cranberrycrossings

DOH!

2009-04-10T06:54:00.000-07:00

I am such a air-head at times! Yesterday I meant to thank everyone for the awesome comments left about my spoon keeper. I appreciate all comments in general, but really enjoyed hearing that so many of you liked what I did. It really means a lot to have friends with kindred spirits. So thank you all!

It's a typical Friday, so I will be going to town soon and stopping at the thrift stores. Maybe I'll find a little somthing.

Have a great day and a wonderful Easter weekend!

Chit Chat

2009-04-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

Good Morning fellow bloggers!

I have had a busy week so far. It started on Monday when I finished the laundry. I started going through a closet and decided that most of what was in it was no longer needed. So I cleaned it out, only saving the few things we actually use. From there, I did the same to the kitchen cabinets and laundry room. It wasn't long before I had the back of my truck full of Goodwill donations.

I had to go into town on Tuesday, so that was the perfect time to unload the truck. It felt good to purge a little!

Yesterday, I decided to get the deep cleaning done. Once I finished that, I went through my stacks & stacks of magazines. I have not counted them, but I have two huge boxes of them in my truck. I only saved my Country Samplers, my few Early American Lifes and my newest subscription, Merchantile Gatherings. All of the rest will be donated. Whew!

I want to eventually go through every room, cupboard and closet and purge. And then I want to dig out all of my holiday decor and purge! I have way too much stuff!

Today, my grandaughter is coming and we are going to go see Daddy. He has a doctor appointment this morning, but should be back by lunchtime. So we are going to take him lunch and spend part of the afternoon with him.

This will give my grandaughter some time to play with Spot the bunny this morning. Speaking of him, she has been calling him "Bun-Bun" instead of Spot. Someone asked about him in my comments, so I want to give an update. So far, he seems very happy to live in our yard. We have a huge side yard with a gate and he has not even attempted to get out. I hope to get some pics of her playing with him today.

I have not started another stitchery like I had planned this week. But I think all the other stuff I have done makes up for that. So hopefully soon, I will get another one started.

So what's everyone else doing this week? I hope you accomplish all you need to. Have a great day!

And in case I don't make it back before, have a very Happy & Blessed Easter!

The Reveal!

2009-04-04T12:46:00.000-07:00

Happy Saturday bloggy friends! The sun is shining and the birds are singing.

"This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!"

Okay, I have been working hard to finish my mystery item! I was up late last night painting and sanding. The floral-looking trim pieces were glued on and we couldn't take them off without destroying the rest of it, so I sanded, and sanded, and sanded until the carving was gone. Whew! That was the hardest part! Hubby drilled holes where I wanted them. I removed the nails inside and putty-ed the holes, and did everything else. He kept telling me that he didn't think my idea would work. But it did! Now I don't feel so bad for paying a whole $3.99 for something with a broken door!

Here's the BEFORE pic for reference.

And here is the AFTER. Can you guess what it is?

Are you ready to find out?

Wait for it.......

a little more...........

Ta-da! A prim spoon rack!

(Please ignore the apple wallpaper! I can't wait to remove that and paint one of these days!)

I have wanted a spoon rack forever! And I didn't want to buy one, because I knew we could easily make one. And I knew it wouldn't cost much at all if I could find just the right wooden piece. A simple little wall shelf could be turned into the same thing with a few holes drilled in and a prim paint job. That was actually what I had in mind. But when I saw this little cabinet yesterday, I knew it would work. I'm so glad that I made the decision to grab it and make it work.

So what do you think? I really love it! My hubby was surprised that I was painting it black. LOL! It would look nice any color, but I have a lot of black in my kitchen and it ties in nicely.

My old hand-carved spoons are one of my favorite collections.

Now that my spoon rack is hung, I better get busy doing other things. Have a wonderful Saturday!

Friday Thrift Finds

2009-04-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

Went to several thrift stores today, including Goodwill. Only found a handful of things, but still enjoyed myself. Got one nice old square frame. It has some kind of needlepoint picture in it, but I can't even tell what it's supposed to be. I know it's a landscape, but that's all I can tell of it. I only wanted it for the frame. LOL!

And see the little wooden cabinet? The door is broken off the hinges, but I don't need the door anyway. It has bent nails inside to hold keys. I don't need those either. I have plans for this and I think you willl be surprised when I am finished with it. More to come about that later. I will also remove that trim from the sides of it.

The abacus is for my little grandaughter. I also got her a Little Tykes shopping cart. She had a little shopping cart (from walmart, I think) and it didn't last no time before it broke. It was wobbly from day one, even though it was made of heavy gauge wire and welded together. She has asked for another one over and over, but I had not been able to find one. So when I saw this at Goodwill for $3.01, I grabbed it. I need to clean & sanitize it, and she won't even care that it's not new. Little Tykes makes great, long-lasting toys! She will love it!

I also went to see Daddy today. He was doing well. He had been cleaning out some of the lower cabinets in the kitchen. He is so hard-headed! He should have waited and let me do that! He had all sorts of things loaded on the diningroom table for me and my siblings to sort through and pick what we want. I got Mama's food processor and a deep fryer. I didn't need them, but he insisted I take something. I do want one of her old bundt pans, but we haven't gotten to that stuff yet. She loved to make bundt cakes and they were always so good!

I also did a little Easter shopping. I bought my grandaughter an adorable dress and a few more goodies to go in her Easter surprise. She will get a basket from the Easter Bunny, and when she gets here, she gets an Easter surprise package from us. We make sure she gets something special for each holiday. BUT......she knows the real meaning of Easter too. Fun is fun, and that's fine, but Easter is a very important holiday and we make sure that she knows this.

The weather here is very nice today, and supposed to be 80 degrees tomorrow! See, we only have spring for a short time and then, boom! The heat of summer comes and I dread that! Oh well, nothing we can do about it except try to endure it.

I guess I better get busy. I have been gone all day! Have a great weekend everybody!

An Update!

2009-04-02T09:58:00.000-07:00

Hey bloggy friends! The weather is really bad in my area, so I will have to be quick. I wanted to let you all know that we got the Grand Jury's decision this morning.

They decided to continue the case, which allows us to gather more evidence. It will go back before the Grand Jury again the week of June 8th. This is a good thing! It means the jury was receptive to the case and our grandaughter has a fighting chance!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow! And thank you all for your many prayers and positive thoughts. Please keep us in your prayers, as this is far from being over.

Still no word on the custody hearing date. But I will keep you all informed.

Thanks again! Time to shut this computer down, or get struck by lightning! Take care everybody!

Stichery is Finished!

2009-03-30T08:37:00.000-07:00

WooHoo! I finished my stitchery last night. This one is from Homeberries. I did make a few minor changes. I left the heart off the door, changed the "H" in home a teensy little bit and used the colors of my choice. I'm not the best stitcher by far, but hopefully I will get better as I go along.

The frame was an ugly gold color. I thought it was wood painted with gold paint, but it wasn't. Apparently it's plastic and try as I might to distress it, all that did was remove the black paint. So this frame didn't get my usual aging treatment. I did go ahead and finished my entire stash of small frames, so they are ready when I need them.

I took this pic to give a better idea of the size of it. It is about 10 X 10 inches. It won't stay in this place though. I just used this spot to take the pics. I have an idea of where to put it, but I want to wait until I have another one finished in a similar size to hang together.

And since I'm not happy with this frame, I may try to find a couple of matching frames so I will be ready for my next stitchery. That way, I can go ahead and place them where I want them.

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Thursday, Friday & Saturday it rained & rained, but finally stopped yesterday. So we went to see Daddy and one of my sisters had come to spend the weekend with him. So we had a nice visit. They drove almost 5 hours in all that rain! The weather folks say we got about 7 inches in those 3 days. Some areas had some flooding, but nothing like the midwest.

I have had a busy day so far and still not done. I was at walmart by 6:20am this morning to do the grocery shopping. I started a load of laundry before I left, and I just put my last load in the washer a few minutes ago. I have swept, mopped and vacumed and really should clean the bathrooms. But I think I will wait until tomorrow to do that. I'm beat!

And I want to please ask again for prayers concerning my grandaughter. Her case goes before the Grand Jury tomorrow. We were told earlier that it would be today, but it changed for tomorrow. Please pray that all will be done to keep her safe. The Grand Jury will decide if they feel there is enough evidence to prosecute. This case NEEDS to go to trial!

And JESUS said unto them, ".... If ye have the faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you." Matthew 17:20

".....Verily, verly I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." John 16:23-24

Have a great day and a happy week everybody!

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I came back to edit. I almost forgot to mention that Tracy at A SIMPLE COUNTRY LIFE has awarded me with the Kreativ Blogger Award. Thank you Tracy!

I'm supposed to list 7 things that I like and then pass it on to 7 more. But I will just say that anyone who would like to do this, please do, and grab this award. Every blog I read is wonderful for different reasons and ALL are so creative! So I can't choose just a few. I think everyone deserves it.

So here's my list:

1. Rainy days
2. The scent of vanilla
3. Being with my family & friends.
4. Thrifting, yard sales, antiquing, etc.
5. Ice-cream & cheesecake! YUM!
6. Cooking
7. Creating things with my own hands.

Thanks again, Tracy!

Thank you, Carolee!

2009-03-28T10:10:00.000-07:00

Remember this? I have searched high and low for a candles to fit this candle holder. I never did find any. I mentioned it on my blog and Carolee from AUTUMN MOM - PATCHES OF GODLIGHT left me a comment telling me that she made candles and offered to make me some. So we emailed and I gave her the measurements, etc.

Well, yesterday I got a package from her! She sent me not one, but two beautiful grubbied candles. And they smell soooooo good! One is for my iron candle holder and the other will fit a regular candle holder. She also sent me two handmade soaps! I'm not sure what scent they are, but they smell so clean and fresh!

Doesn't this candle look awesome in my iron candle holder? Normally, I would have taken off the cheese cloth and Sweet Annie, but it looks so nice that I wanted to leave it on. The handle of the holder was getting in the way, so I slid it down to the base of the candle so it can be seen better. It's too pretty to burn, but I will enjoy looking at it and smelling it.

Carolee, thank you so very much for your kindness! The candles and soaps are awesome! If you have never visited Carolee's blog, please do. You won't be disappointed. She is a wonderful, sweet lady with many talents.

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It's still raining here and we have had several storms pass through. So far, nothing too serious in our area, just lots of standing water. Hubby was going to work today, but he opted to stay home and I'm so glad he did!

I tried to sleep late this morning, but by 7:00am. I had to get out of that bed. I planned to clean today while hubby worked, but since he is home, I will wait until Monday morning. I have beef tips cooking in the crockpot, and they already smell yummy. So dinner will be easy. I'll make some rice & a veggie to go with it.

One of my sisters & her hubby came home last night to spend the weekend with Daddy. I can't believe they drove 5 hours in this downpour! If the rain lets up, I hope to go out there to visit with them before they have to go home.

So my day will be spent watching movies and piddling around the house. I also hope to work on my stitchery. I am a little more than halfway finished with it. Then I need to get all my thrift store frames painted, etc. So hopefully I will have that to show in a few days.

However you spend your weekend, may it be filled with fun and happiness.

Happy Birthday Terry of Cider Moon Cottage!

2009-03-25T07:05:00.000-07:00

Today is a very special day. It's Terry's birthday! Terry is one of my bestest friends! She is so sweet and amazingly talented. She has two great blogs, CIDER MOON COTTAGE and THYME IN THE GARDEN.
If you haven't been to visit her before, I hope you will. Once you do, you will go back again and again. Don't forget to leave her a birthday wish!
Have a wonderful, blessed, Happy Birthday my sweet friend!

I also wanted to mention that I finally got my Country Sampler Special Homes edition and my Merchantile Gatherings! WooHoo! Finally! I have been enjoying both of them every evening. I am savoring each story and drooling over the photos! This is my first Mechantile Gatherings magazine, and I am impressed with the quality! These magazines are really nice keepsakes, especially when they have articles about our friends, like Linda from BEHIND MY RED DOOR. And the regular issue of Country Sampler has Karen from MY COLONIAL HOME. What a special treat to read about our bloggy friends and see even more great photos of their homes! And what an honor for them to be chosen to be "in print." I have offered my congrats to both of them already, but want to say it again here.

I know there are other great bloggers showcased in the Special Home Edition, but I haven't read it all yet, and I am still trying to figure out a couple of them. They ALL deserve a special congrats!

I want to give another big THANKS to all of you offereing bunny advice for me. I think our new little friend is going to be just fine, thanks to all of you! I have also done some research to find out all I can about taking care of bunnies. And once we get the hutch built, we may decide to adopt another one (that has been spayed/neutered). The only scary part is that the only bunny vet near us is over an hour away. But hopefully, everything will work out.

We are still thinking about a name. My grandaughter has been calling him "Spot" so that name may stick. I wanted to name him Checkers or Jelly Bean, but she said no to both of those! LOL! She is too funny!

Anyway, I better get busy. I have to go into town today, so that means I get to stop at the thrift stores! YEAH!
Have a great day everybody!

Peter Cotton Tale: Part Two

2009-03-23T18:10:00.000-07:00

This afternoon, my daughter & grandaughter came over. Since I know where the bunny is hiding, I took them out to see if they could get a peek at it under the storage shed. Well, not only did they get a peek, but the bunny couldn't get to my grandaughter fast enough! We were shocked! The bunny hopped in circles around her and when she sat on the grass, it came right to her.

So as not to get her heart broken, I repeatedly told her that he belongs to somebody else and we are going to try to find the owners. I don't want her heart broken over this!

After they went home, I called the neighbors and sure enough, it belongs to their teenage daughter. BUT.........they were keeping it inside and no longer want it, so they threw it out! They told me that we can have it. Now I need to do some research and see what is required to safely keep a bunny. I just can't keep it inside. So I hope he can survive outside if it gets the proper shelter, food, etc. They told us it's a "he."

I'm worried that he may not know how to drink water from a bowl if he has always had one of those bottles with the metal tip. Not sure what they are called, but y'all know what I mean. He ate several big cabbage leaves and is munching grass quite a bit. We did fix a big bowl of fresh water for him, but so far he hasn't attempted to drink any.

If we can't provide a proper home, I will take him to a shelter. And I will make sure that they know he was thrown out to fend for himself. I think that is just cruel! We have huge red-tail hawks here that could easily grab him and also a feral cat colony close by. We put him in our small fenced in side yard for now.

So wish us luck, and all of you with experience, please feel free to give me some pointers, and advice. We are also wanting a cute name for it. They call him Pork Chop, but we don't care for that name. Cute for a dog, but not a bunny. It just doesn't sound right. LOL!

Have a nice evening!

Here Comes Peter Cotton Tale!

2009-03-23T08:54:00.000-07:00

Just look at this adorable bunny! We first saw it on Friday evening in our yard. I know it's someone's pet that has escaped. We tried to coax it to come to us, but it's a little shy. It will stay close by as long as we don't approach it.

Saturday morning, we didn't see it anywhere, so we thought it was gone. Our grandaughter came to spend the night with us, and we told her about it. She was disappointed that she didn't get to see it. I had not taken a pic of it at that time. But last night, the bunny was back and I ran and got my camera. I snapped several pics, so she will get to see it this time. She did however, see the 6 deer grazing in our front yard yesterday morning. I never tire of seeing them. Unfortunately it was still too dark to get a pic of them.

This bunny is really pretty and marked so interestingly. If I was in the market for a bunny, this one would appeal to me. I love it's markings. We also have feral cats in our area and I hope that this sweet bunny doesn't become a meal for them. Hopefully it will find it's way home soon.

I didn't see it this morning when I left for walmart at 6:15am to do the grocery shopping, but I did see a couple of wild ones. I guess the grass in our yard must taste pretty good! LOL!

It was a beautiful weekend here, except for the pine pollen everywhere. They say we will have a very rainy weekend coming up. But hopefully it will wash away the most of this pollen.

And I want to give a big THANKS to all of you for giving me so many wonderful free stitchery sites! Wow, I am amazed at all the awesome patterns out there! I printed off several that I just love and even started one. I was hoping to finish it, but didn't have as much free time as I thought I would. I will snap a pic when I'm done.

I guess I better get back to the laundry now. Have a wonderful day!