You've Got Mail.

It's fun getting presents at Christmas time.  Pretty packages all tied up with ribbon.

It's really nice though to get packages from far away.  From people you've never met face to face but you feel like you've known them forever.

Packages with things in them like this:

Unexpected parcels  from other countries.

All the way from Italy!  Thank you Bobbi I haven't tasted them yet.

The greatest gift I have received through blogging though is making so many fantastic friends from all around the world.  My friends are the best gift ever! Thank you all for putting up with me on this blog and allowing me to share my life with you a little bit.  I hope we all have the best New Year ever in 2012.


p.s. Skype is a modern day miracle.

Back to Business.

Yesterday Mr LC and I brainstormed some items for my Etsy shop.  As you know, I will be featured in this magazine so I figured I better start loading up on some new things.  I decided to try some aprons.  I just wish I had Janet to model them for me!

At the very least, I wish I had one of those old style dressmakers forms.  Anyone have one for rent?

Christmas Day.

Did he see Santa???

I hope everyone had a cracker of a day.  Good friends and family, good presents, and most important of all, Good Eats!

It's Christmas Eve.

We're having a white Christmas here Gentle Readers.  It just doesn't seem like Christmas without snow.  We have much to be thankful for this year, especially the safe arrival of our first grandchild.

No, he didn't arrive under the Christmas tree.  He must be either waiting for Santa or he thinks he's a present.

anime.desktopnexus.com

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined.  Isiah 9:2

I wish each and everyone one of you, my friends near and far, a joyful and happy Christmas.  God bless us every one!

Tree Trimmings.

The weather hasn't been cooperating for photos of my tree.  I just snapped a few today.

Here's an old favourite from my childhood. It's getting tarnished but who cares?

I got this one for Mr LC a few years ago.

I love these birds.

Daughter #1 crafted Mr LC's coat of arms many years ago.

Here's the real one.

Another old dear.

Got to go.  It's a one dog night. Brrr...

Broken Item of the Week.

Yes folks, it's that time again.  Yesterday Daughter #1 came over and we trimmed the tree.  I was in the kitchen so I know it wasn't me when I heard a tinkle of breaking glass in the living room.  This is what I found:

Now don't feel badly.  All of our ornaments are glass and many are vintage from my tree and Mr LC's from our childhood.  This little house is fairly new.  No one is copping to the crime.  Let me show you the front of the ornament and you'll see why we were all kind of relieved the thing broke.

Does that house look like a face to you?  It does to us and it's kind of creepy.  I think the tree may have thrown the thing off because it was embarrassed to be wearing such a decoration.  I guess we'll never know.

The Weather Report.

Last night I had another interesting email conversation with my buddy Steve from An Urban Cottage .  He usually apprises me of the weather situation in the Boston area because in a day or two we get the same weather up here most of the time.

Last night he wanted to know how cold it was here because it seemed to be cold enough down there for him to wear a hood.  I told him it was about -7C but that I can't translate that into Fahrenheit anymore.  I decided to post a pictorial representation of the chilly weather here:

Cold Much?

Favourite Things.

Do you remember waaay back when you were a child having a favourite cup or maybe a spoon?  It could have been a special cereal bowl.  I remember having a favourite spoon.  Was I annoyed if anyone else mybrother used it!
When we get older we're supposed to put away childish things aren't we?  Not Mr LC.

 

Official Mug Shot

He now has a special mug and woe betide if anyone else me even thinks of using it.  One of the fellows he met in the Dominican Republic gave it to Mr LC as a parting gift.  He took a real liking to my hubby and even invited him to his home for dinner. The meal alone was a real sacrifice because most of these people can barely afford to feed their families let alone a guest.

The day Mr LC left for home the young man presented him with the coffee mug. Another sacrifice because he had to spend precious money to buy the mug.  Mr LC was deeply touched by the generosity of this young man.

Another Official Mug Shot

 

 

 

Mr LC told me the strange thing was that everyone has a smart phone.  They pay for minutes as they go.  No cellphone plans there.  It's great because Mr LC is able to stay in touch with some of the guys through Facebook.  Sometimes the translation gets a bit confused though.  Hubby thought he told one fellow who posted a picture of his family that he had three pretty sisters.  It turns out  he said he had three pretty to die.  Whoops. Maybe he should get some Spanish lessons for Christmas, you think?

I Do What I'm Told.

 UPDATE:  Note to self; Do not use organic canola oil in place of salad oil.


Due to popular demand re my earlier post today,  I reveal the mysteries of this cookie.  Or biscuit.  Depending on where you live.

Here is the recipe for Sugar Cookies:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
5 cups of flour                                                
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup margarine or butter
1 cup salad oil
1tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Mix margarine, oil, and sugars. Add eggs, then dry ingredients.  Roll into small balls and press down on ungreased cookie sheet with a glass dipped in sugar.  Bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes.

I used Martha Stewart Holidays sanding sugar in red instead of regular sugar.

I couldn't find a photo of Martha's but you get the idea.

Oh, and by the way, Mr LC says they taste like fish.  Guess what he's getting for Christmas.

Holiday Prep.

Daughter #1 has proclaimed tomorrow to be Christmas Baking Day.

 

 

 

Eat your heart out Martha!

 

I just do what I'm told.  So be it.

Shameless Promotion.

Take a look at this video.  Tara and Jeff are friends of ours.  Tara and Daughter#1 have been friends since primary.  Besides having a beautiful voice, she plays a mean fiddle.  Enjoy.

Yes, this is where we live.  All.Winter.Long.

Mail Call.

This is what I found in my mailbox yesterday:

And in other breaking news my grandbaby is getting saucy:

seven weeks

Talk to the hand!

p.s. Please ignore all that baby truck in the background.

Cross Cultural.

Here is Grandbaby ready to go out into the cold and wind:

Burka Baby!

Love It or Hate It?

I was just reading this blog post by Razmataz.  It was about Sarah Richardson's new series.  I asked Raz how she liked the dining room Sarah did in the new Sarah's House season. Now, I pretty much always love her designs.  This time I really didn't like it.  There were too many shades of blue not getting along. What do you think?

Usually, her rooms are much cleaner and less jarring to me. Here are some other dining rooms she has designed.

So folks, do we love Sarah's latest dining room or hate it?  I'm all ears.

All photos from HGTV.ca

Who Knew?

I'm just going to post some random DR photos to sweeten the pot.  Everyone likes to look at pictures on a blog, right? 

They love to have their picture taken.

Mr LC got back from the Dominican on a Monday and by Tuesday he was teaching again.  I know.  His former boss called him and asked if he would fill in for about twelve weeks while one of the staff did a practicum to complete her masters degree.

Look at those eyelashes!

Mr LC reasoned that it would be great to get the extra income and have little responsibility. As in he doesn't have to write any reports.  That's a big win for him.

Sweet!

You won't believe this but now I don't like it when he works.  How weird is that?  I can't believe myself sometimes.  It's only three days a week but I can feel the stress already.  Getting him out the door in the morning is a job in itself. Besides that, I no longer have the car whenever I want it. Major bummer.

Happy days, Mr LC!

The best part is he's been on the job for a week and he has a storm day already!

Long Time No See.

It seems like I haven't been here in forever.  Mr LC got back from the Dominican on Monday so between him and my Grand baby I've been a wee bit busy this week.

Here's  my five week old baby:

Is he not the cutest thing you have ever seen?

I just loaded a ton of Dominican photos last night so I haven't edited them at all but I'll show a couple here:

How sweet are they?  I was sure Mr LC would have brought some of these babies home with him but for some odd reason their mothers wouldn't let them go.

Cuteness squared.

Broken Item of the Week.

While Mr LC is away, I like to be a bit naughty.  I like to imbibe a little.  This is my drink of choice:

The photo I chose is germain to the broken item

You cannot mix pepsi with your laptop.

When Pepsi spillage occurs on the keyboard of your laptop mayhem ensues.  Et voila!  My broken item of the week.  Let's hope the IT genius son-in-law can fix it for me before Mr LC comes home from the Dominican on Monday or I may be going on an extended vacation to a place not of my choosing.

How's that for a run on sentence?  Scared much???

Am I Ready For This?

If you have followed my blog from the beginning, you may remember my post about my fifteen minutes of fame by being featured in a magazine.  You can read it here

A few weeks ago I was contacted by HGTV magazine.  I didn't know they had a magazine, did you?  Well they do and this is the first issue:

 I was contacted because they want to feature my red alphabet pillow from my Etsy shop!  WOW!

I am thrilled and amazed.  The pillow will be featured in an article about great pillows under $30.00.  They will be sending me a copy of the issue when it is ready so I'll be sure and let you know. 

Will I have to increase my staff?  Will I have to get a new sewing machine?  Will I be able to source enough ink for my silkscreen?   Oh, the problems I will have to deal with!  Riiiiight.

Believe It or Not.

As many of you may recall, last winter I moaned about the weather incessantly.  That's just what Maritimers do.  I'm going to try my best not to whine about it this year except for what happened this past Sunday.

Let's just say I was rendered speechless when I woke up to this Sunday morning. Believe it or not.

Below is another believe it or not moment:

This has never happened before.  Sophie and Emma actually jumped up on the couch even though Millie was there first.  Those two dogs are in fear and trembling when Millie's in the house.  I guess when the wood fire is going all bets are off.  Of course they always take the best seat in the house.  Do I make them move? Of course not.

Boo Hoo!

Happy Halloween!

BOO!