Goodbye 2017

As we say goodbye to 2017, my wish for you is that all your dreams will be fulfilled in 2018. May you find peace, happiness and joy.

Remember to reach for the stars and not let anybody stand in your way. People will try to steal your joy. They will make fun of the things you do and say in an effort to undermine your dreams and hopes. 

Hold tight to those dreams and keep the negativity out of your life. Just because someone wants to drag you down with them doesn't mean you have to let them. 

Some great deals....

If you are on Facebook and you belong to any online yard sale groups, you may have heard of Marketplace. If not, go to your Facebook search bar and search for Marketplace. It will pull you up items in your area that are for sale. I have been doing some searching in my area. I love this cabinet. It's $75 which isn't bad. It would be perfect to hold my microwave and store more Pyrex. 

I noticed this hard to find Pyrex creamer for sale for $15. It's a little higher than I would pay but it is cute as can be. I may make her an offer and see what happens.

This is a steal at $10.00. She has it posted twice but in one place it says it doesn't come with the lid or the cradle. Waiting on an answer to find out for sure.

This is one of my dream pieces. They are usually $35 - $45 in antique stores IF you are lucky enough to find one and to find it with a lid. She is selling for $25. I made an offer of $20. We will see what happens. If she hasn't sold it and won't take $20, I would pay $25 for this piece. I want it that bad.

I love the snowflake pattern. But not at $35 each. I can find these cheaper in some of the local antique stores or my online trade groups. But I do love this pattern.

The lady that has the blue snowflakes also has the black snowflakes, which is harder to find. But still not willing to pay $35 each for them. 

I love the divided dishes and especially when you can find them with the lid. But these also belong to the same lady above that is on a $35 each kick. These pieces (especially the barbed wire) are not at all rare in my area. You can usually find them for $12 - $18 and a few times I have seen them for $8. I should have bought them when I saw them that cheap. I will keep my eyes open.

Well, that's just a few things I found when I went to my local marketplace on Facebook and typed in Pyrex. Would love to know what you find in your local online shopping. 

Staying busy...

I have stayed so busy the whole month of December and during the past 10 days, that I forgot how to relax. The other night when I had nothing else to do because it as my last day of Christmas break, I just laid on the couch and read. Then after 3 or 4 hours of that I was over it. So I got up and went prowling for something to do. I went to Pinterest and found some cute ideas for Valentine's.

Isn't this just adorable.  

This is super cute.

Cute book marks. 

And I just love these little hearts. Talk about easy to make. 

You could just whip stitch these up while watching TV some night.  

Some places call this a Swedish Heart craft and some a Scandinavian Heart. But whatever you call it, it is cute. 

So all that made me wonder what fabric I might have. My digging in my craft room only produced this stuff.

So I didn't make anything elaborate, but at least I have a new towel for the oven door. 

Weekend wrap up.....

Well, it's over. Time to recap Christmas and get ready for a brand new year. We had an amazing Christmas and I ate way too much junk food. But when you have all this to choose from it is hard to say no.

I had a great Christmas and got some awesome gifts. I can't wait to try out my copper titanium skillet and crisping tray. I'll probably do that tonight with something for my supper. Thinking about a grilled cheese in the skillet and onion rings in the crisping tray.

I got my 2018 Happy Planner so I can't wait to start getting organized. First thing I entered in it was the dates for National Conference. I'm looking forward to attending this year. It's their 15th Anniversary. Should be lots of fun.

Santa brought me some bling from Charming Charlie's. I love bling, but I love inexpensive bling. That way I don't feel guilty when I change it out.

One gift that meant the world to me was a set of pillow cases embroidered for me by my granddaughter, Alexis. She is 13 and is learning to do things like this. I will cherish these forever. She did an amazing job. 

These were my two favorite blings. My teardrop birthstone ring and my zirconium costume ring. I had found these at Charming Charlie's on clearance for $3.75 each. I may like my pretties but I don't like to pay a lot for them. Check out my Christmas nails. They have to go back to normal this morning before I go back to work. 

Yesterday, me and Sherrie went to a few day after Christmas sales. She was looking for linen napkins. While we were at Bed, Bath & Beyond I found these cute little coasters on sale for a package of four for .50 cents. I just loved them. 

Since I am staying decorated though New Year's eve, I went ahead and put them out for this year. They are just too cute for words.

While we were at Kohl's I wanted to look at bracelets. This was $24.99 on sale for 60% off. Then I had a coupon for 15% off and ended up getting it for $8.49. Yay, more bling!

We were so surprised (shocked actually) that Kohl's is already getting out flip flops. But we both agree we may have to go back and get these Skechers that have the Yoga Foam souls. Oh my gosh they felt divine. 

Bed, Bath and Beyond had a very pretty primitive style quilt. I still have decided on what color I want to do my bedroom. So I'm still looking at options.

I am working on some crafts and decor for Valentine's day so I picked up a couple of things at Dollar Tree. 

Due to my bout with the flu, my days off, and being closed for holidays I only worked 3 hours in the last 10 days. I have to go back today and I'm not sure how I am going to make it a full 8 hours after being off so long. But it is going to feel good to get back to routine and to see my friends.

Hope you have a great over the hump day. Me, I'll be staring at the humps of camels during the live nativity portion of our show at Dixie. That's my favorite part of the show.

The day after.....

 The day after Christmas. Everything has been done. Food was shared. Gifts were opened and the family has all been over. Are you a "Well, it's over. Let's move on." person? Or a "let the festivities go for a full week" person?

I guess I'm a little of both. Working for a company that puts on their Christmas show all the way through January 2nd, I will still be in my festive red vest and Santa hat for the remainder of this year. 

But I still have one day off of my Christmas vacation so I am going to run to Kohl's with my friend Sherrie this morning. She wants to hit the after Christmas sale on some linen napkins. 

I may check out the tablecloths for when I take my Christmas down and get ready for Valentine's Day decor. 

Hope everybody has a great day.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas far and wide..

When it is all said and done, there is nothing that compares with the Greatest Story Ever Told.

May you and yours know the true meaning of Christmas.

Finalizing everything.....

That last day before the festivities begin. That time when you check your to do list and then you check it again. I got the house cleaned and laundry done yesterday.

Stocked up the candy bowl to munch on throughout the day. I'm not breaking till I get the rest of my list finished except to order from Pizza Hut for lunch.

The presents are all wrapped and waiting under the tree for the family gathering over the holiday.

Containers ready for all the goodies I am making today. I love the disposal containers from aluminium. Dollar Tree has so many shapes and sizes. Great for storage for for leftovers for family to take goodies home. 

My baking list today includes brownie cookies, Texas sheet cake with chocolate icing (made from the Swiss Chocolate Duncan Hines cake mix and add cinnamon), chocolate no bake oatmeal cookies, Reese's peanut butter fudge, old fashioned chocolate fudge made from Hershey's cocoa. I swear the dessert eating part of the holiday is my favorite food part.

We do a lot of appetizer type food for our family gathering so I am going to do all the prep work today. Making the meat sauce for the bread stick dip. Pre-cutting my Velveeta for the cheese sauce. Cutting up the little sausages to fix them in Sweet & Sour Duck Sauce, and cutting up Colby Jack cheese into cubes for crackers. I cheated and bought frozen honey barbecue wings and frozen meatballs in grape jelly and chili sauce. This is all going to be so good. 

They gave us a 10# spiral Hormel ham at work. So I am baking that in the morning with brown sugar and orange marmalade. That way we can have that for our family dinner and I can have it over the next few days.

Edgar is getting old so he hasn't been as mischievous as he has in years past. He knows he gets to go home with Santa tomorrow night so he is just chilling and hanging out with his friends....Eli, Chilly and Rudy.

It's 60 degrees outside, but we are having extremely high winds and wicked looking skies. Supposed to rain later. I love gloomy weather at Christmas. 

 

 According to Norad's Santa Tracker, we can start tracking Santa's journey in 18 hours. 

I just love Christmas. 

My last visit of the week...

This is my last day of visiting with my family via pictures. Yesterday was my cousin Amy Beth. Today is my niece, Amy Lynn. Here are some of her photos. Hope you enjoy. 

Every holiday there is something fun for her little girl to do on the refrigerator. I love this.

Check out the dog. Isn't she beautiful

What a cute little Christmas Train.

Oh wow. I have got to have pillows like these. Amy and I both love to decorate with Santa stuff.

Look at the miniature version of the vintage trees. She got this one and a green one like it at Lakeside Collection. How adorable.

 Isn't it gorgeous. I wonder if it was one of her craft projects. She is super talented.

She made this I am pretty sure. I love the simplicity of the white pitcher. Very elegant.

And oh my goodness look at the table cover.

There is her little green tree. And check out the roly poly Santa on the bottom shelf, right side. I love that.

More Santa. I have one like the one on the left below. It's Home Interior I believe.

She has a very pretty tree. Love the big bow on top.

She also sent me a picture of how they caught Mrs. Santa visiting with Santa. I am sure Makenzie was thrilled. 

Thanks for spending the time with Amy and me today. Have a great day.