Christmas Shopping On Its Way!!!

HI All,
Well, I sometimes have all my Christmas shopping done by the end of October. This year that didn't happen. But I managed to get to the Mall this week, and in one fell swoop, as they say, I got 1/3 of it done. I am really glad that I was there when everybody else was somewhere other than the Mall. It was relatively quiet, and I got to look around, without any of the bustle that happens around this time of year. I have all the women in our family taken care of, and my MIL as well. Now I will start working on the men, and my DH, and then the kiddos in the family. My family is quite large, and though I have no children of my own, I give to a lot of my nieces, nephews, and great, and great-great nieces and nephews, and a few of my sisters as well, so it gets to be pretty crazy this time of year. Believe it or not, I am cutting back ...that's hard to believe probably. But with some dental work that can't be postponed and is costing a small fortune, I have no choice but to hold the reins in a little this Christmas. Everyone will still get something but it won't be as elaborate as other years.

Soemthing interesting as far as this Christmas is that I have really very few things that I am even interested in buying for myself. That's normally not the problem. It is usually tryign to figure out what I want out of the 50 things I can list off the top of my head . This year, I have maybe 4 things on the list, and they are not necessarily things I want to spend on right now. So since my DH has been bothering me to figure out what I want, I decided to just buy some kitchenware that I will use. My Mom gave me a lovely little flan pan years ago, and I was pulling out pie pans to bake some pies for our Thanksgiving Dinner at church tomorrow. In teh process I came across this lovely little 8.5" pan, and thought I'd like to get some more of their pans. I'm kind of due for some new bakeware anyway, so that's what I did. Google is so helpful when it comes to tracking down brands and the best prices. I found this Kaiser brand bakeware on line and went to town. Found a few new and interesting things that I will enjoy using this CHristmas (we have our reunion after Christmas, so I can do some baking with my new toys). I have coming some new scallop edged rectangular cookie cutters, in different sizes, and the new flan pan, a very heavy loaf pan, and a interesting round bottom loaf pan that is kind of decorative. I"m sure I will find new ways to use that as well. Not too many items, but something I will definitely use over and over again. They will pay for themselves in a short time I'm sure. The place I purchased these items from is called Cookware.com

I hope you will take the tiem and visit their site, you'll have a ball!! I'm planning to go back and buy a few more things later on. Since I am in the process of reorganizingmy pantry and all the pots, pans, bakeware, etc., in my kitchen, it will be a good time to take inventory and see what I nee, or want to replace . Now Rog is happy -- he has the Christmas list thing taken care of -- he is not the shopper, so I have to come up with something that I can order on line, or pick up on my own in town. He then wraps them, and tells me I can't use any of it until after Christmas morning . This year I am going to spend more time just enjoying the real meaning of the season -- the Birth of Our Lord Jesus. I want to buy some nice things for family and bless them, but seriously, anymore, I find that it is hard to come up with anything I want becuase God has blessed us so much. I'm thankful....and I think it is always good to remember that giving is the reason for this season as well, not hoarding. HOpe you find a lot of great blessings under your Christmas tree or in your stocking this year, but I also hope you have a generous heart and give some nice things to others who are in need or who you just want to bless. IT's kind of early to say this, but Merry Christmas everyone!! And for those in the USA, Happy Thanksgiving, since that happens next Thursday! Rog is off and we are doing all sorts of things that need to be done, including seeing my oncologist for a follow up exam. But we also will be just spending time enjoying some peace and quiet, and taking time to thank God for the ways he has tkaen care of us all these years! God bless, everyone!!! Until next time...

Cathy

MY PIF and Making Resolutions for 2009

HI all, Well, I have been hoping that someone would sign my PIF post, and give me something fun to work on as far as smalls to give away. So far, nothing has happened, but I keep hoping that someone will be inspired to do that, and will carry on the PIF (Pass it Forward) idea so others can enjoy it as well. I know we're in the midst of preparing for holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah) and it might not be the best time to ask for people to sign up for t his, but since you have a whole year to complete your commitment to send something to 3 people, it's not that much to have to do. Anyway, I hope that someone will sign up. You can read the rules in the last post...and I will hold off til the end of the year Dec. 31, 2008 to pick names if I even get 3 .

Okay, the next thing is I am already thinking about Resolutions for 2009.

I always do this every year, or have for so many years I have forgotten when I started doing this. The good thing about making a list of goals is that I manage to get most of them done. It's amazing sometimes, and I really challenge myself most years, so it takes a lot of attention, time and even a little pressure to get me to the last of the list. Often, I miss one or two items, but I figure out of 50 items, that's a good percentage completed . The categories I make resolutions for are varied....from Yard work Projects, to Decorating Projects, Work Projects that I need or want to complete, Building Projects, Spiritual Goals, and Physical Goals, Health Goals are also part of the list, and the other is Relationship Goals which include mostly my Dear Husband, Roger. This year I think I will add to that Budget Goals...so that I can maybe have a little more control over spending. It is so easy to get carried away with buying things that you may not really need, or just stashing where my stitching is concerned. I must say though in the last 3 or 4 months, I have not purchased much of anything. I don't think I've spent $50, which is amazing for me. So maybe I'm not too far off from having my spending habits in order . I can hope, right

The items I really want to concentrate on now that most of the yard work changes are complete is buying appliances for the kitchen and new living room furniture. I also am hoping to acquire a new round dining room table in Oak. I love my chairs, so I am not concerned about buying new ones, but I am not happy with the current table I have...the base is really not very well designed IMO. I can't lift the table on my own, and it has two long pieces as a base to the table. The problem is if you don't move them at the same time, they can shift, and that's not good. So I have decided rather than fuss with it, I will look for a new table. Otherwise the table is very nice, but just not practical when I have to do the furniture moving around here on my own. I'd love to lose weight, and I know I'm not alone on this one. How many of you feel the same way? I can't concentrate on a lot of things at once, it stresses me out. So I have decided since I don't have a lot of outdoor projects I am going to concentrate on doing more exercise and balancing my diet more see if I can't get the weight off that I need to lose. I"m not so much in a hurry to get it all off as I am concerned to see consistent progress. So no stress..just keep on doing what works. That probably will take a high priority next year

My other goals will be to get some decorating done in the house. I am really more interested in doing a lot of stitching to decorate my walls, and get a lot of seasonal things made as well. Framing will be where i spend a lot of my cash next year probably, but that's fine with me. I really want to downsize my stash, and the best way to do that is to get it stitched, and empty a few of those cabinets of fabric, fibers, and charts. I'll enjoy this one especially. This is a definite plus in my list of goals. I don't generally make a lot of plans for my stitching because I am usually so busy with everything else that it is almost pointless. This coming year, I hope that there is enough time to get a lot of stitching into my schedule, and still get a few projects (work type) done.

My garage needs a face lift...I'm more concerned about cleaning it out, organizing what I keep, and making space for my elliptical . Then I can exercise in there, and enjoy it. It will work for me also in the winter, as I can do my exercising when it is not as cold in the daytime, and that will suffice. I really want to get my guest room back, and the only way to do that is to clean the garage . Rog will be thrilled, and actually, I will be too. I don't like clutter, but I tend to make a lot of it .

It's amazing since all the outdoor jobs are done for the most part, I won't have a lot going on, other than maintenance, and maybe planting flowers in Spring, or fertilizing, etc.

Not a lot of big plans, and I suppose that is good. If I do anything it will be taking out the front lawn, or downsizing it substantially and adding more rock or flagstone. It will make a nice area, less cost, and less work for me overall if I make that change, I'm just not sure yet if I will. The reason...rabbits!!! They eat my grass, and are seriously destroying it so I need to do something else in my front yard.

I won't post here my goals for my marriage, but let it suffice to say that I just want more time with my husband who is a dear and precious man. I'm hoping to buy a new sofa that he can transfer into from a wheelchair, as the one we have doesn't really work. It will just be nice to sit together and watch a game or program on TV and relax together comfortably. So that is a high priority for next year, get the new sofa, so we can enjoy it and each other. Most people don't think about

this sort of thing, but when you aren't at the same height, and one of you can't move easily, it affects a lot of how you do things together in life. We don't take walks together like we used to. It doesn't work as the pavement makes my husband's legs get tremors, and then cause rib pain, so it's not something we can enjoy the same as we used to. Also, if I am near him, it generally has to be in bed while he watches tv, but that's not as comfortable for me because of back problems, so it means I don't stay there long . Needless to say, it has changed how we relate in some ways, but I am hoping to get things back into some kind of closer space with a new sofa that Rog can transfer into easily and enjoy with me. I have a new 42" TV, which I really enjoy, and now he can watch his games on my TV and enjoy it comfortably, and maybe even take a nap. I plan to buy one with the long chaise sort of end on it, which will make it very comfortable for him. I might find that he takes over my remote control too . AS it is, I don't get to use the one in our bedroom -- that's HIS! Ha! Ha! But you gals know what I mean about this, right? I think most men have their say when the TV is on.

I'd really love to take some quilting classes next year, and get on with making a few of them for giving and a few for home. Rog has old ones from his Grandmother that are very special, but they are showing some wear, and I would like to have some new ones that are updated in colors as well. Plus I'd love to have a smaller one I can use on the sofa when it is cold....I don't like heat from the furnace that much, it dries me out, but I love getting cozy on a sofa with a nice quilt. Add to that some hot coffee, or chocolate, and it's perfect! So if it works out for me, I want to take a few classes and sew up at least oen, maybe two quilts in 2009.

We are due for new drapes in the house, and I may give a try at making them myself. I made our curtains for the kitchen, which are cafe curtains, and roman shade on the doors that exit to the back yard. I also have two more windows that have roman shades in the living room and I am in the process of making 3 sets of curtains for those windows. They are quite easy to do, once you figure out the process. So I am thinking if I can find fabric at a good price, I am going to try making my own drapes for our bedroom, which are really due. The things are starting to shred on one end, and I wouldn't dare take them to be laundered, they'd probably come out as a fuzz ball! Ha! Ha! So, that too is on the calendar for next year. Something I will enjoy doing, and save a lot of money if I can manage to do it well. If it works out, there are drapes in the dining room to redo and a very long window area in the living room (about 16') that I will also think about. That's huge, but I will save so much money doing it on my own, if I can manage it, I will. The trick is finding a surface where I can measure and cut easily, so investing in a cutting table might be what I look at as well. I've always wanted tohave a good cutting table that I could fold up and slide into a corner, and a maniquine, but that isn't quite as urgent right now as the cutting table will be if I take on the drapery project. Quite honestly I was very pleased with the curtains in the kitchen, it meant a lot of measuring, to get them all even in the bay window, and matching fabric so that it looked right after they were on the rods.

Here is a picture of the Curtains, only part of the bay window area, but you can get an idea of the colors.

I even took down the old rods (which were pull type for pinch pleated drapes) and put up the new cafe rods. I have been so happy with them. I may even select some new fabric to sew a second pair of drapes for the kitchen. I currently have a lovely yellow with a hint of green in it on my walls in the kitchen, so I will see what I fiind that works next year. I'm actually getting a little excited about this. I really do love sewing, and I haven't done that much of it since I married, but I used to sew a lot when I was single. I'm picking up the habit again, and I really do enjoy playing with interior decorating ideas that I can manage on my own.

Since I didn't get to all the painting I wanted to do in the house, I may try to finish off the Master Bath and dressing area this year and I'm thinking of adding a metallic on one of the walls...see how brave I am. My niece used it in her house and it was really pretty! Of course, her area is so much larger than mine, I'm just hoping it will work with a less open space. Ours is a long rectangle, with an L shaped closet area. If it works I will be so glad. I have an older home (about 25 years old) and I'm trying little by little to update the look inside, and get new light fixtures.

That is the other thing on the list, buy new light fixtures for both bathrooms and the entry and get them installed. I may even change out the fixture in the kitchen, we'll see. Nothing wrong with the ones I have altogether, but I would like something a little more modern. I won't throw out these old ones though, they are really in good shape, and you never know when styles change if they will just be right again in a few years . So more stuff to store in the garage . I did say I wanted to clean it out, right? Well, if I make room, it won't be a problem storing them. The bathroom fixtures I will toss... They are dated, for sure, and I'm hoping to get new towel bars, etc., to match when I buy the fixtures so that everything looks planned. There is nothing like going into a bathroom that looks really 'finished'....and I am certainly working on that. The last thing on the list is to re-tile the entry and possibly my laundry room/ Pantry area. I still have the original linoleum in there, and though it is fine, I would love a tile floor whenever we change out our washer and dryer. Rog wants one of the front loading style, which is fine with me. These that we have work fine, but again, they are getting a little worn outside, from use. They certainly have served us well though, I have to say that about my kitchen appliances as well. God be praised! It's nice when they last and you aren't constantly having to hire repairmen to work on them. Hopefully we will have the same result with the new versions whenever we get them.

Well, I am just thinking out loud mostly, but the list isn't very long . It might be time to think about a part time job ....which I have thought about in the past, and never done anything about since I had more than my share of work to do here and not enough time sometimes to do that. But next year, it may be possible to get to that place. I don't want a full time job, but mostly because I will still be responsible for the maintenance of the landscaping which takes me a good while to get through, and whatever repairs, and redos in the house. It does feel good though to have most of the work I want done out of the way.

By the end of 2009, we might have the list really finished, and a job would be a good way to occupy my time . I know, some of you are saying "NO! NO!".....I may change my mind after getting there too, who knows. BUt I wouldn't really mind working a part time job and having a little more stash money or gift buying money. I dn't have children, but I buy gifts for all my nieces and nephews and a few sisters and brother in law, so I manage to spend a fair amount every year for those things. It would be nice to have a bit extra to do that with. Also the framing costs are so high these days that I am going to need some extra money . That might be a good thing to take up, framing my own pieces -- taking a class so I can learn all the right things, and then investing in some woods and tools to do the job with. Hmmm...that does sound like a good thing! If I only have to buy the glass, it might not be a bad thing, and I'm sure I can save a fair amount if I do the work myself. The other nice thing is my husband can carve, and I might get him to do some nice carving on some of the frames so they are one of a kind. Hmmm...might be a good thing for both of us, and get us doing something we enjoy together. Well, so much for my list of things to do next year. Nothing too major, but it will just be nice working through the list and not having so much to do. Believe me, this is a short list . I've had years where I had 58 things on my list!!! Yikes! I finished all but 2 that year too...so you know I don't let moss grow under my feet. Have a blessed day everyone! Hope I didn't bore you totally .

Hope you get to all your goals next year too...might start thinking about what will be on your list...I start early, and usually have it all written out by the end of December....ready to go January 1st!
Cathy

I've been picked to "PIF"

I just reconnected with a new friend from the UK, Hazel, and she has picked my name for her PIF members. I'll explain as I go along here.....some of you may have never heard of this kind of needlework group.

It's my first ever 'PIF" Pay it Forward experience. This is a totally new idea for me as well but I really do like thinking about sharing my needlework with 3 people that I may or may not know. It's a good thing I have a while to get the pieces done, but I am sure it won't be the full 365 days . People might get weary of waiting. I will give 'til the end of November for you to sign up. Anybody can sign up who does needlework and is willing to carry on the "PIF" idea as well. See, if you win, you also get to start your own PIF entry, and pick 3 people to send a stitched gift to. They in turn will do the same, and the game goes on. So please sign up by sending me an e-mail with the subject "PIF Entry". I hope I get a lot of takers .. it will be fun seeing who wins.

*** This is how it works ***

If you would like to receive something handmade by me within the next 365 days, please comment on this post to say that you are interested. I will then ask my DH to draw 3 names out of a hat on Saturday November 29th(MST). If you are one of the chosen three then in return, please post the same offer on your blog.

This is a simple and a lovely way of spreading joy in the stitching world. I hope that you will join in and possibly become one of my PIF members!

This PIF is open for everyone!

So please add your comment/entry entry. When I have picked the names I will post the names here, and also post you from your blog e-mail. If you do not have your e-mail showing, I will post it here and hope you check back here so you can send me your mailing address. Looking forward to seeing who joins and who wins!

Hugs all around,

Cathy