Do These Jammies Make Me Look Phat?

I mean Fat?

What is it about huge, comfy jammies? Why does something SO comfortable, have to make you look FAT???!!!

I know I'm no longer a size 5. I know I'm over 40. BUT, come on...REALLY???

This is me on Christmas morning. Hair pulled up in my Pebbles Flintstone clippy.

These are my new Christmas morning jammies. All washed and dried by my sweetie. All warm. All comfy.

You see, as I was getting ready for the Christmas Morning Flying Wrapping Paper Frenzy, he wrapped me up with just-out-of-the-dryer-Christmas-surprise-jammies. Red Flannel Goodness. Teeny tiny Pink polka dots. Penguins with Pink scarves.(I've heard Penguins mate for life) The sweetest, most thoughtful gift ever. So simple, yet so thoughtful. He's ALWAYS taking such good care of me.....!

They're a bit big, but oh so comfy. AND worth looking FAT .....

....27th Christmas, and you're still surprising me.

Thanks, Baby!!!!

Not-So-Much-Bloggin', but a Whole Lotta Blog Readin'.

That's right. As you can see, I haven't been blogging much lately. I have no lame excuse. No real reason. I just haven't been blogging much lately.

I've spent a lot of time blog reading. Adding myself as a follower. Clicking here. Clicking there.

I've noticed a lot of re-purposing. A lot of Heirloom White spray paint. A lot of Hobby Lobby, Michael's and Dollar Tree. A whole ton of Goodwill and Salvation Army. Maybe it's just the blogging circles I've been "looping" that make it seem that that's all that's going on around the Net. I know there's a whole lot more going on in the world, but really, do I need to read more about recession, more health care reform issues, more gloom and doom? I think not. So, for now, I'll keep looping....

This last month, there have been several linky parties - specialty ornaments, Christmas trees, holiday porches, sweet treat recipes, etc.... Lots of inspiration. I had good intentions, but never really got around to putting it all in motion. Nope, not this year. There has just been too many other things around here to button-up and finish.

I've made a mental to-do list for my holiday week off.

1. I would like to sort and re-pack our HUGE collection of seasonal decorations. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, 4th of July. What a task it will be, but hopefully it will make using all the blog land inspiration in 2010 a whole lot easier.

2. Get the dining room window trim finished - that has been cut-to-fit for more time than I care to admit. I got it painted and installed yesterday afternoon. Now, I just have to fill the brad holes, caulk the seams, and touch-up paint it. What a difference a little trim makes.

 

3. Work on completing the front entry room wall trim, paint, baseboards and finally the flooring. Foyer? Sounds too formal. Mud room? Sounds too dirty. Porch? Not really that either. This room is between the new front door porch and the family room. What should I be calling it??? I've never had a room like this before! Vestibule? HELP!!!!

4. I've decided to scrap (no pun intended) my craft room off the family room. Instead, I'm toying with the idea of taking over the room under the dining room. The "old" 2-car garage. Pros: More room, very temperate daylight basement climate, concrete floor (what better surface to paint upon?), right behind the regular garage (makes bringing re-purposed items in & out very easy), it already has a ton of shelves installed (gotta love storage!), and the cherry on top...a built-in workbench!!! Cons: Gotta go through the laundry room to get to it from inside the house (no more hiding the dirty laundry!), concrete floor (would need a throw rug), less natural light (1 window vs. 4, plus a glass door), not centrally located (maybe that's actually a plus!)


5. Re-purposing the existing craft room (if you can even call the mess in there a craft room!!!) This room, with all the windows, would make an awesome home office/guest room/reading room/library. Yeah. I think this change would be a GREAT plan!!! Now, I just need the energy to put the plan in motion. I swear there's a whole household of stuff between these two rooms!!!

Ok. So, now, before I get exhausted just thinking about it....I'm off to measure, sketch, plan, and daydream....

But before I go, I've wanted to share a little something I did right before Christmas, but I haven't blogged.

I reluctantly, yet hopeful, signed up for a 12 Days of Christmas ATC swap.This was the first ATC I have ever made - Eight Maids-A-Milking, and was quite happy with the swap. Here is a link to the swap hostess. Why re-invent the wheel, when she has posted some really NICE, close-up photos and a VERY cute photo of them displayed in her home? Thanks, Christine!!

Our Short, Fat, Bald, 2009 Christmas Tree....

Yep. This isn't the typical $50.00, perfectly groomed Noble Fir from the corner lot. Nor, is it a symmetrical, full-bodied, pre-lit artificial tree. Nope. This is, in fact, one SHORT, FAT, BALD Douglas Fir from our mountain slope. I cut it down last weekend and put its scrawny little 1 1/2" diameter trunk into the Christmas Tree stand - held in place with all 8 bolts screwed in as far as they would go.

Three strings of white lights - 100 lights each - are on all the branches, and in the "open" spaces in between where there are NO branches. Through the window outside, it sort-of looks like a Christmas Tree. Or maybe more like a haphazard grouping of lights. Not your regular, if boring, triangle tree of lights.

So, it would seem perfectly on par to decorate it with "found" goodies. This year, our tree has absolutely NO ornaments from our previous Christmas trees. Nope. Not A One. Weird! Not the Cheerios glued on popsicle sticks covered in glitter ornament. Not the applesauce/cinnamon bell-shaped cut-outs. No crystals. No glass. Hmmm. Now, I'm kind of feeling nostalgic for those little gems from when the boys were little. How could I  be that lazy this year and leave them packed away?

Well, I guess, I got a little carried away this year picking up some "new" and "vintage" goodies. Plus, these little branches are so thin and fragile and probably wouldn't hold the Schiefer Family Classics. Well, maybe except for the Cheerios!

So now, on with the 2009 short, fat, bald, 2009 Schiefer Family Christmas Tree Tour....

Tree with Flash.

Tree Topper. Winter Welcome Sign and Bow.

Bow is new. Sign was 50% off.

Candy Canes Sign - Filling Up The Center Bald Spot!

Tree Stand Inside Galvanized Tub - Second-Hand Buy.

Red/White Check Tree Skirt - actually a table cloth - Second-Hand Buy.

Resin Elf Shoes with Bells under the Tree. - New, but on sale.

Little Red and White Pixie - Second-Hand Buy. .25 cents.

Another Red and White Pixie, with strange eyes...

Two dimes and a Nickel.

A .25 cent Faded Green Pixie. I really like him. I have others like him

packed away in a Christmas box. I used to be able to find them

everywhere second-hand. Now, not so much. I'd love to find more!!!!

A new felt elf stocking, bells, and candy canes.

Stockings - .99 ea. Bells - like 12 for $3.99. Candy canes - super cheap!

Just when you though I might have a "theme" going here....

How about a red and white mitten with bells at 50% off?

A couple dozen RED bows. New, but on sale!

A SUPER cute SANTA. .25 cents!!!

An adorable Santa Jacket. Or is it a Coat?

...And his matching pants or trousers and hat.

This set was NEW, but 50% off!

A few Metal Stars. New, but only $1 each.

(and a few Reindeer, but I forgot to take photos of them!)

This little Mouse with a sweet little gift. I wonder if it's cheese?

And this little one too! Nice Tree!!!

Both these mice were sweet finds this year.

NO chips either.

AND not Made in China.

Lastly, this little metal sign - also second-hand.

Too cute under the tree.

So, even though our 2009 tree isn't the holiday "standard", I love it. I love that I got to spend time

collecting new, lightweight decorations. I got to cut it off our mountain.That I dragged it

up our mountain to the house. Set it up. Decorated it AND got to share it with all my friends out

here in blogland! I've enjoyed seeing everyone else's trees. The department store trees, the

Charlie Brown trees, the miniature trees, the silver metallic trees, the tall ones, the short ones,

and even the short, fat, bald trees. Happy Holidays.......

Our NEW kitchen.

So, now that the kitchen is done.....

Yeah. O.K. So, I'm dreamin' and a hopin' and a wishin'.

But isn't this kitchen just....? Just what I want for Christmas!

I wonder if it would fit in my stocking? Santa? Whatta you think?

I wish I knew where this picture was from so I could give credit where credit is due. If this is your kitchen, I LOVE it and I'd LOVE to give you credit...Or better yet, come over and thank you in person for creating such a place of beauty. (you must click on the photo to see it bigger!)

Well, just know that whilst I dream and hope and wish for a kitchen like this, the outside of the house is looking REALLY, REALLY good. I'm optimistic that the weather will be nice enough this week to get more stone up and then I can post the photos of it DONE!!!

Every time I look at the part that is done, I can't believe this is my house. The same barn-red house that we bought 5 years ago. The barn-red house that felt like a back-yard fort. HUGE and KLUGE'd. (rhymes with huge'd) LOTS of potential, but LOTS to do and re-do.

The original owner just kept adding on and building new space, but without real style or finish. Enter us. That husband and wife that loves a diamond in the rough. A challenge. A project of projects. Kind of like the old cars we collect. Buy 'em as ugly ducklings, and transform them into swans. It's very time consuming. Very frustrating. Very rewarding.

So, welcome to my dream kitchen. Come a share a cup of cocoa or tea.

Tootles.

When Boredom Sets In.....

Well, I  wasn't bored, but apparently the boys were.

I was at the shop and Kyle and A.J. were trying to get the broom to stand up on its own.

It would seem that Ty had, in one of his ADD moments, been having a conversation with one of the other guys in the shop while he was working. Sweeping? I guess so. I wasn't there...But the story goes, that he was sweeping and talking a mile-a-minute and let go of the black broom and IT STOOD UP ON ITS OWN!!!!



So, as with most boys that watch Myth Busters or just have to prove a point or moreover, prove "I can do that too!" - seems even as young (adult) men, they are still just as competitive, one-upping each other, as they were at 7, 10 or 12! 

Anyway, there I was, in the shop. Watching and wondering what the heck they were doing with the broom.

Clearly, they were not sweeping up the pile of dirt into the dust pan. No, instead, Kyle and A.J. were trying to prove that the yellow broom could stand up on its own too!

Stand up. Let go. Fall.

Stand up. Let go. Fall.

"Let me try!"

"No, I've almost got it!" 

"Here. Let me do it!"

Back and forth. Forth and back.

Finally......"Look, MOM!!! It's standing up on its own!!!!"  "See, the yellow broom can do it too!!!!"

Then, Ty walks in. Then, Robert. Then, Dad. Then.....well, let's just say, we all just stood there laughing about the broom. That's when I heard the story of Ty and the black broom.

"Yeah, but, I just let go of the broom while I was talking and it stood up on it's own!" "You guys had to stage it!"

"Yeah, but, it's still standing up on its own!"

"Yeah, just like yours did!"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah!"

Boredom and Boys.

Oh, the simple life of a mom of Three Young Men!!!! 

Now, if they could just get the broom to sweep around the house...AND one-up each other doing it better!!!

No chance Romance!!!

...haven't left yet.....

Woke up to a classic Southern Oregon Fall morning. Fifty degrees. Overcast. Drizzly. Fog rolling in over the river. Trees wet with color.

What's a girl to do?

Make one of these.

While the sweet husband is in the kitchen with these..... we ONLY buy E.B. eggs now. Must have something to do with the E and the B???? (for new readers, see my day job link below - it'll make sense then!) I'd really like farm-fresh eggs, but not quite ready for hens yet!!!!

and a little of this......

and this......

a few of these.....

a couple of these.....

What a husband, wouldn't you say?

I love me some FALL.......

Now I gotta get off the couch and change over that dreaded laundry and get to packing.....

Happy Halloween!!!!

Leaving on a Jet Plane....

I KNOW when I'll be back again.....

Yep. Going to Vegas.

Work around the outside of the house will continue whilst I'm away. Things seem to be back on track and progressing. It's looking good. It's looking just as I had in my minds-eye. A nice rustic farmhouse on a rock foundation. Shingles on top -  stained dark. It's gonna be SO nice. Someone just may have to pinch me.

Here it is in progress. 

New door. New window. Nice room next to the garage for....Crafting? Guest room? Home office? Teenager hang-out room? Storage? Gosh, let's hope not storage!!! No plans carved in stone yet, but I'm sure it'll get used....

Then, next Spring, we'll work on paving the driveway to match the walkway. Oh, there is SO much to do, but we are definitely crossing things off the list.

New solar lights for the walkway. We chose these 'cause they're glass, not plastic. Bought eight of them. Granted, they'll look better surrounded with landscaping, but landscaping is lower on the list! In the meantime, we'll be able to see where to walk at night!

Kyle's carved pumpkin on the porch. The idea was for all of us to carve a couple of pumpkins and line the walkway, but we are behind schedule on finishing the outside by Halloween. So, his lone pumpkin will have to suffice. Thanks for the effort, Kyle. You rock! It's SO ON next year though!!!! Pumpkins ahoy.

In the house, I have some fake pumpkins though. Here is one on a large, floor candlestick. I keep seeing these everywhere online and at a friends house. Pumpkins - fake and real - elevated on candlesticks. Cute!

Here is one of my Fall plate finds from a few years back. Germany. Thirty-five cents! And a recent find. 5 pc. Pewter tea set from Holland. Quaint, $15 and too cute to pass up. More than I usually spend, but glad I did. Just the other day, I saw just the creamer for $4.50 at a second-hand store.

 

Same shelf. This white ware soup tureen. No lid, but the opening is very large and will accommodate a beautiful bouquet of flowers in the Spring.

I've been picking up white ware lately. I couldn't decide between milk glass and this stoneware. Stoneware won! I find myself being really picky though. I'm only buying the ones stamped from Italy, Germany or USA. But not USA mass produced looking pieces, like Sysco. Nothing against Sysco, but I guess I feel like those I could buy by the case, so it's more the "thrill of the kill" for those mis-matched loners. More the thick, heavy weight ones. AND definitely no MADE IN CHINA pieces.

I don't consider myself an activist, tree hugger or go-green only person, but I'm kind of leery about the finishes being lead based or something else scary. You know, like MADE IN CHINA drywall that was in the news lately. The imported, inexpensive drywall that contained sulfur and was eroding copper pipes and turning jewelry black in the homeowners houses, mostly down in the Southeast U.S., due to the fumes it was emitting! Talk about scary stuff!!!

O.K., I'm off the "box" now.

Here are the fake-pearls I found for Emily. Cute, huh? They temporarily found a home on a vintage Ball jar on the hutch.

And some beads. Another kitchy necklace. Mrs. Teapot is all dressed for Halloween.

Here is the latest up-do. Wednesday night. Got the urge to go shopping for a "room-divider" between the family room and my craft room aka: the craft room wannabe mess.

Bought a curtain rod at Ross for cheap. Would've bought the curtains there too, but alas mostly they had only one-panel selections. No go. So, off to Freddy's. These were more, of course, but at least they were 25% off!

After. Closed-off. Nice!

Here is the last of tonight's treasures. I found this up in Eugene a while back. A heavy glass Barbicide container. All sterilized, boiled, fumigated, scrubbed, etc.....Then filled to the brim with paper-wrapped red straws. I would have preferred to go with red, unwrapped straws, but I'll take it one step at a time in the "GROSS, yet kind-of cool" dept. Plus, I KNOW I saw this idea in a decorating magazine somewhere.....

That's enough for one night. I won't be blogging for a few days. Hopefully, I won't be gambling away all my treasure-hunting money either!!! Actually, I'll probably only be playing the nickel slots. I don't like to lose $$$.

How could I live with myself????

Later Gator!