Christmas Day

Hi there everyone. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Day. Our day was quiet....just the three of us. 

For dinner, I made oven fries, steak, salad and cauliflower. Yummy. I forgot to pull out the cheese cake in the freezer...maybe I will save that for New Years Day.

I was going to insert a video here showing our Christmas day...but it did not work...maybe some other time.

I bought this cross for JP at Hobby Lobby. It caught my eye. JP is always quoting this when he is having his arm pains.  "The Battle is not yours but God's"  2 Chron. 20:15

JP's new slippers. $15.00 on clearance at Shopko. They should hold him over for a couple of months. He usually starts wearing them as regular shoes to work, cause his feet hurt, lots of corns. He is now wearing a size 15....geez those are big feet!!!

Here you see Kylie begging at the table....hoping to get a piece of steak or cauliflower, no potato's hard to digest. She has not been feeling good these last couple of weeks. As I write this post though....she had one of her good days...I hope she starts feeling better soon.

Well, it is getting late and JP will be home from work in about 5 minutes. I have soup made, pizza and salad. Hope you enjoyed the video....it's sort of silly but it's us. Keep looking up....better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise

Christmas Decorations, Cookies and a Few Cards

Hi there everyone....hope you have gotten everything done and are enjoying the Christmas Festivities. I have always felt that Christmas is like a wedding....all the planning, buying, wrapping, fighting traffic, cooking, baking, decorating, visiting, eating, presents, everything involved, right up to the very last moment. Then, then, then, it is all over like in the twinkling of an eye. Sometimes it is such a let down...all that work and it is all over. When I worked at the Salvation Army, it was even more so....Christmas at the Salvation Army can be so, so, so very hectic, but very rewarding. But the next day and the next week.....gone, over and out!!!

Well, just one more day and Christmas will be here. This year, I turned my Christmas tree into a patriotic tree with the red. white and blue lights and decorations. I was going to get a few more flags and stick them in the tree....but one is fine....you get the idea.

Here is my village with the lights on. I did rearrange the village a bit and put a small box under the cotton to raise the house up next to the Church and below the light house. A little reconstruction there.

Here is the village with the lights off. Pretty cool. I like to add something new to the village every year....but I think I am running out of space.

Outside decorations, just a few lights to brighten things up a bit.

Here's a view from the other side of the house and my camera was set for "fireworks" I thought it would work, but I think not.

Here are some cards I made for 3 ladies at the Dental Office. The receptionist and my Dental Hygienist and JP's Hygienist. They liked the cards very much.

Cookies, cookies, cookies....these are my Ritz cookies. Make a sandwich of peanut butter and Ritz crackers. Refrigerate, then dunk the crackers in melted chocolate and sprinkle with sprinkles then refrigerate. Very easy peasy. Tomarrow I may make some more cookies, simple cookies called "Mama's Cookies" They should be fun to make.

I don't know if I showed you this card or not, but in case you missed it...it's a vintage Santa from a napkin, I glued him on card stock then embellished him with a snowflake, sequins, gems and fancy papers.

This Snowman family is recycled from a card....I just used glitter glue to embellish the card. Had some flock paper and used that for the background.

Well....I am mostly done with Christmas....just have a few gifts to wrap. I bought JP a "Cross" it says "The Battle is the Lords" (I will take a picture of it, once it is on the wall.) Thought he would like that as a reminder. Made some Hot Cocoa Mix in a Mason Jar for him and the Pastor. JP also got a pair of slippers...his slipper wear out pretty fast because he ends up wearing them to work because his feet hurt so bad. I also colored a bird and framed it.

Christmas dinner I will make steak and potatoes and salad. Sounds good to me....yes? Well, I think I will close this post down. It's going on 9pm and I want to get a couple of miles on my bike yet tonight, That will be 12 miles this week, kind of behind for the month. My goal is 35 miles for the month....not sure it is doing any good, but my scale is going down a few Oz's. a day, so that is good.

Talk to you later and have a great Christmas day.....keep looking up cause better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise

Doing Christmas - Cards, Eggs & Votives

Hi there everyone. Gosh...Christmas is getting away with us isn't it....8 more days and all this rush, rush, will be over with. I have everything done that needs to be done. Decorations up, cards out, cookies made.

I did make some interesting cookies the other day and they were very simple...I should take a picture before they all disappear. Ritz crackers, spread with peanut butter then made into sandwiches,  dunked in melted chocolate then covered with sprinkles and refrigerated. I already gave some to the Schwan's man...he said they were right up his alley. He likes Ritz crackers, peanut butter and chocolate....who doesn't huh????

My next project will be to make "MaMa's Cookies" I had a taste of them this past Wednesday at our Card Making Christmas Party. One of the ladies who is from Denmark, made them...gosh were they good, like little pancakes. Lis gave me the recipe after she changed it from grams to ozs. Think I will make them tomorrow or Monday.

In the above picture are the little votives I made for the ladies. Aren't they cute. The die cut is from Tim Holtz, called "Trees" I then ran some vellum through the cuttlebug with the embossing folder from Stampin'up called "Snowflakes" (I think) I added a punched out circle for the moon. Glued the trees and vellum together and wrapped it around the votive. They liked it....Betty wants to borrow my die cut....she must have a great idea to use with it. Can hardly wait to see what she comes up with.

In the above picture are the cards I gave the ladies or close to it. (these cards are going into my Etsy store after I do this post.) I brought samples of the paper and showed them how I made the tree....I am sure they all will be making these trees also.

This is what I brought to the party. "Angel Eggs" or famously known as Deviled Eggs. Betty had Ham, buns and cranberry sauce. Sue brought bacon wrapped chestnuts in BBQ sauce. Lis brought the Mama Cookies and Joan brought crackers and liver paste.....everything was delicious and all blended well with each other. I am thinking there were no calories in any of the food we ate....lol...kidding of course!!!

These are a few of the cards we made. The chickadee in the top picture. Colored in with Copic markers....Betty gave us bow makers that she made....so we can make our own bows now. She also gave us a BIG spool of ribbon.....I got yellow ribbon. So you may just see many cards made with yellow ribbon. A good Easter and Spring color.

This card was absolutely beautiful. The picture does not do it justice though. The background is gold sparkle paper. The poinsettia was stamped with "Staz-on" on one side of the acetate and we colored the other side with copic markers. Otherwise mixing Alcohol ink with Staz-on would smear. Sure is a beautiful card. I may just keep this card and frame it. Lis made a beautiful card also that is worthy of being framed....I have a bunch of frames in the basement. That should be one of my projects this winter, framing cards.

Apparently I did not take a picture of the other cards that were made. That will be for another post in a few days. I was only able to make 3 cards....the 4th card, I had to leave otherwise I would be late getting home and making JP's lunch and fixing him something to eat before he leaves for work. Sometimes.....it is just plan hard sharing a car....but in the end, it is cheaper....gas, insurance and car repairs would be doubled I guess.

Well, I guess I will cut this post short....it's getting kind of late and I need to get downstairs and ride my bike for a couple of miles. Been very laxed in doing that lately. I really need to try and lose 10 - 20 pounds this winter. I know I would feel better and maybe my blood sugars would not be so high.

Well you all have a great evening and relaxing Sunday....keep looking up ~ better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise

I Love This Song "Jerusalem"

Hi there everyone....Thought you would enjoy this beautiful song....I sure do like it, no, I mean love it. Could listen to it over and over again. Bet it is even better being there to experience the Worship.


Well, today we watched the snow, snowing and JP shoveling it. Good thing, it was light snow. I watched the Packers win 38-10 and I watched the Chicago Blackhawks win 3-1. Good games today.

We didn't go to church today because of the snow. Our travels to Forest Junction (round trip) is 32 miles, to watch Jimmy Swaggart Ministries from Baton Rouge, LA on the big screen 60" at church. So, because of the snow, JP did not want to go, I am glad. I can watch the Church service on my little screen 32" at home.

I got most of my village up (will take pictures soon)....tomorrow I will work on Christmas cards. Maybe Tuesday I can get them into the mail along with Pop's Christmas present, a box of cookies and candy, headed for LasVagas. All will be well.

Next thing on the agenda is my card making day on Wednesday at Betty's. We have a little party, snacks and making cards and exchange little gifts. My next blog I will show you what I made for the ladies. My snack, will be "angel eggs" I am figuring for now....I can get a free dozen of eggs at Pic n Save this week, if I spend another $25.00.....we'll see about that.

So much business for Christmas and to think it is not even Jesus' birthday. I have heard that he actually was born in April. December 25th is a day to remember Him.

Anyways, I am getting most everything done....then I can enjoy Christmas....I guess. Still have to buy something for JP but I have to wait till I get some $$$ and the pay check is coming 1 day before Christmas Eve (I don't shop on Christmas Eve). JP's SS is coming 3 days before Christmas Eve. My SS comes 3 days after Christmas.....so that won't work well either. Oh well, he already got some socks and he is getting a hair cut from me....so what more does a guy need??? He will probably give me some money to go buy myself something....I will wait till after Christmas for the sales.

Well, I suppose I should cut this post short. Hope you enjoy the song Jerusalem. Keep looking up....better days are coming.
Cheers ~ Louise

A Few Snowmen Decorations

Hi there everyone. How are you doing with your Christmas decorations. I am almost done, just have my village to put up and I might get that done tonight....probably after the hockey game. Hawks and Rangers are still tied 0-0.... with 9 minutes to go.

Shoot.....Hawks lost....1-0 in overtime.

Thought I would give you a few shots of my snowmen through out the house. Here they are.

 This Votive Snowman sits on the TV table....can you see, I am watching the NHL Network???

 This ceramic Snowman is pretty old. My mother gave it to me when JP and I were first married. So he is at least 43 years old.

 I bought this Snowman candy dish last summer at a garage sale...cute isn't he? Candy is good too...Lindor Chocolate mint. One a day keeps the Doctor away????

 This is a Snowman ornament that hangs on my lamp, watching me as I play on my computer. He has been around for a long time too, not sure when I got him....I think he was a gift.

 I bought this Snowman door hanger this year at Shopko....I think I need another door hanger for the back door.

 This Snowman ornament hangs in the center piece on the dinning room table.

This Snowman is sitting on the front porch. Now there is a story behind this Snowman. This was the first Christmas gift JP gave me back in 1971, so it's 45 years old. I was very disappointed though....because I honestly thought he would give me an engagement ring....but alas, this Snowman and Santa Claus were in the box (Mr Santa got sold at a garage sale many years ago.) JP never did give me an engagement ring....he is not that kind of guy. When we did get married, I had to buy my own ring.....nice, huh???

This Snowman is sitting on the front porch in the planter.....he wiggles around when the sun is shinning.....I might put him in the car on the dashboard....we need a little smile each day when we take off in the car. I heard it might be easy to find the car, course I always park in the same spots at the different stores I shop at. So maybe that would not be a problem for me.

Well, I hope you liked my little tour of Snowmen....I think there are more....in my village, which I need to set up before JP comes home in two hours....better get cracking here.

You all have a great night and keep looking up ~~ better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise

Christmas and Stuffed Steak Roll

Hi there everyone. How are your Christmas plans going?? Been a little slow getting my decorations up....still have 4 boxes of decorations yet to unload...my Christmas village, lights on the front porch. Christmas cards to finish and mail. Cookies made, have to send a batch to my step-father in LasVegas. Just doing a little bit each day, maybe eventually it will all get done.

Made these stuffed steak rolls tonight...oh yummy were they delicious!!!! Of course mine did not look like this. I think next time I shall get the steak butterflied and pound it a little bit more. The recipe called for flank steak. Which I had. Pounded it out, but it could have used more. 3 tablespoons of garlic, 1 onion and chopped up mushrooms. Cook in oil with salt and pepper. Cover the mixture over the steak. A layer of spinach and a layer provolone cheese. Roll up the steak and stick picks in each slice to keep them together. Fry in oil to brown, then place in a pan 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes. Oh yummy so good. I will probably do some roasted fries and Brussels sprouts yet tonight before JP gets home.

I think I might make this again using a thinner steak, will have to keep my eye open to the deals.

Well, time to close this one....I know it's is short....but really, not much going on for now.

Well, my Chicago Blackhawks won tonight 4-0 so that was a good game. You all have a great evening and keep looking up......better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise