It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas --

Everywhere you go --

Love this frosty snowy weather!!!  Now we have a "little" snow cover, and the past couple of mornings and lasting throughout the day have been frosty and beautiful.  I did take some pictures, but somehow they don't do justice to the beauty around us.

Tomorrow  AM, getting up early to go shopping.  Taking camera with - may have slippery roads, and frosty snow laden trees.   We've had some mild weather, and now this weekend it is suppose to get cold.  Winter is now here!

Trying to get done with my shopping, and then need to finish up on baking!!! We're actually having kids home starting on the 27th, so get a couple of extra days than most of you to get ready. 

Hope you're all further along in your plans than I am!!!!
jo

Praying for all the broken hearts today!   What can we do to stop those with troubled hearts and minds  before more children and loved ones are killed? 

Another project done!

Just got done with oldest granddaughters gift.  She and TJ wanted a Christmas tree skirt, and I started it this past week.  Thought I'd better try it under our tree to see how it looked, so here we are sharing it with you!  Now I think I need to make our grandson one too, but maybe for next year.  Have some other projects that need to be finished first.   Boy Christmas is creeping up fast, and I won't be ready if I don't get some baking started, and house cleaning done!  Don't have any presents wrapped, and not sure if I'm all done with that either.   

Didn't use any pattern for this, other than it started out like some table toppers I've made in the past.  So when Amanda asked me to make one, she wanted to pick out the material.  I had no idea of how much to tell her to get.  So, after I started, I had to go buy more!  But I like how it turned out, and glad it's done.  I've always planned making some for my girls, but never did get that done.  I'll have to ask if they'd still like one too. 

We hardly got any snow out of the big storm that was suppose to hit.  It all went south of us, and we may have gotten just over an inch!  Now I'm sure we'll get the cold and wind that is to come.  I'm sure all the snowmobilers in the area are disappointed.  We really do need some more snow to insulate our homes and ground.

Now on to a new week - have a good one! 

Sunrise

Sunrise pictures!

These two pictures were two mornings a couple of weekends ago.   I stopped both mornings on my way to the craft show I was exhibiting in.

AND:

So it looks like this is going to work.  I finally found where I could change the size of the pictures, so did that manually to these two, and it's working!!!   
Thank you everyone for your help.     I did have a lot more written, but just don't feel like redoing that, so  here this is.  I got our Christmas tree up today, and ready to quilt Amanda's Christmas tree skirt.  I'll get a picture of that when done.  Lots of irons in the fire - and tomorrow and Thursday this week, I'll be at the elementary school volunteering time in getting ready for a Christmas shopping spree for the kids.  Will take pics, and explain it later.
Have a great evening!

trouble posting new post

Having trouble posting a new post.  Can't publish here because won't take any more pictures, so tried thru Live Writer, and got it all typed, with pictures added, and when tried to post get error 403, forbidden!   dah!  don't know what I'm doing wrong.   do any of you have any suggestions!?

Jewelry Cleaner

 Found this recipe and have been wanting to try it.  Think I found it on Pinterest.  I do a lot of surfing on Pinterest - lots of good ideas.  Oh, it does say that the recipe is from wire-sculpture.com.

Like the person that posted it, I also couldn't believe how dirty my watch band and jewelry were.  You'll have to try it.  Here are also some before and after pictures.

Ingredients:  (we all have these on hand)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon dish detergent (I used Dawn)
1 cup water
1 piece aluminum foil

Directions:
1.  Heat water in the microwave for 1 or 2 minutes    (I did 2)
2.  Cut a piece of aluminum foil that roughly covers the bottom of a small bowl (cereal bowl)
3.  Pour hot water into the bowl.  Place salt, soda and dishwashing liquid into bowl.  Place jewelry in so it sits on top of the foil and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes.  (I used an old tooth brush and did around the stones of my rings and on the watch band).  Rinse jewelry in cool water and dry jewelry completely with soft cloth.  Discard solution after use and make a new batch next time.
4.  According to wire-sculpture.com, "this works well for gold-filled, brass, german (nickel) silver, and sterling silver.  I have even cleaned jewelry with freshwater pearls, shell cameos and mother of pearl with no problem.".

Before pictures:

 

Look how they all shine!!!!  My rings cleaned up so nice and I held my watch band into the water and used the tooth brush on that and it came out beautiful.  That was really dirty! 

So go ahead and clean your jewelry!!!

 

I also cleaned out my jewelry box and sorted some items to donate to the school.  We have a program where the elementary school give the kids paper money to shop for Christmas presents for their family members.  There are donated items for this shopping spree, and I have some new jewelry I've never worn that is going.  Also some good stuffed animals, etc.  This is an annual event at our elementary school and is so exciting for the kids.  Do you have something like this in your area?

 

Have a great Friday!  Jo

 

A first!

Had a "first" happen to me today, and also learned from it!!!

No pictures, as I didn't have my camera with me.  Had played bells in church this morning, and before going home, I needed to get gas.  Decided when I was at the gas station to pay the extra and get the car washed, as I'm getting new tires tomorrow, and the car and under carriage is really dirty and muddy.  We've had rain, snow, and drizzle the past few days.  Thought I'd better take a somewhat clean car in when they have to work on it.  The car wash is my favorite in town.  It's a touchless, where no brushes touch the car, so it doesn't get scratched; and it cleans better than other car washes.  When paying your bill you get your number, then you drive around to the back of the station to enter your number, then like magic the garage door opens for you to enter.  Our temperature here this morning was in the 20's and I asked the clerk what is the cut off temperature when they don't have the car wash open.  She said they shut it down for winter when it is 10 degrees F.  So I'm sitting in the car and it goes through the wash cycle, rinse cycle, wax cycle, rinse cycle, and soft rinse cycle; and then the water etc. all shuts off and the drive out garage door ahead of you is suppose to open up and the blow dryers are suppose to come on and you're suppose to be able to pull ahead slowly through the dryers and out the door. - - - -  Well - the garage door didn't open up, nor did the blowers turn on.  I sat there a few minutes waiting, and then started to freak out, because I didn't remember putting my cell phone in my purse!!!!   I'm really bad at forgetting that darn phone at home.    You should have seen me pulling things out of my purse, because it was NOT in the usual pocket where it should be.    (remember - I was at a craft show yesterday - all day - and when I got home and after I unloaded the car and put stuff away, I was really tired!  So I had not used the cell phone last evening.  Anyway - did find it in the bottom of my purse - but it needed to be charged!!!  Lucky there was one little bar left showing how much battery life there was.  Not much, but enough for a couple of calls.  So then my next fear was how to I get ahold of the clerk inside the gas station.  I couldn't see a service door, (but I wasn't going to get out (yet) to look either!), so I found my gas receipt - thinking there would be a phone number by their name, etc. etc. --- NOT!  That's dumb! 
Then I had to decide who to call to get the gas station's phone number  -  Decided not to call the hubby, as he'd be out in the barn, would have to go to the house to get the number, he'd tease me, and it'd just take too long.  So I called daughter Leah and she found the number and didn't give me any crap.  The clerk came outside and went to the control room and got the door open, and got the blowers going.  So I once again was a happy girl and drove slowly through the dryers and out the door.  The next time I go in I'm going to suggest that they put their phone numbers on their receipts, and I'm going to ask them what I should do if this ever happens again and I don't have a cell with me!   Boy, I'd have filled my pants had my cell phone not been in my purse!!!

This is somewhat akin to being in an elevator when it stopped, and I was alone in it; in a strange city - Philly - and not knowing a sole!   That elevator was probably only stopped between floors for about 5 minutes before it started again.  I remember that vividly also.  I couldn't imagine being in one for any longer than that!

What I learned today is that I'm going to be more viligent about having my phone with me, in it's proper pocket, and fully charged!!!!   LOL  we'll see about that!   I'll try hard tho.  I don't like that helpless feeling.  I really was afraid to have opened the car door and step out for fear things would start up again and where do you go then!!!!   Visions of what ifs can be kind of funny!

Anyway - the craft show went fine,  pics tomorrow.  Will be doing another show next weekend.
I've been relaxing all day since I got home. 
Have a great week, Jo