Midweek Update

We went to the Country living Fair on Saturday and I must say it was GREAT!  I just walked around touching everything, drooling and trying really hard to not go just ape crazy!  It was a good thing Mark was along or I'd have maxed out the credit cards.  I got to see vendors that I had only seen in magazines and was just in awe.  Of course being the bargain shopper that I am I had to see all the booths before I'd buy anything and Mark was so patient.  It was quite pricey to get in the gate $15 each, $10 parking then lunch was another $30 but oh so good.  It was picnic type food including fried chicken but I had the most delish sammie ever!  Think grilled chicken, thin sliced pear and balsamic...yummy!  I'm making my own version tonight for dinner with swiss cheese.  Anyhoo, I bought a vintage frame to put my newest finish in and Halloween tree, decorations, ect for half off already.  I think the guy just couldn't bear to pack it all back up again so he was willing to deal.  I got a orange and black "feather" tree that's about 3 feet tall for $12.  Now I'm thinking I might have to start stitching the Blackbird Designs stockings now that I'll have a tree large enough to display them.  And the best news, Clarice hasn't toppled it yet.

I'm busy studying for a insurance class and exam for work next week.  I'm really worried about getting my broker license or more importantly passing the exams to get my license.  Damn, banking has changed a lot in the past 25 years and I'd sure like to go back in time now to rethink my career choice.  We'll be converting to the new bank's operating systems, policies, ect the first of January so more changes headed my way and I just love change!  The dr has written me an sedative for panic attacks but I'm trying really hard to not get the script filled...I just think it'd be too easy for me to drug myself then deal with my life right now.

My dirty martini queens took our annual trip last weekend without me.  I've just missed 2 trips since we started this tradition 15 years ago but just couldn't make my schedule work this year.  I suggested they go to Branson, Mo this year since it's driving distance for them and I'm sure they had fun.  I bet they set that little country town on fire!

Well that's all the news from my little corner of the world so I'm off now to make choco chip cookies.  It's storming like crazy here so I want to just snug in for the nite and nest.

Fall XStitch and some Jovi thrown in for fun!

It takes me a week to decorate the house for Halloween but I love every minute of it.  I have so much stuff that Mark made me promise that anything new Halloween coming into the house requires at least one thing going out.  Now you'd think he'd know by now that he'll never even notice something new unless I point it out to him so I'm safe in saying not too much will be going out.  These are a few of the Halloween theme cross stitch and I need to make some of the every day, year round stitching.

And a couple of Jovi pics from the Atlanta show in April of this year.  Of course there is the one everyone swoons over...Jon but more importantly is there is a great pic of my man David.  I get weak in the knees just looking at the pics.  Remind me sometime to tell you all about my out of body experience where David sang Bed of Roses to me!  I thought I'd died and went to heaven at that moment.

We're headed to the Country Living antique show this weekend at Stone Mountain and I just can't wait.  I hate that it's this weekend since it is Mark's birthday and all but what better way for him to celebrate than doing something I love.  What a guy!  And by the way, he showed up at the bank today with gorgeous flowers for me just because.  Now you know why I'm still crazy about him after all these years.  He treats me like the queen that I am!  Have a good weekend!

Weekend plans?

All my include "Honey Do" projects all of which Mark is dreading.  So sorry but it's a gorgeous fall day and what better way to celebrate with pressure washing the decks, cleaning  the basement, cutting all the shrubs & trees, cleaning out the storage area with all my seasonal goodies and anything else that pops into my little old head while we are puttering around.  Then we're off to dinner with friends and maybe the fair if I can talk them all into going with me.  I say eat dinner at the fair....yummy corn dogs, cotton candy, funnel cake, roasted corn, ect...it'll probably cost more to eat there than any 5 star restaurant. 

I love Christopher Columbus and sure enjoyed Monday being off work.  I slept in until 7:30, ate my poptart while catching up on everyone blog and then took a quick trip up into the north Georgia mountains for some primitive retail therapy.  I just love, love Hearts and Flowers in Cleveland and would love to have at least one of everything in her store but sadly my budget doesn't allow for that much retail therapy.  I did some awesome stuff.....a pillow that's a Halloween black cat, brown coverlet table runner, brown homespun chair pad that I want to make into a pillow, small irvin's tartwarmer, black crow, snowman, 3 bags tarts, the newest Early American Home and Simple Things magazines and finally  prim candle ring for Christmas with little sprigs of pin and tiny pinecones.  Wow, it does sound like a lot when I type it all out but it all fit into 1 shopping bag.  I also stopped at Bessie Mae's where I got a cute little prim snowman, treat or treat post its and a little wooden thingy which I think is part of an old clamp or maybe a rope bed turning device.  Don't you love the techinal talk of thingy but it's hard to explain.  I'll post a picture this afternoon and maybe someone can tell me what it is.

I'm making great progress on my Trix or Treat pattern from Blackbird Designs.  I started while at the camp but set it aside when we got home so I could finish Be Kind and True also by the uber talented Alma and Barb.  I crawled into bed last night with some of my older patterns to decide what I want to start next and I'm thinking....hmmm....Beware of Cat by Birds of a Feather....I hate that they aren't designing cross stitch patterns anymore because the Halloween ones are to die for!  I've got all of them plus several of the every day patterns and hope to finish all of them.  Also want to start The Primitive Needle's Halloween Revelry which was featured in the 2009 Just Crossstitch Halloween magazine.  Oh and her Oujia Board pattern which I won on ebay a few months back.  Why is there never enough time to stitch?  I'm going to join the ladies on the yahoo Blackbird Designs group for a SAL starting Christmas day so I'll have to pick that pattern soon and get whatever I don't have on hand.  Why is that you think I have everything I need for this pattern then you start sorting thru thread and realize that you're short a couple...ugh!

Ok, it's now 10 minutes until I get off work so I guess I should post this and actually do some work before we close.  Nah, I'll just go make copies of the patterns that I want to start next week and then lock the doors.  Have a great weekend!

Maine Vacation Photos

Lighthouse in Portland.  It was just what I imagined

Tate House which is Mark's fave photo-Old House/Sports Car

Apple Bench that looks like I set this photo up but it was already like that when we walked up

My future home

Camp

Camp

Fireplace at camp

Cozy Nights

Coastline view

Fall Delights

Back from a very restful week at "The Camp" as they refer to the house on the coast in Maine.  Too funny because it's 3 bedrooms and 2 baths...well 3 if you include the original little brickhouse shithouse.  It was just to grand and I hummed ....Aw, she's a brickhouse...shake a down now, shake a down...yep come on you all know the words just admit it.  Anywho, the camp has no tv, no telephone, no Internet or even get this, cell phone coverage....it was heaven on earth!  I really did leave everyday life behind and unwind.  I'd move there in a heart beat or as Mark said probably until the first big snowstorm then I'd be hightailing it back to Georgia.  Mark surprised me with a Kindle for my birthday...something I never even knew I wanted  :)  What a guy!  I read 2 books while I was gone and stitched to my little hearts content.  It's amazing how much you can get done when you don't have tv, Internet or phones to distract you.  The camp has been in Rich's family for 64 years and started life as a 1 room cabin and it's grown a lot since then but it's retained all the charm of that 1 room cabin.  It's even got a stuffed moose head mounted on the wall and recessed nooks everywhere just overflowing with stuff.  You might see an antique clock sharing space with a stuffed squirrel, old books nested up to rusty old chains, keys and locks.  I swear everyday I saw something that I had overlooked before.  I got up every morning to watch the sun come up across the water, listen to the squirrels gathering the winter grub and watch the sea gulls....Mark missed all that because he was a sleepyhead but I loved every minute of watching the world around us wake up every morning. 

We saw so many old places that I'd have loved to have owned, went to many antique stores and ate lots of lobster.  We even did our own one night at camp.  It was yummy but a lot of work.  We did splurge and rent a Camero to drive while we were there so Mark didn't mind going so many places since he could at least enjoy the drive.  He was shocked (and frankly so was I) because I sure didn't buy much.  I got a early 1900's cast iron mailbox that is chippy white painted and I'm gonna put flowers in it for the mantle but that was all I really bought.  He had already checked on shipping costs for large furniture, ect but I just wasn't in that kind of mood!  It's so funny to see what is popular with collectors from other regions and what is...well dirt cheap here is high $$$ there.  Everything I bought could be carried on in my suitcase.  Well, almost everything because I did try to smuggle a jar of blueberry, hot pepper jam back but they busted me.  The lady said just go back and check that bag then you'll be able to take the jam home...ahem NO!  That would cost $25 and that was almost triple what the jam was worth....get real lady!

If I can ever figure out this blogging stuff, I'll post pics and change over to a stunning background like the rest of you not so computer challenged people do.  Maybe one day I'll actually have or rather take the time to figure it out.  Well I'm really suppose to be working on a spreadsheet for work tonight but I'm doing what I do best...procrastinating so I'll close for now.

Whew, is it fall yet?

This has been one long, hot summer!  I'm not sure I have ever sweated this much in my entire lifetime.  Nice visual for you all but you know you are hot when you drag your skirt over the steering wheel so the air will blow up it when driving to or from work.  I'm sure the guys in trucks have a good laugh or more likely, cringe when they pass by me.  Cooler weather please hurry to Georgia!

My folks came to visit for a week and what a great visit it was.  My daddy hadn't been to my house in 2 years and momma a year so it was a real treat!  I miss them so much and never get enough time with them.  They both retired this summer so I'm hoping for a few more visits now.  And speaking of retiring, my daddy just loves to grin and say he doesn't even wear a watch nowdays.  I'm so happy they are still young and healthy enough to enjoy retirement.  Daddy's company gave them a $8,000 travel voucher so the next day momma booked a trip to Hawaii for Thanksgiving.  It sounds like the trip they have always dreamed of taking....2 weeks, cruise, tours, car, ect all paid for...and I'm so excited for them.  They'll have a blast.

Mark was gone last week to Korea again and got home on day 3 of my folks visit.  That was nice because it gave me some alone time with them plus time to get my house cleaned and all my cooking done before they got here.  I swear I cook way too much stuff when I have guests but I never hear anyone complaining.  I did swipe a recipe from Edgar's Blacksheep blog for a coffee cake that was to die for.  And so easy that I"ll be adding it to the recipe rotation.  Yummy, sure wish I had some of it this morning.

We leave on vacation a week from today.  I'm so excited and can't wait to see the house that we're staying at not to mention all the fall leaves colors.  This morning I picked out my traveling stitching project....hey that's almost as important as my clothes.  I'm almost done with Be Kind and True which is my 2nd SAL this summer.  I've picked out Evergreen to travel with since it only takes 3 colors...perfect traveling stitching....hope this house has good enough light for me to stitch.  Maybe need to look into buying a travel light....hmmm....I have a little book lite somewhere ...now where did I hide it?????

I can't wait to explore a new area with lots of antique, primitive country stores and stitching stores.  Now that I know for sure everything is booked, I'll start getting my wish list ready.  I should probably get the house decorated for fall before I leave so it'll be a great little treat to come home to in October. 

Have a great weekend and hope cooler is headed this way soon.

Saturday in the park....wish it was the 4th of July

Not Bon Jovi but still seemed just right today.  It would be a long weekend which I could so use right now!!!!  My folks are coming to visit for a week and they get here Tuesday.  Oh my, so much to do and never, never enough time in the day.  Mark leaves for Korea Monday so guess I'll try cramming everything into Monday night...wooo I'm pooped just thinking about it all.  My momma is allergic to kitties and Clarice has staked that guestroom out as her own so I'm got to scrub it down, change all the linens and shut the door so that little monkey can't sneak back into it before they get here.  I was lucky enough that I found the perfect American Living Red and White Postage Stamp quilt at Tuesday Mornings for less than $50.  I was so excited because I really wanted to buy it when J C Penney's carried it at regular prices but just couldn't make myself spend the money.  Then they discontinued it and I was crushed so imagine my surprise when I saw one at the  very top of a shelf at Tuesday Mornings.  I couldn't clamber up there fast enough to check it out!  So now I'm finally turning that room into a prim room because I'm so tired of that Shabby Chic look in that room.  It was so out of place with the other rooms in the house.  I picked up some treasures at Good Will and the flea market last weekend so I just need to start the decorating process to see what else I need.  Well but I need to clean the room first so dang it all we're back to needing extra time off work.

We finally set up our vacation last night.  We've been struggling with what to do, where to go, ect...it's been such a stressful year for us both that neither of us wanted to make a decision....make way too many of those daily in our work lives.  So last night over burger and fries at Five Guys we made a list of our options.   Let's see cruise, beachy island sort of place, Florida Keys (which we love) or Maine which is something that I've always wanted to do...see the eastern seaboard and all the great antique places that I've read all about over the years.   So we debated, discussed but just couldn't decide so when we got home I took an idea from Edgar (if you don't read his Blacksheep blog you are missing so much) and put all the ideas on foldedvpaper, threw them in the air and which ever one Clarice pounced on was the place we were headed.....wahoo!!!!  She picked Maine!  Now to start the planning....Mark's boss has a family farm homestead that he's loaning us for a week so I'll have extra money to spend on whatever.  And boy do I plan on buying lots of whatevers.  I'll post the details when I get home later so excited.  I'm at work but just too excited about planning this trip to get anything really done.