Merry and Bright

These two make an entrance each year

Advent I made many years ago

Vintage copper lamp from my folks

Real cotton bolls used as snow

I had scraps left over from my

 leaf garland last month so I made a paper chain.

A little here, a little there

ho ho ho ho ho?

Dearest son gave me these canisters for B-day.

no flour but flowers 

Star theme is repeated on porch,

and burlap shows up everywhere all year long.

Stars on porch

There are lights in the garland.

Painted burlap banners I create and sell.

These stars and hearts are also on the tree in this room, and the adjacent porch.

ho x 5

Helen Philpot Thanksgiving letter to the family

I could not say it any better or 

disagree with one word.

(Though I do still have my own gallbladder)

I especially love # 2 #5 #7 #9

2015 Thanksgiving Letter to the Family by Helen Philpot Dear Family, This will be my first Thanksgiving without my gallbladder.  And I just learned that we have one more special needs eater in the family. I'll tell you what, this year I will meet you all halfway.  I'll make the same meal I make every year and those of you with vegitarian, vegan and gluten issues can stop eating halfway through the meal.  Problem solved. The other rules around the house will be a little lax this year as well.  What can I say? I'm feeling generous. 1. I have new floors. If it's raining outside, leave your shoes outside.  If it's not raining, leave your shoes outside. Molly, those spikes you call heels better not come near my floors.  Leave them at home because if you leave them outside the kids might use them for lawn darts. 2. If you have children, then you are called a parent which means you should be parenting.  Just because you don't care what your house looks like, doesn't mean I don't care about mine.  Keep an eye on your kids so I don't have to keep an eye on my things. 3. Despite modern advances in the food industry, turkeys are only so big.  We are a large family and because of modern advances in the food industry our asses are big as well. So this leaves us with the need to achieve a delicate balance between how much we CAN eat vs. how much we WILL eat to make sure there is enough for everyone.  Please monitor your children (see rule 2) and make sure they take only what they will eat.  And if you don't get enough, don't worry.  There's always pie. 4. I absolutely cook with bacon and bacon grease.  I use lots of butter, cream salt and even a little sugar.  Thanks to the advances in modern medicine, you can bring your medical prescriptions with you  and leave your dietary restrictions at home.  5. Upon arriving at my house look for the basket on the entry table. Deposit all cell phones in that basket.  Upon departure, you can take the damn thing with you, but in the meantime maybe you can try having an actual relationship with your loved ones.   6. You needn't bring anything, but if you insist on bringing a dish, then go ahead and bring it.  If it's good, we'll make room on the buffet.  If it's jello salad, we'll make room in the trash. 7. Speaking of trash, mine gets picked up on Wednesdays by a truck .  Your children's gets picked by you today. (see rule 2) 8.  Unlike the Trump's table, everyone is welcome at mine.  Just let me know in advance if you are bringing guests so I can make sure we have enough food to go around.  9. The best photographs are the ones I am not in.  Point your camera in a different direction.  If you want photos of me, I have plenty to share that were taken in the 1950's.  Back then the camera was kinder to me. 10. If you want to talk politics come sit next to me.  There's a good chance I'll either convince you to change your politics or change your desire to talk about politics.  And if neither happens, I can always turn off my hearing aids. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  I am thankful to still be here.  I mean it really.

Oldgreymare more ho-ho-ho

Top of pie cupboard 

in DR

Brown tree in LR

Stocking gift from Bloggie friend Rebecca, I love it.

Next to MY chair

MY chair space in den

Next to my chair on other side

Stocking garland I made a few years back.

Had all these bakelite/celluloid buckles....

Angel gift from bloggie friend Carole.

Darling daughter has promised for three years to

write titles on books

because my handwriting is so awful.. 

still waiting...

Added frosty brown ferns and twigs to fall display so

I would not have to remove just yet.

Memory bowl turned festive

on coffee table in family room.

Mulled cider candles.

Loose ornaments are balls

pulled off of PB 2014 sprays bought 70% off.

Cut down sprays are also in florals

 and tucked into  tree.

I never seem to leave sprays as is.

I only see them as "parts". 

ho-ho-ho

Oldgreymare Christmas

Christmas is creeping into old grey mare

Lots of greens and browns

Touches of red in Family Room

as I pulled out my House of Hatten 12 Days 

of Christmas collection this year.

Made lots of florals for bedrooms and kitchen area

This large dining table bowl changes with the seasons.

Frosty right now

Took ornaments over to Piper Zane

 today including some of these.

Taking it slow and easy

Lots of pine cones and greenery

Happy Thanksgiving everyone 

With Hard Work

With hard work,

even the smallest can accomplish much.

via twisted sifter

I feel bad for the woodpeckers

I hope they left the acorns out for them.

I've slowly begun my 

holiday decor this year.

Kids won't be in until late, 

or perhaps even after

(oh no!)

due to H & B working on

several east coast films. 

I figured I would try to get the 

holiday spirit going anyway. 

I'm having some gals over in

a few weeks for festive times,

and maybe squeeze in one more class?

Made some ornaments etc for boutique-

taking those over this week, and I 

have a new, sweet client I'm excited

to work with, and of course

with all the winds,

yard work awaits.

Keeping busy, being happy,

squirreling nuts away

in my wee world.

HaPpY tHaNkSgIvInG !

Z

All we are saying

11.11.15

Greg Abbott IS An Asshat

Margaret and Helen

Brilliant again

If you enjoy M&H

subscribe via email like I do so you never miss.

I'm calling him a misogynist dick,

but asshat works also.

Fall Garland

I finally had some time to get the garland up.

The leaves look like different shades

 in the lighting, but they are the same. 

I used my favorite Tim Holtz paper pack.

Kept me busy for a few evenings while listening to 

tunes and daydreaming.

I like it.

Boo-tiful Ball and I LOVE FALL

Quite a few years ago,

I designed a 

King and Queen of The Skeleton Ball

 for a magazine cover 

Since then, the couple has hung around in my studio.

 A few weeks ago Annie was hanging 

out with me up there watching me work, 

(she says she likes to watch? and the chair is really comfy),

 and she hinted 

that she would love a pair of her own.

A late September B-day

was the perfect occasion to 

surprise her.

Meet the Prince and Princess

of 

The Boo-tiful Ball

I'm still overhauling the yard after major demolition,

working my new part time job,

washing all the linens/towels after kid's visit,

prepping for classes etc.

My windows are all open,

hazelnut candles are burning

and I am 

my best self this time of year.

I LOVE FALL!

I am a fall addict

clothes,

food,

temps,

filtered light,

early dusk,

furry slippers,

long sleeve pj's

twinkle lights are even better!

My house even looks it's best in the fall.

It fits in.

I LOVE FALL

Now I'm going to start attaching over 100

 wired, double sided, paper oak leaves I just 

made for a fall garland.

If I don't fall off the ladder,

( which I tend to do)

I'll be back soon with pics

Z

orange for fall

Message Block Class

Class is November 14

You choose your block size, font, colors

Blocks are 4 sided

Still a few spots left in Wreath Class

October 31

I used one of my sets ( I have three sizes)

to spell out B-day wishes to Annie

Just a few phrases you can make with your set:

and you can personalize with

additional family names

   HAPPY BIRTHDAY
   HAPPY THANKSGIVING

HAPPY EASTER

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

HAPPY NEW YEAR

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

HAPPY CHANUKAH

HAPPY FATHERS DAY

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

BE MY VALENTINE

TRICK OR TREAT

WELCOME HOME

I LOVE YOU

APRIL FOOLS

MERRY CHRISTMAS

LET IT SNOW

WINTER WISHES

JOY TO THE WORLD

PEACE ON EARTH

LUCK O THE IRISH

GIVE THANKS

BE THANKFUL

CONGRATULATIONS

CELEBRATE

TO THE MOON AND BACK

October Class

I love paper.

My father was in advertising 

and he received boxes full of

sample papers at work

which he brought home for me 

when they became outdated.

I adored the stacked sample cards 

of colors and textures

and happily created projects

for hours with just scissors and glue.

I still can cut and paste happily for hours,

so October's class is all about paper

with a few pretty beads thrown in.

Join me?

Still Here - Still Playing

Brown Paper Packages Class was last weekend

We went from these kits,

to this, in the blink of an eye.

I provide all the supplies needed,

but encourage students to bring special 

items to make their projects

more personal.

I didn't snap a pic of the two big racks of 

ephemera, papers, tapes, ribbons, tags,

tinsels, stamps, inks, etc they also use.

We were all in the living room,

since the late season heat wave

 prevented us using the new garage 

studio space.

Next class hopefully.

I had some samples left over so 

I painted and silver leafed

a branch from my 21 year old tree that

I just had removed, and then hung it above

my sink and draped

more tags and mementos from it.

I will add some teensy battery lights,

 as soon as I remember the

perfect spot where I put them, dang it.

I'm playing in the studio all week

making pumpkins

like these yummy chenilles.

also working on projects for two

 upcoming Gatherings,

and Christmas items for boutique.

I rearranged the studio about a week ago and

I am loving the new lighter, brighter area. 

I removed the curtain that kept the studio hidden.

Floor space remains the same,

 but visually much more open.

I also cleaned and purged 

every single cupboard and drawer!

I now have many empty ones which also 

makes me happy.

All the kids will be here  

quite soon, fitting in a visit,

 in between extremely

busy schedules.

WOOT!