KNOCK MY SOX OFF....12/2011

I have a little thing I try to do each month,

highlighting a few of the most talented people in the world....
BLOGGERETTES....
you people can
sing, dance, paint, write poetry, do a handstand, decorate, cook,
ride horses, ski, yodel, play a guitar. make hand puppets, pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time,  do YOGA........
YOU CAN DO ANYTHING .
Ya'll, every single one, just.....

KNOCK MY SOX OFF

I just wish I could highlight every one but
I don't have time, ya'll....
I gotta get ready for my NEW YEAR'S EVE party, don'tchaknow....!! ♥

I fell in love with her BELIEVE blocks.

YEP....I lost my sox on this one.

http://craftedniche.com/2011/12/08/mason-jar-pendant-light/#comment-1671

Isn't this the cutest light....and she tells us how to do it.

DEBBIE at CONFESSIONS OF A PLATE ADDICT....
FRENCH TICKING stockings.....be still, my heart.
If you haven't been by to see Debbie in awhile, she has some awesome
posts to show you.

I just LOVE how DEBBIE incorporated the olden books in with her Christmas decorating.
♥shhhhh......I copied this one.....

I didn't tear up any books...I asked my favorite thrift shop to save any books with the covers about to come off.....they usually throw them away but if you ask, they might save some for you, too.  ♥

KARIE of
KARIES CHIC CREATIONS
did a great job on this chest.
To see the BEFORE, go by her place...

and would you tell her bj
said HEY ?

The Charm of Home
had this most delightful tree.

Did you notice.......
it is sitting in a
vintage wicker baby carriage.

The talents of these ladies just really do
KNOCK MY SOX OFF.

 OK, please, someone help me here....
I thought this was the prettiest photo and now......I can't remember what blog I stole it from....so sorry.
The tree looks sooo pretty...and the bed in the background.....luscious.
Several friends came to my rescue and let me know this vision above belongs to
COURTNEY at FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE.

This is the beautiful, snowy home of my daughter, STACY LEIGH.
It's even prettier INSIDE....
♥ ...i love you, stacy leigh

If you've not been to visit DEBBIE at MOUNTAIN BREATHS,
you owe it to yourself to GO.



Wonderful recipes...
awesome photos....

She has an awesome collection of
MACKENZIE CHILDS  COURTLY CHECK....
Her decorated Christmas tree looks like it came right out of the catalog...
and don't forget to take a look at THAT TABLE....
.....THIS, my friends, is the stuff dreams are made of.

WHAT A WOMAN...
she takes her COURTLY CHECK on picnics. !!
And, judging from that view, I see where she got the fabulous name
for her blog.....MOUNTAIN BREATHS......just beautiful.

Leave it up to our KIM of SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE to have a positively
ADORABLE CHRISTMAS PILLOW that has little long,
red and white stripped  stockinged legs hanging from it.
I love this little cheery pillow.

PAT'S
WINTER WONDERLAND tablescape just takes my breath away.
Such beautiful colors....
she has no snow ON CROOKED CREEK, so she made
it snow  inside her cottage.
I KNOW she did 'cause I see all kinds of beautiful SNOWFLAKES on her table.:)
Beautiful table, Pat...I know your Mr. Ed liked it, too. ♥

 These awesome hooks are only a PART of what MISS MUSTARD SEED is up to...
Go by and check it out and then do like me........want to copy it for YOUR room.
SHE says "happiness is a row of hooks......"
"...ooo, Mr. Sweeeeet, do you have your tape measure handy...??" I NEED HOOKS !
♥

I think I would have to look long and far to find a prettier
HAPPY NEW YEAR TABLE........
AROUND THE HOUSE has more pretty photos of this awesome table.
Photos just full of sparkle and glitter....
shine and twinkles....
So pretty, PHYLLIS

Please feel free to take the
I WAS FEATURED
button on your left.....just add my blog link back to it, if you please.


HAPPIEST NEW YEAR TO ALL....
xoxoxoxoxoxo

Joining in the fun with: PINK SATURDAY
SEASONAL SUNDAY

WORKIN' all the live long day......

All the Christmas decorations are packed away, nice and neat for next year.

All the wrappings, Styrofoam packing....every thing picked up, thrown away or stored...

vacuumed, dusted

spit shine and rub and polish every thing in my sight......
Getting all ready for a SATURDAY NIGHT NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY....

WOO and HOO

TODAY,  I had to wash clothes...

I have only a small UTILITY LAUNDRY CLOSET and, believe it or not, I have some cutie things in there that make the job of LAUNDRY (boo hiss) much more pleasant....

Like this ODE TO THE MOTHER
painting I purchased from
Duda Daze a couple yrs ago. Isn't she the cutest little smiling mom you've ever seen?
and don't you love all the cute little hearts scattered around...that's what moms have...
A  LOTTA  HEART.







 WHEW....I used to have to iron nearly every day, it seemed like. I never have minded ironing....but always hated ironing
jeans....starched so heavy, they could stand alone.....
When our boy went off to college, he wanted 12 pair of Wranglers...and 12 pair he had. Now, he came home most every weekend (college only 2 1/2 hrs from home) and, of COURSE,
brought his laundry....all 12 pair of jeans......plus. 
I'm tellin' ya, I was just so glad to have him home, I would have washed, starched and ironed 24 pair !!!
Moms are like that, ya know.

I am in a panic because I can not, for the life of me, remember where I got this amazing little LOST SOX GATHER HERE bag....ETSY

I DO know, however, that I just love it to pieces.  ♥

I got all the washing and ironing done...

next, I will be working on making the house welcoming for my sweet family and friends so we can all celebrate the

NEW YEAR'S beginning on Saturday night.

I hope the new year is full of everything your heart desires....and that it is blessed from 

 beginning to end.

A friend and I had a bowl of homemade Veggie Soup together after the day of work..........

Friend Time......the perfect ending to one year, the perfect beginning of a new.

XOXOXO 

bj

I am joining in the fun with:

TICKLED PINK

HOME SWEET HOME

FAVORITE THINGS 

FARMHOUSE FRIDAY

POTPOURRI FRIDAY

Clean up time....

Little trees and candles and napkins....

Santas, pillows, wreaths....

My house is already beginning to look BARE...
no pretty wreaths loaded with red...
only the GREEN APPLE one I made. I am keeping it out just awhile longer.

All the Christmas decorations around our homes tend to make our room cozy and comfy and full of warmth.
I have to be careful and remember to add color back...in the form of pretty, warm throws....and pillows.....and maybe a vase of
super market FRESH FLOWERS.    ♥

.....some I leave out all year.

...more dishes....

I am keeping these out to fill with good things to eat at my birthday party. Nuts and dips and creamy things.....ummmmm

 Someone left this amazing CRANBERRY SCONE mix, complete with a pkg of dried Cranberries,  in my stocking...

so, in the middle of CLEAN UP, mid morning,...when we got hungry, I made them.

The mix, thick whipping cream

and a few fresh Cranberries thrown in for good measure

The most amazing part, ya just mix, then pat out a 6" circle on a 

greased piece of foil on a cookie sheet...

Then, cut into 8 wedges....

 Once they cool, you can lift them onto a plate....

To consider something a RECIPE doesn't mean that you can't start with a MIX, add your own things to it.
Why, SANDRA LEE of SEMI HOMEMADE has made a fortune with her special semi homemade recipes.
So, NEVAH feel like you aren't "baking" because you didn't do it from scratch.  Sister friend, some of the best tasting foods I've ever had were SEMI HOMEMADE...and I love it.
                          ♥ ♥ ♥
Now THIS is not a TEA CUP....
No siree, Bob.....
It is a TEA MUG... and I am lovin' it to pieces.
It holds a comforting amount of TEA
or COFFEE, which is what I am having this morning.

OK....I am about to let you in on a little BREAKFAST SECRET....♥

CHRISTMAS CRANBERRY SCONES go best with a cute cup of
TEA or COFFEE....

AND........

 ...there's not much better way to start your day than adding

a few scoops of COFFEE  ICE CREAM to that plate with the warm scone.

O HONEY

Yes, ma'am....it's a heck of a good way to start ANY day around Sweet Nothings ♥

I hope you have all your Christmas put away for another year and

everything cleaned up and sparkly....so you can enjoy the time between now and 

NEW YEAR'S EVE, so you will be rested up to ......PAR...TAY.

HAHAAAAA...we do have a party but it's a good, laid-back kind of thing.

I'm ready !

LOVE, bj

Joining in with:
OPEN HOUSE
TIME TRAVEL
FULL PLATE
THRUSDAY FAVORITE THINGS
my thanks to all the hosts....
xoxoxoxo

2011....a GREAT year....

2011 was such a wonderful year for us.

We didn't get a LOT of projects done but a few...

I am joining the fun over at KIM'S for WOW US WEDNESDAY

My main man, MR. SWEET, added a beautiful black and white window awning to two of the windows in the front of our humble cottage.

I had wanted one for a long time...so glad to get it.

...that's it.....on your left.

THEN....of COURSE, I needed a beautiful WINDOW BOX beneath it..

Being the sweetest husband in the whole world, he got RIGHT ON IT and built the most beautiful window box, ever.

My part......I painted it....

 and I filled it with lovely plants.....

 ...and they grew, despite the extreme hot days and the drought.
I'm pretty sure they hung on and grew in spite of all the adversities...because
they knew how bad I WANTED them to be pretty...

I was very very proud of it all.....

Yes, our home is truly......A  little  COTTAGE.

 A 2011 project that was 

PART FUN

PART DEVIL THING.....

Our stenciled table.

THE table on your left was done by a very talented artist woman ,
DONNA of FUNKY JUNK INTERIORS.
She called it her Story Table because the things she has stenciled on it mean something to her...and I thought that was such a NEAT idea.


Besides all that......just look how cute it is.
I just HAD to have one...
and I thought I was SURELY crafty enuf to do one for our cottage.....
HOW WRONG CAN ONE WOMAN BE ??

I found the PERFECT table to use...
$5.00 at the local thrift store...
sturdy as it could be and solid wood.

But...but.....the top of DONNA'S table was more like a sign.....
and, of COURSE, I wanted that look....
What to do....??

Well, Mr. Sweet knew JUST what to do....

he used his router to make the top look like pieces of wood, put together.

He ROUTED...

I SANDED....

When we started the stenciling...

which neither have done much of...

well, may I just say.....IT WAS NOT EASY FOR US...

but....

We got 'er done ~

If you would like to know what all these words, names and numbers

make up a part of my life....

click HERE.

I had a few small projects, but not worth mentioning .......
I am also joining
OUTDOOR WEDNESDAY
WHITE WEDNESDAY
GOOD LIFE WEDNESDAY
REDNESDAY WEDNESDAY
What a wonderous year this has been.
I pray YOUR 2011 was good and that 2012 will be even better.
LOVE, bj