Category: Around the House

 After the holidays I could not wait to get all the clutter cleared away.  I craved clear surfaces and minimalist decorating.  Now that nearly a month has passed since Christmas, I am getting over that desire.  Let the decorating begin again. When we lived in the Monterey area, we became friendly with a couple who […]

It's all cleared away.  It took my husband and I all day on Sunday to do it.  Cleared off counters, pared down decorations, no clutter to be seen. Man, does that feel good. I love getting out all the holiday decorations–tubs and tubs of them.  Two trees, garlands, santa and snowman collections, scented candles etc […]

Well hey there.  Happy New Year!  I hope you all had a safe and healthy celebration to ring in 2016.   I thought in keeping with the new year, goals, resolutions, and discovery I would share something with you that I am just loving. David's Tea is a Canadian company that came to my attention […]

In spite of the terrible losses my family has borne in 2015, I have to take a moment and express my gratitude for the person who makes my every day a joy and every interaction an adventure.  That would be my sweet sweet grand daughter Evangeline.  I am so blessed to see her as often […]

I made these Chocolate Crinkle Cookies last year, which were a rousing success.  I trotted out the recipe again and will share it with you.  It was a fairly simple process–you do have to let the dough chill, but then all you do is make balls, roll them in powdered sugar, bake and top with […]

I hope all of you are enjoying all the blessings of this holiday season.  It has been a busy time at my house, and I hope you will forgive my absence of late.  I thought I had better check in and let you all know I am still alive! As you know, my poor father […]

Sad as I am not to have Sara and Eva in my house all the time, there is one advantage to them moving out. I get more closet space for my fabric and sewing supplies.  Sara's bedroom (which will now be a guest room) is right next door to my sewing room.  That makes it […]

Here is Tidbit, all bound and quilted.  I put it on my hall table and made a little vignette with the ghost family and some other Halloween decorations.  It made a cute photo, but as soon as Eva saw it, she commented that in her opinion, the ghosts were far better suited where she had […]

This was my table setting for the Harvest Party last weekend.  I have to remind myself that from now on I need to buy placemats in sets of 8.  I seem to always get either four or six and then when I have seven dinner guests I am in a quandary as to how to […]

Oh my.  Sorry for the lack of posts lately.  Forget about anything quilty.  I have had so much going on.  I had a "Harvest Party" on Saturday, complete with honored house guests.  Lots of cooking.  It was basically a Barefoot Contessa dinner.  I started with her Eggplant Caponata, moved on to Michael Chiarello's Butternut Squash […]