Just a bit of ramblin'

Hi all! I'm still here and kicking (not to high though). Welcome to all my new follower's....some day my posts might be more exciting...lol. No picture's today either so if you stay with me, thanks!!

My neck and back are still giving me fits. Still seeing my chiropractor. I sure feel better after my treatments but then the pain usually comes right back. I think alot has to do with how I am holding my neck while stitching so I have to remember to change that when I'm doing it.

My resolution of not shopping for things that I don't need didn't last which I knew it wouldn't but I have definately cut back! Still don't know about the school thing, class doesn't start until May so I still have some time. I can't get financial aid supposingly because the classroom time is short and it's not that big of a loan....they don't give out small loans?? LOL! So anyway, time will tell on that one. Still trying to work on decluttering the basement. Put a bunch of stuff on Craigslist and only 2 things sold. I would put some of it on here but alot of it is big items and the shipping would just be way to expensive.

I made supper the other nite (it doesn't happen very often at all!!) and I tried a new recipe and it was soooo good so I'm sure I will be making it again. And it was so easy and it stays in the crock pot all day so that was a big plus! Here is the recipe for those of you that would like to try it. It's out of the "Fix it and Forget it" cookbook and the recipe is by Andrea O'Neil.

Meatloaf Sensation

2 1/2 lbs. ground beef
half of an 8 oz jar salsa
1 pkg. dry taco seasoning, divided
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup bread crumbs
12 oz pkg shredded mexican mix cheese
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients, except half of the taco seasoning. Mix well. Shape into a loaf and place in slow cooker. Sprinkle with remaining taco seasoning. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Pretty easy huh? Trust me, for one that doesn't cook, it was easy!! LOL!

I have really been busy stitching away, I can't keep up with eBay so that is really good but like I said earlier, it's taking a toll on my neck. I have also been working on a swap that I'm in. I'm just about done with that.

It's been really cold here today. This morning we were at 8 below and we never made it out of the single digits for a high plus we got about 8 new inches of snow overnight. It's getting really hard to shovel the snow as there isn't anyplace for it to go anymore. The piles are so high on the edges of the driveway now. Can't even use the snowblower for that same reason...it's a little one and it just won't blow the snow over those mounds.

Well I think that's it for me. Sorry I didn't have any picture's this time. Hopefully next time I will have something to show! Hope you all stay safe and warm during this Season!!

Happy New Year Everyone!!

I so hope that this New Year is the best yet for you all!! I have made some resolutions for myself that I hopefully accomplish. I turn 50 this year so it's time for me to look back and reflect on my life and make some major decisions for my future. I unfortunately have lots of baggage in my life that I have got to do something about....it's dragging me down and I'm just getting to old for it. The one most thing that I want to happen is to go back to school! Yes, I want to do this. I want to go into Nail Technology. This is something that I can do wherever I might end up at in life. Then in order for me to go back to school, I have to save money! There is no financial aide for this class. But I had already decided that this year I'm going to quit buying, things that I don't need. Things that I say I'm going to make or re-do and then I don't get to it. This also means that there is going to be some major decluttering! My basement is full of stuff, things that I kept that I was going to use in my booth at that shop that never came through, or makeovers....it's going, going, gone! Maybe that falls into the "baggage" description also. Anyway.............

We had a very nice Christmas. The first part of the day was at my mom's and her boyfriend's house. And then the other half of the day was at my house with my kid's.
My GS Landon doing some quick Christmas crafts.


My youngest son Kyle and his girlfriend Andrea.



My oldest son Shawn and his wife Christine. She is pretty excited at her gift, she got lots of photographer stuff.


My mom and Landon again.


My daughter Amber, Shawn and my hubby.


The Monday after Christmas and before I had decided not to spend $$...lol...that great little store...The Whistlestop Country Store was having an after Christmas sale and I got the following items.
Notice my cat Spaz has to check it all out!
The wire tree I love and those little mini stockings are so adorable!


Wallbox and candlestick holder


Snowflake sticks


Fabric covered boxes....love these!


And then Laurie, the owner....she is just the greatest and sweetest person, gave me a t-shirt that she had someone design for her to mark the store's "Twinkle Night". I love this shirt!


I have been getting alot of cross-stitching done still. Will be listing all this sometime on ebay this weekend. I have been having success there.
These are designs by Brenda Keyes, Shelly Auen, Jenny Hoffman and Cathy Livingston.





Well I think that's all I have for now. Hope you all are staying warm! Have a great rest of the weekend and week!!

I wish you all....

a Very Merry Wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! I have been so blessed with "meeting" you all and have made some wonderful new friendships! I so appreciate you all! Stay safe and warm!

Some decorating pics, giveaway I won and other misc.

Good afternoon friends!! Hope this post finds you all well, safe and warm! Some of you have been getting tons of snow and I hate to say it, but you can keep it there!

I have a few Christmas decorating pics to show you but first I want to show you something very special to me. About 6 months ago or so, my sister, whom lives in Alabama was cleaning some stuff out and came aross this cross-stitched piece that she had made for me back in 1988!! I'm pretty sure that she has cleaned since that time...lol! Anyway, she never gave it to me during all these years, probably cuz she forgot about it and didn't know where it was, anyway, she found it and mailed it off to me. I found the perfect frame and had a mat cut yesterday for it at Hobby Lobby. I still need to attach the piece to the mat but I wanted to get a quick picture of it so I just placed it in the frame. I just love it!! Kind of made me cry also! It's hard to see the color of the frame and mat in this picture, but the frame is dusty blue color with black showing through the grain and the mat is kind of marbled with the same color blue and black. It matches together so well!!





Ok, here are some decorating pictures. I hate trying to decorate, it just doesn't work for me...lol!!

Vintage Christmas aprons


My Hoosier cabinet


Sink cover


Stove cover


Yes, that's my printer and modem sitting there on the bottom shelf. No where to put them. And of course that is where the cable line comes up from the basement!








My prim tree


Other tree


Last weekend the Estate Dispersal Store was open so of course I had to go and check it out. Here are a couple of things that I got.






I also won a giveaway from Angi over at Drakestone Primitives.
Look at all this great stuff that she included. I'm just absolutely in love with this reindeer and the beeswax Santa's smell soooo good! And the reindeer ditty bag is just too darn cute!! Thanks so much Angi!!


I also have to show you this little stocking that I bought from Jody over at Primgals Primitive Palette.
It's so cute and she painted this so beautiful. The details are awesome. Everything she paints is awesome! Thanks Jody!!


I have also started on stitching up Valentine's Day items. Never too early...lol!!
These are on my ebay.
This design is by Shelly Auen from Primitive Stitchin


The next 2 designs are by Jenny Hoffman over at Country Rustic Primitives.





Well I do believe that is it for me. Just trying to get my Christmas shopping done. I have nothing wrapped yet!! Hope you all have a great rest of the week and weekend!!

I have been bad!!

...and Santa won't be visiting me! That's ok though cuz I got plenty of shopping done...online...on Black Friday. Amazon and Dell have become my best friends...ha!! So I have to apologize, I have not been posting, no excuses, just haven't done it.

Remember back when I posted about being called to work for a couple of days in The Estate Dispersal Store? Well I actually ended up working the whole week for the owner and that is a job I would love to have all the time! I'm hoping she will call me back for this month...lol! And I do have some picture's of everything that I got there.





Holly Sugar sack


These 2 books about Iowa during the Depression, thought they would be interesting.


1.00...never used! I remember constantly doing this when I was younger!


This blanket that someday I will cut the fringe off of it and tea-dye it and use as a blanket for the end of my bed.


This Valet she was going to put in the trash so I grabbed it. The seat needs reovered though.


Another 1.00...never used.


That is pretty much it. Been trying to get some Christmas decorating done. That darn Spaz just won't stay away from the tree. It was on the floor yesterday!! Water bottle and rubber bands, here I come...lol!! Oh, and that VERY part-time job that I told you about? It didn't work out. Waited 3 weeks to hear from the Supervisor, I finally emailed him and said this was not going to work out since there obviously wasn't any work, he wanted to know if no communication was the problem??? WHAT?? Well duh! You never contacted me until I decided to quit! They did pay me for my online training and yesterday I got my name badge in the mail...ha!! Geez!!!

Been doing lots of cross stitching, all listed on ebay. Some have sold. I also closed my Etsy shop, just wasn't anything happening over there, of course I never promoted it so that's my fault. I took everything out of there and put on ebay. Some painted stuff that I did when I was painting. This is the latest cross-stitching that I did.



Well I think that is it for now. Have a wonderful week-end everyone!!

Thankgiving

Just wanted to pop on here and wish you all a very Happy Thankgiving! May you all be blessed with love, family, and good friends! Travel safely!

Giveaway at The Whistle Stop Country Store blog

Hi all! Laurie is having a secret giveaway on her blog for reaching over 100 followers! Go on over and enter!!

"Do you decorate more with SNoWmeN or SaNtAs for the Holidays?

Answer this question to be entered for a chance to win a
Whistle Stop holiday SURPRISE!

Let people know about the give away on your blog and I'll enter you twice!"

Last day to enter
Friday, November 19th!
Drawing will be held
Saturday, November 20th!