Snow Village

I have been bringing out my Christmas decorations all weekend.  I like to wait until after Thanksgiving to begin my decorating.

I am joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for her weekly Tabletop Tuesday.  I love to see what other people have to share for their tabletops.

My snow village is normally the first thing I bring out at Christmas.  They are all candles that were mostly purchased at Pottery Barn several years ago.  I received some as gifts and some I purchased after Christmas.

I arrange the village on top of our entertainment center.

The little snow people I have had for years.  They are all dressed in their winter clothes.

There are green trees and white ones.

This pic didn't take well with all the white but I love this snow lady dressed all in white.  She even has ber purse with some bling!

Now I have to get back to my Christmas decorating.  I have boxes everywhere!

Thanks for visiting and God Bless,

Donna

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving! 

God Bless,

Donna

Bookmark

I like to play with gadgets in my sewing room.  I have a Double Diamond ruler and decided to try this bookmark just for fun.

It was fun and easy to make.  I may add a little something to it ... maybe some decorative stitching.  I had the fabrics left over from a bag I made back in the summer.  I have enough scraps from projects to make a million of these! 

 Right now I have to make Jennifer's new husband, Jeremy, a stocking made for Christmas to hang on the mantle.  Gotta get busy!  Christmas will be here before I know it.

Thanks for visiting and God Bless!

Donna



New Bag and I Won a Giveaway

It has been nearly a week since I posted.  I don't know where the week went.  I have adjusted to the time change ... I hope.

Here is my new Christmas bag I made this week.  It was a very simple pattern and easy to make.  I will definitely use this pattern again.  The fabrics I used are by Nancy Halvorsen.  It's just as cute on the inside with green fabric.  I can't wait to carry it.  Christmas will be here before we know it!

It felt like Christmas when I received a giveaway I won recently from Marilyn at Heart Songs.

I opened the box ... look at all the goodies!  Everything was wrapped in bright colors :)

So many packages!

Marilyn sent me teacups, Colorado teas, notecards, owl napkins, Colorado flower seeds, magnets and a memo pad with some bling!

There's more ...

Oops!  I can't take a picture around here without Flip wanting in the pic!

Let's try this again without Flip!

I have a beautiful new bracelet and earrings, a little teapot keyring with a measuring tape in the spout (so cute), Pass It On Cards and more.  Marilyn was very generous!

I just finished reading the book "Promise Me" this afternoon ... I couldn't put it down. 

And here is the Mary Engelbreit socks!  Love me some ME!  I have been looking for some of these but could not find my size.  They make my feet happy :)

Thank you so much Marilyn!

I am busy working on Christmas projects so I need to go back to the sewing room.  I have "stuff" everywhere!

Thanks for visiting and God Bless!

Donna

Time Change ...

The time change has me so confused.  It takes me several weeks to adjust to it being nearly dark outside at 5 p.m. :(

The evenings seem so long!  I have been busy finishing up my quilt that I began a few weeks ago and some other Christmas projects. 

Jennifer and I went to Christmas Village in Birmingham on Friday and had a great time.  It is a huge craft show with hundreds of vendors and it was very crowded.  We saw some beautiful items and we both made some great purchases.  Jennifer is just fun to be around and always makes me laugh.  I don't know how I would have survived without her and my husband this past year.

I decided tonight this would be my next project.  I purchased the fabric and pattern for a Christmas tote several weeks ago.  I hope to make it this week if all goes as planned.  I saw it made up at a quilt shop and it will be fun to carry for the holiday season.

Well I've got to get busy.  I need to go back to my sewing room and do some more of my Christmas crafts.

Thanks for visiting and God Bless!

Donna

Just Because ...

I was having a bad day yesterday ... just "blah".  I was double checking to make sure I had locked all the doors before dark when I happened to see a package on my front porch.  I knew I hadn't ordered anything but the package was for me. 

One of my wonderful blogging friends had sent me a surprise package.  It was from Melinda of Tales From My Empty Nest.  She is a wonderful Christian lady and every few days she is sending me a handwritten note or postcard.

I opened the package and saw the card with a note on the front and it said "Surprise!  Some treats for you ... just because! 

The card even had a sunflower on the front.

Melinda told me everytime she sees a sunflower she thinks of Amber.  I have written so many times of Amber's love of sunflowers.  Melinda had seen the sunflower ornament (it was hard to get a good pic of it ... it is so shiny) and thought of Amber.  She also sent me an ornament with an angel on top to put Amber's picture in for the Christmas tree too! 

I thought this was so sweet and so unexpected.  If you have never visited Melinda's blog go by and say "Hi" for me :)

Thank you Melinda! 

I have had other bloggers send me notes saying everytime they see a sunflower or the color purple they think of Amber ... this makes me happy!  It's like a little note from Amber :)

Thanks for visiting and God Bless!

Donna



Potato Soup

Somedays I have cravings for carbs and lots of them!   I made this yummy and easy potato soup recipe last weekend and I will definitely make it again.  I forgot to take a picture of my huge bowl filled with soup before I ate it :)

However, here it is in my huge pot cooking.

Potato Soup

1 stick margarine

1/2 onion chopped

1 - 8 ounce container French Onion dip

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 soup cans of milk

10 medium potatoes, cubed and boiled until almost done

Bacon, cooked and crumbled

Cheese

In dutch oven, saute onion in margarine until tender.  Add dip, soup and milk, stirring until smooth.  Add partially boiled potatoes.  Cook on medium heat until potatoes are done.

Garnish with cheese and bacon.

It is predicted to be cooler here this weekend and I may cook me another pot of soup!

Thanks for visiting and God Bless!

Donna