it is all worth the effort and it will be beautiful. I also have a RED HOT wall in what will be my new sitting area. I love that RED wall. We have almost everything out of the house, except for the large pieces of furniture that DH and I can't move. The carpet will be coming on December 8 (the day got changed!), and I told them they had better come on the 8th or else!

But, I want to wish everyone of you a Very Happy Thanksgiving and I hope your day is pleasant, where ever you may be and what ever you may be doing.

Blessings,
Barbara

Remodeling..........

Dear Friends,

I'm going to be away from my Blog for a few weeks. We are finally in remodel mode here in our home. A wall is coming down, new counter tops in the kitchen, new floor covering in every room of the house, painting each room, moving furniture from one room to the next to make living more comfortable. After 35+ years it's time for a change. Photo's will come when we are finished, whenever that will be.

Our son and DIL will be coming stateside for Christmas this year. Gordon is stationed in Germany with the Air Force, and has been there for 2 1/2 years now, so time for a visit home. They will be with us a week, December 19 - 26, after spending a week with DIL's mother in Iowa. We are really looking forward to this visit. When they return, they will have another 2 years to be there. Because of chronic health issues with my DH, we are unable to make a trip to Germany. The only sad thing about Christmas this year, is our grandchildren will not be with us.

So until I return, I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving season, and I hope to "see" you before Christmas, with many photo's of our new look.

Blessings,
Barbara

More Birthday Gifts.....

This past week brought more Birthday gifts. I love having an extended birthday. But most of all, I want to thank all my wonderful friends for thinking of me. You have each made my birthday extra special.

I haven't felt well at all this week, having colon problems again, just a lot of stress added to my life. We are doing some updating to the inside of our home, and dealing with contractors is not an easy thing.

Anyway, here is what came to me this week...........




From Roberta in Georgia, two lovely kitchen towels, but I will use them for table rummers or for lining in a basket or two. Two packets of stickers which I will use when I make cards, a packet of note cards and envelopes and a packet of self stick notes by Mary Engelbrett and a skein of WDW thread in Trick or Treat and a lovely birthday card, which I think Roberta makes. She also sent a zip-lock bag of pink M & M's for breast cancer. Thank you so much Roberta for these gifts.



The above threads are from Christine, who lives in Canada. She sent two skeins of WDW thread in Trick or Treat and Pumpkin, wonderful Fall threads to stitch with. Thank you Christine for these much needed threads.

My birthday this year has been wonderful. Stitching friends are the best friends of all.

Blessings and Hugs to all of you,
Barbara

A correction.............

When I posted earlier today, I forgot to add some thread to one of the photo's in a birthday gift. Heidi, the one who sent the lovely Halloween fabric and ribbon, also enclosed some thread, it is a beautiful shade of orange, called Mandarin from Carrie's Creation. You can see, in the photo how well it goes with the fabric.

When I opened packages last Friday, I had tucked this thread between the folds of the fabric for safe keeping and simply neglected to mention it. I even had it written down on my gift list.

Again, Blessings to All,
Barbara

Birthday Gifts galore!

My birthday was on Halloween and my dear friend, Nancy in SC, stitched this Hallow's Eve pillow for me. It is a Stach Nash chart. Nancy does beautiful cross stitch work and I will treasure this gift forever, and display it every October. Notice the very rusty pin with beautiful black buttons attached. Thank you ever so much Nancy.


I belong to a very special online stitching/craft group. There are only 15 in this group, and the ladies are all very caring, loving gals. The following photo's are gifts that they sent to me.



The photo on the left is gifts from Hazel. It is a magnet for my refrigerator with an old leg tub full of flowers. Hazel remembered that I have an old leg tub on my patio, that I fill with flowers each spring and summer. This one has sunflowers in it, and I LOVE SUNFLOWERS, but have never put them in my tub. She also enclosed two skeins of DMC threads, which I can always use.

The photo on the right is what Clare sent to me. It is a charm, in the shape of a flower, for my cell phone and she also enclosed some thread from The Thread Gatherer.

Both of these ladies live in the UK.





This gift is from Angela, who also lives in the UK. She made a beautiful bag and embroided flowers on it. In the bag she had a packet of Lavender sachet and a bar of Lavender soap. The package was smelling so good when it arrived, I could hardly wait until my birthday to open it. She also enclosed some thread.




This beautiful fabric and ribbon is from Heidi, our list mom, and Heidi lives in Holland. This fabric will be used for pin keeps, yo-yo's, or maybe even some blocks for a quilt. The ribbon matches exactly and would look great on a pin keep. Now can't you just see a folded yo-yo with black buttons, me thinks it would be loverly!




This gift is from Nancy, who lives in Ohio. Through this group Nancy and I have discovered we have many things in common. We both like witches and snowmen and we both like some of the same authors. Nancy is also Heidi's mom. Nancy has a machine that does all this fancy stitching work and she did the two hand towels for me, aren't they beautiful? She also stitched, by hand, a book mark, and somewhere she found this cute sign. All of these gifts were wrapped in this beautiful piece of fabric, for more pin keeps, yo'yo's, or quilt blocks, and it was all tied up with a lovely piece of ribbon, but it will be to wide for pin keeps, but it went in my ribbon jar anyway!





Now, this gift is from Margaret, who is British, but retired to Spain, doesn't that just irritate you, she posts all these beautiful sunny, warm days, with beautiful trees and landscape on her Blog. Just kidding Margaret. Actually, Margaret was just too kind to me, she makes these lovely bags, and to be honest, I have been wanting one from the beginning, when she started posting them for us to see. Well, I have my very own. The stitched part is a Lizzie Kate chart, that she did and sewed in the bag. The top has drawstings. This will be a forever, ever, treasure.

Ladies, I thank each of you from the bottom of my heart for these beautiful, wonderful gifts. Each of you helped to make my birthday a very special day.


Now, the photo below is "stash" that came in the week of my birthday. My "sweet" hubby never knows what to purchase for me, so this year, he gave me money.....and said, "buy what you want", and I did, and I still have money left over! I have so much stash that I don't know what I want to start on first! But, you see, I'm stocking up for Winter, as we are suppose to have LOTS of snow, and I hibernate when it snows. I think the rest of my birthday money will go toward fabric and threads.

And if I haven't bored you enough already, the last photo is what I discovered sitting in my "gathering room" on my birthday morning. I had made a comment, sometime back that I would someday like one of these rockers..........well, low and behold, I now have one. I have a patio and a front porch, but neither are covered, so for the time being this rocker will sit in my "gathering room" to be admired and used by me and me alone!




You can enlarge each photo my "clicking" on it. Thank you for taking the time to view my birthday page, if you care to leave a message, I would love that.

Blessings,
Barbara

It's Halloween Week.........

And the Great Pumpkin will rise up out of
his pumpkin patch
with his bag of toys for all the good
children.

-Charles Schultz,

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Special Days this Week..

October 28: National Chocolate Day: also the Feast Day of St. Jude, patron saint of desperate causes.

October 30: National Candy Corn Day

October 31: Do we need to remind you? It's Hallowe'en! AND my Birthday, (also National Caramel Apple Day).

Blessings to All this Hallowe'en Week,

Barbara

Primitive Stitching.........

"A Haunting We Will Go" by Stacy Nash made into a pillow.




"October 31 Pinkeep" by Stacy Nash. I made this chart because my birthday is October 31.


I love to do counted cross stitch, as if you didn't already know this! Well, I have discovered Primitive Stitching, it's still cross stitch, but the charts are older looking, very simple, and when they are distressed and baked in the oven, they age! This is Wonderful. I really got "hooked" on this when Tanya Anderson of The Sampler Girl, http://thesamplergirl.homestead.com, started a new group for Stacy Nash groupies. Stacy designs primitive charts and they are beautiful, wonderful, and each to stitch. Check her out at www.stacynashprimitives.com. The above two charts are ones I had in my stash and after Tanya started the group, I pulled them out and stitched them up. Today, the postman was good to me and brought the five charts I had ordered from Stacy, herself. Here's what I ordered...Christmas Partridge Pinkeep Pillow Pattern...Homespun Christmas Pinkeep Ornaments...Jack Treat Bag and Pinkeep...The Perfect Pumpkin Pinkeep...Winter Woolens Cupboard Sampler Pattern. I have other charts ordered from Pineberry Lane, The Primitive Needle, Primitivebettys, and Plum Street.

Tanya had a "Hallows Eve" party this past weekend for the SNG, and we had a blast. It was sort of like a slumber party, but much more fun. Tanya had party favors (free charts from Primitivebettys and Tanya herself), pumpkins to decorate, and drawings from designers. Stacy gave each of us one of her charts, and we got to choose which chart. Now wasn't that generous! We talked stitching, horror movies, food (we had to bring food), and we did all this in the comfort of our own homes. Now you can't beat that!

Here is one of the recipes posted by Kim:

PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE SPREAD

1 8-OZ package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon, or similar)
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Beat all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Makes 1 1/2 cups. Serve with cinnamon Graham crackers and/or bagels.

This is yummy.

Blessings to All,
Barbara

Silver Dollar City

Last Thursday I was signed up for a Cooking Class in the new Culinary & Craft School at Silver Dollar City in Branson. We are just under 2 hours from SDC so we visit there often, purchasing season passes each year. My class was scheduled for 11 a.m. and we arrived shortly before 10 a.m. The photo above is what you see as you come around the bend coming west from highway 76, and it is the entrance to the road to SDC. Just Beautiful! We entered the city, I picked up my ticket for the class (also picked up my ticket for the class I am taking on November 6, which will be pies), the class this day was Savory Dishes. I was not too sure how this class would work or just what Savory Dishes would be.....but soon found out. We made our way to the new building, which looks just like someone's home, both on the outside and inside. When I checked in, the young lady at the desk asked if anyone in my party would like to take the class with me, I told her it was just myself and my hubby, and she said "Well, I just have one ticket left, if he would like to take the class", after looking around and discovering there were other guys in the class he said "sure, why not". After standing in line for a short while, we were admitted to the kitchen, which is any woman's dream...BEAUTIFUL. The classroom was set up like one of Emeril's cooking shows. We sat at one of the high tables, by the fireplace, one other lady from Liberty, MO joined us. Each spot had a Midwest Living Magazine, a recipe card for a pumpkin cheesecake, and a recipe for the days Savory Dish, which was to be Harvest Skillet. Now this dish is one you can purchase at different places in SDC and is very yummy. Our culinary master, Debbie Dance Uhrig, was a pure delight, not only in cooking, but keeping us entertained during the hour long class. The recipe turned out to be very simple to make and very tasty. One I can even make at home, when I occasionally cook! The hour simply went by much to fast. Hubby and I both enjoyed the time and the taste treat. After the class, Wayne said he thought he might like to take the pie class also, so we got him signed up for that class with me. So you know where we will be on Thursday, November 6.




Yours truly with one of the many decorations around SDC. The decorations are all just beautiful.



More of the decorations!




This is a tree made entirely from pumpkins! There are two of these located at you walk into the entrace to SDC.



This is the world's largest cornucopia filled with pumpkins.




September 11 - October 25 has been National Harvest Festival at SDC. This photo is just one of the many old time farm equipment which was featured during this festival.




Who knows what these figures are made out of? Any guesses? Well, they are made out of BUTTER, yes......they are carved out of BUTTER!







As we were leaving we stopped to see the draft Mules they had come out of Oklahoma to be on diplay during Harvest Festival. A couple of times during the day they are hooked up to a wagon and enter the city for people to see, pet and ride in the wagon. A wonderful experience for children of all ages.

If you would like a fun, entertaining vacation, I would suggest Silver Dollar City in Branson. Branson, the town itself, has lots to offer for all ages.

COME VISIT SOMETIME.

A Day Away.........

This is the front & back of this cannister.



This is the two sides of the cannister.

Isn't this a beautiful ceramic cannister....and it has SUNFLOWERS on it. This is something I purchased in Eureka Springs, Arkansas yesterday. Wayne and I took a day trip with our local YMCA. This is the first trip that the "Y" has planned and taking, and we were asked to be a part of this trip. There were 43 "Y" members on this trip. We left the "Y" at 9:30 a.m. arrived in Eureka Springs at 11:30 a.m. Lunch was served to us at the Basin Park Hotel, which is in the center of downtown Eureka Springs. Now, this beautiful town sits on the side of a mountain and is VERY HILLY. It is sometimes referred to as "Little Switzerland", and I can certainly understand why, as I have been to Switzerland. After lunch we were on our own for about 2 hours to shop, visit the museums and historic churches. The cannister above was what I purchased at "Back Porch" shop. A very cute two room (very small rooms) with loads of beautiful items stuffed into it.




This is what I purchased at the cross stitch shop...3 Pine Mountain kits and 5 pieces of 16 count Aida fabric.

The photo's below show the inside of the fabric shop we visited. Elizabeth, the owner, opened the shop 36 years ago. All of the stitched designs on display in the shop are ones she stitched herself. You can certainly tell she loves the craft and she is a very lovely, gracious lady. She and her DH are wanting to retire and travel, but finding good help that knows how to cross stitch is not easy. I do believe she has a chart from most every designer. The shop is just full of everything.



The name of the cross stitch shop is "Fleece and Flax". I'm sorry the photo is not very clear, but we had a very cloudy day.










Well, what do you know...here you have me and DH, in the photo below, aboard the Belle of the Ozarks, cruise boat. Which was part of the trip to Eureka Springs. It was a cruise on Beaver Lake. It was very enjoyable, but it was COLD. We saw the Ozark Bluff Dwellers burial ground, a submerged homestead (the owner plants his gardon on his roof), and we cruised around a 200-acre game preserve island. We saw a beautiful bald eagle sitting on a dead tree and finally took off in flight, and he was beautiful in flight, so very elegant with his wing span. We also came upon a Blue Heron, and a deer. The foliage was just beginning to turn. Even though it was cold, this was the highlight of the trip. Oh, we also saw Beaver Dam. You can check some of this out at www.belleoftheozarks.com.





This is the 200-acre game preserve island.




Eureka Springs is a very old town and the city fathers have tried to keep the town authentic. It is said that the Basin Park Hotel and the beautiful Crescent Hotel has ghosts, but I don't think I want to find out! There is much to do and much more to see in Eureka Springs. We also made a stop at the Fudge Shop for some much needed sweets for then and some to bring home. We also needed coffee and doing all the shopping, so we stopped in at the coffee shop for cappuccino's and a yummy, very large peanut butter cookie, which we shared. Wayne also stopped in at the Leather Shop and purchased a new wallet (I'm not suppose to tell, but he washed his other wallet in the washer!) Shhhhhhh, don't tell, or I'll get in trouble!

All-in-All, it was a very enjoyable day and DH didn't have to drive, no parking to worry about, as the bus dropped us off in front of the hotel for lunch, and came back and picked up there. The people traveling with us were very friendly, many of whom we knew, and some we had not seen in a while, so we had some good visits.

I hope I didn't bore to much, but thank you for reading and looking at our day. Please leave a comment, I would love to read what you have to say.

Blessings,
Barbara

Fall decorations, an Autumn swap, and 2 finishes.....

These two photo's are the pumpkin I made this weekend. I took a couple of separate patterns and combined them to make the pumpkin. I think it turned out really cute.




This is the Fall decoration on my dining room table. In a post a while back I showed you the turkey and pumpkin I came across when I was cleaning out closets, that our son had made back in grade school. The other pumpkin is one I made this weekend.




This is the pinkeep Joni made for me for the Autumn Swap, that was held on one of the online groups I belong to. This is so beautiful and certainly reminds me of October. I love it Joni.




This is the entire collection of items Joni sent me for the Autumn Swap. She not only made the pinkeep, but included some limited edition GAST threads, an Autumn decorated notepad, and a wonderful packet of pumpkin patch scented envelope. Thank you ever so much Joni.





This is from the chart, October 31 pin cushion, designed by Stacy Nash. I love this small token to Halloween. Instead of using it for a pin cushion, I put a twine hanger on it and hung it up, as a reminder for my DH, cause my birthday is October 31. The large safety pin and buttons are out of my MIL's button tin.




This is the Autumn Sampler chart, from LHN, I finished about 10 days ago. I showed it when I started on it. I am going to do the other seasons in this series and make them into a quilted banner.

October Is......................

October. I love the month of October. The trees rain down their leaves, the evenings and early mornings are chilly (sometimes just plain cold), apples, apples cider, pumpkins and all the delicious recipes for pumpkin, mums, corn stalks, Halloween and trick-or-treaters, hay rides, chili, beef stew and cornbread, AND my birthday!

2 Finishes and 1 in progress.........and this and that!

This Acorn design came from San-Man Originals, which I had purchased several years ago. I found it in my stash as I was cleaning out a closet. This came as a kit and all I provided was the fabric.




This is another San-Man Originals and was another kit and I provided the fabric.




And this work-in-progress is from Little House Needleworks, Autumn Sampler. I love the colors for this, they are Crescent Colours threads and so very bright and cheery, just like Fall. There are designs for each season, and I am thinking about stitching all of them and making a banner for the craft room I will someday have!

It is raining here today and very humid, however, I do have the doors and windows open. I love hearing the birds sing and watching them on our feeders. My arthritis is acting up today, and has been most of the week, but I have managed to put a few stitches in Autumn Sampler.

I've kitted up a couple of other charts, at least the threads, for two Little House Needleworks designs, Little House Neighborhood and Yesteryear. I've also ordered fabric for these two and LHN Heart of America.

I went to Hobby Lobby yesterday and purchased more supplies for pinkeeps. It seems I have discovered several small stitched designs that would look nice as pinkeeps. I also purchased more fabric to make a Fall garland using Yo-Yo's.

Hubby is painting the inside of closets for me today. Then we will paint the rooms and move furniture around. He just loves it when I decide to do these things!

Happy Weekend to everyone.

Hugs,
Barbara