Notes from A Cottage Industry

A revelation about New Year's eve, (And about me) a word for the 2011, and a giveaway.

Okay, so since sharing my post about New Year's eve celebrations and all that I thought it stood for, I have come to realize that I am in a rather..um...small crowd. I asked my best buddy down at Camas Antiques what he and his partner would be doing to usher in the fabulous new year, to which he replied, "Nothing. I mean, we keep it low key. It's not a big deal."

I then asked another single-gal-pal from the antique mall what her plans were. She had no idea. Probably early to bed after dinner with some family.

Finally, I asked my daughter yesterday morning what she would be doing, (You know, since she has a semi-new beau and all, I was sure they'd be doing something absolutely inspired.) and she informed me that she was working all day, so no plans had been made. She did say she planned to most likely watch the ball drop in Time Square. (I didn't ask if she'd be watching it on eastern, or pacific time.)

Hmmmm.

So.

Apparently I am in the minority in thinking of New Years Eve as a you've-got-to-whoop-it-up-till-the-stroke-of-twelve-and-see-what-changes-happen-in-your-life kind of girl. That got me thinking.

A lot.

Why do I have this concept? One of my biggest little city friends pointed out that whooping things up if they even remotely resembled a holiday or event was all I had known for three plus decades. She pointed out that I had been married to, as she called him, "The Party King".

Really? 

Oh. My. Ga. 

I thought about it for a moment. She was right. When I was married, any occasion was a potential party opportunity. Mmm hmm. My ex-husband liked to entertain and so did I, so consequently, everything was a party. Birthdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas of course, but also things like the-daughters-are-coming-home-from-college-for-the-weekend, or...we're-going-on-vacation-and-taking-the-kids-friends-with-us-so-we-all-need-matching-custom-made-Spring-Break-2003-bags-to-carry-our-stuff...heck, we once even hosted an elaborate formal brunch (with printed invitations!) for a group of my girl friends after a yard saling excursion one morning. No lie.

Consequently, New Years Eve is...or was, in my mind...forever a confetti and champagne event. Now, I am not saying I was wrong, I am simply saying that I had yet another light bulb moment this week. I now think that while the new year is cause for thinking about the nice clean slate and the possibilities for good things to happen, it doesn't have to be an over-the-top event, unless you want it to be.

With this being said, I read a blog post this week that really got me thinking...and inspired me. Kim shared her concept, like a lot of other people do as well, of having a word of the year, and she even shared some ideas for how to find your word.

I thought it would be really fun to hear what your word for 2011 will be, so here's the deal, in three easy steps-

1. comment on this post before next Tuesday, January 4th at midnight, sharing the word you've chosen, and why.

2. Wednesday morning I will draw one comment and pick a winner.

3. The winner will get a custom banner sent to them in their inbox of their word for the year.

so...as I was saying....I liked the idea of a word for the year, and I decided to pick one. After not more than two minutes I knew what my word would be for 2011, as it was the exact thing I have been working on developing for all of 2010. (Some of my closest friends already know what this word must be and are chanting the word aloud right now...)

Anyway.

Since there are no real rules for this, I figure I can use the same word two years in a row, right?

Right.

Wanna know what my word was (without formally calling it my word for 2010..)...and will be?

.

.

.

.

.

.

BALANCE.

Balance between work and play, between sleep and activities, between time with friends and family, and time with myself.

As I said above,those of you out there that know me really well, know that I have been searching for this all year, since I am rather...manic?...spastic?...obsessed?...er...Enthusiastic? (There, now that sounds more positive) and not terribly laid back when I do not know the entire plan for things in my life.(This being said, I am actually very laid back when plans change most of the time and go with the flow on things for the most part...I just initially like to know a loose game plan, and where I stand,if that makes any sense at all.)

I go all out for any new job, or creative endeavor, but then, I am easily sidetracked. (I know you're not shocked.) I seem to get carried away with one thing and forget another. Likewise, I get involved in a project and stay up far too late into the night working on it, like a crazy woman.

Yeah, so...Balance.

That's my word, and that's what I am gonna strive for.

(Now, pick your word, and enter my giveaway!)

If life were fair, we'd all look like Ali MacGraw.

(Ali MacGraw this past winter, near her home outside Santa Fe, New Mexico. Photograph by Annie Leibovitz)

I have to share something that has been on my mind for several days now.

First off, let me say that all of you people out there under the age of..oh, let's say 30, probably have no concept of who Ali MacGraw even is. (She was in a little 70's film called "Love story" with Ryan Oneal among other things...) I guess this post is pretty much geared for those gals in my own peer group and older, but you younger girls just wait. You will be able to identify at some point in time.

Life isn't fair.

Nope. Not at all.

See, its all about the gene pool. Here's how I know. Let's look at two celebrities... Ali MacGraw and Betty White.
Betty is 88, Ali is 72. Yes, I did say seventy two.

Here, let me say that one. More. Time.

Seventy. Two.

Now, both of these celebs have had the same opportunities for all of the plastic surgeries and botox and whatever in life, (And Ali shared on Oprah that she hadn't done any surery other than her neck years ago...) so this is why I say it's at least partially about genetics.

I love dear Betty as much as the rest of America, but, she looks like she's a gal in her 80's. (I mean that in a really, really good way, and it's part of what makes Betty so endearing to us all.) She looks like a sweet lil' Nana, right? And Ali..well, Ali looks like she isn't old enough to be getting her first letter from AARP yet, which happens, for those of you too young to know...at the age of 49.

That's how I know that it has to be the gene pool.

Earlier this month I was home from the bank on a totally random day and time, and I turned on my television. I caught the Oprah show in progress. I was on the phone at the time with one of my besties from the biggest little city.

We both had the show on and began critiquing Ms. McGraw's appearance like completely catty women will do. (Oh come on, you know you've done this before, right? Mercilessly critiqued a celeb like you're the head of the Fashion Police?) I pointed out that while she was still a beauty, she needed to soften up the harsh straight lines of her hairdo (apparently I consider myself some sort of a hair-do officienado...) and my friend whole hearted-ly agreed, pointing out that some curls around her face would be a nice look that would add some youthfulness to Ali's looks. (Oh ya, another hair-do expert heard from..) Bla-bla-bla. Yada yada yada. We went on and on and on and...

"Oh my gosh!", my friend suddenly shrieked into the phone."Did you catch that?!"

"No."

"Ali McGraw is 72."

Un. Be. Lievable.

I gasped. I was only being catty about her hair 'coz I thought she was...I don't know...like, maybe 51, and could use some hair-style tips.(God knows why I thought this, but I did, I truly did.) There was a very long silence on the phone as we both took in and processed exactly what this meant.

Ali was very nearly our mothers ages, yet she looked younger than..us. It has to be that danged gene pool.

We all seem to get our traits and features (And I don't mean just our looks, but our mannerisms and temperaments as well...) from our relatives, and I can tell you exactly where...er...who I got the bulk of mine from. My Grandma on my Dad's side.

Mmmm hmmm. My adorable, kind of Opie-Taylor's-Aunt-Bea-like grandma Bernice, who always went by Bernie, except for my Grandfather, Harold, who fondly called her "Mama" .

Did I get the gene for Grandma Bernie's impeccable flair for neatness, and keeping a house so clean you could eat off the floor, or her ability to control herself in the dishware department by only having only eight place settings of Fiesta-ware in her kitchen?

Noooooooo.

You might think I am exaggerating, but I will tell you that what I did get was Grandma's ample bootie, her soft upper arms, her rather saggy chin and neck, and her bigger-than-life-itself-ever-growing earlobes.

Trust me here, you'll never see me sporting an impish super short hair cut, nor will you see me with my hair pulled up away from my face. My earlobes are safely hiden under my do, and you'll just have to believe me when I tell you that they are each as large as a tostito chip. (Okay, maybe not quite that large, but close enough that I could potentially be on the pages of National Geographic.)

Yup, that's what the gene pool doled out to me in the womb. Now, don't get me wrong, I am okay with my appearance, such as it is. (I do the best I can with what I've got..) I don't think I need counseling for a bad body image or anything like that, I'm just sayin'.

It bears repeating...if life were fair, we'd all look like Ali MacGraw.

Two years old.

**Gramma brag post**

It's been a while, December 24th is not only Christmas eve in my family, but also my first born grandson's birthday. (Oh. My. Gawd. Wasn't it just three weeks or so ago that we had his first birthday party?) He turned two this past Friday and we celebrated with a Handy Manny themed celebration.

Carter's Mama outdid herself on the cupcakes and the adorable Handy Manny cookies!!!!!

What?! You want to see a few more pictures of the birthday boy? Well, if you insist....

Where does the time go?! I could have sworn his Mama was wee small just a couple of years ago.

 

Welcoming Twenty-eleven on in, (with all of it's hope and promise) in vintage style.

 Are you a fan of New Year's Eve celebrating? I am. Big time.

Now, I don't necessary mean whooping it up at a loud giant party, but more the concept of celebrating the possibilities that every new year carries, and sharing it with someone special. I know we can (and should) look at every day as a fresh new start, but there is something just so inspiring to me about the start of a new year, all brand new and clean, with no mistakes in yet...the opportunity to make a list of resolutions, no matter how outlandish, (and whether I am able to keep them or not is of no importance in the end) it seems that anything is possible.

Everything is possible.

When I was a young married girl, we would spend our New Year's Eves out and about, at a crowded bar or concert, with hoots and hollers and horns and whistles going off at midnight. As the years passed, we began spending out New Year's Eves with a smaller crowd, out to dinner. Later still, we enjoyed quiet candlelit dinners by the fire, sharing our resolutions and hopes, and welcoming in the fresh new year with Dick Clark while sharing a new year's kiss. (and doing this on Eastern time, so we could go to bed at 10:00!)

After becoming suddenly single, I spent a couple of new year's eves with a very close, also suddenly single girl-pal, at my cottage on Norman Drive, sharing our resolutions and plans for the upcoming year with dinner and champagne...and Dick Clark. No new year's kiss, but still the wildly romantic notion of all the good things that the upcoming year could hold.

Last year I welcomed in the new decade (and shared my New Year's kiss) with my Pacific Northwest Baby-love (who was asleep by 6:00 pm)...and Dick Clark. (Ya gotta love that man. He just keeps going...)

While I am still not quite sure what the exact plans are for this New Year's Eve, or if Dick Clark (Or Ryan Seacrest, for that matter) will even be involved, I am once again ever hopeful for the new year and all it might bring to me. I'm mentally making my resolutions lists and...this just might be my year to get to share another New Year's kiss.

Anyway.

Enough about my personal history of New Year's celebrations over the decades and my loose plans for this year. Thinking about all of this inspired me to whip out a new lil' banner kit.

Mmmm hmmm, just in time for New Years, and not a minute too soon, I made an e-kit that will work famously for this coming new year, and next year too.(All you'll need to do is print a second "2" instead of a second "1" for 2012.) I printed mine on manilla folder paper (I cut some manilla folders to be the right size for my printer) but scrapbook paper, sheet music, or old dictionary pages work just as well.

The really nice part is that the kit arrives as a PDF in your inbox, and it takes only minutes to print, cut, and string together...a perfect hostess gift for a New Years Eve party, or just to spruce up your own home-sweet-home for the occasion.

Cost: $5.00

Not-your-ordinary-cupcakes...

I shared the recipe for making fire-starters a long way back, but I thought I'd re-share it one more time, as my daughter and I spent an afternoon making a huge batch of them to give out to friends with wood burning fireplaces this Christmas.

It's the perfect use for your candle stubs, whether they are old tapers, or pillars that have burned down. I save my old candles in a drawer, and once a year I melt them down to make these great little treats. Here's what you'll need to make them:

Old candles (or a few pillars from the dollar store)

A bag of shredded cedar chips from the pet department at the grocery store or WalMart

An old pot that you don't plan on cooking in ever again*

An old muffin tim or two*

An old cup, a ladle, or disposable cups to scoop the heated wax out of the pot*

Cupcake liners

Newspaper, old paper bags, or a towel to protect your work area from any dripped wax

*You can easily get the cup or ladle, pot and muffin tin at any thrift store if you don't have one handy at home.

Once you've gathered the supplies, simply fill the cupcake liners inside the cupcake pans with the shredded cedar chips... ...while heating the candles in the pot on top of the stove on medium until melted... Pour melted wax over the chips...go easy here. A little goes a long way. The idea is to add enough melted wax to make the cedar chips stay in the liner, but not to saturate it too much or they will stick to the cupcake pan. Once you've done this part, pop the tray in the freezer for about ten minutes to set the wax. Remove from the pan and repeat until you've used up your wax.
These work amazingly well for starting a fire in your fireplace or wood burning stove, and are so much easier than messing with precariously placed stacks of kindling. They make wonderful winter-time hostess gifts and it's a good use of your old candles, so why not try making some of these yourself?

Peacock Lane.

Oh yes, it's another way-cool thing about PTown.

Peacock Lane is a street over in North East Portland that is all aglow for the Christmas season each year, from mid December through New Years Eve.

Oh. My. Ga.

We meandered over to see this incredible spectacle on the eve of Christmas eve. The entire area was packed with people, to put it mildly. You can drive through, but most folks park on a side street and walk the lane, which is what we did. (Seriously, there were thousands of people there!) We walked at a snails pace, which was fine, 'coz you didn't want to miss anything.

It was a perfect night, with clear skies and just cold enough to remind you that winter is here. You could smell fires burning in fireplaces, carolers were singing Christmas songs in front of many of the homes, and there was even a hot cocoa stand. (Very Stars Hollow-esque!) All the houses on Peacock Lane are old, built in the very steep pitched roof cottage style, so it was love at first sight for me. (Be still my beating heart. I so long to someday live in a sweet lil' old cottage with one of those charming high pitched roofs and an adorable shaped front door, in Stars Hollow Camas, or Portland.....Oh, a girl can dream, you know?) Each charming home was done in up in lights and decorations beyond my wildest dreams.
Here was my most favorite decorated home...notice how they painstakenly placed the Grinch (Or is that one of the Who's from Whoville? I thought the Grinch was green...? Whatever...er..whoever.) to cast his shadow on the front of the house? Ya gotta love that. I know, I know. Lots of communities have neighborhoods decked out in lights, but the added fun of a walking tour, at night, bundled up in mittens and coats, strolling with people you love, accompanied by the backdrop of carolers and cocoa...well, I tell you, Portland just has a way of taking the ordinary and doing it up bigger...and better. So much danged fun.

Oh, on a slightly different note, but still in keeping with this year's holidays... here's one more bit of past-this-Christmas-but-not-too-late-to-enjoy-it stuff. The Sewing Queen of Northern Nevada sent me this link and I thought it was so cool I wanted to share it. (Oh, the things you can do with an Apple product!)

North Point's iBand from North Point Web on Vimeo.

Santa was in da house!

 
Mmm hmmm, oh yeah. The big guy himself.

This year we had a couple of extra friends joining in our family Christmas gathering, and we were oh-so-busy celebrating when there was a loud knock at the door....and who should appear...but Mr. S. Claus himself! He must have been on eastern time when he arrived in Vancouver, Washington on Christmas eve, 'coz he came early enough for all of us everyone except my best rock n' roll friend to catch him in the act of dropping off a sack of presents!

He arrived with his bag of toys and treats for a very good little boy (who was also celebrating his second birthday!)...

....Carter was happy to show Santa his new Elmo pajamas (from his Gramma Cupcake)... ....Now, for those of you have never had the priveledge of actually seeing Santa doing his job, let me just say that it was a complete and total treat that made my Christmas. (It was a treat for the entire crowd!!) As I said, before...sadly, my best rock n' roll friend missed Santa's visit entirely, as he arrived just after Santa left...(wink, wink, nudge, nudge.)
...*Sigh* I think I have a big fat crush on Santa.

Merry, merry Christmas, twenty-ten!

I have lots to share (hopefully later this evening as things wind down around my lil' place) from this week...a trip to Peacock Lane, a Handy Manny Birthday, some most unusual cupcakes, and last but most certainly not least, a visit from Santa Claus himself,(See him in the photo up above??) but I just wanted to pop in this morning and say Happy Christmas! I hope you are enjoying a wonderful day filled with happiness, laughter, and those you love.

 

Four days and counting....

...till Christmas! (Three if you celebrate on Christmas Eve, like my family does...)

My posts might be just a wee bit sparse this week, as I'm a busy lil' bee, working on wrapping Christmas presents, baking, fluffing my booth space at Camas Antiques, and...unpacking. (Okay, notsomuch on the unpacking this week, now that I can find all of my shoes. I seem to be avoiding that workroom office...)

So much easier said than done.

We interrupt this holiday season for a little unpacking update.

And organizing.

And venting.

Why is that the seemingly easiest jobs always turn out to be the most time consuming and frustrating? Please, tell me I am not alone in this one, people.

Case in point...you know by now that I am in the process of unpacking from the third big move in eleven months. (And yes, I am taking quite a long while to accomplish it this go-round.)

Anyway.

I decided that it was time I tackled the closet in my master bedroom. I had my clothes already hung in the closet, yes, but the floor was a higher-than-knee-deep virtual sea of shoes, slippers, purses, boxes and bags and wicker baskets full of girlie unmentionables. Ridiculous.

I had moved the lil' dresser from my last place's living room (remember it here?) to my bedroom, since A, I no longer have the giant closet I shared here to hold all of my shoes stuff, and B, I thought this lil' dresser would work great as a  TV holder in my bedroom, if I ever do decide to cut loose with the cash to put a television in my bedroom. In the meantime, this dresser is working out fabulously as a night table by my bed.

I emptied the closet floor and began organising, putting my shoes back in the closet in a nice color coordinated row around the baseboard so I could now find them with ease. All was going all well until I was ready to move all of the girlie unmentionable items from the bed, (where I had moved them from the closet floor) to the dresser.

Not one, but two of the drawers on the old dresser had decided to not open. Mmmm hmm. It was like they had been glued shut. I figured this was but a momentary setback, and I ran to the kitchen to get my tools.

Now, like a lot of women (I am totally guessing here...I really only know this is what I do...) use the preferred universal-tool-of-America, the butter knife. As a back up, (and being sure I wouldn't need to use it anyway) also grabbed my Cutco spreader knife (not sure what the correct name is for this little baby, but that's what I call it) and headed back to the dresser in the bedroom.

I slid the butter knife in between the stuck drawer and the dresser frame. That is, I attempted to slide it in. It seemed that the wood had swelled up at some point over the past few weeks, and it wasn't budging. I tried the Cutco spreader without much success either. At last, the bottom drawer somehow, inch by inch, came open.

I smiled. One more drawer to go and I would be home free, back on track with my unpacking and organizing project.

I ran back to the kitchen and grabbed a screwdriver. No, there were no screws involved in this job, but it seemed like a a good idea at the time. Frustrated, (and trying desperately to remember what all was in the top drawer anyway, and wondering how badly I would really miss whatever was inside it if I never did get the drawer open) I used the screwdriver in the same way as I had been using the two previous tools, and....

...In hindsight, it wasn't such a good idea....(Thank God pretty much all of my home furnishings are junk vintage treasures that look even better when beat up and weathered.)

By this point I was at my I've-moved-too-many-times-and-I-just-wanna-put-my-panties-away-for-gosh-sakes-I'm-so-over-it-already wits end. I left the room and took a break.

When I came back into the room I casually approached the dresser and tugged on the two top drawer pulls. The drawer miraculously slid open without any hesitation. I couldn't decide if I was thrilled with this new development, or if I should leave the top drawer empty for fear of the possibility of losing  whatever items I might put inside this drawer, if it were to stick again.

In the end, I emptied the drawer (it was full of my favorite fancy flatware, as it turned out!) and I put my pajamas in that top drawer. (Now, I just have to sand and soap the drawer edges before I close it up to ensure that I won't have this little problem again.) My bedroom closet and dresser are now fully organized and I am feeling proud of my progress.

Next project to organize...my office workroom!

 

 

This little light of mine.

My sweet friend Miss Char shared this on her blog a short while back and I loved it so very much that I had to share it with you, so you can feel warm and fuzzy too, this Christmas season.

 

Christmas is coming....

...and you sure can feel the Christmas spirit at my daughter and son-in-law's home! I took my camera with me one day earlier this week and snapped a few shots to share with you.
Looking back toward the front door, I love looking at these two giant flannel stockings (discovered at Monticello!)hung from the wall sconces... ...and you might remember this banner from Monticello's as well. It found it's way to the kitchen window, where it will welcome everyone through the season... Not my best photo, but the dining room is my favorite part of their home, with it's wonderful big windows and hardwood floors. The wreaths add such a festive touch! ...Oh! Did you notice the adorable "time out" chair? Not that any little man I know ever needs to be in time out, but it's a cute touch anyway. (Carter's Mama added the words to the vintage twin headboard turned-chair (found at Camas Antiques a while back) by using her Silhouette tool, 'natch!)

Oh yes, Christmas is most definitely on it's way.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Can you guess which front porch is mine? Can you? Can you?.....Can you, huh?

Cozy-New-Home-Tour little details...

Before we head upstairs to see the other rooms of my new place, I thought I'd share this post with a few shots of some of the little details around here...Moose poses as I shoot he gallery of vintage family photos in the entry hall... ...to the left side of the entryway, just inside the front door, where I have a mirror, and one pair of my rainboots...

...and here is the really bad picture (Sorry 'bout that danged glare) of the landing near the top of the stairs.. (I'll be hanging family pictures going up the stairs on the left side wall eventally...)
The half bath (The water closet? The loo? The privy?) on the main floor...(Again, cozy in size, and the vanity doubles as kitchen storage overflow, housing my hardly-ever-used coffee maker and some cake pedestals, along with the extra rolls of Charmin...)
I re-purposed a small pewter plate stand to hold stoneware bowls of bathroom toiletries... ...and an apothecary jar of potpourri...
A lil' holiday spirit on the pony wall between the living room and dining area...

Mmmm hmmm....lot's of little spots around here are beginning to make it all feel like home to me.

 

 

It's not what's on the table, but who's in the chairs.

No, I'm still not really unpacked. I mean, at a glance it appears so, but the garage is still full of boxes, and my toaster is missing in action. My office workroom looks like a storage unit.

No matter. I closed the office door, and decided that I was ready to entertain guests.

Mmm hmmm. I realized that since my move to the Pacific Northwest, I haven't hosted an actual dinner party for friends, if you can believe that. I've had one person over at a time, yes, but never more than that since moving up here. Last night five of us gathered around my little round dining table in my cozy dining room, and surprisingly, we all fit just fine!

We had a very simple meal- chili with all the toppings, and cornbread, while we talked and laughed nonstop. It made me realize just how much I miss entertaining friends. I am now anxious to do it again, and think I will add this to my list of New Years Resolutions. (You know, I am wild about the fresh start of a new year and all the possibilities it brings...)

It just goes to show you, it isn't at all about the size of your home, or if the chairs all match. It matters not how how fancy the meal is. It's about people, and friendship. I am feeling extra blessed today, knowing that here in my new little home, I have a circle of friends to share my heart with.

Decking the halls...and the Cozy-New-Home-Tour, part 4...the dining room.

My dining room in my newest home is very teeny-tiny like the rest of my place, but so warm and welcoming, I think...perfect for intimate little breakfasts for Moose and me, as well as little dinner soirees with friends. (It is so teeny-tiny in fact, that I had trouble capturing the entire space in my photos, because I couldn't stand back far enough, even by standing in the half bath, as evidenced on the left hand side of this photo, where you see part of the half bath door...) Two new-to-me thrifted cane back dining chairs were a perfect fit. I painted them black and recovered the cushions. Toss pillows add a cozy touch that softens the look.

I felt like my old black hutch was just too cumbersome for the space, so I opted to put it in the living room (as shown in my other post) and decided to place my old shabby sofa table on the back wall, with a large mirror to reflect things (and make it feel ever so slightly larger...) and I can decorate the table with seasonal items. I want to hang a vintage French door sideways above the nine foot wide pony wall dividing the living room from the dining room, so I am on the lookout for one now. (Whatcha' think of that idea? Can you visualize it?) I think that will separate the two spaces better, while letting the limited natural light I have come through. (I'll be sure to share pictures once I find the perfect door or window) Oh, and please ignore the grotesque hanging light fixture. It will (hopefully) soon be a distant memory. I will store it in the garage in the event that I were ever to move again. Speaking of lighting, did you notice the fabulous old coffee urn lamp? You might remember it from a previous blog post...I bought it from my best buddy at Camas Antiques!

One thing I do love about my dining space is the fact that I can totally change things up seasonally or by color, simply by changing out my table linens and accessories. For now I am going with my old standard black and white toile and checks. I'm pretty happy with the dining room outcome. Now that I think about it, I think this is my favorite dining space ever, second only to my kitchen nook on good ol' Norman Drive.

One more thing to love about PTown.

I am not sure if any other big cities have amazingly hip old dinner-movie houses like Portland does, but I wanted to share what I think is one of the coolest ways to see a movie. Last night my best Rock n' Roll friendie invited me to go to the Bagdad Theater and it. was. a. blast.

Now, the Bagdad is one of the many McMinamin reastaurant-microbreweries-bar-hotel-movie places up here all over the Pacific Northwest. I had been to the Bagdad before for a microbrew, and for some odd reason didn't notice from the outside that it was also an old movie theater. (I'm oblivious like that, you know.)

They play slightly older (or sometimes really old classics) movies certain nights of the week (and they run Mommy Movie Matinees too!) and you can enjoy a meal, or just a great micro-brew while you're enjoying your movie.

The theater itself was incredible. Old, and full of architectural details, with huge old lights and a bricked ceiling in the theater itself...so fabulous.
Oh, and they have plush sofas and comfy chairs to sit in if you'd prefer them over a theater fold-down chair. (So cozy and comfy...and so much more date-like than typical movie houses.) The theater was so large that it had a balcony, and of course, that is where we chose to sit.

Too.

Much.

Fun.

Seriously, who knew that for just six bucks a couple you could have such a good time??? (Okay, the pitcher of raspberry beer was an extra $12 but that still is a steal of a deal!)

 

A guest post on the Where Women Create Blog...a Christmas tradition.

I am very happy to share a link with you today. I was asked to share a Christams tradition from my family over on the Where Women Create Blog. I am sharing one of my Christams-past favorite memories, that takes me back to a very sweet part of my life as a young mother at the merriest time of the year. Check it out right here.

Thank you Paige, and everyone at Where Women Create for inviting me to share. You rekindled some very fond memories!

**Edited to add** I forgot to add to my story that once my daughters entered college we began going to the Annual Christmas Tea at the Heathman Hotel here in our beloved Portland, and that has been a wonderful new twist on our tradition!**

Revisited: Decking the halls...and the Cozy-New-Home-Tour (part 2A)...the itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny kitchen.

I know, I know.

I know I just shared pictures of my new little kitchen, but after living with it for a few more days, I decided it needed a bit of cheery-ing up this year. While I adore the pale Robins egg blue and cream colors, I realized that I wanted a pop of color. My number one daughter added red to her holiday decor this year, and I thought that might be just the thing to bring some punch to my holiday decorating as well, so....

I added a few pieces of red polka dot and gingham ribbons here and there, as well as some cotton dishtowels, and...voila'! Lots more energy and a bigger feeling of Christmas in my cozy lil' place, don'tcha think?

Decking the halls...and the Cozy-New-Home-Tour, part 3...the livingroom.

First off, thank you all so very very much for all of the heartfelt birthday wishes and comments yesterday here on my blog and on FaceBook!!! I had an amazing birthday and am enjoying the start of my new year! Now, I'd like to share the next room on my Cozy-New-Home-Tour...my Living room. Like the rest of my new home, it's petite. Cozy, really. The pictures above show the view as you enter the room, and behind the sofa. As you can see, I moved most of my mirror collection. (All that would fit, at any rate)

I ended up taking the doors off of my antique armoire and using it to hold my TV, which seems to be working out quite nicely (Although I still need to move the cords on my iPod docking station and speakers to the back, so please ignore the cords in this picture)

Over the pony wall you can see a tiny bit of my dining room. I know the pictures make it hard to visualize the exact size and space I have here, but it's extra hard to capture an entire room when space is so limited!!!

I ended up putting my Christmas tree behind the sofa, (all decorted, but haven't put the tree topper on it yet.) but you still can see it from the dining room and living room, so I am happy with the way things turned out here.

The good, the bad, and the ugly of being fifty something.

Do you know what day today is?

Well, for starters, it's Pearl Harbor Day, but that's not the topic for my post.

 Besides being Pearl Harbor Day, today is also the day I was born, four years more than half a century ago.

Wow. Just typing that makes me realize that I am making it sound like I feel kind of...old, which is certainly not how I feel. It's just that I remember a time when 30 sounded incredibly old, you know? Now, I have a child that's 30 years old.

Anyway.

I had a point I was going with in this post and now I cannot remember for the life of me what it was.(Oh. My. Gawd. I hate that part of being fifty-something.)

Oh yes, that's where I was. Fifty-something. (And holding.)

Now, if you're still in your forties, you'll vaguely get this, and if you're in your thirties you most likely won't really be able to relate..and..if you're still in your twenties, I won't expect you to grasp a single word in this  blog post. (Now, if you're fifty-plus, you'll nod in agreement as you read this, and then want to share it with a friend later today, but you won't be able to remember who's blog you read it on)

This being said, I think fifty four years old is just a hair past middle aged these days, if you ask me. (I think that I have mentioned before that I plan to live to be 104, so...do the math. See? Fifty-four is just a hair past middle aged, if my calculations are correct.) And, we half-century aged kids are at the stage where we can really enjoy life, because we are young enough to live active lives, and old enough to "get" what really matters in life. We still know how to go out and have a great time. (it just takes us a little longer to completely recover from a good time.)

I was thinking about this last night, it being the eve of my almost-can't-hardly-deny-I'm-in-my-mid-fifties birthday, and the fact that I had just had a very busy (and fun!) weekend. It began with the Bret Michael's concert Friday night, as well as an action-filled college-rivalry football party Saturday, (The Ducks and the Beavers 114th Annual Civil War game) and a wine tasting Sunday. So, here's my take about the way you roll when you're fifty-four: (the good, the bad, and the ugly)

The Good: When you're fifty-four, you still know how to rock and roll, and have a great time out and about on a Saturday night.

The Bad: When you're fifty-four, you can't read the wine (or microbrew) list without your readers while you're having a great time out and about on a Saturday night.

Oh, and the wait-staff might call you "Ma'am".

And no one will ask for your ID.

Ever again.

The Ugly: When you're fifty four, you will need to sleep in later than ever before after a night of having a great time out and about on a Saturday night, and you may very possibly wake up Sunday afternoon very-late morning with a really stiff neck (or shoulder, or arm, or whatever) not from being out and about on a Saturday night, but from sleeping hard with your neck bent or your arm cramped up, and it will take the entire day to feel okay again.

Ya, that's pretty much how you roll at fifty-something. I must say that, all in all, I'm pretty happy with this stage in my life and I'll be celebrating being fifty-something all day today!

Decking the halls...and the Cozy-New-Home-Tour, part 2...the itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny kitchen.

I read somewhere that Julia Child had a tiny kitchen. (If that's not true, please don't email me and tell me. I'm clinging to this potential truth as I try to figure out exactly how to creatively bake and cook and create in my newest and teensiest kitchen that I have ever had.)

Anyway.

I've got my kitchen unpacked for the most part, and decked out for the season as well. Storage space is at a premium, with some of my overflow baking supplies and not-often-used appliances (like my coffee maker) stashed in the half bath vanity and coat closet. (I'm not sure where Julia kept her overflow supplies, but this is what's workin' for me) 
My new kitchen is not only...um...petite..it's a little on the old-school side as well.

How's that, you ask?

Well, no disposal, and no microwave. I'm good with that though. Sure I could buy a microwave oven, but it would take up far too much valuable counter space, and I can heat cocoa and make popcorn on the stove top anyway. (And let's remember that I am currently renting, so I don't have any desire to invest in things specifically for this home that I won't need later on, you know?) The lack of a disposal is a non issue with me too, as I feel like I have already adjusted to that in the short time I've lived here already.

I managed to squeeeeeez in a lil' chair for when my baby-love might be over for a snack, and I have it all spruced up for the holidays as well.... I like the oh-so-cottage-y looking cupboards (older oak bead-board style that was painted white...perfect for me!) and the nice sized cheery window above the sink makes the space feel a bit more spacious and happy.

I'm slightly embarrassed to say that I kind of thought of myself as a gas range snob, but I have to admit that the electric oven works great (I've baked cookies in it several times already.) and I'm hosting my first dinner party a week from tonight, so the kitchen will really get a workout then.

Bon Appetit! (I think Julia would be proud.)

Picture perfect.

You know, I've been an avid amateur photographer for quite some time now. Well, I've taken it up a notch, and have begun doing photo shoots for friends and family, and friends of friends and family. To see my posts sharing a few shots from my latest shoot, check my photo blog here.

The stockings were hung...

I thought I'd share some of the adorable stockings we saw at Monticello yesterday...so many cute ideas! The theme was definitely neutrals and vintage...and they all were fabulous!Take a peek at these... 

and these...
and I really liked these lil' ones...
...and how about these?
....these were simply too perfect for my daughter, the nurse... (We heart Worthy Goods!)... ...Monticello has a spectacular selection to choose from if you're in the market for some new stockings, that's for sure.

 

A little trip to Monticello.

My lil' Camas babylove and I made a trip over the bridge to PTown this morning (with his Mama and his Auntie) to cruise around Monitcello and see what's new for the holiday season. I took my Big Black Rebel along so I could share some pictures with you.....

Mmmmmmmm. Some yummy eye-candy, don't you agree?.

Overflow issues.

What? You're supposed to park your car in the garage?

Wow.

Novel idea, although I am not seeing that happening here anytime soon, are you?

A lil' repeat from last Christmas season.....some vintage style Christmas projects in an online kit.

I just moved. I am still unpacking. It was Thanksgiving last week. The dog ate my homework.

Okay, they're all feeble excuses for why I am re-posting this fabulous lil' online kit from last year as today's blog post. (Actually, I just thought this kit was worth sharing one more time, since I got it out so very late last year.)

I had this charming idea, back...oh, about October a year ago, to make a Noel banner for my fireplace (since I already knew I was going to have a fireplace way back then) and a sweet little Peace on Earth template, and I am pretty happy with the way they have turned out, even if the photo of my vintage picture frame with the words "Peace on Earth" hanging from the picture wire came out kind of looking like my wall is slanted, and for some silly reason, you can't see the fabulous glitter I added to the pieces.(Trust me, it's there.)

I also used the word "Peace" on some votive canf=dle holders with vintage book pages and I am pretty happy with the way they turned out as well...(In my top photo of this post)

The best part about these banners and letters is that they print up in no time and can be assembled lickety-split in time for Christmas eve or Christmas day.  (I am especially fond of the Peace on Earth squares, since I found two different ways to use them.) Both templates may be printed on any paper you choose, or on the vintage book page template provided in the kit, so different types of looks can be achieved, depending on your decor.

If you'd like one of these online kits sent to your email inbox, just click the button below. Cost: $11. and you can use them over and over!