tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13019926145714608572024-02-07T18:56:21.954-06:00Kim's CottageKim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-65833084690956551262009-02-26T18:39:00.005-06:002009-02-26T18:53:46.426-06:00Public Service Announcement<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mVqXXW_w6HzHOeRF4NtVfcd6hi9cMOR0kmrkTgO8n5Ptb3JJ0SPz2gzolRsz1auiODv259ovUy1MNNw4HV4G1aP_AXvPFTfSzNV1XaBBNFt4ydVqD5KYsTu2pxjFJNhkFjq6mUOlCRs/s1600-h/blogbackuponline_logo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 365px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mVqXXW_w6HzHOeRF4NtVfcd6hi9cMOR0kmrkTgO8n5Ptb3JJ0SPz2gzolRsz1auiODv259ovUy1MNNw4HV4G1aP_AXvPFTfSzNV1XaBBNFt4ydVqD5KYsTu2pxjFJNhkFjq6mUOlCRs/s400/blogbackuponline_logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307271437093953490" border="0" /></a><br />I was checking on the automated backup of my blogs today and thought of y'all. I wondered how many of you all out there back up your blogs.<br /><br /><br />So....how many of y'all out there back up your blogs?<br /><br /><br />I think it's an important thing to do. One of those "insurance" type things that you hope you never need. Kind of like the smoke detectors in your house. The airbags in your car. The surge protector on your computer. You get the idea.<br /><br />I use <a href="http://www.blogbackuponline.com">blogbackuponline.com</a> for my blogs. <span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(No, I'm not a paid actor; this is a real unpaid customer testimonial)</span></span>It's free and easy and was recommended to me by a rather techno-savvy friend. That's why I use it. <span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span>I'm sure there are several others out there that are equally as good. I just haven't had a need to research any further.<br /><br />It gives me peace of mind to know that if something awful should happen, I could restore my blog, never lose a word, never have to go back and re-upload a single picture. That kind of thing helps me sleep at night.<br /><br />How about you? Have <span style="font-style: italic;">you</span> taken care of your blog?<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">**END Public Service Announcement.<br />We now return you to your regularly scheduled reading.**<br /></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-85074629290666146082009-02-25T02:11:00.001-06:002009-02-25T02:11:00.736-06:00The House Smells Like A Rose Garden......thanks to <a href="http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/">Beverly</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWYBSQ9MyoI_qg-15O8MH6oHEKIQXTZLRt7T-XuJ23UbhHx9dt7v6JpbiqNgWo3xX2XHNuZiNsj1C_TK4XnWlm1yX9j2i0iSi7oUhWQQw1FN_ceemiDC4XN24LwY8aoPhIImuznzQ4EbE/s1600-h/DSCF2047.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 307px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWYBSQ9MyoI_qg-15O8MH6oHEKIQXTZLRt7T-XuJ23UbhHx9dt7v6JpbiqNgWo3xX2XHNuZiNsj1C_TK4XnWlm1yX9j2i0iSi7oUhWQQw1FN_ceemiDC4XN24LwY8aoPhIImuznzQ4EbE/s400/DSCF2047.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306460490993395842" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I'm trying to use up my Yankee candles so I can make some totally cool ribbon holders <a href="http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/02/happy-pink-saturdaymy-pink-contribution-for-this-pink-saturday-is-this--framed-piece-from-our-son-the-hearts-were-cut-from.html">like hers</a>.<br /><br />So far, this is a pretty sweet <span style="font-size:78%;">(smelling)</span> little project. Thanks Beverly!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-20747049809348767602009-02-24T13:28:00.006-06:002009-02-24T13:58:08.153-06:00My First New Dishtowels EVAH!The other day I went to Ross to look for a picture frame. I didn't find what I was looking for, but I did spy a little packet of kitchen towels lying haphazardly on a shelf. There were five in the packet, wrapped up in a green satin ribbon.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA69T6HnANBwZvAOQJjEWnLEmnTnL0CSpHtH-_sxlciTm2H3oYvNRTUIZyEURFh_EFc07U1kXyKx7gPow-av96d9S6IuhE4AIr6SrJCg-KHwxUmSmx_jcy4PPHMannx3XN2-B1viWdvb0/s1600-h/Towels.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA69T6HnANBwZvAOQJjEWnLEmnTnL0CSpHtH-_sxlciTm2H3oYvNRTUIZyEURFh_EFc07U1kXyKx7gPow-av96d9S6IuhE4AIr6SrJCg-KHwxUmSmx_jcy4PPHMannx3XN2-B1viWdvb0/s400/Towels.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306451826780752098" border="0" /></a><br /><br />When I saw that they were pink and white, I snatched them up right away. I do not know if $5.99 is a good deal for 5 dishtowels or not. You see, I have never in my life purchased dishtowels. Never.<br /><br />The dishtowels I have were handed down to me; they belonged to my great aunts. They are vintage, with cross-stitching and embroidery designs. I love them because they are vintage, have that family sentiment, and have that softness that comes from decades of washings. But they don't go with my decor at all.<br /><br />So when I saw the pink and white ones at Ross, well, the price really didn't matter. But go ahead, feel free to tell me what a steal I got on them anyway. Lie to me if you have to. That's ok. It'll make me feel all the better. :-)<br /><br />When I got home, it was all I could do to take a moment to take that picture. Then I unwrapped them, careful to save the ribbon. Hey, it's perfectly good ribbon. Cute, too, with its polka-dots and all. I'm sure I'll have a use for it someday.<br /><br />Well, when I pulled all the towels out, boy, was I surprised. Pleasantly surprised. They're all different, yet coordinating.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3M_L89Y-JdH8k2eYQuU-rsRxb2hKyhL2l8jYCr0MA9Liksdksq01TGQMlGkTe41oh3WJpo8WKMv88E9uFHBHGM172WQbSzYQGa5EQDdKO5YTpsZ2gM2FyWM87b5htH7RQvc6t8kdwzI/s1600-h/Towels2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3M_L89Y-JdH8k2eYQuU-rsRxb2hKyhL2l8jYCr0MA9Liksdksq01TGQMlGkTe41oh3WJpo8WKMv88E9uFHBHGM172WQbSzYQGa5EQDdKO5YTpsZ2gM2FyWM87b5htH7RQvc6t8kdwzI/s400/Towels2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306452603536926194" border="0" /></a><br />One even has bunnies woven into the design. How totally cool is that?! Does this mean they're really supposed to be <span style="font-style: italic;">Easter</span> towels? It made me think of <a href="http://bunnyrosecottage.blogspot.com/">Amy</a>, of course. <span style="font-size:78%;">(you'll probably need to enlarge that photo to see the bunnies)</span><br /><br />Then I notice they each have a loop in one corner on the back. Wow. Another swell surprise! Is that normal? Do all dish towels come with a loop nowadays?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpo-zqszZQehATncO9niJ_EUR6pbvJEw986N8Z9sL9HbC6AM8qLf9SbdF8Yd-pYrYlji3jYYV7jmI2YhcY9RqEI2kGFGG1FwIEHzoLX2o4vqIdT_2HEhY2qOx5LdRUIADm_ZR9h1fUqI/s1600-h/Towels3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpo-zqszZQehATncO9niJ_EUR6pbvJEw986N8Z9sL9HbC6AM8qLf9SbdF8Yd-pYrYlji3jYYV7jmI2YhcY9RqEI2kGFGG1FwIEHzoLX2o4vqIdT_2HEhY2qOx5LdRUIADm_ZR9h1fUqI/s400/Towels3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306452983681125138" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It actually took me a few minutes to figure out what the loop was for. Well, I'm still not 100% sure I've got it right.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAvAYgkWUMVoF-unaO0v-7mj49zpTnCbKLvgWfQwi6bSeAmv2y5Dk6oAQ6nv9RdvwgEKgajyfPY8dKKcvFBlaIL2dc9OeTuOj2r_okTDH31HQQ184zfAAACpeE3GCCIsCRGDouWAKK1c/s1600-h/Towels4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAvAYgkWUMVoF-unaO0v-7mj49zpTnCbKLvgWfQwi6bSeAmv2y5Dk6oAQ6nv9RdvwgEKgajyfPY8dKKcvFBlaIL2dc9OeTuOj2r_okTDH31HQQ184zfAAACpeE3GCCIsCRGDouWAKK1c/s400/Towels4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306453382407344850" border="0" /></a><br />I know. I can't believe it either. Here we are in the 21st century...and I'm standing there in my kitchen, totally dumbfounded by a loop on the back of a towel. Color me humbled.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Isn't it funny? In this day and age, with all the techno-gadgetry out there...and Kim gets all excited over pink and white dishtowels with bunnies and loops. What can I say? I'm a simple woman.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-36836251926251267182009-02-23T06:47:00.006-06:002009-02-23T07:09:10.875-06:00Back to Work and Ebay v.s. Etsy<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">(Click to enlarge)</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-shkVJ8QvhVWI5rsyPar10YMnB2Qaow-zJlX5hiNkbJu5HDfE1mjwC2H6mABlSxpMeOnbHjfb3ZGR1hgoWqsWdYPLuZ1mGi4syuJa6_s5yQP7Lq1D-iujm25Yq6jSjAegT77-0wkNL4/s1600-h/Rose07.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-shkVJ8QvhVWI5rsyPar10YMnB2Qaow-zJlX5hiNkbJu5HDfE1mjwC2H6mABlSxpMeOnbHjfb3ZGR1hgoWqsWdYPLuZ1mGi4syuJa6_s5yQP7Lq1D-iujm25Yq6jSjAegT77-0wkNL4/s400/Rose07.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305974530303588482" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Yesterday I browsed some of the ebay discussion forums. I was looking for some insight on the Auctiva issue. According to the other ebayers, the problem was with Mozilla/Firefox browsers and Auctiva. Those using Internet Explorer were supposedly able to get into their Auctiva accounts with no problems.<br /><br />I attempted to get in to Auctiva on my Mac and still encountered the warnings, even under IE. I did not attempt it on my PC...just in case. (Even with all the firewalls and virus protectors and whatnot, I still trust my Mac to ward off viruses more than my PC.)<br /><br />This morning I tried Auctiva again, and it seems to be working fine, even under Firefox. So I put together an auction real quick. I've got it scheduled to post this evening. Better two days late than never, right?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDIWghTuURC3HlGYumL_FXwSG67132jTO2Hnkw0bAQ6sAUhz_UAb16NpsNr3T6Put1Xs9dYykZm704cmdrGw8tLrhh1EWSEWP-XojoWi4ePVDhmiw2-Tz0xtkgx5iQ8Uto9zmtn4k3Ow/s1600-h/Rose06.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDIWghTuURC3HlGYumL_FXwSG67132jTO2Hnkw0bAQ6sAUhz_UAb16NpsNr3T6Put1Xs9dYykZm704cmdrGw8tLrhh1EWSEWP-XojoWi4ePVDhmiw2-Tz0xtkgx5iQ8Uto9zmtn4k3Ow/s400/Rose06.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305974307287711602" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It's a re-run of the first Rose Coupon Organizer I did, this time all decked out with pink ribbons and bow instead of white. I'm beginning to wonder if these particular rose graphics are wearing out their welcome. I've done several organizers with them now. But, you know, since I have to pay for the graphics, I want to get as much use out of them as I can. And people do still seem to buy them. So I guess they can't be <span style="font-style: italic;">too</span> tired of them...yet. Right?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhly1kdAB0WaMcxR3T-G3YfjfUWclTh2bWqL4S1sFfrTTSh6OuIyrudJrrwdCmv0OxwUyNNxu_5OUVA03QA3m7DdKrMdBIVzAL2jfV86vrmMQ_zE08ke7TZ7FDSo7yPcQNTnPRaNgKlwc/s1600-h/mosaic5788799.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhly1kdAB0WaMcxR3T-G3YfjfUWclTh2bWqL4S1sFfrTTSh6OuIyrudJrrwdCmv0OxwUyNNxu_5OUVA03QA3m7DdKrMdBIVzAL2jfV86vrmMQ_zE08ke7TZ7FDSo7yPcQNTnPRaNgKlwc/s400/mosaic5788799.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305974182763459474" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In any case, I'm feeling the urge to purchase more graphics again soon. I've had some requests for designs using reds, so I'm thinking of going in that direction.<br /><br />On a side note, the ebay fees are killing me. Etsy is looking better and better to me all the time. I'm just hesitant about the lack of exposure at Etsy. I'm afraid there won't be as much traffic. Another concern is I notice things seem to sell ALOT cheaper there and the shipping rates are unreasonable. They don't cover the true cost of shipping. How are sellers making any profit?<br /><br /> Any thoughts from you Etsy'ers out there?<br /><br />Ok, enough rambling for this morning. Got to get busy; I've got a whole day's work ahead of me.<br /><br />Happy Monday Everybody!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-71903970036164122622009-02-22T05:55:00.006-06:002009-02-22T06:10:52.752-06:00Auctiva Attack Alert?I use Auctiva to create my ebay auctions. It's a lot cheaper and I'm able to insert bunches of photos without added cost. I like that feature ~ being able to give the buyer several more views of what they're bidding on.<br /><br />Last night I went to the Auctiva website to start some new listings. But this warning came up instead:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0QFrtiPG6ru680cVVHqa2EFgO1PhWkOwJCgaQB6rqOWzC6Z10AGmS2NSqxTzIX-WySEziwx1xbEd9N818gdQNkjj9d_rPQafUui3exaKECVjcUfGfIoyUchkH49dsZwisgDPLX7q6mw/s1600-h/auctiva.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0QFrtiPG6ru680cVVHqa2EFgO1PhWkOwJCgaQB6rqOWzC6Z10AGmS2NSqxTzIX-WySEziwx1xbEd9N818gdQNkjj9d_rPQafUui3exaKECVjcUfGfIoyUchkH49dsZwisgDPLX7q6mw/s400/auctiva.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305590004522238546" border="0" /></a><br />I have seen this warning before for other sites while surfing the web. I've never seen it on one of my regular, trusted sites. Usually I just leave the site immediately. But this is Auctiva, one of my regulars. They're my ebay proxy and have my PayPal information, etc. I'm a little alarmed.<br /><br />I clicked on the "Why was this site blocked?" link and got this screen:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">(click to enlarge)<br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhq1bLH7YDBbx1IefwsCklSCrNnIGSfc2pmtWTICNlQryJ2ITzv8xPhKA53OgT2TJj00U8YWrIogw59bMH6k7TciC85c2XpKfd9HxpGJf9Aw0N5SiQKGeBgZqYwDX3J0fyrRw5mbgxr8/s1600-h/auctiva2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhq1bLH7YDBbx1IefwsCklSCrNnIGSfc2pmtWTICNlQryJ2ITzv8xPhKA53OgT2TJj00U8YWrIogw59bMH6k7TciC85c2XpKfd9HxpGJf9Aw0N5SiQKGeBgZqYwDX3J0fyrRw5mbgxr8/s400/auctiva2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305589901206899090" border="0" /></a><br />Last night when I got that screen and clicked on the auctiva link, it told me the site had infected 3 computers, I believe. This morning when I clicked on the same thing, it was up to 90.<br /><br />I'm thinking I'll hold off on posting any ebay stuff for a few days. I'll keep checking back to see if Auctiva has their site straightened out. Hopefully they'll take care of it soon.<br /><br />If not, I'm not sure what I'll do. I don't know if there are other free services out there like Auctiva or not. Hopefully I won't have to go searching to find out.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-2068311654164742612009-02-21T01:01:00.001-06:002009-02-21T01:01:00.785-06:00Pink Saturday - Sweet Stress Reliever<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJem5J0QhnkTlN65zg46CFowQ_9ETEAwq-xmOVmW_1OR7aNmCrvjbpFatERJTAyIS5Cm_e5GNZTOmfpeIYq6Wlq4CMfh_694WjJFD-N-uNPhg9OoeQDgiup_HuyWbC6Z6ZeZ72aQ8ZYM/s1600-h/DSCF1925.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 326px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJem5J0QhnkTlN65zg46CFowQ_9ETEAwq-xmOVmW_1OR7aNmCrvjbpFatERJTAyIS5Cm_e5GNZTOmfpeIYq6Wlq4CMfh_694WjJFD-N-uNPhg9OoeQDgiup_HuyWbC6Z6ZeZ72aQ8ZYM/s400/DSCF1925.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304927521438074930" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Chemically speaking, chocolate really <span style="font-weight: bold;">is</span> the world's perfect food.</span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Michael Levine, nutrition researcher, as quoted in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0679421904/virtualchocolateA/">The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars</a></span> </span></blockquote></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ObweTCDl8j1xmvZFWr8iSOG27vElFAZ8QJEaOOsOc5nczx-7M5YMgQjGliRCCXulXoBb_66vKapcPmEeELTlIflV3-aorKs7JP_p0jKjbwNQbWM67shzIy2z9ZCYWNbNv0VPKWmiqsg/s1600-h/DSCF1926.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 325px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ObweTCDl8j1xmvZFWr8iSOG27vElFAZ8QJEaOOsOc5nczx-7M5YMgQjGliRCCXulXoBb_66vKapcPmEeELTlIflV3-aorKs7JP_p0jKjbwNQbWM67shzIy2z9ZCYWNbNv0VPKWmiqsg/s400/DSCF1926.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304927408265113522" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Pink + Chocolate + Saturday. Oooooh, it doesn't get much better than that!<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizK6wF83fjroB9oLbpIl0CH7bPBMwEZzs3pkZvNpqkGRjuKGbM95kckWuAzgcZ6r7oNRiEXziWwqsPAqFpMu0FKNKaVLoz22ziJ7uD5o2lfLQXXmurA6o5Pmyr1sp4eJhJWXnJ-teFRNs/s1600-h/DSCF1927.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 325px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizK6wF83fjroB9oLbpIl0CH7bPBMwEZzs3pkZvNpqkGRjuKGbM95kckWuAzgcZ6r7oNRiEXziWwqsPAqFpMu0FKNKaVLoz22ziJ7uD5o2lfLQXXmurA6o5Pmyr1sp4eJhJWXnJ-teFRNs/s400/DSCF1927.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304927270505857714" border="0" /></a><br />I purchased this graphics set from <a href="http://www.daisiecompany.com/">Daisie Company</a>. I made this little emergency chocolate kit for a friend who's battling breast cancer. I shipped it off to her yesterday. Hope it'll lift her spirits when she opens the package to find all the sweet treats inside.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1Duf5kOa7rFOZG21VlZWL6PROv-VTcGREWV5MgX2UboQMnLrG_Qeby3JVp4EQ03Ydx8VB8uwZI-iC99n0pNFA9TSg4nwNjqj8gp1KrbyPXE0StfyCXncrSF3IVybDc7bGAEaO4s-quE/s1600-h/DSCF1928.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 326px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1Duf5kOa7rFOZG21VlZWL6PROv-VTcGREWV5MgX2UboQMnLrG_Qeby3JVp4EQ03Ydx8VB8uwZI-iC99n0pNFA9TSg4nwNjqj8gp1KrbyPXE0StfyCXncrSF3IVybDc7bGAEaO4s-quE/s400/DSCF1928.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304927158249590642" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I also made one for Blondie for Valentine's Day.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And larger, gallon-size cans for my mother and stepmother for Valentine's Day.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wYDGJVWe4w_7u31g_wi1kI7LvqgJE_iHRXn1NWnY7g73b-orybwOecoLcfNJSAp-IqzuNROzFUY3-x3_VGeJ1_eKysJbdTBPu2PSJ2j2gH9aDWQtdY8i2e7HnbNG0NqkMVgatUOU1EM/s1600-h/DSCF1929.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 326px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wYDGJVWe4w_7u31g_wi1kI7LvqgJE_iHRXn1NWnY7g73b-orybwOecoLcfNJSAp-IqzuNROzFUY3-x3_VGeJ1_eKysJbdTBPu2PSJ2j2gH9aDWQtdY8i2e7HnbNG0NqkMVgatUOU1EM/s400/DSCF1929.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304927034351404962" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Every</span> woman should have a secret emergency stash of chocolate somewhere, don't you think?<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPD8-_FNwO5qsez3qqJ5dl3CvmMMTgZ_ZCumB2KXojCKeW7wGSUgGJudIyV_T9AVYqAXzBbmL8Xjv8DWR_UC-7ztewy4f7QqwHpHejXs0gUsr2-fX4kDF1lv3XR2FcbSgQXRn2IhMF20Q/s1600-h/DSCF1930.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 308px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPD8-_FNwO5qsez3qqJ5dl3CvmMMTgZ_ZCumB2KXojCKeW7wGSUgGJudIyV_T9AVYqAXzBbmL8Xjv8DWR_UC-7ztewy4f7QqwHpHejXs0gUsr2-fX4kDF1lv3XR2FcbSgQXRn2IhMF20Q/s400/DSCF1930.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304926898722966386" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Of course, a woman's stash should be all wrapped up in pretty pinkness, right?<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5caujzgHA4XGM-qc-oN7xXAdSg1j1clu6bKswZwrJLowi5SjhI7aAKVs_Y_ku6l1tTo7BnRvMXqt1_3OJH_fzCQ6emEAJ-KfdC8WWhewFDqZpWmo73aTKxHtTwwU-wGDF7OMsBoiIM2w/s1600-h/DSCF1931.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 308px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5caujzgHA4XGM-qc-oN7xXAdSg1j1clu6bKswZwrJLowi5SjhI7aAKVs_Y_ku6l1tTo7BnRvMXqt1_3OJH_fzCQ6emEAJ-KfdC8WWhewFDqZpWmo73aTKxHtTwwU-wGDF7OMsBoiIM2w/s400/DSCF1931.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304926789192983906" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I hope your Saturday is full of Pinks and lots of sweetness.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Don't forget to check out all the other <span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204); font-weight: bold;">Pink Saturday</span> participants over a <a href="http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/">Beverly's</a>.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-91467234024770768602009-02-20T03:15:00.000-06:002009-02-20T03:15:01.231-06:00What Is It They Say About A Bird in the Hand?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPG_0AGlghr2Qbj-PUSr8QoTCTTJrD0vdmOsq5zWMHGGxHphHzULC467L3bgzTgglMzypppMYtjDgBIWC60cTdEYkbmUDNGKN2fUt4PAZMC_gX6PWaa5eS-K5EQXZ5L51flIyOlHaNSRw/s1600-h/Cardinal05.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPG_0AGlghr2Qbj-PUSr8QoTCTTJrD0vdmOsq5zWMHGGxHphHzULC467L3bgzTgglMzypppMYtjDgBIWC60cTdEYkbmUDNGKN2fUt4PAZMC_gX6PWaa5eS-K5EQXZ5L51flIyOlHaNSRw/s400/Cardinal05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304621537003879410" border="0" /></a><br />We have a family of cardinals that make our backyard their home. We really enjoy having them here, even more so in winter. Their bright colors are so striking against the drab, bare branches of the trees. They always have a cheerful sound to share.<br /><br />Recently one of the males found himself in our garage and unable to get out. Bless his little heart, he kept banging against one of the windows, trying desperately to fly free. He knocked himself silly and was panting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkq3RyGxMNfYSkBSzYt5Y0kPKFf1uPM3w2AsStALnupVFOOwL2YReYHUYVYzeR-AQX9sIX4RAq8VHssRAM-kOZdENLUOVWSjdEGUrWXhONfA5t1B7K1ZQpFtiiKXeMgO4o4mxbPqj9S4/s1600-h/Cardinal06.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 307px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkq3RyGxMNfYSkBSzYt5Y0kPKFf1uPM3w2AsStALnupVFOOwL2YReYHUYVYzeR-AQX9sIX4RAq8VHssRAM-kOZdENLUOVWSjdEGUrWXhONfA5t1B7K1ZQpFtiiKXeMgO4o4mxbPqj9S4/s400/Cardinal06.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304621258725181522" border="0" /></a><br />John Dear picked him up and took him outside. He held the little fellow for a while so I could take pictures.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yw2iu6p2FfPPYm6m5H5N3gZ3XlD82yU5hQmAY_bxnC2EcoOqZcDd9yJ1SKearjh2_etLUMhZ_7IvSvb1HoEIjWL77PZD7_Bse_MD6C0vhae5bZLCyZUnGIm1TuIRMjS5GMCkSIKt_e4/s1600-h/Cardinal07.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 307px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yw2iu6p2FfPPYm6m5H5N3gZ3XlD82yU5hQmAY_bxnC2EcoOqZcDd9yJ1SKearjh2_etLUMhZ_7IvSvb1HoEIjWL77PZD7_Bse_MD6C0vhae5bZLCyZUnGIm1TuIRMjS5GMCkSIKt_e4/s400/Cardinal07.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304621124632639378" border="0" /></a>Mr. Cardinal was quite calm, other than his panting from his previous adventures of trying to slam through a window. He let John pet him without so much as a squeak.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFGtYMFV7FYk8WIkvB9xhz_fHvbaLK5Ur6hBYHXoI5UKXFewuPlTJKvKpj2Qpnv0wIzadJYdVCs-JTHdDWVXf8lecEsnB3MDfetuYKrLDsjkvlBIKeYhcBw-VEUeDKmMvqale017Suig/s1600-h/Cardinal04.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 307px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFGtYMFV7FYk8WIkvB9xhz_fHvbaLK5Ur6hBYHXoI5UKXFewuPlTJKvKpj2Qpnv0wIzadJYdVCs-JTHdDWVXf8lecEsnB3MDfetuYKrLDsjkvlBIKeYhcBw-VEUeDKmMvqale017Suig/s400/Cardinal04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304621662939142370" border="0" /></a><br />Then apparently Mr. Cardinal came back to his senses. His instincts must've kicked in because he suddenly turned around and grabbed a chunk of hubby's thumb in its beak.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1beAk65oJDY-UOcxUVjrWQXTrTfW4hNrrtVqQjufdbTftlsis6t_BxGtjh_3DpYcdGeI33Ju_5yNReBD4pf0pB-4fWcT5xo4dckY4DxoMZsdnvS5iDxjCrUVH5bHE2_b2XJQ6VQeL1Kc/s1600-h/Cardinal08.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1beAk65oJDY-UOcxUVjrWQXTrTfW4hNrrtVqQjufdbTftlsis6t_BxGtjh_3DpYcdGeI33Ju_5yNReBD4pf0pB-4fWcT5xo4dckY4DxoMZsdnvS5iDxjCrUVH5bHE2_b2XJQ6VQeL1Kc/s400/Cardinal08.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304620991404506898" border="0" /></a><br />John yelped in pain and let go.<br /><br />Mr. Cardinal did not.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCLPU2Wy3LgP4yxLQ4xP-Y7G1s3PFT0CcXqcuymlpICUmJV-e0duMHPujdFpzTdCvvd0qo-idzGpYXEv6kz7lkrCb-jZhUfwkO-KiFTAue2mE3OMN06I0dDkjyPC53pTxzqhYfg6Hsjc/s1600-h/Cardinal09.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 307px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCLPU2Wy3LgP4yxLQ4xP-Y7G1s3PFT0CcXqcuymlpICUmJV-e0duMHPujdFpzTdCvvd0qo-idzGpYXEv6kz7lkrCb-jZhUfwkO-KiFTAue2mE3OMN06I0dDkjyPC53pTxzqhYfg6Hsjc/s400/Cardinal09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304620836078006866" border="0" /></a><br />We're all still friends though. The family of cardinals still lives in our backyard. We're trying to be more careful about keeping the back door on the garage closed.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-62015395094055146832009-02-19T10:10:00.015-06:002009-02-19T14:04:05.474-06:00Whole Chicken in the CrockPot<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLoM0Wy8tcdPGAlhb0g1m_8-d3opPIs-FPzuZJjbloINy-hx-7BhG3v2vU2YVCGmbenfL_HPqgoO-2sFyU2WfaU24Mi8GUs5JrOLgYNmkKwctEyciomu0DTduYtlO23sbMMpCkou5PI8/s1600-h/DSCF1963.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLoM0Wy8tcdPGAlhb0g1m_8-d3opPIs-FPzuZJjbloINy-hx-7BhG3v2vU2YVCGmbenfL_HPqgoO-2sFyU2WfaU24Mi8GUs5JrOLgYNmkKwctEyciomu0DTduYtlO23sbMMpCkou5PI8/s400/DSCF1963.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304543653801289170" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I love my CrockPot. I don't know about you, but I simply a~d~o~r~e that thing. It's so nice to have it slaving away all day while I am off doing my own thing. During football season, it's truly a godsend. We get home late in the evening from practice or an out-of-town game, walk in to an aroma-filled house and a dinner that's ready & waiting for us. Oh yes. Love my Crock.<br /><br />Back in November we received a turkey from hubby's work and I decided I wanted to give it a try in the Crock Pot. I found a really good recipe with easy-to-follow instructions <a href="http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/11/crockpot-whole-turkey-recipe.html">here</a>. I altered that recipe slightly but found it worked beautifully just the same.<br /><br />Since then, I've done several birds in the Crock. I've probably been doing about one every other week since November. Yep, that's how much we enjoy this recipe! For the most part I do them all the same way, but with slight variations. Here is my basic recipe for doing a whole chicken in the crockpot.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuYrsp2RlE5BAgJyaEgmTWuVHcLB6FVUfH1wnAFuG6wL2W-OTy_hKzpWdHFs1TQrMT4ASteBj8O6htJF6ka1FV503aHFLwPh62QjuboYLdz08zw-8xO7LGStBpEekyMjdDMRlVwGbfnk/s1600-h/DSCF1956.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuYrsp2RlE5BAgJyaEgmTWuVHcLB6FVUfH1wnAFuG6wL2W-OTy_hKzpWdHFs1TQrMT4ASteBj8O6htJF6ka1FV503aHFLwPh62QjuboYLdz08zw-8xO7LGStBpEekyMjdDMRlVwGbfnk/s400/DSCF1956.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304544769529084930" border="0" /></a>Ingredients:<br /><br />Whole chicken (I prefer mine without the neck & whatnot, but that's up to you)<br />A small amount of olive oil (maybe 1/8 cup?)<br />2 Tbs. butter or margarine, cubed<br />1 small apple<br />1 slice onion (sorry, forgot to include it in the photo)<br />Mrs. Dash (whatever is your favorite blend. Ours is Garlic & Herb)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaXIApYwEy4WRIi13PdkLwUn2je4GpsMCFmaCF6WvwcslOqGnf08uaKSzUiDv0vZPZ30kqYSziJtJ-Ytnf7NRj_nR0YJ-gJgX9CsimPPsMp0z7cEtO2KMiU_qjB9JPZ3iUWOjtOpq4qBw/s1600-h/DSCF1957.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaXIApYwEy4WRIi13PdkLwUn2je4GpsMCFmaCF6WvwcslOqGnf08uaKSzUiDv0vZPZ30kqYSziJtJ-Ytnf7NRj_nR0YJ-gJgX9CsimPPsMp0z7cEtO2KMiU_qjB9JPZ3iUWOjtOpq4qBw/s400/DSCF1957.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304544609072430738" border="0" /></a>I took a closer shot of the label on my chicken because I wanted you to see how economical this meal is. I always buy the largest hen my grocery store has, and it's never yet been 6lbs. I always spend less than $6. This chicken feeds my family of 4 for dinner <span style="font-style: italic;">and lunch</span> the next day.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Vr1E-bDFHNey2TyB1Da9Fy14dFaAPhAVZQJbC81YU_jUtls-kQpsWgAeZHxuZ0K7FTk4HfaRsuKLwhx6ydwCn24VMCGzyhkwHmVUw1LlFzTIujGJiDp5R7qZdjsZ927Np-ItooIffzY/s1600-h/DSCF1958.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Vr1E-bDFHNey2TyB1Da9Fy14dFaAPhAVZQJbC81YU_jUtls-kQpsWgAeZHxuZ0K7FTk4HfaRsuKLwhx6ydwCn24VMCGzyhkwHmVUw1LlFzTIujGJiDp5R7qZdjsZ927Np-ItooIffzY/s400/DSCF1958.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304544464974509810" border="0" /></a>Rinse off your chicken well, just like you do with a turkey. Pat it dry inside and out, just like you do with a turkey.<br /><br />You want to core your apple. Slice it also. It is stuffed inside your chicken along with the cubed butter. The reason you want these sliced & cubed is because it can be a pretty tight fit. The type of apple does not matter as far as I know. Use whatever you like. If all your apple slices will not fit, take those left over slices and eat them. Go ahead. They're good for you. :-)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4hyphenhyphennEsuEoiWIACpMZapDe-lORpWRqpVrwswctMBBzxHd8cEBPHEZNbcUOIO3RNYH4syyJBRU9fcDXjc0CAHr3WGp-c11aXVFCky-nDvMDOA5aJn4uBXNpAmYzqRYEy_D6zCmkfv-Z98/s1600-h/DSCF1959.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4hyphenhyphennEsuEoiWIACpMZapDe-lORpWRqpVrwswctMBBzxHd8cEBPHEZNbcUOIO3RNYH4syyJBRU9fcDXjc0CAHr3WGp-c11aXVFCky-nDvMDOA5aJn4uBXNpAmYzqRYEy_D6zCmkfv-Z98/s400/DSCF1959.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304544305210123874" border="0" /></a>Using a basting brush, spread olive oil all over your chicken. Then sprinkle with the Mrs. Dash.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyA8vD_8X7vtc7L1A8MpuILvqkJizKQZsaYAnuyQaJXhO2UGxE95qWutsz_a2GREqqx42B1nSRC8nOWaja9G12jC6IQx6s2qRlWjKJFSWrJ7D-xsbMiF1bpCGVMHG2_XCAHGfbjSm6II/s1600-h/DSCF1960.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyA8vD_8X7vtc7L1A8MpuILvqkJizKQZsaYAnuyQaJXhO2UGxE95qWutsz_a2GREqqx42B1nSRC8nOWaja9G12jC6IQx6s2qRlWjKJFSWrJ7D-xsbMiF1bpCGVMHG2_XCAHGfbjSm6II/s400/DSCF1960.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304544161298693570" border="0" /></a>Flip her over and do the same thing on the other side. If you enlarge the above photo and look closely, you can see the green apple barely peeking out of her backside.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUhMxYme0AKUaA0Zid-7NajsDbOHnwETWbvXgLHN3ZKfqr-zJ1zYF16uYWq_-LgST__aBtm0BMhXH8tTsQWH6nKtMn3Ti8lr7qFrmHtIJARHmTWAP87dNJjZEGuqWWK4m7IMObpIaZnQ/s1600-h/DSCF1961.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUhMxYme0AKUaA0Zid-7NajsDbOHnwETWbvXgLHN3ZKfqr-zJ1zYF16uYWq_-LgST__aBtm0BMhXH8tTsQWH6nKtMn3Ti8lr7qFrmHtIJARHmTWAP87dNJjZEGuqWWK4m7IMObpIaZnQ/s400/DSCF1961.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304543928340333762" border="0" /></a>Place her in the crockpot. I've done them right side up and upside down. It does not matter. The whole chicken comes out equally juicy no matter what position you put her.<br /><br />Place your onion slices on top. Set the crockpot to HIGH.<br /><br />I leave my crockpot on HIGH for 2 hours. Then I switch it to Low for another 6 hours. If you work outside the home, perhaps you could put it on high in the morning while you're getting ready for work. Then switch it to Low right before you walk out the door. Maybe? In any case, mine cooks a total of 8 hours. (If you looked at that <a href="http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/11/crockpot-whole-turkey-recipe.html">Turkey CrockPot link</a> earlier, you noticed she cooked hers for 5 hours on HIGH the whole time). Both ways seem to work fine.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0Q2dJGq4bvFzkXcobPrhmzIIV986k0HWGQELTJ8nzMm3QxdYKyWeSH6OZ8qamUEhWxcw0nmgaFek0K7EGCN3U8Hdv76oDdbhhL2uTpnqfD_WqFlOAJr2KAX7fSiph4HmNe0MlQtZcwE/s1600-h/DSCF1962.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0Q2dJGq4bvFzkXcobPrhmzIIV986k0HWGQELTJ8nzMm3QxdYKyWeSH6OZ8qamUEhWxcw0nmgaFek0K7EGCN3U8Hdv76oDdbhhL2uTpnqfD_WqFlOAJr2KAX7fSiph4HmNe0MlQtZcwE/s400/DSCF1962.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304543787791983538" border="0" /></a>On this particular day I added 4 cups of water because I wanted additional broth for cooking the veggies and stuffing for the meal. I have also done this when I've known I'd be making chicken noodle soup out of the leftovers and wanted that extra broth. But let me tell you, you do NOT need to add any water at all. Your chicken will make LOTS of juicey broth all by herself. Only add water if you are wanting broth for another purpose.<br /><br />This was Sportster's plate, all dished up and ready to go. The corn, green beans and stuffing had all been cooked using that extra broth I mentioned before. No additional flavoring or seasoning was needed; they were scrumptious just as they were.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwFzEOFEiUpzB-EeQp_XVq5RAo1ZIBSsW5QQeq3XqwGOqNX8nY-5BZE4wKekQ71agwk4sc0BPIlAvnQHqwcmo1wAgtUxKrhf7mUXOiPB824fpTqbXN7dPa8sUe5YalafSxdcgR6jMJx-c/s1600-h/DSCF1964.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwFzEOFEiUpzB-EeQp_XVq5RAo1ZIBSsW5QQeq3XqwGOqNX8nY-5BZE4wKekQ71agwk4sc0BPIlAvnQHqwcmo1wAgtUxKrhf7mUXOiPB824fpTqbXN7dPa8sUe5YalafSxdcgR6jMJx-c/s400/DSCF1964.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304543042747903794" border="0" /></a>The crockpot makes it so easy. I just went into the kitchen a half hour before mealtime, scooped out a bunch of the broth with a ladle and used it to fix the veggies and stuffing. And *bam* a delicious home-cooked meal for my hubby to come home to....with plenty of left-overs for his lunch the next day. (Actually, truth be told, this time around there was even enough left over to feed his partner lunch as well)<br /><br /><br />Here are some variations I've done with this recipe and have had success with them all:<br /><br />Don't use an apple at all<br />Put the onion inside instead of on top (this is when I don't use an apple)<br />Use a Red Delicious apple instead of Granny Smith<br />Use minced onion instead of a real fresh one<br />Sprinkle the top of the chicken with minced garlic<br /><br />One thing you need to know about this recipe: If you're looking for a beautifully browned, perfectly proportioned chicken for display in the center of your dining room table, this recipe is NOT for you. If that's what you need, then you should probably follow the instructions on that <a href="http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/11/crockpot-whole-turkey-recipe.html">link</a> about cooking on HIGH for 5 hours and then transferring to an oven for browning.<br /><br />You'll notice I did not post any such pictures. There's a reason. I have not yet been able to get my chicken out of my crockpot in one piece. It all falls right off the bone. Which is a good thing. That's actually what I want, for the meat to be <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> done.<br /><br />ALL the meat is incredibly juicy, even the white meat. I no longer have kiddos turning up their noses to dry white meat. And it all falls apart so easily, making the job of separating the meat for future soups or burritos or whatever SUPER easy.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-52429007185023851962009-02-17T17:07:00.006-06:002009-02-17T17:29:22.259-06:00What Do You Think of the New Look?As you can see, I've been a busy little beaver here in Blogland. I think things are coming along nicely, don't you?<br /><br />I got the left sidebar added...and managed not to lose the whole kit-n-kaboodle in the process. Yes, Virginia, there IS a God! I've still got to make up new graphics for the sidebars and move some stuff around. I want to add more gadgets too. But, all in all, I am pleased with the progress.<br /><br />Please do tell me ~honestly~ what you think. Does it look ok on your end? Are things lining up fairly well? Graphics are easy enough to see? I'm not sure yet what to do about the fonts. I enlarged them to make them easier to read, but I'm not sure I like it. What do you think? Any feedback is greatly appreciated.<br /><br />In the spirit of my at-least-one-picture-per-post rule, I've decided to throw a picture in here of the latest coupon organizer I made...which is much nicer to look at than a picture of me here slaving away on my blog. This coupon organizer was a special request from a previous customer. I hope she likes it.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Click on the photo to enlarge.</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3QET3VAF5uctXYwQoTbgvcod6Q6cSRcznOi73Ipjmh2ThRhKJ5n9iSIkqRaVgFispUlCbSTIq8hb1fdE42x0zViEgowDwb5QBSxGzefOrx8o-qSELBE0ep2o-oBiWeVOSFhT92K_QmKU/s1600-h/Daisy14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 321px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3QET3VAF5uctXYwQoTbgvcod6Q6cSRcznOi73Ipjmh2ThRhKJ5n9iSIkqRaVgFispUlCbSTIq8hb1fdE42x0zViEgowDwb5QBSxGzefOrx8o-qSELBE0ep2o-oBiWeVOSFhT92K_QmKU/s400/Daisy14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303909110221709218" border="0" /></a><br />(You know, every time I make one of these blue-themed organizers, I can't stop thinking of <a href="http://romantichome.blogspot.com/">Cindy</a>. They look to me like her kind of colors.)<br /><br /><br />Oh, by the way. It is SOOOO beautiful here today! I can't believe it. 70 degrees! I took Chrissy for a walk this afternoon and was burning up! It's freezing in this house, so I'm wearing Long Johns, a sweatshirt and a sweater coat over that. I thought I was going to DIE when I got outside! LOL As soon as we got back, I opened up some windows to let that gorgeous spring-like air thaw out the house. Gee, can't believe it's February still.<br /><br />Hope you're having a wonderful week!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-36923340471446917422009-02-13T05:41:00.000-06:002009-02-13T05:41:01.037-06:00Pictures for Kelly<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-8UsvfXEd5X0P6a-5OSQZnSvSuflk65cMVaqNNYyjZMgTkUaqO8OWSQlZmMcyZ4WCbSLPW5qfYzp-prUFJCj9INlXWw12I4aK28bN4ika10jg-O4HBLwOTBl3k9XKx0VOZLvLrchgQ8/s1600-h/IronBed1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-8UsvfXEd5X0P6a-5OSQZnSvSuflk65cMVaqNNYyjZMgTkUaqO8OWSQlZmMcyZ4WCbSLPW5qfYzp-prUFJCj9INlXWw12I4aK28bN4ika10jg-O4HBLwOTBl3k9XKx0VOZLvLrchgQ8/s400/IronBed1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302122847943609458" border="0" /></a><br />I was trying to get caught up on my blog visits when I came across Kelly's post over at <a href="http://rosevinecottagetwo.blogspot.com/2009/02/my-new-treasures.html">Rose Vine Cottage Two</a>. She posted pictures of an antique bedframe she recently purchased. I kid you not, I gasped outloud and surely would have fallen out of my chair if it didn't have arms on it.<br /><br />Kelly, these pictures are for you, to show you the detail of my bed so you can see. It's just like yours! (In my brain I'm screaming that because I'm really very excited to have finally found another one like mine)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Z4FuTLPXuuDwl__90gegXxHMJYAMIaz9tvqqdVH8Szx7r53ZM7fL-2SoQAlmgR3pWnl0ZIpYjDpQRkuKtPbK3Zi6iOtG-mu9odzz31S8cz29LiwycvMEG_c8UvHfsztMSLksRIGEqRU/s1600-h/IronBed3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Z4FuTLPXuuDwl__90gegXxHMJYAMIaz9tvqqdVH8Szx7r53ZM7fL-2SoQAlmgR3pWnl0ZIpYjDpQRkuKtPbK3Zi6iOtG-mu9odzz31S8cz29LiwycvMEG_c8UvHfsztMSLksRIGEqRU/s400/IronBed3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302122645142284018" border="0" /></a><br />My mother bought this wrought iron bed for me when I was a little girl. My earliest memory of it is when I was in Kindergarten. I'm 38 now...so I believe this bed has been with our family for about 33 years.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29TB6BePvy8IE04CWpLfbuuiDccV59gnsmzEWm8Z-IyUGLwnRCag7y_gpxa6M5ljgd0aWkaw8nN7THP07kFxUVSfadB0Iqk4AatEhG1oBfcGHX5uDwmskbTkfe0kWtyloW6D8yIMwbIQ/s1600-h/IronBed2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29TB6BePvy8IE04CWpLfbuuiDccV59gnsmzEWm8Z-IyUGLwnRCag7y_gpxa6M5ljgd0aWkaw8nN7THP07kFxUVSfadB0Iqk4AatEhG1oBfcGHX5uDwmskbTkfe0kWtyloW6D8yIMwbIQ/s400/IronBed2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302122735425597330" border="0" /></a><br />I used the footboard as a bar to practice my gymnastic swings, flipping over the footboard or balancing myself above it as if I were on the uneven bars. Such a silly girl, I was.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47rojRJ12osfSL8BybxhTZsnSaU9NMOfd9H3R8svpT2keLmShRO1TCwIyPy8B3AZB2FhAH54OwsccllhG6fiLao3XOMMLvJ0YJlmj4ZV91zgqhHOANwpxOUk8nXMgmVCG5sRtWfu1eJk/s1600-h/IronBed4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 307px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47rojRJ12osfSL8BybxhTZsnSaU9NMOfd9H3R8svpT2keLmShRO1TCwIyPy8B3AZB2FhAH54OwsccllhG6fiLao3XOMMLvJ0YJlmj4ZV91zgqhHOANwpxOUk8nXMgmVCG5sRtWfu1eJk/s400/IronBed4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302122574070739058" border="0" /></a><br />I recall being afraid of the detail work. It looked like two very stern eyes looking at me, with an almost gargoyle look to it. Why couldn't I have been a happy-go-lucky kid who saw the design as a beautiful butterfly or something?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMw0lSjzXK3wO_-9Qil7FPq3TfQQZ59qVoJ6TfbFzQ-L-A7Wsc80XNAFjPNAozNvFCDft57rrcCErU_Q512UYXYGRz4dZyvxxhHMv4AD4qH4yTKwCNDpLiC00X53vpJHm3JdHDPW4yrOA/s1600-h/IronBed5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMw0lSjzXK3wO_-9Qil7FPq3TfQQZ59qVoJ6TfbFzQ-L-A7Wsc80XNAFjPNAozNvFCDft57rrcCErU_Q512UYXYGRz4dZyvxxhHMv4AD4qH4yTKwCNDpLiC00X53vpJHm3JdHDPW4yrOA/s400/IronBed5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302122458022203074" border="0" /></a><br />My mother says when she first bought the bed, it was rusted badly. She spent a great deal of time cleaning it up and then painted it a creamy white. It's been repainted a few more times over the years. You can see some of the spots where the paint has chipped off. I don't mind a bit.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQ-kc-ZSU3Qc2ALn_hmYUku8-xTtcZslJKqn2cmnFu2DJO06J7aRdaQTMzy5rHi-cxyEDrFSWT1H4QxuAhFrPxtgcqcFwb2jdzBm3cRh7u62GR5T_B9AxzUnCNOIa-R4YrjXkGWphYJE/s1600-h/IronBed7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQ-kc-ZSU3Qc2ALn_hmYUku8-xTtcZslJKqn2cmnFu2DJO06J7aRdaQTMzy5rHi-cxyEDrFSWT1H4QxuAhFrPxtgcqcFwb2jdzBm3cRh7u62GR5T_B9AxzUnCNOIa-R4YrjXkGWphYJE/s400/IronBed7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302122291236413474" border="0" /></a><br />This is the most UNflattering picture you'll see. LOL I had to raise the skirt to show you. Even the joint where the pieces meet match yours.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7bQ08i-C9u7QNluXynpLUzby4bPJZNkpKnelA8sqAvPn4N4oFWEz7U6V3KTcUCb2Y6NsK397D8hWYEu67fa3xfu6mVbXjseAJoLaZHHb2UANrQm_S8AeRYbSf044NnVxd9qlnok6K2U/s1600-h/IronBed6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7bQ08i-C9u7QNluXynpLUzby4bPJZNkpKnelA8sqAvPn4N4oFWEz7U6V3KTcUCb2Y6NsK397D8hWYEu67fa3xfu6mVbXjseAJoLaZHHb2UANrQm_S8AeRYbSf044NnVxd9qlnok6K2U/s400/IronBed6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302122377916523074" border="0" /></a><br />I've looked at other wrought iron beds over the years. But none hold a candle to this one. It has many MANY years of memories for me. Like I said in my comments on your blog Kelly, I won't let my bed go 'til they put me in a pine box.<br /><br />I hope yours becomes a favorite in your family too, to be passed down and cherished through the generations.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-5038978492625437252009-02-12T14:36:00.006-06:002009-02-12T15:07:20.931-06:00Help Me, Please?<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Remember, you can click on any of the photos to enlarge them.</span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtlP-mMcOg_nn9iXAxBZzF45kp4SAbDM1imYDEFtKPTr2Tr4XuDp-6STSwAG127g_2uGUzBC_0MnGYGQq37B-yZ-g-ZHzKL0JUW4D_OoTs2bRxub-hssTkBZ6MnaLZHFWohfBX-7yUeAo/s1600-h/Pillows1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtlP-mMcOg_nn9iXAxBZzF45kp4SAbDM1imYDEFtKPTr2Tr4XuDp-6STSwAG127g_2uGUzBC_0MnGYGQq37B-yZ-g-ZHzKL0JUW4D_OoTs2bRxub-hssTkBZ6MnaLZHFWohfBX-7yUeAo/s400/Pillows1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302013891604780994" border="0" /></a><br />About 30 years ago my mother made these wonderful pillows for my bed. (Of course, that was about 10 years before I was born. At least, that's my story.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQLLAIb5r_dO-k61_vGDpRU6V3uFH7i-Ocv-rSfmiABS2jFKjjy6Kj69vhkjdPiamrxf0ahKNk51xesne-KZmA_IBSF6UXmukVNH44g1tic4IZcSdRrm8MjluU57HfvjKYqC-eQIewFc/s1600-h/Pillows2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQLLAIb5r_dO-k61_vGDpRU6V3uFH7i-Ocv-rSfmiABS2jFKjjy6Kj69vhkjdPiamrxf0ahKNk51xesne-KZmA_IBSF6UXmukVNH44g1tic4IZcSdRrm8MjluU57HfvjKYqC-eQIewFc/s400/Pillows2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302013772160733746" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I've pulled the pillows out of my hope chest and decided to display them on the guest bed. Which just happened to be my bed growing up. I thought it was rather fitting that the pillows return to their original place of display.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF05IAgRvZeBTPi-bhbIgX5s5PY6R9g4oozjVrJ1hVWofx9HElQT8zO1Xk1a7u9da9lrJdy0BI5MLLQd7bGtUduRLIvXDCv6HT9hECYP-NzugDBDpWE7GEv2t6UlP6Moxff42JrpfYliM/s1600-h/Pillows3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF05IAgRvZeBTPi-bhbIgX5s5PY6R9g4oozjVrJ1hVWofx9HElQT8zO1Xk1a7u9da9lrJdy0BI5MLLQd7bGtUduRLIvXDCv6HT9hECYP-NzugDBDpWE7GEv2t6UlP6Moxff42JrpfYliM/s400/Pillows3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302013697315743058" border="0" /></a><br /><br />They all show some signs of their age, particularly around the middle. And they each could use a bit of a makeover. (gee, are we still talking about pillows here?)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_d10CmCHmkZ7jGBASpKeasDb7gp3tRFCkhhOv9OVwiT-8MpnZoVaCjJW3UK_1RCLGB721OKmSMoMmrzNFn7VRAlhlzk0N7W9MYlXcFP7Z9_oWGBizJfo2kdRDgjetes19TSO1QJB4wA/s1600-h/Pillows4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_d10CmCHmkZ7jGBASpKeasDb7gp3tRFCkhhOv9OVwiT-8MpnZoVaCjJW3UK_1RCLGB721OKmSMoMmrzNFn7VRAlhlzk0N7W9MYlXcFP7Z9_oWGBizJfo2kdRDgjetes19TSO1QJB4wA/s400/Pillows4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302013602782491698" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I actually don't mind the general discoloration of the Aida cloth. I figure it just goes with the general <del>older than dirt</del> vintage thing.<br /><br />But the "K" has a stain that is quite pronounced. It doesn't say "vintage", it says "splat". And I really need to figure out a way to clean it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPOoo8sVvObypzgEcNxDIKkMK-j70cq66zyhjy1nk9p7jk1cVDaiBEBdzU7zjBYDTCR-_L6IWe_ahLqDwhp4SRyanWHG9mQuboe04oDQjWX_CbflvzBW-PqQmqUoZfN3zC9gWF5bUCUE/s1600-h/Pillows5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPOoo8sVvObypzgEcNxDIKkMK-j70cq66zyhjy1nk9p7jk1cVDaiBEBdzU7zjBYDTCR-_L6IWe_ahLqDwhp4SRyanWHG9mQuboe04oDQjWX_CbflvzBW-PqQmqUoZfN3zC9gWF5bUCUE/s400/Pillows5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302013475646300962" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So I'm asking for advice. If these were <span style="font-weight: bold;">your</span> sentimental childhood pillows, how would <span style="font-weight: bold;">you</span> clean them? Or would you?<br /><br />No, I don't have any clue what the 30 year old stain is.<br /><br />No, these are not slipcovers over pillows. These are actually sewn on, so any cleaning has to be able to involve the whole pillow getting wet.<br /><br />They are in excellent physical condition. Really, as good as the day they were made. No wear on the fabric or ribbons or lace at all. Just the discoloration of the Aida cloth. That's it.<br /><br />Is there a way to clean the spot, but without it looking <span style="font-style: italic;">too</span> clean, if you know what I mean?<br /><br />Do you think they'd hold up to going through the wash?<br /><br />Is bleach too harsh on something so old?<br /><br />What about OxyClean?<br /><br />Any ideas?<br /><br />Please?<br /><br />Any help would be most appreciated.<br /><br />Thank you!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-64684401954565717582009-02-11T20:04:00.004-06:002009-02-11T20:28:08.263-06:00What Recession?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8w850BigDC0tkHnvl-hXG1h9S5H2yt50_Vhzt_vU8e8t4kVhkn_P7buOCBo7D1_WwgYMkeCR1_2FP6msP_YR6iMrMIffoezTnskicyLBShv8ZN4u-YL355iKeZLPZcpT6V2aWcB2ch8/s1600-h/2005WiltonMethodLogoblock.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 328px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8w850BigDC0tkHnvl-hXG1h9S5H2yt50_Vhzt_vU8e8t4kVhkn_P7buOCBo7D1_WwgYMkeCR1_2FP6msP_YR6iMrMIffoezTnskicyLBShv8ZN4u-YL355iKeZLPZcpT6V2aWcB2ch8/s400/2005WiltonMethodLogoblock.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301726061302738978" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As you probably know, I am the Wilton method cake decorating instructor at my local Hobby Lobby. Last week I started up the February round of classes. This month I have more students enrolled than I've ever had before.<br /><br />After class, I always walk over to the Wilton aisle of the store to assist the students with any purchases they may need to make. Many times in previous months I have had no students at all go to the Wilton aisle to make purchases. They've just left the store immediately after class, often opting instead to go to other stores where they know they can purchase the products cheaper. I always feel badly when they do that, but I there's nothing I can do about it. I can't force them to buy Wilton products or to do it at Hobby Lobby.<br /><br />Anyway, back to this month's class. Last week after class I walked with the students as usual over to the Wilton aisle. I was surprised to find that ALL of my students shopped for Wilton products that evening. And I was even more shocked at the amount of products they purchased. I did some quick mental math while helping one lady, and I figured she was purchasing about $200 worth of Wilton products. Other students were filling up their carts as well. I was really pleasantly surprised. And thought to myself "What recession?"<br /><br />The other day I went back to the store to turn in my February paperwork to the store manager. (Mucho importante, as this is how I get paid.) I mentioned to him about how much the students purchased. He told me they are finding that sales are actually increasing now as the economy is taking a downturn. He told me people are making more things themselves instead of purchasing ready-made products. And he said they are finding a trend among women to do more "nesting", which is resulting in Hobby Lobby seeing an increase in sales.<br /><br />I thought that was interesting. And encouraging. After all, we've lost Linens N Things and Goody's here in our town just in the last couple of months. Two perfectly good stores, gone forever. I sure don't want to lose Hobby Lobby. With all the doom and gloom we are bombarded with these days, it is nice to hear that somebody is doing ok.<br /><br />We don't have a Micheal's here in my town. I would imagine the same would be true for them too, since they're so similar to Hobby Lobby. I sure hope so. I hope both craft stores are able to weather this storm...for the sake of all us nesting women folk. :-)<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-33955198970557758072009-02-10T15:01:00.002-06:002009-02-10T15:09:36.664-06:00Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6pJRRnZn6gUyIQTYRlsC5BoxbSWhc_orJh1dTPfjkH5WMfYVZmVlF2ybbMfdN0oJxQNF7QH0aGaDDf4i5LPoScWudkN_nrIkp7RX_lQEDewK1N453kftpCDBpiwaG1xDhXWXy3EcpRw/s1600-h/180px-Peter_Peter_Pumpkin_Eater_2_-_WW_Denslow_-_Project_Gutenberg_etext_18546.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6pJRRnZn6gUyIQTYRlsC5BoxbSWhc_orJh1dTPfjkH5WMfYVZmVlF2ybbMfdN0oJxQNF7QH0aGaDDf4i5LPoScWudkN_nrIkp7RX_lQEDewK1N453kftpCDBpiwaG1xDhXWXy3EcpRw/s400/180px-Peter_Peter_Pumpkin_Eater_2_-_WW_Denslow_-_Project_Gutenberg_etext_18546.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301278852089646066" border="0" /></a><br />Yep, that's me. I'm cheating today on my own newly self-imposed one-blog-post-with-atleast-one-picture-a-day goal.<br /><br />I have a post in mind for today. But we've got a storm rolling in. Big time. Tornadoes and all. The lights are flickering; we've already lost satellite.<br /><br />When these things happen, I shut down my computers and unplug them. Yes, I've got surge protectors, but I don't trust them completely. I can't afford to replace my computers, much less what's on them. So when Mother Nature gets jiggy, my babies get unplugged.<br /><br />So this is my post for today. To tell you there is no post today. LOL<br /><br />How's THAT for cheating?! ;-)<br /><br />See ya' when the sun comes back out!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-31847787650371500172009-02-09T05:18:00.003-06:002009-02-09T05:18:00.872-06:00Preparing for the Worst<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsr4WPDXCr5B0xBF00C1JVLDX2Mv0eqsHbYTF8zPDEdPDWfw1r9mn_2nnPRxEkWh4VqFDM21ZERyaPPrE8JQpe-SaO14WQBSSPcNILPHc90F1_Botc5CKtwEYJWewqA3Nw6aOa2xd8o4/s1600-h/DaisyCoup01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsr4WPDXCr5B0xBF00C1JVLDX2Mv0eqsHbYTF8zPDEdPDWfw1r9mn_2nnPRxEkWh4VqFDM21ZERyaPPrE8JQpe-SaO14WQBSSPcNILPHc90F1_Botc5CKtwEYJWewqA3Nw6aOa2xd8o4/s400/DaisyCoup01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300573627756753506" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In anticipation of everything falling plumb apart when I go to switch my blog template, I've been spending some extra time making sure I've got everything I want to save saved into a separate document. Like the links of everyone I visit. You know, all those Linky Loves I've got in the sidebar.<br /><br />From what I hear, those probably won't be transferred over automatically. So I'm going through and copying & pasting everyone's URL into a Word document. Figuring I can copy & paste everything back here into Blogger once I've made the change. Ugh. What a time burner!<br /><br />On the upside, it's good because it's forcing me to update the links. On the downside, it's a real pain.<br /><br />Am I making this harder than it has to be? Am I being overly cautious? I don't know. I've never re-done my blog like this before. All I know is I've heard horror stories about it from others.<br /><br /><br />In the meantime, I did manage to get another coupon organizer posted to ebay <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=300292503881">HERE</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRA0PAGX6tBYu61J8X5cMVC5qlgsabJWEaH7NgJ6CcjO-nZH0_DpJuQ_n3iq1PxLpfUKffpxjj5wEe81QAig_1n2z0cLWzZSWbeXqg8G9mKv597BfhfeALLQ_vNVKX9ipxyb-8OfRvis/s1600-h/DaisyCoup07.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRA0PAGX6tBYu61J8X5cMVC5qlgsabJWEaH7NgJ6CcjO-nZH0_DpJuQ_n3iq1PxLpfUKffpxjj5wEe81QAig_1n2z0cLWzZSWbeXqg8G9mKv597BfhfeALLQ_vNVKX9ipxyb-8OfRvis/s400/DaisyCoup07.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300572404201614242" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Pretty doggone cute, if you ask me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JEqJw1t182dnSO0sVYvO-fMHnTddwil8CPZCXSgJJKVF4ZHTzCFhw8ZIN7TPpjIWEylKpgjy1UzBG8mWCGT-1KopggwcwLa0jEIDp-Vk_UoxS-kYJT2E0HS67Q9o1gqksxwoLEpTMig/s1600-h/DaisyCoup06.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JEqJw1t182dnSO0sVYvO-fMHnTddwil8CPZCXSgJJKVF4ZHTzCFhw8ZIN7TPpjIWEylKpgjy1UzBG8mWCGT-1KopggwcwLa0jEIDp-Vk_UoxS-kYJT2E0HS67Q9o1gqksxwoLEpTMig/s400/DaisyCoup06.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300572656581931090" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This came out a lot cuter than I thought it would. I'm actually liking the whole daisy & tea party theme that's going on with it. And the blue/yellow combination is nice & cheery.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSe3LPDAfAHA1_gYzz9i5GcXhThDR-nlRu2tr5yevE9qM4HxzXrpsYcpSVmP_Vw9vv16TIbC2JJL9Ay8sf-al4-VI6ZiZg_eUo_c6V_RaULcHfBFABpoYRM9PCq1IEGOTyWqjlCiXs0c/s1600-h/DaisyCoup13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 326px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSe3LPDAfAHA1_gYzz9i5GcXhThDR-nlRu2tr5yevE9qM4HxzXrpsYcpSVmP_Vw9vv16TIbC2JJL9Ay8sf-al4-VI6ZiZg_eUo_c6V_RaULcHfBFABpoYRM9PCq1IEGOTyWqjlCiXs0c/s400/DaisyCoup13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300574244003340258" border="0" /></a><br />Hope everyone has a Marvelous Monday!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-88423975082078708812009-02-08T08:29:00.001-06:002009-02-08T08:29:00.935-06:00Under ConstructionI have been wanting to make some changes to my blog for quite some time now. I've been wishing I would have set it up as 3 column in the first place. And I haven't been thrilled with my graphics. I want to have the same graphics for my ebay and website and this blog. I finally broke down and purchased the graphics from <a href="http://inmycedarchest.com/">InMyCedarChest</a> that she'd used to make my <a href="http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/kimscottagecreations_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ">ebay template</a> a long time ago.<br /><br />So I've decided I'm ready to take the plunge. I am going to attempt to re-do my blog. *Attempt* being the operative word, naturally.<br /><br />I'm not exactly sure when I'll get around to it. Hopefully within the next week or so.<br /><br />Fair warning. If you come by and see things all a-jumble, you'll know why. It's just Kim, doing her tinkering around thing again.<br /><br />Oh, and here's a little preview...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0lc6CBwbSPB88C0jmhdNpxvntKRsUAFw7n4ZyZi4gg8ECiZLv7lCoFszpKi454aoVhEQL9qTMuyRe-PlsGNdmsvCv2I_j5N7BTx0QrUyHwD6QK7BDDDr8MkrZ4k91Zg4m7xtpWqHRz2A/s1600-h/logoinpng.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 398px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0lc6CBwbSPB88C0jmhdNpxvntKRsUAFw7n4ZyZi4gg8ECiZLv7lCoFszpKi454aoVhEQL9qTMuyRe-PlsGNdmsvCv2I_j5N7BTx0QrUyHwD6QK7BDDDr8MkrZ4k91Zg4m7xtpWqHRz2A/s400/logoinpng.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299875479029021506" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-44521139814626038322009-02-07T02:46:00.000-06:002009-02-07T02:46:00.784-06:00Pink Saturday - Roses and BowsIt's Pink Saturday again! Woo Hoo! Thank you so much, <a href="http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/">Beverly</a>, for hosting Pink Saturday for us again.<br /><br />I love LOVE <span style="font-size:180%;">LOVE</span> Pink Saturdays. Even when I don't have a post up, I still enjoy going around and visiting everyone else, seeing all your lovely pinkies.<br /><br /><br />Today I thought I'd share my latest creations.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8X9AvGRHxTeADzi8X9DzXC_bFmPsHuVSyxFC4DBs-kawNMO1z1oPHfmy7aJn8QaejWqI9GSlmT-5H3JEbQkDGSWkEo0Oq-o73WvzEl54qUekGQuV_Lxs6-YuFllfffEDR81Ha0fWUA60/s1600-h/Bows12.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 327px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8X9AvGRHxTeADzi8X9DzXC_bFmPsHuVSyxFC4DBs-kawNMO1z1oPHfmy7aJn8QaejWqI9GSlmT-5H3JEbQkDGSWkEo0Oq-o73WvzEl54qUekGQuV_Lxs6-YuFllfffEDR81Ha0fWUA60/s400/Bows12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299866761408310466" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is a <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=300291589587">Coupon Organizer</a>. I purchased the graphics, then put them together into my own design.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0AX8hm14GB-5X6ZmC6IZ0zIe1V96q3TrUfDebLnmW0CnzhK75i1CmohiMMJAV78YkshTb_1e_aZltb7fMBn-yUFSvu7AdvDy7f3cGikwWkrO8sh1B7rDSJL7RRLuCMDm-CcOGN8DTpc/s1600-h/Bows02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0AX8hm14GB-5X6ZmC6IZ0zIe1V96q3TrUfDebLnmW0CnzhK75i1CmohiMMJAV78YkshTb_1e_aZltb7fMBn-yUFSvu7AdvDy7f3cGikwWkrO8sh1B7rDSJL7RRLuCMDm-CcOGN8DTpc/s400/Bows02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299867575994203058" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I had purchased this ribbon a while back. It is what I used to trim out the Christmas stocking for Chrissy. I had some left and just knew I had to add it to this box.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKoSz9Jv0Zq9lmnPVMEJqrudw6YliiDIIQnB45AqE0H1XutgBcr_nLMUoSVr3Y_DzgbEj_1kKF9sP-zSG7yBZSoJYlc53XWxH4_d_aW75D46h3Cv-kU-dOAJhaIMrADtcgbSTkNcNu1Q0/s1600-h/Bows08.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKoSz9Jv0Zq9lmnPVMEJqrudw6YliiDIIQnB45AqE0H1XutgBcr_nLMUoSVr3Y_DzgbEj_1kKF9sP-zSG7yBZSoJYlc53XWxH4_d_aW75D46h3Cv-kU-dOAJhaIMrADtcgbSTkNcNu1Q0/s400/Bows08.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299867399985074626" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is the matching <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Roses-Bows-Recipe-Box-with-Dividers-Cards-Charts_W0QQitemZ300292001398QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item300292001398&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318">Recipe Box</a> that I made.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6pfMNydftL98knXBQjERG2bVYc6crq42Qjqm7PtvDBO8Fr1JhyphenhyphenIUCo4if_lHJGtyEO0siQ5jzhO8jtQ7-lurAafBrOI12D9LzWunw-qbyWucOmGtw6qGOx3Bq96ITtYI4-F9D9cT8Ng/s1600-h/Bows08.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6pfMNydftL98knXBQjERG2bVYc6crq42Qjqm7PtvDBO8Fr1JhyphenhyphenIUCo4if_lHJGtyEO0siQ5jzhO8jtQ7-lurAafBrOI12D9LzWunw-qbyWucOmGtw6qGOx3Bq96ITtYI4-F9D9cT8Ng/s400/Bows08.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299868217063973330" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I've been pleasantly surprised at the response I've gotten so far to the boxes I've made. I've already received requests for custom orders.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1Vd7SONhAn2TD1kofiStGPHTe_ES3XCxA9VRQENlY57bcSyoUKH67tefW-WEX7mSYOPHj7nv_OmOEdC-uTWva0MKH7OGdrEkclx80z9SO_4lLVKD65czAN65wCGHQSZeD7onVh7Ev2I/s1600-h/Bows04.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1Vd7SONhAn2TD1kofiStGPHTe_ES3XCxA9VRQENlY57bcSyoUKH67tefW-WEX7mSYOPHj7nv_OmOEdC-uTWva0MKH7OGdrEkclx80z9SO_4lLVKD65czAN65wCGHQSZeD7onVh7Ev2I/s400/Bows04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299868533410219410" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I'm ooh'ing and ahh'ing over these. And, as much as I need them to sell, I'm really kinda hoping they don't. LOL<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqUfkjia-_dgODq3nBPSp7uHFr6jBmwgnqJtiEVNSXK5rqjskrg2PT0UmGw_brtYoVolfpJe8tOSpm77tnR-EWlHBgI-HVxi-Wpd2o6GseiACgimKOQ2wrSZdTr6CkuDs5vB74Rg1WzI/s1600-h/Bows02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqUfkjia-_dgODq3nBPSp7uHFr6jBmwgnqJtiEVNSXK5rqjskrg2PT0UmGw_brtYoVolfpJe8tOSpm77tnR-EWlHBgI-HVxi-Wpd2o6GseiACgimKOQ2wrSZdTr6CkuDs5vB74Rg1WzI/s400/Bows02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299869068985995234" border="0" /></a><br /><br />But seriously, I'm hoping and praying the demand keeps up. Not just because of the income factor..but because I really have a <span style="font-style: italic;">LOT</span> of fun making these.<br /><br />My shameless plug for the day: You can find these & the other tin boxes I've got for sale <a href="http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/kimscottagecreations">HERE</a>.<br /><br /><br />Now let's head on over to <a href="http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/">Beverly's</a> to see who else is participating today.<br /><br />And have a <span style="font-weight: bold;">WONDERFUL</span> Pink Saturday!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-72082160626094986222009-02-06T19:11:00.016-06:002009-02-06T19:45:11.331-06:00All "Boxed" UpI haven't taken the time to post in a few weeks. And I really should have. I've been a busy little beaver. I should have been sharing with you all along. It is one of the things I have decided to work harder on: keeping my blog updated. It's just too easy to get behind and let life get in the way and...well, no more excuses. Right?<br /><br />It all started a few weeks ago when I came across a template for a coupon organizer. I absolutely fell in love with it and really wanted an excuse to make one. So I whipped one up for my stepmother's birthday and shipped it off to her.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Click on photos to enlarge)</span></span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGisFG-nVxhopNUHXHrn1XlRUkguP8rEcLoCCUP3ZVfFApzTx9FVXozlmJxtENtgQhjPF4_lYh5GoS-vVx8fY0WzTHxuo5Z4QJLJ8njQrQp9ZHyt1Vzz6V6XsEVOFILN95_7zTcnMRERE/s1600-h/Coupon05.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGisFG-nVxhopNUHXHrn1XlRUkguP8rEcLoCCUP3ZVfFApzTx9FVXozlmJxtENtgQhjPF4_lYh5GoS-vVx8fY0WzTHxuo5Z4QJLJ8njQrQp9ZHyt1Vzz6V6XsEVOFILN95_7zTcnMRERE/s400/Coupon05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299858308885566738" border="0" /></a><br />I put a note inside, asking her to give me feedback on how it worked out for her. Because I wanted to make one for myself too. She did give me feedback. She LOVED it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwa5pENnS0hlRILVBCCzLfP4MspFNsbWNsHVJcoWjVn4zqpi67ua5VQSEXVyQnXbN-QNLI_FnndQFSYydYmCO-vpsF3tq3cca2K3AQn-nz6ew456bz3usMDAjhkwN6EjuRFrN9yCr3lVs/s1600-h/Coupon04.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwa5pENnS0hlRILVBCCzLfP4MspFNsbWNsHVJcoWjVn4zqpi67ua5VQSEXVyQnXbN-QNLI_FnndQFSYydYmCO-vpsF3tq3cca2K3AQn-nz6ew456bz3usMDAjhkwN6EjuRFrN9yCr3lVs/s400/Coupon04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299858818244214354" border="0" /></a><br />Then I got the idea to make one and try my hand at selling it on eBay. I tweaked the design a bit and added a bit more embellishment. To give you an idea, here's the one I made for my stepmother:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsOcaz649RWxnJkXvRImJ63SWIU0PS9JSC2PHjGv9XCg0KIAnM287P4YWo2j63io2y8-c7KlxYvkSt1RZHnGzFjkkipLXJQxdk1hPvTp_bZAGlQyU3LkRt7CK3lj8IVXTA3ZweqrQvPk/s1600-h/Coupon02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsOcaz649RWxnJkXvRImJ63SWIU0PS9JSC2PHjGv9XCg0KIAnM287P4YWo2j63io2y8-c7KlxYvkSt1RZHnGzFjkkipLXJQxdk1hPvTp_bZAGlQyU3LkRt7CK3lj8IVXTA3ZweqrQvPk/s400/Coupon02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299859393383220594" border="0" /></a><br />And here's the first one that went on eBay:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxot2sIPbzRvWv4Bi_M9Rq2Hy44UPj1pgE6lGvaaORJlrGWfew68XysRmmVNRjzh7fEkK3PpQx8iuGfykugt4ePEmTPMPMsEmz8w-WnvE6be5pBjZzWm378U0AF3kz1w2e0zBponEs8bQ/s1600-h/BHOrganizer01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxot2sIPbzRvWv4Bi_M9Rq2Hy44UPj1pgE6lGvaaORJlrGWfew68XysRmmVNRjzh7fEkK3PpQx8iuGfykugt4ePEmTPMPMsEmz8w-WnvE6be5pBjZzWm378U0AF3kz1w2e0zBponEs8bQ/s400/BHOrganizer01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299859678134329490" border="0" /></a><br />I didn't have the right size box, though. So I had to do some changing of the graphics to make a template that would fit the larger sized box I was able to find. That was a challenge. Still, I think it came out nicely.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgzPCJxD91iaerMJ6TA_5RfwzfFmhgyL9mC-YP2Kze3GCfQq_7KExrKP2nrfvh2QyAeMgrKiilnPyaYrVFbsoxZcRJbzW-AloZ9F-mZK8sOXb_xCcbwB9jb9uBGU1I4qRqXEQFmnGPyU/s1600-h/BHOrganizer05.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgzPCJxD91iaerMJ6TA_5RfwzfFmhgyL9mC-YP2Kze3GCfQq_7KExrKP2nrfvh2QyAeMgrKiilnPyaYrVFbsoxZcRJbzW-AloZ9F-mZK8sOXb_xCcbwB9jb9uBGU1I4qRqXEQFmnGPyU/s400/BHOrganizer05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299861083569114434" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Then I made a Recipe Box and listed it on ebay.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUfmBmboPBv4Nn0ebEYjVS74n7di8RYZrGIYggHP_sOgDNExjQ9b-5fmI1qKd3HZZa8aNj8XxnWU4w0CAe1SPGS2QWqpkNX9LiIWlT2ExkGD-rOnO7m3mpLtY9y9FnkAW6As1iB5e8je0/s1600-h/RecipeBox07.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUfmBmboPBv4Nn0ebEYjVS74n7di8RYZrGIYggHP_sOgDNExjQ9b-5fmI1qKd3HZZa8aNj8XxnWU4w0CAe1SPGS2QWqpkNX9LiIWlT2ExkGD-rOnO7m3mpLtY9y9FnkAW6As1iB5e8je0/s400/RecipeBox07.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299860343333997938" border="0" /></a><br />Again, larger sized box. Had to alter the graphics. My first tiny taste of "graphic design".<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWT4TP2TxPJqaNFiPM_iWwE1idv4vU3DcTLMCzTLyCNi3Wu4HgxgBkZJwc9964TwHtVJbMcNFFJl5Ye40NiydO7HfTrMwohJjFxbx1QZA60eVSLLtHDzROYiACFtFkYAoWf1rdgyyO1A/s1600-h/RecipeBox01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWT4TP2TxPJqaNFiPM_iWwE1idv4vU3DcTLMCzTLyCNi3Wu4HgxgBkZJwc9964TwHtVJbMcNFFJl5Ye40NiydO7HfTrMwohJjFxbx1QZA60eVSLLtHDzROYiACFtFkYAoWf1rdgyyO1A/s400/RecipeBox01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299860516763851250" border="0" /></a><br />Then I got brave. Or stupid. Not real sure which yet. LOL<br /><br />I decided to make up my own graphic design into my own template.<br /><br />And I came up with this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpHwrYPqNm5fb6YU6YrIz41W8DO3TNGVbsPxU2fXctsGrnicxKu98Sz9UNggYIRA_UgaMhkC3M_TrMGMX5Tx7ESnPWK0a4DHtvjKHCfZjRmSt0Wgtas_l2ytILKQvaT4mEGLulFidXMo/s1600-h/RoseCoupons07.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpHwrYPqNm5fb6YU6YrIz41W8DO3TNGVbsPxU2fXctsGrnicxKu98Sz9UNggYIRA_UgaMhkC3M_TrMGMX5Tx7ESnPWK0a4DHtvjKHCfZjRmSt0Wgtas_l2ytILKQvaT4mEGLulFidXMo/s400/RoseCoupons07.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299862822040207586" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I purchased the graphics themselves from Daisie Company, then put them together to make the templates for everything here.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtC_Qos5V2qeLoV1b0__kNZdiF36u-8ovKl7Pg6Gd3_hOpHSDLwiakx9ewcnzLFSo67lpj8syfKylMplIkid1_tixLJR-gmjf-K4hyphenhyphentB6voY-6vCRCz0cZ5PIxqiLtqZdCDO3n-4ynFug/s1600-h/RoseCoupons05.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtC_Qos5V2qeLoV1b0__kNZdiF36u-8ovKl7Pg6Gd3_hOpHSDLwiakx9ewcnzLFSo67lpj8syfKylMplIkid1_tixLJR-gmjf-K4hyphenhyphentB6voY-6vCRCz0cZ5PIxqiLtqZdCDO3n-4ynFug/s400/RoseCoupons05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299863000077586338" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It was very time-consuming, especially since I have no idea how to do graphic designs. But well worth it. She went for a pretty penny on eBay.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpnS1VAlqJzBOMjZcMGAhRZwCoTg8JilrbvkwFs4OTjHZHV73UF15DPZEPyrV2o2lpxfsXdo3Sg3NsCFtV5mNTbkVM0FobdQAlrgLm1m5MkArYKUUviD9VDePw3tGgUe6otEYj3G47uo/s1600-h/RoseCoupons02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpnS1VAlqJzBOMjZcMGAhRZwCoTg8JilrbvkwFs4OTjHZHV73UF15DPZEPyrV2o2lpxfsXdo3Sg3NsCFtV5mNTbkVM0FobdQAlrgLm1m5MkArYKUUviD9VDePw3tGgUe6otEYj3G47uo/s400/RoseCoupons02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299864472767384930" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I did have a hard time shipping her off, though. A part of me really wanted to keep her here in my kitchen, in all her glorious shabby rosey-ness.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-77964677734335546492009-01-10T02:14:00.001-06:002009-01-10T02:14:00.888-06:00Pink Saturday - Planning AheadThanks to Beverly at <a href="http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/">How Sweet The Sound</a>, Pink Saturday is upon us again!<br /><br /><br />Puleeze tell me I'm not the only one who does this...<br /><br />I refrain rather religiously from buying Christmas decorations in the months leading up to the holiday...knowing I can get the same things for a song if I hold out until December 26.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/PinkOrnament1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 310px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/PinkOrnament1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Anyone else do that?<br /><br />I even begin to purchase next year's Christmas presents at the after-Christmas sales. (The problem with this money-saving strategy is that I sometimes forget I've purchased something for someone and end up buying them another gift at some point during the year.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/PinkOrnament2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 310px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/PinkOrnament2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Tell me I'm not alone! Tell me you too start preparing for Christmas a year in advance!<br /><br /><br />I've noticed the past few years that our living room Victorian tree has been looking more and more bare. This year it was really quite embarrassing, looking rather pathetic. Too many empty green branches. Over the years most of our ornaments have broken at one point or another. When I was packing away the decorations this year, I noticed we were down to just 8 glass Victorian-style ornaments of the original 40 given to me by my mother-in-law.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/PinkOrnament4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 512px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/PinkOrnament4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Which brings me to the after-Christmas sales this year and my quest to liven up my tree next year.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/PinkOrnaments3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 310px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/PinkOrnaments3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />I admit it. I have purchased more ornaments the past few weeks than I ever have in the past. More than I care to ever let my husband know about.<br /><br />Glass ones. Plastic ones. Styrofoam ones. Of all different sizes and colors. Most of them I have plans to perk up and transform into perfect pinkiness.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/PinkOrnaments5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 310px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/PinkOrnaments5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On the upside, I've made all these purchases at deep discounts. Some 60% off, more at 75% off<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/PinkOrnaments6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 512px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/PinkOrnaments6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />and my personal fave: All the pink goodies you've seen here were 80% off + my 15% employee discount at Hobby Lobby.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/PinkOrnaments7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 510px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/PinkOrnaments7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So when hubby finds my new Christmas stash, I'll just bat my eyelashes and give him my usual line:<br /><br />"But honey! See how much money I <span style="font-style: italic;">saved</span> you?"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/PinkOrnaments8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 510px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/PinkOrnaments8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Now tell me, what kind of after-Christmas goodies have you found? And what projects do you have dancing around in your head for Christmas 2009?<br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-55893453777562882562009-01-09T22:03:00.001-06:002009-01-09T22:07:10.010-06:00Christmas On A Budget - Part 2<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >WHOOPS! While doing my Pink Saturday post, I found this post from last month that was never published. It was sitting there as a Draft. Ugh.<br /><br />So here it is...almost a month late:</span><br /><br /><br />The biggest, most overwhelming part of our handcrafted Christmas are the Rice Bags.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 307px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I started out with 19 on my List for all the ladies in the family.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 306px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />But my List has quickly expanded and now we're up to 29.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 306px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I'm making each of these with 4 separate compartments in each bag. That helps keep the rice from sliding to one spot in the bag.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Each compartment has 1 cup of rice in it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 306px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags004.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I started out using herbal teas to add fragrance to the rice.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags003.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 306px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags003.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Apple cinnamon, lemon, chamomile, orange teas.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags005.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 306px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags005.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />But I soon found the teas did not provide enough fragrance, as the bags just smelled like cooked rice when they came out of the microwave. Not good.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 307px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags002.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />So then I switched to fragrance oils which worked much better. "Warm Sugar Cookies" -- ooooh so yummy smelling!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 398px; height: 306px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/RiceBags001.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Afterthought:</span> Now that the Holiday is over and all the rice bags have been given away, I cannot tell you how popular these gifts were. I continue to receive Thank You's over and over again for them. People tell me how soothing the bags are on their aches and pains. And with it being winter, several people tell me they heat their bags up and sleep with them or lay them over their feet in bed.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >These ended up being very good gifts to give-- for their practicality and for being budget-friendly.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-581215250773058062008-12-28T20:24:00.003-06:002008-12-28T21:40:16.951-06:00Good-bye Santa, Hello FrostyI hope you all had a blessed Christmas and are ready to ring in the New Year!<br /><br />I usually leave the Christmas decorations up through New Year's weekend, but this year I was antsy to move on. So the Christmas garb has been packed up and hauled back up to the attic.<br /><br />Here's a peek at the mantle now with a winter wonderland theme...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter01.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/?action=view&current=Winter06.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter06.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />The "snow" is a lace tablecloth with a strand of clear icicle lights underneath...plugged into a timer of course so I don't have to mess with turning them on and off (because I'm lazy like that LOL)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter07.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter07.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Our wonderful neighbor gave this frosted glass snowman to us last Christmas.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter08.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 451px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter08.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I think this Santa and Mrs. Clause dancing by the tree are too cute. It's vintage, passed down through my family. There is a music box underneath that is supposed to make the happy couple twirl, but it no longer works.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter09.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 306px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter09.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />This little trio in the horsedrawn sleigh were also passed down through the family but I have no idea how old they are.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter10.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I did have more figurines on the mantle and intertwined some snowflake ribbon. But then I took them off. I decided I liked the simpler look better. Seemed a bit more calm and serene, the look I was going for.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter13.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I'm not normally fond of angel children (makes me think of children dying, always seemed a bit morbid to me). I only have a few such figurines in my home -- the ones handed down to me by my grandparents. I do think these two kissing are very cute. I just wish they weren't winged. I know, I've got to get over that hangup.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter11.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 307px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Winter14.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-59599948419352521222008-12-16T06:24:00.000-06:002008-12-16T06:24:03.914-06:00Christmas On A Budget - Part 3I took a break from the mounds of rice I've been immersed in to move on to some other gifts. These are for JD's work Christmas party this week so I had to get them done. (and I'm pleased to announced they are done ahead of time, no last minute rushing. Woo Hoo for me!)<br /><br />There's not really a Christmas gift exchange at JD's work. In fact, last year the only people who gave gifts besides us was the Chief and Assistant Chief. With there being 24 people to give to, we have to keep costs pretty low. Last year we spent an average of $2.50 per person. This year I was able to top that at...drumroll please... 20.8 cents a person. Can I get another Woo Hoo for me?!<br /><br />With that in mind, I have to give you this disclaimer: These are meant to be very small tokens, gag gifts. Not <span style="font-style: italic;">real</span> gifts. Not anything fancy by any means. K?<br /><br />I purchased one box of ornaments at Wal-Mart. It is the box of 24 for $5.00. They were the gold "shatterproof" (aka plastic) ones. That $5.00 was my only expense for these gifts.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/WMornaments.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 128px; height: 100px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/WMornaments.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I removed the hanger hooks from them and painted them with Kilz primer. Here they are with one coat of primer. You can see that I used clothespins to hold them by the knobs at the top while I painted them. Didn't work so well.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/ChristmasGifts006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 430px; height: 330px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/ChristmasGifts006.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Then I had the brilliant idea of putting them on skewers (putting the skewer through that hole in the top). I held each one up and spray painted it white. Then I stood them up in styrofoam to dry.<br /><br />(JD retrieved 5 of these styrofoam strips for me from a garbage bin at a construction site the week before last. "Why do you want them", he'd asked me. "I don't know, just get them for me. Never turn away perfectly good styrofoam. It'll come in handy some day", had been my answer. And here we are.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/ChristmasGifts008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 430px; height: 330px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/ChristmasGifts008.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Next I put a unique saying on each ornament. Some I painted; most I just used black Sharpie marker. The sayings are all suited to each person's interest or personality and they're all tongue-in-cheek. I'm not going to post them all, but here's the Chief's:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/ChristmasGifts009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 330px; height: 430px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/ChristmasGifts009.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />See the black ribbon the ornament is hanging from? Well, last year after Christmas I had purchased some crystal ornaments on clearance. The problem was the ornaments hung from black ribbon, which would never go with my decor. So I removed the ribbons and replaced them with more appropriate colored ones. Here is one next to Chief's ornament on the Teacup Tree:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/CrystalOrnament.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 330px; height: 430px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/CrystalOrnament.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />When I took those black ribbons off the crystal ornaments, well, you know where we're going with this. I saved them. Never turn away perfectly good ribbon. Of any color. It'll come in handy some day. And here we are....again.<br /><br />I pulled out some craft/lunch bags I had left over from my daycare art supplies and -viola!- instant wrapping. Here they are, all dressed up and ready to go to the party.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/ChristmasGifts055.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 430px; height: 330px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/ChristmasGifts055.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Moral of the story? I found a way to make 24 gifts for just $5.00. (One last Woo Hoo for me, please? LOL) If I'd used pretty pastels, glitter, lace, rosettes or pearls, they could have been oh-so-sweet. As it is, they suit their purpose perfectly. And they suit my budget even better.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVcMIcbnbBPkgqoOsB-CP_Vp2f-pkBOWXJg-tMcFzNkkZJHeZ0n4Pb0m0HrpOmmwW5ofuMblvywYAh83-knGdH9EV6JxJePJaYkIY5M2VKhBbCnXIjjrF3nW1nA6lAADgOfNjdlKveas/s1600-h/1aaaseasoncomp005.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVcMIcbnbBPkgqoOsB-CP_Vp2f-pkBOWXJg-tMcFzNkkZJHeZ0n4Pb0m0HrpOmmwW5ofuMblvywYAh83-knGdH9EV6JxJePJaYkIY5M2VKhBbCnXIjjrF3nW1nA6lAADgOfNjdlKveas/s400/1aaaseasoncomp005.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279831521062476818" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-733511355435391652008-12-14T05:49:00.000-06:002008-12-14T05:49:00.198-06:00It's Called Christmas With a Capital "C"Let's jazz it up a bit for our weekend music...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VHf1-p40OdU&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VHf1-p40OdU&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-43362986478432710862008-12-13T07:24:00.003-06:002008-12-13T07:41:59.632-06:00Marriage....It's All About Compromise<div style="text-align: center;">I wanted to make a new pillow for Chrissy. It needed to be pink and lacey and froo-frooey, just as any 8 month old baby girl would want.<br /><br /><br />Unfortunately, JD happened to be with me the day I went to the fabric store.<br /><br /><br />So Chrissy ended up with pink camo instead.<br /><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Pillow3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 304px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Pillow3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Just look at my poor baby girl.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Pillow2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 304px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Pillow2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">She's devastated by such a turn of events, can't you tell?<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Pillow4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll207/brankd/cottage/Pillow4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Please check out all the other <span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">Pink Saturday</span> participants over at <a href="http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/">Beverly's</a>.<br /><br />And have a <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 51, 204); font-family: verdana;">Perfectly Pink Saturday</span>!<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-39937642703600826162008-12-11T07:49:00.000-06:002008-12-11T07:49:01.438-06:00Silent Nightby Straight No Chaser<br /><br />a spellbinding a capalla...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iajdUlQRgIc&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iajdUlQRgIc&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object></div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301992614571460857.post-16199157373719193792008-12-10T19:08:00.007-06:002008-12-10T19:42:03.541-06:00Christmas On A Budget - Part 1We are having a "homemade" Christmas this year. We are not buying any gifts for our families, friends, or coworkers; all their gifts are being made by JD and me. This is unusual for us.<br /><br />No, let's face it. This is a first.<br /><br />While I've been known to make a few gifts for a few people -usually only the children or women- this is the first completely handcrafted Christmas. JD and I have challenged ourselves to look around our own home for creative uses for items we already have. We've been quite thrifty. We have purchased only very small amounts of necessary components for our otherwise-completely homemade gifts.<br /><br /><br />This is the gift we are making for each of the men...6 in all. Our fathers, brothers,and wonderful neighbor.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF64pwZeIGNk003uZqW0Xmw6zRqU1yI0_-SU6Ci42bfwEKwmqVaJdrFi27LJfZiRgfmKGPMHQHeZtiAfWXvDQGSxtPgJgAhScNSIAQSwJ9DRsjC3IcnzmhmxbhXvVHSOR42R_qut9JMPE/s1600-h/WasherGame1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF64pwZeIGNk003uZqW0Xmw6zRqU1yI0_-SU6Ci42bfwEKwmqVaJdrFi27LJfZiRgfmKGPMHQHeZtiAfWXvDQGSxtPgJgAhScNSIAQSwJ9DRsjC3IcnzmhmxbhXvVHSOR42R_qut9JMPE/s400/WasherGame1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278336949496025442" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It is a Washer Game. It is a variant of horseshoes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBjmbaZq8dtbJu97nfkJqqwreUctOCAHjGKL5VMye1ZyA-NiE80QSYAcXmRrDhMm1ZmHa9KGDJaPUL1xqj2v1v9cUk6DuknTtkgVaWrmwSt8J2WSVUQMbN0Kb48GCdCinpZYPC5D_Ve4/s1600-h/WasherGame3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBjmbaZq8dtbJu97nfkJqqwreUctOCAHjGKL5VMye1ZyA-NiE80QSYAcXmRrDhMm1ZmHa9KGDJaPUL1xqj2v1v9cUk6DuknTtkgVaWrmwSt8J2WSVUQMbN0Kb48GCdCinpZYPC5D_Ve4/s400/WasherGame3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278337697236259218" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We used materials we already had on hand. The wood which JD used to assemble it. The paint which I used on the board and the washers. The carpet is a remnant left over from our daycare. And I sewed the bags for the washers with fabric I already had. Even the "cord" for the drawstring bags are shoelaces taken from JD's old tennis shoes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EOZ6GLiRD1A2HhkPHbwgliy1s2D4xHBhaQrbwUw9Gwan3s89oWYDiHr67XpVFlBdEbhhD0pZh2w8aXoEwl4xua5YeKiMdBmr1zjZ-hso5e4yeCNIT1oS5ZNFD6HjO-PjQ5B8zr8p84Y/s1600-h/WasherGame2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EOZ6GLiRD1A2HhkPHbwgliy1s2D4xHBhaQrbwUw9Gwan3s89oWYDiHr67XpVFlBdEbhhD0pZh2w8aXoEwl4xua5YeKiMdBmr1zjZ-hso5e4yeCNIT1oS5ZNFD6HjO-PjQ5B8zr8p84Y/s400/WasherGame2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278337506868965906" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The only item we had to go out and buy for these gifts were the washers. $13.49 (including tax) for 40 of them at Lowe's.<br /><br />$13.49 for six gifts. Can't beat that.<br /><br />Washers is a fun game, perfectly suited for family gatherings and parties. <span style="font-size:78%;">(When our neighbor saw one we'd made, he marveled over it and commented on how perfect it would be for his annual family reunion. So guess what he's getting for Christmas? :-)</span> It can be played indoors or out, by young children all the way up to the young at heart.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDtmouBHAu1ENQGYm7ORlJWln26KSCj-9pQD-XLefhY7zlpqMBwgk18PruAuwIh0u_Z4SAPiEB52A-GGECAV3AjfAygbF_mLy2RacIt5l3545TPBECuYPtLjlZ7vFtpm1LXxZA1e18yY/s1600-h/WasherGame4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDtmouBHAu1ENQGYm7ORlJWln26KSCj-9pQD-XLefhY7zlpqMBwgk18PruAuwIh0u_Z4SAPiEB52A-GGECAV3AjfAygbF_mLy2RacIt5l3545TPBECuYPtLjlZ7vFtpm1LXxZA1e18yY/s400/WasherGame4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278338132378489730" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In the days to follow (or weeks, depending on how far behind schedule I get), I will be finishing up more and more homemade gifts. I can't wait to share them all with you!<br /><br /><br />In the meantime, wishing you a very merry (and non-bank-breaking) Christmas season!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGw3TcZniR47vbQAlcuhPc0v7HRpsMtoirrJXfxsExXSFUM3MdTwkZnzIdBinyU0-U7-0GhY-cLPWCEDA2O8kc1BZ8thk2EmoTEHhsSrIlzXTMHZicG3-eIuXBm9EnKWDevov0GyTem0/s1600-h/1aacindy006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 287px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGw3TcZniR47vbQAlcuhPc0v7HRpsMtoirrJXfxsExXSFUM3MdTwkZnzIdBinyU0-U7-0GhY-cLPWCEDA2O8kc1BZ8thk2EmoTEHhsSrIlzXTMHZicG3-eIuXBm9EnKWDevov0GyTem0/s400/1aacindy006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278341659869308674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/231/E12478CB03652E1A6939983D25A7BD5B.png" /></a></div>Kim's Cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12843314169360048850noreply@blogger.com1