HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!

Happy New Year to all the new friends I have made these last few months.  I look forward to next year full of blogging delights.

Stay happy and safe,

 

TIME ........ WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOURS?

It has been rainy and cold here in Arizona, so that has allowed me some time for contemplation.

It is the end of another year and in looking back on mine I realize that I have not exactly spent mine as I would have wanted.

At 63, and an empty nester,  you would think that I would have control over this aspect of my life.  But it seems, I still have a lot to learn in this regard.

I still spend far too much time taking care of others instead of taking care of myself.  It seems I always put myself far down on my "TO DO LIST".

I get sidetracked with things of no real importance and then wonder, where the time goes.

This year the only thing I told my husband I wanted for Christmas was a gift certificate to my favorite spa.  He was kind enough to get just that for me.

So we will see, if this year, I use it before the end of 2010.  It will mean putting myself first and really paying attention to my time.

I have 365 days ahead of me.  Each one contains 24 hours.  I vow to spend them wisely, BEFORE I RUN OUT OF TIME!

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

  

HMMM...It's The End of the Year and Time for my Annual LAUNDRY LIST!!

Well, dear friends, as 2009 comes to a close; I find myself making my LAUNDRY LIST. In case you don't know what that is -- to some it is called taking a personal inventory.  Perhaps, many of you out there do the same.

On MY LIST are things like:

Was I empathetic when the situation presented itself?

Was I compassionate?

Was I controlling?

Was I critical?

Did I complain too much?  I CALL THESE MY 4 "C's".

Did I hold my tongue when it was called for?

Was I truly present in my life every moment?

Was I as loving as I  could be?

And last, but not least:  WAS I GRATEFUL?

I had a friend who used to say that every donut has a hole.  I want to be as grateful for the hole as for the donut.

Cicero said," Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues...but the parent of all others".

Now that 2009 is almost complete, I  can begin on my list for 2010!!  Gads!!!!

Blessings in the New Year to you all,

  

ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM WRITER'S BLOCK?

Hello everyone - Look at the fabulous thing I found at my local BARNES AND NOBLE - writer's blocks of all things!

I don't know about you, but some days it is just not cookin' in the old grey matter.  So I thought I would use these for inspiration when the need arises.

I thought some days I would spell out a special word for inspiration or enlightenment.

And other days, I thought I would do this:

I thought perhaps some special word would come up - but obviously I was mistaken.

It is kind of like throwing dice, some days you have it -- some days you don't

Hopefully, each and everyone of you will have a week "free" of writer's  block.  I am looking forward to all the new posts out there!!

Blessings, dear friends - 

 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!  HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY!

MEET MISS BETSY MCCALL!

  

      Today I'm participating in Vintage Christmas Monday hosted by potting shed anything goes here, please click on her button on my sidebar if you would like to join in the celebration or to see all the other wonderful ladies who are participating.

       I'm not posting about ornaments or Christmas decorations today.  Today, I'm posting about a Christmas gift that I remember receiving as a young girl many years ago.

     When my family returned to the states after WWII it took my father quite sometime to become fully functioning.  The war affected him deeply, and my mother had to work to support us for as long as I can remember.  My father finally improved and became an accountant - but during those lean years Christmas was a pretty spartan time for us.  Perhaps like it is today for those folks who have been hit so hard by our economy.  Anyway, the one gift I do remember getting was a Betsy McCall paper doll set.

These paper doll sets came free in the McCall Magazine, a popular magazine of the day, but you could also by the paper doll set in a book.  I would spend hours dressing her in her outfits and making believe that my family was something other than it was.  My imagination would run wild as a 10 year old girls will and it seems I was totally satisfied with this small gift at Christmas time because somehow I

knew it  was the only thing my parents could afford.

.Please dear friends enjoy this time of year with your families and loved ones whether it is a big event with lots of presents  or a more modest affair like my Christmas of so long ago.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL!

    Thanks to the Graphics Fairy for supplying the wonderful paper doll memory.

My Christmas Home for Friday Show and Tell

  Today I am participating in Show and Tell Friday Hosted by MY Romantic Home - please click on her button in my side bar if you would like to see the other participants and see what wonderful things they have posted about today.

I didn't know if I would show pictures of my Christmas home to all of you out there - but I decided to go ahead and jump in on the Christmas bandwagon.  I know many of the beautiful homes out there are done in all white motifs, but as I have gotten older, I have found that I need more color in my surroundings.

As you can see, I pretty much like all the colors of the rainbow.   Most of the decorations you see I have had for many years.  In fact, this year is the first time I have added any new items.  I tell my husband it is my way of helping the down economy!!  I do like to decorate anything that doesn't move.

This is the first time I have decorated my hutch in my dining room.  I'm not exactly sure why I haven't done that before.  But - better late than never!

I made this little tree yesterday and used both old things I have around the house and a few new bulbs I bought at Hobby Lobby this year.

And last, but not least, is my collection of Nutcrackers.  I have been collecting them for years and it seems every year I never know where to place them.  So this year I have only incorporated a few of them in my displays.  Every time I look at them they remind me of the place and time I either purchased them or they were given to me by my wonderful husband.

Well, that is an abbreviated tour of my Christmas house.  It may not be the prettiest Christmas house on the block, but it is my house and it is much loved!

                                      BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL THIS CHRISTMAS TIME!

THESE SURVIVED WWII WITHOUT A SINGLE CHIP

 

Today I'm participating in Vintage Thingie Thursday hosted by Colorado Lady - please click on her button if you would like to participate with all the other wonderful ladies in blogland.

The dishes I am showing you today are Rosenthal china.  These dishes were my mom's and they are the few remaining items that I am lucky enough to possess.

My parent's were stationed in Germany during WWII, in fact, I was born in Nurenburg. I can remember a few stories that were shared during this time - but not many.  We lived off the local economy and my dad was a Master Sargeant so we lived fairly well during that period of time.

My mother used these dishes on a daily  basis and when the war was over, packed them into a container to be put aboard the ship when we left Germany for New York.

I'm sure she had more pieces than I have now but the pieces were broken over the years with each successive move and packing and unpacking.

They are beautifully made and so paper thin - unlike the dishes of today.

The small cups are part of a tea set she gave to me when I turned 16 and I carefully packed it away so it would not be lost or broken.  With that simple act I managed to save part of my heritage and history.

I'M VERY GLAD OF THAT!

                 

     Blessings to all of you and happy Vintage Thingie Thursday.

Vintage Christmas Monday

 Next week will be a busy week for me so  I am posting my Vintage Christmas Monday post a little early.

If you would like to participate simply click on her button on my side-bar and you can join in on the fun, and you will also see the other great sites that are participating in this weekly event during the holiday season.

  Here is a photo I found on Flickr - I thought it was quite ingenious and certainly shows what can  be done with a vintage truck during the holidays.  We don't have snow here in AZ at Christmas (or ever for that matter) but this photo reminded me of my childhood in Kansas where it snowed buckets every winter.

 This photo is of an old 45 record - do you remember those?  I remember the time when they were all
that was available.  I spent hours listening to Elvis and every time I see one I want to do the jitter-bug.

My brother and I used to spend hours doing the jitter bug in our living room in the little house in Kansas.

We had hardwood floors and it made it very easy to practice our dance "moves" - ah!! what sweet

memories.  It seems like it was just yesterday when he taught me how to dance!

This photo is also from Flickr.  This one appealed to me because of the creativity of the person with his red pots on his vintage stove.  That is a pretty ingenious way to decorate for the holidays!

This is an old christmas card from the l950's.  I just loved the sweet santa face.  Isn't it amazing that what is old has become new again.  It is a shame we can't do that to ourselves.  But wait--we can do that and I think all of us wonderful people in blogland have done just that.  We have expanded our world and touched that creative spark within us and let it shine!!

And last, but not least, good old Santa.  Perched in someone's vintage kitchen.  Doesn't he just look perfect among the spices .  Wish I could visit that kitchen, don't you?

Happy holidays to all of you and have a very happy Vintage Christmas Monday!

(p.s. please excuse the strange lay-out of pictures, as you can see I am still in the learning process on my computer:))!!