That Little Scamp!

Well, we're at it again this year. Our little elf---and I do mean little, he's about two inches tall---is making the rounds. Each day, he moves. You just never know where he'll turn up. Butch and I are having fun with him---wordlessly, alternating days. One day he finds him, the next day is my turn. We don't discuss it. It just happens!

Just sittin' around.

Butch had cued up the balls so our little guy thought he'd take a turn!

Trying his hand at my needlepoint!

A new spin on dumpster diving! I guess you'd say "mugster" diving!

Toilet paper just his size!

Uh oh! Playing with matches!

Trying a little acrobatics on my light switch.

He can see clearly now.

Ridin' a reindeer.

It took someone a couple days to notice him until I turned his little head facing him--right across from his recliner! You know that feeling that someone is watching you? It worked!

I hope this means he's putting something good in my stocking!

This could be the toughest one yet! This little Norman Rockwell music box sits on the table next to Butch's recliner where he has his computer, drink, etc. We'll see...

I can't wait to see where he'll turn up next! We just love this little guy!

Are you doing anything fun for the holidays? Let me know and I'll share your ideas. 

Oh, and I'll share more of elf escapades from Sandy and Mindy tomorrow.

Friday Funnies

Five Things Thursday

1. Charcuteries have been all the rage for a few years now. I saw this where someone has made them look like gingerbread houses. I think it's pretty awesome, but I would not have the patience to make this myself. I don't have the patience for real gingerbread houses!

I might have a hard time eating things right off the house though. It would be my luck, the whole thing would collapse!

Now these were just our dinner one night. I've already shared the big board I made for happy hour last week. I'm the Wheat Thins while he's the Triscuits!

2. I came across this on a needlepoint Facebook group I belong to.    

I love it! I might have to try to find this when I finish the current Christmas pillow I"m working on.

I do enjoy working on holiday things during that holiday. I won't finish it during this holiday season, but I should have it finished and made in to a pillow before next Christmas. Of course, I did finish this one for this year:

I started it last Christmas time. It's ready for some sweet little family member.

Speaking of needlepoint, I have to show another picture of Sandy's tree.

Aside from the fact that her tree is magnificent, notice that star on top. I needlepointed that for her several years ago---maybe even 10 years. I lose track of time.

3. I thought this was the cutest little tabletop tree. It's 18" tall.

I had one delivered to a friend and to my aunt---both of who are in nursing homes and cannot be with their families. I feel so bad for them. I just wanted them to have a little Christmas cheer.

4. And then there's this.

When I was doing all of that re-organizing in my scrapbook room, I watched this. It's one of my all time favorites---and my most favorite version of Pride and Prejudice. I can't resist a young, brooding Colin Firth!

5. I'm going to end with this. 

We had decided to keep our decorations to a minimum this year. We did the garland on the rails...

...and I did the table--that was to be it this year. Little by little, things just appeared. I noticed this needlepoint pillow in the Christmas closet, so of course I had to bring him down. 

In the bag with him was the stocking hanging off the grandfather clock. Then, the next day, this santa appeared. Apparently, Butch decided to add his touch! So, actually, this is how our entry looks when we normally do it. We didn't end up minimizing at all! We just took longer to do it.

What I Make Wednesday

Every year, the girls want some sort of craft. Since this year was a weird one, I hadn't put much thought in to it---knowing we wouldn't be together to do it anyway. But, around mid-November, Connie's daughter, Malinda texted me. She sent a picture of a craft she had planned for their family over Thanksgiving. It was so darn cute that I couldn't resist! She got the labels for me and I set about making it. 

Making those little rolls of toilet paper were such a pain and so darn time consuming. I found out what Malinda and her sister, Amanda did and tried it. Then I figured out another shortcut and I was off. Anyway, after finishing it, I wrote detailed instructions and put together kits for the girls. I mailed Sandy's as a surprise for her to do with her girls. Then I gave Stephanie and Mindy theirs together. They'll do theirs when Jordan is in town and Morgan is off work. Anyway, I thought it turned out so darn cute!! Thanks Malinda!!

Then I put together a little surprise for my AYM group of scrapbookers. I made some "12 Days of Christmas" bags with a little tag explaining to open one little bag a day. Each bag is something different with bits and baubles, tags and flowers--just odds and ends for scrapbooking. When I finished with that, my scrapbook table looked like this:

What a mess! I had crap all over the place and on the floor. I took the time to do a little re-organizing--8 hours worth over two days!! When it came right down to it, I'm ashamed to say that I had never re-organized since our weekend crop at the Memory Make Inn! And, I'm ashamed to say, I'm not finished yet! Another 4 hours should do it! I have about 40 layouts to put in albums.

As I was cleaning, I put aside leftover bits and pieces. As a treat for all my hard work, I took some time to make some gift card holders--even though I've already wrapped all the gift cards this year! 

Oh well, at least I'm all set for next year. 
 

I made cookies too. Not as many as I usually do, but just a couple. 

I stuck with two family favorites that it wouldn't be Christmas without. These and my chocolate chip cookies. I plan to make one more batch of a new recipe today--Cranberry Oatmeal Pecan. They sound really good, so we'll see. If they are, I'll share the recipe.

Last but not least, I made a charcuterie last Friday for happy hour. Stephanie, Nicky and Mindy (Justin was working) came over for the first time since Thanksgiving. We masked and social distanced.

I thought it looked pretty festive. Butch reminded me that you aren't supposed to put anything on a plate (or board) that isn't edible. I'm like, "whatever!" Really, I don't think the girls would be stupid enough to try to take a bite out of an ornament! Steph said that with the cookies and the poinsettia drinks (champagne with a splash of cranberry juice), it felt like Christmas! At least it's somethin'!

I have another project that I've been putting off. It requires Butch's help. We desperately need to clean between the glass on our oven doors. It requires taking the oven door off. That should be fun! 

Mitchell on Monday

I haven't done a Mitchell on Monday post since he moved out last February. So, this worked out just right.

Let me explain a little first. 

When my grandkids started college, I made a commitment to send them a little surprise each month of their first year because, well, who doesn't like mail--especially packages. Victoria started college last year, then Covid hit and she was home. So, I decided I'd start over for her this year.

Here is the most recent text exchange--actually from the first week of December:

Text from Victoria:
Omg Grammy! I've never heard of a "piñatagram" before but it is the cutest thing I've ever seen! I'm going to string it up and whack it with my hairbrush😂

This was supposed to come in November. As you can tell by the Christmas lights, it arrived in December. 

Another Text from Victoria:

Omg Grammy, another package?! These earrings are so cute!!! Im going to be decked out this holiday season! Love you💕

Our oldest granddaughter lives in Los Angeles. I got this text from her:

I just got the advent calendar in the mail. It is so cute, I love it!! Thank you! I am having some friends over for dinner Friday and it will be fun to let them each open a window! 

The calendar arrived a week late!

So that brings us to Mitchell. I delivered a surprise to his front door. Of course, he was at work. I wondered if it would be there when he got home. I didn't hear anything so I texted him the next day:

Did you get a little surprise from us?

Mitchell's response:

Yes! I didn’t even look in the bag. Haha! Thank you!

You know what that means? It's the next day and he's at work. He still doesn't even know what's in the bag!! What??? Who doesn’t like a surprise!! OMGosh! This totally cracked me up—and Butch too! Girls are just way more excited about things!

PS We dropped off Chex Mix and Christie Cookies to Mitchell. Butch has been a Chex Mix making fool this holiday season. It's officially his job. 

Anyway, I guess that's the difference between girls and boys! One thing is for sure, those kids provide us with a lot of entertainment!

All I Want For Christmas

I'd say this says it all:

Something for Saturday

As I've mentioned, we really cut back on the decorating this year.

Doing these types of tablescapes or collages are my favorite. 

They are really pretty easy. You just start putting a bunch of junk together--and by junk, I mean any odds and ends you have. Every year, it looks different because I don't remember from one year to the next what I did. I start with the cloth--it's actually a pillow sham. I don't remember were it came from and why I only have one. But somewhere along the line, I decided to re-purpose it for this.

I put the heavy brass candlesticks and books on it to hold it in place. Then I just start putting the stuff around. I love the glittery feathers, glitter deer and sparkly pinecones. 

There's a little of this and a little of that. Those green lightbulbs are not real, but rather  "scatters" that I bought several years ago from Pier One. Those little lights are woven through the arrangement. Those came from Pier One too. Man, I'm going to miss that store!

I have had these clocks for over 20 years. When I first used them, I told the kids that it meant that it was "time" for Christmas! I got rid of the elves several years ago just because I got tired of them. I might be regretting that. As it turns out, I might have been the only one who liked them! None of the girls or grands wanted them. Here's a reminder.

I don't remember exactly when this was--probably around 5 years ago. I had 3 of these elves--all different. They had such cute names--one was Tick and another was Tock. I loved them and now after seeing this picture, I kind of miss these guys. I already gave them away, so that ship has sailed!

Anyway, I love my tables. I didn't even do the dining room table this year because the dining room has become a storage area for everything going to the beach. I do need to do something about that as Sandy and family are going to be in town for one day later this month. We've made the decision to limit the number of family members and to wear masks and social distance. I'm still trying to decide if we're going to sit at the dining room table or if we're better off balancing our plates on laps in an effort to social distance. We'll see.

Here's "Nutty" who has also been part of the family for over 20 years. At one time, I had a picture of Mindy with her arm around him when she quipped that he might be the only boyfriend she'd ever have. That's been proven wrong! Anyway, he weighs 125 lbs. Butch and I always carried him around from the garage. Then we drove him around in my Jeep. Now, I really can't help with him anymore--any little thing throws me off balance and there's a flight of stairs between the front porch and the driveway. So, in the past couple years, it's either Nicky or Mitchell who help. On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Stephanie and Nicky came by for something.  Butch was playing golf. I have a feeling that Stephanie helped Nicky because after I thought they had left, they rang the doorbell and there he was. We're glad to see him where he belongs. 

Sara, my landscaper, did my pots--there's another on on the other side. She does winter pots every year. 

She did Stephanie's too. 

Sara fills the pots with all kinds of greens and berries for a totally natural look. The pots are something we look forward to every year!

I hope you are getting a lot of enjoyment of your holiday decorations this year--even if you are the only one to see them!