Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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A Holiday Season Giveaway from 20 North Ora

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In the spirit of the season, I’m hosting a giveaway today. My pal, Judy, has generously offered to give away one of her wonderful pillows. If you don’t yet know Judy, you should. She has a very, very popular Etsy shop, 20 North Ora, and a blog with the same name.

She creates the most wonderful pillows and stockings from luscious fabrics, vintage and new. She crafts (check out her adorable bottle brush trees on wooden spools.) I’ve had my eye on that pillow in the center for a while. You know I love vintage embroidery. She sells some of her thrifting finds.There’s nothing that our Judy can’t do. Quite frankly, she has more energy in her little finger than I have in my whole body!

Not only that, Judy has the most generous of hearts. She is truly wonderful. She given me 3 out of the 4 Nisse I have in my collection:

The largest one in the center? She made it.

I rest my case.

Today, my friends, Judy is giving away this beautiful pillow:

It is 12 x 12 inches. The fabric is a reproduction of a vintage Christmas handkerchief. The back is finished in the same red and white polka dot as the cording.

Adorable. And perfect for the season.

Of course you’d like it! To enter, leave a comment on this post and tell me how you would use this in your Christmas decorating. That’s all. I’ll draw the winner’s name on Thursday, December 6th at 8:00 pm est. This giveaway is open to residents of the United States only.

By the way, Judy is having a big sale at her Etsy shop – every item, 20% off. Use the code CHRISTMASSALE2012.

Thanks so much, Judy!

Happy Tuesday.

 

Monday Morning Potpourri

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I have lots to talk about this morning – this will be one of my Potpourri Posts.

Do you see that stainless steel trash can next to the stove? We love this trashcan and paid a hefty amount for it several years ago. The lid is air tight and all you have to do to open it is lightly touch a piece of plastic at the front of the can. It’s made by OXO. We’ve had a few problems with the lid over the years. Most of it is solid stainless steel, but the edges are made of some sort of plastic. Over time, we’ve found the plastic sometimes splits, throwing off the functionality of the lid.

Each time this happened, I had visions of having to spend a lot of money for a new trash can. I wrote to OXO telling them of the problem and asked if we could just get a lid replacement, which we would be happy to pay for, hoping we could do that rather than replace the whole can. And each time, OXO has graciously FedExed a new lid to us. Three times. For free.

You read that right. For free. This company has the best customer service I have ever encountered and I wanted you to know about it. They make all sorts of things, including utensils and items for the kitchen. They are simply fantastic. So, a big hurrah for OXO!! And no, I’m not being paid for this. I just want to share some stellar customer service with you in an age where it can be sadly lacking.

Last night, we watched The Best of the Andy Williams Christmas Show on PBS.

I miss him.

I’ve always been a fan of his beautiful voice. And all those Henry Mancini songs sung by Andy Williams; Moon River, Charade, The Days of Wine and Roses, were a part of my youth and are even now on my playlist. I love them. But the Christmas specials – they were something I looked forward to every year. The extended Williams family looked so happy, so together, so free from care. Of course, as an adult, I know that it was staged for television – but I wanted to be a part of that happy glow, singing carols around a piano with everyone taking part, no Christmas day arguments, no hurt feelings. Just happy.

Watching these specials took me back in time once more. Don and I were both smiling, remembering a seemingly gentler time. Thank you, Andy Williams. It doesn’t seem possible that you are not here with us this Christmas.

If you’ve read this blog for a while, you know I have a rule about Christmas decorating. No decorations until the second week of December. This snow globe is the only thing on display here at the moment and that’s only because I never took it off display. I realize that this is a personal choice. Many of you have already started decorating. But for me, if I have decorations on display from the moment Thanksgiving ends until after the first of the year, the holiday loses its magic. I get used to seeing everything and I don’t really ‘see’ it anymore, if you know what I mean.

I see all sorts of holiday decorating linkups happening in blogland. But I almost never take part, because it would involve moving my decorating up on the calendar and I’m just not going to do that. It’s December 3rd and for me that’s too early. But I sure love seeing what everyone else is doing and I’m enjoying all the beauty around blogland. Note: Since Don is leaving in mid-December to work in California, I may move it up a few days. But only a few.

When do you decorate?

And finally:

A new scarf in the shop. I listed another one over the weekend and it sold before I could show it to you. Here are the Obsession Scarves currently available:

On the left, the Obsession Scarf in Claret. This is a rich burgundy color and it’s in silk and bamboo. Soft and silky.

Center, Obsession Scarf in Rainforest. Beautiful colors in wool and acrylic. Very soft.

Right, Obsession Scarf in Tutti Frutti. Wool and acrylic. Very soft.

There are also shawls (beautifully woven by my sister, Meredith) in the shop. And Meredith has crocheted some wonderful Granny Chic scarves which I love, love, love. Stop by for a visit.

Happy Monday.

Adventures in Flannel Pajamas

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A weekend devoted to flannel pajamas. Yes, that’s what we’ve had here at the cottage. Yesterday a very rare thing happened. Don and I stayed in our pajamas all day long. It just happened. I got obsessed with deleting lots of old emails that were clogging up my in box, so I sat in my chair in the den for hours, reading each email and hitting ‘delete.’ Before I knew it, mid-afternoon had arrived and I looked at Don, who was also still in his pajamas (not flannel), and we made the decision to wear our pajamas all day long. Oh, rest assured, we took showers and brushed our teeth, but afterwards it was right back into our pajamas.

This morning? Another adventure.

I am not a morning person. When I come downstairs in the morning, I greet Scout while thinking the whole time that I must have some coffee and walk toward the kitchen door where I let her out into the ‘dog corral’ to do her thing. This morning, I let her out, watched her walk outside and then suddenly tear off in the direction of the back corral fence. Usually when she does this, there is something (rabbit, deer, squirrel) on the other side of the fence. I quickly realized, however, that this time that ‘something’ (a squirrel) was on the inside of the fence. And Scout was chasing after him, as Mr. Squirrel frantically and unsuccessfully tried to climb up the chicken wire to freedom. I was out there in a flash in my white socks and flannel pajamas screaming at Scout to stop. Of course, she was obsessed and not at all interested in listening to me and the squirrel was more and more panicked. Finally, I was able to wrestle Scout to the muddy ground and turn her back toward the house and, amazingly, she docilely went inside. I then put my muck shoes on over my wet and muddy socks and tried to help the squirrel escape. In the meantime, Don was shouting out the  bedroom window, “What’s wrong?!?”  Perhaps he was alerted by my shrill screams? After the squirrel made many frantic attempts to run up the side of the chicken wire, I managed to steer him toward a narrow opening between the fence and the house. He squeezed through the opening and stopped for a moment trying to catch his breath. I could see the panic in his eyes, poor thing. Wanting to make sure he exited all the way out of the corral to freedom, I walked toward him and he took off like a bat out of hell.

Lord knows what the neighbors thought. Thankfully, we don’t live right on top of our neighbors, so I’m hoping this little madcap adventure went unnoticed.

And, believe me, I am fully aware of the irony that my pjs have squirrels on them.

Mr. Squirrel was safe. Scout was muddy. My socks were ruined. All three of us were exhausted. And all I could think about was that I really needed that first cup of coffee.

Have you had any madcap adventures in your flannel pajamas? Or in your nightgown or non-flannel pajamas? Please share.

I’m still catching my breath.

Happy Sunday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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