A Cat In My Lap

Life throws a few curve balls our way.

2011-12-12T07:28:00.003-06:00

Hi there. Remember me? Well, since we last talked, I have spent hours and hours on the road, back and forth to a hospice center in Arkansas to be with my friend. She is dying. There is no other way to say it. She has been my friend for 46 years. I am barely older than that number.

She has been in good spirits. She cheers us all up. She keeps us laughing. She entertains her nurses. She puts a smile on her doctor's face. She refuses to lie there in a hospital gown in her final days, opting to wear a sweater, hat and scarf or vest every day. She puts on her lipstick and earrings. She said, "I might as well have a good attitude about this." Wow. While this might not sound like a human being who is about to take their last breath, there is no doubt about it, her days are numbered, and not very long.

Needless to say, my painting, furniture shopping and lake going has come to a halt. It's okay. There are more important things in life than home decor. Although my friend would have a hard time agreeing. Laying in her bed, the first few days she was in hospice, and the doctors have since said they were not sure she would make it thru the night, she uttered the words, "Would you say this is taupe or tan?" I had no idea what she was talking about. Her nurse looked at me very oddly. But I knew without doubt, that was what she said. Two days later when she woke up stronger and benefitting from a steroid they gave her, she proclaimed she did not know what color her room is, but she wouldn't have chosen it. Ha ha!

So apparently room decor is pretty important.

Which leads me to an unfinished project. My step son's room and the adjacent bathroom. Ah well, they will be finished eventually. And when it is done, it will not be taupe or tan. On that, you can depend. And it will no longer be referred to as the stepson's room. No. It will be the g-baby's room, for when she comes to visit. So, with all of life, rebirth and rejuvenation are the key to going on.

It will be hard to lose a friend who has been with me my whole life. I can't imagine ever replacing her. But one thing I have learned is to keep friends who are dear to you close at hand. And make room for more.

Just when you think all is well

2011-11-07T05:05:00.002-06:00

I know I started blogging again, then I left you for weeks with nothing to look at but sausage. And now I give you this unimpressive photo of a cappuccino. Well, sometimes life gets in the way. My apologies. I'm not trying to win any blogger awards, obviously.

I can't remember where I got this cappuccino, judging by the formica table top, the painted plate, and the oversized bowl/cup I would say it wasn't the green mermaid place. But I could sure use another one about now.

I have a lot going on. After months of waiting, years really, I am reclaiming what was once my youngest step son's room. Now I know some of you would say how could I? How cruel, etc etc. But listen, you don't know the whole story, so stop your judging. And something must be done because the persistent odor of smelly tennis shoes still wafts by my nose, and the sheetrock, well, let's just say, a whole lot of texturing going on there. Still, in about 48 hours, I should have a significant change in color and things will begin to look normal in there again. A person could actually go sit in there and enjoy themselves, soon, I hope.

And since we last spoke, I had a rather interesting/offending meeting with a so-called interior decorator at our lake house. Which has left me feeling like I don't need no stinking interior decorator and will never ever step foot into THAT shop again. Now I just have to find an electrician, carpenter and painter there.

Lucky for me, I mentioned this to my wonderful painter here at home, and he mentioned that his schedule in December slows way down, something about painting around Christmas trees doesn't appeal to his clientele. And he would be willing to go one day to quote the job and then go back and stay over a couple of days and get the whole job done, in December, pronto! Excellent idea I say! But there goes the idea of having a nature/water inspired Christmas tree at the lake. Now I just have to pick a color. That could slow me down a bit. QUESTION: Do you think white walls to set the tone of the beach house look, paired with creamy white trim would look ridonculous? Cause I do not want the expense of repainting my trim, and it is more a creamy white than a pure white, but I was kinda wanting white walls!

I've had this other little dilemma of ugly furniture at the lake house. Oh it is not THAT bad, my MIL thinks it is all very nice and she is so sweet to have come to see it and spend the night with us. And listen, it is decent furniture, just not my colors/tastes, as we have before mentioned. So, I decided use what makes sense to keep, repaint a few pieces, reupholster a chair or two, but basically, replace the bulk of things. I started backwards, with trinkets, cause trinkets can really make you feel like the place is not yours when the trinkets were not chosen by you. Then I moved onto linens. Dishes. pots and pans. I know I know, Do I really need new pots and pans, isn't a skillet pretty much a skillet? Well, yes but they had these sweet aqua blue non-stick pans at TJ the other day so I got new pots and pans too. NOW, finally, I am to the stage of picking out furniture, and this is where the rubber meets the road. I am stalling, hesitating, wishy-washying. So hard to get it right, and I hate making buying mistakes with things like... sofas! Cause it is so hard to undo and then you end up living with it, working around it, etc etc.

All this has been going on, as well as, some very bad news, and I have a hard time discussing it. But one of my dearest friends has been dealt a serious health problem blow. The kind that there are no words for. And she is my lifelong friend who has always been part of my life. And that's all I can say about it because she made me promise not to talk all about it on the internet. Bless her heart, like I would do that! And I haven't really been able to spend much time with her. She is very weak, needs her rest and I think, maybe having a hard time facing me, too. So, I have to wait, until she is wanting to see me. And it is hard. But I also understand. But I am also maybe burying myself in other things to keep busy?

And there were the earthquakes this weekend. How can I not mention those? Yes, we felt them even though we're about 90 miles from the center. But we haven't felt them like my cousins have. Two of my relatives have had severe damages to their homes. The worst one has a crumbled chimney, a torn off roof from the brick falling on it, and many structural cracks and damages to the foundation. Scary stuff, and no insurance either. Because who buys quake insurance in Oklahoma? So, lots of prayers and concerns going that direction.

And there is one more thing I have been preoccupied with, in fact, I might even make myself a Preoccupied t-shirt and that is the Occupy movement. Now surely you know that I am a staunch conservative, but I can't stop reading about all this stuff. But I need to. I need to divert some energies into healing, wholeness and peacefulness on the inside. Too much going on to be distracted, disengaged and divergent with the real needs of family and friends right now.

I guess this was a long winded, poorly written post, and not too many pretty pictures. It's what you get from me when I wake up at 4 a.m. and can't go back to sleep. Have a wonderful Monday and be in your own life, as present as you can be, today. And I will try to do the same. Love, Dana and Daisy

My idea of comfort food.

2011-10-04T21:04:00.000-05:00

Oven Roasted Bratwurst with Potatoes, etc etc.

In a non-stick baking pan, coat the bottom of pan with 2TBS of olive oil.

Add: 2-3 new potatoes per serving, quartered, skins on

one onion, cubed

several small cloves of garlic peeled (I used 4)

one or two tart apples cored and cubed, skins on

A generous tablespoon of mediterranean sea salts and spices

Toss to coat with oil.

Top with bratwurst (thawed but not cooked)

Bake in 385f oven for approximately 1 hour, turn brats half way through cooking time.

check brats for doneness by cutting into one, there should NOT be any pink inside.

Serve with crusty bread if you like and a nice white wine.

Then sit back and enjoy the savory fullness!

Ahhhh!

This-n-that Autumn Plate Rack

2011-09-29T12:07:00.002-05:00

I changed up my plate rack for autumn. I enjoy this plate rack and it has become the seasonal focal point of my kitchen. I don't collect dishes, really, but I always have odds and ends I have picked up at my discount dives. So, here's how I put a few together to make my autumn display.

And here is how I decorated it for fall 2010 and in 2009. What is your favorite place to decorate for the seasons?

What we did on our summer vacation... by Steve and Dana

2011-09-26T11:09:00.003-05:00

We enjoyed this view a lot...

and this variation too...

We put away a few of these...

And we made a few waves of our own.

We took the responsibility of putting the sun away each night very seriously.

While making sure all the boats came in safely...

Still, we made time for more of this view...

And we pondered the importance of the pedicure often.

While trying out different hats.

And we became acquainted with the path in and out of our dock.

And we stopped for refreshment now and then.

And more toe admiring..

And we watched these trees grow taller.

All in all, it was a good summer.

The Bedroom...

2011-09-23T08:30:00.001-05:00

This is how the master room looked when we bought our lake house. It is very nice. Colors coordinate, Artistic touches. What's the problem? Well, it is just not me. I'm not dark and olive and red and black. I'm more white and turquoise and orange and sand. So, this room is getting a makeover.

I'm tackling it first cause I can reach the ceiling with a ladder. Amen.

I'll actually be reusing many of the items you see here, maybe slightly differently. The headboard is getting a paint job, the oak pieces will stay, but might be placed differently. Out of camera view, there is a tall wicker wardrobe that I am not sure about yet. One of those, "maybe it will look better in a new surrounding" pieces.

I have ideas. One which I want your opinions about. Do you think wallpaper is coming back in or out? I'm thinking of a wallpaper treatment on the wall the bed is on. Yay, or Nay?

One Last Look at the Cabin

2011-09-21T14:06:00.000-05:00

New owners closed on the little cabin in the woods, yesterday. While we are glad to part with it before winter sets in, we're also a little sad to say goodbye. Here is a final look at the pictures we took for the real estate listing just a few months ago.

We feel fortunate that we sold the cabin in such a downturn in house sales. We only hope the new owners enjoy it as much as we did. They very much wanted it furnished and decorated, so we left it all pretty much as you see these pictures, save a few personal or sentimental items.

A few changes around here!

2011-09-08T17:00:00.000-05:00

Well, in the 5 months since I last wrote a real blog post, our lives have taken a turn. We have sold our little cabin. And that is a test to see how long you have been reading me, cause if you remember the Cabin Chronicles, then you have been with me quite a while. Yes, we sold it. We sold it in the worst possible times to sell anything, but it is soon closing and new owners will enjoy it. And surprise the doggies out of me, but they wanted it all, furniture and the whole kitten caboodle. They cannot have my kitten though.

So you must be wondering what we do with our free time now? Well, jump back people, but we bought a place at the lake! And we bought a boat. And we worked on our tans. And we painted our toes. And we became lake people. Yes, we sure did. And we are loving it.

And I know... where are the pics of the house? Well, give me some time. It still has someone else's look to it. But I am slowly making it mine. I asked Kev and Layla to come help me, but so far, no such luck. But don't despair. Cause I am a pretty decent copy cat, and I think I can turn it into the best little beachy cottage you ever saw on the lake. Of course I already missed the chance to take before pics. Cause I don't always plan ahead like that. But stay tuned! It'll be fun!

5 months ago...

2011-08-22T14:15:00.000-05:00

I thought about taking my blog down. Now I am considering bringing it back. Lots of changes this summer, and new things to blog about.

Not sure why I would start this again though. What is the goal in mind? If I do, should I start over, new blog, new url, new title, new everything?

Why do you blog?

Taking my blog down...

2011-03-24T13:01:00.000-05:00

If anyone still reads this, let me say, I have debated this decision in my head for a long time now. I have decided to take my blog down. I know there might be some of you who would like to keep in touch, so please feel free to contact me thru the facebook link in my sidebar.

I will officially be taking this blog offline by the end of March.
Thank you for reading and for all your lovely comments over the last several years.
Love Dana and Daisy.

Hard to Believe!

2011-03-07T05:57:00.002-06:00

This is what it looked like just about a month ago!

And this is how Daisy does Snow Days, ha ha! Oh who are we kidding? This is how Daisy does most days!

Is your spring beginning to take shape? Ours is. Photos of what I found in the garden, later this week!

(Our all time record snow fall in Oklahoma, Feb 1, 2011. Most snow to fall in 24 hour period, between 16 and 25 inches in the surrounding areas)

Turning comments off for now

2011-03-05T20:39:00.000-06:00

I am getting weird comments daily on the same post and so for now, I am turning off my comments. I'm sorry for the loss of this feature on my blog, but it is just too weird they come back every day and post a comment in chinese. Go away person! I can't read your comment and I fear you are spamming my blog!

thank you and amen.

Home is Where the Heart is.

2011-02-28T09:38:00.003-06:00

Steve and I have new house fever again. It happens every spring.

We drove all over the countryside this weekend looking for the perfect home.

We visited midtown neighborhoods with quaint 20's style cottages and some with old oil barron mansions (hardly a mansion by todays standards).

We visited the newest suburban neighborhoods with McMansions built on every square inch of a city lot allowable.

We drove out to the countryside and looked at properties near the lake and agricultural properties.

We looked at inner city acreages that are being swallowed up by the sprawl of urban growth.

We looked at 70's era neighborhoods where homes were built big and ugly and imagined what we might do to improve one and start a remodeling revolution.

We imagined what our lives might be like if only we had the perfect house. Do you ever do this?

And then an epiphany! We realized the perfect house won't bring us the life we want to live. If we want the life we dream of, we better start living it, right where we are.

Do you have a Honey-Do?

2011-02-17T08:12:00.000-06:00

It only took me 9 months to sweet-talk this guy into hanging my draperies in the bedroom.

Wow! What a difference they make!

I need to work on my sweet-talking technique. Do you have any tips for that?

Got Hipstamatic?

2011-02-16T07:18:00.003-06:00

I just got an iphone. I am always the last one on the block to have the newest thing. So, now I am searching the app store, and one of my favorite finds is the "Hipstamatic Camera". For just $1.99, it takes digital pictures that look like bad "instamatic" pics of the olden years.

What? We have worked so hard to come so far, and now we want to go backwards? Yes.

Anyway, the app has options. You can change film settings, flash and lenses. It's great fun and they bundle some extra options for an extra price. So, without further adieu, here's a glimpse at just some of the pics I've taken with my Hipstamatic Camera on iphone.

What are your favorite apps for iphone?

Knitting 101

2011-01-25T06:42:00.000-06:00

I know you are thinking, "Doesn't Dana already know how to knit?" The answer is sort of. I know how to do a knit stitch, I know how to purl. I don't know how to increase, decrease or do fancy things like make a button hole. But I'm learning.

So I signed up for Knitting 101 at Loops. And this was my first project. Harriet, my teacher, helped me learn the buttonhole technique. What could have been a scarf with one more skein, became a cowl instead. It's made of Misty Alpaca Chunky on size 11 needles. Cast on 20 stitches. Knit every row. Make a button hole about 1 inch from the end. Voila!

I'm learning lots of little tid-bits that I missed along the way. This week, we're knitting a hat on round needles. Fun stuff. I get a little OCD while knitting. Do you?

The 4 corners of My Living Room, Revisited

2011-01-13T09:12:00.001-06:00

Some of you may remember the post about the awkward layout of my living room last year. Apparently many of you have a similar problem, as a lot of people visit that post after googling "problem living room" or some similar googlage. Which made me realize I never posted after pics of our living room. And there is a reason for that... It is not finished yet.

However, it is at least presentable for company and since most of you are more like neighbors, I figured, what the heck, open the doors and let people have a look see!

Scroll thru and then if you care, read my "thinking out loud ideas at the bottom". Feel free to think out loud yourself in my comments.

Corner 1

Corner 2

Corner 3

Corner 4 (which is really the first corner you see when you enter through my foyer.)

Out loud thoughts, corner by corner:

Corner 1. I "borrowed" Steve's chair from his office, just for this picture. I have not actually bought a chair for this wall yet. He wants a recliner, the space is a little cramped to have a recliner angled towards the tv, so I just have avoided making a decision. We are living with this one for a while in this spot to see if he likes it. Meanwhile he sits on the floor in his office, I guess. Also note, I have not replaced my broken window shade yet. I'm having a hard time deciding what to do there also. If money were no object, I would throw away every plastic blind in this house and get those wooden plantation shutters. However, as an adult, I have learned money is an object, it truly is.

Corner 2. Although I fretted over the decision of what kind of sofa to get, I can honestly say that I do love my sectional. We were able to custom order one in the right size (smallest one we could find) and I love the color of the leather which is brighter than the color of my old sofa. I also love the nail head trim. Things I do not love about this picture: the art on the wall. Which I thought I had to have just a mere two years ago. I have something new picked out for this wall which will make a big statement in the room. However, I called to finally bite the bullet the other day and the store informed me it was sold. However, they can order another one for me. I have not made a decision about whether or not to replace the coffee table. I realize it is looking dated, like 1989 dated, but I figure if I hold onto it just ten more years it'll make a come back! No, truly, I like the glass top. It sort of disappears in the small room. However, Daisy would like a velvet tufted ottoman instead of a coffee table. She is so high maintenance.

Corner 3. This is the wall that has kept me from posting about this room so far. I had dreams of another style of chair in this corner. Something with delicate french styled legs and linen fabric, but I am still fretting about if it will be too fussy for this room (aka look dated in 5 years). Meanwhile, this red leather chair is needing a home, and well... here it is. Will it stay? I don't know. At least for now it is. AND... I need art and light on this wall. Look! I even left the hook for where art will hang some day on this wall. I'm a planner like that. Yes we got a new tv, we have our priorities, you know. Although one son thinks we should have gotten a bigger one. Kids! And I might go splurge on a floor lamp today, yes today! Which will make this picture obsolete, almost as fast as our new tv was made obsolete by those new internet ready tv's.

And Corner 4. This is my favorite corner of the room. I think it definitely trumps all other views as the focal point, However, if I am so lucky as to get every wish I have ever wished for, I would frame out the top above the mantle and build in a beveled mirror above the fireplace. I think that would make this fireplace rock the Casbah. Dare to dream, it just may happen some day.

I think it looks better overall, but it still is not "there" yet. Then sometimes I look at the before and after pics and I think, it looks the same. Ha! Don't tell Steve I said that, he might make me take everything back. There are of course other details that have not been addressed. And please don't judge my tabletops. You see, I haven't restyled since I took down what little Christmas stuff I had up. But I knew if I waited that long the moment to post about this would surely pass. (ie: I would have a mess in one corner too big to camouflage for pictures.)

p.s. Daisy looks right at home doesn't she?

So Delicious, We Bought Two!

2011-01-09T00:11:00.000-06:00

When we first bought the cabin, we decided to splurge a little and get one of those one cup coffee makers. We settled on the Tassimo brew system because they had a selection of pods we liked. You can get some Starbucks products for it, as well, as Gevalia, Tazo Tea, etc. I'm a little bit like Will Rogers, I never met a Tassimo pod I didn't like. Or was that Roy Rogers? No, that was Roy and Trigger. Not sure who Dale belonged to. Anyway, I digress. Let me just say, we started looking forward to going to the cabin just so we could sip on these lattes. And of course Steve was stopping by Starbucks on his way to work every morning. Speaking of digressing, did you all hear they are taking Starbucks out of the Starbucks logo? They apparently think the mermaid has enough power to stand on her own, or would that be swim? I'm not sure. Anyway they think it is like the swoosh, I guess. You know what swoosh I am talkin about!

But my point was... we liked the Tassimo maker so much that we bought one for home too. And Steve doesn't stop to see the mermaid anymore on the way to work. Which we think helps offset the cost of those pods. Because we have gotten so spoiled we just pop one in anytime we want one now. That is a tip to buy stock in that pod company. However, I will say that brewbot commercial they have is not at all how she really works. It is not a transformer of coffee makers, not in the literal sense. But it has transformed our coffee drinking habits.

Just thought I would share.
P.S. Nobody pays me money to publish this stuff. It's just one of the many things I do for free. However, if you want to send me some pods to compensate me, Mr. Tassimo Brewbot, I would not turn them down. Thank you and Amen.

A Cabin Post-Christmas Get-Away

2010-12-29T09:59:00.001-06:00

It may not look like much to you, but this little tree is really special to us. It's adorning our cabin for the holidays, and it has our favorite woodland animals on it.

We see lots of animals at our cabin, so we thought, "Why not give them a place of honor on our Christmas tree?" We have racoons, chipmunks, squirrels, owls, but so far, no snakes on our tree!

There's a grove of cedar trees taking over the abandoned road on the North face of our hill. Cedars are not desirable and can be a real problem for the land if allowed to flourish. We did our part this winter by cutting a few small ones and using them as makeshift trees in our flower box on the porch. They are going to be a prickly mess to clean out, I'm sure! Gloves?

This is our 2010 ornament in honor of our mama fox and baby cubs that were spotted in a dugout by our driveway this spring. We haven't actually seen her, but we have seen the opening to her den.

And this is the view we wake up to at our cabin, We actually prefer winter there to summer. We can see so much more terrain and it feels very woodsy, instead of jungly which is the summer scenery.

Update on the cabin: She is still ours! I know we thought it might sell, but apparently the buyers settled on a bigger one than ours. Which is just fine with us! We are happy here!

Always apologizing for my photos... these were taken with my cell phone. Someone forgot to put the camera in the car.

Crafts that are for the Birds!

2010-12-28T23:08:00.002-06:00

Christmas day was a low-key day for us, no company, and no family visits. So after we fed ourselves a Christmas Day plate of pancakes, Steve and I decided to put a little feast together for the birds, too!

You really only need a few items to make a culinary feast for your feathered friends: strings of popcorn (unsalted), raisins or cranberries, some pine cones, peanut butter, birdseed and an apple we could spare!

I learned to make these pinecones in girlscouts. It is easy-peasy, although can be a little messy. Make sure you tie a string to hang the pinecone from branches BEFORE you slather it with peanut butter. This cuts down significantly on messy fingers!

Then dip them in birdseed and use your hands to pack the seeds on firmly!

Here's our loot for the birdies (above) and below after we hung it on limbs of the trees! Kind of festive, don't you think? And the birds will thank you, especially if you have snow on the ground!

A Santa Fe Christmas

2010-12-26T11:21:00.002-06:00

Steve and I decided that instead of a traditional Christmas at home with the big tree and presents galore, that we'd take a trip together as our gift to each other. Here's a little photo synopsis of our trip.

(Although I feel the need to apologize for the photos. Not only were we sick with food poisoning from the very first night there, but the winter light and overcast skies made it very hard to get hand held photos that were worth a darn. But I hope you will enjoy anyway... Despite the food poisoning, we enjoyed the trip as much as we could, sneaking in excursions in between bouts of nausea.)

Loretto Chapel

The legendary miracle staircase inside.

The story goes that the chapel was originally built without a staircase and that an unknown carpenter arrived and built the stairs with only a few simple tools and then left without payment. No one knew him and he was not seen again. The stairs defy engineering principles and are said to have insufficient supporting structure.

We also visited Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel. Yet another miracle as the Mother of Christ appeared during the Spanish colonization of Mexico and revealed to the Mexican people not to fear the endoctrination into the Roman Catholic Church. Our Lady of Guadalupe is revered as a protector and saint.

Santa Fe is home to some of the most noteworthy and visited churches in America. The following is the San Miguel Chapel, the oldest church in America. It dates to 1610. It is still used for religious services. The exterior was under some maintenance when we visited, so my photos are only interior.

We did drive up the mountains to the ski basin and stopped at a few road side parks to get out and experience snow while there. We left on Thursday just before a snow storm was headed their way for a white Christmas. We saw all the snow to fill our yearning and were glad for relatively mild temperatures and no slush to walk through in town.

There was a full moon over Santa Fe our third night there.

This is the plaza, all lit up for Christmas. Santa Fe has a colorful ambience. While I expected to see all white lights, I was delighted by the color which really reflects the art work of the area in my opinion. All over town, we smelled the essence of piñion burning and real evergreen swagged and wrapped on all the railings. Chile ristras hung from every overhang and luminaries along the adobe façades. It was really festive, yet natural and indicative of the cultural and environmental resources in the area.

And the window shopping was pretty cool too. Many unusual sights to behold...

How about a trunk of turquoise for Christmas?

Or maybe one of these furs? I haven't seen anyone wearing real fur in so long, I had forgotten how luxurious it really is. Will it make a comeback? Hmm? I guess it never went out in Santa Fe.

We had an opportunity to go hear the Desert Choral at the Saint Francis Cathedral. It was really spectacular to behold. And the voices sounded like angels, singing without amplification, it was marvelous!

The exterior photos were taken about an hour before the doors opened for the concert. This memorial is in tribute to the earliest settlers of Santa Fe. This part of our nation had civilizations dating to centuries before the Spanish Inquisition or the French Settlers arrived. It is truly one of the most history filled areas of our nation.

Inside the cathedral, before the concert began...

The architectural style is French Baroque.

One of the "must do things" we heard about in Santa Fe is taking a class at the Santa Fe School of Cooking. And it was fabulous. We elected to take a demonstration class in lieu of a hands on experience since we'd been under the weather. Our chef was Michelle Roetzer and she was fabulous, funny and entertaining. It was a highlight of our trip.

And the class we took was about Tapas. It was the best meal we ate the entire trip. Let me say, there is not one item on this plate that does not have chile in it in some form or another. But every flavor was delicately balanced. Delish!

And a trip to Santa Fe would not be complete without a walk down the sidewalk outside the Palace of the Governors. The local Indians still sell their jewelry and other handcrafted items here. The Palace is also home to New Mexico's History Museum and since our last visit they have also opened a new modern wing. There are many museums in Santa Fe. You could get "museumed out" if you tried to visit them all in one trip. So go back more than once and see them all eventually!

I hope you enjoyed our little photo tour of Santa Fe at Christmas. I also hope you and your family had a wonderful and merry-filled Christmas yourselves!

Love Dana and Daisy

Easy, Fast, Deliscious Sugar Cookies!

2010-12-17T17:04:00.000-06:00

I have been making these for decades and they are so easy and fast! It requires no chilling and no rolling and no messy cookie cutters. But beware, they disappear almost as fast as you pull them out of the oven! This recipe is out of my mom's Betty Crocker Cookbook, 1957 era I believe...

Stir N Drop Sugar Cookies

Beat 2 eggs, stir in 2/3 cup of oil, 2 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp grated lemon rind (optional but worth the extra effort). Blend in 3/4 C sugar

In a separate bowl, sift together, 2 Cups of flour, 2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Then add wet ingredients and mix well.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten cookies with the oiled bottom of a flat glass, dippedin sugar (you can color your sugar by shaking in a jar with a drop or two of food coloring beforehand)

Bake each tray 8-10 minutes at 400f.

Dana and Daisy's Fudge Recipe, Take 2

2010-12-16T18:32:00.005-06:00

A couple of years ago we posted this recipe in one of our funny moods and we embellished the text quite a bit. It has been one of our most popular posts however, so; we decided to repost the recipe without all the drama... and here it goes....

The Smoothest Fudge to Ever Melt in Your Mouth

2 C sugar

1 small can Carnation® Milk

10 large marshmallows

1 stick of butter

a dash of salt

1-6 oz bag of chocolate chips

1 cup of chopped nuts of your choice (optional)
Nut options are pecans, walnuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, peanuts, whatever you like!

In a skillet over a low fire, melt sugar, Carnation® milk and marshmallows. Slowly bring to a boil over low heat while stirring constantly. Once it reaches a bubbling boil, continue cooking on the low fire, stirring, for 6 minutes.

Pour hot mixture over chocolate chips, salt and butter in a bowl and beat until smooth. Add nuts now if desired or top the fudge with them after spreading.

Spread in a buttered 9 x 13. Refrigerate. Cut into small bite sized pieces when firm. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Tips for better fudge: If you have trouble with gritty fudge, you may be cooking your sugar on too high a temperature, or you may be spreading your sugar too high on the sides of your pan which will form crystallized fragments in your fudge. If your fudge is too soft after refrigerating, you did not cook your mixture long enough or at too low of a fire. I set my electric stove at 2-1/2 to 3. A candy thermometer might be useful but is not necessary. If you use one, heat sugar mixture to 248 degrees. It's okay with me of the fudge gets a little soft while sitting out, I just refrigerate it again and it is good as new! A really melt-on-your-tongue fudge will probably do that!

Enjoy! Love, Dana and Daisy

There's a little Narcissist in all of us.

2010-12-16T09:42:00.001-06:00

Another Simply Elegant Idea.

Paperwhites for the holidays.

One planter

A little soil

6 bulbs

Place in sunny window and water.

Narcissus, or paperwhites... also in the daffodil family. The greek myth has it that the flower is named for Narcissus who saw his reflection in a pool of water and was so enamored with his own good looks, he lowered his head ever nearer to the watery mirror until he drowned.

But don't drown your paperwhites. A little water every few days. A small pot will be all you need to fill the home with their musky floral fragrance. They bloom in 4-5 weeks.

Merry Christmas, Love Dana and Daisy

My Simple Foyer

2010-12-15T10:30:00.002-06:00

Another Simply Elegant Idea...

2010 was a year of cleaning out, paring down, keeping what works and redistributing what doesn't.

I kept my antique buffet.

And for Christmas, I pared down the decor on it...

One table runner

One candle in a hurricane

One decorative plate

One antique bird print

One small "group of three"

Tip: Instead of scattering small accessories across your home, group them in small nestled vignettes. It cuts down on the clutter, and makes cleaning a breeze!

My group of three includes a sentimental compote that was my Great Grandmother's, a bird ornament, and a sparkly cross.

Merry Christmas!

Dana and Daisy

A Simply Elegant Place to Sit

2010-12-13T21:33:00.001-06:00

What I've learned about myself and a sofa...

1. Neutral and light is what my heart longs for.

2. In my world, certain shades of green and blue are as calming as neutrals, especially when they are comforting and beg to be touched.

2. One interesting accessory trumps a room full of clutter.

3. You can never go wrong with a glass coffee table. Or white candles. Or a calico cat.

Hat and Fingerless Mittens From an Old Sweater!

2010-12-11T14:28:00.003-06:00

Start with an old wool sweater, mine came from Goodwill.

Choose hot water in the washer and dry it in the dryer. This felts the fibers together and shrinks the sweater.

The Mittens...

At the shoulder seam, cut off the sleeves. Notice how the shape of the sleeve, fits my hand.

I trimmed off the thick shoulder seam and cut the sleeve where my fingers will extend beyond the mitten. But I left the seam under the arm, this will be the inside seam, or thumb side of the mitten.

I made a cuff for my mittens using the cuff from the sleeve.

Measured it visually and cut it just above the border design.

Then I matched the seam on the cuff with the seam on the arm and sewed them, right sides together with a straight stitch by hand using a sturdy yarn that blends into the sweater color.

To finish the mittens, using a contrasting thread, blanket stitch around the cut opening for fingers, closing a gap about four stitches wide to make a thumb hole (no pictures of this step).

The Hat...

Using the yoke of the sweater, mine had a v neck, so I cut it off straight across the shoulders, then cut out the v-neck, a matching v in the back and trimmed the arm angles off, so I have four evenly spaced V's.

With right sides together, close the V's with a straight stitch using yarn and hand sewing.

Then make a running straight stitch around the perimeter of the cut edge and gather into a tight closure and tie off the yarn. It should look like this on the inside...

And it will look like this on the outside...

Then I put it on my head and figured out how long to make my hat. Sorry, I did not take measurements. I did this all visually... It is just an old sweater afterall...

Then I cut the waist-band from the sweater and measured it around my head, cutting out about 7 inches of it so it would fit my head, and sewed the open end together, again, all stitching was done by hand, it is so easy to do by hand!

To fit the top of the hat to the band, I made a running stitch along the opening and gathered it slightly.

Then stretching the band around the hat top, right sides together, I hand stitched the two pieces together.

Then I thought my band was too tall, so I turned it into the inside and stitched the open end over my seam, which cleaned it up on the inside. Note: if you pull your stitches too tight in this step, it will reduce the stretchability of your hat! I had to fix mine after sewing the first time.

So here's how the hat turned out! I liked it behind my ears with the hat flopped at the crown.

Here is the back of it...

And here I am in my matching mittens... Ready to play in the cold!

Linked to Metamorphosis Monday

An Updated Look for Grandma's China

2010-12-08T20:00:00.001-06:00

This beautiful china was handed down to me from my grandmother, (yes, the same one who gave me the glass luncheon set used last week). Being the oldest grand-daughter comes with certain benefits. Lucky me!

This china is Royal Doulton, Kingswood. It is out of production. In fact there is a design with the same name that was produced later than my pieces. I inquired from the Royal Doulton Co. about the confusion in the name, and was told there was a fire in their factory many years ago which destroyed many of their moulds. And those patterns that were made after the fire were given a "modernized" design.

My Grandma always set her table for eight, with a crisp white tablecloth, her sterling, and her gold rimmed crystal glasses with aqua stems. My mother has those items, (there are benefits that come with being the next generation in line, you know).

So, I gave my table for four, a more updated look, but still preserving the beauty of the china and letting it be the star of my place settings! I used a Ralph Lauren tablecloth and napkin set called Veranda Paisley, the color is sand, my Williams Sonoma stainless flatware, and simple glass tulip shaped water goblets, wine glasses and appertif's which I have picked up over the years at various places.

I think it has turned out to be a lovely table and while not as formal as my grandmother would have set, it's still a table that predicts a festive and elegant meal ahead!

I'm very lucky to also have several serving pieces in this china. But cups seem to be the item that were always chipped or broken. I have only two cups and they are both chipped. Some day I may try to replace them.

I sure have gotten a lot of use out of my simply elegant centerpiece! It truly fits right in!

Linked to Tablescape Thursday.

These are a Few of My Favorite Things

2010-12-07T07:52:00.000-06:00

Simply Elegant Idea No.8

Flowers and Candy

A $1.00 bag of Peppermint sticks

A glass candy dish

A grocery store flower bouquet

A glass vase

Voila! A Christmas Vignette!

I'm enjoying this simplified, yet elegant way of decorating for Christmas this year.

I hope you enjoy seeing it.

Merriest of Seasons to you!

Dana and Daisy

No need in reinventing the wheel, or wreath.

2010-12-06T06:17:00.004-06:00

Simply Elegant Idea No.7

Reuse what still works

Last year's wreath hangs on the door again.

The same skis I've used for 4 years in a row, with a little decorating from mother nature.

Ski tutorial:

2 vintage wooden skis or cut ski shapes from wood.

Criss cross and screw them together.

Attach styrofoam block at cross section.

Cover styro with moss.

Attach tin sign with seasonal message.

Poke greenery and berries into styro where desired.

Pray for snow.

A Simply Elegant Moment.

2010-12-03T12:45:00.004-06:00

This series of Simply Elegant Ideas is about more than decor. Simplifying your efforts in decorating can make more room for celebrating moments in life. For example: elevate your evening's ambiance by sharing a glass of wine with your spouse or neighbors. It doesn't have to be elaborate to be enjoyed. Here is how you can make a moment of the day a simply elegant celebration...

A Small Wine Party

A serving tray

A nice wine

A candle

Glasses, corkscrew and napkins

Presto! You have created a simply elegant evening.

If you are certain you must serve food, how about adding something as simple as:

Cream Cheese

Jalapeno Pepper Jelly

Seedless grapes

Crackers

It is that easy! Salut!

Dana and Daisy

Just a Simple Cabin, Hardly Elegant Though.

2010-12-03T09:38:00.002-06:00

I'm taking a breather today from all the blog parties and the pressure to get things perfect and blogged. I don't know about the rest of you, but I feel exhausted after looking at all 1200 of your mantels, tablescapes and vignettes.... overwhelemed and maybe a little like Christmas is much too much anymore.

I think I need a trip to the cabin. Steve and I have enjoyed the cabin. It's a place where we can sit on the porch in our boxers if we want, let the dishes pile up all weekend if we want, and roast wieners in the fireplace and drink beer to our hearts content. We sound really charming, don't we?

There is no internet and not even a tv there. We read, we play guitar, we play Pente or cards. We walk, we sit, we chop wood when we are there.

We love it, sort of. See it is also a worry to us, in winter especially. Will the power go off? Will the pipes freeze? Will it get broken into by hungry squirrels? Will there be a snake on the porch if we get there after dark? Will a tree fall on our roof? Now of all these worries, only one has really happened. Okay maybe two.

But yesterday I got a call from a realtor. It seems maybe he knows an interested buyer. Now, it is not on the market. But we've thought of selling it and giving up all that free time trouncing around in our skivvies. And in some ways I think, oh maybe this is a chance to let someone else have those worries all winter? Maybe they would love to have that giant bathtub in the corner of their living room, instead of us?

So, we're going to name our price. Actually I have to come up with it because Steve is tied up in meetings all day. But then again, I'm in no hurry to sell, so I could wait an extra day. And then I guess if they are serious that means we'll have to make a trip to spit and polish a few things.

Could it be possible that we will be a cabinless couple in 2011? I have mixed feelings about it. But, I guess then, we could buy a bigger cabin!

This post is NOT linked to my Simply Elegant Ideas!

Plate Rack Vignette

2010-12-02T08:05:00.002-06:00

No. 5 in my series, Simply Elegant Ideas. I'm all about easy and timesaving decorating that is still festive and elegant.

Sprucing up the kitchen

Using elements I have and intend to use for baking and serving as my decor, I dressed up my plate rack for holiday baking chores ahead.

Canisters

Dessert plates

Milk glasses

Pedestals for baked goods

Pitchers

Scattered with just a few red berries.

Cookie anyone?

Gingersnaps aka: Pepparkakor

2/3 C light brown sugar

2/3 C light molasses

2 tsp ground ginger

1tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tsp ground cloves

12 Tbsp butter, cut up

2 eggs

5-1/2 C flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

Combone sugar, molasses and spices in saucepan and heat to a boil, boil one minute and remove from heat.

Place butter in a mixing bowl, add hot sugar mixture and stir until melted. Blend in eggs.

Stir baking soda into half of the flour and gradually mix into your sugar mixture. Gradually mix the remaining flour to make a stiff dough. Shape into four balls and refrigerate overnight.

Take out one ball at a time while others remain chilled, and form small balls about a teaspoon full at a time on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 350 F until light brown (10-12 mins). Cool on rack, and store airtight. Makes 7 dozen cookies!

Today's post is linked to Rhoda's Vignette Party. Click the link to see how others are creating a holiday vignette in their homes.

Love, Dana and Daisy

A Simply Elegant Lunch

2010-12-01T19:47:00.005-06:00

Post No. 4 in my Simply Elegant Series

A wintery luncheon for friends

Start with a Simply Elegant Table and add:

4 placemats

4 place settings of glass luncheon plates, stem and silverware

4 glittery post cards

4 napkins and rings

4 sparkly ornaments

Winter birds was an underlying theme. Keep theme elements to a minimum, just enough to set the scene, not take over the ambience!

Heirloom crystal pieces give my table a crisp and icy appearance. Thank you Grandma!

Why not use a beautiful ornament that goes with your table as a take home gift for guests?

Here's an idea, invite guests who are all friends, and have each one write a note of gratitude for the person sitting across the table on a post card. The hostess can mail the cards or share the notes out loud over dessert!

I think my Grandma would be proud that I used her crystal both simply, and elegantly!

This post is linked to Tablescape Thursday.

Follow the link and be inspired and encouraged to create your own beautiful table.

Au revoir!

Dana and Daisy

Just for fun, please vote in the Christmas tree poll in my sidebar before you skedaddle out of here! Thank you!

After quite a bit of online research, Bill, from Affordable Accoutrements, was able to identify my "crystal" which is really glass. It is Made by Imperial Glass and the pattern is Mt. Vernon. Thank you Bill, and if you are not familiar with his blog, you should pay him a visit. He always sets a beautiful table!

Another Simply Elegant Idea

2010-12-01T06:35:00.002-06:00

No. 3 in my series, Simply Elegant Ideas.

A "boot bench"

One bench in the style of your choice

Pillows

Basket and table ensemble

Unfussy holiday decor

The reindeer is going on ten years old. I simplified his surroundings, (see how I used him last year).

And the baskets contain winter essentials: gloves, hat, scarf. How about keeping a pair of warm house shoes in the other?

This bench fills an odd angled corner of my entry way. It also borders my living room and provides an extra seat, in case company overflows. You could do something similar near your back porch or utility room if that would be more appropriate in your house.

Keep Christmas Simple! Love, Dana and Daisy

Resources: Mirror, bench and middle pillow, Pottery Barn; Brown pillows: JC Penney; Table: Target; Baskets: Home Depot; Reindeer and potted plants: gathered from my stash

A Simple Elegant Mantle

2010-11-30T04:00:00.019-06:00

Post No. 2 of my Simply Elegant Ideas:

The Mantle:

One strand of lighted garland (this garland will not give up, I've been using it for 8 years)

5 garden orbs borrowed from around the house

2 candle sticks from Tuesday Morning with almost white candles out of my closet

The focal point of my living room, already decorated! Besides fast and cheap... simply elegant.
Look for more Simply Elegant ideas for Christmas during the month of December, on A Cat in My Lap.

If you have simple and beautiful ideas of your own to share, please feel free to link them in my comments! You may also share this post with the easy buttons at the bottom of the page if you are moved to do so!

This post is linked to the Mantel Party, hosted by Layla Palmer at The Lettered Cottage.

Thank you Layla for hosting this event! Click the link to find many beautiful mantles!

Stay warm!

Love, Dana and Daisy

A Simply Elegant Idea No.1

2010-11-29T08:01:00.003-06:00

A simply elegant table...

One crisp tablecloth

One store-bought wreath

One glass hurricane

One white candle

This has been the year of simplifying for me, and I'm carrying that theme throughout my holiday decor. Come back and see more simply elegant decorating ideas throughout the month of December!

If you have simply elegant ideas to share, please feel free to leave a link in my comments, or share this post by email, facebook or twitter.

Happy first day of Advent!
Dana and Daisy

Secret Family Recipe Giveaway!

2010-11-28T08:27:00.002-06:00

Grandma Kinnamon's Pumpkin Bread

Sift together:

1-2/3 cup of flour, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp soda, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp nutmeg

In separate bowl, cream together:

1/2 cup of shortening, 1-1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla,

Add one at a time and beat in 2 eggs

Add 1 cup of cooked pumpkin

Fold in dry ingredients and add 1/2 cup of warm water

Stir just until smooth. Add 1 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts

Fill loaf pans 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake in greased loaf pans at 375 till done, check at 40 minutes. (You don't want it to be dry, but not doughy or wet in the middle, check with a toothpick)

Makes 2 loaf pans or 3 mini loafs.

My Grandma!

Never too late for Thankfulness!

2010-11-25T12:40:00.004-06:00

Last Friday, there was a blog party called Giving Thanks, hosted by one of my dearest blog friends, Lynn, at the Vintage Nest. Well, in classic "Dana and Daisy style" I left town and forgot to write my Giving Thanks Post.

But since today is actually Thanksgiving, I figured, I'm right on time...

The first thing that comes to mind that I am thankful for is filling my house... with the aroma of good food. Needs met. This is such an overlooked thing for which we sometimes forget to be deeply thankful in our hearts, until we sit down to the turkey dinner. But truly, I thank God every day for the sustenance he has provided my family. We truly have every need met, so, the rest is icing on the cake.

I'm also thankful for my heritage. Like some of you, I have a dysfunctional family, as has been pointed out in past postings. But this does not take the joy away from me that comes by knowing where I came from, who was before me and what kind of person this should shape me to be. I'm celebrating part of that heritage today by enjoying recipes that my grandmothers used on Thanksgiving for years before me. But heritage is more than a family recipe. Knowing the trials that my ancestors faced in life has given me pride in the kind of "stock" I come from. It gives me the courage to face my own trials in life with more confidence.

And also, not to be forgotten, I am grateful that I have a God of mercy and love. I don't talk about my faith very often, but I am a person of faith. And while I used to question things more when I was young, I have settled into a peaceful understanding that there are mysteries in this world that we cannot understand as humans. And I'm okay with that. I rest in the knowledge that God is in charge.

And I am deeply thankful for my loving and supportive spouse. Oh sure, we have had our disagreements and we have had to call a cease fire about some things. But my heart still quickens its pace when he walks into the room. I love him with all my heart. And I am thankful that he pledges the same to me. Just yesterday we were discussing our vows of eight years, I know, newlyweds practically! And I recalled, we promised we would love each other. That's not a feeling that just happens. Some days it actually takes determination and will. I hope if you are feeling your love fading, you might think about that and determine in your own will to love your spouse.

You know, I could go on and on, there's the cat, and all that, ha ha! But I have a beeper going off in my oven... and it is Thanksgiving Day afterall! I hope you give thanks today for the blessings God has bestowed upon you!

Much Love:
Dana and Daisy

Our Little Cabin in the Woods

2010-11-15T08:13:00.000-06:00

Four years ago, on my birthday, Steve took me to Eureka Springs and we stayed in a cabin out by Beaver Lake. We drove around town and onto some less traveled roads and we found this beautiful sight, right in the middle of town. Although it said private road, private property, no trespassing, we couldn't resist the little gravel road you see here. Yep, we trespassed. One year later, we bought the little cabin we spied on that road. And now we get to travel that road as often as our schedules allow. Which recently has picked up and we've enjoyed our little cabin in the woods during fall. And we love it! Here are a few pics from above that gravel road...

Our deck looks out over the tiny lake, locals call it Little Lake Eureka. They say it was a swimming hole at one point. But I would not like to swim in it. In fact just last weekend I saw a very irritated water moccassin scrambling down the road, apparently I had nearly run over him... better luck next time!

I had to show you this pic, above. When the trees were full, you could not see that this large oak had fallen behind our cabin, but now that the leaves are falling... YIKES! When a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound... I can only imagine it!

As you can see, there is never a shortage of firewood here. We never cut living trees, but just keeping fallen trees cut up keeps lumberjack Steve busy. It's been incredibly dry here this fall, so we have not been able to enjoy our little fire ring that I made... maybe one winter day we will!

I hope you enjoyed seeing our fall scenery at the cabin! I bet the next time we go, it will be grey and wintery! I love all the seasons there, so much beauty in each one!

Make mine Maple! Or Evergreen!

2010-11-13T07:35:00.000-06:00

There's just nothing as breathtaking as Maples in the Fall. In the photo above is one of my two October Glory Maples (right) and an Amur Maple (left). If you don't have room for a full grown Maple tree in your landscape, try growing an Amur Maple. They are not as finicky as a Japanese Maple and still give good fall color, but are considered a shrub or ornamental size.

Some day these two maples will make a showy presence on our side street! I can't believe how much they've grown. At mature size a Maple tree will be 30-40 feet in diameter. So remember that when you plant them!

The color on the october Glory is RED! Some, Sugar Maple for example, are more orange. Some do not provide much color at all, such as Silver Maple. So, do your homework if you want good fall color before planting!

This color just takes my breath away!

It's always a good idea to have more than one variety of tree in your yard. In case there is a disease that affects one, it won't affect all your trees at once.

I chose a Chinese Pistache to replace our Birch Tree. A tree this size should be professionally planted. Trees are an investment in your property, and a professional installer should guarantee your new tree for one year after planting. No questions asked.... if it dies, they replace it.

If you don't have a budget to plant a tree this size, don't put off planting trees. I've seen smaller versions of this tree for as little as $15 at the home stores. Give it a couple of years and it'll catch up to this one!

We felt as if we've waited 4 years already for a tree in this spot, so we splurged on the bigger one. Chinese Pistache grow very easily in my zone which is zone 7. They grow so carefree that the highway department even plants them along roadsides in Oklahoma. Still, this tree will need water every week if it does not rain, for at least 6 months. Just 15 minutes with the hose once a week. Many people forget to water new trees. Trees are most vulnerable to damage from lack of water in their first year of planting. Likewise they can be overwatered. A tree that has too much water will respond similarly to a tree with too little water, the leaves will dry up and begin to fall. A lot of people plant their tree and forget it, but a tree needs proper care to thrive.

Don't prune your new trees until their third year. This allows the tree to absorb as many nutrients as possible from it's leaves, and establishes the root system well so it will not be shocked by pruning.

To keep a healthy and desirable shape to most trees, cut off a smaller branch if it rubs against a stronger one. Also cut limbs up from the bottom, gradually each year, to create the height of the canopy you wish. Keep a strong center branch by cutting off any smaller branches that try to fork the center of the tree. And to make a full tree, you can trim the tips of the smallest branches as they grow outward. This forces the tree to split into two or more directions and create more full growth on the interior of the tree. Again, wait to prune a newly planted tree until it is well established!

And don't forget evergreen's. Evergreens add color to your yard year round. A popular evergreen in our area the last few years has been the Blue Atlas Cedar. You can find them in almost any nursery center in all sizes. Some people call them a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree because in adolescent stages, they have a very twiggy and random growth. However, when these trees reach maturity, they can be 20-25 feet in diameter and very full, with branches that hang down, heavily laden with needles.

Don't plant them too close to your house. In 15 years they will be oversized and you'll find yourself removing them... at a high cost, I might add. We planted this one about 12 feet from the corner of our house. Some day it will crowd out the plantings under it. But that will be a while. And we will eventually prune the canopy of this tree up from the bottom, so that it will clear the fence. It's hard to believe such a scrawny tree now will ever be that big, but fingers crossed and good care, and it will!

So, things are shaping up in the garden as you can see. I've been working hard on it for the last month or so with some help. I've hired my lawn service to come once a week to do the heavy lifting work. They seem to be happy for the extra work since mowing season has slowed to a halt. Making it beautiful again, one step at a time...

Setting an Easy Fall Table for Guests

2010-11-10T20:13:00.009-06:00

Start with an interesting place setting. Interesting does not have to equal expensive. I bought these plates and bowls at Tuesday Morning for just a few dollars per piece.

Think of ways to compliment the place setting. The iron handled flatware is a natural with the design on the dishes. I happened to have the flatware already.

Add a touch of color. The tablecloth, layered with placemats and even the dishes were mostly neutral. I played off the small red edge on the plates by using the pop of color in my napkins. It does not bother me one bit to mix and match my table linens!

Choose an interesting glassware. I love these bubble goblets. Although an amber colored glassware could have been equally stunning.

Create an easy (inexpensive) centerpiece. The produce department is brimming with ideas. These pumpkins will become pies in another week. But today they look great layered with a basket and coupled with more iron... candlesticks that were tucked away in a closet... having fallen out of popularity (I've had them for about 13 years).

Here's a better view of the overall centerpiece.

Creating a fall table doesn't have to be complicated, or even expensive. Look for things you already have that you might not be using. Borrow from other rooms if you must. A few items can make dramatic statement.

And enjoy the company of your guests.

You might serve my Fall Pork Chops for dinner.

Four, thin, bone-in pork chops salted and peppered and dredged in flour.

Place in glass baking dish that has been oiled to prevent sticking.

Peel and thickly slice a yellow onion and place a slice over each chop.

Peel and halve four garlic cloves and place over chops.

Peel, core and slice one tart apple, like a rome or granny smith and layer on top.

Cover with foil, bake covered at 350 for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking about 15-20 minutes. Add a bit of water to bottom of pan if juices evaporate before done.

Serve with stuffing and mixed steamed veggies! Yummers!

Today's post is part of Tablescape Thursday, hosted by Susan At Between Naps on the Porch. For more table and hosting ideas, please visit the link and be sure and leave comments.

Thank you for visiting, today. We appreciate any comments you may leave!

Dana and Daisy

Caution: Learn from my experience...

2010-11-10T12:00:00.011-06:00

This post is about the tragic results of trusting "professionals" to know what they are doing.

The company's name has not been offered in this post, because they say they did nothing wrong. They refuse to take any responsibility for what happened here.

But I think the pictures speak for themselves.

On June 3rd, "the company" provided a routine service call to my house where they were under contract to perform garden maintenance, including spraying of pesticides as needed. On that date, they sprayed chemicals in my yard. I do not know what chemicals they used. This is part of the learned experience I will speak about later. In the following 24 hours, plants began to wilt, shrivel, curl and change color. Within just a few weeks, many plants died, including trees, shrubs and perennials. Those that did not die, did not perform to normal expectations this past year, ie: did not bloom, or otherwise perform as healthy plants would.

We are now in the process of replacing many of the affected plants. It has been a sad and worrisome year. Not only have we invested literally thousands of dollars in our landscape over the years, we have also invested our own time and energy to nurture and grow these plants. It takes years to establish a garden. Ours was just coming into it's fourth growing season when this terrible tragedy happened.

Honestly it has affected me so much that I could not blog about it until now. The company refuses to make any offer of settlement to amend the problem, even though their contract includes a replacement guarantee... another item I will speak about at the bottom of this post.

And now for the photos.

Within 24 hours, my coral bells drooped, I eventually lost all 5 of them completely.
The daisies never did bloom, although they have fall growth on them that appears normal, we might be able to save them.

This was a nicely developed ground cover that I planted three years ago, it is completely gone now.
I had just planted 12 of these english daisy's, not one survived.
My cone flowers aborted their blooms and slowly declined. By fall, they were mere skeletons of plants, however we are seeing new growth at the roots, so there is hope for next year.

Cuttings of this and other soft stem flowering plants showed a blistering wound where the plant was attempting to heal itself of the damage. This purple monarda did not bloom, although the red did, but was stunted in it's growth. It is a toss up if it will recover next year.
This Deodora Cedar turned from a vivacious and healthy new growth in spring to complete death and brown scorch within just a few weeks.
This is a hardy hibiscus. It did eventually sprout new growth and bloomed. However, a nursery man who came to assess my damages said that all these plants may experience a shortened life span and/or unusual growth patterns due to the chemical damage.

You can actually see the chemical drip where it burned the leaves on these Nandina bushes.
More twisted wilted stems. These flowers have in the past been blooming all season, they aborted blooming within 2 days of the spray.
More coneflower, drooped and declining. I did not get one more bloom all season from them.
This is a perennial phlox I had just planted, the jury is still out if this will survive next year.
This is actually a hydrangea, it is dead now.
My canna's completely split in the stalk and fell to the ground within 2 days. However, they did have late summer growth and even bloomed in late August, although the blooms were few and smaller than last year.

Okay, I had 4 different opinions from professional nurserymen, landscapers, 2 who are certified arborists and they all said the same thing... you cannot hardly kill nandina... but look at the distorted growth on this.
traces of chemicals still on the leaves.
This WAS my peony, it completely died, and it's buds were aborted. Some day I will really have a peony that blooms, some day... just not this one.
The poppies just became ghosts almost overnight.
This is a leaf from a Yaupon holly with chemical trace still on it. This was a brand new shrub "the company" had just planted for us. It lost about 75% of it's leaves within the next two months. The plant is technically still alive, but we doubt it will ever have the fullness that it had when we bought it.
This was an exotic perenNial that I had bought two years ago from a grower in Eureka Springs. I had three of them, They all three died. My local nursery was not even sure what the plant is called. I don't know if I will be able to replace them or not.
And this... this was our white spire birch tree. This poor tree had suffered a lot of problems ever since "the company" recommended it to us. Within the first year it had a fungus that killed two of the three trunks. Me... being the kind of person who hates to discard a living thing if it is showing signs of recovery, had nurtured it back to a seemingly healthy plant, In fact I blogged a photo of this tree just two weeks before the spraying took place and was marveling at how much it had grown and how green it's leaves were.
It completely defloliated, save about ten leaves at the tips of 5 branches. We have since removed it from our yard.
And my spirea, which you know, I was never too fond of anyway, well, it is even a worse landscape item when it does not bloom all year. Although the bushes themselves appeared to have new heathy growth in the months after this incident, it never did bloom this year either. I will give it a severe cut back in the spring and hope it recovers next year.
and honestly, I almost laugh at this. This is a ground cover "the company" had just sprigged for me two weeks earlier, claiming it was so fool proof that it would certainly grow in this area where nothing else seems to. Well, it is not so fool proof that you can't kill it with chemicals, even if you don't mean to.
deformed and stunted growth on my hydrangeas...
another perennial phlox...

And my early spring phlox. First it turned this strange crunchy color and had a weird smell to it, then, it eventually just died, save a sprig here or there. I imagine I will be replanting it next spring.
This is a rose bush I had just planted earlier that week. It did actually recover and bloom.
I think this was bluebells, it has just finished blooming. uh, it is dead.
And my japanese maple defoliated a few weeks after this, save but a few leaves. I let my lawn guy take it home and see if his sister could get it to grow.
And more spirea...
There were other plants that suffered and died too. I just tried to limit my photos, I think you get the point.

Anyway, what I learned from all this and hopefully you can learn from my experience also..

1. Always trust your own instincts when hiring "professionals" and do not simply submit to their knowledge as "the experts".

2. Always demand proper licensing from any professional who is spraying any kind of chemicals in or near your home. They must be licensed with the Department of Agriculture. It turns out that the company I had hired had been spraying my yard for two years without a proper license and I did not know that.

3. Do not enter into a contract agreement when the guarantor of services who has built in loopholes to protect them from paying out a guarantee, even if it seems like a reasonable agreement. This should be a sign to you that you will have a hard time collecting any guarantee if a problem arises.

4. When hiring a service such as landscaping, check their references with the better business bureau. Although "the company" was not a member and therefore no history was available on them. I should have been cautious to hire them, as I could not avail myself to the BBB to mediate a problem for me. Also, upon talking to the other landscapers and nurserymen about my dilemma, I learned that "the owner of the company" is known among his peers as disagreeable and arrogant, which I came to understand during my own interactions with him.

5. Anytime a professional sprays chemicals in or around your home, you are entitled to and should expect a list of chemicals used and proper care and cautions that should be taken. If a professional will not tell you what they are using, you should tell them to take a hike. There is no such thing as "proprietary information" when it comes to the health and safety of your home. As it turns out, the company later admitted to me that they had sprayed all my edible herbs with toxic systemic chemicals, and I was not aware of it. Luckily for me(and them), I had not ingested any of them.

There probably is more I could say I learned from all this. But I think that is enough for right now. We had to wait for fall to remediate the gardens. We are beginning the replanting process. I do have hope for a better spring and summer in 2011. "The company" will not be a part of that better day.

In other news, and this time a photo...

2010-11-09T12:04:00.003-06:00

Okay another word or two about Christmas first. This has been coming on for a while now. It started a few years ago when I first began dreading the holiday get-togethers. It was accompanied by the annual "must I buy a dress?" shopping spree that comes with every company Christmas party. And it has now infected my inner love for sparkling and glittering Christmas decorations. I would not say I am depressed. Although it kind of feels like it. It is more like disappointment in futile traditions. I guess it has been exacerbated by unresolved family issues.

It has been a weird year. Let me just leave it at that. But it has left me feeling like what is the dang use anyway? And in reality, I would like to leave the continental United States for Christmas and go somewhere warm where they have little candles in sand-filled brown bags to light my barefoot path. I have not been able to convince my loverly Steve that this is a good idea, but I have not lost hope. Although reservations need to be made if we are going away, so... honey if you are reading....

And let me add we have made some changes in our home this year. I got rid of lots of stuff. I opened up the passageways and let the sun shine in and well, I am just not ready to clutter it all up with Christmas crapola yet. I have transformed at least the main living areas of our home into a less is more, yes some call it minimalist, I call it easy to clean, environment. Never mind that I don't really keep it that clean.

I'd also like to add that my gardens were a huge disappointment this year. I know, someone get me a tissue. This woe-is-me story is getting really long. Anyway, there was a travesty of sorts in our yard this year and it was a sad, sad event. I can't really talk about it, but it has caused me to lose some of my mojo, and now I am in the fixing stage of things... and well... it has zapped my energy in many ways. But there is hope for a better spring!

My only saving grace this past year has been weaving and friends. And thank God for both. Although I have recently had trouble getting my weaving projects accomplished... I think it is fear of the holidays setting in. Still, my classes have given me something new to focus on. I have met some really wonderful gals and even a guy who have taken to weaving like a duck to water. And that makes me happy. And I have had other friends who are celebrating new life and love and have allowed me to share their joys. And that is really wonderful!

So, all is not lost. And maybe a little St. John's Wort is in order? Or maybe just a cup of tea and a sit with my cat?

And now for my photo: me in a new scarf I wore to a baby shower this past Sunday. Pink and brown, still a favorite color combo.

So, it is not even Thanksgiving yet!

2010-11-08T17:51:00.004-06:00

Okay friends, what few of you still read me, I need to make one thing clear. I am not about to start blogging about Christmas yet. In fact I might not blog about it at all this year. I know, "heretic," you say!

So I have to tell a funny story, and sorry no photos go with this post. I am a slacker lately. Get over it, please.

So my friend who shall remain no-name, has been in a tizzy because it unnerves her that stores start playing Christmas music in July. And she's been lamenting this onset of the holiday season when we have not even had a hard freeze, yet. Still, she agreed to partake in the early bird special of the local lighting company to put up her Christmas lights... in October... it saved her 20% after all. But the phunny thing is, uhm, she could not figure out how to turn her Christmas lights OFF. So she says her neighbors have turned her into the Christmas light police (I didn't even know there is one) and she has been deemed "the tacky lady who puts her lights up too early" in her neighborhood. ha ha!

In other holiday news, which I refuse to blog about yet, I am just not feeling the holiday spirit this year. Someone take my temperature, please! No, seriously, I am just NOT looking forward to getting all those boxes down from the attic, sorting through the piles and piles of collected crap that sparkles and glitters and placing all hopes on said crap to bring the Christmas spirit into our home, then to have to take it all down, pack it all up and put it all away just one month later, or two depending on how long I leave it up. (run-on sentence)

I am thinking of decorating with completely disposable, even bio-degradable holiday hulliballew. Of course I have no idea what this idea looks like in my head. I certainly don't have enough evergreen, holly, or pine cones in my yard to decorate a wreath, even. So, I don't know... I see a lot of cotton balls and string and maybe some construction paper, and a few wine corks in my decorating future.

Please feel free to leave your ideas for lackluster, bio-degradable, holiday hulliballew in the comments section. You may receive credit in a future post complete with photos... if I get enough energy to try your idea.

I know, what has happened to me?

addendum: ideas I might steal from others more creative than me:

Coffee Filter Wreath/Tree

Cotton Ball Tree

Welcome to the Tulsa State Fair

2010-10-11T09:02:00.004-05:00

It's over now, but it will remain in our hearts forever. In more ways than one.

Always a Day Late or a Dollar Short!

2010-09-30T16:39:00.008-05:00

I admit it. I only read blogs about twice a month now. Some blogs I don't even get around to anymore. So I am pretty much "not-in-the-know" of all the fun things in blogland these days. And that's why I missed this party! One of my favorite blogs is hosting it. And I didn't even know it!

Alas, I cannot play along. Because I have not decorated my mantel, or my fantel. I'm more than a day late. In fact, I may not even get around to decorating my mantel for fall. But if you want to see my mantel decorated, you can just click this link and see last year's.

Still, I did redo my plate rack. Only because I was tired of seeing spring flowers on my wall. So, here's a little peek. I'm sorry there's not more to show, but frankly this is all the seasonal decorating I've done.

I did put out a fall candle...
Then I poured myself a cup of fall tea.
And then I pet my fall cat.
What have you decorated... or not decorated for fall?

Every Weaver Has a Dream.

2010-09-28T09:23:00.002-05:00

Perhaps it comes from fairy tales of spinning straw into gold, but weavers are dreamers. We weave simple dreams, not outlandish dreams of opulence. No. We dream of cool days and ocean breezes lightly lifting the fleece from our flock and spending days combing and spinning that fleece into the softest yarn imaginable. Then weaving our handspun yarn into the most treasured of gifts.

Luckily, in case our own dreams don't come true, we can order the gifts of this very nature online.

Here is another love I found in Maine this year. Enjoy! The website alone is a virtual vacation.

A Convenience for Travelers That Will Extend Your Vacation

2010-09-20T08:53:00.008-05:00

Here's a tip I just learned this year. When you are on vacation and particularly when you are flying, ask shops if they will ship your purchased items home for you! It saves you tons of weight hauling bags yourself, or baggage handlers from breaking your 15 bottles of maple syrup in your checked bag. Plus, many stores will ship for free or at least cheaper than buying a tote bag to carry your haul since your suitcase is already overflowing with dirty clothes.

And the real fun of it... about a week after you get home... just about the time that it seems so far away and you can barely remember you took a vacation... your doorbell will ring and boxes of lovely items that still smell fresh as the sea air of Maine (or wherever you went) will pop out and delight you all over again.

Here's my loot from Maine:

Wild Maine Blueberry Jam, Maine Maple Syrup, Maine Sea Salt, Pure Maple Cream, Maple Chipotle Grill Sauce, Orange Cranberry Marmalade. Are you getting the drift? From Stonewall Kitchen. Yes, I can get their products in Oklahoma, but not the variety they have in Maine, plus they ship for free with purchases over $75. And in-store you can sample to your hearts content. I should have bought the new salted chocolate caramel sauce! And if I forgot to buy the Whoopie Pie Mix, guess what? I can get it online.

And in Bar Harbor we visited a tea lovers paradise, Bar Harbor Tea Company. So hard to pick just two. Lucky for me they have a website too.

Did I mention how yummy pure maple cream is on pumpernickel toast? Or just even on your finger, if you should happen to drizzle a little bit down the side of the jar. Not that I would ever lick my fingers while preparing food, but you know, if... someone out there wanted to. You could.
And even small mom and pop shops will ship your stuff. I bought all this gee-orgeous yarn at KnitWit in Portland. Quince&Co yarn, also a Maine company. Very nice wool, very reasonably priced, and did I mention... they have a website, too.

So if you haven't been to Maine, pretend. Visit these sites and bring a little Maine home to your doorstep. And, if you are family reading, guess what you are all getting for Christmas? It starts with the letter M.

Yes, I'm still on a Maine High!

2010-09-14T09:33:00.013-05:00

We got home Saturday, (I know what you are thinking!) Why the heck has it taken me so long to post about our trip? Well, I am still washing the sea air out of laundry and organizing photos and cuddling the kitty. But here are some of the best ones, with briefly as I could comments about where they were taken. Enjoy!

Happy to be on vaca!

At Thunder Hole, about 8 pm, 9/3, Hurricane Earl coming in.

on the river at Kennebunkport

We got up early to watch the sunrise in Kennebunkport.

(these are in non-sequence, but you can figure it out I bet.)

This is the Lewis R. French, sailing in Camden, circa 1871, oldest operable sailing vessel in Maine, perhaps in the US.

These were at Sandy Beach in Acadia National Park, about 6 pm on the eve of Hurricane Earl, which fizzled out in local terms.

We went sailing one day on the Schooner Surprise which was awesome!

These are the Portland Head Light on Cape Elizabeth.

And from Portland, we ferried out to Peaks Island for an afternoon of the best seafood we had the entire trip an a walk around the island.

Ongunquit Beach where we saw a guy almost drown. seriously.

They put lobstah in ever thang! Just kidding, no lobster in the beer, despite what you may have heard.

Kennebunkport at low-tide.

The lighthouse off of Cape Porpoise, accessible only by boat.

A beach day at Kennebunkport.

More of our sailing neighbors.

Those rocks are called the Graves, I'll let you fill in the blanks.

This is Somesville, settled by the English in 1760.

Cape Porpoise, a true fishing village.

Lobster boat going out early one morning.

Lovebirds on the Ferry.

Dinnah!

On the coast of Mount Desert Isle, morning after Hurricane Earl.

Some handsome guy I saw on the beach.

Awe, this is Captain Jack and his "first mate" Barbara who took us sailing in their schooner, the Surprise.

Camden is a sailing community, in case you didn't know.

Overlooking Camden and the Penabscot Bay from Mount Battie.

All those little white dots are sail boats.

And lastly, that's me... going as deep into the ocean as I ever have.

It was an awesome trip! If you get the chance to go, you really should! Now, back to my laundry!

It's Raining Purple!

2010-08-23T10:31:00.010-05:00

I have no idea why, but purple seems to be the color that keeps calling out to me this autumn.

This is a silk and merino blend scarf and let me just admit, it feels yummy! Really yummy! The warp is multicolored in oranges, golds, magenta's and purple, but the blackberry weft tones it down and makes it a really scrumptious color. Without screaming purple and magenta at you, it reminds me of blackberry cobbler!

I taught a class on Saturday that was aimed at weaving with textured yarns, so I made another scarf like this one, only in darker colors... lots of purples, again, and a few other shades thrown in for fun.

And then, this one is really more of periwinkle and brown combo, than purple. But who's keeping score anyway? This texture comes from a patterned weave that I picked up from Betty Davenport's Book, Weaving Textures on a Rigid Heddle Loom. This was the first piece off of my new loom. I haven't stretched out to the full width of my loom yet. I can now weave about twice the width of this piece.

The pattern is reverse on the backside of the cloth. Really fun to weave!
Now I'm curious what you would like to see more of on my blog? There has been a lot of weaving lately. Are you bored with it? Would you like to know more about weaving or the yarns I use? Or is enough, enough already? Leave me a comment and let me know. I may or may not comply! Ha ha!

Whales and Puffins and Lobster, I Come to Thee.

2010-08-16T11:25:00.006-05:00

I am going to Maine. I can hardly believe it.

Yes, I will blog about it. Until then... I have some more weaving to do.

Land Ahoy!

I Have an Understanding Husband!

2010-08-11T09:28:00.004-05:00

How else could I get by with this obsession of mine?

I could wear this one while out on a date night (when I'm not weaving) and have a glass of wine. Spill? What spill? Wine? Dribbling down my chin? Who, me?

Or how about this beauty? Have you ever seen a sunset in Oklahoma in winter?

I'm telling you, they can look just like this scarf...

Only not as checked or striped. Last time I saw a sunset, there were not plaids or stripes, but the colors.... oh the colors.... when the wind comes sweeping down the plains.
Yes, two days, two scarves... I know! My house is a wreck.

Over and under, over and over again

2010-08-09T13:34:00.008-05:00

Have you ever become so obsessed with an activity that you can't seem to do anything else? Oh wait! I am talking to bloggers! Of course you have!

Weaving seems to have overtaken my life. In a good way. I see colors of yarn when I close my eyes at night. And no wonder... I have been a weaving fool lately. But in my book, that makes me better than an idle fool, so, I'm sticking with it.

Here are a few of my recent FO's.... that's Ravelry speak for "finished objects", modeled by Paris and New York, the "headless sisters" in my studio. They are so willing to model for me, and I do appreciate their sacrifices.

Look at this weave! Doesn't it make you think Santa Fe? Autumn? Let's all go there in our minds, shall we?
This random plaid design is very easy to achieve, simply weave an evenly balanced variegated yarn in both warp and weft.
It makes a nice twisted fringe, too!
This little bag is an upcycle of a scarf I made a while back that just didn't do it for me. It was when I was in a blah color mood. Obviously Santa Fe has broken me of that mood.
Anyway, this bag is a pattern I found on this weaver's blog. And oh my gosh, set aside some time to drool over her beautiful views of the world... A weaver in Italy, who travels.... ah! Dare to dream!
And then I made this sweet little alpaca scarf, with uh, hum, a cousin in mind, but honestly, I can't bare to part with it yet. It's sort of like birthin' babies, and well, some of them I just can't kick to the curb quite so fast as others. I think it's a personality disorder or something.

So, anywho, that's what I've been doing. Now listen, I just want to admit, my blog has been rather doldrum lately, unless you like watching the World Wide Weavers' Network in your spare time. And so, I just want to say, if you still read me, bless you! If you don't, well, never mind. But I have a feeling my bloggy life is about to change. And if it does, I will post it here first, okay maybe facebook first and here second, but I will let you know if I change my blog address... again! I promise!

Change is in the air, and it ain't just the seasons!

A Thing Called Love

2010-08-03T10:30:00.004-05:00

Saturday, I went to the Fiber Festival in Kellyville, OK. They call it Fiber Christmas in July, but I really have no idea why. I didn't see anything Christmas about it, but whatever! It's the best chance to get to buy roving, locally that I have run into.
This beautiful green roving is 50% wool, 50% mohair, and now apparently about 10 percent added calico. And let's not even think about what slobber might have been added. Sometimes Daisy disgusts me, just a little bit.
I don't know what she loves so much about wool, but I can't keep her out of it. It would be like trying to hold her back from the Fancy Feast when I feed her.
This mohair blend just about ate my fingertips right off while spinning. It did spin nice, but you should see what a mess I made when I tried to ply it. ugh! I could stand to take a few more spinning lessons. And of course every (good) spinner will tell you, it just takes practice. And at least one bad spinner agrees.
Kind of like weaving I suppose. Speaking of weaving, the Kellyville show brings weavers out of the woodwork, or studio, if you prefer. I met up with Donna, from the Weavery at Indian Meridian, and got to show her some of my recent stuff. She was pleased with my improvement and showed me some of her recent projects, too. We are kindred spirits when it comes to the Cricket Loom. We both think it's about the best thing made since sliced bread.
I think I'll weave up some of the single ply yarn I spun, (what I have left after my plying fiasco. And this Saturday, I am going to get out of my comfort zone, or at least out of my pj's and go to the Tulsa Handweaver's Guild. Donna said there is a treasury of weavers in Tulsa, and I need to get to know them.

This little thing called a Cricket has created a new mission in my life. My Ashford wheel? More of a love/hate relationship so far.

Following my bliss, and ever grateful for the chance to do it!

Dana (and Daisy, the slobbering wool molester)

It borders on obsession..

2010-07-28T09:19:00.003-05:00

Hmm? Guess what I've been doing?
Using up stash, that's what...
Mostly scraps, and a pompom yarn that I found utterly exasperating to knit with.
Oh, and then for a reprieve... I met a friend for coffee, she was in town for a family visit. We went to grade school together, and reminisced about the Hearst Honeybees (softball). I know I have never mentioned my athletic abilities before... that's because there aren't any.
We ran into another school mate, Sargeant Calhoun, TPD. We asked a young girl at the next table to take our pic. I noticed he got instant respect in that uniform. How could she say no?

Okay, back to weaving. I'm working up a soft alpaca scarf... for a cousin. Imagine that?

There is nothing to do in this heat, but weave.

2010-07-22T08:45:00.005-05:00

And wait for cooler weather... so I can wear my new scarf! Lemongrass Silk

There is a website out there for knitters, crocheters, and now weavers. It's called Ravelry. Ever heard of it? You can find me there. It's chock full of inspiration, information and groups of likeminded people. I'm putting all the details of my projects there and will link to the corresponding project page for anyone who wants more info on the items I post on my blog.

I was talking to Meg about this scarf yesterday, and she asked me what about this scarf made me feel as if I had turned a corner in my weaving. And here is my answer...

I think I turned a corner for a couple of reasons. This is the first piece that actually feels like fabric, draping across my skin. All the previous ones have been coarse, or bulky or just not comfortable to touch.

And secondly, it is the first piece where I felt like plain weave turned out anything but plain. I have tried all kinds of techniques to alter the plain weave that I can do on the rigid heddle, using a pick up stick etc. But they all seemed blah to me. This piece I decided to throw a little caution to the wind, and wove with 4 different yarns in a random repeat. It is truly something unique and not easily replicated. Unlike other plaids and stripes I wove, where I thought, "hmf! I could have bought one like it at Target!"

So I feel as if I have created something beautiful and original and luxurious.

Take Your Cat to Work Day

2010-07-19T09:19:00.004-05:00

Hello readers! Daisy at the blogging helm today! I am announcing an event on facebook and inviting you all to attend... Take Your Cat to Work Day.

It's this Wednesday and starts promptly at 8 am. No slacking kitties showing up late to work, now! Be sure and click the link above and rsvp. I'm sending out helpful hints about what a cat should wear to work, how to pack a brown bag, etc.

And I want to tell you about a new book which I cannot wait to get, called Careers for Your Cat, authored by Ann Dziemianowicz and illustrated by Ann Boyajian. It's being released on August 3rd, just a few days away! Pre-order it now on Amazon.com and it qualifies for Free Super Saver Shipping (when your order meets the $25 minimum)!

Remember that every cat has a purrpose in life, and it is up to you to help your kitty find theirs! This book will have many ideas of how to get Fluffy on the Payroll and off of the Dole.

Lucky for me, I have already found my full time job as a blogger and facebook promoter!

Toodloo friends!

Daisy

No fees were paid for this endorsement.

When a lull in creativity strikes...

2010-07-15T15:15:00.005-05:00

Prep for the next wave of inspiration.

Spin some new yarn. Gesso some canvas.

Get out a sketchbook. Make some quick collage art.

Shop for new supplies. Try something new.

Anything but clean up the studio!

My recent weaving addiction has created quite a mess.

((sigh!))

I'm so pleased to learn my weaving class has been featured on the Be Sweet Yarn blog! So cool!

A New Scarf! Imagine that!

2010-07-11T20:45:00.005-05:00

Someday I am going to break free from the scarf format. But until then....

Yes, that is me the weaver, modeling and photographing simultaneously. Don't laugh!

Yarn: Wild Stuff, Portofino - Weft and Lachiwa color 1404 in the Warp.

Plain weave, 8DPI heddle on a Cricket Loom. Finished size is 5 inches by 72.

Don't Spam On Me!

2010-07-09T07:49:00.006-05:00

Dear Anonymous:

This blog is not your personal Spam ground. It is not a place where you can receive free marketing for your stupid Akoya Pearls or anything else. This blog is mine, all mine!!!!!

And since your mama never taught you, I will tell you there is a thing called etiquette and it applies even in the blog world. It goes like this... You say something nice, using your google account log-in, type-pad log-in etc, not anonymously. And you say it in clearly, understood words. And you do NOT leave a list of links to your products or more likely your false web page that hacks into every visitors computer and inserts viral information onto their computer. You say something and leave. Then when I read it, I am happy you visited and I reciprocate onto your blog, which is a blog, not a commercial website that sells crap I don't want.

And since you have made yourself known here, over and over again, you have left me no choice but to alter my blog settings to restrict and moderate comments so you cannot do this to me and to my readers again, you schmuck.

I just wonder how people like yourself even sleep at night because you are not welcome anywhere you go. Goodbye Anonymous!

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

2010-07-08T10:24:00.004-05:00

Pottery Barn is having their summer sale, maybe you heard?

A little scavenger hunt around my house yielded a few sea shells for my sea shore theme.
Happy Thursday! Thanks for stopping by!

Linked to Tablescape Thursday.

Taos Wool Festival Re-Cap

2010-07-03T07:43:00.005-05:00

In 2008, Steve and I went to Taos, New Mexico and attended their famous Taos Wool Festival. Here's a recap of what we saw there.

A highlight to our trip to New Mexico, these cute baby alpacas made me want to come home and start a herd of my own! They made the cutest low cooing sounds, too.
I'm not a good fact gatherer, so I didn't get the breed of these goats. But I recall someone saying they are some special hybrid breed for the length of their fleece. I could see me walking one of these down the city streets of my neighborhood! There's nothing in my covenants about raising goats, I'm pretty sure!
I had never seen a sheep shearing contest. I supposed speed was part of the criteria. The goat baa'd through the whole experience
Here is a naked sheep. I think I prefer the hand cutting method I have seen on video to the rip-roaring electric sheers that buzzed this poor baby. But in all, it seemed like it embarrassed the poor animal rather than hurt it.
Wool rugs of course were on every corner of every town we stopped. Those at the wool festival turned out to be some of the better ones we saw.
And the judges agreed with us. The rugs above were made by this award winning weaver.
And I was pleasantly surprised to see my friend and teacher Ruth Walker exhibiting there. She took first place in the household items division for her beautiful felted tea cozy. Go Ruth!
I would have liked to take home a few of these gems. Beautiful spindles of exotic woods with inlay decoration on the disc. I was too nervous to give one a spin.

But I did try these on for size. The softest woolen gloves and mittens you can imagine. And they are made by a family business who raises their own sheep, and spins and and knits their own goods and then sells them through venues such as the wool festival. I thought their display was the best in the show and their prices were good too.
So, I took home a pair of gloves! And I actually wore them that day since the temp was a chilly 42 when we arrived that morning. I had a great time there and wished all my fiber friends could have been there with me!

Mark you calender for 2010, The Taos Wool Festival is Oct. 2 and 3rd in Taos New Mexico, where else?

Patio Reveal!

2010-07-01T09:37:00.006-05:00

Ta Da!! You may recall we were screening in our patio a couple of weeks ago. Well, let me say we have been thoroughly enjoying it with the cooler weather, this week. Take a little peek at how it's come together...

I knew from the git-go I needed to flip-flop the furniture arrangement. Table and chairs are nearer the back door and the conversation area is anchored on the brick wall at the far end. Such a more practical use of space. Why had I not thought of it to begin with?

Would you like to come for dinner, or maybe brunch in the shade of the screened porch? My plastic-ware is from Target last year. I had never intended to create a continuous color scheme on my porch. I have just bought things I liked. But lo-and-behold.. you will see... stuff coordinates! I'm so surprised at myself!

This table came from Lowe's, eons ago. The top is just plain old ceramic floor tiles and you just pop them in and out if you want to change the look of your table. I just went with boring brown tiles, but it makes my dishes take center stage!

And you might have noticed my polka dot chair cushions? Got those a few weeks ago at Marshall's. I am the diva of discount, you know? The shade of blue is brighter than the things I have accumulated, but ultimately, I think it looks more than okay!
I know, I know, I even coordinated my flip flops. Unintentionally, but then realized they had to be in the shot! Truly, I had left them here when I kicked them off last night before coming in.

Here is our conversation area. The faux-wicker and cushions are from Gordman's last year. But I think I saw them this year also. Cheep Cheep, says the birdie!

No, my porch swing is not for short people. This is one item still on the honey-do. But honestly we enjoy the patio so much already, it's kind of shame to break the relaxation and make the hubby get out his tools. (Maybe this weekend, sweetie?)

See he just has to move these chains. And SHHH! Don't tell Steve, but I am thinking those light fixtures need to be replaced with outdoor ceiling fans. And... I have considered hanging matchstick blinds above the screens so I can block out that west facing sun on super-duper hot days.

You might recognize this table. It used to be here. Now it's doing duty on the patio. The perfect drawer to hide a couple of gardening tools, a candle lighter, etc. Steve dug this old fan out of our garage last night. Perfect!!

Even my caladiums are coordinated. Again, this was just pure coincidence. I had red ones here before and just prefer the contrast of the white against the brick. These are the only plants on the patio. It really cuts down on water spills to have only one potted plant to take care of, not to mention my time.

Although with these epoxied floors, water is not a problem. I love the way they turned out! It's a product that has real tiny pebbles mixed into the epoxy. Super wearable, and weather proof to the max!
And the kitty likes it, too! She spends most mornings out here with me now. I love that she can get some fresh air and enjoy the sounds of nature.
Plus, she coordinates! ha!
Completely unplanned!
Speaking of unplanned, this candle holder is something I made a few years ago from left over craft supplies -- a project I did for my nieces room. It kind of unintentionally became my muse for my patio decor. Funny how a 2 dollar craft project can launch a home improvement idea! ha!

Okay, thanks for visiting my patio today! It was sure nice to get my mind on happier things. If you are in Tulsa, and want to know who did the fine job on our patio, it was Standard Builder's Supply. Bob is the owner. He will treat you right! Thanks Bob! We love it!

All Decked Out!

2010-06-14T11:53:00.006-05:00

You may recall we have a little cabin in the woods? Or not, as we haven't been in FOREVEH! Well, we finally got project numero uno done over there... the deck stained. Actually this is not the first on the to-do list, just the first on the "not-done-yet" list, until today! And here's how she's looking! Sweet!

The After Pics:

These photos were taken by my stain guys, Ozark Wood Care. Steve there is a real pro and did the job in a timely fashion, and did it right. They stripped the old muckety-muck green off and sanded and applied a new stain, and by golly, it looks like a new deck!

Here are some pics that are nearly three years old with the old green stain. Imagine how much worse it was looking before Ozark Wood Care got a hold of it!

The Before Pics:

These are from the previous owner. I did clear some of their clutter, and got some different porch furniture, but I still have not completely created an outdoor oasis there yet. But soon!

I linked this to Metamorphosis Monday, hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. I have never linked to that party before. I hope it is the kind of thing her followers enjoy seeing.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dana and Daisy

Daisy Likes It! And so do I.

2010-06-09T07:29:00.005-05:00

I have dreamed of having a screened-in porch my whole life. It appears I am not the only one who will enjoy this latest project...

Daisy has never seen rain before. She's been an indoor kitty since about week 5, when she was abandoned at my doorstep.

The view thru the raindrops looks like a painting to me. Daisy figured out right away what this porch is all about....

Until something got her attention... another new discovery.

This is the brave warrior pose, ha ha!

Oh, it's just a worm! So screened in is still outdoorsy, a little bit.

When it was time to go in, here's the look I got.

Seriously, Daisy, I'm not staying out here all day, now c'mon!

It's funny how the former patio is now called the porch, just because it's screened in. I foresee many gallons of iced tea being consumed here. The floor is not done, but so far we are loving it!

Weaving Challenge, c'est finis!

2010-06-07T18:27:00.010-05:00

Let us review: this is my sketch for the Pics to Picks weaving challenge... (hosted by Meg at Meg Weaves aka: Unravelling.)

Which was inspired by this piece of artwork which was sent to me by Kaz, the Curious Weaver and one of my fellow challengers.
So I began by dressing my Cricket Loom, and I decided to get a little funky and experimental. I chose three different types of yarn, a worsted weight wool (far left yarn), a lace weight mohair (center black section) and a raw linen I guess it is kind of a sport weight. I frequently use knitting yarns on my small loom. It makes it very affordable for me to experiment as I can buy a skein instead of pounds of yarn.
Right off the bat, I knew I would be fighting tension. Each of the three yarns has different amounts of stretch or spring in them and I knew I was in for a challenge. But I had not anticipated the problems of using different weights of yarn. I found that the thicker yarn advanced at a different rate than the lace weight and I struggled during the entire weaving process.
Even as I began to weave with a leader yarn, I noticed I was having problems with the selvedge, so I actually retied my warp a second time...
And I fixed this culprit also... The paper sandwiching my warp was not quite the width of my scarf, I should have known better than this. Ah well, I learn something new every time I weave.
Even after all that fussing with the tension... this is what I saw the very first time I advanced my cloth. UGH!
However, I did continue coaxing my tension to some manageable weaving ability, and eventually, I ended up with a weaving that looks like this...
Not exactly an award winner for technique, but I like it none the less. (Notice I took these pics right off the loom, my fringed ends are still crimped from being tied to the beam. ha ha)

I alternated various yarns and with the varying colors in the warp, I ended up with something akin to a plaid, although looser in spirit.
I like to think of it as an "artsy scarf". I used my artistic license so to speak.
Some areas are loosely woven and airy, others are balanced. There is nothing special about the pattern... it is simply plain weave.... thankfully, as I don't think I could have maintained any semblance of a pattern with so many tension problems arising along the way.
Still... I love it.
I think it does kind of represent the loose style of the art work that inspired it.
I hope you like it too.

Thanks for looking and bearing with my tale of the Pics to Picks Challenge.

If you build it, they will come.

2010-06-01T15:03:00.006-05:00

I always wanted a guest room. A place friends and family could come and relax in a comfortable cozy place while we visit the weekends away. So, as our first kid room was abandoned, I saw my chance to create a lovely haven that guests could enjoy in tranquility.

And apparently, Daisy thinks it is a nice room, too...

Yes, that is my cat, coyly sleeping on white bed linens, that were reserved for uh hum... guests.
She does not even look ashamed of herself for her obvious self-absorbed behavior.
Although, she is a bit annoyed that I interrupted her afternoon nap!
But, when I tried to shoo her off the bed, she retaliated with cuteness. So not fair.
And in case that doesn't work, she just laughs at me when I say Scat Cat! Shoo! That is not your bed!!!
Now doesn't that make you all want to come and visit me? Just in case you're allergic to cats, you might want to bring your own benadryl... or gas mask.

Pics to Picks Weaving Challenge

2010-05-27T09:37:00.011-05:00

About 3 months ago, one of my weaving inspirations, Meg, from MegWeaves, posted she was hosting a challenge. Not a competition per se, but something to challenge ourselves (those who so dared), in our weaving skills. And I thought, hey why not? Now you may recall, I'm a novice weaver. I have a tiny, simple loom. It does plain weave, plus a few other tricks I've managed to learn. But Meg encouraged me that weavers of all skill levels are invited. We named the challenge Pics to Picks; in a nutshell, we were to send pictures to each other in the group and use the images we receive as inspiration to design a weaving project of our choice.

These are the images I received from Kaz, in Australia, for my inspiration.
She included some beautiful hand colored mandalas that looked very interesting to me. But I have no idea how I might weave something like this. A more experienced weaver probably would choose this as their inspiration image.
Now the "picks" part of the equation baffled me a bit. I have never read what weavers call a draft before. Much less did I think I could design one. However, I knew I could weave various "patterns" using pick up sticks on my rigid-heddle loom. I happened to have a sample warp on my loom for a class I was teaching, (yes, the blind leading the blind), so I experimented with different weaving "picks".
Still I was confused and almost ready to withdraw. So I emailed dear Meg and told her my dilemma. She encouraged me to press forward. She said, the challenge is not so much about skill or technique, it is about design. She knows I have a designer's heart, so I thought okay, surely, I can design something from all these references Kaz sent me. I want to point out some other lovelies she sent to get my creative mojo working, these cute stacking watercolors, and some beautiful hand spun New Zealand wool, and tencel. For my use in any project of my choosing. How nice of her!
Well, the first image that really popped out to me is this Starry Night post card with the Van Gogh image. I could easily see a warp pattern emerge from this image. Do you see it also?
So, I began to scribble a bit with my prismacolor pencils. Now I am such a scarf girl, that this long narrow dimension seems natural to me for designing. I scribbled in a warp pattern, see the yellow verticals, placed at varying widths among the blue?

And I kept coloring, imagining how I might add the "stars" to my scarf. I could thread beads on my weft. So, I indicated bead highlights on my sketch with sticky yellow rhinestones from my scrapbook supplies. Not at all to scale, but just for some bling in my sketch.
And I thought about varying the density of the weave by beating some areas tighter, and some looser, creating a kind of multi-faceted weave. Some areas would be light and airy, and others would be densely packed weft-faced weave. And this is my resulting sketch.
Now, another image grabbed me, because I could see the resemblance of fiber in the pen scratches on this drawing.

So, I set out the same course, translating the light and dark colors of the image into a composition that might be woven. I do this by using a very hi-tech maneuver called "squinting" at the photo. This helps me see light and dark patterns emerge from the photo.

But I wasn't really happy with it, so I decided to try a different ratio for the design, and I came up with this non-symmetrical plaid, which could be a placemat or a hand-bag or something.

I thought I would need a little more punch in color, so I added some ochre. I think using colored pencils is a nice way to see how a finished weaving might look, in a crude kind of way.
I liked it better, but truly, I don't have a loom that would make a sizable piece that is this ratio, and if you are going to the trouble to tie on warp, you might as well make the the most of your project, so I tried looking at the longer dimension again.
So, this is how my very simple design process began for Pics to Picks Weaving Challenge. Next up will be charting my warp ends to achieve this asymmetrical pattern. I think I can manage that. And I have plenty of yarns in my stash to choose from which support my color scheme.

A Little Compulsion Called Weaving.

2010-05-21T09:13:00.006-05:00

If you have been reading me for more than six months or so, then you may recall I weave. Yes, i know it has been a while since I posted much about weaving. It is hard to say, I am a "weaver"... because it is really just a hobby for me. But I like to post pics of my projects on facebook and let my friends ooh and aah over them. Oh what a girl will do for a little attention!

Well, so my obsession has caught the attention of a friend of mine, Shelley, who owns Loops, a yarn shop. Not just a yarn shop, but a yarn shop where you can go in and buy anything from handpsun and painted alpaca to bamboo to cashmere. Yes, wool, cotton, linen and all things in between, too. So, she asked if I would teach a weaving class. And I said YES! 'Cause when opportunity comes in search of me, I like to say, "Here I am!" Now we all know that I am an amateur weaver. But she said it doesn't matter, because my excitement is contagious. Really? Am I that bad? I hadn't realized.

So, my class is this Saturday. And it is booked. Overbooked. And there is a waiting list. In fact she asked could I teach again in June, and I said sure. And that class is booked, too. Booked so far in advance she did not have to put it on the class roster! And I have had two friends ask if I am going to teach in July. And Shelley asked could I teach private lessons, too. And I am thinking, maybe I will!

So, here is the funny part about all this. You have heard follow your bliss, and you will be rewarded, right? Well, I have been wondering how the heck I could ever sell my scarves and other small objects that I can weave on my little loom, just to get some money back out of what I have spent. But I have a passion for luxurious yarns. And frankly, no one would pay me what they are worth in materials, plus a little for my time. So, I have been giving them away to people I love. And now, I have an opportunity to teach and that might be where the monetary reward comes from! Isn't that odd how the world works?

So I am taking a bunch of samples with me to class, to get the girls pumped about their new creative outlet. I've been weaving up a storm lately in preparation. Plus, I am still weaving scarves for my cousins, so my time has a dual purpose! These pics are a few of the scarves I've made in the last couple of weeks. I told you it was a compulsion!

And while as one skeptic pointed out to me when I began weaving, yes they do make machines that do this nowadays, there is something magical about holding a handwoven object in your hands. I have been so overwhelmed with the response I am getting from my scarves, People love them. Steve has been such an encourager to me also. Although he thinks I have enough yarn. Ha ha! But he has been cheering me on! Thank you for that honey if you are reading!

Okay, now I have to get crackin', cause I have one more scarf on my loom, a gorgeous soft organic cotton in the prettiest shade of green. It looks like key lime pie as I am weaving! Scrumptious. And I also have 8 looms to assemble before class tomorrow! Ta ta!

Are you infected with my excitement yet?

How to Ruin a Cat's Day, by Daisy Jones

2010-05-18T10:33:00.004-05:00

Exhibit A: cherry flavored anti-inflammatory syrup and syringe.
Exhibit B: Feline with worrisome look on her face. (Poor kitty!)
Exhibit C: Clenched mouth, lips pursed tightly.
Exhibit D: Sharp fangs showing, teeth clenched, low growling noise.
Exhibit E: What did I do to deserve that? I'll show her!

A Piece of the Past

2010-05-17T14:43:00.005-05:00

I had lunch with my cousin Jim today. And look what he brought me! A hand-pieced quilt top made of various fabrics, including flour sacks. I don't know a lot about quilts, but I would say the patterns on some of the fabric date to about the 1940's. Some of you might have a better idea, please feel free to comment if you can shed light on it.

Ha! I had to show you who took to it right away! In seconds she was sniffing it and made a nice little spot to lay down. Crazy Cat!

Anyway, there's a story behind this quilt, as there is behind every good quilt!

You see, Jim still lives in the community where my grandma raised her 10 kids. And he got a call to help clean out a woman's house, who's daughter had been living there for the last many years, since her mom passed. And they found this stack of quilts and pieced quilt tops, some with newspaper patterns still pinned to them. And apparently, by some of the notations, he figured out they were made by the ladies of the Hazel Dell Baptist Church.... where it so happens, my grandma was also a member and was in the quilting bee.

So we have surmised that it is possible, and our Uncle Tommy confirms yes, this lady was a good friend of our grandma's, that our grandma could have had a hand in these quilts, too. As you know, quilting bee's frequently worked in common on each other's quilts. And another thing, as I got home and unfolded the quilt top and looked at it closely, it has an air of familiarity. See, My grandma made me a quilt when I was little and it used to be on my bed. It got used and abused, and eventually in shredded bits, it was disposed of. And the colors and piecing in this quilt are very similar to the one my grandma made me some 40 years ago.

I know it sounds all a little over the top sentimental, but hey, that's me! And I'm going to put a little more sentimental value into it myself. I have decided I'm going to quilt that quilt top myself. By hand. Oh Lord, help me! But I think I can do it. It can't be rocket science! For heaven's sake! And besides, I have my good friend Vicki to walk me thru it. And she says I can do it!

So, maybe in a few years, I will be able to show you the finished quilt! ha ha! If it is really 60 or 70 years old, what's a few more? Right?

Thank you, Jim! I will cherish it forever!

Daisy feels better

2010-05-17T07:14:00.000-05:00

Saturday was the first day I saw real improvement in Daisy. She started perking up a bit, and her appetite is back in full swing. Thanks everyone for your kind comments about her over the last few days.

If you bear thru my squeaky voice in this video, near the end you will get to hear her purring like a kitten!

p.s. that's my kitty voice, not my human voice. I'm sure you understand!

The Hairdo That Stands the Test of Time

2010-05-14T07:30:00.004-05:00

My 1st grade picture, October 1967 I think. Wasn't I a cutie patootie?

My picture May, 2010.

The "Bob" with bangs.

addendum: This was NOT a shameless post to receive compliments, but if the spirit moves you... lol!

One of those rambling posts I am so well known for

2010-05-12T18:22:00.004-05:00

Have ya'll been noticing a lot of trials going on in the world lately? A lot of interpersonal relationship breakdowns? Or is it just me?

I'm having problems in my family of origin.

I'm having problems in my step-family.

I'm having problems with people with whom I'm acquainted.

At some point you have to think, hmm? what is the common element in all this?

I am convinced that 99.9 percent of us are really just broken, hurting people, trying to keep a smile on our faces.... practicing that motto in my side bar, Keep Calm and Carry On. Come hell or high water.

We all have a story to tell, and most of them are not pretty stories. Instead of telling my story, I've been creating a story I'd rather have, and posting it here on this blog. For a while it was helpful. I actually felt better about my situation because I was focusing on "prettier parts" of my life. But you know what... the ugly parts just kept growing in the background.

I don't know if I will come out with it all. It would likely have some dire consequences and I'm not sure I'm ready for those to unfold. Even if the truth shall set you free, sometimes the bondage of untruth feels more comfortable, doesn't it?

One of my friends learned this week that her hubby has been sending and receiving a lot of texts. A lot of texts. Heart breaking. I think we all know the implications. Fear them. Hope they never touch our lives. Just hearing the news makes me start thinking of all the areas in my own marriage that could use a little shoring up. My friend also lost her cat. One thing I noticed, people were more encouraging to her not to give up on her cat than they were about her marriage. Funny the way we think, isn't it? One person said, "There isn't a fence high enough to keep a cat in." Maybe the same could be said for a wandering spouse.