P.........resenting: NICO

Just in time for Valentine's Day, I noticed these darling pear "love" pincushions. Nico Designs at http://NicoDesigns.etsy.com has this set for sale as well as other unique home decor items. These even ship for free! They can double as ornaments as they have a hanging loop ribbon as well. Her shop also features other original, one of a kind items for your home and several art dolls, each of which has her own story to tell. Please take a moment to check out this etsy shop. Nico has been one of my favorite shops, dating back to the time that I first became a member of the Etsy Bloggers Team.

F.........inally Finished!

Winter is a perfect time for crafting here in Wisconsin, and this year is better than ever because our new kitchen, which includes a craft area for me, was finished on January 14, exactly three months from the day they began to dig for the addition. When one of the bloggers' carnivals asked about our winter past times, I could not resist showing off the new area. The east wall of the new room is designed to give me lots of space for card making, packaging and storing completed projects, as well as some supplies. It even doubles as a bookkeeping area for David! Already, it is a great blessing for us.

The first picture shows that wonderful new area and the second and third photos show more of the whole kitchen area. The entire back wall of the house, which ended right where the island is now, was removed and even though the addition is only about 175 square feet, the entire ground floor of the house seems so much larger and brighter. Even the cats enjoy their perch in front of a sunny, south window.

The old, tiny kitchen is now a powder room, hallway and laundry area. It is certainly the best kitchen I have ever had and I am so grateful for it. If anyone is in the area, please pop over to see us.
There probably will be more fresh baked goods than ever, and the coffee pot is always on!

R....aisin Bran Morning

"Wake up, honey; it's a Raisin Bran Morning!" I groan; not because I've been wakened from a sound sleep, not because it's 5:45 am, not even because I can hear the north wind howling, but because "Raisin Bran" is a code, a code that means, "We've had so much snow that to get down to pavement, you will need to take at least 'two scoops' with the shovel!"

So I grudgingly force myself to leave the soft, warm comforter and splash my face with cold water to prepare myself for the first task of the day...getting dressed. Complete with long underwear, heavy socks, heavy jeans and sweatshirt, I waddle down the stairs, a la The Michelin Man. There I add boots, an extra heavy jacket, my warmest hat (the one that makes me look like a character out of the pages of a Dr. Seuss book), tie a scarf around it and my neck, and pull on my warmest mittens. All set! Oops, you guessed it; I have to go to the bathroom! So almost everything has to come off and then be re donned for the occasion.

Now it's dawn and out I go with my handy, dandy shovel to do my part of the daunting task: the front porch and walk. Meanwhile, my dear husband, who was responsible for reveille this morning, is already hard at work on the back porch with his shovel, and then the long driveway with his snowblower. About an hour later, we're both back in the house ready for a huge breakfast and a nap. That's right, our "two scoop" morning, has turned into a two nap day! Isn't retirement in Wisconsin wonderful?

P.........resenting: CalKat

The fabulous Etsy Blogger of the Month is CalKat, a combination of Kathy and Carrie, makers of exquisite jewelry such as the starfish necklace shown on the right. I chose this piece as it reminds me of warm beaches and sands, especially appealing here in the cold of Wisconsin. You can find their shop at http://www.calkat.etsy.com
They use only the finest materials and offer many OOAK items such as this beauty. Right now there's even free world-wide shipping!
Please also visit their blog at http://www.ametistadea.blogspot.com where you'll find much more info about them and be able to get monthly discount codes and enter free monthly drawings. Congratulations, ladies on being the Etsy Blogger of the Month and on making such spectacular jewelry!

M.........aking progress!

Despite several weather delays (a very rainy October) and a recent blizzard), progress is being made on our addition. We estimate that it will be mostly done by Christmas, but I'm not holding my breath!
These are shots of the exterior work; interior shots will follow in the near future. The masons are shown laying the block in the first picture which also shows a very clever yellow contraption that made sure everything was level. The next picture is of the addition of sand and earth around the masonry.
The next pictures show our contractor removing bricks from the back and roughing out the walls. The final shot is of the addition from the back, ready to have the windows put in and the siding applied.

Needless to say, we continue to be very excited about this project, despite the mess we're living in. Of course that gives me an excuse not to cook or clean!

C.........hristmas in Mexico

One of the topics for the Etsy Blogger's Team monthly carnival, is Christmas in other parts of the world. I've had the privilege to spend much time in Mexico, including over the Christmas holiday, and have so enjoyed the spirit of Christmas there as well.

Christmas itself is a very holy day beginning with midnight mass followed by a large family meal. Although more and more Mexicans are exchanging gifts on Christmas, many families give their children gifts on January 6th, the day of the Three Kings, instead. To me that makes much more sense as they are commemorating the traditional day that the Magi presented the first "Christmas Presents" to the Christ Child.

Their are many other festivities around Christmas such as the Posadas that celebrate the nine days it took Mary and Joseph to travel to Bethlehem. So, it seems that Christmas runs for almost a month!

Perhaps your family would like to celebrate the holidays with a pinata, such as the very clever lollipop that I found here on Etsy by Birchangel. Search "pinatas" here on Etsy to enjoy many others...it was hard to choose one!

Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo!

T.........reasury Queen

This weekend, 11 of my fellow Etsy Bloggers Team and I were lucky enough to be featured by the true Etsy Treasury Queen, Vicki Diane, in one of her famous "Exposed Treasuries". To the right you will see our pictures, most of us with an item we have for sale in our Etsy Shops. If you need any information about Etsy, the premier site for handmade goods, please ask!

The true credit goes to Vicki Diane herself and if you have not visited her shop, you're in for a treat. Her striking jewelry is equaled only by her more striking personality and her delightful sense of humor. Please take a moment to enjoy http://vickidianedesigns.etsy.com