Christmas Snow

Well Ho Ho Ho to you all.    Christmas day came and went so quickly.  All the preparation  I do believe is half the fun with the baking and decorating and all the excitement in the air.  Sometimes you get an unexpected surprise though.  Something you know might happen but not really really expecting it.      You might even call it a RAK .   I use to know what that meant but now I know it is a Random Act of Kindness.   We try to do this during the whole year just not at Christmas time, making it a way of our lives.  Doing special little things for people even if it is just a tiny something and to total strangers.   I am doing that everytime we go out and one day I will tell you about that.  It is fun and DH just grins when I do it.  

Christmas eve we went to bed and knowing that Santa probably would not come and expect us to help put toys together because he would have a lot more stops along the way.  I know each and everyone of you have probably had to help Santa.   During the night I got up to see if it had snowed.   Nope no snow and I wondered if the weather man missed it, I know they are human and Mother Nature is hard to predict, I guess like a woman.  

Christmas morning came and when I got up DH had just opened the blinds and when I walked in he said Merry Christmas.  What a beautiful site with the Christmas snow.  God and Mother Nature had given us a RAK.   We are here in the panhandle/West Texas part of our world and don't get a lot of snow but here it was several inches.  Nothing to stop this part of the world but the snow was beautiful.   Hearing the crunching on it when you walk on it and the quietness of the fresh cleaned world.  It just seems to clean it all at one time. 

 

This was the site I saw when I first got up and it was still snowing. 

 

The site out our front door, now it did snow at Christmas time a few years ago but the news and paper did say it rarely does here.  We have been in this house 4 years now and we have had two white Christmases.  I think that is good odds. 

 

 

 

One of the two concrete little people we have at the front door.  One this cute little boy and  another a little girl. To remind us of the sweet grands we have.  Well and to hold the rug down when the winds get up to their casual 60 plus miles an hour.  Usually it is 15 to 20 miles an hour and we are use to that. 

 

DH sweeping off the back rug so the fur babies have a dry place to walk on when they first go out.  Now remember they are outside dogs except when it really cold or hot, when the wind blows, when it is snowing or raining or they are just looking cute.  But they are outside dogs, remember that.   They do have their "tropical" hideaway with heaters, baby monitor, smoke alarms and plants and their 6 inch foam beds.   It is really pretty back there. 

 

Just a pretty view of one of our windows from inside to out.  We do decorate some outside but not like we use to.  

 

Well the year is coming to an end, seems like yesterday I just said that about 2012.  I have been doing some art work and some Crazy Quilting.  That stuff just gets in your blood and love doing it and collecting the pretties that you can play with when doing CQ.

 

All of y'all have a safe New Years Eve.  Did you know that the new year comes in even if you are asleep?   Surprising isn't it? 

 

Hope all have a wonderful 2013 and will be back to posting whatever is happening in my world.  Thanks for stopping by and create something pretty.

 

XOXOXO

Annette

 

West Texas Rain and Santa

Well ho ho ho, it is getting close to Christmas now.  Can you feel the excitement of it all?   There is an advertisment now on TV that several kids are sitting on the sofa with the little head flashlights on their forheads waiting for Santa.   I love this ad, not sure what they are advertising but then the next scene they are in all positions sound asleep on the same sofa.  I can remember going to big department stores, I think in Washington state and the stores were so decorated like a fairy land.  I will always remember those wonderful sites.   A note about really not knowing where I was, Daddy was in the Army so we did move a time or two and I was like 5 ish when I remember that time in my life.   

At our mall here in Lubbock years and years ago there was a store called Hempell Wells, not sure on the spelling of that one.  They use to have display windows outside of their store, they would decorate them to the hilt, dolls and creations all celebrating Christmas.  Icicles and elves doing little cute things that they do.  A beautiful religious scene was always part of the display also.    Sadly the store is gone now and the windows all bricked up but the memories are still here in my mind though.   I think what we do to make memories is such a wonderful treat for us.

When we had our home in Seminole I would try and decorate it to the hilt, garlands and pretties everywhere  with a little manger scene I bought from Sears and Roebuck in 1973 , I still use it by the way.  Baby Jesus does not go out of style in my book.    We had a 14 foot tree in the middle of the room and I used it many times for Christmas sessions and it made me feel good that people wanted their family photographs in front of our tree.  

We have now pared down and down on the tree size, down to an 8 foot tree.  It does look kind of wimpy compared to the larger ones we had but still decorated with love and all the fan fare that goes with it.  I have changed some of the decorations, the Victorian dolls have come out of their box this year and they are still just as pretty as ever.   Our small collection of Santa's have moved everywhere in this house and I think I have finally found a home for them.  


Now this little Santa I treasure most of all.  Grandson sold it to me in one of the school "donations" as I call them.   I can still remember him with his little brief case and pulling the folder out with lots of "prizes" for you to choose for a small donation to help the school.

 

The little grouping of Santa's with Christmas pictures at their feet and I keep thinking I need to get one more, odd numbers you know, but oh well bet Santa doesn't care at all.   In the back is the old typewriter of Eldon's mothers.   In it at Christmas is a note to Santa to be safe and the our Grands have been very good this year.  

 

 Now I know I talked about West Texas Rain, well here is some photos of it in all it's glory.  

 

 

Now I promise that none of these photos have been retouched or enhanced in any way.   Yesterday morning it was nice, we ran out and did a couple of errands and was safely at home by 10:30.   Then Katy bar the door with wind hit with gusts over 65 MPH and up.   This is out our back door.    Kind of reminds me of the red color in a movie that Arnold  S. did.  

 

Out our front door.  You can imagine what everything looks like today, a tad dusty.  Oh well, I guess I needed to dust again anyway.  It does filter into the house, not bad but you know it is there.  The fur babies loved it they got to stay inside our home.  Now remember they are outside dogs unless it is cold, hot, wind blowing, raining or snowing.   I think that covers all the elements that bring them in.  

 

 

 

Now these two photos I copped off of Ron Roberts, our weatherman, face book site but had to share them. Not sure who took them but they were pretty awesome.

 

 

 

An aerial of our storm.   I use to go up and do aerial photos but only on calm days. 

 

Now I am thinking that Santa would have a tough time flying in this wind and dust what do you think?   He does manage to do a lot of magic though and has his reindeer to guide him.    Should I mention Rudolph? 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today. In case I don't get back here for a day or so   Have a wonderful Merry Christmas.   Yes I still say Merry Christmas.  

 

XOXOXO

Annette

Eazy Peazy and Yummy

Now it is the time for yummy foods and things our hips don't need at all.  Dear Jane said, I hope I get this right, 5 seconds on the lips and 5 years on the hips.   Cute isn't it and so very true.   At least in my case it is.  

Every year I make goodies and give away and we have to eat them also.   Then after Christmas we put the left overs in the freezer and then about our Anniversary in January, 52 years coming up, we take some out of the freezer to celebrate.   Then every once in a while DH comes grinning like a little boy in a candy shop with some goodies in hand and announces that the goodies were calling his name and he had to rescue it from the frozen tundra of the freezer.   So rest assured the goodies do not fall into the frozen abyss of the freezer never to see daylight again.  

I found a link to a site and went there.   Oh my goodness these girls are going to kill my hips I kid you not.  Six Sisters' Stuff   has not only a cute story but lots of goodies for us to try.   It is our duty to do this I certainly don't want to hurt their feelings, they are all cute as a bug and talented.   I gave you the link for cracker toffee.  I know I thought what?  Cracker toffee?  I have made some yummy somethings with grahm crackers like this and they are to die for but saltine crackers?  Well my trust stove and oven got fired up again and I made them and yep they are an eazy peazy version of toffee and will do major damage to you hips.  

I won't put a pic on today with this post, they have a great one with the recipe and you can print it off and the whole nine yards. 

Well my friends,  thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.   Have a good day and create something pretty.

                                                            XOXOXO
                                                           Annette

Lots of Cutting--LOTS

Back in the olden days my mother in law got me for Christmas some electric scissors.  Man I loved those things, I could just zip thru fabric like Edward Scissor  Hands.  Bits and pieces just flying in the air and my hand wouldn't hurt at all.  You know sometimes you get scissor hand cramps and not with those things.

Now I say this because I just finished a couple of new stockings for the grands.  I was going to do the Crazy Quilt ones but then I remembered that until 1988 we had similar stockings.  I needed something totally different,  a new start so to speak. 

I was blog hopping, do y'all do that sometimes?  On one blog    Stone Gable I found this delightful stocking and the instructions so off I went.   Cutting lots of little pieces, glueing and playing.  There I go creating like a 1st grader again.   Love that they do the glueing and "playing" with their creations. 


Semi close up of one of my stockings.    Only 210 little petals for the pointsettias on one stocking.  .  Loved doing it though.

 

 

A close up of the pretty poinsettia's.  

 

 

 I added a red bow for Grandson's stocking, maybe a little less girlie.  I don't think he will mind though.

 

 

 

White bow for the Princess's stocking.  I know it is girlie and she will love it and the bling also.

 

So I am giving Stone Gable a giant thanks for the tut on her blog.

 

There you go what is happening in my world today.  Thanks for stopping by.   Hummmmm it is smelling like Christmas around here.  

 

XOXOXOX

Annette

 

Some Bling in the Snow

Ho ho ho, well getting there isn't it?    We have not had snow and yes our part of Texas does get some snow.  Not a lot but usually a little and gone the next day--USUALLY .    I always love looking at it from our nice warm home and seeing the sun hit the snow and looks like little diamonds.   Glistening and sparkles.  That sounds like Mother Nature Bling to me.   Maybe deep down Mother Nature is part Texan and loves her bling.  She could be. 

I have been working on my December journal page for Roses on My Table.   Love that place by the way.   I had some tissue paper with holly on it and just wadded it up and glued it down on my double page.  I always try to make double pages so my art journal will flow better.   After gluing it down I added gesso over it and I saw trees lots of branches so off I ran with that.   Funny how when you start one of these things I never never know where I am going with it.   So added some "snow" aka cotton batting stolen from the mantle piece I did this year and added some glitter and mica flakes and added my Mother Nature bling.  

Now I know there are no rules for art journaling but I just do it my way and no one has kicked me out of the art journal world.   I do try to glue bits and pieced of things on my pages but again thank goodness no rules.  

So here it is and my journal is growing.   Yea that means I am filling it up and doing some art work. 

 

After adding the charcoal and pan pastels the branches just said here I am.  

 

I also made a couple of new stockings for the mantel this year.   Eazy Peazy just a lot of cutting.  Hey I could tell you about that one in a day or so.  

 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.  Have a great day and create something pretty.

 

XOXOXO

Annette

Abby with lines

I was thinking today that y'all might like to see Miz Abby with the lines drawn on her face.  Some points to look at.   Now my printer got carried away as printers are know for at times.  The white lines?   Just pretend they are not there.  I drew some lines with my trusty 6 inch ruler that I got in a little art box many many years ago.  It is green and plastic, not that matters but just wanted to give it a little credit for helping me.   I do not draw lines on my faces like this but just have the reference points.  

 

Here you go Miz Abby with lines.  Notice the horizontal line from the bottom of her left eye( facing you) and how far down it is under her right eye.   I did the angle lines just to show the tilt of the her head.    The edge of her mouth is close to the outside edge of her eye.  Just little things like this is what I look for.    Just thought this might help also.  The white lines are the computer printers addition, guess it wanted to get into the act also.  

 

Thanks for coming to my world today and seeing what is going on.  Happy sketching

 

XOXOX

Annette

Longatude and latitude

I have wondered really what good is longitude and latitude in the everyday life?  I mean I am not a navigator or a sailor and so proud of the ones that are and understand it all.  I  know it is the vertical and horizontal lines that help with navigation but what would a housewife/artist do with these things?   I know a lot of people any more don't use vertical and horizontal as words any more, it is sideways and longways and heard a new one the other day, " a laying down one".  But to me they are still horizontal and vertical.  So where are you going Annette?   Hang loose I getting there.   Promise.

Now as you noticed I have been doing sketching and someone asked if I would teach, don't laugh  can you imagine me telling something to teach the way I wander on stories?   Well that got me to thinking of vertical and horizontal lines and how I use them.  It was sweet of her to even think I could teach something.   Thanks my friend.   xo

Doing portraits like I am doing requires a lot of measuring and erasing and measuring again.  Sometimes you even rip the piece of paper out of the book and tear it up into a million pieces, that does make one feel good also. I love digital painting but there is something about getting the fingers into the drawing and using a kneaded eraser and paper stump.   Just can't explain it. 

So I am going to put a pic up and then my sketch and tell you how I go about it.  Not to wordy or I will stray to other subjects and my anyway but I will try.   

Now after putting the two on here side by side oh my goodness I can see more work to be done but that is another time.  I did get a likeness and will do better next time.   Right now I am consoling myself, my external hard drive crashed so boo hoo and onward and upward and supposedly it will cost over $500 to retrieve it so I am trying my best to think of what is on it and since I have the new computer I have not backed up in a while.   BUT thank goodness I blog.  That will save some pics for me.   

OK,  I measure first how far the eyes are apart, some have closer eyes that others that is a start.   Usually your head is 5 eyes wide and usually never over or pretty darn close to being a hand long.  Just put your hand over your face and see what I mean.  Pretty close isn't it?  If you get a face over 6 inches long it usually poses different problems.  Everyone and I mean everyone has a big eye and a little eye.  Being a photographer for years, a million, you can know how to tilt the head and camera angles how to make it less noticeable.  It is done.   I draw a line usually with a ruler and if you want with a pencil also like how wide the nose is in comparison to the eyes.  A lot of times the edges of the mouth will  have a line ( invisible) to the center of the eye, just depends on the tilt of the head.  Measure from the base of the nose to the center of the lips and center of the lips to the bottom of the chin.    These are just starting points for you . Then start fine tuning the measurements and keep refining them.

I draw an invisible line like to the bottom of this left eye to see where it lines up to the right eye.  Sometimes you will draw a straight line and it might need to be a bit curved and that changes the looks a LOT.  Are the eyes deep set, you can make that appear with some shading.  Remember we are just  using paper and pencil. 

The face has many under planes on it and those can be shaded to make it have shape.  Like at the bridge of the nose, the under part of the nose, the top lip is an under plane, under the bottom lip is an under plane.   The bottom part of the eye the "bags" we hate but have to have to hold our eyeballs in.  I know they are attached but to me it reminds me that it holds them in. 

Yep looking at this cutie I see lots to be repaired but as DH says I did get a good likeness and that is what I am trying to brush up on.  But if I see her I could give her a Cow Pow and she would be happy as a lark.  Love love her personality.   Now I have to go do another sketch of her. 

 I darkened the side of her face to make it curve back and on the side of the nose so it has some shape.  Some people have very pronounced "balls" on their nose and some do not.  It is the tiny differences that make us   US.   soem have ski jump noses, some have had maybe their nose broken at some time and have a little bump in them.   That is their nose and makes it them. 

 

Remember the chin is sort of a ball also and the eyes really are.  Some are bigger than others but a good ruler and lots of measuring will help.  

 

There you go a quick convo about the sketching.   I hope this helped one person.  I can go deeper but thought just a hint or two might help, if you want to go this route.  There are many many ways of doing anything and this is my way.  Right or wrong, it is how I do it.  These sketches take a while, a long while they are not done in like 10 minutes trust me on that.   First I just kind of sketch where their features are and then start refining and remeasuring and erasing .   I do use a mechanical pencil and that helps also.  I have the pencils for sketching the hard and soft ones but a mechanical pencil is great and after 68 years I have finally learned how to reload the things and not go buy new ones everytime they run out of lead.   I kept thinking ok this is a little pencil surely I can reload it.    WHEW !!!!!  Such pressure in life.    

 

So thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world and thanks Abby for being so sweet on NCIS.

 

XOXOXOX

Annette

In groups of THREE

Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news but November is nearly over.  I cannot believe it has gone by so quickly.  Pretty soon , I will say this very quietly  SANTA  will be coming.  Now if you are under 10 years or so please don't read this next part.  OK?   One Christmas eve our wonderful grands were all tucked into bed waiting for Santa to come and what did they hear?   We always went outside the window and shook some Santa bells and said Ho ho ho.  Well our sweet Santa went out there in the colder than a frozen tundra weather and shook the bells but forgot to disguise his voice.  The grands looked at each other and said Grandad!!!!!   We quickly said no Grandad is in the living room watching TV.   Whew we slipped by that one, maybe.  We would not trade for the memories of when they were small and Christmas.  Now they are grown up and don't think they would fall for our jingle bells.  BUT when we play cards we still have to listen/watch Christmas Vacation.  Not that we don't know every word by heart and when Uncle Eddie comes up in his RV.   That is just part of our Christmas card playing.  

OK, I sort of wandered but it is getting to the end of the year.  This post may be a tad long but making up for lost time. 

When you see decorating shows and read all the rules and not rules they say to do things in odd numbers---1, 3, 5 and those little numbers.  I have been doing Crazy Quilting and right now have two pillows and a purse in the putting together and finishing part.   Sort of 3 but somewhere in cyber land I lost one of the pillows, it is gone where no pillow has gone before I suppose.     ( Kind of Star Trekish)      AND I have been sketching some of my favorite stars, well 2 and 1/2 of them maybe the half of him is with the pillow.   So maybe 2 parts of 3's. 

OK enough of this teasing  I think I will show you the sketches first.     Ladies first, I don't know how many of you watch NCIS but we love it and even the reruns which we have seen a million times we watch them.  In fact a restaurant we went to before they closed knew we had to be finished with our meal and home by 4 PM to watch the reruns.  We usually eat a late lunch and the waitresses would sit down with us and visit because it would be a slow time when we came in and they had time. 

So here are two of my favorite ladies from the great show.   Now I won't make you guess these

This beautiful lady from Chile is Cote de Pable in the show is Ziva David ( not David- Da- vid)   Oh she is beautiful but don't let that fool you in the show, she will take care of herself and whip 4 or 5 guys into shape before you know what happened.     I hope if she accidental looks at it she likes it.  Well you know it could happen --maybe.  

 

The next wonderful and cute and Miz Personality is Pauley Perrette who plays Abby Scuito in the series,  Miz Goth herself and a wiz at finding things out and drinks a lot of her drink  CowPow.   Wears these giant shoes to make her taller and just so cute.

 

 

OK the next is partly done,  I know I have an eye right but just had to show him   Part of my 2 and 1/2  sketches.   I think I have his nose also but I have erased his mouth so many times but will get it.   Maybe.

 

 

 

Christopher Lambert I love his different looks and voice.  Mainly in the Highlander, Connor Mac Leod with that handsome Sean Connery.  Still work to be done here but needed an odd number so I can be so so correct in the rule of odd numbers. 

 

Now for the CQ, remember I create these while Baseball and now action shows are on.  Lots of action the better in my book, no girly shows for me.  : )

 

 

 

This sweet purse is trying to decide if it wants a handle and fringe or what is wants to be when it grows up to be a purse.  Of course I love these colors. 

 

 

The 75% finished pillow, I branched out and did different colors than I usually work with for my personal use.   I don't have a clue what I am going to do with it, finish it and put up or sell it?   I did have to challenge myself though and work with these soft and yummy colors. 

 

Had to show some of the "critter's " on here a little closer.  Now my spider almost looks like it could be something giant and growing but nope just some little beads and thread.  I do love putting these little additions on the CQ work.

 

 

Now some little love birds were added, so sweet I did add some beads on their neck and thought better about putting red beadie eyes on them.   They do have mean looking eyes.  

 

 

Now this next pillow is in sections, don't have a clue what happened to the whole pic and thought maybe with Christopher's lips perhaps? 

 

 

Just had to share this part with you.    I am working on something fun at the moment but am afraid that someone special will read this and know what it is so nope won't share but that could be part of my trio you know in odd numbers.   I am fixin to do a witch on Lifebook one of the big eyed girls again and I will share that with you in a few days. 

 

See I told you it was a tad lengthy but thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world . 

 

XOXOXO

Annette

 

 

Pins and Pearls

 

I just couldn't stand it, I had to show you what I am working on. Well some of what I am working on at the moment. Now that baseball is over I just Crazy Quilt and sketch at night while watching our TV shows, hubby and I.

I had made one fantabulous pillow, in my opinion for our bed. So I was thinking our little love seat in our bedroom is drab so why not spiffy it up with a go with pillow? I am fixin to start doing the fun fun part----BEADS- but had to show one or two parts of it.

Don't know if you remember about the jackpost estate sales we went to hear a while back, where I found the beautiful earrings for $2. I had to have a long talk with myself and say ~ Annette you promised the daughters of the lady you purchased the earrings from that you would make something pretty using them. So I finally gave in to my promise and added it here to the hat of the ciggie on my pillow.

 

 

So here we go, the pin I thought makes a wonderful addition to my victorian gal. I know those hats were probably heavy any way so might as well add some more BLING !!! I am not through adding goodies to her or the pillow, oh no the pillow needs to weigh what 100 pounds before I finish one. I know I get carried away with the stuff but it is just so pretty.

Now also remembering back when Hubby found a beaded dress for $5 at another estate sale that same day, I thought about selling it on ebay or some such place and thought no I want to use it and every bit of it. So I cut, oh I did hate to do it, but the dress was a size nothing and I knew I would never need it so my pillow is now sporting some pearls and pretty from the dress. I had promised the dress that I would make it happy.

Here you go part of a sleeve. Already beaded and sequined, I think it goes perfect with my pillow and have given it a good home.

I have another pillow I just started for grandaughter, she changes colors so often but I went ahead and started one for her, but you can see it later. I have sewn the lace on it and fixing to get it to the point of where this one is and then I can BEAD to my hearts content.

There you go just couldn't wait to show yall what is going on in my world this week.

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world.

XOXO
Annette

It is Good to not Plan

Today we got up, well that is a given I am here visiting with y'all.   Hubby said what are you doing today?  We are kind of staying close to home until we get all the things that were messed up in the bad hail storm.  The last part is the fence , as I type, is getting the second part of a three part spiffy up.  Yea it will look pretty again.   Then we will have everything back to square one.  

OK back to what I was going to do.  I thought today would be a good day to do some messy art, which is the art journal or painting or something fun like that.  So I thought OK that is what I am going to do.   So in my art room I pranced, not like Santa's reindeer but pranced all the way.     Now I was given some beautiful  fabric.  My colors, oh my goodness my colors.  There it was like a shining star shining on it, it seem to glow.  Calling my name-Annette you need to create with me today.   I have hesitated to cut into it but did use a tiny part of it to create a purse for my friend's granddaughter.   I kept it young for her and did have a good time with creating it. 

 

I thought this was whimsy enough for an artsy little 9 or 10 year old to carry.  

I opened the fabric up and thought hummmmmm why can't I use it to make a new seat and back for the director chair in here?  It is my colors, there is some yellow in here, not the vibrant yellow on the fabric but all yellows should keep each other company.  So I have the sewing machine out for the Crazy Quilting and I made the new seat and back for the director chair.  

 

There it is all finished and waiting to be used in the art room.  AKA the office but I am trying to convert it slowly into an art room.  I just had to share this beauty with you. 

 

I have been sketching at night while watching TV and these are a couple of sketches of what I did.  Still working on sketching,  I started thinking if I did these digitally it would be easier but I just wanted to do them the old fashioned way---paper and pencil and sharpen my skills of sketching. 

 

Jim Caviezel right now in Person of Interest a great TV show this fall.   Just incase yall are not familar with him. 

 

Cameron Diaz, found this is a magazine ad.  

 

 

I am not 100 % pleased with them but getting there.  Hope you can tell who they are.    

 

I just wandered today in subject matter.  Hey a lot of things go on in a day and thank goodness not the same thing everyday.   Gotta have variety.   Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world for today.

 

 

XOXOXO

Annette

Welcome November and some Bling

Well welcome November, my goodness you came around fast this year.  I have heard the saying that time flys when you are having a good time.  But didn't know time would fly at warp speed.  November always reminds me of the last of fall leaves, the crispness of the air and pies.  Yummy, no calorie pies.   What does it remind you of?  I know some it means CHRISTMAS IS COMING !!!!!!  That also but sometimes Thanksgiving gets lost in the shuffle of Halloween and Christmas.  So I am taking this time to say Happy November.

What is my favorite pie you might ask? Well I guess it is either Pecan Pie or German Chocolate Pie either one is good with me and what is yours I will ask back?   Not a running list on these but do wonder what every one's favorites are.  There are so many in the book of pies and none to be forgotten.

Now I do want to celebrate also that my PURSE is finished.  Not one I just started but probably started it in June or so.   Don't ask me why I am just finishing it but got it done now.   This was the second piece of Crazy Quilt projects I did and love love the colors and of course all the bling on it.  I wasn't sure what kind of strap I wanted but settled on the chain but took the ribbon off,  I didn't want anything to take away from the purse .  Here it is with some view of the purse.  Just had to share this treasure with you.  Again thanks Pat Winter for teaching us how to do this.    

 

The finished purse and right now I am actually lugging a purse.   I usually only carry my drivers license, medical cards that Hubbysays I have to carry  ( you know after a certain age there are some cards you have to carry )and a credit card.  What else should a girl carry besides her lipstick? 

Now y'all have a good weekend and thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today. 

                                                                  XOXOXO
                                                                  Annette

The Scarecrow of the Wizard of Oz

Farewell October we will see you next year and enjoy your fall colors you bring to us.  OK got that out of the way or should I say I have that little farewell speech to October said?

I know now how the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz felt, being covered in hay and the dirt that comes with it while he was hunting for a brain along with his fellow companions.    Yesterday  we mowed for maybe one last time of the season.  Maybe.   Well I thought ----Annette why don't you lower the mower to like 2 1/2 inches and then when it snows maybe Jewel won't rub her tummy so much in the grass and then in the spring we won't have so much more to cut off to get the yard ready for the 2013 season.   Sure Annette, why not?  So in my yard attire, long sleeves, gloves, hat, goggles and a mask off I go on my green lawn mower.  No this was not my Halloween costume just what I wear when doing the nasty mowing in the back yard.  I usually though wear all of it but the mask when doing the regular mowing. .   I was covered in dried grass clippings, dirt that was in the grass and who knows what else.  The whole time I thought poor Scarecrow how he must have felt.  OK you have a lot of time to think and dream while mowing.  

I had trimmed the patio plants for Eldon  or DH to put in the back garage with their little heaters to keep them warm.   Now we use to have and I kid you not, over 50 or more plants but now have culled them down to 15 or so.  


OK, now I did get carried away with some pictures but one last hooray for the flowers.

Some of the blooms I cut off of the bougainvilleas, I hate to cut them off but if you don't they will take over the garage and become space hogs and stab you when you are not looking.  They have some thorns on them and will get ya.  They will never know the difference that I gave them a winter hair cut.  In fact they are back to blooming their little heads off in the garage, good job they have  a short memory.

 

A close up of their beautiful blooms.  They are a true delight to look at.

 

The Hibiscus is still blooming in the garage also.  The hummers are gone for the season so they won't miss these not being outside.  We do try to plant something for them to feast on.

Something, I forget what it is but the hummers love it, it stays basically green all winter and stinks to high heaven.   BUT it blooms and stays outside to add some life to the patio.

Angel Wing Begonias, now we treat this as an annual and let it freeze,  I know you can call us a plant killer but we have trimmed them back and they do not winter well in the back garage.  Usually get those awful little mealy bugs and it is a cheap plant.  So say good bye to it when it freezes really bad.

Some wild geraniums, I do think these little things would take over the world if we let it but they are pretty and grow in the flowerbeds.

 

 

One of the last roses of the summer/fall, I think roses just like it better when it is cooler and not 100 plus weather. 

                          


I had to include the rose hips, funny little things but they have such pretty colors in them.

Sedum is a wonderful desert flower  and you can break off a stem, remove some of the leaves and stick this little stem in the ground and you will have more of these.  The blooms are really pretty. 

The purple jew, love this stuff and again break off a piece stick it in the ground and you have more.  It freezes back but pops it's little head up in the spring and goes at it again.  It never lets you down at all.

 

The day lillies are still blooming but not for long.  Just had to let it be seen also.

 

There you go, I did get carried away with these and like I said we just don't have as many plants here as we did in our fairy land of a yard that we did have at our old house. 

 

Have a great day and Happy Halloween

 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.  

 

Like Arnold says~~~~ I'll be back.

 

XOXOXO

Annette