A visit from an old friend

One night a few weeks ago I came from the store and heard cats yowling on the porch. At first I didn't recognize the gray cat on my porch....but he was trying to eat and my kitties weren't too happy about it! When I got a good look at him, I recognized him! He was a cat that used to come around a lot--one day he came to my house and had a terrible infection above his eye. I called my regular vet and couldn't get any help paying to get him looked at. I just realized this is when I first talked to Dr. Garner at Critter Care...I called her office hoping they could give me a discount, but didn't really expect much...she told me about their TNR program and said if I would donate $25, they would neuter him, take care of his infection and send me home with some medicine for him. (I was happy to find them too because I was able to start getting all of the strays & ferals fixed around my neighborhood!) So I took him (we called him Grady) and had him fixed. When I brought him home the next day he ran off and I wasn't able to give him medicine. The next time I saw him a couple of weeks later, he was healthy and was wearing a flea collar. I don't know if someone adopted him after that, of if he already belonged to someone. I was just glad to see him healthy. He used to visit once in a while, but I hadn't seem him for about a year. So what a surprise to see him that night! I got him some canned food and he ate that, walked over to me to get a few scratches on the head, then slipped around the corner of the house...I was glad to get a visit from my old friend!

Pigeon Forge....

We had such a good time at Pigeon Forge! The Inn was so nice--we even had a balcony so we could see the Christmas Place and the mountains from our window. This is the outside of the hotel.

Inside the hotel and even inside our room was so festive!

 

The balcony had a  nice view....and was a good place to take silly pictures!!

We had an indoor pool and even a waterfall outside that we could see from the balcony...

what I was looking forward to the most....shopping at the Christmas Place!

And we were all so impressed by all the trees with blue lights....they were so much prettier in person!

I got a lot of Christmas gifts there...I think I got even more for myself! I kept telling my sister she is a bad influence because she kept finding things for me to buy! lol! I was excited to see a couple of dolls in a booth that were made from my patterns! That was kind of exciting!

I have been on a mission to find some new windows for my studio....in the utility room, the holes have been cut for the windows, but none ever put there. I have looked everywhere for some to fit there,but I haven't had any luck yet! There is one more place to go and I planned to go today. The place closes at noon on Saturday and I woke up at 9:30 and thought to myself I was getting up to go. I closed my eyes for a second, then when I opened them it was 12:00! OOPS! Maybe I can go next week!   

Last blooms of the year???

I snapped a few photos...a few blooms are still hanging on!!

Christmas Shopping trip...

I hope y'all had a Happy Thanksgiving....we did! We had so much good food and we're still working on it today! I made deviled eggs, baked beans and pumpkin bread drizzled with cream cheese icing. Momma baked a turkey and dressing and we had lots of casseroles, etc. Yum!

Tomorrow morning we're taking a short trip to Pigeon Forge. We're going to stay at The Inn at Christmas Place! I love going the the Christmas Place any time of the year, but it is even better at Christmas time! I love all the lights and decorations in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg at this time of year. I haven't been in a couple of years, so we're all excited to go! I wonder what all the kitties will get into while I am gone? It will only be one night, so hopefully they will behave!

My friend, Donna, shared a favorite recipe....I wish I had found the time to post it and even try it myself before Thanksgiving, but maybe I'll get to try it for Christmas! Thanks for sharing, Donna!

Peggy's Fruit Salad

16 oz Cottage Cheese (4%) or  I like small curd the best
16 oz Cool Whip, thawed
1 LARGE Orange Jell-O, dry 
3 cans (small cans) Mandarin Oranges, DRAINED  I drain them in a colander rather than holding the lids against them, you don't get enough juice out that way.  If the large cans are on sale, you can use them, and use 2 cans or if you like a lot of oranges, throw them all in.  It's up to you. 

Mix the cottage cheese, Cool Whip, and Orange Jell-O together until really blended.  (I like to do it in a really large bowl or pot because you don't want to do it in your pretty bowl, otherwise you'll have a mess).  After these ingredients are blended, FOLD the mandarin oranges in (you don't want them all broken and smashed).  Then you're ready to put all this wonderful salad into your pretty bowl.  Cover with some Saran Wrap & you can chill it for a few hours and serve.

County Fair

Waaay back in September, I entered a bunch of stuff in the County Fair. Even though the judges looked at me like I was a little strange when I brought my folk art dolls, etc. in there, I did actually win some ribbons! I even won some for my photographs which makes me really happy! My nephew, Tyler, was happy because "his" photos won ribbons. He does make a pretty cute picture!! Below are some pictures of stuff I entered with the ribbon they won....the first photo, the crow purse, is from a pattern by Elinor Peace Bailey. I love her patterns....they are really a challenge to me because they are so much different than what I usually do, but that's how you learn, right? That purse is the first time I put a zipper in that actually looked like something! And you might recognize the cat Collector sign. Its from a pattern by Hickety Pickety, another one of my favorite pattern designers! The rest of the stuff is out of my own head....oh, except the painting. I saw something similar and painted it for my living room!

TGIF!

I am working in my parents' office most of the day today....something I am not used to! Of course the phone has been ringing off the hook and people have been in and out all day. It is usually pretty quiet when I'm here....but not today! So now I'm GLAD its Friday! Tomorrow we're having a birthday for my youngest sister--she'll be 24! I'm going shopping for a gift for her and a coat for myself. I haven't gotten myself a good coat in a few years, so I'm going to splurge tonight! Its not like it ever gets too cold here, I can usually get by without one, but still, its getting cool and I want a new coat!

Hopefully I will have time to add the rest of my patterns this weekend! I'll be working on tearing down "the pink elephant" too if its not too cold!

And I really, really, REALLY need to do some Christmas shopping! I ordered two books for my husband from Amazon.com (hope he doesn't read this!). I bought him one about  treasure hunting....I hope that isn't a mistake. LOL! He may start spending his spare time hunting for buried treasures! That's all I've done--ordered 2 books! My niece always gets a hand-made doll, so I am going to pick out some fabrics tonight. And I always get something for my kitties.....but what do you get the kitty who has everything? ha! I used to have a stocking for each kitty, but now I just have one and put a few toys, treats and catnip inside. One year I bought them a bed and they opened it before Christmas! Oh, and the ones that lose their id tags always get new ones! I'm sure they could care less, but I enjoy it!

Only 39 days??? I better get busy sewing and cooking and shopping and all the other things I have planned for the holidays!! I would love to hear comments about what you all have planned....if you've finished your shopping or just started like me!

My Studio....

Well, I officially started on my studio this week! We cleaned out the ol' shed first of all. It looks gray in the picture, but it is PINK! We don't have the stuff from t he side or the back gone, but the inside is pretty much cleaned out. And it was PACKED!! I took a picture after we were halfway through the shed....wish I had taken one before we started, but you'll just have to take my word for it that is was packed full. I never thought I would see the back of that shed! If my hubby hadn't been helping, I never would have gotten this much done!

I added some photos in my photo album....click on the "my studio" photo album on the left to see pictures and comments. I went over and cleaned out a little in the house tonight. I'm almost done with that and can start ripping out carpet, etc. soon!! :)

Can you tell I'm getting in the Christmas Spirit with my music now??? If you prefer not to hear the music, click the pause button on the right.