2012 Week 1

January 1, 2012
1. Finished the Santa Suits, finished snowman jars, finished painting hutch and put the doors back on.

Haha, looking a little bare now that the Christmas decor is gone. That will change but the doors are back on so hopefully the dusting will be less. Still need knobs.
2.New Project -  Made some sleds just for fun.

The one laying down is not quite dry. I tried the vinegar thing to make it all look old and gray. It worked. Stinks a bit when you are doing it though.

 3. Sorted through a few boxes of stuff in the spare bedroom. I cleaned the whole stupid basement and that should count as about six months of organization and declutter. By the time I was done I felt like I had been hit repeatedly with a baseball bat. We used to burn wood so I broke up all the old pallets with a sledge hammer and threw them out to be burned. I bleached the floor to kill any mold under them. What a job. When you burn wood and do woodworking it can create quite a mess. Oh course my dad used to collect lumber as a hobby I believe, I even sorted through all of that. There must be 1000 board feet of lumber down there. All sizes and types. It was a lot of work but a great feeling when it was done. Even when I got done working down there tonight I vacuumed and put away all the stuff I was using so that it will stay clean. May not last but I can try.
So I made it through week 1 of my 2012 goals. If this keeps up for the whole 52 weeks I won't have anything to do next year lol.
I hope your New Year is starting out great too.
Kat

YEAH RIGHT!

A few weeks ago I made a post about the number of totes I should have lol. Yeah right. I am packing up Christmas, four totes went up already.
1. large tote for wrapping paper, cards, and hmmm forgot.
2. Large tote for ornaments for traditional tree.
3. Lights, garland, wood creations
4. Signs, pictures, more creations.
5. Prim tree decorations, prim fabric decor, bells.
6. More just stuff, oh and it takes almost a tote for my willow tree nativity set
7. Odds and ends that didn't make it to other totes.
Well the tree bag had to go too. I did however weed through a lot of things to take away. I will do more later. Every year I make or get more and if I only keep what I love, I can narrow it down to 8 large totes. Sounds close to me. What do you think? I can compromise well huh.
Kat

HAPPY NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012. I HAVE SUCH A GOOD FEELING ABOUT THIS YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST OF HEALTH AND HAPPINESS.
KAT

Samantha's Accessories New Year Giveaway

Samantha is having a wonderful giveaway. It it ends tonight at midnight. She is starting a new business/ expanding her current business. She will still be making her amazing aprons but she is going to concentrate on tarts and scents. Her tarts look good enough to eat. You can check them out here. You can sign up for her very generous giveaway at the same link.

Check it out!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kat

December 28th in Northern Maine

This has been the weirdest year for weather. Today it was 48 degrees and raining. I can't believe how nice it was. I cleaned up my front porch and am so glad I got to do that. However tonight the wind howled and the temp has dropped to 7. Seven degrees? Seriously it is an icy mess out there.

Just a little bit of water out there.
I finished my doors for my hutch and put the windows in. I put them back on as it was easier than trying to putty the holes from the hinges and storing the doors. I actually really like it, especially with the clear glass.

Now just to find the perfect new hardware.

Oh and last but so not the least I got a wonderful present in the mail. My dear friend Patti from Raspberry Lane Primitives sent me a Christmas box full of such great things. OH and she added Sweet Annie. Lots of it. The lady at the post office was bringing it to me and I could smell it coming. I LOVE the smell of that stuff.

The grungy candle, The gingerbread man, the ornament in front of the candle, The tall candle (which is actually made out of fabric), and the snowman with his bundle of candy canes and sweet annie. it is all just amazing. Thank you so much Patti. Oh and there was also some sweet annie seeds and egg gourd seeds. I hope I can get them to grow this year. Not sure our growing season is long enough. ARRGGG

I am sure there is so much more that I am forgetting but there is always tomorrow. I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and that the New Year is your best one yet.
Kat

The best Mom in the World

Well my dear Mom has never got back to her normal self, pre-great escape era.

I have decided to move her to a different place. They moved her downstairs to full nursing home level and I am just not happy with the care down there. I won't go into details but the new place is only about 8 minutes away and I go to Caribou at least 3-4 times a week. So I will be able to see her way more often. Where she is now is about a half hour away. My dad is in the VA home as well so it would be so much better for all.

She was so happy to see her handsome grandson. He is home from college for the month and I am so enjoying his company. She doesn't always remember what everyone's name is but when I asked her who he was she looked at me like I had lost my mind and said, "Well that's Ryan." Like I was stupid or something lol.

She has had such a hard life and deserves to have great care. I wish I could care for her here at my home but she wouldn't be safe. 

I love you MOM.

Kat

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

Christmas is rapidly approaching. I love this time of year. I am pretty much ready. I have decorated as much as I am going to. Not as much as I wanted but enough. My son is home and I am so enjoying having him here. I still want to do some baking. I have all my gifts wrapped and ready to go as well.
Got a new pellet stove and that is installed and working great. Has got to be cheaper than fuel to heat this big ole farmhouse. We had a woodstove but that was just tooooo much work. (see previous post).
SOOOOOO I finally did it. I was setting there eating supper and thought, "hmmm if I go and get the paint and just put a little bit on there will be no turning back". So off I went to the basement and got the black paint. One little bit lead to more.

BEFORE

AFTER

Now that I have it almost done....no going back...I LOVE IT. I still need to find the hardware I want to use and do something about the top doors. Change the glass. Not sure yet but I have them by the front door to take tomorrow to see about new glass. Maybe I will just leave them off. What do you think? Think I should just leave the top doors off? hmmm.

My primitive Christmas tree

There is a story behind this sad looking plant. I don't want anyone to think I am weirder than I am so that might have to be a story for a much later time.

On top of my tree.

hahaha sideways again

Just a few Christmas shots. I have a big tree in my living room I have to take a picture of. It is nothing great or fancy. In fact I bought it when I was pregnant for my almost 21 year old son. It was black Friday and I was 21 months pregnant (or at least felt like it). We had just moved back to the states. Every year I am told we need to get a new one. However this one is just fine to me. It is tradition. It is still pretty to me. Just a few less needles. I keep thinking that once my son has a place of his own I will just use my prim tree and he can have this one if he wants it lol. This is the one that has the ornaments that you save through the years. The ones people give you, the ones that all have a memory attached. It makes me smile just to decorate it and that is the whole purpose if you ask me.

Not a great picture, but I just took one real quick. Oops some wrapping still to do.

Well it is late and I have to work two more days and then I will be on vacation until the new year. I can't wait.
I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas season. I hope you are making some wonderful memories with the ones you love. God Bless everyone and Merry Christmas.
Kat