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You are here: Home / Archives for Christmas

A Solution

November 28, 2022 at 9:22 am by Claudia

We had a lot of rain starting yesterday afternoon. Today is windy, but sunny. We’re having somewhat moderate daytime temps, with highs in the mid-forties.

I went to Kohl’s and Target yesterday. Kohl’s was incredibly disappointing. I tried on several pairs of pants but they all start at the hips and not the waist. They are not made for my body. And they’re way too long – and I have long legs. But I tried! Plus, they’re fairly cheaply made, which I was fine about at this point, thinking it’s just for one night. Everything is wrinkled, as if it came out of a box that had been jammed with new stock. Sigh.

I gave up. Then I hit Target for some new makeup and mascara and some black tights. I tried their clothing, but I’ve discovered I’m a “between” – between skinny sizes and women’s plus sizes. I’m sure I could have found something better if I’d had more time, but I don’t. And I hate shopping.

So I calmly called Don and said I was headed home. No more shopping. It’s really not worth the stress. When I came home I pulled out a black knit dress that I’ve had for at least 15 years, tried it on, showed it to Don, and damn it, that’s it. Basically an A-line dress. It has short sleeves and I don’t like showing my arms, but really, at this point, who cares?

A great relief, let me tell you.

Today, we’re going to go get our tree. This is the earliest we have ever done that, but I well remember our panic last year when we drove up to the nursery and there was not a tree in sight. On December 8th. We feel the need for some pretty lights and our favorite ornaments. Like I said yesterday, we’ll get it in the stand today but with all the hoopla tomorrow and getting back home in the wee hours on Wednesday, we’ll probably decorate on Thursday. Or Friday.

Okay. Time to get a move on.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Filed Under: Christmas, Spoiler Alert 17 Comments

Mini Christmas Sweaters

November 26, 2022 at 9:31 am by Claudia

The Christmas lights for the porch have been hung. I must say, they look very pretty and festive. While I was out there, I dumped the contents of  several porch pots onto our mulch pile near the shed. It was such a pleasure moving the pots into the nicely organized potting area in the shed. What a difference from years past when I had to jam them inside each other, toss them on a pile of STUFF and hope I could find them the next spring. There’s more porch organization to go, but I can’t dump a pot in which the plant is still somewhat alive. It’s not in me. Plus, we have to fold up the Adirondack chairs and bring all the cushions inside.

Yesterday’s mini project. Reader Elaine from Ontario gave me this idea. I’m proud to say I was a bit of an enabler with Elaine and she now has two Blythes. I may be wrong about that number, Elaine, feel free to correct me. Anyway, she read about these little sweater ornaments that Target does every year. Of course, I had no idea they existed. They come on a gold hanger and they’re supposed to go on a tree. But, many people buy them for Barbies and Blythes. They’re only $3 each, This year, there is a white sweater and a gray sweater.

 Photo: Target

I knew the neck was too small to fit over a Blythe body, even the small licca body of Olivia. But they’re only $3 each, so why not experiment? I did try to fit it over Olivia’s body before I experimented, but the neck wouldn’t stretch enough. So I grabbed my embroidery scissors and snipped an opening at the back of the neck, extending about a half inch into the sweater. I used some Fray Check, but it’s really not meant for knits, so I ended up using my yarn needle and some yarn to bind the edges of the opening. It worked!

It’s not all that attractive to look at, but who the heck cares? I’m the only one who sees it and her hair covers it.

It’s a little bigger on her than it will be on her sisters as Livvy is the only one with a licca body. I love it. The hat, by the way, arrived yesterday all the way from Thailand. It was included with a dress I ordered. It seemed meant to be – perfect for this outfit and for Olivia.

The hangars are sewn in and can be easily removed.

I can’t afford to buy handmade sweaters for the girls that are holiday themed. That’s a lot of money for something I can only use once a year. This solution is perfect.

Thanks, Elaine.

Favorite line from Little Z (who is no longer little) during yesterday’s FaceTime. (He was about to go visit Santa.)

Don: Why don’t you want to see Santa?

Z: Because I’ve already seen him multiple times.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, Christmas 27 Comments

It’s Finally Monday

January 3, 2022 at 9:15 am by Claudia

Don is fetching our ornament bins from storage as I write this. Time to take down the tree.

It’s very cold here today and as I scanned the weather forecast, I noted the possibility of 3 – 5 inches of snow for Friday. That would be the first snow that wasn’t just a coating of snow/ice. We’re sort of excited.

Time to get salt.

Speaking of salt, our little hardware store closed. It has been there for years and years. The original owners were a well-known family in this community and they sold it a couple of years ago. I guess the new owner couldn’t make a go of it. We’re so sad. Now we have to drive 10 miles or more instead of the 2 miles we’re used to.

Our little town has become boring. It started with my friend Heidi closing her wonderful shop (remember, I used to work there part-time?) Now, there’s a pizzeria, an insurance agency or two, an accountant, a couple of small restaurants, and a yoga studio. No hardware, no pharmacy/drug store, no bookstore, no antique shop. It’s depressing.

Pippa helped me yesterday. She’s very bright and seems to like jigsaw puzzles, like her mom.

And the final product, finished this morning:

I always do 1000 piece puzzles and I didn’t realize until I started in on this one that I’d given Don a link for a 500 piece puzzle. Cockily, I thought I’d breeze through it. I was wrong. It was quite difficult!

Next up, the Jane Austen puzzle.

But first, taking down the decorations and then endless vacuuming because this tree is really dry.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, Christmas, jigsaw puzzles 12 Comments

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Welcome!

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

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