Turkey no more . . .

We have turkey once a year - on Thanksgiving.  My 'man' doesn't really like it and refuses to eat any turkey leftovers!  I, on the other hand, think Thanksgiving leftovers are better than the first time we eat them.  But, after having turkey sandwiches, turkey salad sandwiches and turkey casserole, even I am done, done, done with turkey!  Even though I didn't wish you all a happy Thanksgiving, I thought about you bloggers and wished in my heart you all had a great day!

On Sunday I thought I would be crafty and made one of these FABULOUS wreaths made out of book pages.  There is a tutorial by Lindsay from Living with Lindsay regarding these and I've seen them all over the web.  Even saw a ball made the same way!  It took me ALL afternoon (I think I overworked it), 2 books (I still have a very hard time tearing up a book, even though it just one of my husband's westerns) and 6 sticks of glue!  But I LOVE it!  I used 2 book pages per roll but one would work just as well.

Thought it might be cute to stick little Christmas balls or greenery in some of the rolls for the holidays!

This is it so far for Christmas decorations (after all, it IS only November)!  The snow is just for show (thank goodness).  It has been a very unusual November for Nebraska.  Temps in the 50s and 60s! 

The tree is up in the house but only has lights on it.  The fall decorations were packed away today so I can start to concentrate on hauling Christmas boxes later this week.  Taxes for our business are due in 2 weeks and I haven't started yet!  But I want to make Christmas stuff!  I want to go shopping (NOT on a weekend and I DEFINATELY did not go on black Friday)!  I want to surf the blogs to see how others are decorating!  I want to make handmade gifts!  I want to decorate!  Paperwork is BORING!

My daughter cut this out from an old disk blade.  She used to be a shop teacher and had access to a fancy welder so she made a bunch of stuff before she left that school.  She doesn't do that anymore and I miss the things she would surprise me with!

Just a note -- Anne at Fiona and Twig is celebrating her 100th post with a giveaway!  And Heidi at Fairy Footprints in the Sand is having one too!  I love me some primitives so am excited to announce that Teri at White Sheep Primitive is offering the cutest primitive angel!  Also, Marilyn at Harvest Moon Primitives is giving away an angel all in white!  All of these blogs are worth visiting over and over!  I wish I would learn how to post pictures from other blogs - the giveaways are always better with pictures!

Gonna go watch Hoarders (have you SEEN those houses - those poor people!) . . .

xo  --  Connie

Silver Bella . . .

First off, let me say that Silver Bella Vendor night was fabulous!  Those who are actually Silver Bellas look like they know how to have a good time!  They all had aprons on - fancy aprons - and badges that told each other that they were there for the whole thing.  I saw some ladies in person whose blogs I read!  Exciting!  Most vendors were very friendly and had some way cool stuff to buy.  More ephemera than I ever saw in one place.  (Why couldn't I think of a single thing I needed?  Now that I am home why do I wish I had bought more?)  The following are some things I did bring home with me . . .

Pink bottle brush trees from Analise at Sugar*Sugar (she was nice enough to watch my coat while I shopped) and Christmas bingo cards from THE Jenni Bowlin.

I purchased the vintage graphics CD (images to die for!) from Mary of Green Paper.  What a sweetie!  And her sister too! Really kick myself for not getting more from her. 

Glittery bird ornament from Birds of a Feather and below is a paper ornament from Curious Sofa.

Our ticket said that the Vendor night started at 7:00.  We were there at 7:01.  The crowd was already starting to dispurse and EVERYONE had dozens of packages!  There was supposed to be hors d'oeuvres and a dessert bar included in the $30 ticket.  THERE WASN'T EVEN A CRACKER LEFT!!  At 7:01!!  Now, I'm thinking this --  the real Silver Bellas, the ones that paid almost $600 to be there, got to go into the room first to eat and shop.  I guess that is only fair.  Would I go to Silver Bella Vendor night again?  Honestly, I don't know.  Would I love to actually BE a Silver Bella?  YES! YES! YES!  (One of the vendors told me that they all know in advance when the reservations for the weekend are going on sale and they sit pretty close to the computer that day.  No wonder it sells out so quickly!)  Anyway, we had a good time and a special mother/daughter weekend!

We did find a couple of new places to shop in Omaha. 

Le Marche'.  Very French, very pretty!  Loved everything they had hanging from the ceiling . . .

A tree branch with paper flowers!

Strips of muslin hung with chrystals!

The walls are antiqued and decopaged with torn pages from books!  Lovely!

Also found Beyond the Vine but didn't get any pictures.  My hands were too full of Christmas ornaments for my new kitchen.  Every year I say 'no more Christmas stuff' and every year I either buy or make more and more!  It's an addiction!

Tomorrow is the first of a series of Tour of Homes.  I always come home with lots of ideas and wishes for lots of money to implement those ideas!

Another giveaway that needs to be spread around -- Julie at Prairie Thistle is celebrating two of her blogging buddies.  You just need to read her post to understand.  Such loving friendships!

An early wish that you all have a great weekend . . .

xo --  Connie

If you don't play, you won't win . . .

Just a heads up of some good, good giveaways.

Linda at Robin's Egg Blues to celebrate her 100th post.  If you love blue (and I DO), go here!

Donna at Brynwood Needleworks has posted 200 times!  Check out her crazy mitten disaster but everything else she does is fabulous!

The Brocantess is going all the way to France to purchase a gift for the winner!  Now that's what I call beyond the call of duty!

Kathy at Creative Home Expressions (wonderful blog!) is offering one of Christina's signs from Signs of Obsession.  What she can do with a little wood and paint!

Can you believe that I haven't gotten the things I bought at Silver Bella out of the bags yet?  Or taken a picture?  Or told you my thoughts about the whole Silver Bella thing?  I will -- tomorrow!  Been sewing like mad to get an order out so I can move on to other, Christmasy things! 

Until I find my camera . . .

xo --  Connie

Farm lesson #1 . . .

Thought you might like to see what I see during this time of year.  This is farming in Nebraska . . .

This is a bean field.

These are the beans in the bean field.

This is the combine that harvests the beans in the beanfield.

This is the bean head on the combine that harvests the beans in the beanfield.

These are the beans being 'picked' by the bean head that is on the combine that harvests the beans in the beanfield.

This is the bin where the beans are stored after being 'picked' by the bean head that is on the combine that harvests the beans in the cornfield.

Next lesson -- CORN!  It really is the same as beans only different so I think we will skip that lesson.


Now, on to some giveaway goodies . . .

Leann at The Old Parsonage is having a fantastic giveaway to celebrate over 100 followers!

Lynn at Trash to Treasure Art is celebrating her 1 year blogging anniversary with oodles of good stuff!

Paula at Castle and Cottage is having her 1st giveaway ever and it is a fabulous one!

Elyse has just opened a Lollishop shop that is so cute.  Check her out at Cottage!

Tami at South Street Shabby has posted 75 times and is having a wonderful giveaway!

All of them have awesome blogs that are definately worth visiting even if they aren't being so generous!  Oh, how I wish I knew how to get pictures of their lovely giveaways here!  If you have simple directions, please let me know!  (Remember, I am still in the learning process of this blogging stuff and sometimes I think I am completely computer illiterate!)

Until tomorrow my friends.  Cuter pictures, I promise!

xo  --  Connie

Generous . . .

Everyone is having a giveaway!  Are there blogging rules about months that giveaways are required that I don't know about and because I don't know, I will soon be kicked out of every blogging community for not playing nice with others?  Or, is it that those who blog are the most generous people of all!  I believe that this is really why there are fabulous giveaways galore out there right now!  (But really people, if there are blogging rules that I am missing out on, please let me know!)  I struggle about posting about these giveaways because I sure don't want anyone to think that I just visit blogs to sign up to win a prize.  But the ones I post about are ones I 'lurk' at regularly anyway and most are on my 'favorites' list.  I now think that bloggers who give back to their followers are the nicest people, so wonderfully creative in so many ways and are so generous that why shouldn't I rave about them and encourage others to their blogs that are so lovely to look at!

So, to get on with the goodness . . .  Cheryl at Zany Mayd is celebrating a thankful Thanksgiving with loads of goodies; Melissa's Heart and Home has been blogging for 1 year and is giving away a bunch of really fab stuff; and The Design Girl's giveaway is the cutest snowman ever!  If I don't win and you do, send me a comment saying you saw it here!

If I find any more giveaways, I'll be sure to let you all know!  Such a good way to find new blogging friends!

Saw my first Christmas commercial the day after Halloween and have already seen Christmas decorations on some blogs so I guess it is time to think about it.  I LOVE Christmas and look forward to lugging all of the boxes out of the closet and basement.  (The loving Christmas part is true!)

Sorry no pictures or any news of new creations but maybe next time . . .

xo  --  Connie