Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Please Meet...

So my cousin Lindsey...Hi Lindsey!, has some BFF's Ashley and Stephen. They are locals just like me in Upstate New York and I got to meet them a little while back. Very cool people indeed who also share in the love of running, cooking and creating.
I would like to introduce you to their blog:
In it you will find incredible recipes, crafts, decorating amongst other great finds. I do enjoy reading their blog and I will be making their recipe for miso soup tomorrow. YUMMM!
For now I leave you with this great blog. Sit back, pull up the computer and enjoy a glass of your favorite drink. Mine just happens to be champagne, OJ and cranberry pomegranate right now.
Have fun reading and I'll check back with you all later!

Monday, December 28, 2009

Christmas Re-cap!!

Christmas is over already and I can't believe it has flown by like it has. It is always sad for me after Christmas because of all the preparation it takes but I need a well deserved rest. I walked around the house tonight and snapped a few reminder photos of the house. Stitchie enjoys the light of the garland on the Hoosier and does is best to knock it off when he can.
Graydon brought home an adorable angel which promptly took her seat on a Christmas tree.

Many handmade ornaments adorned the tree this year. Smack in the middle is a beautiful star from Nancy. To the left is an ornament made by a friend from the studio. To the right, the wool wreath was made by Graydon as a classroom Christmas project that we did the last day of school. I truly enjoy a tree with many different types of ornaments, especially handmade ones.

To the left is SNOOPY. A childhood ornament that I have treasured throughout the years. I even remember picking it out when I was a child. Now my child loves it an looks forward to hanging it every year.

You gotta have a sock monkey hanging somewhere!!

My Fontanini Nativity set that I love setting up...take a look at the right side of this photo.
A potter!!
One of the few lego sets that have invaded our living room!!
I love it!!
Here is our advent calender that I made several years ago. Each card is a different photo that you flip over on that specific day. We always enjoy seeing who is peeking behind a card.

Here is an adorable dwarf Alberta spruce tree that I picked up in the flower district of NYC. I picked up these kitchen ornaments a few years ago and they look so cute on this little tree that adorns our kitchen island.

The annual gingerbread house...

A Charlie Brown tree in our upstairs hallway...

My childhood Christmas Tree that now lights Graydons room at night.

And finally Graydons nutcrackers.
Merry Belated Christmas
and a
Very Happy New Year!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

2 Days ?????


Seriously....
2 days....????
Where did the time go???
***
I am pretty much ready but there is always something more that I want to do. Tomorrow I am hopeful to get a bunch of cookies made, cinnamon rolls and the beginnings of Christmas dinner. I think all the presents are wrapped except two things that need to be finished. That will be tonight.
***
Today I am off to a Christmas party at school. Me of all people signed up for the Christmas craft...what the heck was I thinking? So pondering the computer, I found a great idea. It happens to be one idea that my mother-in-law made last year. I went to the good old Salvation Army yesterday and bought some 100% wool sweaters, sent them through the wash on hot two times and then in the dryer. This morning I cut them all up into 1" squares, cut wire in 14" lengths and the kids are going to string the wool pieces onto the wire to make Christmas wreaths. It isn't too baby-ish which was my goal for 4th graders. Hopefully they will enjoy making them.
***
After school, I will be heading to the cemeteries to put up Christmas wreaths which is my annual duty. I enjoy doing it but it was pretty chilly out there in the snow, making the wreaths this morning. I should have done them earlier but as stated above the time just got away from me.
***
A couple of deliveries need to be made and then I will be home all night long...Thank Goodness!!
***
The above photo was taken last night at the mall. Callie was prancing into the mall like she had been there a million times. She enjoyed the sights and sounds of the chaos!!! Santa just loved her too, even asking her if she was a dingo?! Funny huh!! I was a little worried about how she would sit for the photo but she did awesome!! Even a big smile!! Graydon was talking to Santa and he asked him what he wanted for Christmas...Graydon replied
"Peace on Earth"
Now wouldn't that be nice!!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

NYC and Martha Stewart

So in the madness of Christmas shopping and getting the house ready, yesterday Michelle (my co-hort) and I took a little trip to Tannersville, PA for a little shopping, had a delicious dinner at an incredible Italian restaurant, spent the night in Secaucus New Jersey and headed today to NYC for the Martha Stewart Show.
The above photo is our view of NYC from our hotel room in the morning!!!
How stunning!!
We headed to the studio at 7:30AM with a call time of 8:30AM. Thinking that we had enough time to get breakfast before the show, we mistakenly timed our arrival wrong! Bummer, no coffee for me and believe me the headache set in. Thank goodness I had gum and water...I even swallowed my gum so my stomach wouldn't growl. Pathetic huh!!

We had to wait outside for about 1/2 hour and it was sooooo chilly. That NYC wind just blew down the street as if there was a tunnel around us. It was about 21 degrees out and being all dressed up, (as this was our assignment because it was a cocktail party and Martha required us to look our best), we were slightly frozen by the time we actually got into the studio!
***
We were finally ushered in the studio and then up into the actual studio where she tapes. The show surprisingly started an hour early and we were all done by 11:05. We had some delicious cocktails during the taping and also received a few free gifts. All in all it was a nice show and let me tell you, Martha was in rare form!!

Rare form you might ask...yes. Very funny and candid, especially about drinking. The show today was the last taped show of 2009 and I think she was starting to party a little early!!
***
But in all she is a beautiful lady...

...with very skinny legs!!

After the show we headed to Mustang Sally's for a well deserved lunch and also to get warmed up!! We decided to hit a few little stores near there and ended up in the flower district of NYC. Neat to see, the street were lined with evergreens, trees, branches and many other things! I purchased a little tiny live Christmas tree. I think it is only about 7-8" tall. Very cute!!
***
We also went into a very cramped store that had many, many silk flowers. While walking down the aisle, I thought that this cat was fake. He was curled up sleeping in this pot of silk flowers. I walked over to where he was and started petting him. He woke up and crawled into my lap where he proceeded to purr. Ohhh, I could have taken him home!!!
***
So in all, it was a fun, busy, jam packed two days. Thanks Michelle for a great time!!
Now, back to reality...7 days to go!!

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,
A girl really never does grow up you know....especially this girl! I have always loved miniature things as well as dolls and for Christmas some year I would really love to have a Blythe Doll. They became popular back in the 70's and although I grew up in the 70's, I never had one. Maybe they were a little too weird back then with their large color changing eyes, big heads and small little bodies but I really, really would like one...some day!
Thank you,
Dani

Monday, December 7, 2009

Pull the reigns in and slam on the brakes!!
Christmas is coming and I am stressing out!
***
I feel like my life is spiraling like a tornado and being torn into five million pieces. I am working, creating, working (wait I said that already), selling pottery at our studio sale, loading kilns, baking cookies and cinnamon rolls, sewing like one of Santa's elves, decorating, cleaning and more. I'm sure there are many of you out there that feel the same way as I do
but
please, Oh please Christmas slow down and wait for me...
I promise I will get it all done but I need the days to go by slowly...
Please?!