Happy Thanksgiving Dear Friends

Wishing all who stop by The Happiest of Thanksgivings.

I am SO very thankful for YOU!

"All we have is all we need." S.B.Breathnach

"I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new." Ralph W. Emerson

Thanksgiving Eve

I am waiting for my daughter Jaci and her boyfriend Oliver to arrive here from the airport! I can't sit still so am giving you a tour of what's happening at my house on this Thanksgiving Eve. Frank, Ashley and the dogs are sound asleep ( it is after midnight.) I have my list ready for tomorrow morning and glasses handy! Turkey cookies are ready for there place at each place setting. I found Coke in vintage looking glass bottles and just had to have them.My fridge is "stuffed" with 2 turkeys and all the trimmings ~ including 2 pounds of shrimp which I snuck into when no one was looking! Freezer is full too~ anyone care for a Bubba Burgar? I have had the worst luck taking a good picture of all my Christmas trees so instead I took views from different areas as I walked through the house.One of the pictures is really just the reflection in my mirror~ can you guess which one?

What a Wonderful Way to Spend A Sunday Afternoon!

My day is New York was a joy. I didn't get to the city till almost 1:30 so had to rush right over to the theater. I took Madison Ave. to 34th and all the bead and trim shops were closed.I did pass a Payless ~ a store I don't like here in Ct. but the ones in New York are set up more like a boutique! Each shoe is spot lighted on a nice display ~ no funny plastic smell when you walk in.I bought 2 pairs of shoes ~ one black and grey high heal with a cute bow on the side and a sensible brown suede walking shoe (all for $39.00!). I decided to wear the high heal until I got blisters and then switch to the walking shoe! Paula White, Darryl Strawberry and Vicky Winan were SO inspiring. I was seated in the VIP section ~ a sweet example of my dear "Daddy" in heaven giving me a little nudge and "I love You" wink! I felt as though my feet weren't even touching the ground as I exited the Hammerstein Theater and walked down 34th towards Macy's (now in my sensible shoes).It was dark and the holiday windows were in all their glory. As I looked up in front of me ~ the Empire State Building stood proud and strong.There was a feeling of excitement in the air.... and of goodwill. The closed theaters on Broadway have not kept the crowds away.As I headed towards Grand Central to catch my train ~ even the side streets were comfortably filled with people for a Sunday night.I am in awe of the magic I feel in the City ~ especially there alone. I can enjoy every sound,smell and taste ~ without distraction. Please enjoy the pictures ~ some are a bit fuzzy because of the glass, a bit of drizzle falling and my excitement! Included are pic's of The New York Library, Macy's & Lord and Taylor holiday windows and Times Square.I will be headed back for the Christmas Show at Radio City Music Hall on the 27th and will try to catch more magic to share with you then! (enlarge the 7th picture down on this post and see if your name is on Santas list!)

Two Ways of Braving The Cold

My husband is quite sure this is the fish he will be catching today so is declining my plea to join me to see Paula White, Darryl Strawberry and The Winans in New York City today.Instead he will be braving the cold in waders on our Naugatuck River. I however ~ will find refuge from the cold in every bead and trim shop between Grand Central and The Hammerstein Theater on 34th Street. Enjoy your Sunday!

A Touch of Heaven from Pat

"A mind that is stretched to a new idea never returns to it's original dimension." Oliver Holmes ~ I recently heard this saying and thought of my dear friend Pat. Her single idea of making a few dolls for abused woman has grown with leaps and bounds and has brought hundreds of smiles to faces that didn't have one. I just received one of the 50 charms she has sent to those who have participated thus far in the Comfort Doll Project http://www.comfortdolls.blogspot.com/ When I see Patricia A. Winter on the return address label ~ I know whatever is inside is filled with LOVE. This was no exception. One more saying that makes me think of Pat ~ "To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to LIVE gratitude is to touch Heaven."

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas at My Home

My vintage aprons are hanging from the kitchen hook waiting for cookie baking time. I have spent every Christmas that I can remember since childhood with the vintage Santa. He used to be attached to a music box and now suffers from a broken foot but I love him dearly just the same!I live 50% in the past at this time of year. A holiday song, an ornament or a Christmas smell are all likely to send me back to my childhood and my children's.I let myself feel all the emotions ~ good and bad~ it can be a very healing time. This state of LaLa Land is also what keep's me skipping along when my brain is on holiday overload. La La Lala La :)

One Heart Blesses The Other

I wanted to share a wonderful story with you. A few week's ago ~ i planned a 2 day tag sale. The first day was a rainy, windy day but something told me to have it anyway. About an hour into it ~ a man stopped by. He was looking for a bank and wasn't quite sure why he stopped.As I tryed to help him locate the bank ~ he said it had been 2 weeks ago to the day that he had buried his wife.He expressed his sorrow ~ tearful at times. We were lost in conversation when a woman stopped to look at my things for sale. I hadn't noticed that she was a neighbor up the street that I only seen to run into at "God appointed" moments. She was there for about 5 minutes ~ then excused herself for over hearing our conversation and expressed her own sorrow over loosing several loved ones in the last 2 years. She went on to give the most moving testament of God's love and tenderness. Both of us had our hands on my visitors shoulders as he wept. We could all feel the Lords love raining down on us.My visitor probably stayed for close to 2 hours.When he left ~ I was overcome with joy that the Lord had used my neighbor and myself to bring a moments peace to this dear man. A few days later ~ I was having an especially bad day. I went outside to get some fresh air and next to my gate was this amazing Angel with a note "Thanks for listening." I was moved beyond measure. Only God knew how much I have wanted such a beautiful piece as this for my garden. I am in awe at how God uses us to bless each other.Never underestimate the times you feel moved to help others. It is in these moments that we become clear vessals which our Dear Lord is able to move though and do his work in the most unlikely and unexpected ways.

A Childrens Holiday Apron

A sweet children's apron with vintage velvet rick rack and button ~ my latest addition to etsy.

(update ~ this apron is sold)

Check out this Beautiful Yarn!

I wish I could get a better picture of this drop dead gorgeous yarn! I am not a knitter ~ yet ~ but when I layed eye's on the scarf my friend Tammy was making out of this product ~ I knew I had to share it with you! I imagine it could be beautifully couched into a crazy quilt . It is SO beautiful in person! It is a made of wool,silk,and bamboo blend.What an amazing gift for the knitter on your list! Tammy owns "Yarn It All" and can be contacted at www.yarnknitall.com

A Good Catch!

Our good friend Craig invited my husband Frank to go fishing today ~ just look at this beauty Frank caught! This was a lake in Lichfield Hills in the western part of Ct. not far from our home. Frank put's most of what he catches back. This big guy is happily swimming in his big lake and not in our tummy.

New Items for Etsy

I thought my friends who enjoy the Cottage Look would enjoy seeing these pillows I just listed on Etsy. (update ~ "Thinking of You" is sold)

Comfort Dolls Ready to Go

Ten Happy Bears filled with Love are sewed,packed and ready to go to Pat Winter for the wonderful Comfort Doll Project :) http://www.comfortdolls.blogspot.com/

Look What Jumped In My Cart At Walmart???

Can you believe the nerve! I am minding my own business at Walmart and look what appears in my cart? Crazy!

It's Nov. 6 ~ Time to Decorate!

Oh heaven help me ~ I've started decorating for Christmas. This afternoon after work ~ I lit my Evergreen Yankee Candle, put on a Christmas CD and started what will be a 2 week journey up and down the attic stairs! Thanksgiving and Christmas are living side by side on my hutch! I have a tree addiction that was further aggravated last year by a tinsel tree addiction. Lime green, silver, hot pink ~ I've got them all! I noticed Walmart has a pink tinsel tree on sale this week. I haven't been there ~ yet.......

Vintage Book Review

This book is a true account of the author Catherine Elizabeth Havens. It describes her life in New York City in the years 1849 - 1850 from a 10 year old point of view. She talks about a city of close knit neighborhoods and folks truly watching out for each other.

Scarlet Fever was running ramped and several of her family members became sick with it. Here is a funny passage where she describes two frequent visitors to her home.

"Miss Carew makes my things. She is an old maid, and very fussy, and Ellen and I don't like her. She wears little bunches of curls behind her ears, and when she is cutting out she screws up her mouth, and we try not to laugh. ~ There is another person called Miss Platt who comes to sew carpets, and although we don't despise her, which would be very wicked, for my mother says she comes of an excellent old Long Island family, yet Ellen and I don't like to have her use our forks and drink out of our cups. She is very tall and thin and has a long neck that reminds Ellen and me of a turkey gobbler, and her thumb-nails are all flattened from hammering down carpets, and she puts up her front hair in little rings and sticks big pins through them. Ellen and I try to pick out a nicked cup for her to use so that we can recognize it and avoid it."

Here is another passage where she describes a dress she wore in a picture which she called a ambrotype.Try to picture this ~ "I have on a blue and white foulard dress, and it is made with a basque, and the basque is trimmed with blue satin ribbon about an inch wide, box pleated and quilled, and I have on my black lace mitts, and some Valenciennes lace in my sleeves, and my hair is braided and put around my ears. "

Lastly ~ here is a song on the last page ~

THE WOOD ROBIN

a song of the eighteenth century

Stay, sweet enchanter of the grove,

Leave not so soon thy native tree,

Oh, warble still those notes of love,

While my fond heart responds to thee!

Rest thy soft bosom on the spray,

Till chilly Autumn frowns severe,

Then charm me with thy parting lay,

And I will answer with a tear.

But soon as Spring, enriched with flowers.

Comes dancing o'er the new drest plain,

Return and cheer thy native bowers,

My robin, with thy notes again!

This book was given to a girl named Emily U. Goodan and signed ~ from her friend Catherine Elizabeth Havens

(the author) 1920 ~ Stamford, Ct.

This book was delightful to read :)

Notable Quotes

What you can walk away from ~

you've mastered.

What you can't walk away from ~

Has mastered you.

and another........

"I honor every woman who has the strength enough to step out of the beaten path when she feels that her walk lies in another." Harriet Hosmer

My Endless Hug From Pat

Just look at the beautiful treasure's that landed on my doorstep this week. Never has a simple etsy purchase made me feel so special and loved. Most anyone who has stumbled onto my blog has been to Pat Winter's first. http://gatherings100.blogspot.com/ She is the angel of blog land in my eye's and has done so much to promote kindness and goodwill. Her work is a treasure to behold and the love weaved through her work is felt by the receiver of it. Thank you dear friend for making my heart skip a beat and for the endless hug I will feel wearing your work's of art! http://patwintergatherings.etsy.com/

Etsy purchase from Umintsuru

Pictured is an etsy purchase I just received! I first saw the link to Wendy's blog on Pat Winter's blog http://gatherings100.blogspot.com/and went gaga when I saw this necklace that she had hand crafted! I am so bored with typical department store jewelery. These hand crafted pieces have heart and soul that can be felt when you wear them. She also included these lovely matching earrings and everything arrived in such lovely packaging! I am so pleased with her jewelery and encourage you all to go take a look at her beautiful work! http://www.umintsuru.blogspot.com/

p.S. It was very exciting to receive a package from Singapore!

A Happy Miscellany Swap ~ received

This is all the cool stuff I received from Christi at Charmed I'm Sure http://charmed-charmedimsure.blogspot.com/ It includes a small scrapbook that does not seem so overwhelming to sit and do in an evening and some cute Halloween motif's. It has inspired me to drag out my big scrapbooking bag on wheels and get cracking again! Thanks Chrisi!

A Grey Gloomy Day Turn's to Sunshine :)

Sat. morning was one of those grey cold and gloomy day's we sometimes have in November here in New England. I decided to start the day driving to Oxford ~ the next town over ~ to attend a Holiday Fair. I had some cash tucked away from my tag sale a few weeks ago and was in a spending mood!I was able to get Frank his favorite soap from Sunflower Farm http://www.sunflowerfarm.com/ who had a booth there but sadly nothing else struck my fancy. As I pulled out of the parking lot ~ I noticed a sign saying BARN SALE. I pulled up this long driveway to a beautiful vintage home sitting high on a hill ~ overlooking the center of Oxford. I tried not to trip over myself getting out of the car ~ heh! heh! ~ cash burning a hole in my pocket! The first thing I noticed as I walked in were 2 corner shelves. Just the night before I was hanging some pictures and wishing for a few of these to fill some lonely corners in my home. Did I mention they were marked only $5.00 each! ( the pic of the other one turned out too dark but is a beauty!) I could feel my giddy self starting to overheat as I tried to remain calm! In the background ~ James the owner had piles of albums and was playing one on a real record player!To my left was a variety of colorful glass items from the 50's. The price ~ $1.00 each! I quickly decided I would buy the entire pile ~ ~ ~ until I went upstairs to more heavenly treasures and saw this wonderful R. Atkinson Fox print. James had alot of information about the print but I was too excited to write it down at the time.

You feel as though you can step right into it the scene ~ it took my breath away! I could hear my Mom's voice say "It's better to have one really nice thing." so I knew I would have to buy it and forgo bringing home the entire pile of 50's glass item's. I did manage to bring home the precious little orange flower pot, vase, coaster's etc. At the bottom of the coasters it says "not an ashtray" ~ oh such days of innocence gone by! Notice the beautiful doily! I thought it made a perfect cover for my water. James beautiful wife , Terry came out to the barn for a minute. She is a portrait artist. Later in the day ~ I went to their web site and was blown away by her talent. http://www.terryjamesart.com/ Driving home ~ I felt so blessed to find such bargains and to have met such an interesting couple. My gloomy day turned to SUNSHINE! P.S. notice the maple tree outside my kitchen window ~ still green as a summer day on November 3rd!