Christmas Debustle

 This is the extent of my bustle these days.
Haven't done gift exchanges with the kids for years.
Hubby and I haven't exchanged gifts forever.  We kinda like the ongoing, through the year, surprise you big time gifting.
This year, the bustle has quieted to some hours on the Internet searching for the right, green, local, organic gifties for the grandgirls.  The other time is spent in the sewing room making sure each one of the girls has a   Mimi Made gift and ornament.
 This extra time is a gift for me.  Time to appreciate time with friends.  Time to reflect on the source of the celebration.  Time to appreciate the talents of others.

 Last year, we started a Pink Tree Tradition.  Little pink trees have been purchased for each of the grandgirls.  We decorate each one with symbolic things of the little girls past year.  This year, we have a Mary Poppins tree, complete with a vintage Mary doll and lots of Mimi made kites.  A Happy Meal penguin from 1999 and a little pin that says 'lets go fly a kite' completes Miss Vivs theme this year.  She is quite the Poppins fan.  Last year was a Sea Booty (translated: Sleeping Beauty) tree due to her infatuation with the classic movie. 
 Lil' Lady's tree has sparkly royal blue ball ornaments,her favorite color.  She has some of her mama's ornaments to complete the look.  BG ordered lots of crocheted snowflakes this year for her home and Mimi got addicted and used up a whole skein of yarn for all three trees.  Our latest pink tree has some of her daddy's ornaments, her initial ornament and blocks and the sweetest snuggle bunny ornament.  This December 16, we shall find out if Mimi and Papa will be buying another pink or...dare I say it....a BLUE tree for next year??!!

 This past years redo in the living room screamed for new Christmas decorations.  Something simple.  Something turquoise.  Something in keeping with the New Look.  Think I found it....

 Years ago, Kindred Spirit's daughter, Emily (The Fashion Designer) made these fabu ( a word I first heard from her!) Christmas Stockings for me.  Made from vintage sheets and just the right colors, you'd think she was positively clairvoyant, seeing my turquoise/orange/yellow Christmas needs years ago.  The size will be perfect for the Grandgirlies toys.

In case you have noticed an absence of a big tree, you are absolutely astute.  Since this is the year that all the chickies spend with their other families, Hubby and I will be on our own and we just didn't see the need to put up the big tree.  We shall enjoy our little pink trees and what they mean to us and save our energies for other fun Christmas projects and people.

 Last night, during a Mad Men a thon with Hubby, I  made the felt ornaments for the girl's trees.  On the way to and back from church yesterday, I finished up the crocheted snowflakes, courtesy of Attic24.

http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/crochet-snowflake.html  (can you see Lil Lady's dolly to be peeking around the snowflakes?  Her First Birthday is two days following Christmas.)

And after a year or so of working on Pretend Granddaughter Sara's Big Girl Quilt, I am finally at the point to do the yarn tying......PGS is an animal lover, particularly doggies, so I don't even think she'll mind the Miss Dixie popped into the photo shoot...


Hoping you're taking the time to drink in the wonder of this season.....

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

 As you know, I celebrate by birthday all month long.  Why not?
  I embrace my years, thankful for all the mistakes I've made in my life and the lessons learned from them.  Thankful, indeed, and quite celebratory that I managed to survive in spite of myself.  So, it was off to do what I do in November- Have Fun.

 I started off the rather long weekend by seeing to it that I had time with Faithful Friend.  We go to Salem Indiana to share a dinner at 'our' favorite restaurant: christiesonthesquare.com  They let us stay there for hours, enjoying their atmosphere and not charging us rent for the lengthy amount of time that we park ourselves.  Their Cobb Salad was huge enough for next nights dinner, (as well as the Tiramusu dessert. Yum).  Good time. 


The photo on top shows that I include work in the mix.  My work is an amazing blessing and thrill for me so it can barely be counted as 'work'.  This past weekend, by friendship with Rabbit Rita ritabunny.com took me to Louisville, Kentucky, in the wee hours of the morning, to help RR with a private showing preview for the holidays.  Early, early up and helping set up in the darkness of Saturday morning, fuels my adrenalin, not drain it.  I borrow off her abundant energy and learn through her long years of creating and sharing with the masses.  It was a jolly good exhaustion when the Rabbitmobile dropped me off at my residence a good twelve hours later.

 Sunday morning found me packing for my next Birthday Event: visiting Sweet Sharon in Jasper Indiana.  SS used to live down the street from me and she is missed.  Her birthday is in early December so we make it a point to share some time somewhere between the two dates to celebrate the wonders of us and our own quirky sense of humor.

 This visit was particularly memorable because I got to help her nearly thirteen year old granddaughter with the wonderful joy of sewing.  Sewing Stephanie asked for a sewing machine for Christmas last year and she has been want for some direction since then.  It was a joy to witness this young lady  view the wonder of piecing two squares of material together to make something that you can declare that you made!  SS was a natural!  She took charge of her machine like a pro and the more instruction I've gave, the more she embraced it and ran with it.  I love to kindle the spark.  I believe we have not heard the last from this budding creator....

 Sweet Sharon pursued on in our quest for a swell visit....We shopped at a country fabric store in a huge pole barn yet with fabric for all types of sewing. fabrichideaway.com.  We played games (ones that SS made up and  changed rules as we went along).  We watched a movie and DVR'd shows. I knitted and quilted.  SS made wonderful meals and I slept like the dead.

A wonderful respite for this crazed woman of much busyness.  Sweet Sharon's lovely home and generous hospitality, fueled my creative juices for new work in the weeks to come.  I got the chance to slow down my movement so that I could plan and prepare in a neutral territory with no obligations, for nearly 48 hours.  Pure balm for a busy mind and body.

Sweet Sharon is one of the most humorous people I know.  She's one of those ladies that can get you in much trouble because no one expects the silliness that she exudes to come from such a lovely woman.  From me, yes, but not my most wonderful of friends.  Her proper exterior belies her crazy sense of humor.  We Get each other.  And I am ever so thankful for her friendship and laughter in my life.

Thank you dear friend.....

Please; be a respite for someone today.......

Festival Wind Up

 While the Persimmon Festivities carry a broad scope, around my house, these days, it revolves around Food, Family, Fun, Friends and Fotos. (!)  These days, my only contribution to the community effort is taking vast advantage of the multitudinous yard sales and the daily opportunity to schmooze with the locals at The Methodist's and Baptist's luncheon cafes and seeing to it that the Local Photographers have a place to properly share their talent and be judged by their peers.

 While I prepared for weekend, with it's grandbaby and pretend grandbaby visits, I puttered in my sewing room, fabricating autumnal banners for Rabbit Rita's booth at the Chautauqua Festival in Madison Indiana http://www.madisonchautauqua.com/.  Since I was on a roll, I created a banner for my fall mantel, anticipating all the fun activities that surround our fireplace in the upcoming season.

 My mind kept focus on the daily tasks, whether it was overseeing the Photo Exhibit/Contest and tabulating votes or arranging menus to feed the dozen or so Festivalites that would filter through the days, working on reunion duties or helping at the Persimmon 5K http://persimmon5k.eventbrite.com/ or merely coming to see Grammy Deb and her toys.

 Of course, the weather is usually fickle on this third week of September here in Southern Indiana....

..... but it is best to make a silk purse out of sows ear.  Whether it is building the first fire in the fireplace to ward off the wet cold, or pulling on your boots that your wise mama packed for such a calamity as non stop rain, altering your attitude can make the worst weather positively glorious.

 With good food, wonderful friends, and endearing family surrounding you, you can hardly go wrong.

Put up your umbrella, smile a lot and enjoy your week!!




For a special treat, here's the First Baptist Churches recipe for the ever popular: 

Persimmon Pudding

2 cups persimmon pulp
2 cups sugar
2 lg eggs, beaten
1 tsp soda
1.5 cup buttermilk
1.5 cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup cream (milnot or half and half)
1/2 stick butter


Add sugar to persimmon pulp.  Then add well beaten eggs, stirring well.  Add soda to buttermilk and stir until foaming ceases.  Add buttermilk to persimmon mixture and stir.  Sift flour, salt and baking powder and add to persimmon mixture.  Add vanilla, cinnamon and cream.. Melt butter in 9x13 pan. Add to persimmon mixture and mix well.  Place mixture in the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until done.  ENJOY!!!