~ Happy New Year ~

~ Best Wishes and Blessings to you and yours...

... We are all another year wiser now! ~

Take Care,

Tina

... Do Not Watch This! ...

Okay, this is a warning from somebody who never had any desire to see this movie...Since its debut on Starz, I have watched it a gazillion times!! I practically know it by heart now...You do not want to end up in my predicament...searching the movie channels daily to see if it's showing... Save yourself!!! Tim Burton creates these make believe worlds that are so folksy and just draw you right in...so don't do it - walk away!!!

*** LOL ***

Take Care,

Tina

~ Meet My Little Friend ~

This is amazing! ... I just found him in my yard yesterday...

He won't leave either!!

... Crows in the Snow...

It has been snowing all day today...I could never imagine that I would be looking out at another snowstorm after nearly getting stranded in Virginia last week by several storm systems merging together...This time I have been able to sit back and enjoy every little snowflake because I'm home in North Carolina now with no immediate traveling plans...until spring!!

~ It was a wonderful day for doing nothing...nothing but watching the snow fall down!! ~

Take Care,

Tina

~ Merry Christmas To All ~

It's so hard to believe that this year will soon be a footnote in some history book... Life is fluid, it ebbs and flows and one day becomes another and another...Before you know it, the year has come and gone...The joyous Christmas season is upon us and I still have meat pies , rum cake and lots of sugar cookies to bake...I'm happy to say that I finally have every ones presents wrapped and under the tree...Life is always hectic but it's especially so around the holidays...

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I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas and that Santa brings you everything on your list... I'll be taking a few days off to rest and unwind and maybe try my hand at another quilt...

Joyous Blessings,

Tina

...Caught in a Snowstorm...

Last week I made plans to go see my parents in Virginia and deliver their gifts before Christmas...The way we travel over there is so scenic and peaceful. I'm not one for interstates so I always try to find a way around them! Like I was saying, it's a beautiful drive that takes you through fields of corn and cotton and small towns...On the last leg of our journey, my son came along with me, we have to cross over the mountain and then transfer to the country road that leads to my childhood home...While on top of the mountain, the radio started beeping and a weather advisory began announcing a winter storm warning for the area of Virginia we were heading to...three to six inches of snow was on it's way!! My panic button started to go off right about then because my mama and sister had both told me several times with reassurances that they were just expecting a "dusting" of snow from this storm...they were so wrong!!

***

We made it there safely and later that night the snow began to fall...and fall, and fall...It snowed all day the next day too... Being born and raised in Virginia, we would only hope and wish for a snowfall like this in my youth . Back then, we never got one! ...Thanksgiving and Christmas both were usually mild in the 50's and sometimes rainy too...Compare that to now and it's like night and day...They seem to get socked regularly...

***

Where was I? ... Oh yeah, we were plastered by that storm and stuck upon the hilltop that they live on...Their driveway was covered and only a four wheel drive could navigate it...I have a minivan so I just sat there for a day watching the thermometer and hoping for a few hours above freezing to melt some of the mess!! In my youth, I would have driven a motorcycle up and down that hill...while blindfolded!! I can tell I'm getting old though because my wisdom and mortal fear made me extremely cautious about driving down the driveway ... and impatient too! I hate it when my plans have to be changed... However, with a new winter storm threatening the area between my house and my parents house, I knew I had to leave... To make a long story short, I made it down the hill shakily but safely and had to take the interstates home for fear of slick country roads... All in all, I was only delayed a day and it was very pretty seeing the snow fall... I'll attempt another trip after spring thaw!!

Take Care,

Tina

... Old~Fashioned Holidays ...

It's been awhile since I have been able to sit down and write about anything important...or trivial...I have no idea which one this is but it's in one of those categories! In between sewing and tending to Early Work Mercantile, I have been trying to watch my seasonal favorites...

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I loved the Hallmark special "An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving" back in 2008. It is beautiful!! It takes place in New Hampshire in the 1800's...They live in a beautiful and simple olde plain white clapboard home...it's decorated primitively...love it!! There's also the most beautiful chinked log cabin...I want to live there soooo much!! I'm drooling now ...but you get the picture?

This year they have a Christmas movie follow-up and it takes place in Europe...I love this one too!! I happen to know that they will both be airing back to back on the Hallmark channel on Saturday (12/18)...starting at 12 noon until 4 pm...I will be sitting there taking them in once again!! Please tune in if you get a chance...There, that's my movie review and recommendation for those out there who love these period pieces like I do!!

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I have to add a disclaimer...if they don't air on this date...I am not responsible...my TV controller said they would be on then!!

Take Care,

Tina

...Ebay Listings...

New things added to Ebay ...All with a low starting bid of just $1.00!!

Please check them out if you get a chance...

Take Care,

Tina

...Yuletide Update ...

My -oh- my, where does the time go? Look how far we are into December...There are so many things that pop up around this time and I have been busy and distracted most of the time!!

I did manage to finally post my most humble Christmas home on Picturetrail...Now that the kids are grown, my decorations have become more "simple". Sometimes less is more and I have certainly grown to love that simple primitive look...Please come and visit me on Picturetrail...

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Oh...More Santas coming on Ebay!!

Take Care,

Tina

...Another Santa on Ebay ...

I think the eggnog is beginning to blur my judgement...I have just listed a couple of items on Ebay with the low starting bid of just a dollar!!...I'm feeling my forehead...getting ready to swoon...What have I done ??!!! Okay, that's enough drama...Please check them out if you get a chance...before I come to my senses!!

Take Care,

Tina