Family Fun And Bazaar Prep

our friend Rachel, my grandson Kavi and my daughter Jenny

my husband with our grandson

my daughter jenny with Kavi

the happy family, Kavi, Suj and Stina

This past weekend has been so much fun with our wonderful family here. My grandson has grown so much in the 5 weeks since we had seen him and his communication skills have really matured making him even more sweet and entertaining than before.
The "Christmas At the Falls" at the park near our home was the most fun for all of us and especially for Kavi who is almost three. A train ride (he is obsessed with choo choos), petting zoo where he bravely fed the deer, goats and sheep but warily eyed the sleeping roosters on the fence, cookie decorating, walking around past beautiful light displays made it an excellent time, spending almost three hours there even though it was in the 40s!
Now today, my son in law returned to Florida for work, but Stina and Kavi are staying two weeks, with me returning with them till Christmas when my husband and everyone else will be joining us! Oh happy happy times!
Now the Bottle Tree Craft Bazaar is only a few days away and realized that I had only made 6 hats so far and that was my biggest seller last year, so I must focus on making as many as I can before this weekend. This year the Bazaar has expanded with free shuttle service for shoppers since there are several locations for vendors. I am looking forward to it and am so happy to be sharing this experience with Christina because I know she will love it!
I will try to keep in touch but these next few days will be busy for me. I will definitely let you know how the craft fair goes and will undoubtedly take lots of pictures!

Hope everyone's day was awesome! Mine sure was! We have Stina , Suj and Kavi here, so just doing nothing is extreme fun! But we had delicious food, then went to the gazebo in front of City Hall to look at pretty fall trees and take some pictures!
Today we may venture to Target to see what deals are still available and just plain bask in warm family love!

"Buddy The Elf" Your House!

Here is a tutorial to make paper snowflakes, if you want to make your home inexpensively festive like Buddy did in the movie "Elf".
You may not think you need a tutorial for something you did in elementary school, but believe me, I tried to make some last year without instructions and there was something missing with the shape!

click on the picture above to go to Paper Snow Flakes Tutorial

I am thankful for tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow my daughter Christina, her husband Suj and my grandson Kavi are driving here to Alabama for Thanksgiving!! I am so stoked when they come here, it makes the world just seem right. And....Stina is staying for two weeks longer with Kavi, as Suj needs to get back to work, and then I am driving back to Florida with them to stay until Christmas when my husband and daughter Jenny and Rachel come to Florida to spend Christmas together! By the time I return to Alabama , I will have spent a month with Stina and Kavi! Now that is a good holiday season :)
Stina is coming with me to the BottleTree Craft Bazaar in Birmingham, which I immensely enjoyed selling at last year. And, my head is spinning thinking about all the fun we will have!
I finally took those pictures of the fun things which came my way last week. First, the fabric wall hanging from Stina. It is a great damask looking fabric, but with DEER! I hung it over the couch yesterday and I just LOVE it!
Also, there is the Matryoshka themed Christmas wrapping paper, and paper plates and napkins. Fun, fun, fun! And...Jenny brought me back a pendant from her day trip to a fancy Birmingham Mall. It's a DEER! You might have guessed I love deer AND matryoshkas.

I have been cleaning up a storm these past two days, and tomorrow is cook, cook, cook, day. I always try to precook everything the day before thanksgiving, so we only have to reheat on Thursday, so tomorrow, I make the turkey, butternut squash, eggplant, Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, while my husband works on the dressing, and everyone else is contributing home made cranberry orange sauce, pumpkin doughnut muffins, an interesting grape and cornmeal cake, etc. Of course we already have a pumpkin and apple pie.
I hope everyone has a festive Thanksgiving! I will be thinking about the fun you will all be having too!

All I want for Christmas is...

Eastern Europe Motifs Coloring Book from Anthropologie

Set of four plates from World Market

World Market Serving Platters

Urban Outfitters Shower Curtain

Urban Outfitters Dessert Plates

CLICK ON PICTURE TO SEE THE ITEM IN STORE

Yes, I am obsessed, I admit it! But I already loved this theme and this year it seems to be a trend! You see , I am half Russian and have been enjoying contact with cousins living there, so this just makes the holidays seem extra special.
I am just feeling a bit better now from my cold, but I still need to take pictures of my special treats I received last week. Maybe tomorrow!

A-A-A ACHOOOOOO!

Hi friends! I have been out of the loop for days because of a yucky head cold and this is the first day I feel almost human again! My poor husband has had a sinus infection, throat infection and bronchitis, so he has been home trying to recuperate too. We are praying no one else in the house gets sick, and I have been spraying Lysol on everything I have touched!
As soon as I get my pep back, I have pictures to take of some fun things that have come my way! My daughter sent me a wall hanging out of the most beautiful fabric with deer in it. I need to go to Hobby Lobby for some dowels to be able to hang it up and I can't wait!
Also, I have some adorable Matryoshka (Russian Stacking Doll) themed items like paper plates, napkins, gift wrap and tote bag, and a Deer necklace! As some of you may know, these are a few of my favorite things!
But for now... I must go... my nose is needing to blow... with tissues galore, it's been a few days since I've been to a store!

Mosaic Moments

This afternoon I went for a walk and was loving the colors and the nice weather. I love the middle picture because it looks like a painting to me. I looked that way in real life too. Like a warm cozy painting.
In our downtown today, there was a carriage being pulled by gorgeous Clydesdals giving free rides between noon and three. Sadly though, I didn't ride because my husband is sick and the girls were out of town. I did go to take some pictures and even that was fun because Christmas music was being piped outside from The Cultural Arts Center. The shops were all open with special sales, but even 20% off didn't help with the $275.00 boots I thought were so cute. I knew there was a reason I never had gone in to that shoe store before.
This mosaic has some new projects I have been working on lately. Owls! In case you didn't recognize them.
I have been crocheting a lot lately, making things to sell at an upcoming craft fair, and getting bored of making the same kinds of things over and over. I recently posted some pictures of granny chic crocheted pennants, which helped relieve the boredom, and then I thought I would see how I could crochet some owls. I liked how they turned out but didn't know what to do with them until my daughter Jenny suggested I make them in to cup cozies. I rather liked that idea, so more cozy owls will be a comin!
Also, you see those legs with the blue tights? Those are mine. I wore a dress with tights twice last week, and I would have worn boots too but it had gotten too warm around here! That is major for me because my daily outfit is always jeans and a shirt!


These pics are from my walk at the Falls a few days ago. (a park that is only 3 miles form my home and is free to go in to during the off season)
I saw the wild turkeys several times during my walk that morning, seeing two sets of them, not just one! Some of the Christmas decorations are up and ready for the Christmas Lights Extravaganza which starts on Thanksgiving evening.
So that is the past few days in pictures. Hope your weekend is refreshing and fun!

Some Twiggy Craft Projects

no tutorial needed, just wrap and glue yarn around branches!

click here for tutorial

click here for tutorial

click here for tutorial

Ever since Ray made handcrafted buttons from branches that had fallen in our yard, I have been trying to think of more ideas for using them. I especially like the idea of simply wrapping branches in yarn! I saw Genevieve Gorder of "Dear Genevieve" do this for a nursery, but I think it would be great in many different settings!

Garland and Stuff...

Yesterday I went back to the Falls when my girls decided they wanted to enjoy the perfect weather too. Even though I had happily completed two rounds of the park in the morning , I decided to join them for at least one more round. I also had an ulterior motive because I packed my recently completed crochet projects and hoped they would be game for a photo shoot for my etsy shop.
And they were, so here are my newly listed items. I have been enjoying making the granny chic pennant garlands and think I shall be making some for myself too. I am from the school of "a home can never be too festive!"

Cozy Plaid Vintage Coats...and...It's true, it's really true!

Custard Heart Vintage

Locusts and Wild Honey

Nod To Mod Vintage

Friday night was really cold here and as I got ready to attend our town's First Friday, I realized that my winter coat from last year was too thin and too short to keep me any form of warm at all. I don't even know how I survived last winter here which was one of the coldest in years. It made me daydream of having a vintage plaid coat that was warm but also comfortable to wear. Maybe one day I will...

Now for the good news! Today was the first morning I thought I would see if the train conductor from the Park I had been walking in had given correct info by telling my husband that the park gates would be open every day from 10 AM to 4PM. I saw a man and woman approaching the entrance when I pulled up in my car and she was wearing walking shoes, so I thought that it looked promising. Lo and behold, when I approached the entrance I was greeted by a sheet of paper with the hand scrawled words:

So, no trouble with the law for me! My walk was legit! Hooray is all I can say!! Enjoy your Fall wherever you are!

Cool Free Things!!

Free down loadable 2011 Owl themed calendar

I spotted this free offer on a blog I follow and want to pass on the owl love! Thanks to My Owl Barn for making several owl-ish art pieces for making a customized or pre made 2011 calendar. Just download and print and you can make more than one if you like!

Also, my friend Angela from Pickles on Pizza sent me a link to this deer print from Blessed Little Nest which is also down loadable and FREE! She knows I am obsessed with all things "deer", so I was very happy to see this colorful print.
Let's just say that my printer will be very busy today :)

free "You are Lovely" Deer print

Porches in the Fall

Ever since moving to Alabama from Florida, I have been in love with my front porch. Especially in the Fall, Spring and yes, even Winter. Yesterday, Ray and I ate our dinner there because it was a lovely crisp fall afternoon and we have a table and chairs on it that was purchased at a thrift store.
It is the perfect place to hang out with a nice hot cup of coffee, tea or hot cocoa. (you should really try Abuelitas Mexican Hot Cocoa made with milk , we got it at Walmart, it is yummy!) There is a porch swing, two rocking chairs, a glider, a wicker chair, and a bunch of ladder back chairs. Needless to say it is a big porch and many of you have seen previous posts with my porch pictures in it.

I love these porch pictures I found on Flickr and the fall decor which adds to the coziness. I you are ever over in this neck of the woods, come on over and we can sit and sip our hot beverages together!

Three's Company

Last night, Jenny and Rachel decided to go for a walk before work so the three of us woke up bright and early and headed out. It was nice having company as we walked through the neighborhood.