Pink Sweets

How could February already be here? Do our lives just get so busy that it just whizzes if you don't reach out and slow it down, by enjoying every moment we can? I think that's the key, to enjoy what we have, while we have it, for as long as it's ours!

And now that February is here, I thought I'd share this cute page out of this darling book I have that is crammed with all kinds of fun kid projects, that could be taken a notch higher and turned into really fun projects. I didn't copy any of the projects yets, to share, but I did copy a page of yummy recipes for you. Actually, the jello one is one that I've made for years. If you have fresh strawberries, you can add them to it. Grandma used to actually make this with softened vanilla ice cream, which we called, you guessed it, "Ice Cream Jello!" Mmm, you'll like it. Hmmm, the Snow Cake sounds different. Do you use un-cooked egg whites in your home? I usually stay away from that idea, myself. I know I could never make that recipe for anything to sell. I have a licensed home bakery, and the USDA rules would definitely be against that one. But I don't know, I may try it for home. This book is from 1954, I'm sure people ate it and are still alive to tell about it. What about the Cranberry Punch?? I'm definitely going to make this for my kids!

Things that are important.

A recent view from my home.

Things that happen in life, make us take time to reflect, to look with awe on the life we've already lived, the memories we have already stored up for the future. Today, I went to a memorial for a friend. We all have people in our lives, who leave our lives. We will eventually leave the lives we love, those we love. And it is today that makes what tomorrow will become.

We laugh, we love, we remember those things that we cherished, even those things that hurt us, that stretched us beyond what we think we can endure. But in the end, if we don't waste what we are given, we will have it in the future. We will have that memory that was for a time buried, but in the right moment, returns to us.
In the day I spent, I saw friends I haven't seen for 30 years. We laughed and talked about things that I was surprised to remember, after those same people reminded me. I've thought about that all day, that it takes people in our lives, it takes lives spent, it takes vulnerability to be ourselves, to be real, to be able to come back and re-experience things that we are actually surprised to find are still hidden away in our memories. I've come to the conclusion, that we are truly blessed, to live our lives. To spend them, to even waste them at times. I laughed with friends, telling them, that OK, let's forget that little space of time when I lived that way. Can we just jump ahead to a time when I learned from that mistake? And laugh I did. No, we don't all have the very same lives. I laughed to myself, that some of my friends probably drove a car to the memorial, that was something I would have loved to drive. But that's OK, it really isn't important. It isn't important how much we aquire, what is important, that we are loved. That we love. I came home to a husband working in the yard with the kids. I came home to a husband that was explaining to our 10 year old twin boys, that yes, they have to work hard today, but that they aren't always asked to work that hard. He went on to tell them that hard work is a very good thing for them. That he actually hadn't ever had to advertise that he is a carpenter, that he can build a good house. That people see if we are good workers, that we do a good job, and that our integrity will be our advertising. He went on to tell them that we do what we can to please our Lord, He will provide everything we need. We may be tested, but He will bring us through. And so I thought, no, I don't drive the nicest car, I don't have all the nicest things money can buy, but I have love, and I have the privilege to live a life, to even make mistakes along the way, but in the end, to come out thankful that we had the chance to make those memories, to experience that love that came our way.

Lost in Blog Land

You can print this one, cut it, and turn it around to be just like the original.

Another one to print, cut, and fold.

Front

Back, print both sides, paste together, and they stand up. (Hope you understand me!)

I love to read blogs. If you're reading this, then you probably often get lost on other people's blogs. I learn a lot from other people. I love to meet people on blogs. I just think they offer a really neat way to communicate, and for a lot of people, there isn't a lot of time, or money to just go, like you can when you visit a blog.

I was reading this morning on Garden Antqs Vintage blog. If you've read it, you'll know she was reflecting on things that really give you thought, make you stop and consider, what's important, what direction is your life going, stuff like that. (She says it better.) I love to be inspired like this! And it makes me so appreciate what I have.

I try very hard not to focus on what I don't have. If I did, I would at times be in tears. My husband and I have been working very hard on getting out of debt, so that means giving up spending on things we normally would. I've been driving my junky car, IMO, way too long, but I don't want a car payment. It's not that bad, and I'm really not vain about cars at all. I can't tell one kind of car from another most of the time, because it's not really important to me. But mine is getting UP THERE in miles, and it concerns me, but I'm on a plan, and I'm sticking to it.

The car's just one of those things. We have stuff here that's not finished, although my husband builds gorgeous homes for other people. Sometimes that bugs me. Not that I don't live in one of those gorgeous homes, because I could, if I wanted to pay for one. It's the unfinished part that sometimes drives me crazy! But then I think, my husband works hard in the miserable weather, laboring very hard, and coming home to what he loves. His family. His nice warm fire. A good dinner. I can't blame him for not finishing this house, when he is playing with our kids! That's the important thing.

So. We could all find things we don't have. What's important is to appreciate what we do have.

I love living in the country. I love that in my small town, we have 1, yes one, stoplight. That means we have no traffic, except for the touring season when people drive through on their way to the beach, which is only 45 minutes from home. I love that I don't have to have a "job" and leave home. I do have kids to homeschool, and work at home to do, but, actually, I've been given a huge gift in that my husband loves me to be home. I can do that!

So these are the things that Garden Antqs blog made me consider. Another thing I have been thinking about, and her blog is a great example of this, is blog favorites lists. You know, the lists on the side of a lot of blogs, where the blogger puts some of their current favorite blogs they like to visit? I LOVE those. I was thinking mine was getting kind of long. Hers is even longer. But I have to say, I love that she keeps her blogging friends list. A LOT of blogs I follow, have deleted their favorite blogs list. I'm sure there are lots of reasons. But they seem to become less personal, at least to me. And less fun. When you see a blog you love, and they list "their" favorites, you get an idea of what the person loves, who "they" are, because of who they hang around with. Yes, if you sell things, it's great to use your blog to link to your sales, to your website, to your Etsy or Ebay stores. I love that, too. OK, that's my complaint, but, I can be thankful that there are still fun blogs out there that keep their "favorites" links. I'll be content with that, but please don't everone give up their lists lol. I love them!

I'm sharing with you some of my many, many Valentine's. You can copy them and use them if you want. I just love Valentines. I have a lot of Victorian ones, but I adore the ones from the 30s through the 60s. Just so cute.

Fun Finds

This time of year, I get, like everyone else in the rainy areas, a, how shall I put it....totally frustrating desire to go garage saling, only there aren't many this time of the year here in rainy NW Oregon. So, you do like everyone else, you go to thrift stores, you go to junk stores, you just find ways to make it through the dreary winter, where the rain pours, but the junk finds dry up. And then, finally, some good junk comes into your path, and you grab it, and since finds are more rare these days, you go to your blog, and you do a show and tell!

So, here are my finds from a fun trip to Portland Saturday. We even got a little later start than I prefer, but hey, the housework was done, and I LOVE to come home with all the work done!

I came across these ironstone pieces, all shoved into a broken shoe box. They may have at one time been someone's treasure, as the bottoms had this stickly substance I had to clean off, like they were stuck to a shelf in fear of falling to the floor during a hurricane. I thought they were even chippier (if that's a word) than they turned out to be, they just needed cleaned. That was a fun thing to find!

My daughter found some jeans she loved, got washed up, was happy with. We always seem to find things for "someone else", and this time, my husband spent some time on his cell, trying to determine if he should buy some bar stools for our daughter. I'm thinking, we don't have much time hear, we need to hit the stores, look, buy and leave, not do phone tag! Turned out, like I tried to tell him, it wasn't what she wanted, but I'm glad he was thinking of her!

I found some neat old embroidered dish towels, some other things, and other small things. I think one of my favorite finds, though, was this bluish-greenish typewriter! I thought it was awesome! So, I did get to do "some" junking. We didn't make it to the "pound store" this trip, but I haven't found much there lately anyway.

Sometimes I have to ask myself, "Why, self, do you need more junk, when you already have a bunch of stuff to work with?" Well, some people have shoes, some people have clothes, I have....junk....to play with! It is, after all, about the thrill of the hunt, right? The treasure that catches your eye, when everyone else thinks, "it's junk!" I know a LOT of people who love good junk! Maybe I should label it....a treasure!

Speaking of treasures, my friend Jana, is having a flea market in our town on January 16th, at the Legion Hall in Clatskanie. She asked if I'd mention it, and if anyone would like a space, she's doing it for $20. a table. The proceeds are going for a mission trip she is going on, and right now I can't remember what country she is going to, but it's for a great cause, and for a great price! A fun way to spend a Saturday! I know a few people who are planning to be included, I'm looking forward to it! If you're interested, let me know and I'll get you in touch with her.

In With the Old, Out with the New

Well, my title has more to do with vintage stuff, than a time of year. But, this being the New Year coming up, I've been rushing this week to beat the new year. My tree's came down a couple days ago, and all the Christmas ornaments are put away. I think for another month of so, I'll leave my husband's lead skater figures out for a winter scene. In a month, I except spring to be here haha! I actually mowed the lawn on Monday! It was cold out, but I really did it just to suck the last of the leaves up in the bagger. I hate raking that huge maple tree up!

Beating the New Year for me also means getting my house organized a bit. Get a grip on things that have become out of order. My sewing/crafting room for instance. Here it is after midnight and I just finished doing some major cleaning in here. It doesn't look as good as it should yet, b/c I have boxes of stuff still set out to take pictures of and get on Etsy. But I do have a goal, and it will happen!

This holiday season has been very busy for me with baking bread. I'm really glad to be taking a break from it. It's giving me a chance to get these things caught up before we get back to homeschooling next week. I went out today and checked my greenhouse. Ooops, I lost a great big indoor houseplant I had left out there to repot. We'll see if it can revive itself soon. I've got a list of my seeds I want to order from an organic seed company this year and am anxious to get that all going, so I can be outside. Where it's bright. And warm. (As long as I'm in the greenhouse!)

You know how magazines often come a couple weeks before the month they are actually for? Every year when it's Christmas, I get the January Martha Stewart 2 weeks before Christmas. I told my daughter I was leaving it in it's wrapper until the day after Christmas. I always do. Before Christmas gets here, I don't want anyone or anything hurrying me through it. It comes fast enough as it is. But when you get the Martha magazine, it's usually all about cleaning, organizing, setting goals.....and I just can't face it until Christmas is over. Being silly, she went ahead and opened it early. OK, I finally read it. It wasn't as full of the cleaning and organizing as it usually is, so I was glad to see I was ahead of the game of cleaning and organizing lol.

I've got a lot of stuff to get put in my Etsy shop. I'm working on parting with some Valentines, too. I have a pretty big bunch of them. I have one box of vintage cards that I may have mentioned before; I got them from a trip we took to the Wallowa's, from Karla, at Jingle Bob Vintitques. Actually Randy bought me two boxes, and one was full of cards done by the same artist, many of them are her prototypes. I put a couple of the cards I got from Karla on my blog. I'll have to get out the rosy cheeked ones and share some with you. I'm a sucker for Valentines. I like them the way I like the Napco Christmas figurines, only they're easier to come by. I have a lot of Victorian styled ones, but my favorites?? Yep, the 50's or 60's! They have those cute little round rosy-cheeked faces. They remind me of the days when I was in school. We'd make big envelopes all decorated and when we had our Valentine's party (my mom always gave the party, because she was ALWAYS my class's "Room Mother") they'd be taped to the front of our desks and we'd put them in all the kids envelopes. I just thought that was the best! To bring them home and read them and somehow believe that the cute boy really meant what his card said. And what do you do with the ones that came from the boy that you absolutely DIDN'T have a crush on, but you feared he also meant every word on his card? Yuck! In my family, you sure didn't have the other family members get ahold of those "love letters", because at dinner time, I never heard the end of the teasing. My dad would tease me until I'd be crying. So, they were private treasures that you would keep, until your mother said it was time to throw them out. I sure wish she would have let me keep them now, though!

My husband is my Valentine now. He is actually more romantic than I am over cards. He IS very serious about what the card says, and he always adds something sweet to it. Cards are a really BIG deal to him! Which is why I was embarrassed when I was trying to write a sweet thought on his Christmas card, messed up, it sounded so stupid, so I scratched it out and started over. He of course asked, "What did you scratch out?" He's into details.

I had a convo today from a lady telling me that my green thermos in my Etsy shop made it to a Treasury! That's always fun, and a great way to end on year and start another!

I hope this year is a great one with many blessings!! I do wish we could take May through October and SSSSTTTTRRRREEETTTCCCHHH it out a bit, that would be my wish. Then again, there are things I've prayed for and am so glad God didn't give me! Have a safe and Happy New Year's celebration!!!

Officially Retired...For the Whole Rest of the Year haha

How Christmas got here so quickly, I sure don't know, but here it is, the eve of Christmas Eve. It's been a really busy season for me, I've haven't counted lately how many loaves of Finnish cardamom bread I've baked this Christmas season, but I know it's at least a few hundred. My hands show it, too! Between the cold spell we had here in the northwest a couple weeks ago, and the bread, my hands are in dire need of a manicure, and it doesn't look like I'm getting one tomorrow. I do have a great mixer, so I didn't actually knead the bread, but the braiding is enough. I'm very thankful for all my wonderful bread customers, too. It's so odd to think of how many places people tell me my bread goes. Yesterday, I had my last orders to fill, got them delivered, and breathed a sigh of relief, I got it done, and now, I'm officially retired, at least to the end of the year lol. Seriously, I really don't do this for a "real" job, and now things should definitely slow down.
Well, now I get to relax and enjoy the holiday with my family. I've actually been doing that all along, celebrating Christmas in all kind sof ways. Even though the time has flown, there have been some sweet times I've cherished this season. The other day, I was at the store, it was busy, people everywhere, and you know the thing, bumping into carts, etc. An elderly lady and I kinda collided going around a corner from different directions; we looked at each other and started laughing. It was as if we both were thinking the same thing, life is hectic all around us, people rushing, in a hurry, but we had time to laugh and appreciate a moment. We said a few words to each other, then started to part, and she said, "Honey, you have a real nice day!" I thrive on times like that, just the moment, you know? We have a little tiny church that we have a Bible study in on Wednesdays. Most of us have other churches we go to, but this little fellowship is special to our family. We have a lady there who is, I don't know how you'd describe her exactly, kinda needy. She is about my age, but had a sickness as a child that makes it hard for her to make some decisions, at least that's what she told me. How do we measure where we are in our lives, how competent we are?? Anyway, this lady has kind of adopted our family, she's really a sweet heart. She gave us a Christmas card that was so eloquent, so enduring really. It was just another one of the many ways that people have touched me this season with just a thankfulness, an appreciation for something so simple as a good word fitly spoken. My boys have been excitely making plans for the shopping they have in mind for me. I know that the potholders I told them I needed probably won't be the ones I would have picked, but, how long does a potholder last? I'll have them for probably many years, they won't match my kitchen, but what's a mother to do? I'm going to love them lol! No, I haven't snooped, I just gave them some inexpensive ideas of things they could get me when they've asked. So their dad's taking them shopping tomorrow, and I'll be surprised.
I really hope that you have a wonderful Christmas, wherever you will be. I'm amazed every time I celebrate Christmas, of what God has done for us, sending His own Son as a child-King, destined to suffer for His love of mankind, in order to give us a place in His Kingdom! What a gift!

So, do you know what it is?

I got this a couple weeks ago at a thrift store, just had to have it. Don't you think it's kinda neat? I didn't even know what it is at the time. What did you think when you first saw it? I knew it was some kind of filing thing, obviously. I don't really yet know what I'm going to use it for. My craft room is such a mess, I almost don't think I deserve to put it in there. Luckily, I don't think I have that many bills to put in those sections, plus it would be a terrible reminder of bills if I were to put them in something so cute. Maybe Christmas cards for the holidays?? Hmm, lots of possibilities.

Just thought I'd share it with you while I'm waiting for my 40 loaves of bread to rise. I still have the cakes and bars to go, BUT, it'll get done. The other picture is of the cute pumpkin that is going to go into jars in the VERY near future! I'm wondering if you can save the seeds or if it's a hybrid seed that will just not grow that same pumpkin.
Later I'll show you what else I've been working on, thanks to my creative and generous friend Natalie for showing me how to do this! I'll leave that for later. I have a sale tomorrow at the Canterbury in Longview tomorrow I'm getting geared up for. Last week I did the Monticello Hotel's Toy Soldier and did really well, and it's nice to see people are still eating! Guess I'd better get back to the breads and cakes!