Almost Done...

No! Really I am almost done. Ok, I AM done. Finally.
For Elizabeths Happy Homemaker Tag Along,

I have been racking my brains (all of them ) to come up with a theme for this swap.

I thought I had one, but found it to be all wrong and not going to take me through the whole year.
Yikes. I think they call it the eleventh hour rush. As we can only purchase our paper & supplies once, I was in a pickle. Thank Heaven my friend Sandy understands pickles & Me.

Off we go to get the correct supplies for the tag along that will last the whole 12 months.  Did I mention this happened Sunday afternoon, nothing like waiting to the last minute. Now I only needed a theme. I will need to sleep on this and make my tag in the morning, after appointments that have to be kept.

Normally my crafting headaches go unnoticed by my family, they only see the end results and are of course supportive, but this time was different. This is not just a crafting project, but now a 'game' with friends I do not even know in blogland. As we know you never get a second chance to make a first impression and I want mine to acceptable.

I'm almost there, I have great papers from a company I had never heard of before: Cosmo Cricket is new to me (stop laughing) and I chose the Material Girl.
Theme, theme, theme,

Got it! 1950's Housewife. Yes! I AM ALMOST DONE!! YEAH
Sorta, now I need to make the two tags. Ready set, here I go.
I found great images on Flickr and chose this one for January. I am not sure what else will go on the tag, but it's a start and I need to be almost done. The reveal is today.

I used chalk to darken some of the areas and silver gelly roll pens on the pans to add a little metel look. I was pleased, but needed more.

My husband walked into the studio and I asked his advice for the blank space, I tried a window, a cupboard, a chalkboard, nothing was working and what was the message?
He suggested a calendar hanging on the wall. Perfect. Google is a beautiful thing. Did you notice it is even January 1950. Perfect.

I'm almost done. The words at the bottom seemed too fitting.
I am pleased with my tag and can not wait to visit and see everyones style and art.

Thank you for visiting and I look forward to meeting new buddies in blogland.

On Cooper Pond

For years now, maybe 15, my husband has wanted a pond in the lower part of our pasture. Well now he has one. 

If you look carefully at the low point in the center of the picture that was taken from my kitchen window, you can see a reflection from his pond.
Ok, it may not be much now, but just keep checking back. Once he gets his mind to something, it will happen.
After many hard rains, we woke to see the water actually pooling. Coffee in hand and dogs close behind, we headed down to the pond.

WOW! It really is a pond, and what do water dogs do when they get by water? They swim.

Our golden Tanner, loves water and did not even flinch striding into the icy water.
It is even colder to him since the day before I shaved him.

Our dog Watson looking at Tanners hair on the floor  hoping I don't shave him too.

He was just so messy, he may look funny, but as my daughter puts it "It's not beach season, so nobody will see him" 

He must feel better, and now he can go into the pond and just get dried off.

After visiting the pond, we headed back up the hill  to the house. Happy to have a pond, finally.

Welcome 2011

It was especially fun ringing in this New Year.

Any reason to decorate.

 As I sit back and think about how many changes this great room has had in just a short time, I get tired. First off Thanksgiving, A table set to serve 16.

 Then Christmas, A table for 12.

Now New Years. We will have 20 for dinner.

We decided to have the neighbors over for a crab feed and a game of Bunco.

Dave & Lisa, Neighbors

Hodges, more neighbors.

Three neighbor ladies

Abby, Christian & Billie, friends of the kids

Kevin & Megan

The kids had their friends over to hang out with us crazy adults. That was fun! 

All preparations had been made, Shrimp & Crab cooked on an outdoor fire on the deck,

Yes, that really is the color of the sky, AMAZING NIGHT!

Food had been set out...

Drinks could be made..

Money placed into bunco jars to be won by five lucky people.

We played,

And played,

And played some more,

Chase, A new friend

We made some new friends,

Jessica, Gary & Dinna   More neighbors & friends

And  had a nice evening visiting with old friends,

Dave & Sandy 

It is so nice that most all live right here on the same street.

Me & my boys

Our Family has had a blessed 2010,

Me & my girl

And looking forward to many rewards in 2011.

The party was over and a New Year has begun...