Sunday, November 28, 2010

365 Day Photo Challenge for Saturday - November 20th till Friday - November 26th

Hi everyone :) :) :)
How was your Thanksgiving? Mine was really good.  I've really enjoyed havings some vacation days off from work. Here are my photos for this week. If you want to know more, click on  the button for "Practical Simplicity Photography" on my right sidebar. My friend, Miss Antoinette, inspired me to take this challenge ;) :)

Saturday - November 20th, 2010

This is the first of a pair of fingerless mittens that I made. At this point I was still working on the first mitten and I hadn't yet knit the thumb portion. Those stitches were still on that red holding thread. Plus, this was knit without any particular pattern. I did take notes on what I did because there'll definitely be more made in the future.  The pattern will need some adjusting as it wasn't quite what I wanted..but no matter, they came out very beautiful and comfortable. Now I'll have nice warm hands when I'm at work :)

Sunday - November 21st, 2010 (photo actually taken on Saturday - November 20th)

The skies were very grey and full of clouds. In fact, it was snowing a little bit up on the mountain tops. You can see a little glimpse of that here. Once the clouds lifted, there was a little bit of snow left behind. It hasn't stuck to the valley floor here yet.


Monday  - November 22nd, 2010

There is more snow every day it seems... little by little. It still has yet to reach the valley floor. I have a feeling that will not happen until December or maybe even January here? It's hard to tell. The weather has been a little different this year.


Tuesday - November 23rd, 2010

We had a freeze warning this particular night. Monday going into Tuesday it was supposed to reach temperatures that could possibly freeze the water in the pipes. So I prayed that the driving conditions would be good, especially since I did not have to work the rest of this week. It rained and then snowed that day, but I made it to work safely. This is what it looked like Tuesday afternoon. It was snowy and rainy skies to the left. Then literally sunshine and white puffy clouds on the right.


Wednesday - November 24th, 2010

A beautiful gazebo in a very tiny park. My father and I saw this on the way home from getting coffee. We pass by this little park often. I LOVE gazebos. Maybe if I'm blessed to have a home of my own with lots of land, I'll have one of these built. It would be a beautiful place for tea, gathering people. It's very romantic, don't you think? Not to mention, it's one of those things that is very American in my eyes. Every town should have a town gazebo.


Thursday - November 25th, 2010.

My father and I celebrated Thanksgiving by ourselves. We had a good time. We watched DVDS, ate lots of food. In fact, we bought more food than we actually ate that day. However, it did make for some mighty fine leftovers the next few days after that :) :) My favorite was making turkey sandwiches with cream cheese, turkey (of course) and cranberry sauce. Delicious and not something I would have every day.  However, it was very tasty indeed. My dad made the whipped cream smiley face. Although it was already starting to melt a little bit before I got my camera out of the bag.


Friday - November 26th, 2010 (actually taken on Wednesday  - November 24th)

This is one of the local winery's vineyards here in town. There are quite a few wineries in Southern Oregon. This is another spot that I LOVE to drive by quite often. In fact, when I'm in the car with my father, I'll purposely ask to drive these back roads because I love looking at the scenery so much. What about you? Are there any special spots that you deliberately go out of your way for on a daily or weekly basis?

I've been knitting up a storm lately...I'm knitting mittens and socks. I keep buying cheap socks at the store and LOSING them. Also this last set  I bought didn't fit properly. So I'm knitting myself socks for winter instead. They are custom fit and very warm and comfortable. Plus, they seem to last quite a bit longer, too. Also my favorite pair of mittens had quite a few holes in them. I couldn't figure that one out. It was a bit unusual. So I'm making another pair to wear when I'm outside. The "fingerless" mittens are for inside when I'm at work. Sometimes it's just cold enough that typing at the computer is a bit of a challenge.

What are you all up to these days? Are you getting excited about the CHRISTmas holiday season coming up? I love the holidays. My father wants to get a tree this year. It's really funny watching him scope out the scene for the places that will be selling trees this year. That's the news from Oregon today. Extra love and hugs, Heather :)




Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Unexpected Yard Sales Are The Best!!!

Hi everyone, How are you? I do not have to work again till Monday. I'm so thankful, because the rest was much needed and deserved. What are your plans for Thanksgiving? My father and I are going to make lunch/dinner albeit slightly non-traditional. He's really getting into holiday meal planning this year!!!

Oh goodness, okay...it's super cold in Oregon and you'd think the yard sales would be all finished for the year...NOPE...My dad and I found an unexpected yard sale last Saturday. We were actually driving out and about looking for some good places to take photos. He turned down this one street on our way home and we found a garage sale. Here are some of the items that I picked up....

Here's most of what I found at this yardsale last Saturday....

My father and I were driving around looking for places to take some good photos. It was proving rather difficult, so we decided to head home. I like to "find" yardsales rather than plan out a route. It's more fun that way. It was looking like we weren't going to find anything. My dad turns left on this particular street heading towards home...and voila, there was a yard sale being held in a garage. The glue gun was only $3...and I totally need one, so this was perfect. I'll talk about the other stuff as I go along.


This tiny bench is ADORABLE. It's wrought iron and wood slats. It was $3.  I think this will make an adorable place for my pink stuffed cat to hang out...maybe with a friend? What would you do with this cute piece?

There was an overwhelming amount of craft items at this sale. I asked the lady running it, why she was selling everything.  I'm not sure why I ask that question now...but I'm always curious now about the stories behind the items that I'm purchasing. The lady said that her mother had recently passed away and she was selling a lot of her craft stuff. Oh my goodness, this is clearly a lady who I would have been friends with if she were still alive.

Here's a side view of the little wood and wrought iron bench. The detail is really neat. Yes, I think my pink stuffed cat will LOVE this new hangout.

This is one of those times it was a good thing I had a limited amount of money with me. I would have purchased a lot of the craft stuff. There were some boxes of buttons that I almost purchased...but hesitated...not sure what I would ever use them for...There were lace trims and even a giant box for storing fabric.

This "Simplicity" pattern...I'm not sure how old it is...but it was only $1...and it has complete instructions and all pattern pieces for making fabric-covered baskets and other goodies....like sachets. This is so sweet...

The daughter explained that her mother LOVED crafting. In fact, one whole wall was lined with baskets for sale. Her mother would buy these and decorate them according to the season. So you can imagine the house was well color-coordinated for every month of the year :) :) :)  

This sweet little glass jar with latch-hook lid was only $1. It is very cute and slightly different than others I have seen. The first noticeable difference is the French  "Le Parfait".

I'm not quite sure what the exact purpose for this sweet little find will be just yet...but when I saw it, it had to be mine. I've been "snapping" these up wherever I can find them...especially if they're in good condition. This one says "Le Parfait - Super" on the front.  At the base it says "V.M.C. - Reims". It's bottom says "0.75 L"...then blow that " S Made in France 8"  Oh almost forgot...around the rim it says "Niveau de  Remplissage" What really made this piece attractive other than price was the fact that it was made in Europe :) :)


These are two vintage  Singer sewing books. These were just $0.50 cents each...a steal of a deal. 

The "Singer Illustrated Dressmaking Guide" was originally published in 1936. My version was a reprint from 1941.  The "Singer Home Decoration Guide - How to make draperies, slip covers and other fabric furnishings" was originally printed in 1940...my copy was a reprint from 1943.  What's really funny is the original price on both these items when they were brand new was a mere "$0.25 cents"  


This is one of the sewing techniques demonstrated in the dressmaking book. I deliberately did NOT show what this particular technique was called...because it's a word that means something completely different now... however, they show you how to do this technique by hand and with machine. Very nice :)

This book might come in handy if I were inclined to make vintage clothing. Since it's direct from that time period, that should be good...however, it's more for the fun of just browsing through it and reading.


This was another page where to find out how to measure each of these parts of the body for a well-fitted dress suit. Now ...this is a FITTED suit...tailor made!!!

I'm not sure that I could pull off wearing something like this...but it's amazing to think of all the detail that goes into making an outfit. There's some math involved...and it's well worth it for the results!!!  Have any of you ever made things by hand or from a pattern? It's been awhile since I've sewn clothing. However, it's something I would love to take up again.


This was really sweet because the lady who owned this book had written down the measurements of a particular chair that she wanted to cover with fabric.

Now this is something I'd LOVE to do...make sweet slipcovers for my chairs..to make the house look more romantic, country, Victorian, rustic, vintage, shabby chic etc :) :) Really, to beautify the home. The only reason I haven't done it yet is budget...although Joann's Fabrics is having a sale on fabric this month...so who knows...but it's all going into my craft repertoire!

This page shows you how to make a slipcover for your car!!! How cool is that!!!

That's about it for the moment. I did return to this same garage sale the following Sunday and picked up one more item...however, that will have to wait for another day :) :) The weather is very cold. It actually started snowing quite heavily yesterday after I got to work. By the time afternoon rolled around, the snow had melted off the streets. I'm hoping for some more, so that I can take lots of photos for you all!!! 

Oh, I discovered something really cool...actually a co-worker pointed this out to me...Lion Brand Yarns has a website that shows ALL the yarns they make....and you can order off of their website. I LOVE their cotton yarns, especially for making dishcloths and other household items. That yarn I find at Fred Meyer. Click here to view their website. They have a free newsletter with a free pattern. You do have to register...but I had fun just browsing through the site. Here's what I purchased today at Fred Meyer...

This particular color is called "Wedgewood" Doesn't it remind you of the famous china? It does for me at least. I plan on making some French bath mitts with this yarn.

This yarn was on sale today, so I was able to pick up two skeins of it. It'll make quite a few bath mitts and dishcloths even...

Here's another lovely site called "Mountain Colors Yarn"...It's a blog that is featuring a free pattern once a week up through till Christmas. Their yarn colors look absolutely divine...and the blog is lots of fun. Click here to visit the blog. OR you can go directly to the website, too. Click here to visit their website.

That's a lot of garage sale-yarn lovin' goodness for one day :) :) I'm actually going to try and make an honest effort to talk more about sites that I like...  Maybe it'll inspire you in someway or bring just that much more joy/creativity to your lives :) :) :) Anyway, thanks so much for visiting me today...LOVE IT...Have an awesome Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends here in the U.S.A.....and for all my international friends, too...:) :)  That's the news from Oregon today....Love and hugs, Heather :)

Monday, November 22, 2010

My 19th Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday & Tea Time Tuesday for November 23rd

Hi everyone.....
Oh goodness the weather outside is C-H-I-L-L-Y.  It's  a fine day to be Oregonian...so I can only imagine how cold it must be for all my friends who live further north from me ;) :)
Here's a little taste of what I saw yesterday....the snow level continues to drop...so there might be snow on the ground soon....although not tomorrow...because I do need to get to work...I'm putting a special request in with God....You'll have to stay tuned tomorrow evening to see how He answered :) :) Oh, here's the photo of what I saw yesterday (Sunday)
Sunday - November 21st, 2010 This is what I saw yesterday. Early morning it was covered by clouds...but different then what I normally see. When the clouds lifted this is what I saw.  So far the snow is sticking...I hope it will last for a little while longer yet. It's so beautiful!

One of my friends had put in a special request with the meteorologist for some snow :) :) :) So when I saw this I had to take a photo and share it with her :) :)


German demitasse teacup and matching saucer.  Isn't it beautiful and dainty at the same time?

I took some new photos of this teacup and saucer. You might recognize it from an earlier post. This was something I had  purchased at a yardsale a couple of months ago.    I was contemplating what I wanted to share with all of you this week.


The view from the top...even the inside of the cup is decorated. This is totally awesome because most of the time I wouldn't even see this....I'm too busy enjoying my tea ;)

Well, I kept thinking of Mr. Angel Man...who's that? He shall remain nameless...but he was a guy that went to my church in Germany. He was part of church staff I think...and not that much older than I am. There might have been a slight crush at the time...not sure why...

Here's the backstamp on the German demitasse.   Does anyone know what the "41" signifies? I don't think it's referring to the year, because that would have been war tim e...However, does it refer to the 41st cup in  a series of how many? Not sure...it has a bit of mystery :)

For the life of me, I can't figure out why I had a crush on Mr. Angel Man :) :) He LOVED Jesus Christ....and he worked at one of the local tea shops in the city I was living in. This tea shop was neat..you could go in and pick from all different varieties of fresh dried teas.

Here's the matching saucer. Both the saucer and the demitasse have these creamy white and peachy undertones. It is almost as if they are "blushing" :) :)

So it's a mystery how I discovered Mr. Angel Man worked at this local tea shop. However, I passed this teashop on almost a daily basis after university classes were over or just when I had some free time. Now this shop had tin upon tin of fresh teas lined up against the wall....almost like an old-fashioned apothecary shop. All the tea shop associates wore these white lab coats....not sure why...but  tea is a very serious subject :) :)  So one day I made an "excuse" to go in the store...ahem..

This is the backstamp on the saucer. Everything is exactly the same with one noticeable difference. The china pattern name only appears on the saucer and NOT on the demitasse...although it's clear that  they are "married"...

So I asked Mr. Angel Man for some tea recommendations. All I remember was buying a nice loose tea...probably orange or something really simple. I'm not sure if he was ever aware that I had a secret crush on him...but he was such a nice gentleman!!! The crush faded, of course, but it's still a very good memory!!!...So just when you think that tea is only for drinking...think again. Sometimes tea can be romantic or inspirational... who knows!!!

I hope you enjoyed your visit with me today!!! I'll look forward to reading everyones  tea posts...and just all of your blogs in general!!!!

Work was AWESOME today...we're doing a little bit of a different job for the next couple of weeks. There's more to do....so it's much less boring...and the day flies so quickly. The people I work with are very nice...but I think today we were all feeling the desire to just be home. Thanksgiving is right around the corner. It'll just be my dad and myself. We'll be keeping it simple and semi-homemade this year!!! I did get some piecrusts....so I might try making little mini-;pies...the size of the palm of my hand... For some reason cheddar cheese and apples sound really good right now.  I'm thinking a little cheddar cheese on the crust with an apple filling. What do I know about baking? Does that sound eccentric? Fresh apples and cheese is a great snack...so why not enjoy it in pie form ?

Snow levels....getting lower and lower. There's a storm front passing through here. Please pray that the roads are not icy tomorrow (Tuesday). I MUST get to work...especially since I have the rest of the week FREE to be at home!!! Pray that the road conditions will be good!!  That's the news from Oregon today. Bonus love and hugs, Heather :)

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Scripture Sunday

Have a great Sunday everyone.  God is convicting me of some bad attitudes I've had about work lately...so I have griped a lot in private emails..and I'd ask your forgiveness!!!  Enjoy today. My father and I will actually be staying home today and listening to a church service at Gateway Church online. My dad listened to the first service, said it was so good, that I needed to hear it, too. Now my dad says almost EVERY sermon is good that he listens, too. However, today had extra emphasis...SO I will listen and be encouraged...maybe convicted..not sure..but knowing that God only has His best for me. Happy SONday everyone....I'll be posting craft stuff this week, so keep your eyes out for that :) :)Extra love and hugs today because it's chilly here in Oregon. That's the news from Oregon today, Heather :)

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Photos for the week of Saturday - November 13th till Friday - November 19th.

Hi everyone..... brrrrr, it's chilly  in Oregon today...so chilly, that I have finally turned the heat on!!!  I'm currently in the midst of drying my laundry. So when my alarm goes off, I'll have to run out and get it. "Why?" you ask...I live in an apartment complex with a seperate laundry room :) :) Oh, I threw in my favorite heavy sweatshirt...because as soon as that baby is dry, I' ll put it on and be warm and fuzzy happy :) :) Here are my photos for the past week...

Saturday - November 13th, 2010  My father and I went to get some coffee at The Human Bean...well, just for me actually, however on the way home we stopped for this...about 1 dozen ducks taking their sweet time crossing the road.

There's a little stream off to the right of this photo and they hopped out of that water and duck waddled across the street. That would explain why the car in front of us suddenly stopped. There was a car coming the other direction that was driving way too fast...My dad furiously honked the horn and got the driver's attention...and possibly saved the lives of those feathery friends :)

Sunday - November 14th, 2010.  It was such a cold, rainy day....and when the clouds roll in , you can't see nada...not even my favorite  mountain is visible in this photo.

I'm not even sure what my father and I were doing this particular morning. However, on a Sunday it usually involves coffee and the newspaper. Hmm...I should probably subscribe to the newspaper :)


Monday - November 15th, 2010. Another knitting project in progress...Any guesses what it will be?  I'll post a final pic once they're finished ;)

This particular yarn that I'm using is called Zauber Ball. It's a German yarn that's 75% wool and 25% nylon...I think...I normally don't knit with anything that has acrylic in it. However, in cases like this, it's great for making socks...or in this case...this lovely item :) :) I LOVE this yarn. They have some amazing color choices with the color transitions being so subtle, you don't even notice anything until four or five color transitions into your knitting.


Tuesday - November 16th, 2010 Another really fun  mystery dishcloth project over at  Rachel's Knitting Corner.

You can find the instructions for this month's current project over at Rachel's Knitting Corner. The link to her blog is under my profile page ;) :) :)  I'll make sure and post a hyperlink to her site later tonight, too. Oh, this project is fun...and I've never knit a circle before...so this has the potential to be just about any size I want to make it :) :) :)


Wednesday - November 17th, 2010  There's a light dusting of snow on the mountain.  Hmm...I wonder if we'll see any on the floor this year :) :)

I think this could be a light winter in terms of snow. It's really hard to say. One thing is for sure...it's C-O-L-D. Now's the time to break out all those comfy quilts and flannel :) :)


Thursday - November 18th, 2010 The clouds hovering over the mountains are so mighty.

I actually took this photo the same day as the previous photo. It's amazing..and I notice the clouds seem to roll in the same way every time the weather turns really cold and chilly.


Friday - November 19th, 2010. This photo was actually taken today(Saturday - November 20th)...but it was so cute, I had to include it in this weeks photos.

I'll have more on this advertisement later. It's actually the backside of a 1940s Singer sewing book that was purchased at a yard sale today for $0.50...and this one had some really interesting sewing instructions :) :) :)

Well, it's really chilly outside today. The mail came today and it was rather sparse...an advertisement for Joann's Fabrics and mail-order catalog. Although, I'll have to take a look-see through the Joann's advertisement...because there might be a really good coupon for some fabric!!!  It's super chilly and now it's time to pick my laundry up from the dryer..Oh, this worked out well...NOw I'm going to have a warm, comfy sweatshirt to put on. That's the news from Oregon today. Love and hugs, Heather :)

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

The Tea Pot is Empty

Hi everyone,

Oh, I missed the boat on tea today.  I didn't get to it in time. So I don't have anything to share for tea today.  Work has me whipped....and I will have to start my tea posts the previous Tuesday if I want to keep up :) :) :) I'll look forward to reading all of your blogs today when I get home from work.

My dad is making me a coffee downstairs and I can smell up here. It smells so good!!!

Oh, the first time I ever had green tea....well, it kind of reminded me of boiled lawn grass. However, green tea is supposed to have some really good health properties. Of course, I enjoy green tea now...just back then...oh that was funny :) :) :)

Have a lovely day everyone!!!   I'll be praying for you all :) :) :) That's the news from Oregon today. Love and hugs, Heather :)

Friday, November 12, 2010

365 Day Photo Challenge for November 6th thru November 12th, 2010

Hi everyone, 

How are you today? I'm doing well.  Oh, I think I'm overdosing on cute craft projects and magazines :) :) It's amazing how many creative people are out there.  It's too bad that I don't have enough hands to keep up with all the projects I'd like to make. Here are my photos for this week!!  

Saturday - November 6th, 2010 (photo actually taken on Sunday - November 7th)

It rained last night. It was really neat. I woke up early this morning and the steady drop of rain was a  nice sound :) :) My dad and I went to the store this morning to pick up the Sunday paper. I LOVE clipping coupons AND Albertson's had some "double" coupons out...so I had to take advantage of that. On the way home, I just had to get a photo. The mountains are so beautiful here, especially right after it has rained. This is what it looked like today less than an hour after the rain had stopped.

Sunday - November 7, 2010 Cute ducks having some fun in the creek. They'd float  downstream then paddle back upstream...float downstream..paddle back upstream :) :)

After my dad and I stopped at the store for the Sunday newspaper, we stopped at my favorite coffee spot, The Human Bean. It's a really nice drive-thru coffee chain :) :) Anyways, as we were leaving we passed by this little creek...and this is what I saw...They were so cute...I just had to get a photo. You don't often see this many ducks in this little creek. They knew where the fun was at this morning ;) :) :)

Monday - November 9th, 2010 It was a really rainy day today...so dark and gloomy.
It went from being really sunny to dark and gloomy in the space of just a few hours. Oh, still it's really nice. This was literally the best picture I was able to take with my camera that day.

Tuesday - November 9th, 2010  (this photo was actually taken November 7th)

This day was so sunny and beautiful. I'm not sure it could have been any more beautiful! Oh wait...yes...a day like this and I'm on my way home :) :)


Wednesday - November 10th, 2010  This day the clouds were really interesting. I never tire of looking at clouds....but today the clouds looked extra fat and chubby...and because of that, it literally felt like I could just reach out and touch them.

The clouds were hanging so low in the sky, it felt like they would touch the ground at any moment. It was really neat to see...

Thursday - November 11th, 2010  I do love me a good Zauberball of yarn :) :) This particular brand of German yarn is really nice!!!

 This yarn is so cool because of the subtle color transitions. It's "zauber" which means "magic" because you don't even notice the color transitions until four or five shades into your knitting project.


Friday - November 12th, 2010.  Here's one of many projects that I'm working on. It'll be a  mitten...knitting it as an "experiment"...but mainly it gives me an excuse to use up some really nice yarn :)

I always have a few unfinished projects lying around the house...and true to form, as I'm about to finish one project, another one will begin :) :) :) I love going to the knitting shop and drooling over all the beautiful yarn choices. The colors are amazing!!!

Well, I hope everyone has had a great week. I'm going to enjoy the weekend. I'm all snuggled up in my flannel nightgown. It's so warm and comfortable!!!  Have a great weekend. That's the news from Oregon today. Love and hugs, Heather :)

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

My 18th Tea Time Tuesday & Teacup and Tea Things Tuesday























Hi everyone....Happy Tea Tuesday to all of you. You know what? I actually had coffee this morning...It's feels like I'm committing scandal...BUT coffee is so lovely on a  Tuesday morning.

You might remember this cup from an earlier post. I'll be reposting photos for awhile because I  haven't had the opportunity to find new tea things...So maybe instead I'll entertain you with some "cup of tea" talk :) :)

Lots of things are happening lately...the big one being that work is really  keeping me busy. That's a good thing, because it means a paycheck. Last night I cried and cried because I didn't want to be at work today .  However, once I got there I was so blessed by my coworkers. Plus, I started a different project at work that involves calling businesses. It's really interesting and there are seven other people that work with me. They're really interesting...ad I've been praying that God would help me to be a good example to them...of Jesus Christ and a good work ethic, too!!!  We are doing cold-calling which is tough....most of the time the businesses we call are very polite!!!  Still...I just tried to encourage everyone because they're doing so well....and they need a confidence boost.

I am struggling with keeping a grateful heart about work...so I'd appreciate your prayers that God would just overwhelm my thoughts with good things...attitude of thankfulness...joy...etc!!!!  Thanks!!!

What else...oh I almost forgot....every once in awhile I'll tell you stories about these homeless kitties that roam the apartment complex. Lately this orange/white cat   (I named him Sherbet).keeps trying adopt my dad and I...well, this morning (while it was still dark)  my dad and I left to drive me to work. This little cat was waiting for us...on purpose...I'm sure of it.. and he jumped out from behind the tree and started meowing all cute and sweet. Oh goodness...my heart melted and I wanted to "adopt" him right then and there. Nope....can't do it, until I can afford a pet deposit...but I do pray for these cats ...that God would look out for them and give them safe place to rest at night and get out of the rain!!!

Hmm...I"m a bit of a rambler today...there's lots going on...I'm crafting...working..sleeping.  Still....so thankful for a job....and a nice home waiting for me after work......On that note, I'm going to jump into my warm flannel nightgown. It's so perfect on cold winter days!!!  My dad laughs at me and says I look like I"m a character on "Little House on the Prairie" :)  Well, I hope you are having a good week so far. That's the news from Oregon. Love and hugs, Heather :)

p.s. The sheer ribbon tied to the handle of my teacup...that was what my friend Linda used to   package one of the cute items she sent me awhile back :) :) :)  I kept the packaging and the ribbon :)

Friday, November 5, 2010

365 Day Photo Challenge for November 1 - November 5, 2010 !!!

Hi everyone...

Eeek...I'm missing three weeks worth of photos...from October 6th thru October 31st. So I'm not sure what I"ll do to catch up...I think I'll start doubling up on photos for each week...keep your eyes out for that because I'll make sure to let you know when those are coming :) :) :)

Here is my installment for the last five days...I've included some brief comments...

Monday - November 1, 2010 (photo actually taken on November 2, 2010 - Tuesday) There's something really neat about a barn...new, old, lonely...lots of paint..no paint...This one is pretty..and so far the only one I've been able to take a photo of from a moving car ;) :)

On this day...it was my only day off...my days off are split during the week. I was a bit grumpy and not really wanting to go anywhere so early in the day. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise because my father and I were able to get some errands done. On this day, we drove to Ashland and Jacksonville . . . looking for a Bible (in J-ville) and some very nice knitting yarn in Ashland. The yarn was a gift from my father :) :)....gotta feed my fibre habit!!!


Tuesday - November 2, 2010    This photo was taken from the car. My dad and I drove to this little Christian bookstore that's housed in this old brick building. This building used to be a doll hospital at one point in time..so I thought I'd take a photo of the view down the sidewalk :)

My father found a really nice new study Bible here which he was going to keep for himself. However, after some thought, he put a new leather hide cover on it...and is planning on giving it away to someone who could use it..besides that...Jacksonville is so pretty, it's like stepping back in time 150 years.  You can't help but WANT to take a walk around and see what there is to see :) :)


Wednesday - November 3, 2010 - This is my latest project...a knitted Christmas stocking. The pattern has a really unusual twist to it...It's actually pretty cool. I'll be posting about this later :)

A great, super fun knitting project is always worthy of a photo. Oh, and notice the very nice "Create and Decorate" magazine on the background? I'm making that stocking...although I manipulated the yarn choice every so slightly. Hey, if you like any kind of crafting from knitting & sewing to punch needle embroidery...this magazine is FOR YOU...TRULY!! It's front cover to back cover...super cute...and great craft ideas. Click here to visit their site. You'll go crazy happy over all the crafty eye candy :) :) I can only count five magazines...that I think are worthy of the title  "front cover to back cover" good and this is one of them!!!!

Thursday - November 4, 2010  Okay...okay...more knitting...this store is the source for my knitting habit :) :) It's a great store...I always enjoy paying them a visit...and I never leave disappointed.  There's always a new yarn to try.  It's like being a kid in a candy store.

I like to visit The Web*sters whenever time permits. It's a really nice upscale yarn shop. Yes, they do focus on luxury yarns...but they have something for everyone and in every price range. The quality is always really good...so that's the main reason I LOVE shopping here whenever time and money permits. Usually I buy cotton yarns. Those tend to be the least expensive and they make great projects for the home :) :)

Friday - November 5, 2010 This is a sneak peek at an upcoming project.....no spoilers!!!

Those are my photos for this week.  I'll make up for the previous three weeks worth of photos throughout the month of November :)  Oh, work was very challenging today.   It was  one call after another with no pause in between. I'm so thankful to be home for the rest of the evening ;) :) :)

That's pretty  much it for this week. I'm going to finish up one project this weekend....until then, I'll be starting another one tonight. Knitting is really relaxing...for me anyway...knitting and coffee....extra love and hugs :) :) That's the news from Oregon today. Bonus love and hugs, Heather :)

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

My 17th Tea Time Tuesday & Teacup and Tea Things Tuesday for November 2, 2010

Hi everyone... I'm late...as usual today. Sorry!  Today is a random collection of tea things.  I've been a bit disorganized of late...so I'll definitely try and do better next time.  I went out and voted today....more on that at the end of this post ;) :) :)

These are just some random tea things I pulled out of my cupboard. Although I have to say I rather like "random".  My feeling is that if you love it, you think it's beautiful and it brings you joy...then it deserves a place on your table ;) :) 

You'll notice the two silver pieces - a sugar bowl and the other a creamer. These were items that were passed down to me...and I know they're very old, but that's about it. Oh, there's a matching silver plate in the photo, too. All very dirty. I'll be buying silver polish soon, but my budget is tight and that's low on my list at the moment.

In addition, you'll see my vintage reproduction "tea" cannister...that was purchased at a yard sale awhile back, plus some clear glass tea things...another sugar bowl and creamer :) :) Isn't it cute?  I think this is Depression glass or at the very least made in the 1930s...but I'm not entirely sure!!! It's so dainty and I love the delicate detail around the rim...very nice.

Of course, in the background, you'll recognize my "Elizabethan" tea cup with the gauze ribbon tied on the handle :) :)


This is the "backstamp" that's on the bottom of the clear glass creamer and sugar bowl. It's not even a backstamp...but it's sweet that whoever came up with this design thought to add extra details like that!!!!

Today has been a very interesting day. November 2nd is a very important voting day here in the United States....there are lots of important local and state elections that are happening as we speak...which could potentially have an outcome on the next Presidential election.  It's really easy to get lazy about voting...I've been guilty of that in the past. However, lately, I've realized that if I don't vote, than I can't complain if I don't like the way the country is going. 

On that note, in Oregon all voting is done by mail-in ballots...which is kind of nice because they actually get a higher return than if people physicaly went to the polls. That's my theory anyway :) :) However, I had misplaced my ballot...so this morning I tore my room apart and managed to find the ballot...cast my vote...and get it sealed, signed, then delivered. My dad and I drove downtown to drop it off at election headquarters. There were four cars behind us...which is kind of a traffic jam where I live :) :) I wouldn't have been able to go through my day in good conscience without voting. Plus I even made up a cute song for the occasion..."I voted. I voted...and on the way I voted. My room's a mess. I lost my brush...yet on the way I voted"...true...my room is a total mess. I did lose my brush...only to find it later ;) :)

Oh, if you have a chance stop by Farmgirl Cyn's blog. If you've been following about her grandson Alex, he went home to be with Jesus today. Please pray for the entire family...a sweet baby and a very sweet family and they could really use our love and prayers today!!! Click here to read the recent post .

There are some fun craft projects which I'll be blogging about later this week. It's exciting when I can start a new project.

This is downtown Jacksonville, Oregon as seen from the passenger seat of the car ;) :) My dad and I went shopping here for a Bible. It was such a beautiful day today.
This is part of downtown Ashland, also seen from the passenger seat of the car. My dad treated me to three skeins of yarn at The Web*sters. There's a link to their store on my sidebar. You can order from them and they'll ship to your door. The ladies really know their fibres!!!

My dad and I also had breakfast at Sonic today after we put our voter ballots in the drop box. So all in all it was a really great day in general...a great day for voting, shopping...and picking up craft supplies.

That's the news from Oregon today. Love and hugs, Heather :)