MONDAY ~ Monday...

I'm just popping in to get my blog fix and touch base... We had a wonderful Christmas and yesterday, the weather was absolutely gorgeous here. We were outside most of the day and hubby boxed up the inflatables as I went through our bin of lights and tossed out the strands that don't work any longer. We raked leaves and I got one last hop on the mower and mulched up what was left on our yard. The bradford pear leaves finally fell and a few oak leaves still cling. I cleaned up the dried lillies and watched the sunset. ahhh the joys of gardening :) I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! I am off to put more things away and clean... Enjoy! xox

Christmas Inflatables

Santa is stuck in the igloo... his feet are moving as if he was struggling to get out. LOL! This is the infamous inflatable that hubby was setting up when he sprained his foot and lower ankle stepping off of the sidewalk. His foot is perfectly fine now, but he had to stay off of it for 48 hours. We were fortunate that he had no breaks. I don't know if inflatables are popular where you live, but here in WV, people LOVE them. If they run out of room in their yards, they put them on their porch roof!
Here is my favorite one... We got this one 3 years ago...

Since hubby picked out the igloo, the kids picked out this one...

This is our side porch. The garland has white lights in it. The wind has played havoc on the bows, mini flag and even the candy canes :)



I love our old picket fence... needs to be painted, but painting is good for the soul. (Remind me of this in the spring when I am complaining about having to paint LOL)

Meet "Bear Bear". We bought him 14 years ago. He has a light inside and has greeted us with a gift on our porch every year...

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! We are hoping for snow... even a few flakes would be great :0) xox

The Weekend Is Over

It's always sad when the family is home for the holidays and then Monday rolls around... back to normal, back to work... back to school. We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving and weekend that I would love for it to never end. But, we know that time does not stand still.

I wanted to share our nativity set with you before I headed off to bed. I have had it for many years. It is from Home Interiors. I have it on Grandma's hutch in the dining room.

I used to put it in the living room, but when the kiddos were little, I noticed there were a couple of fingers missing here and there. I was sad that they were broken off, but decided maybe it was my fault for not explaining ENOUGH that this was definitely a look at piece and not a pick me up and carry me around piece.

I've had it in the closet for years because I simply didn't want it damaged, however, being in the closet in the box is no place for enjoyment, so I explained to our youngest once more what this setting was and why it was so important not to play with it and carry parts of it around. There are a few items that are not attached. I had thought about hot gluing some of the items to the manger and may do so before I put it away after the holidays. I love looking at it and it is a reminder to us all why we celebrate Christmas.

The Day After Thanksgiving...

Sometimes we decorate after we eat our Thanksgiving meal, but this year we decided to play Texas Holdem and then take a nap. Of course, I lost, as I bet the same whether I have high cards or low cards, or even cards that don't match up to anything that is being displayed by the dealer. Yesterday morning we woke up rejuvenated and put our two trees up. We put a primitive decorated tree in the living room and in the family room, we put a large tree up and adorn it with special ornaments that we handmade and what the kids made in elementary school. We use all white lights and really enjoy sitting around the trees in the evenings, enjoying the lights. When do you put your Christmas tree up?

Snowy Rainy Day ~

Today was such a nice day. We got the best of all weather worlds. We watched the snow fall, rain fall and then the sunshine came out. Tomorrow will be a busy day, the day before Thanksgiving. We will be shopping for Christmas gifts and getting the last few odds and ends for our Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. Shopping on "black Friday" is not my cup of tea. I did it many, many years ago and vowed to always try to have my Christmas shopping finished before Thanksgiving and that works great for me. While everyone else is standing in lines and driving around the parking lots 5 times to get a "good" spot, we are home decorating for Christmas. When do you decorate and shop for Christmas?

When Do You Decorate For Christmas?

Only a little over a month left before Christmas will be here. This summer and fall have breezed by quickly. We usually enjoy decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving and we keep our decorations up until New Year's Day. When do you decorate for Christmas?

Hang Tags With Homespun

These are so cute and hang tags are such great sellers for me! As you know, I am happy to take wholesale orders for them and you may email me at baskethappy@comcast.net. If you have a specific color homespun, please let me know what you would like when you contact me. I have Christmas colors in my store as well as fall colors. Thank you so much for peeking and for your orders. xox

Blooms of the End of Summer

Well, not much left to bloom in my yard before the frost comes. I pulled up some of my annuals that I have neglected and are going to die when the frost hits them anyway. I also trimmed back more of my black eyed susans... The picture is my lariope. I love it. I have planted it on many edges of my various gardens and love it around my trees. I think I will purchase a few small yellow mums for my porch to enjoy for a couple of months before it's time to build a snowman. Speaking of snowmen, you can check out my Christmas Winter Items in my store for my latest listings including a wide variety of snowmen...
http://stores.ebay.com/Country-Quilts-and-Primitives_CHRISTMAS-WINTER-PRIMS_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ202350010QQftidZ2QQtZkm

One Set of Pumpkins Left UNTIL....

This is my last set of gingham pumpkins until I can sit back down at my sewing machine and make more. I have a little fabric left in this pretty gingham orange and white, so will use it up this fall... I don't know about you, but I have been cleaning out closets and bedrooms. With 5 in the family, we sure do accumulate ALOT of toys and momentos... you know, the things you can't bare to part with like the spelling papers with stars and hundreds on them... and the coloring book pictures plastered on the frig... forgotten dolls and stuffed animals in the bottom of toy boxes... That would be us! So, I've asked the Grandparents nicely to give clothes or cash for their piggy banks for Christmas. They thought that was a great idea, and the girls are happy about it, too... The girls made them nice gifts for Grandparents Day. Enjoy your day all and be blessed AND remember to do ONE thing to make yourself HAPPY today :)

Pumpkins already??

With temps in the high 90s and heat index over 100, it's hard to think about fall being here before we know it, but it will be... Fall items are already selling on eBay, as people are getting ready for their craft shows and stocking up, knowing soon enough there will be Christmas items and snowmen listed. These pumpkins are a great seller for me. They are rag stuffed and poly stuffed and are sprayed with scrumptuous smelling linen spray. Please click on my eBay link to the right to see this and other items in my store...