"Living in the Sunlight, Laughing in the Moonlight" for 2011

Drop by youtube.com and call up Tiny Tim's version of "Living in the Sunlight" - I've taken the lyrics as my mottos for 2011!

The whole song is cute and just stuffed with darling lines!

"Haven't got a lot, I don't need alot, coffee's only a dime!"

Now, if we could all just have the confidence to be ourselves and let the chips fall where they may this next year! We might give our loved ones a shock - and a good example to follow!

And here is a little CHARTREUSE (*sigh* with happiness) tag so you can get the jump on Valentine's Day! Please read over and down on the right sidebar all about HOW TO CLICK IT so as to save this to print or put on a blog!

I'm so happy!
Aha! happy go lucky me!
I just go my way,
Living everyday!

I don't worry!
Worrying don't agree,
Things that bother you,
Never bother me!

Things that bother you,
Never bother me
I feel happy and fine!
Aha!
Living in the sunlight,
Loving in the moonlight
Having a wonderful time!

Haven't got a lot,
I don't need a lot
Coffee's only a dime
Living in the sunlight,
Loving in the moonlight,
Having a wonderful time!

Just take it from me,
I'm just as free as any daughter.
I do what i like,
Just what i like,
And how i love it!

I'm right here to stay
When i'm old and gray,
I'll be right in my prime!
Living in the sunlight,
Loving in the moonlight,
Having a wonderful time!

Just take it from me,
I'm just as free as any daughter.
I do what i like,
Just what i like,
And how i love it!

I'm right here to stay,
When i'm old and gray,
I'll be right in my prime,
Living in the sunlight,
Loving in the moonlight,
Having a wonderful time!

Goodbye Christmas; Hello Winter-Spring!

Yes, of course I have my Christmas decorations down now. 

We are onto something new.

Here is a very blurry picture of my little cabinet, where I stage the various holidays. Right now there is a light-up birdhouse (Xmas lights - a string of 20 on white wire), a rusty white bucket with some ivory roses, some wintry blossoms with frosty glitter in a little shabby white watering can (topped with a snow-white carved wood birdie), and  some Valentine's items. The lights on the birdhouse are colored with pink Sharpies, to soften them.

Look forward, look forward. Never forget the past. Gone, not forgotten. But blend what was, with what is. That keeps it all alive. Don't let yourself fall into a funk. LOOK AHEAD, m'dears! And of course I had to make some tags blending winter with spring. A freebie is below the birdhouse picture, and the sheet is available at my Artfire and Etsy shoppes.

Colors of Christmas!

I have a huge Christmas coloring book, and the BIG BOX of Crayolas! Yes, the one that even has METALLIC SHADES!

So I am busy coloring. I have my trusty CHARTREUSE pastels and colored pencils out, too, since about 90% of each coloring page is done in that beloved shade. Really, can a person have too much chartreuse in her life?

Merry Christmas Eve!

Free "Instant Gift" Download - Vintage Soda Recipe Booklet and Ideas

Attention frugal and creative types! Free "insty gift" available till Christmas! It is in TWO files, download BOTH for full booklet!

Here are links to download the first and second halves of a small booklet I made that features AUTHENTIC VINTAGE SODA RECIPES from the late 1950's.

There weren't as many overweight folks back then. Reading the recipes, I have to wonder WHY? These are full of calories. Why was the "Pretty Plus" department small back then, but huge now??? Well, it's no matter, if a person is going to indulge, INDULGE, I say!!!

You can download and print these, then cut them out and either punch a wee hole and tie together or just put in an envelope. 

I think a cute idea would be to tie the booklet to a big bunch of straws! Or maybe some of those extra-long teaspoons! Or give an ingredient along with it and tie it to a chocolate syrup or preserves bottle!

Hope ye enjoy!

LINKS: DOWNLOAD BOTH!!!

DO NOT attempt to "open" these when you are supposed to be SAVING THEM! It will just give you a blank page and you will come to the Poor Olde Dame and cry "wee wee wee, it is giving me a blank page," and then I will have to get oh-so-impatient with ye. 

SAVE the files onto your own computer. Then you can open them all you like, dearies. I hope these work; I'm much too lazy to test me own links. I'll leave the links up till Xmas is over.

Parts 1 and 2:

http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/g4oag3

http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/3trwsp

A New Broom Sweeps Clean

Of course, that is a saying about a "new" person - new boss, new wife, new whomever - they tend to want to change up a lot of things, and quickly, too.

But a new broom really does sweep clean - although old brooms are shaped by the person who uses them, with the broomstraw bent this-way or that, depending on the handedness of the sweeper and the manner of sweeping.

Always wet your broom lightly before sweeping your floors. Just mist it, if you can. Must less dust and pet hair flying up that way.

Now, get yourself a new broom. Don't use it yet. On Twelfth Night, throw the old broom out of your back door (it is now the yard broom), straw-end FIRST, and put your new broom in its spot, ready to go.

Here I am speaking of after-Christmas before Christmas is here. Enjoy the flow of the holidays, of course - savoring things to come doesn't mean ignoring the present time!

Of course you are having Twelfth Night festivities! All Christmas must come down. Put something else up, such as strings of white lights twisted around fake vines or curling around pots or nests of narcissus (fake or real). Put up a little shabby birdhouse with either a light stuck inside or draped with small white lights. It is just too hard to go "cold turkey" from Christmas fun to a dim, dark room. It is not too early to put up some Valentines decor, either.

If you can, burn all the greenery (live greens) you put up, including the tree, in a bonfire. If you can't have a bonfire, try to burn some of the branches and such in the fireplace or pot-bellied stove. And if that's also not possible, just get all the greens down and put outside, and light candles. Have a big pot of hot apple cider with the smallest apples you can find floating in it. This is a night to sit around cracking walnuts and pecans, and for telling stories of treasure, ghosts, and uncany visitors from other realms.The night of January 5th (not 6th), is Twelfth Night.

Milk-Carton Candles and Remembering

I don't know if anyone else remembers this - it was long ago, but once upon a time, candles created with paraffin, ice chips, and milk cartons were quite popular.

I recall paraffin being heated, then poured into a milk carton - the old cardboard ones, similar to the cartons orange juice still comes in sometimes. They were cardboard, waxed, and the top seam would be pried open and the wax poured in. Then I think ice chips were stirred in. I really can no longer recall. But the end result was very interesting, ice-looking candles. These were the day of paper straws, too. All gone, all gone!

We also made snowball candles, with whipped paraffin, and the old-time little square glitter sprinkled on top.

And, of course, macaroni glued onto paper plates, and then spraypainted gold. Some of my most cherished possessions are several plates made by my late brother when he was a child. He made both macaroni plates and lovely crayon sketches of hearths and Christmas trees. Even at a young age he had a lot of talent.

Those who know me know a motto that often strikes them as strange -- until they lose a loved one: "It is up to the living to remember the dead." I often walk in graveyards. I like to read the headstones, and decorate the graves of those I know and of those who for some reason resonate with me. Life is for the living, but the dead must not be forgotten. Of course, we will meet again. I have met many spirits and do feel I can speak with authority about the spirit living on. I used to keep pretty quiet about it. But now, NO. I will tell of it.

Here is a little tag, similar to the new tags I have up in my Etsy shoppe. Read all about how to save it over on the right sidebar.

Of Course I've Lost My Mind

Already working on Valentine's here. But that "famous card company" I work for is way ahead of me -- we are getting pink tissue paper by the boxload already.

Mayhap the economy is REALLY going to tank and they want to offload as much pink tissue paper as possible.

Suits me fine; I'm in a bah-humbug sort of mood right about NOW.

Here is a tag similar to the ones I just listed on Etsy. Crows in love. One heart "cawing" to another.

Read all about how to save these tags over on the right sidebar.

Thank'ee for dropping by. By the way one prediction after another is coming true...hmm...and I have a boatload of premonitions for 2011.

sNoWy oWL Shabby Christmas Tag to Print or Use

I have been run ragged. Too busy to blog.

Here is a little tag, similar to the new OWL XMAS tags I have up in my Etsy shoppe, Penniwigs.

Read over on the right sidebar all about how to save this tag for your use!

I must say, I do think American Greetings has Hallmark beat in terms of incredible Christmas cards this year. I know that their very large $1 cards are impossible to match with a Hallmark card costing the same. And the AG cards seem so much fresher. Too many designs from years and years past - but a refusal to reissue any vintage designs - from Hallmark. Strange! 

Thank'ee for stopping by!