Goals for 2012

Welcome Friends!

Sitting in front of a roaring fire this evening...glad its Friday...and looking forward to a 3 day weekend!  I had a 5 day weekend last weekend...but traveled to Michigan...and had Christmas parties 3 of the 5 days...lots of hustle bustle...so it feels good knowing I have 3 days off!

Tomorrow I will get up and begin the process of removing the Christmas decor...so along with the fire...I am enjoying the "twinkle" one last night.

I'm contemplating 2012 and setting some goals. 

First I want to spend more time with God
in prayer and Bible
Spend more time with family...
near and far. 

That means heading to Michigan more often to see parents and siblings 

heading to Arkansas more often to see my Arkansas son and daughter-in-law

and of course the ones that live nearby

I want to spend as much time as possible with my precious grand babies!

then I want to get myself on tract as far as health...which means eating healthy...and the dreaded exercise...

yes I said dreaded...

exercise does not come easy for me!

I have already talked about my battles with health and weight here

Now for projects I would like to get done in 2012...the list is long!

 wood floors

Source: plankflooring.com via Shelly on Pinterest

 Board and Baton

Source: thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com via Megan on Pinterest

  Maybe some bead board...

Source: hazardousdesign.blogspot.com via Dawn on Pinterest

 Put a fresh coat of paint on every wall...
doors and trim too for that matter...

Source: myadventureisyouradvantage.com via Shannon on Pinterest

  Paint my shutters...

Source: tumblr.com via Lauren on Pinterest

.....and my pillars
...and change out the outside lights 

Source: houzz.com via Melissa on Pinterest

paint some furniture...

Source: thenester.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Do some craft projects...

Source: google.com via Sharon on Pinterest

Last but not least...

and probably not really last...

clean and organize every nook and cranny 

of my home! 

(and if you know me...stop laughing!)

Source: scrapmomsmusings.blogspot.com via Jeannie on Pinterest

So...that about covers it...

keeping in mind I work full time...

and I have a hubby who's response to any renovation project is 

"let's move"

we shall see how much I get accomplished.

Hope you'll follow along...

and hold me accountable!

Have a safe and

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Sharon
P.S.
 New Year’s Reality Check
Another year, another chance
To start our lives anew;
This time we’ll leap old barriers
To have a real breakthrough. We’ll take one little step
And then we’ll take one more,
Our unlimited potential
We’ll totally explore. We’ll show off all our talents
Everyone will be inspired;
(Whew! While I’m writing this,
I’m getting very tired.) We’ll give up all bad habits;
We’ll read and learn a lot,
All our goals will be accomplished,
Sigh...or maybe not. Oh well, Happy New Year anyway! By Joanna Fuchs 

Linking to:

2805 Potpouri Friday #17 

Candle Sweaters

Well, Hello again!

Tonight I should have been  cleaning, wrapping, baking…just about anything other than crafting…but I couldn’t help myself!

I have been seeing these adorable candle sweaters, cozy’s, covers…whatever you want to call them….all over the place…and I had been wanting to make some for myself.

Have you seen them?

Source: bystephanielynn.com via April on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Becky on Pinterest

So between my trip to goodwill and the stack of stuff that I was going to take to Goodwill, I came up with a couple of sweaters and 3 glass containers that I thought would work.

 

 The jars 

I grabbed some trim, some buttons, bells, and even some jewelry from my jewelry box, along with other supplies like our friend the glue gun.

Along with a cup of hot cocoa

and off to work I went!  

I start chopping off sleeves

Got my jars covered...which worked fine except for 1 jar where the sleeve was big and baggy...I decided that it was just to sloppy and I ended up taking it in...which I really did not want to have to do...so in the future, I think I will use bigger glass containers!
Anyway I took it off, turned it inside out, hand stitched it...cut off the excess...then flipped it right side out again, and slid it back into place.

As you can see the bottom also needs to be stitched,
I just used a large gathering hand stitch, 
to pull it tight underneath the jar.

Now for the fun part...

Just use your imagination!

I used things that I had and came up with 3 adorable candles...
each one different...
they almost begin to take on their on little personalities!

Here they are...

Their so easy to make...
there are endless possibilities on shapes, and design...
Their inexpensive...
They can be out all winter...
and they are so stinkin cute!!!
Which one is your favorite?

Have a very Merry Christmas!!

Sharon 

Linking to... 

Ivy and Elephants Christmas

Thrifty Thursday

The BEST gift ever!

Source: theberry.com via Ashley on Pinterest

I've been shopping today...

trying to get all those last minute gifts

Hoping to get just the right thing for each person.

Sometimes when I get the PERFECT gift...

I can't hardly stand it... 

I want to give it to them right now! 

I just can't  wait!

I'm so excited and I just know their gonna love it!

It makes me feel so good inside!

You know what I mean?

But what if they didn't want my gift?

What if they didn't like it, or they didn't think they needed it...or they didn't think it was good enough for them?? 

What if they just didn't care?

What if they thought it was a joke...

And they laughed at it?

How horrible would that be?

 After all, I was doing something nice for them

 I spent so much time thinking about what they might like...

what they might need...

how could they just make fun like that

they don't even want it!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

God gave us the ultimate gift

A Savior!

have you excepted his gift?

Or have you tossed it aside

uninterested...

unopended...

if so...

 He has one with your name on it...

please pick it up again...

look at it a little closer...

He knew what you'd like...

He knew what you needed!

You just have to receive it...

then you'll KNOW...

that it's what you longed for all along!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

All I want for Christmas...

Hey There!

This is what I'm looking at tonight as I type...

(except it isn't blurry!)
I love the glow of the lights!
How's your Christmas preparations coming? 





  

Mine??
not so good!

I have some shopping done...but not all

I have some decorating done...but not all

I have some wrapping done...but not all 
(actually only 2 are wrapped)
(and one of those got wrapped just last night, because needed it for a Christmas party today!)

I have had some baking done...but not all...
(and it's already gone)...

So I'm a bit stressed to say the least!

Remember the good ole days...
when you were a kid...
you remember...

Such a magical time!
Christmas seemed to take 4-EVER to get here!
As an adult it's...
rush, rush, rush...
shop...
hustle bustle...
work....
clean...
decorate....
shop some more....
cook...
bake...
shop some more...
shop...
shop...
shop...
then wrap for hours!
Even though it sounds like I'm complaining...
I'm really not...
I love Christmas!...
but we're down to the last week folks!
I can't believe Christmas is just a week away!
There's a whirlwind going on over here!
Next year I want to be done by Thanksgiving!
(I say that every year)
but just once, I REALLY want to be 
done by Thanksgiving...
so I can just enjoy the 
magic of Christmas...


relaxed...
without the stress!
LIKE A CHILD!



Wide eyed!

savoring every moment...

where tangled lights won't get me in a tizzy...

where visions of sugar plums dance in my head

and on my clothes...


and on my face...

Just playing...

and rockin around the Christmas tree... 

Hanging with family...

Just plain happy in the moment...

WITHOUT A CARE...

but...if I don't...and next year finds me scrambling right up until the last moment, that's ok too...I'm  still gonna love Christmas...

The baby...

The Savior...

My Savior...

who's birth we celebrate.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

SHARON

Linking To...

Red, White and Frosty the Dining Room

First off....

THANK YOU DEBBIE 

for featuring my copy cat kitchen window!! 

What an honor to be mentioned among

such a large wonderful group of copy caters!!

However...I did make a little change in my window. 

I mentioned in that post that I was going to look for a red cardinal...which I found at the Warm Glow Candle Factory in Richmond Indiana. ( I will be posting about
that in a couple of  days...it's an awesome store!!)

Anywho...since I needed my silver bird for it's original purpose...I replaced it with the red cardinal. Then I felt my silver pots needed a little somethin somethin too...so I changed them a bit as well. The inspiration came from this photo

Source: yournestdesign.blogspot.com via Karen on Pinterest

So I changed them up a bit...and here is a picture of the new window

Here is the old one again....

So what do you think?
Which is your favorite?
I think honestly...for me...the jury is still out on the bird...but the original pots, looked a little to much like palm trees...and though I like palm trees on sunny warm days in Florida or Hawaii...not so much at Christmas in Indiana.

oh...and in case you didn't pick up on it...it's dark outside...
that in itself gives the whole thing a different look!

Well I finally got my dining room ready...I am a bit behind! I went completely different

in here this year...usually I would do a more traditional formal setting...
but this year I went for a casual fun feel.

Here are my silver birdies

I bought them and the candlesticks at Michael's for 40 or 50% off...

and I'm wishing I had bought a couple more...I love those little guys!

Tweet Tweet!

Look at the that sweet face...and try not to notice the photographer has snuck in there again...

...twice!

Its' cold outside so

Snow is on the menu

who doesn't like some fresh fallen snow!

but....these snow balls are not fresh...they are a couple of years old...but still looking pretty good.

they're made from Styrofoam balls, spray adhesive and Epsom salt...just in case you're interested.

The greenery is fresh...

I sprayed it with adhesive...and sprinkled with fake snowflakes...It looks frosty

 

The large snowflakes under the centerpiece and chargers are from The Dollar Tree...

yep...1 buck each...you just can't beat that!

Oh...here they are on the back of the chair as well...

Sorry....this is an AWFUL picture...but the only one I seem to have taken!

Anyway, to keep me from having to choose (it's getting late!) 
for your viewing pleasure,

I will just add several more pictures of the dining room!

I almost feel like if we watch that icicle long enough, we might actually see it drip!

 I like how the snowflakes in the candle holder, project around the room

all I did was take these cheapy snowflakes from the dollar tree...and press them around the inside of the glass...they sorta stick...

I have real candles in them for the pictures...but you might want to use battery operated ones if you were not going to be right there...I suppose the invisible force that is holding them against the glass could give way...and you might have a problem!

Sorry this post was a bit long
Thanks for sticking through to the end...
you're a trooper!

Merry Christmas!
Sharon


I am linking up to:
The lettered cottage
http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/
French Country Cottage