The Great Dining Room Challenge

The heat is on! It's on both outside and inside! Outside right now it is just way to hot to do much of anything. We are currently under a heat advisory for the next few days. With that being said my good friend Monica at Expressly Corgi and I have decided to to another Clean-up Challenge but this time we will focus on the inside of our homes! Right now both of us are having trouble keeping our dining room tables clean from all of the clutter that tends to pile up on it. So we chose to challenge each other to a clean up to get it done in a week!



I did start last week on cleaning my dining room table up but as you can see it is starting to pile up again! And I will have to admit that all I did last week was just take it from one place and put it at another place. My piano!

Just look at all of the stuff piled up on and around my piano! Some of the bags on the floor have school supplies I just bought this week. I need to get those upstairs and stored away for when school starts late next month.

I also have 2 light bulbs burnt out in my dining room light that I need to take care of.

A closer up view of the clutter on my piano.

I also have a jumping horse that needs to be taken back up to the attic.

I also need to get my kitchen table back! It is messy, messy, messy!

I have my work cut out for me this week! Come back next Friday to see if I got it done! And, we'd like to invite anyone who might have a cluttered dining area to join in with us for our Great Dining Room Challenge! Just leave us a comment to let us know you're "in", and link in to this post with your before photos. Deadline for completion is next Friday. No prize, but the feeling of accomplishment is WONDERFUL! Click HERE to visit Monica's Dining Room!

Angela

Weeds, Weeds & More Weeds!

With all the rain we had early this Spring I have neglected a little area beside my house where Mr. & Mrs. Fox live. Weeds have overtaken it in a major way. I was talking with Monica at Expressly Corgi the other day and she said that she too had an area of her yard that needed tending. Hers is an area that skitters live. We decided that we would challenge each other to clean up our over run areas of our yards and post before and after pictures.

As you can see, not only have the weeds overtaken Mr. & Mrs. Fox's home but also toys!

Just look at the trampled on grass that outline Mr. & Mrs. Fox! Wonder whose big feet has been doing that? You can see them in the background of the picture! Not only do I have trouble keeping toys out of that area but I also have a problem with keeping the dogs from there too.

What a mess! Weeds, weeds and more weeds!

I have my work cut out for me this week to Get R Done! I hope the weather cooperates with me this week so that I can. Luckily the humidity has went elsewhere and it will be tolerable for me to be outside to get this done. Unlike Monica I won't be getting bit by skitters. Wish us both luck in our garden clean ups!

Angela

Homemade Cranberry Sauce ~ Get R Done Friday

It's Get R Done Friday! Please visit our host ClassyChassy at Expressly Corgi to see all of the others who are participating in this weekly event. You are welcome to join in if you have a project that you would like to share! Thanks ClassyChassy for hosting!

For the past couple of years I have been making Homemade Cranberry Sauce for the Holidays. This year I discovered that you can actually can it in a water bath canner. I read about it on Chickens on the Road.

Canning your own homemade cranberry sauce is so easy I don't know why I didn't think of it before. I didn't use Suzanne's recipe. I had one that I have used so I used it. This is how I made mine:

2 cups of water

2 cups of sugar

1 juice of an orange

zest from the orange ~ I just chop off some of the orange peel and cut it into very small pieces.

6 cups of fresh cranberries ~ washed

Put in a large pan. I used my stockpot. Bring to a boil and add 6 cups of fresh cranberries. Continue to stir until it gets to the consistency that you would like. Use a ladle and fill your warm jelly jars. Put lids and rings on and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.

The picture above is what I got from the recipe above.

Happy New Year!!!!!

Angela

Get R Done Friday

It's Get R Done Friday! Please visit our gracious host ClassyChassy at Expressly Corgi to see all of the others who are participating in this weekly event. If you have a project that you just finished or are working on, you should join in! Everyone is welcome!

Let me tell you about my week of Get R Done's! I've done so much stuff this week that it seems like a blur!

Sunday I helped teach the toddler's class at church. Had lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant. Went to my grand mother's 87th surprise birthday party. Went to Sams to pick up our Christmas Cards. Got Christmas Cards ready to mail.

Monday was my 18th Wedding Anniversary. Went to the Post Office to mail our Christmas Cards. Went to JoAnn Fabrics and a few other stores. It was also my Little Man's Preschool Christmas Musical Program. I don't think I've laughed that hard in a long time!

Tuesday I wrapped some presents while the kids were at school. Went to a few stores but I can't remember which ones! Made Mexican for dinner.

Wednesday I was so exhausted from everything that I did a few days earlier that I actually fell back to sleep and didn't get up until 7:20 am. Had the weirdest dream that I've had in a long time! Being so exhausted I decided to take a day off from my running around and stayed home. I did several loads of laundry and ran the dishwasher. Ran the vacuum. Made a pork roast for dinner.

Thursday I went to Target to pick up G Force for the kids for Christmas since it was just released on Tuesday. Went to the Post Office and was there for a good half hour! Remembered what it was that I actually bought my husband for our anniversary and gave it to him! It was also my Young Lady's Band Christmas Program. Checked the weather status of a developing Snow Storm and decided that I needed to get the food items and toys wrapped that I had picked from the giving tree for a local family in need during this holiday season that our church is sponsoring. Wanted to get that ready just in case I couldn't make it to church Sunday. Didn't get in bed until after midnight!

Friday I wrapped some presents while the kids were at school. Went to the Post Office again to drop off some more Christmas cards. Stopped by our church to drop off some food donations and toy donations that I bought. Went to WalMart to get a few things just in case this snow storm that we are going to get tonight through Sunday keeps us from being able to go anywhere for a few days. We are having pizza tonight from Bellicino's! My husband is bringing it home after work!

As you can see from all of the above, I am exhausted! I need a nap!

Angela

Lace Snowflakes ~ Bows ~ Get R Done Friday

It's Get R Done Friday over at ClassyChassy's! If you have a project that you have finished or are working on a project you can join in on the fun. Everyone is welcome! Thanks ClassyChassy for hosting this weekly event!

Today I want to try to explain to you how I make lace snowflakes for my Christmas tree. I found this quick and easy craft a couple of years ago in a kit on sale after Christmas and bought it. This year I decided that I would like to make some more lace snowflakes for my tree, so I was on my search for the things I needed.

To make a lace snowflake you will need:

Lace that has big holes at the top edge to weave in and out of a ring ~ 9 feet x 3/4 inch

1 package of Cabone Rings by Wrights ~ these are located in the yarn section ~ 15 rings; 3/4 in

Glue gun

Makes 15 lace snowflakes

Go here to see a picture of what my lace looked like on the spool and the rings.

The first thing you will want to do is cut through the ring with a pair of scissors. Then take your lace and weave through the ring. Mine took about 7 inches of lace to make. You will want to just weave it through the ring to see how it looks and then cut it. Then I took it back out and measured it to come up with the right measurements to make one snowflake. Next step would be to use a glue gun or regular Elmer's glue to glue the ring back together. You can either sew up the ends of the lace or leave them. Now you are ready to hang your lace snowflake on your tree!

Finding the supplies was not an easy task though. WalMart had the lace, but they didn't have the rings that you weave the lace in and out of. I found those at Magic Mart and a local craft store in Teays Valley.

Here are the finished lace snowflakes that I made. The type of snowflake that you end up with is determined by the pattern on your lace. As you can see I found 2 different types of lace that had the big holes at the top.

Next I would like to send you over here to see how easy it is to make your own bows for your Christmas packages or other special presents. I haven't tried to make them yet as I just found this link yesterday. It looks like it will be easy to make and they are frugally beautiful.

Angela

the Perfect Christmas Tree ~ Get R Done Friday

Today is Get R Done Friday! Please visit our sweet host, ClassyChassy, at Expressly Corgi to see all of the others who are participating in this weekly event. Everyone is invited to join in on the fun!

This past Saturday was opening day for most Choose-and-Cut Tree Farms in West Virginia. We decided since the weather was going to be good that day that we would go and find our tree for this year. We went to Wilkerson Tree Farm in Griffinsville, West Virginia. I believe this makes our 7th year of going there. In the first picture you will see the entrance to the first field of trees to pick from.

There is a cute little pond at the entrance too!

There are many trees to choose from. White and Scotch pine, Norway and blue spruce. They also have wreaths, door swags, stands, tree bags, walking sticks and greenery. This is where I got the walking sticks that we turned into curtain rods for my Little Man's room.

They have even spray painted a few trees a darker shade of green for those who like to walk on the wild side!

My Young Lady posing in front of a very tall tree just so you would be able to tell just how tall some of the trees are at Wilkerson Tree Farm.

We didn't have much luck with finding a tree on the flat fields so up to the top of the hill we go. Which is by the way where 99.8% of the trees we have found have came from.

I thought this tree was interesting! I like the rustic, but simple look of this tree. I do hope that someone takes it home, but then again if they leave it I might be able to get it another year!

More trees on the hill to choose from.

Oh look! There is a bird's nest in this one! How sweet! We decided not to get this tree though.

And yet there are more trees on the hill on another lot to choose from.

At last we found the tree we wanted! After walking the bottom fields and then walking the hill looking for our tree. We finally found it at the bottom of the hill in the bottom field! TIMBER!!!! Down she goes!!!!!

They even have a shaker to shake all of the loose leaves and bird nests out. You can even see the smoke from one of the warming fires they have throughout the lot.

All in all we had a great time hunting for the perfect Christmas tree. We made a lot of memories of Christmas Past for the children. It was a perfect day to go as the temperature outside was in the high 60's. Not to hot, but not to cold. Just perfect! We even went for pizza before we went.

Tune in for a future post to see our tree all decorated! If you live in West Virgina or close by you can go here to see a listing and map of where you can go to find a Choose-and-Cut Christmas Tree for yourself in West Virginia.

Merry Christmas!!!!!

Angela

Snowflakes ~ Get R Done Friday

UPDATE: I finally got the other snowflakes to upload. I put them on another post here.

It's Get R Done Friday! ClassyChassy is our gracious host of this weekly event. Please visit Expressly Corgi to see all of the others who are participating in this weekly event..

I have a quick and easy Christmas craft to show everyone how to do this week. Christmas is right around the corner and it is almost time to start decorating. I got a jump start on decorating my blog this week ~ Get R Done!

Below is a picture that I really hope that you can somehow print it out on a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. Then just follow the directions at the bottom. It is really easy to do. I've been making them for years. I live in a white Colonial house with 11 windows on the front. I like to put at least 3 of the different snowflakes in each window. I just use tape. I just love how they look from the road. You can see them really good in the day time which is great.

I am unfortunately having some technical difficulties at the moment. I have at about 3 more snowflakes that I wanted to share with you but I can't get them to upload at the moment. I will try again tomorrow!

If you should have a project or something that you just got done you should go over to Expressly Corgi and sign up with Mr. Linky and join in on the fun!

Angela

Shoe Boxes ~ Get R Done Friday

It's Friday! It's Get R Done Friday over at ClassyChassy's Expressly Corgi. ClassyChassy is our gracious host of this weekly event. If you have a project that you are working on or have just finished, please go over to ClassyChassy's and join in on the fun!



My project this week is getting my shoe boxes done for Operation Christmas Child Samaritan's Purse. I have been gathering up goodies to put in my shoe boxes since January. I like to try to find good quality items on sale to put in the shoe boxes that my family donates to Operation Christmas Child Samaritan's Purse. I found the flip flops on sale in January for $1.00 and one pair was $3.00. I found the beach balls in September on clearance for .35! I also bought the crayons and colored pencils before school started when the stores have those items at affordable prices. A quarter for the crayons!

Pictured above is most of the items that I gathered up over the past few months to put in the boxes. I found some assorted Nerf type balls, small baby dolls, medium sized baby doll, 3 pairs of flip flops, pencils, colored pencils, crayons, toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, combs, rubber bands for hair, beach balls, stencils, note pads, stickers, farm animals and compressed washcloths.

I divided the things up between 3 shoe boxes. One for a boy and two for girls. The picture above is for the boy's shoe box that my 5yob is going to take to his preschool for their collection that they are doing. This box will go to a boy in the age group of 5 - 9. I tried to find things that boys love to play with. There is a matchbox car, balls, farm animals and a panda bear that I got in a Happy Meal. I always like to include a postcard of my favorite place to visit in West Virginia! lol Blackwater Falls of course!

As you can see from the picture above, it is really hard to fit all of that into the shoe box that his school provided. I also added some suckers.

This box will be for a younger girl in the 5 - 9 age group. I tried to find lots of girly things for the girls boxes. I thought it would be nice to give this girl a big doll and a small doll too along with a bunny that I got in a Happy Meal.

As you can see, all of the items did not fit into this box. Sigh....... I suppose I'll leave out the ball and use it for another box next year.

This box will go to a girl in the 5 - 9 age group. This girl will get lots of girly things! I've included 2 of the small dolls, Little Pony from a Happy Meal, rubber bands, farm animals, journal book, rabbit, a few balls and a pair of pink flip flops.

I'm pleased to say that everything fit in this box! It's a tight squeeze though but I did it!

The shoe box going to my Little Man's preschool will be collected on Friday, November 6th. It's not to late for you to get a shoe box ready for Operation Christmas Child as their National Collection Week is November 16 - 23, 2009.

Angela

Furniture Shopping ~ Get R Done Friday

It's Friday! It's Get R Done Friday! Please visit our gracious host, ClassyChassy, at Expressly Corgi to see all of the others who are participating in this weekly event! Feel free to join in if you have a project that you are working on or have just finished! Everyone is welcome! Just sign in with Mr. Linky and you are good to go!

Probably too formal for my house. It is beautiful though!

I like this sectional but I'm not sure about the lounge thingie. It is on the wrong side to fit into my living room.

I liked this one but I don't think it was real leather???? I'm afraid it will get a hole in it to easy.

My Little Man wants this one for his bedroom! lol It would go great with his curtains! I would definitely consider it if I didn't have mauve carpet!

This one was surprisingly comfortable to sit in. I really like the price of it but I'm not to thrilled with the velvety material.

Love this one but again the lounge thing is on the wrong side and just look at that price tag!

It is time, past time, for us to get some new furniture for our living room. We have had our old set for right around 10 years now. It is absolutely worn out! You know it's bad when the cushions on the couch in your living room looks worse than the old couch cushions that you have in the garage for the dogs to sleep on! Yes, it's that bad! And I won't mention the smell of the couch in my house! Yes, I will! hehehe It smells like spoiled milk! I would hate for someone to come to my house for a visit right now.

Looking for a new couch is a long process for me. First I go to the different furniture stores around here, which isn't many. Then I try to figure out which one is going to be the better choice for our living room. And of course, I don't buy anything without my husband checking it out too! I basically pick it out and then he looks at it and approves it! lol

This time it is much harder for me to make a decision on what to get. I wouldn't mind a sectional but I'm not sure if it would be functional in my living room. I also wouldn't mind to have a couch that reclines. It really doesn't matter to me if they even match this time. I'm open to one reclining couch that is leather and one that doesn't that is in a fabric print. I'm also running into the problem that my carpet is mauve. There isn't much in the stores that will match it. So, I might have to have it special ordered to try to match the carpet.

I'll post pictures once I get my new living room furniture. Wish me luck!

By the way, I picked up my Little Man's new lenses for his glasses today!

Angela

Decorating ~ Get R Done Friday

It's Get R Done Friday! Please visit ClassyChassy at Expressly Corgi to see all of the others who are participating in this weekly event! If you have recently finished up a project you should join in on the fun too!

I have been trying to upload these pictures for 2 days now! I can't seem to Get R Done! hehehe I will upload the rest as soon as I can so you can see my finished project.

I found these cute Thanksgiving People at Home Goods and I didn't buy them. I know! I came home and I thought about them for days. I could have kicked myself for not getting them because if you know how Home Goods is, if you see something you want you had better buy it then or it probably won't be there the next time you go! I was Blessed that when I returned they still had them! So I bought them and brought them home. I didn't want to wait for November to put them on the mantel of my fireplace. I did a little dusting and I went ahead and put them up. I think they look so cute.

Take a close look at them as the Pilgrim lady's dress and the Pilgrim man's pants are made from corn. And the Indians are dressed in wheat!

I also got a lot of other things done this week!

~ My husband cleaned the carpet in the living room!

~ The kids got them toys out of the living room!

~ I had to take my Little Man back to the store that we bought his glasses at as he broke them up pretty bad. The lady bugs are out in full force and one landed on his glasses. He threw his glasses to the ground and stepped on them trying to kill the lady bug! Yes, I know...... Boys! The frames were bent up pretty bad. Thank God I bought those bendable frames! One of the lenses actually got cracked. New lenses are on order and he should get them next week.

~ I've gotten one part of my Pay It Forward craft finished! And I'm working on finishing up the rest! Won't be long!

If you want to see pictures of my fireplace mantel you will have to come back later! Sorry!!!!! The fireplace is also a Get R Done as my husband built it himself. He did a fantastic job if I do say so myself! I helped with the design and he built it the way I wanted it! We make a great team at designing things for our house! hehehe

Angela

Curtains ~ Get R Done Friday

It's Get R Done Friday! Please visit our gracious host, ClassyChassy, at Expressly Corgi to see all of the others who are participating in this weekly event! You are welcome to join in on the fun if you have a project you have been working on too!

Today I want to show you a picture of the curtains that I made for my Little Man's Room. Aren't they just the cutest! We went to WalMart and I let him pick out the material he wanted for his curtains. He picked out this manly looking material all by himself. I told him he could get anything he wanted too. I thought he would go for the Thomas the Train but, he picked out the one with deer, elk, coyotes, bears and mountains! He loves the mountains! He also loves all wildlife! To make the curtains was easy. I just cut them to length and width, hemmed them and used bias tape for the ties to hold them to the rod.

Now for the curtain rod I wanted to use a branch from a tree. We were fortunate to find these walking sticks already ready at the Christmas Tree Farm that we went to to pick out our tree last year. I also want to mention that the trim around my Little Man's windows was handcrafted my my Big Man in the house! lol

I had to show you this picture because my Little Man was trying to do some decorating of his own. Can you see what I'm talking about?

Yes! You were probably right! lol Can you imagine my surprise when I went into his room yesterday and seen this! I know I wasn't laughing too hard when I first saw this but, I'll have to admit that it is funny! Now it's time to head over to ClassyChassy to visit all of the others. Who knows there might be something as funny as mine!

Angela