Christmas Craft Show and Cookies

Our final craft show of the season was in Lone Butte

These are requested bookmarks - I am almost finished

Every year I make three kinds of cookies for Christmas.  The recipes are from my childhood, and I follow the ingredients to the letter.  Almond balls are my favourite, especially the maraschino cherries in the middle.  But this year, one container of cherries cost $9.00 - and I often need two!  It was very shocking - I just could not bring myself to buy them.  It was tough, but I decided to use cashews instead (I know, not even remotely similar!)

They look the same on the outside.

This decision seemed to alter everything, and when Ron suggested we dip the shortbreads in sprinkles, I didn't even hesitate...

The only original cookies are the Swedish tea-rings

The cookies do look festive!

Snow

walking through the woods

 

 

our house through the trees

the original ranch house on our property

Lucy's Big Adventure and Sushi Plates

Today, snow blankets the yard and fields, but yesterday there were only small pockets of snow, the air was warm and it seemed like a good time to see the beaver lodge close up.  The pond, which had been frozen, was melting in places and Lucy gingerly made her way across it.

The lodge was bigger than I had expected

Lucy was very curious

On the way back, we stopped to look at what appeared to be the opening to a ground squirrel's home.  The picture doesn't do justice to the neatness of the piles of cones

As we were climbing the hill, we heard a splash - I don't have a picture of Lucy struggling to climb back onto the ice, as we were busy calling her.... however, she is a tough little dog and managed to get back on the firmer ice.  Then she came running towards us, grinning, tail wagging - just another adventure in her world.

Now, on our walks, we are avoiding the pond and lake until the ice firms up!

These are going to be sushi plates, after slumping

sushi plates

smaller slumped plates

Fall Craft Show

This was the first time for the Clinton fall craft show

Summer is now a distant memory..... snow on the ground

I was very pleased with the plants I started from seeds inside.  They thrived outside in the sunny area on the deck.  But, with plummeting temperatures, they have come back inside - and I am still picking and pressing!

Lucy is very interested

End of an Era

Well, the Era has actually only been three years, but still...  This was our first trailer, our first home away from home.  We had many plans for it, all involving gypsy like travels, stopping off at craft shows across the province and country.  These particular plans never materialized - for many reasons - price of gas, etc. etc.  However,  what did materialize was having a place to live when the inevitable happened after we moved to the Cariboo. We needed more income than we had, so we made the trek back down to the coast, Ron got contract work and we parked our little home in an amazing little rv park just blocks from the beach and close to friends and family.  We loved it.

Two very special visitors were Liisa and Roy.  Roy passed away in July, so these pictures mean a lot to me. 

We made several trips down to White Rock for work, and to Harrison Hot Springs to sell at the Art Festival, but all in the summer.  Our little trailer was not suitable for the winter climate.  This year we took the plunge and decided to sell it.  We brought it out of the barn, parked it in the yard and very sadly put it up for sale.  

Summer Flowers

We have had very little summer weather - and yet, even with a slow start, the flowers have been lovely.

Lush petunias, one to a pot

violas and geraniums on the gates

my herb pot...

we have a new resident in the wood shed

some fun dishes

Marbles and "repurposing"

We are always changing our display.  I love the glass stand Ron made for my cards and bookmarks.  Marbles are fused together to make the base for the flower pendant stand.

I have a collection of very old books that had belonged to my mother.  I read them many times as a child.  Now the pictures are used to display both the glass and flower earrings - and to make price cards.

Marbles again... here they are fused together in the kiln to make soap trivets

Starbucks frappuccino bottles become spoon rests

new coaster sets

                                                                           

August long weekend

Very busy weekend.  Two markets and visiting family - a lot of fun. At the markets, we displayed the new plates, dishes and coaster sets.

rings and bracelets

Jan's tote bags

Kathy spins her own wool

and creates beautiful sweaters, scarves, shawls (I have one), etc.

at home, there was lots going on - crafting...

barbecuing...

canoeing with Grandpa

setting off...

blowing bubbles