Beautiful Music!

I thought I would

share some beautiful music!

Carrie Underwood "O Holy Night'

Wishing everyone a wonderful day!

Merry Christmas!

Special Surprise!

A wonderful mail surprise!

I received a package from Deb.

She really sent me some wonderful

vintage Santas. 

She made an altered tin for me.

Goodies inside her

handmade paper pocket.

Thank you Deb for all of my

wonderful Christmas gifts!

You are a dear friend!

Wishing everyone a

wonderful weekend!

Christmas Home Tour

I hope you are having a great start

start for your week.

Have you finished your

Christmas shopping?

I have...and mailed all

the gifts yesterday.

Today I thought I

would share some of

areas decorated for

Christmas with you.

We kept the decorating

low key this year.

This is my favorite area in the morning!

Look at my new santa!

More on the santa later

this week.

Some images of our kitchen area.

This is where we spend most of

time in our home.

This is another small tree

our dining room.

This is our bedroom

 decorated for Christmas.

Greetings from Jake.

I couldn't get a photo

Gracie Hope...she

moves around too much!

Wishing you a wonderful

week dear friends!

Getting ready...

Getting ready for holidays is always so much fun! 

I am working on a few holiday swaps this week.

I will post some peeks for you later in the week.

Here is a favorite recipe of mine for holiday gatherings.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies Recipe

• 4 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate, melted
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee granules
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 ounces coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper of silicone liners.
2. Melt 4 ounces of the chopped chocolate in the microwave or on the stove top (whichever you prefer). When the chocolate is smooth, stir in espresso powder or instant coffee. Set aside to rest while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt and set it aside while you mix the wet ingredients.
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy.
5. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
6. Mix in the vanilla.
7. Beat in the melted chocolate and espresso mixture. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary to make sure all your ingredients are well blended.
8. Add the flour mixture just until combined.
9. Gently stir in the coarsely chopped chocolate, being careful not to over mix.
10. Scoop dough by two-tablespoon amounts onto lined baking sheets, spacing the scoops of dough at least 2 inches apart. (I like to do this with a small ice cream scoop.) Bake until the edges of the cookies are just dry, about 13 to 15 minutes.
11. Remove from the oven and carefully transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

This recipe should yield about 2 dozen Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Enjoy!

Wishing you a wonderful week.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you a wonderful and safe 

Thanksgiving with your family

and friends!

Just a note.  I am having a

sale on all of my Christmas

cards and gift tags in my

Etsy Shop!

And the winner is...

Good morning!

Hope your week has been a great one!

I ran the counter but can never get

it to copy...to post on my blog.

The winner of my Holiday Blog Give Away

 is Danielle at http://daniellesserendipity.blogspot.com/.

Please visit her blog! 

Don and I are going on a short road

trip this weekend to Atlanta.

Sometimes it is just fun to

do these little trips with

no great fan fare!

Thank you to all of you entered

and left your comments for

my give away.

Have a wonderful and safe

weekend!

don't forget!

my blog give away ends this

evening!

as always, I will be adding

some vintage goodies!

Missing

I really miss sewing.

This is a photo from

my first craft show

I participated in Texas.

Just some thoughts lately:

It is so easy for illness to cut the confidence,

attack our personality, and end relationships.

 Each day I keep thinking ~ saying to myself,

 “I can accept this illness without

allowing it to define me.”

Since August, my life has

really changed.  I do not take

a day for granted!

because of the severe breathlessness

I get, I am limited to my

activities I love dearly.

I don't blog much about

my problems...just

wanted to say what's on

my mind.  My posts have

been few lately due to

health issues.  So I have

decided to continue my

blog and share my

little creations and vintage

finds with you dear friends.

Blogging has allowed me

to meet so many wonderful

people, and share in swaps

during the year.

Most importantly,

I am so thankful and blessed

for my wonderful husband Don,

and close family members.

Just a note:

Free shipping on all holiday tag

and card listings this week in

my Etsy shop.

Thank you for your visits to

my blog and your kind comments!

Wishing you a wonderful week!

Holiday Give Away!

As promised!

My holiday give away is here!

These are just some of the goodies!

In appreciation for all of my followers, I am

having a blog holiday give away.

Southern Lady Holidays Magazine

Stitch-Craft-Create Magazine ~

Premier Issue!

Home Made Stickers

Hero Arts Card Kit

To enter this give away, please

leave a comment about your

blessings for 2011.  This

give away for my followers only.

Please post your comments ~

entry by November 9th!

I have added some new items

to my Etsy shop this week!

vintage finds

handmade gift tags

Wishing you a wonderful week!

Blog Give Away Coming Soon!

I hope your week has been a great one.

I am having another blog give away

 next week. So check back to see

the goodies!

I scanned some of my vintage postcards

and note cards this week.  You may use

them in your holiday projects.  Please do

not resell these in your Etsy shop or

on eBay.

Enjoy!

Thank you for your visit today!