Happy New Year 2011 !!! Yikes!

Once again my mighty sidekick Dixie has cooperated, begrudgingly it appears, to humor me in my quest for silly dog pics.She should have been in festive New Year Party wear,my fault.I am trying to wear her out in the evenings with some dog training routines that seem to help tire her.
As for downsizing my life,I'm still working at it.After forty years in one home a lot of stuff has been acquired.Many things are headed off to Goodwill as well as ebay,hope to try Amazon too this year cause I have tons of books.It just all takes time,discipline and patience and some organizational skills,a plan and bags and boxes...

Christmas is Coming!!!!

The first snow of the season arrived today, helping to make me feel like Christmas is really on its way.I almost got my organizing goals accomplished before Thanksgiving,but once again ran out of days...story of my life!
I've pulled out all the Christmas decorations, and it will be fun going through what I have and decorating for the holidays.It will help me get into the Christmas spirit,along with baking some cookies.
Speaking of decorations,I decided to decorate my canine companion Dixie.I don't think she's too happy about it! She's been with me a year now...and we've come a long way!

Tradition Glitters this year at Christmas!!

 

You can never have too much gold, red, green  and GLITTER at the holidays! Finished up decorating Christmas trees at  the store this week. This 9 foot entry tree was the last of a dozen theme trees that I planned and decorated  at work this year.(Just need to make a tree topper bow to finish it off.)

Other popular themes are candy/ gingerbread with the ever popular cupcakes this year.Bronze, gold and copper is another good decorators choice. The  bird tree  filled with bright red cardinals,shimmering nests and ruby throated hummingbirds is always poplar.A frosted tree decorated with snowflakes, angels and crystal is another scene stealer.

Red, white and green is also  a very traditional look, with or without  the sparkle.Snowman themes are great, cause they still are appropriate in January.

34 days til Christmas,but who's counting?

Parting is such sweet sorrow,but it looks so good!

After living in a home for almost 40 years I've accumulated a lot of stuff. I've been busy re-organizing and cleaning closets and cupboards so when I move it will be easier and faster.But at the moment the place is a disaster, as I go through clothes,books, and photographs.
I need a better plan.Clean 3 rooms in 3 weeks, a Thanksgiving deadline, sounds like a good goal and plan.

So I'm busy boxing up stuff for Goodwill and taking photos for ebay items.Cleaning out the book case and redoing old magnetic photo albums.The shelves and albums are looking so good! I am inspired to continue on.It's good to have goals.

Jack Frost is knocking on the Door to your Garden

 
 Before Jack Frost comes knocking at your garden door,take a few minutes to make notes on what worked in your garden this year (or didn't) and start a plan for next year.
Its time now to plant spring bulbs such as,tulips,jonquils,hyacinths.....
You can also dig up your geraniums and keep them in a frost free spot(I put mine in an unheated cellar) and pot them up late next winter.
Don't forget to pot up your herbs,rosemary and  basil are a couple I have luck with indoors.
Also, I bring inside my Mandevilla and bougainvillea they go fairly dormant over the winter,but will rejuvenate once they go outside next spring.

 

Fall Decorating Ideas Easy and Inexpensive

Fall decorating ideas.Easy and inexpensive ideas to decorate your home for fall.Starting outside your home to brighten your neighborhood and greet your guests.
Rejuvenate your summer pots by replacing spent annuals with garden mums,pansies,kale and grasses.You could also pot up a bushel basket, which says welcome to the harvest season.
How about an autumn garden flag to greet your neighbors."Fall Still Life" by Cindy Ray and produced by Evergreen Enterprises (pictured) is sure to please.
Maybe about a new fall wreath for your front door?
A new autumn welcome mat and a few pumpkins will complete the fall decorating look for a very few dollars and put a smile on your face.

What happened to...SUMMER????

I had the best of intentions and ideas all summer long but, my real life took over.My new grand daughter was the highlight!
All the rain keep me mowing, weeding and donating blood to the mosquito population.
Now that September is here its time for a do over. A mid year reevaluation of my thoughts, ideas and plans to guide me through the rest of the year and beyond.
For me it will mean buckling down and writing at least once a week,hopefully more.
Taking some classes,doing some painting,and downsizing my life....(I feel lighter already)
But still taking time as my Dad says to, " stop and smell the flowers!"

Miracle Blooming Geraniums

Surprise!! Remember those dead looking geraniums from earlier this year? Viola!They are now growing healthy and blooming beautifully.I like this variety of geraniums.I will plant this one and the other geraniums in pots and bring them inside before the first frost in September.
Next time I will talk about the wonderful healthy veggies that I am growing.

Dogwoods in bloom at the Morton Arboretum

Spring came early this year to the Midwest. I was very fortunate to be able to visit the Morton Arboretum in late April on a beautiful weekday.The flowering dogwoods were spectacular, as were the redbud trees that were reflected in Lake Marmo.
The fragrance garden is indescribable,with lily of the valley and stock among other fragrant bloomers, you must experience the scents and colors for yourself! It is a wonderful way to spend a day!

Easy Easter Centerpiece

Want to learn how to marbleize EASTER eggs? Wondering how to make and afford a centerpiece for your Easter Dinner table? Here are some quick and easy Easter ideas!
Marbleizing eggs for Easter is fast, easy and inexpensive.
1.Add several drops of food coloring to 3 cups of warm water and 2 tablespoons of vinegar.This will give your eggs a base coat of color.Leave the egg in til its the color that you want it to be.
2.In a second bowl make another batch of dye,a different color or a darker version of the first one (this is what I did.)
3. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and swirl the mixture with a fork,add the previously colored egg,and move it around to pick up the marbleizing second color.Remove the egg and gently pat to remove excess color and oil.
4.Viola!! Beautiful marbleized Easter eggs! Place in a bowl and your easy Easter centerpiece is complete.
For a little more elaborate Easter centerpiece, make a bulb garden with blooming spring bulbs from your florist or garden.
Plant an assortment of blooming spring bulbs in a bowl, add the eggs,finish with some foil wrapped candy.Yummy!and too cute!

Spring Snowdrop Surprise!!

What a wonderful spring surprise to see snowdrops spring up among the leaves and pine needles in my garden March 1st.Plant snowdrops in the fall for a very pleasant spring SURPRISE!
And now 3 days later I'm finding pansies that have survived the winter.
The robins were back in town by March 3rd. A very large flock of them.

Everything is better in the Bahamas !!!

Just returned from 4 Wonderful days in the Bahamas on Paradise Island, frequenting the Atlantis.It is everything I thought it would be and more! The pools,aquatic displays,grounds,shops,casino,food...EVERYTHING was amazing,(yes expensive,too.)
I went on several water rides and felt like a kid!The water was warm.It was great!
I felt very comfortable and safe and completely at home there.
The weather,though rainy at times was still in the 60's and 70's.Twice as warm and sunnier than Illinois in February.The ocean is amazingly beautiful,but too cold for me.
Enjoyed the best specialty peach margarita and shrimp tamale appetizer at MESA grill.To die for!It was my favorite meal there.
I could go on and on about all there is to see at the Atlantis,but do yourself a favor and go see for yourself!

Sprucing up your Home for SPRING!

The first thing to do outside is make sure you have taken your winter wreath down and replace it with a new door decoration that says SPRING! Buy a small garden flag to welcome guests.
It's a good time now to cut spring branches to bring inside to force into bloom,apple and forsythia are two of my favorites.In about a month the pansies will be ready to go outside.How exciting is that!

Miracle Geraniums...later

Early February is the time to bring your geraniums up from the basement if you saved them in the fall from the frost.
Every September I pull up my geraniums from the pots or ground and place them in a paper bag and put them in the cellar which is about 50 degrees or so.
They do look extremely ugly and hopeless.I get out some 4 inch pots add some potting soil,trim up the geraniums, plant them and add water and hope.Within a couple of weeks they will start showing some green.Give them plenty of light but keep them cool.Just itching to start some pansies,but they won't be happy in the house,its too warm.Maybe later this month I'll try.

Happy New Year!!!! 2010

My resolutions are off to a slow start this year. So what else is new?
But miracles of miracles, I have been painting a little again."Beach Dream" is the title of this ACEO painting.
I'm working on some other paintings and will show some off from time to time.
Back to the resolutions,I've got to up the ebay work and try to list 6 items, twice a week.Trying to save $$ for a vacation next year.
Blogging weekly or at least two times a month.Writing for ehow, joining facebook and an online class or two, should leave me no time to get into trouble.
Having a grand time with my new dog Dixie.
She can now shake and we're working on "speak", hope she's having as much fun as I am!
Next time I'll write about gardening or getting your home ready for SPRING !

Meet Miss Dixie

Yesterday I got a new dog. Miss Dixie from Tennessee and Chicago Anti Cruelty by way of a kind couple from a Wisconsin rescue group.Thank You!
She is a small medium golden retriever with a very silky coat
Dixie has been on death row twice,a lot for young dog of two years! She spent the last month or so in the slammer.Poor Thing!
We are getting along quite well.She understands me better than I understand her.
The first night with me she slept all night on a dog bed in my room,I had to wake her this am!
She's spending the day gated in the kitchen,so far so good,(I am checking on her during the day.)
I wish I could bottle a puppy's energy! It is endless!
Back to decorating,later.Priorities.

Grateful Thanksgiving Day 2009

So much to be thankful for this year.
Lucky to have a wonderful family.
Grateful that I am healthy.
I am thankful that I have a house to clean.

Thankful for the clothes that I have to wash.
Grateful that I have food to cook.
Glad that I have a job(that I like most of the time.)
Appreciative of all the thoughtful caring people in my life.
Fortunate to be able to make choices.
And the list goes on.....Thank you God.

Decorating A Candy Themed Christmas Tree

Let's have some Fun! I want to share with you some of the work that I do. Decorate Christmas trees. 15 of them. I plan on showing off 1 a week. This week Candy is the theme! Think about ALL the different types of food and candy and put them on a tree. Gingerbread men,popcorn,candy canes,cupcakes,the list goes on and on....
Look for candy and food items in different shapes and sizes. Don't forget the Ribbon!

Insulating the Attic

My son insulated my attic this past weekend which meant I had a mess in my house.Not from the insulation but from all the "stuff" that came out of the attic,and it was almost empty,except for the crib, rocking horses,baby things from the 70's,sleeping bags...all big stuff.
A lot of things got pitched. A few were saved to be cleaned up and... disposed of in one way or another.
Still working on the eBay project...endless.Another thought to rid my home of "things"recycle! The post office has no cost envelopes to recycle items like ink cartridges and cell phones etc...
So I'm going to designate several boxes for things to sell,to give away,to recycle.

Getting organized to sell on eBay

Today was busy!Attended an eBay webinar,which means I had to download a program,Microsoft office live meeting.Whew! It took a while to figure out what I needed to do, but I did it. A double learning experience,the eBay webinar and using Microsoft office live.
To simplify my life and eBay selling I came up with a list of things to do to be more organized.And this weekend,I hope to follow my own advise.

1. Try to put all your items you are selling in one room or location.Having a large shelving unit to place the items on that you are going to sell.
2. Research what the items might sell for on eBay.
3. Make a simple photo booth or table and lights for photographing your items.
4. Learn about different shipping options..I think this is the toughest part.
5. The more different categories you're in,the harder it is to keep track of everything,try just a couple to start.