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Lovely Winter Red

A couple of years ago, I had this brilliant idea. I wanted to get fake poinsettias and put them in my pretty little white flower baskets–for the winter. Normally, these baskets hold the most beautiful Ivy Geraniums that you’ve ever seen. Bright pink…always.

But it was a very hard transition from all that color to nothing for the cold months. Hence the fake flower idea. I did tons of research on how and where to buy the flowers and became very discouraged, very quickly. Turns out, fake flowers are actually pretty pricey online and even at the craft stores. I just wasn’t prepared to spend a $100+ just to have a spot of color. As I was about to give up– a friend said, “You obviously haven’t been to the Dollar Store.”

She was right–I hadn’t! So, after correcting that problem–I found all the pretend Poinsettias at Dollar Tree! And the best part? I spent exactly $21.34 for all the red you see here! Wahooo!

I love that they look fabulous up against my little white house–just like I imagined they would. I’m feeling quite clever right now.

Heh, heh.

 

 

PS–If you decide to do something similar and grab some fake flowers like these ones–be sure to shop for them in October or you may not find them till the next year. They’ll be gone.

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Egg Nog French Toast

After the holidays, I was surprised to find a perfectly preserved carton of Egg Nog tucked away safely in a back corner of the the refrigerator.

“Well, now,” I thought, “what will we do with this little lovely?” Somehow it seemed blasphemous to even think of drinking it–what with it being mid January and all. Felt wrong somehow.

Didn’t take much time to scoured around and find a nice little recipe for Egg Nog French toast. It would be like sneaking one more covert holiday into the calendar without telling anyone. Hee, hee.

Sounded glorious.

And with a couple of tweaky pinches of sugar and spice–that’s EXACTLY what it was.

Positively glorious.

 

 

Ingredients

8 large eggs
2 cups eggnog
1/4 cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or rum extract
12 slices day old bread
Confectioners’ sugar, optional
Maple syrup

Directions

In a bowl, beat eggs, eggnog, sugar, spices and extract; soak bread for a few seconds.
Cook on a greased hot griddle until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.
Dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired.
Serve with syrup and/or whipped cream.

Egg Nog French Toast
 
Print
:
Ingredients
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 cups eggnog
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla or rum extract
  • 10 slices day old bread
  • Confectioners' sugar, optional
  • Maple syrup
Instructions
  1. In a bowl, beat eggs, eggnog, sugar, spices and extract; soak bread for a few seconds.
  2. Cook on a greased hot griddle until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.
  3. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.
  4. Serve with syrup.

 

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My Pretty Puzzles

In that funny space between Christmas and New Year’s–I decided to pour out a pretty little puzzle.

There is something so soothing about turning all the pieces over, then setting them in little piles according to their shape.

Yeah, I’m one of those puzzle people who takes a few hours to organize all the pieces so that the whole experience is…you know…more orderly.

I believe the puzzle ultimately goes together much, much faster this way because it’s not so chaotic.

In fact, this happy little puzzle was probably two thirds finished when one night I woke to the sound of something very much like pebbles pouring onto the floor.

I flipped on the light and saw that old Hobbes had jumped on one end of my puzzle board and tipped it off the side of the little table it was on and just more than half of my sweet puzzle was on the floor in a broken up pile.

*sob*

The next morning, my sweet Rhenny boy helped me put it all back together and we even kept at it till it was finished! Wahoo!!

What shall I do with all this spare time? Laundry? Dishes? Take down the Christmas stuff?

Apparently not.

Heh, heh.

 

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Tarmac the House Squirrel

Now that it’s January, the Santa hat for our little furless squirrel friend had to go. But, knowing–from my childhood– that many inanimate objects probably have feelings, and not being willing to take the risk that they don’t– I still wanted our little Tarmac to be warm.

Perhaps your thinking, “Aww how sweet.” Perhaps your thinking, “Somebody over at that place needs medication,” I don’t know. All I do know is that it makes life a lot more interesting if you believe in a few things that are…

a bit whimsical.

And so I do.

Besides, if I try to make Hobbes wear stuff he bites me, so naturally I’ll choose a more docile creature to dress for winter.  Be cold grumpy old Hobbes.

Tarmac the squirrel is warm and happy.

So I’m warm and happy.

Let it snow.

 

 

 

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The New Afghan

I’ve been working on a new afghan for my Dane and sweet Kortney. They’ve been married for a million years and are ready to have their third baby any day now so, it’s about time I made them their very own, personalized blanket. They likely won’t need it much–for warmth anyway–because these two very naughty kids moved away to Texas. WHAAAAT?!! Sheesh.

ANYway, Kortney loves purple and black and I’ve loved this pattern for many moons. It’s really, really fun to work. 

It’s called The 6-Day Baby Blanket although I increased everything to make it more of a Million Day Grown-Up Blanket because…you know, they’re grownups. 

Long, long ago–I began making a different afghan for them . It was called the Stained Glass Afghan. Yes, yes, it was very long ago. The sad news is that I never finished that one, because while it was beautiful on one side–it was positively hideous on the other side. Now I don’t know how you feel about that–but me? Nope.  I’m not having it. So that project was abandoned. 

This one has been much more fun because it’s one of those work on it while you’re watching TV or listening to a podcast type project. And get this…

I’m nearly finished with it!! I’m telling the truth!!

You’ll see.