Tuesday, December 31, 2019

WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY AND BLESSED NEW YEAR

I hope you have had a wonderful
2019!

If, like some of us,
your 2019 
was less than perfect,
I hope that 
2020
brings us health and happiness.


See you on a more regular basis
SOON!
Love to all my blogging friends~
your photo name

Monday, December 23, 2019

WISHING YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I want to wish
each and every one of you
a very
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
You all are the reason
I continue to blog.
Thank you for your friendship.
Thank you for your visits.
Thank you for your comments.
But most of all-
Thank you for being YOU!

I will be taking a break over the holidays
to spend time with family.
I hope all of you have
SOMEONE WONDERFUL
in your life to spend the holidays with-
a family member (or several),
a sweetheart, a spouse,
or even a friend that you love.

God bless you & Merry Christmas.
I will see you all after the first
of the year.

I don't know where the tree image is from-
it is off of Pinterest.
If it is your image-
thank you so much!
your photo name

Friday, December 20, 2019

SOCKS & MITTENS TO WRAP AT THE LAST MINUTE?


You know how there
are mundane things like
SOCKS 
that need to be wrapped?
And sometimes
you don't want to just
stick them in box
with a bow on it.
Right?
With a little extra work
you can make a really
CUTE SOCK PRESENTATION!

I shared this idea two or three years ago
but thought it is worth a repeat
with wrapping season upon us.
Look! Here's a peek!
Want to know how I did it?
Here we go~
First you must get a sock..
well, make it a pair because
one sock won't work for
MOST people.
How about something like
these-
Cute, huh?
Then you must find some of
those short peppermint sticks.
You can buy them
or just chew the hook off candy canes.
Then let the
peppermint stick
SNEAK UP ON
the SOCK!
Before you can say
Alla-ka-zam-whoheebobster-helloworld
that peppermint stick
has jumped into the sock
and worked its way down
into the toe.
Can you see it there?
I've pinched it to make it stay
and now I am gonna roll
that little sucker up
into what I like to call
THE SOCK ROLL.
Well, GREAT, we have a
SOCK ROLL.
Now~ what the heck do we do with that?
Welllllll....
There's another kinda roll
lying around my house
cuz I've been saving them.
Used toilet paper rolls.
No..No..Not used toilet paper..
Used up empty rolls.
They look like this when they are naked.
Don't worry about that little bit of
white tissue left-you won't see it soon.
Find some foil based wrapping paper.
Foil works best because you can
bend the edges down and you
don't have to glue/tape it
unless you want to go tape crazy.
Wrap the foil paper around
that roll leaving about 1/3"
extending over each end.
Simply bend the paper down
so that it overlaps the edge of the roll.
You will not see this when it is
done but you can glue/tape it 
if you like.
Then..
Sneak up on those socks and
stuff them in the roll.
A roll in a roll.
I'm just keeping myself rolling here!;>)
Remember you won't see this at the end.
Then, take some sweet tissue paper
and cut an 18" x 18" piece~
or thereabouts.
Starting at one end,
roll that baby up and then
twist the ends so that it
looks like a big old fat
piece of taffy.
Laffy Taffy!
Now is that cute, or what?
I only need to tie a bit of ribbon
around the twist and I'm done.
And, when it's unwrapped
they will see the shiny foil roll
and NOT this..
Cuz the only place we
REALLY want to see THAT
is in the bathroom....


And we don't even really want
to see it here because that
would mean that someone
like MyHero..
not pointing fingers here but it
has happened
has used the last piece on
the roll
 and neglected to replace
it and there is none to be found
making me want to scream
bad words...naughty words...
Right-
Now get rolling and wrapping
cuz it's DECEMBER and 
Christmas Is Coming!
And I'll just say a little prayer for you
to have to go to the bathroom
a whole lotta times
(if you need empty rolls
to wrap your socks)
cuz I am just nice like that!;>)

Have fun getting going--
You're welcome!
your photo name

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

USE THOSE BEAUTIFUL CARD BOXES AS GIFTS (WITH A TWIST)

I have done a post about this before
but I wanted to do it again
just in case you need a
Little sumthin/sumthin to take along
to give as a little gift.

AND you can use those beautiful boxes
that Christmas cards come in---
you know the ones that are so pretty
you don't want to throw them out.
Here is a use for them.
It's the sweetest little gift ever!

This is 
THE EASIEST HOMEMADE
PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
ever.
I wish I could tell you where
I got the recipe but I can't remember.



Here's how to take the box below
and turn it into a 
special gift.
Don't you hate to throw them away
because they have such pretty
"faces"?
They make wonderful little
Candy Boxes.
Open the box and line it with tin foil.
Butter the tin foil.
Then make this:

EASY PEASY PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

In pan over medium heat melt
2 sticks of butter
When melted stir in 
1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy.
Like this.
Stir in one teaspoon REAL vanilla.
Add 3 cups CONFECTIONERY SUGAR
(not granulated)
(That old tin scoop belonged to my Mom-Good Housekeeping 1954)
I beat it quickly with a hand mixer
(it sets up fast) 
and then pour it into the 
buttered foil lined box.
Put it in the fridge to harden
and as soon as it sets up
lift it out and wrap it in 
parchment paper,
then wrap it with a piece
of ribbon and place it
back in the box.
 I pick up odd knives all year here and there
and include one in each box.

Or you can buy real knives at
Wallyworld for about 59 cents each.

The fudge stays fresh
until they cut it.

Put the lid on and it presents
like this when opened.
 Recipe:
SMOOTH AND EASY
PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
2 sticks butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups confectionery sugar
In saucepan:
Melt butter
Stir in peanut butter and vanilla.
Use hand mixer (or mix by hand)
and quickly
mix sugar in. It sets up fast.
Place in tinfoil lined box and
set in fridge until hard.
This is the smoothest peanut
butter candy I have ever made.
This recipe makes two card boxes 
full OR 1 8x8 buttered pan.
It's quick, easy and just
a sweet little surprise.
Save a few pieces for your friends.
 Let them eat this while you sip
black coffee or diet Coke.
Remember...
The fatter THEY get the 
THINNER YOU LOOK
next to them!

It's nice to have some
HEALTHY SNACKS 
this time of year, too.

Have a GREAT DAY...
I will be finishing up a couple of 
Christmas gifts tonight and then
I AM DONE!!!-
Well, except for cooking, baking, washing, ironing, cleaning, scrubbing,disinfecting,
need I go on?????

CALGON--TAKE ME AWAY...
for all of you youngsters...
that is an old ad for relaxing 
in a bathtub!
(which I used to do while floating a
plastic bowl of M&Ms in the tub
while four kids were screaming
outside the door)...
now THOSE were the days!!!!

Happy Tuesday!!!


your photo name

Sunday, December 8, 2019

PICK YOUR FAVORITE CHRISTMAS TABLE-RESULTS

WOW!
What the What?
I thought that I could
put together this post in a 
few minutes...lol..
WRONG-O

Seriously~
What is WRONG with you people?
You all leave me such fun comments
and I want to repost them all--
but I can't.
So, I will get right to it and only
make a few
snide complimentary weird comments
as I seat you at your table.

First, I want to tell you that I will be bringing
Laurie (Where The Spruce Trees Grow)
to each of your tables to visit.
She will be the one holding my arm,
because she has been very open about
being blind now and needing some help
finding her seat--er....chair.
Anyway, when you see her-
shove over and make room, m'kay?

Here were your choices~

Plus I had to Add #10
for all the whiners that insisted on plaid.
Seating is as such:

Table #1-Naturally Lovely
Tom!(yay-he picked a table this time), Vee, Tete, Patti, Dolly, Lorrie-(requested NO puddlegums-look it up-lol). Jane, Penny, Tessa, Melanie, Krishna, Mxdoxis,  Cecilia, Dewena & Carolyn.

Table#2-Jewels Galore
Ma, Linda/LaCarte, Rose, Carla, Lorraine(paid me a lovely compliment-I can see I have HER fooled), Pam & Linda/Fairy Blogmother

Table #3-Simply Red
Kathy (didn't like ANY of them but settled on this one) 
Sandi(but prefers plaid-as you will see-she moved), Debra, Jack & Sherry(our travelers), Happy, Sally, Jan/LowCarb, Terri D, Michelle, Saimi, Kim, LaTane, Jan Edmonds, DebbieDabble, and last, but not least,
Woody(Hey!  We suckered another guy in)!

#4-Perfect Pear Tree
A small, but wonderful group-
bobbi, Suz, Racheld, Cindy,
Marilyn, Ellen, Lisa K & Laura

#5-A Dearly Loved Table
Jenn(whined for plaid & moved when I posted it),
Theresa, Dawn, Carol (didn't like any of them-lol), Sandra(insists on an END seat-Liked 10 better but thought the chairs looked uncomfortable), Cindy/Creations, Keshakeke, Jo, Shelia, Julie,
Jenny-(the Pirate or Nomad-never know who she is going to show up as), Judy & Ellen(loves the vintage color)

#6-Grapefruits, Lemons & Oranges-Oh My!
Henny, Kay G, Nellie (is bringing a casserole)
and then we have THIS ONE:
Missy-Number one or is it number six? I really don’t want you to go to any trouble .. I can’t eat in the kitchen if I’m coming to your house.. I really appreciate the invite. I guess I better get serious about picking this table.. I have to take a second look. Hold on a minute.
I think I’m going to take number six. Number one looks like it has a lot of dirt on it. I’m sure you’ll have something to say about that. 
She also added that she COULD eat in the kitchen in a 2nd comment)  I don't need to say a thing-she did it for me.

#7-Starlight-Starbright
Vonda, Ann, Deserae, Sylvia,
Lisa M & this THIS ONE:
DJ-OK. This is so not easy. At first, I wanted #2 because you know...purple and teal. BUT then I saw #4. But then I realized that the cups and the tree decor didn't match. So that is totally out of the question. However, I did notice that at #7 the paper chain looked very much like dollar bills instead of just paper. So I am leaning toward that table. Because..money. If all this is too much trouble, just put me at the table with the guy that always brings the drinks. Maybe you could talk him into sitting at #7 and we can count the money while we eat.
So, Ron is sitting here-too-like it or lump it.

#8-Seeing Red & A Bit Of Blue
Jettie, LJK/Lauren, Sandi/DandelionTea,
Adam, Jeanie and
Louise(Insists on sitting by the fireplace)

#9-Sprigs & Bells
Kris, bj(and her date is Johnny Depp-don't ask-but apparently she has dumped Ron)
Diane, Fran, Susan Kane, Bless,
Doris, Rita, Linda/ItsyBitsy, Akasha,
(Buildmeup/Buttercup-sorry can't resist)

#10-PLAID FOR THE WHINERS
LV (NOT one of the whiners), 
Mevely(moved from Table#3),
Sandi/RoseChintz(also moved from Table#3).
Connie, Debby Ray. Terri S(said the plates take her breath away-hoping it's not an asthma attack-not funny-I know- give it up-you came here looking for abuse and I give it-no whining),
Lisa, Jenn-(MOVING tables-will bring pies to make up), Phyllis, Sheri/RedRose
and CHERI-(this is PART of what she said-Well, this is certainly hard!!!!! I thought about #4 because I love the green glasses (which I have my husband's grandmother's antique ones like them)....but the Pear Tree really isn't my thing!!!! Then I thought about #8 because RED is my favorite color...but it's maybe a little TOO RED. So I went with #10 because I love the plaid and it's more "homey"...I'm not a formal type of person! 

So-there you have it!
Another successful seating arrangement.
Now, I KNOW I surely forgot someone
so PLEASE let me know if I forgot you.
Some of you email me or leave your choice on FB so I hope I got all of you.
If not-SPEAK UP!

Off to watch 
The Packers
play some football.
Making chicken and wild rice soup
and started Zicam for the first time.
I will let you know how THAT goes.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR PLAYING ALONG!

Have a wonderful Sunday afternoon.
Back in a couple of days with
more nonsense!
SHAUGHNESSY

your photo name

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR FRIEND LAURIE-WHERE THE SPRUCE TREES GROW

I have followed
Laurie 
since she started blogging,
I think.
Her first blog, as many of you will remember,
was called
In My Dreams I See.

Laurie has had many 
ups & downs over the years.
Many of you know her story,
that she had an accident at
a home she where she was working-
a brain injury.
A brain injury that affected
her eyesight---that most
important sense for an artist.

Her sight has gradually worsened
over the years,
along with a host of other problems
caused by the brain injury.

Now, sadly, her sight has been taken
from her AND to add insult
to injury (literally),
her blog disappeared.

She is back up and running-
of a sort-but is unable
to SEE the pictures
we post.

She will follow along as best she can.
Please Please Please
pop by her blog and 
cover her with 
BLOGGER LOVE.
She will appreciate it
and you will be glad you did it.

The link is:
Where The Spruce Trees Grow

And, if you are so inclined,
say a little prayer that she
is able to deal with this
adjustment in her life.

Thank you all so much!
I will be back in a day or so 
with the results of
Pick Your Favorite Christmas Table.
your photo name