They Call Me Jammi

What Keeps Me Sane

2012-01-09T07:30:00.000-05:00

Enjoying this group everyday is what keeps me sane and hacking away at work and life everyday. My wonderful husband, two sweet daughters and their precious husbands and my four over the moon Grandbabes.

Thank you God for My Blessings.

Great Family Movie - Mr Hobbs Takes a Vacation

2012-01-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

If you love classic movies, Jimmy Stewart, family movies, a good laugh or all of the above, you need to rent or purchase Mr Hobbs Takes A Vacation. This movie is about Mr. Hobbs (Jimmy Stewart) who just wants to take a restful, uneventful vacation and get out of the city. His wife (Maureen O'Hara) wants to take the entire family to the seashore and what ensues is the typical family vacation that we can all relate to with lots of fun but also loads of drama (mostly of the teenage variety). The Steve Martin movie Cheaper By The Dozen 2, is a nod towards this classic movie.

This movie is from the early 60's and it is funny to see that the problems parents deal with today with their family are the same problems Mr. Hobbs dealt with in 1962.

Let me know if you have seen this movie and if you enjoyed it. If you haven't seen it, I think it would be worth your time to pop some popcorn, snuggle under a fluffy blanket on the couch and turn on this movie.

Lanterns Light My Way

2012-01-05T12:33:00.000-05:00

Lanterns in decorating are a big hit. I love them tall, short, chunky, round, square and on and on. There are so many options. Lanterns are extremely versatile and can be used indoors or out.

Here we have three differant styles and sizes of lanterns to create a gorgeous vignette. For the larger lantern in the back, the topiary in the terra cotta pot is highlighted with the tea candles surrounding the base.

Allhomedecors

Beautiful grouping displayed with natural materials and creamy white candles. Simple but elegant.

Homedesigndecorates

I found a great selection of lanterns at Old Time Pottery. So many styles and I can imagine them decorated with candles and fillers. The prices were extremely reasonable with the largest size being 29.99. The galvanized would be gorgeous on a screened porch or sunroom.

This idea from Nell Hill takes my breath away. She placed lanterns outside so that they sparkled through the windows. Wouldn't this be gorgeous on a cold, snowy night. Does that woman ever have a bad idea???

Nell Hill

I'm crazy about this idea - again from Nell Hill - for placing an urn on a garden planter and dressing up with ribbon and greens. This is stunning and could be easily duplicated for maximum appeal.

Nell Hills

I'll be making a trip back to Old Time Pottery soon...I'm trying to decide which style and sizes I want. I think you will agree that I can't go wrong with any choice I make.

Kindle Wonderfulness and a Free Diet Book

2012-01-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

One present that Santa brought me for Christmas, was a Kindle Fire. You rock Santa!!! I thought I would love it and have found that it is loved by my whole family. My daughters visited several times during the holidays which is not at all unusual, but they somehow always ended up with my Kindle, playing Words with Friends. It's like, "Hello Mom. Where's your Kindle?" My Grandbabes want to play Angry Birds all the time and they pass the Kindle back and forth based on set time limits so there is no fighting....15 mins each and it goes to the next GB and then back around again. I'm teaching them time management, so it's all educational !

This photo might make you think that Alden is not enjoying his time with Angry Birds. He's not disappointed, or angry, it's just his normal 7 year old picture face. He turns 8 later this month, so maybe I'll start seeing a picture face other than the mean face...either way, I'll take it.

I'm a huge entertainment nut so the Kindle Fire serves my needs by allowing me to watch movies, read books and listen to Audio books...in addition, I can surf the Web via my WiFi connection. This is a great little product and I am loving it. I often take my iPod to listen to audio books as I go to bed and very often fall asleep and have to wake up and turn it off. My Kindle has a sleep timer that I can set starting at 15 mins, so I don't have to wake up to turn it off, if I drift off to sleep.

Today, Amazon has a free Kindle download for The Perfect 10 Diet. This is another great thing about any of the Kindles as Amazon frequently has free downloads for anything from fiction, romance, cookooks etc. Since it is the New Year and we are kind of obligated to make an 'eat more healthy' resolution, this would be the perfect way to start. I have not read this yet, so have no feedback at this time to share but wanted to pass this along as the free download won't last long.

Anyone else get a Kindle for Christmas or have one already. How do you use your Kindle??

When The Lightbulb Doesn't Go Off...I'm Left In The Dark

2012-01-02T15:10:00.000-05:00

I love this lamp. In my typical fashion, I purchased one to make sure it would work in my space and that it looked it person like it looked in the ad. I received it via my trusty UPS man and did the necedssary assembly...added my bulbs and fell deeply in love, the moment the electric current fired. I waited a week to make sure that I was not just dazzled by the light and decided that the love was true and I needed a pair for my upcoming Family room redo. You can probably hear the shoe fall from where you are sitting....SOLD OUT. Will they be back in stock? Can I find another one somewhere? ....not so far.
Note to self....Order what you want the next time and send them back if they aren't what you expected. Anyone else cause themselves unnecessary stress like this? I'm hoping that I'm not the only one who runs into these problems.
Joining Marty at a Stroll Thru Life for her Tabletop Tuesday party.

Christmas Memories Recalled

2012-01-02T13:17:00.000-05:00

I love Christmas presents....untying the shiny ribbons and tearing through the beautiful paper to see what is hidden inside, is just a heck of a lot of fun. Closing my eyes, I can draw in the memory of the tearing paper, the many voices raised in happy discussion and the shouts of joy as a favorite toy or item is uncovered to the wondering eyes of the recipient. This memory is stored with many others that I can pull out and examine anytime I want. They never cease to make me smile and know that my life has been blessed with wonderful family and friends.

One of the gifts that Mike and I received this year was a pottery plate with the handprints of my second and fourth Grandbabes. These precious hands are now forever captured and frozen in time. This tangible memory will be displayed and treasured and will bring a smile to our faces whenever we pass by it.

I am so fortunate to have a wonderful husband who shares my love of family and that I can truly call my best friend. God blessed me with two gorgeous daughters who found their soulmates and have shared four of the most beautiful and precious children in the world with us.

Family and memories are true presents that can be held dear for the rest of our lives. I hope you all were able to make many during the Holiday Season.

Despicable Me Blu Ray/DVD/Digital Copy Combo

2012-01-01T19:52:00.000-05:00

Amazon has a great deal right now on Despicable Me (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) for only $10.49 with free shipping for Amazon Prime members. My Grandbabes love this movie and this is a fantasic deal because you get the Blu Ray as well as a DVD disc.....and the digital copy that can be loaded to iTunes or directly to your computer.

Pick this up soon as the price could change quickly. I am not being compensated in any way for this notification. Just passing on a good deal that will give hours of enjoyment.

Happy New Year. Welcome 2012

2012-01-01T12:17:00.003-05:00

Goodbye 2011. You were a really good year and I will miss you. Thanks for all the good memories and I really appreciate how busy we were for the last quarter which prevented me from blogging....at all.

Hello 2012...please be as kind as your sibling (except for the last quarter).

Happy New Year everyone!!

Easy Arrange Your Outdoor Planters

2011-09-06T18:00:00.000-04:00

This week, I'd like to share a tutorial for an easy arranger that I made for my outdoor planters. This insert makes arranging greenry in the planters quick and easy and holds everything securely in place.
The first step is to measure the inside of the planter to determine what size the arranger insert should be.....Using a planter with sloped sides, take a measurement towards the top of the planter, where the size is the largest and this will give you the 'ledge' to hold the arranger insert in place. After you have your measurement, you need to go in search of a container matching the measurement to use as a mold.

Materials you will need - A box of Plaster of Paris, disposable gloves, measuring tape, container to use as a mold that fits the measurement of the planter, 6 PVC pipe connectors (you can purchase at Lowes for 5 cents each), garbage bag cut in half with seams removed, a container for mixing.

Line the bottom of the container being used as a mold with the opened garbage bag and place your PVC connectors in the bottom, one in the middle and the other 5 evenly spaced approximately halfway between the edge and the middle. Mix the Plaster of Paris using the package directions. Because of the size needed, my mold was 13.5 inches wide, I had to use the entire box. I mixed half the box and poured in and then decided to use the entire box contents so that my insert would be about 1.5 inches thick. I was going for an insert no thicker than 2 inches so this worked out well for me...you will need to experiment with the amount of plaster to mix based upon the measurements of your container. Before pouring the mix in your mold, be sure and spray your garbage bag with water to help release after dried.

I let my insert cure overnight before I removed from the mold and carefully pulled away the garbage bag. As you can see, the edges are not perfect, but that is not an issue as the insert will be under your greenry or flowers and will not be seen.

Next, I turned the mold over and used a hammer to gently tap out the PVC connectors. Once I tapped them loose, I turned the mold back over and gently used a clockwise motion to remove the connectors.

Place the insert in your planter, here you can see how it rests on the sloping sides.

You then just insert your greenry anywhere in the 6 holes ...you can use any combination, or all of them to complete your arrangement.

If you want, you can cover the insert with moss or it could easily be spray painted a dark color to help it blend into the planter.

Now that I have my insert in each planter, it will be very simple to remove the current arrangement and replace whenever I want. If you live in an area where your have really windy weather, you can use a wadded up plastic bag or paper to stuff in each hole with your greenry stem, to make sure it fits securely. (Repost from 2009)

Linking to the following parties. Please be sure and click the links to visit each one.

Anything Related
Just Something I Whipped Up
Home Sweet Home Party
Feathered Nest Friday
Show and Tell Friday
Hooking Up With HOH
The Idea Room

All the best,

Kitchen Sideboard

2011-08-31T09:33:00.000-04:00

A vignette on my kitchen sideboard, bringing in a deep red in the florals with a rustic basket. I matched a group of silver candlesticks, because silver looks good with anything and I like to keep a little bling in the mix.

As I continue to finish the small jobs and detail on my kitchen remodel, this wall will have a flat screen TV for viewing from the breakfast area. For now, the wall is blank so you can just let your eye wander past the empty space.

Joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday.

Jar Cake Desserts

2011-08-26T08:04:00.019-04:00

I recently hosted an all day Scrapbook party. Everyone was invited to begin at 10am and I determined we would have lunch around noon with snacks through out the day. I wanted to have my lunch completed with minimal prep, so I could spend all my time with my guests. Sub sandwiches are easy and we have done that in the past, so I decided on something warm. I made spaghetti, salad and garlic bread for an entree since I knew we would be taking a break from scrapbooking as we ate and wouldn't have to worry about messy food. I prepared the spaghetti before everyone arrived and kept it in the Crockpot on warm so that it was ready to serve when we were ready to eat. I made the salad and stuck in in the fridge, so all I had to do to finish and get everyone eating was to bake the garlic bread. For dessert, I wanted something that would do double duty and work for dessert after the meal, as well as a snack for later in the day. The dessert needed to be easy to serve and of course, tasty. As I thought of possible options, I also decided I wanted to provide at least two choices. I decided to serve two cake options using a frozen poundcake and serving in Mason jelly jars. I prepared a strawberry shortcake and an ice cream cake dessert.

Strawberry Shortcake
Sara Lee Pound Cake (or a homemade or deli poundcake)
Strawberry Gel
Fresh Strawberries
Whipped topping
Layer cake, strawberries, gel and whipped cream into a mason jelly jar. Continue layering until jar is full. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve with a spoon.

Ice Cream Cake
Sara Lee Pound Cake (or a homemade or deli poundcake)
Ice cream of your choice (I used Breyers Blast Waffle Cone)
Chocolate syrup
Caramel topping
Whipped topping
Layer cake, ice cream, toppings and whipped cream into a mason jelly jar. Continue layering until jar is full. Place in freezer until ready to serve. Serve with a spoon.

These desserts are very simple but make a cute presentation. Best of all, they have an extremely quick prep time while being tasty, tasty, tasty. There are many variations that you could use for the jar cakes and are only limited by your imagination. These desserts can be made ahead and kept in your refrigerator for 2-3 days for the Strawberry shortcake or for the ice cream dessert, these could be kept for up to a week or longer. Great after school snacks, if you want to sugar the kids up.

Parties that I am joining today with thanks to all the wonderful hosts. Please visit.

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Just Something I Whipped Up

Home Sweet Home

Feathered Nest Friday

Show And Tell Friday

World's Largest YardSale 2011

2011-08-25T07:44:00.001-04:00

I was a bit disappointed in the World's Longest Yardsale this year. The Yardsale is an annual event that stretches along the 127 Corridor for 675 miles from Hudson, Mi to Gadsden, Ala. We always take off on Saturday morning early and go as far as we can during the day...maybe next year, I'll take some time off work and we can travel farther on the Corridor to see differant vendors.

I bought a couple copper jello molds from an 80 year old woman who had set up a booth at her home with her husband. She said this would be her first and last yardsale. She was setting her yard sale up like my Mom does. My Mom is also in her 80s. She was constantly rubbing on things to keep them clean and as a result, she was just worn out. My Mom will work for days to wash and dry all her glass items and she is constantly cleaning things up throughout the sale. She absolutely cannot stand to see something with a little dust on it. Thank goodness she only likes to have a yardsale once yearly.

There is one lady who has a booth every year that I always visit and buy a sign or set of boxes for Halloween decorating. I bought a sign this year and will have to find just the right place for it in my Halloween decor.

I found a three tier metal shelf for $5 that I will use for scrapbooking supplies and a set of green trees from Dept 56 for $1 that I will use with my North Pole Village.

There were a lot of things that I might have brought home for the right price, however, I felt that most folks were really pricing their items in the ridiculous range this year. When I go to a yard sale, I am looking for a bargain and I didn't find many of those this year. Did anyone else participate in the Sale or shop during the long weekend sale? Did you find any great bargains or did you find that most things were way overpriced?

Joining Alphabe-thursday. Please click the link for a visit with Jenny.

Chicken Braid Solves What's For Dinner

2011-08-05T07:45:00.008-04:00

I don't know many of us that aren't busy over the edge these days. I love cooking and baking, but only on my own terms. If I am 'forced' to produce a big meal, it takes the fun right out of it. If I can have the time to think the food through and be prepared, that's another thing. I like quick and easy recipes when a lot of cooking is involved, so that I don't have to spend a lot of time seperately, on each dish. When I entertain, I usually cook farmhouse style, where one meal consists of at least two entrees, several side dishes and two or more desserts. If you come to my table, you don't have to like everything prepared, but you better have some food on your face and a big smile when you push back. An Unappreciated Cook has a cleaver nearby.

This Chicken Braid is the epitome of quick and easy but makes a very delicious and elegant presentation. This recipe is from a Cooking Show on the ALN Network that I stumbled across recently. The only stressful or time sensitive piece in this recipe is remembering to thaw the breaddough.

Chicken Braid

Bread Dough Loaf, thawed (I use Rhodes)
2 Chicken Breast, cooked and shredded (or, use canned Chicken Breast or rotissere chicken from your Grocer's Deli
1/2 cup Thousand Island Dressing
1 egg beaten with one Tbsp water

Place bread dough on a floured board and roll until you have a thickness less than 1/2 inch....you should have a rectangle of dough that measures around 12x15 inches. Spoon your chicken in the middle of your dough end to end the length of the dough, leaving about an inch on each end. Squeeze or spoon the dressing over the chicken. Take a knife or pastry blade and cut the dough on each side of your filling, in approx 1 inch widths....cut in from the outer edge to about 1 inch of your filling on each side, as well. Don't cut all the way to your filling or you will have a leaky mess when you bake. Your cuts don't have to be perfect, so don't worry about keeping each side perfectly even. Beginning at one end, wrap up the end to lay over your filling and then take the first 1 inch cut of dough on one side and fold it over the filling...next, take the first 1 inch cut of dough on the other side and fold it over the filling and the end of the piece you folded from the other side. Continue to 'weave' until you get to the last two 1 inch cuts on each side. Fold up the end of your braid and then continue to 'weave' your last two 1 inch cuts on each side. Brush the braid with the egg wash and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 mins or until golden brown.

The written description sounds timely and complicated, but it is really very simple. I apologize for not making pictures of the step by step, which probably would have helped to illustrate. If you have any questions, let me know. Clicking on the pictures will make them larger.

I'm joining the following parties. Please click on the links below to visit these sites and be sure and stop and say hi.

Foodie Friday

On The Menu Monday

Hooking Up with HOH

It's A Hodgepodge Friday

Pigeon Forge Pretties - Traveling With My Guy

2011-08-04T07:39:00.040-04:00

My Guy and I just celebrated our 36th Anniversary with a trip to our favorite getaway destination, The Smoky Mountains. We went for total relaxation, so we enjoyed some window shopping and meandering.

We always ride the strip in Pigeon Forge when we arrive, to see what has changed since our last visit. This has been a busy year and we have not been able to visit for quite a few months. There were a couple new restaurants and one new attraction. The Tomb - located in Walden's Landing..

Of course, loving all things Egyptian, I had to check it out. We decided to wait for the rest of the family to actually partake of the attraction, but we did check out the lobby.

The new movie theatre at Walden's Landing is now open, so we decided to see the movie Cowboys and Aliens...we love a good Western and we really enjoyed this movie.

The Alien portions are not overdone and we found the movie to be refreshing and entertaining....Mike, who is not a big movie goer, even said it was the best movie he had seen in a long time.

We visited the Harley Davidson store and bought some more shiny stuff and really, really soft cloths so that Mike can continue to polish the paint off of his new Streetglide....I don't know if I mentioned, but his Softail Classic was stolen a few weeks ago as he was attending a downtown blockparty event. Just in case you don't speak motorcycle, both the Streetglide and Softtail Classic are types of motorcycles....I wouldn't know that if I did not have a husband who absolutely loves them.

Any visit to Pigeon Forge must include a visit to The Christmas Place. We all know how hot it has been here in Tennessee as well as many places around the Country. Take a look at this picture and you can see how the North Pole folks are dealing with the heat.

Right about now, 5 cents for a snowball sounds like the best deal ever....give me a $1 worth, please.

Stepping through the door into the North Pole, we find it much cooler....look how happy Santa is standing beside a snow covered tree. I'm seeing lots of these flocked trees this year and looks like they are going to be very popular...I've been thinking about getting one for the last couple years. This might be the year for a new tree.

I love what they can do with styrofoam to make the displays look so gorgeous.

I love this tree in a wagon...I don't know why but I just think it is so stinking cute.

I love the glass shelves resting on cylinder glass containers filled with faux candies. This would be a great idea to adapt to a Holiday buffet table. On a smaller scale, this could be used for a beautiful themed dessert display or risers for a food buffet.

I hope you enjoyed sharing our trip...now, let's play a game and enjoy the rest of the day.

Joining the following parties:

Alphabe-Thursday

Home Sweet Home

Open House Party

Show and Tell Friday

Feathered Nest Friday

Some Folks Are Getting Ready......For Fall

2011-08-03T12:21:00.002-04:00

I received my first Fall related magazine over the weekend. The latest Celebrate featuring Fall.

What's more fun than a late evening get together in the cooler night air.

This looks like a yummy hot beverage to try....prep time is almost nothing.

I'm not trying to rush Summer away....I certainly don't want to lose any time by wishing it away but, I do love the Fall Season and enjoy seeing all the ideas and gorgeous pictures from the magazines as they come out. I have not seen Halloween items in the stores yet, but it's been a couple weeks since I've been shopping so they may be out and I just don't know it. Anyone seen any Halloween displays yet?

Cloche Party With Our Marty

2011-07-19T12:08:00.002-04:00

It's time for a Cloche Party with our host Marty...that so rhymes!! Love me a party and love me some cloches, so here are my offerings for this party season. Hope you enjoy!

Dual Glassy Beauties, lined up and decked out in green goodness.

Fler De Lis is always a classic and just that much more lovely under glass.

Living Room Vignette that you might already have seen but thought I would post again in case you missed it. I love my white artichoke. The Bee cloche is my first and favorite. I found it at a yard sale for one dollar. I consider it one of my best finds.

I found this huge cloche at Home Goods a few months ago. It is a mammoth at 15 inches tall and measures 12 inches across.

Edited to add note: As I am now viewing my post to ensure it looks as I expected...I find that the lovely Titanic book still has the sales sticker on it...color me red and just close your left eye so you don't see that.

My collection of pastry stands filled with this and that for a welcoming display on the dining table.

I found this cute little metal bird on a rock at Cracker Barrel last fall...he has a brother around here somewhere.

You can't have a cloche without a chicken ( I just made that up) so here is my required chicken shot.

Please visit Marty at A Stroll Thru Life and bask in Cloche Heaven on Earth. Come back and visit anytime.

Mancakes For Father's Day

2011-06-28T07:17:00.000-04:00

If you are looking for a suggestion for a Father's Day breakfast, Bisquick has an idea for you....

Mancakes with beer and bacon. You can find the recipe HERE. Somehow, there is just something so wrong about this, but I can't quite put my finger on it. LOL. The men in our lives might really enjoy this....or not.

What do you think. Will you be giving Mancakes a try?

Barnes and Noble - Buy one smoothie, Get one free

2011-06-09T23:24:00.000-04:00

Print a coupon for a free smoothie at Barnes & Noble when you purchase another smoothie. This coupon expires June 13, 2011.

Recycling Dollars - Save Here, Spend There

2011-06-09T07:33:00.005-04:00

I have really gotten into couponing in the past few months and it has been lots of fun. It takes a few weeks to build up a coupon stash and then you can really find some good bargains with a little time and homework. There are a lot of good websites that take a big piece of the homework out of the equation by posting regular updates on where to find the best buys and coupon usage at a lot of the popular stores, ie Target, Walmart, Walgreens and some of the top grocery stores. One of the best sites that is all-inclusive is couponmom.com.

A magazine that is a must have is All You, published monthly and chock full of great coupons for items you purchase regularly. I have a subscription and usually pick up a couple extra each month.

Not only is the magazine full of coupons (usually around $100 total), it has some great articles and good tips on living the good life. The best part, it is only $1.88 at WalMart. This might be a limited time price cut at WalMart, but even if that is the case, you will still get the magazine price back by just using a couple of the coupons.

There is a show on TLC Network called Extreme Couponing which is entertaining to watch because you might pick up a good tip but hopefully not the obsessive compulsion displayed ....keep it fun people. On Extreme Couponing, the couponer usually spends $50 or less on a haul totalling upwards of $1000....come on....how is that even possible. I now save about $40 weekly on my grocery bill and I have a stockpile of extra food items, paper items, personal care items etc. That is pretty darn good and makes me happy, and I even get to pick up free items every now and then, which is really fun. The amount of money you can save is dependant upon the time committed in researching, getting away from the one-stop shopping mentality and being smart.

Do you coupon...do you have any great tips to share?

You really can save.....and have fun....with just a little time and effort. It's like treasure hunting. Give it a try.

Joining the following blog parties. Please be sure and drop by for a visit and some great ideas.
The Shabby Nest - Frugal Friday
Weekend Bloggy Reading - Serenity Now
Transformation Thursday - Shabby Chic Cottage

Whitie Tighties....Tabletop Tuesday

2011-05-24T07:35:00.004-04:00

My family has been sick with a stomach virus for the past week....it has gone from family to family and each member has had it in differing degrees of yuckiness. So far, Mike and I have managed to miss it. Tanesia's family had it first...then it moved to Tiffany's family with the babies sick over the weekend and both she and Jacob were sick with it yesterday. Needless to say, we have done lot's of visiting, holding and petting in the past few days...and not just with the babies. These viruses, like the horrific storms we have seen across the country lately, seem worse than they have in years past. Does anyone feel the same?

I put together a quick tabletop today so I could participate in Marty's Tabletop Tuesday party. She is the most precious person and she has a beautiful home. You can click on the link here. Be sure and drop by and visit with her and drop in on some of her guests...you'll be glad you took the time.

I love white ceramic pieces and always keep my eye open for them. I've used some white pieces in my tabletop, paired with a silver tray and offset with just a touch of brown and green.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Tabletop Tuesday! Thanks for dropping by.

Two Weeks....Really??

2011-05-23T07:12:00.001-04:00

As a blogger, I find myself apologizing a lot. I feel really bad when life gets in the way and I'm not able to post very often or keep up with my blog friends. I have been in the midst of a 'mini' kitchen remodel that has turned into a monster that is finally getting close to being contained and as a result, I have had NO time for blogging. I apologize for not visiting and not keeping up my end of the bargain. The good news is that I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully can get back to normal soon. I'll be around to visit everyone as soon as I can.

The intent with remodeling my kitchen was to make the space more functional and update the 1980's decor. Removing two closets and a small pantry provided more space for the eat in kitchen area and removing some upper cabinets opened up a tight galley kitchen and made the kitchen appear more spacious. We hired a contractor and laid out the plan and the work began.....our contractor was slow but the work he was doing was quality and I was initially blinded by the thought that I was actually, finally getting an update to what had become my albatros. It is key to keep in mind here, that I said initially things were going well and the work was quality..... Oh, how quickly things can change. I won't get into the nasty details but I should have been much smarter than I was...this was not my first rodeo but I had grown complacent and was just so glad to get something done.

My first clue should have been when we sat down and when asked how long the changes would take, the contractor said.....two weeks. Ha! Am I an idiot? Bells and alarms should have gone off right then! Do you remember the movie with Tom Hanks called The Money Pit? Yes, that's right....everytime Tom's character asked how long the remodel would take he was told......2 weeks. I did not sink through the floor or anything and I was only dealing with a kitchen, but after 6 weeks we were still not finished and after a weekend where we found and had to rework several pieces of extremely sub-standard work, our contractor was 'Gone with the Wind'. We have spend the past couple of weeks finishing up and redoing quite a few things. It has been an experience. Through it all and now that we are almost finished, I am feeling some satisfaction with the end result and I'll share some pictures of the complete kitchen soon. I'll leave you with an image of my coffee area, so you will know that we really are doing something around here. Still waiting for glass inserts for the top doors, needing to touch up the wall paint where caulked and need to remove some of the accidental paint on the hinges...so just overlook those little flaws and go for the vision!!

Joining the following parties. Thanks, as always, to these ladies for hosting.

Seasonal Sunday
Met Monday
Show Off Your Cottage Monday

April 27th Southern Storm System

2011-04-28T15:54:00.000-04:00

Mother Nature has been in a sour mood Down South. Thankful for all those who came through the storms safely and prayers to those who suffered damage or are missing loved ones. The storms that occurred throughout the day on April 27th were the worst in history for our part of the country. The devastation is widespread and as always seems too much to comprehend the power of a rampaging storm with one neighborhood left untouched while another is ravaged. Our family, friends and neighbors did not sustain damage, other than the nuisance of some power outages and downed trees. Others were not as fortunate and I ask that you turn your thoughts and prayers their way.

I took this picture of one of the storms moving into our valley from the West, just after mid-day. The Weather people referred to this storm as Round 2. As you can see, it looks like a funnel cloud moving over the gap between the mountains. I had gone out to run an errand and was returning home, hoping to outrun the storm. I got home just as the heavy rains hit.

Remember to enjoy each day as the gift it is. Don't take a single moment for granted.

Walk In, Find It and Catalog It

2011-04-15T07:46:00.003-04:00

I enjoy shopping for wonderful jewelry for my home. After a stressful week, there is nothing better than dropping into Home Goods and browsing through their shelves to find something that fits with my decor. Some shopping hauls are more fruitful than others, but I can usually find at least one treasure to bring home to live with me. I asked the sales lady when the best days to find new merchandise would be and she said that the trucks deliver on Monday and Wednesdays, so depending upon timing the new merchandise hits the shelves that day or the following. I live about 50 minutes from my Home Goods store, so during the week doesn't really work for me, so I suppose I'll have to continue to catch the items that I can on my normal weekend runs.

I have no method to my madness, other than a general sense of what I like and of course, the colors that I need. I love the white dishes and serveware and can usually find something that I just must have. I also love the reds and greens and I even have some blue items, although I don't have the color blue in any of my decor. If it's gorgeous, if it's the right price and if it speaks to me, then it usually comes home with me. Is that a shopping plan or what? How do you shop...is there a method to your madness?

I like to 'catalog' my purchases, so that I know when and where I bought an item and how much I paid for it. The easiest way that I have found to do this is to line my purchaces up when I get home and take an overall photo of he group, as well as some individual close up shots....I then take a picture of my receipt and sometimes will add handwritten notes to show the item matched up with the appropriate price. I like to do this because it appeals to my OCD collecting personality.

Do you catalog your purchases for items, collections etc as you find them? What is your approach?

More Kitchen Renovation

2011-04-13T07:34:00.012-04:00

I'm enjoying a beautiful morning here at the Jammi Homestead...the sun is shining and the air is filled with the crispness of early Spring. That of course, is outside the house, where I am not. My beautiful morning consists of starting the workday by gazing at my bank of monitors and getting ready for a day of reporting comparisons - which can actually be fun, except that after an hour of peering at the screens, my eyes are begging to be punched out. Soon, I'll hear my contractor hammering away and the crack of 2x4s falling. The smell of sheetrock dust will again be in the air. Sheetrock dust, in case you don't know is like sin, it clings to everything and it goes everywhere, no matter how hard you try to contain it...it is impossible.

But........

My kitchen is begining to take shape and is becoming the better space that I always knew it could be. What started out as a mini kitchen remodel, has become a medium kitchen remodel and is consuming more money than having Cousin Eddie in the house. The decision to knock out the pantry and the hall closets to add some square footage to the 'eat in' area was a good one. I'll give you a sneak peek. The area to the mid right of the picture is where the hall closets were. Notice the beautiful heat/air connections for the upstairs unit....that was one of those additonal hidden and unknown costs that continue to beat my budget to death...I use the term budget very loosely, as it was blown quite some time ago.

A view of the two closet doorways opening from the hall into the kitchen. Removing these two closets and a smaller pantry area, opens up the kitchen which was one of my major goals. These two doors will become one opening and as a bonus will lighten up my dark hall.

Wiring is on agenda for today.

Beauty And The Beast

2011-03-28T12:30:00.001-04:00

I love beautiful things. I think that what most of us are seeking in our lives is to be able to find the beautiful moment, recognize it and enjoy it. For as long as I can remember, I have been in love with beautiful homes and I find that I classify that beauty in so many differant ways and on so many differant levels... from the grand, curving sweep of an antebellum staircase to the clean lines and feel of a crisp white napkin. My breath can be taken away with a gorgeous silver tea service but, just as much with a simple stack of books. I love visiting my favorite blogs and experiencing the intrigue of scrolling down the screen to display the next picture and seeing the beauty that you create everyday and are generous enough to share.

I constantly strive to create and maintain my own, beautiful home. Sometimes I feel successful and others, I feel that I have no idea what I am doing. Sometimes I look around and have one of those 'what was I thinking' moments. We have currently put our noses to the grindstone and gotten down to business with our 'mini' kitchen remodel. Since I had to rethink a full remodel and buildout this year, I have been thinking about how to make my small galley kitchen work for me another year without breaking the bank. I am wrestling with decisions of what not to change because I want to keep the budget on the low end and making sure that when I spend money, it will be something I can reuse. I am second guessing things, lying awake for long periods when I should be sleeping and constantly sketching ideas. I will be glad when we are finished. As I think about saying that, I have to chuckle because I'm already dreaming of the next project and feeling the anticipation. Is that a sickness? Am I a glutton for punishment? Or, am I ever the optimist in search of that elusive beauty?

So that you can feel my pain, I will leave you with this gorgeous picture of the current state of my kitchen. When we removed the upper cabinets, we enjoyed the country blue wallpaper again from 1986. No sizing on the walls means we will need to skim coat where it was removed. It's the unexpected that keeps a remodeler on their toes.

Don't Worry...Bee Happy

2011-03-15T12:30:00.005-04:00

Bees seem to be buzzing around everywhere in home decor this spring. How can you resist their bright yellow color and who doesn't love those beehive shapes that we see in so many things? Well, I'm not one to overlook a good thing, so I invited a couple of the little buzzies into my home for another spring display.

Large white platters make great places to start your display of smaller items...the benefits, other than looking gorgeous is that you don't have to find a place to store the platter and when it is time to dust the furniture, you can pick up the entire arrangement and move it out of the way.

Brown paper packaging shreds make wonderful dirt for daisies.

This type dirt provides easy clean-up.

My Chalkboard platter is always so versatile and provides bright lettering from my Chalk Ink markers.

Hope you all have a Bee-u-ti-ful day!

Joining the following parties...please click on the links to drop by and give them a visit.

Tabletop Tuesday

Anything Related

Wow Us Wednesday

Whassup Wednesday

When I Die, I Want To Come Back As A Cloche

2011-03-11T12:45:00.001-05:00

Joining Marty's Spring Cloche Party. Please click here to visit her and see all the beautiful offerings from other Clocher's in Blog Land.

Spring is in the air and cloches are popping up on tabletops and counters everywhere. Cloche Farmers are expecting a bumper crop of the little beauties this year and that means lots of eye candy for your viewing enjoyment. Home decor conditions have been favorable and this Cloche Farmer is previewing some of her offerings with you today.

The Easter Bunny hopped by and left some eggs to be protected until the big day. Safely enclosed in glass on a little bunny tied plate, these little eggs are resting nicely.

A little springtime in the Entryway. Come on in for a visit.

A silver tray is a great home for a teeny cloche.

Cut glass perfection.

In the kitchen we find nature's cloche, the beehive....inside a glass cloche.

This silver beehive is for upscale bees only...others need not apply. This residence is located in a glassed community..so much better than those gated communities. Bo the Bee is the Doorman and he takes his job very seriously. Don't make the mistake of being deceived by his cuteness...he is one tough customer.

My newest cloche is tall enough to hold a stack of coffee cups.

Cups festooned with little gerber daisies. Ah Spring, I know you are near.

Thanks for joining me on the Spring cloche tour. I hope you have as much fun playing with your curved cuties as I do. Till next time...

Starbucks Offer - Free Starbucks Petite

2011-03-08T13:23:00.000-05:00

Starbucks is celebrating Tribute Days on March 10 through March 12. If you visit Starbucks between 2 and 5pm on these days, you will receive a free Starbucks Petite (8 to choose from and each under 200 calories) when you order any beverage.

A Touch Of Spring

2011-03-07T12:10:00.007-05:00

I need to lighten my decor and start to bring in the spring. I reworked the vignette on my barrister bookcase, using some bright colors to lighten up the dark corner. Nothing like a sunshine bright group of lemons to add some brightness. After putting this together, I was delightfully surprised at how well the yellow and red work together with some touches of green. I love my red pottery pears...they weigh a ton and could easily be used as paper weights, they are just so darn cute.

I wanted my pineapple to sit atop my pitcher on a bed of green, so I used a tall candleholder to sit inside my pitcher. The greenery hides the candleholder and the gap around the pitcher. Whoops, I see the candleholder peeking out a bit between the vine....just close your right eye when you look at the photo closely.

I picked up some of my favorite magazines and enjoyed paging through them this weekend. I so LOVE flipping through a magazine filled with beautiful pictures and helpful articles. The visuals are my favorites. Seeing a beautiful home or ways to make a home beautiful, warm and inviting always brings a smile to my lips. If I was able to time travel or project myself to a differant place on demand, I would always be popping into someones home.....I would try to avoid any whoops moments and not overly affect someone privacy..but pop in and look around, I would definetly do.

I'm a big fan of the Hoffman series of Celebrate magazines. The Spring issue is out and has some really cute ideas. Peeps were used for some of the cutest food and decors...peeps, who would have thunk it. I love the cake with the peeps on top...pure Genius. Yellow Peeps saySpring!!

If you color your own Easter Eggs, there are some great tips on getting beautiful egg results.

I'm joining the following parties this week. Please be sure and click the links and give these ladies a visit...you will be glad you did.

Met Monday
Amaze Me Monday
Tabletop Tuesday
Rednesday

Crazy Weather

2011-03-03T12:38:00.001-05:00

We were under tornado watch on Tuesday and lost power for about three hours. The rain hit suddenly around 2pm and within five minutes, my front lawn looked like this....the rain was coming down so hard that it looked like a dense fog had rolled in.

The weather is always a little crazy this time of year. Today it is sunny and quite mild outside, light jacket weather. My husband has been chafing at the bit to get the tractor out and 'play'. I know that he does hard work when clearing some of the land and doing clean-up but I swear, I think that it is mostly playing to him as he always finds any opportunity to jump on the Deere...and he usually has a big smile on his face. He has already taken advantage of a couple sunny days we have had, to putter around. If Tractoring makes him happy, it puts a smile on my face too.

March is 'Marching' Right In

2011-03-02T01:00:00.001-05:00

Wow, it's March and Spring is just around the corner....I guess I need to change my Blog Header to something more 'Season' friendly....meaning, hopefully the snow is over for now. The snow has been great and I have enjoyed the beauty and serenity of a snowy landscape, which doesn't happen often in Tennessee.

Work has been pretty busy as we have moved into the new year and hopefully will continue to fall into a more normal rhythm. The Grandbabes have been frequent guests, as always and we are enjoying watching them grow. Wii is a big favorite in our home and we have been trying out some new games, although the Sports Resort remains the overall favorite. I love watching the GBs play as they get their whole bodies into the action. It's amazing the differant ways they can contort their bodies and they can keep going and going long after we have fallen into jelly on the couch. I hope you are all enjoying this 'trapped inside time' with your families.

Our Wii Games:

What is your family favorite Wii game?

Any Excuse For A Get-Together - Valentines 2011

2011-02-14T13:00:00.001-05:00

We have the good fortune of having both our daughters and their families living within a few miles from our home, so we get to see them often. Because of this locality, we are usually together on the weekends and take every opportunity to celebrate and make our time special. This weekend, we celebrated Valentines Day and as usual provided our GBs with some small tokens of our love...they are definetly our Valentines.

There is no day that goes by that is not enlightened by the smiles and laughter of one of our precious babies...Daughters and Son-In-Laws included. It is such a joy to spend time with them and have the heart of our family in sync. It is so easy to enjoy a good life when you have such sweet family to share it with.

Of course, we took the opportunity to eat dinner....in the South, every reason is an end to a good meal. We kept it simple with Chicken and vegetable kabobs on the grill and a big pot of Dilled Red Potatoes.

You can't have a Valentines Day celebration without a little chocolate, so we indulged in a Chocolate Caramel cake. Yummy.

How did you celebrate Valentines Day this year?

More Snow In Tennessee And A Holiday Flashback

2011-02-10T08:00:00.003-05:00

We have snow on the ground again in Tennessee. We have 2-3 inches and the schools are closed. The snow started me thinking about the wonderful snow we were blessed with on Christmas Day this year. When I started thinking about Christmas, I realized that I had not posted my post Christmas goodies from my normal after holidays buying trip. If you are sick of Christmas, feel free to skip, but if you still like a little taste of red and green, here you go.

I found some beautiful things this year at 50-80% off....I love after Christmas shopping. Found a beautiful white holly tablecloth from Kohls and picked up another Christmas Santa Chef as the one I found last year was claimed and being in the Christmas spirit, I gave him away. Was lucky enough to find another on sale this year. Snowman nesting bowls came from Cracker Barrel and the knit stockings and Elf hat are from Lowes. Pier One had some great items at 60-70% off...I got a set of candleholders with ornaments hanging inside, a tiered Christmas Tree server, some napkins, mini gravy boats, and two cute snowmen. Dillard's yielded the Red polka dot Christmas bowl peeking out from under the napkins and a cake knife and server set.

The Santa Chef is just so darn cute. Last year, I thought there was a Mrs Claus with kitchen items as well, but could not find her this year. I'll look next year and might find her.

I bought four of the little gravy boats to use as individual serving pitches for syrups for pancake breakfasts....yum. Hope you enjoyed my little Christmas flashback....it was fun to relive these beautiful items and share them with you. As usual, I am astounded that we are already near mid-February. Hope you are making each day count.

Science Birthday Party With Dr. Bond

2011-01-31T08:00:00.009-05:00

Alden celebrated his 7th birthday this weekend with a Science Party.

Each new employee of Staley Laboratories was given an employee orientation kit which included a lab coat (small white tee shirt split down the front), a name badge/security pass, a can of radioactive material (potato chips), toys, crazy straws and candy.

Name badges were made using Word. A picture was added, a generic picture for each of the guests (girl or boy), ID# was Alden's birthdate.

The biohazard material. A can of chips covered in yellow paper with a hazard label.

Group photo of the new hired Scientists just before the presentation by Dr. Bond, the Science Guy.

Dr. Bond did a great job engaging the group and keeping them entertained over the next hour.

Surprisingly, the electric current activities were some of the favorites....they loved to hate being shocked.

The potato shooter was a big hit. Air pressure from the tube caused a sliver of potato to be launched in the air.

Making slime....we had to take a break for a rush to the sinks for hand washing after this one.

What's better than an erupting volcano...an erupting volcano that you can eat.

This was a great party idea that the kids enjoyed...the parents were having a lot of fun too. I would recommend Dr. Bond to anyone within the Nashville and surrounding areas....he does a great job and the kids really had fun interacting with him.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Happy 7th Birthday Alden

2011-01-27T23:09:00.000-05:00

Seven years ago today, I met a wonderful boy. I was there when he first entered the world and knew I was lost forever when I first saw the top of his head and then looked into the bluest eyes you can imagine. I was fortunate enough to be able to spend the first night with him and cradle him in my arms as he listened to me tell him about his family. I promised him that night that we would be best friends forever and I told him that I would always be there for him. He gives me plenty of hugs and kisses and never forgets to tell me that he loves me. I thank God everyday for this precious gift. Happy Birthday sweet Alden. Jammi loves you forever.

Dining with Cloches

2011-01-27T12:56:00.002-05:00

I've been doing a lot of thinking about my blog, but very little doing. I want to ensure that I post something interesting and insightful and use my blog as a way to chronicle my everyday life (which by the way, is not very interesting or insightful which may be why I am having trouble). Please continue to bear with me as I overcome my writer's block. I've been working on my Wish List for 2011 and determining steps and timelines. One thing that I have already had to concede is my kitchen buildout. We are in desperate need of working on our driveway, which became glaringly obvious after all the snow and sludge so far this year that has turned our drive into a horror show...so, we are going to have it hard-topped at the end of February. That expense will mean that my kitchen buildout will need to be pushed back to late this year or into 2012. As a result, I am moving forward with making the minor, cosmetic improvements to make my current kitchen livable and more functional.....I'm planning and planning right now, trying to keep unnecessary costs down. Determining what will be 'throw away' money spent vs what can be spent and reused when we do the build-out.

I have been playing around, resetting my tabletops with all the holiday items packed away. Slowly but surely getting things back in order. I've been working on cloches for my dining room table.

Thanks for your visit and hope you are doing better than I am with making your home re-beautiful after Christmas. I'm blaming it on my 'planning' for the year....that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Cheers!

My 2011 Wish List

2011-01-03T11:57:00.000-05:00

2010 has come and gone...we had good times and bad....gained a couple new members in our extended family and lost some others. We laughed, we cried, we made memories that we will treasure. I nosedived on home improvements and crafting in 2010, but it's all good as I now have a whole new year to make those To Do Lists.

Here is my Wish List for 2011....I'm hoping for a great success rate at the end of the year, but I'm extremely flexible if it doesn't happen as I would like. I've got all my extentions crossed, just to give me an extra edge and if I can find a rabbits foot, I'll rub it as well.

2011 WishList
Total kitchen renovation/family room buildout

Renovate downstairs bathroom

Pantry buildout

New full glass entry door with sidelights

New Desktop

Canon Rebel EOS

Rhino

What's on your 2011 Wish List??

My Christmas Memories

2010-12-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

I Remember

My Great-Aunts Gladys and Sadis coming through the front door of my Granny and Grandpa's with big smiles and saying 'Christmas Eve Gift' or 'Christmas Gift', depending on the day they visited. I always loved this...they would be smiling and laughing as they presented themselves as the gifts.

Granny Powell's Christmas cake. Filled with raisins and nuts and topped with a chocolate buttercream and more pecans.

Grandpa giving us brown paper bags full of fruits, nuts and hard candy.

Walking home from church after Christmas play practice. Enjoying the feel of the brisk, cold air and watching the 'smoke' rise as we breathed.

Playing dolls with my sisters after we had opened our presents. We used a cardboard box for a table and a piece of wrapping paper for a tablecloth as we enjoyed tea with our new tiny dishes.

Going Chirstmas shopping and having to hang out in the parking lot in the car with Daddy while Mama shopped. Made better when we were at Sears and Daddy would go in and buy a hot bag of Spanish peanuts for us to munch on.

Sitting my two sweet babies under the Christmas tree and trying to capture that perfect picture. Not realizing then that they were all perfect pictures.

Enjoying the love and feeling the pride as I enjoy Christmas with my family each year. Knowing that each moment is precious, each look to be cherished and hugs and kisses are the best thing God ever invented.

I will be working hard on last minute wrapping and baking the next couple of days and then enjoying the wonder of the season with my family. I hope all your hopes and dreams are realized and that you live each moment of this holiday season, realizing that family and friends are true treasures. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to each and every one of you.

Rich Red and Wintry White....What's Not to Like

2010-12-21T12:27:00.013-05:00

I love traditional Christmas colors and have decorated in red, white and green this year. Snowmen are a part of the season and keep finding their way into every room in my home. My sideboard in the breakfast nook.

Pinecones and snow. If I could figure out a way to get under the glass, I'd play in the snow.

My China Cabinet is all decked out for the holidays.

Don't peek till Chirstmas....good advice, but rarely followed.

Thanks for visiting. Joining the party over at Marty's at A Stroll Thru Life. Please be sure to drop by the party.

Merry Sparkle And Shine

2010-12-15T13:19:00.000-05:00

We finally got the presents under the Chirstmas tree last night. I only have a few more things to pick up, that I have not been able to find and then I am finished. I don't have to work Friday and am planning to finish my shopping.

My entry foyer is ready for holiday visitors.

Santa is watching, so you'd better be good.

I forgot to light my candles before taking photos, so just imagine that they are glowing warmly. A silver tray holds a bit of chocolate and incoming holiday greetings.

One last decoration for today...look at those eyes and those cute little fingers. I think this is my most creative project today.

Snowmen and Stripes In The Family Room

2010-12-14T12:00:00.009-05:00

Armoire decoration in the Family Room.

You could eat on this candy for months.

Coffee table decoration, still in the Family room.

Twirling and sliding across the ice.

Snowman and woman Tango.

Linking to Tabletop Tuesday. Please click the link to visit and enjoy some decorating by quite a few talented Elves.

Santa Sent Some Frosting Our Way

2010-12-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

Tennessee rarely gets snow, other than the occasional flurry and later in the winter we might have a dusting on the ground. There is of course, the occassional surprise and we got one yesterday. It started with beautiful fluffy flakes of snow and as the day progressed, we started seeing it cover the ground...in the south we call that laying or sticking to the ground. By nightfall, we had a couple inches and the snow was continuing with small flakes peppering from the sky.

The whole weekend veered from plan...Mike and I went shopping Saturday morning. We had planned to leave home around 8am so we could finish up and get back home in time for the Dunlap Christmas parade. Alden and the boyscouts were to march in the parade, and we couldn't miss that. Mike woke up and could not go back to sleep, so we left home at 5:30am. We found most of what we were looking for, with the exception of the Barbie Townhouse...it has been around for 20+ years, but apparently is a HOT ticket item for this year because of Toy Story 3. The only ones I can find right now, are online for 2 to 3 times the normal price. I'm hoping that ToysRUs or Target will get a shipment before Christmas, or a little girl I know will be very disappointed. Alden started running a temp and feeling bad on Saturday and ended up missing the parade and the following scout ceremony where he was to receive his first earned patch. He wanted to spend the night with us on Saturday night, so I spent the afternoon and night giving him my attention. On Sunday, we had planned to take the Polar Express train ride. Alden was still running a temp and Tanesia made the decision that they would have to miss the train ride. We were going to still go, along with Tiffany and her family...but Tiffany hurt her back on Sunday, so we did not make the train ride this year. The kiddies were looking forward to seeing Santa, but since they could not make it despite our best efforts, he sent some snow to entertain us.

Horchow @ Home

2010-12-08T12:51:00.001-05:00

Horchow has launched an online magazine called 'Horchow @ Home'. They, of course, feature items that they sell and have some beautiful pictures and decorating tips. There is even a recipe for Creme Pie in this edition. The link to the magazine is listed here.

It's December

2010-12-02T12:09:00.001-05:00

The tree is up and waiting for presents.

One present has somehow found it's way under the tree. I think I'll keep this one for myself.

The wrapping is in progress and the shopping is ongoing.

If the garlands are piled on the garage floor, but out of their storage containers, does that count as being in progress??

Hope everyone is enjoying their decorating.

Trick or Treat 2010 - Already A Memory

2010-11-01T12:30:00.003-04:00

I know I have made this statement before, but I sure wish time would slow down a bit. From now until Christmas, it will be a roller coaster ride, so we better hold on tight. We celebrated Halloween by trick or treating with the Grandbabes on Saturday night...as per our usual custom, we took our convoy into the night stopping at a few homes of family and friends before circling back to our home for dinner and a movie with the kids. This year, we grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and watched How To Train Your Dragon. Lexi was sick most of the morning, but she felt better and was able to go trick or treating with us and this was Braeden's first year.

Here are my pumpkins, all dressed up and ready to trick or treat. We pretty much have the fantasy world covered here with a Pink Cowgirl complete with her horse, a Golfer, Batman and The Blue Ninja. Notice that my little golfer has lost one of his shoes and his hat, already and he is looking pretty serious about it.

Here is a picture of our convoy at one of the stops along the way....everyone is loading back up for the next stop.

Trick or Treating is thirsty work....break time is necessary for one member of the convoy.

The Pink Cowgirl had to borrow a neighbor's bathroom along with her trick or treat. You can see the neighbor handing her the treat now that she has taken care of business.

The treat buckets are already getting full and heavy, after only a couple of stops...even with the inpromptu candy diving that was taking place between stops.

Happy faces...that's what it's all about!!

Hope everyone got lots of treats and minimal tricks!

Halloween Party 2010

2010-10-27T12:30:00.007-04:00

This post is photo intensive, so if you have a slower connection, it might take a bit longer to load. Food tables set up along the back and side walls.

Putting out the finishing touches and taking photos before the feasting begins.

We had lots of room for people to manuever around the food stations while still having some inside seating.

Dessert and treat table complete with cookies, cake, candy, toys, light sticks, and flashlights.

Adapting an idea I saw at Home Depot, I used a step ladder with buckets wedged between the rungs to hold chips.

Did you know that Chef's drive tractors and pull hay rides around here?

Lexi was a pink cowgirl this year and is enjoying a bite with her friends.

Haybales around the firepit provided more seating for munching. It was so warm this year that a fire was not necessary, but you just have to have a big bonfire on an October night.

Witchie Poo had a rough landing, but at least the hay broke her fall.

The tire swing is always a favorite.

We opted not to have the outdoor movie this year for fear that we would blow a circuit....we are thinking it might be a good idea to run a new electric line next year. We had the extention cords loaded and the lights actually blinked a couple of times...yikes. To avoid disaster, we played bingo instead. I had plenty of cards but needed more markers, so we used pinto beans.

After all the fun is finished and most have gone home, Alden takes a minute to wind down.

It was a great party and I hope everyone has a Happy Halloween!!

I'm joining the following parties. Please click the links to join the party:

Outdoor Wednesday

It's So Very Cheri

Thansformation Thursday

Hanging with HOH

Halloween Party Prep 2010

2010-10-26T12:30:00.000-04:00

We had a great time at our Halloween Party this year and I wanted to share some of the party prep with you. I ordered two party tents, 10x30, this year and they worked out great. The UPS guy was a frequent visitor last week and delivered the tents on Tuesday. He was interested in how our tents turned out...I was able to report to him yesterday that they were a great success.

I wanted plenty of room for 60-75 guests and decided to use two tents, placed side by side to duplicate one large 20x30 tent....worked like a charm. The poles in the middle were not restrictive in any way to our flow within the tent. Here is an open view of the tents placed together and without all the sides attached. We staked the tent down with extra stakes that we purchased seperately, because even though I was pleased with the quality of the tents for the price I paid...these tents would not withstand extreme high winds and I did not want to take any chances. We put the tents up on Thursday night before the party on Saturday night, and as luck would have it, the wind started whipping up as soon as we had them up. The stakes were definetly a good idea and otherwise we would not have been in Kansas anymore.

Another view of the interior space when most of the walls were in place...you can see the poles in the middle of the tent. The windows helped bring in lots of light.

Another interior shot. The ends of the tent have zippered doors, so we left one open for ease of movement. We placed string lights in the tent and they worked perfectly with just the right amount of light provided.

I used black, orange and green tulle to drape over the top of the tent. Because it has been so dry here in Tennessee, our lawn is more dust than grass. We scattered hay over the tent floor to keep the dust down and provide a good base for the people traffic. Next year, I would like to have a couple rolls of outdoor carpet turf for the flooring.

We also had to set up the hay play. This year, Mike set it up by the playset so that the kids could slide down the slide into a hay tunnel. This is an in progress shot with Connor (GB 3) providing his stamp of approval.

Mike and Alden (GB 1) unloading the hay to set up the hay play area and the fire pit seating area. My brother, Peanut, is great and allows us to use some of his hay bales each year for the party. This year, we met in the hay field and picked up the hay as he baled it.

My girls and the Grandbabes taking a test hay ride.

I'll be back tomorrow with another post complete with party pics and the food set-up. Posting to the following parties. Please click on each link to be magically whisked away to each party....thanks to the hosts for having me:

All Things Related

Tag Along Tuesday

I Try And I Try...Why Do I Fail??

2010-10-15T12:39:00.001-04:00

I try so hard to keep my Blog updated and have regular postings...most of the time, I accomplish that but I can't seem to conquer the times when I have lapses. Time passes so fast and I'm trying to keep up, oftentimes unsuccessfully. Before I know it, two or three weeks have gone by and that is not fair to everyone...you don't know if someone is busy or if they were run over by a truck or dropped from an airplane. All I can say is that I am sorry, it is so unintentional on my part to have these lapses and not be able to keep up with everyone. Things get busy at work and home and I'll decide that I will post tomorrow and then tomorrow doesn't work out and I'll post the next day and then suddenly, half of the month has passed and I have not done a single post...and in my favorite month of the year. Have I groveled enough?

I have been busy planning our annual Halloween Party coming up later this month...well NOW, actually I'm talking next weekend. Time, time...please, please slow down just a bit - You are killing me...literally. I have mailed invitations, have about 50 lists and am working through preparations and shopping for needed items. On paper, I'm planning to sail into the party day with almost everything completed. This is my goal every year and most times I do pretty well, however the last two years, I have failed horribly and am at the last minute making sure all is ready. Not this year. That is my goal, do it all and just like I plan it with no cutting corners and be done early.

This year, I have ordered two 10x30 party tents with sides. I plan to combine the two tents to make one large 20x30 tent where folks can get warm, or stay inside out of the chill. All the food and tables will be set up under the tents and I'll have the tent heated, if needed. This will give my guests the opportunity to move back and forth between the bonfire area and tent area, just in case it is cold or raining, this year. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will be a mild Autumn night with no wind or rain.

I'm going to leave you with a promise to come by and visit with you soon. I have gotten to some folks this week, but am still working on visiting all my regulars. I'm sorry, that I have been MIA. You mean a lot to me and I miss seeing what everyone is up to, especially at this, my favorite time of year.

Here are a few of my decorating pictures that I don't think I have shared yet. I can't do a post without photos.

Fall In the Smokies

2010-09-29T21:14:00.001-04:00

Still enjoying our time off, we have been traveling around town and enjoying the sites along with a bit of shopping. The trees don't have a lot of their glorious fall color yet, but you can definetly determine the season from all the outdoor decor being dressed about the town.

A black bear made from round hay bales.

Lots of big, beautiful bright orange pumpkins.

We had the pleasure of attending a Mountain Wedding.

Lots and lots of scarecrows are in town visiting.

A monsterously huge pumpkin and crows.

I'm joining Outdoor Wednesday. Please click on the link to visit.

Out and About At The End Of September

2010-09-28T14:22:00.002-04:00

Mike and I are taking a few days off to kick around and relax. We began our sabbatical yesterday with a good hearty breakfast...you know where:

Then, it was off to our favorite go-to vacation spot for a few days of nothing but rest, rest and rest....with maybe a few good meals and fun thrown in....but mostly, rest.

The new movie theater at Walden's Landing is not yet complete even though it is slated for an early fall opening. This will be a six plex and I think there are plans to increse it to an 11 plex at some time in the future.

There is a new gourmet popcorn shop across from the theatre. Mike tried the Peanut butter and chocolate popcorn and declared it a keeper.

They have some cute packaging ideas along with the normal tins of popcorn in differant sizes. The owner asked me if I was a Spy, when I took a picture and I assured her that I did not yet have my Spy Licence, so was just taking a picture to let folks know about the new shop on my blog. She was very nice and offered several samples to indulge ....I like the old standard in popcorn...butter or kettle corn and sometimes a litte caramel corn. I'm not too crazy about all the concoctions like cranberry popcorn, chocolate and popcorn, strawberry popcorn and the like.

We had a homestyle dinner at the Old Mill and then walked around to take some pictures...the water is a little high coming over the Dam due to the rain that has been coming down all day.

I love this cute little Halloween themed bolster pillow that I saw in a shop window.

Little Ms Pothead is sitting under the Gazebo trying to stay dry. We had so much fun walking around in the rain and checking out all the shops.

I love this fall village scene from Dept 56 Snow Village....Crazy Cal's Kettle Corn cracks me up...this little cutie might be coming home with me.

Is this not the cutest thing....Dept 56 has created a village around the Christmas Story movies. Check out the leg lamp accessory...it just polishes off the whole scene. Love it.

A few years ago, Dept 56 created some Disney themed pieces and then discontinued them...I don't remember if they were a seperate village line or part of one already established but coming this fall is a new line called Mickey and Minnie's Christmas Village.

I love this idea of displaying the Tree House in a tire swing. The people at the Christmas Place are so creative in their displays. I could spend all day in the Village room, just looking around.

I'm joining TagAlong Tuesday and Tabletop Tuesday. Please go by and visit each of these great blogs by clicking the respective link.

Fall 2010 Cloche Party

2010-09-17T19:00:00.000-04:00

One of the great things about decorating, is that you can use items in differant ways. This hurricane is one of the most versatile pieces I have...I have a set of two and use them for their original and intended purpose most of the time. But......

What makes these particular pieces versatile is the fact that they can be inverted and used as cloches for display on the bottom and then a traditional candle on top...or, as I have done here, for a differant purpose entirely. Here, I have added a Halloween candle in the bottom.

A little spanish moss in the area where I would normally seat a candle. Add a ribbon.

Top it off with a pumpkin or cute bowl.

Or....how about these guys. They make for a very spooky duo that can be used to add a little drama and creepiness to your decor.

Traditional fall decor with some cloches to add height and a little extra interest.

Mr. Scarecrow is guarding the pumpkin patch today.

I created this display and currently have it on the end of my desk in the office. I will be looking for a more permanent home for the season, but wanted to share for now.

One of the reasons that I love cloches is the ability to use them to top so many things. You are not limited to plates or pedestal plates. I used my Jack-O-Lantern bowl, set on a black pedestal and filled with with dish towels. Using rimmed bowls to top with cloches is another option...just make sure that your cloche has a good solid fit and is not too large or small or you can be assured of an accident just waiting to happen.

I normally hate mice, but have to admit to loving these little guys. Want to join them for dinner?

An apothecary jar, set upside down on a plate placed on a metal display stand creates just the right stand for a pumpkin. Add some rafia and a scarecrow and you have a great centerpiece for a tablesetting.

I've had a great time joining Marty's Fall Cloche Party. I am hoping to visit everyone this weekend and you can expect comments as I enjoy all your pretties. Please visit Marty at A Stroll Thru Life to see all the wonderful cloches and displays presented. Please be sure and comment so that folks will know you were there and I know they will appreciate your visit.

Boo To You!!

2010-09-16T07:25:00.002-04:00

I know it is a bit early, but to get you in the mood in case you are crafting and preparing your Halloween decor. Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party Parade at Disneyworld.

Anyone planning on attending the party this year....what is your favorite thing to do during the party?

Fall In The Entry and Chalk Ink Messages

2010-09-14T12:00:00.005-04:00

I'll start in the entryway with my fall decor this year. Just a simple arrangement - Sunflower platter on a stand, a tray filled with a garland of fall leaves some pumpkins and gourds and two cute little birds.

A fall message on the entry mirror...very simple using Chalk Ink. Tip: Don't hang until the ink is dry to avoid runs. Chalk Ink is so versatile...I use it for all my chalkboards for the vibrant colors and it works easily on mirrors and glassware.

I've got to kick it in gear next week to get my fall decor out and then about a week later, I'll start my Halloween decorations. I absolutely love this time of year and one of my favorite times to decorate...I love the muted tones of fall and the deeper hues of red, orange and gold.

I'm joining Marty at A Stroll Through Life for Tabletop Tuesday. Please visit with Marty and join in the party. Don't forget her Fall Cloche Party on Friday. Hope to see you there.

Tips For Throwing Together A Last Minute Buffet With Tasty Results

2010-09-13T07:24:00.001-04:00

It was football time in Tennessee on Saturday and hubby decided a few hours before the ballgame that he would like to have some folks over. No need to panic when there are so many ready made ingredients out there that can be whipped into a tasty football buffet with little time and trouble.

Tyson makes several flavors of ready made wings...we had hot wings after about 22 mins in the oven. Popcorn chicken for the kiddies.

Ham sandwiches made from a Kentucky Pride sliced ham, heated in the crockpot and sandwiched between some yummy fresh Sara Lee rolls from the bread aisle. Slice up some fixings and you are ready to go.

Tex Mex Stew is easy to put together and tastes great with purchased tortilla chips. You can find the recipe here.

Open some chips up and sit them in a big old bowl so your folks can just ram them arm in and pull our a handful. I purchased this huge bowl for holding chips at my Halloween Party, but it also just happens to be the Vols team colors, as well)

Dessert is easily solved with a big bowl of candy and a plate of doughnuts.

There you have a quick, fast buffet and not a single complaint. Remember that you don't have to stress through preparing party foods...with a little thought and a trip to the local Walmart, you'll be the best cook around in no time.

Hope you had a great weekend.

Beautiful Bling

2010-09-10T11:24:00.001-04:00

I recently reorganized my China Cabinet and moved some of my silver items to display.

I love the way the light makes the silver sparkle.

You can never have too much good bling.

I love this silver coffee scoop that I found on eBay last year.

And my crystal pineapple salt and pepper...can't remember where I found them.

I love beautiful things and can make a collection out of just about anything. I could sit and look at something beautiful all day and be totally entertained. I'm glad that God has blessed me with the ability to see and appreciate beauty and I'll admit that I can find it anywhere. My home is important to me and I want it to be welcoming and inviting. I do love the items that I have collected over the years that I have been allowed to grace this life and am thankful for each and every one.

Quick Announcement - Cracker Barrel is having a Porch Sale today through Sunday, so if you have had your eye on a Cracker Barrel rocker, check your favorite location...they might have some marked down 50% as that is one of the mainstays of their Porch sales...but you have to get there quick.

I'm joining the following parties. Please click on the links below and visit with each of these beautiful ladies and their guests.

Vignette Friday

Friday Pretties

Show and Tell Friday

New Friend Friday

A Few Of My Favorite Things Saturday

Silver Sunday

Sunday Favorites

Playing With Pattern Tablescape

2010-09-09T12:18:00.000-04:00

I'd like to share a tip with you for keeping your plates and bowls from being scratched as you are storing them. It's simple, easy and cheap.

Old fashioned paper plates. Just insert a paper plate between your dinner plate, salad plate, salad bowl or charger to ensure there is no contact between the bottom ridge of your plate and the top of the next plate. I've used bubble wrap and fun foam in the past, and while they are adequate, it takes quite a bit of time to cut them to fit. You can purchase the paper plates in two sizes, so they are perfect for larger and smaller plates. You can use the foam plates, but they are not as flexible as the paper and will not flatten out, taking up more space and causing your dish stacks to be a bit woobly.

Chargers - Hobby Lobby
Dinner Plates - Royal Stafford - Red and White Checker
Salad Plates - Royal Stafford in two patterns - Harvest Village and Hayride
Flatware - Reed and Barton Queen's Garden

I'm joining the Tablescape Thursday meme at Between Naps on the Porch. Please be sure and drop by for a visit.

Jammi Has Been Busy and Productive

2010-09-07T22:40:00.001-04:00

I've been working the last few days on changing my blog layout and converting to the fall season decor. I have also finally created a blog button. It would give me a tickle if you would take one. Just copy the code from the button on my sidebar.

You might notice that I have placed the blog buttons that I have collected and put them into a marquee widget (this is a work in progress, as I have only a few buttons filed right now)...you can move your mouse over the button for the site you want to visit and the scroll will stop and allow you to click and link directly into a new window, without leaving my blog...in case you have not finished your visit. I've also added a marquee at the bottom of my blog with past Blog Parties from around Blogland...I will keep this updated as parties complete. This is a great way of checking back on last years parties for ideas. This would be very helpful as you prepare for Halloween decorating for instance. Again, just place your cursor over the button and click and you will be linked the party post on the appropriate blog. I hope you like the changes.

We had a great holiday weekend here at Jammi's place. We had some shopping, a cookout on Saturday, wiener roast on Sunday and a parade and Wii party on Monday.

We have been going to our hometown Labor Day Parade for 35 years. We always have breakfast as we capture our place early and wait for the parade to start.

My babies know how to work for the candy.

Mr. Photogenic got a little sleepy.

This little girl is just 6 years old and look at all the trophies she has won .

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend. I'm joining Susan at a Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday . Hope you can drop by and visit with her and the other party goer's.

Cropping Weekend

2010-08-31T12:00:00.008-04:00

Unbelievable that this is the last day of August. We all keep talking about Fall and how quickly it is approaching...hope everyone is ready because we are almost there.

I hosted a Scrapbook Crop on Saturday...I provided goodie baskets with items such as 7 Gypsies tags, cutouts, glue pens, Bath and Body personal lotions and hand sanitizers, cookies, and ribbon. I had 11 giveaway items that we drew for about every hour - Cricut cartridge, page kits, adhesives and other tools, markers, gift cards, etc.

Here is Tiffany winning the first giveaway drawing...a $10 gift card to Hobby Lobby.

Tanesia showing off one of her completed page layouts of the day.

We had a great time spending the afternoon together. I served spaghetti and salad with garlic breadsticks for dinner...It was a simple but filling meal that I could put together prior to everyone arriving and keep warm in the crockpot.

Drink Plain Coffee....Nevermore!

2010-08-23T19:40:00.002-04:00

Let me introduce you to my little pretties....

These little guys left a lasting impression on me when I was browsing here;

That's right....I saw these last year in the Celebrate Halloween edition...I rushed to Hobby Lobby but alas, they had long since flown the coop.

I was in Hobby Lobby on Saturday and felt a dark, forboding fall over me and a definite chill in the air as I passed a display table. What the heck...so I had to do an immediate stop and look over my shoulder. And guess who was peering back at me with beady black eyes....It was meant to be and I'm never one to be fickle with fate, so these macarbe birdies jumped in the buggy to come live with me.

Here are the Ravens gracing the table from last year's magazine.

Wait a second....I seem to be missing something. Let me take off my reading glasses and turn up the lighting (for you younger folks who can see just fine in low light and without glasses, your day is coming). Yep. Looks like we left a brother behind and that just won't do. I'll have to wait to see if fate intervenes again as I make a point to visit the store again this weekend....is it meant to be? Let's hope it won't be Nevermore......

I moved my small sideboard into my kitchen and did a little accessory mixing. Don't worry, the ravens are just roosting here momentarily and will soon fly to the closet for another month.

Here I've added some fabric to lighten the vignette a bit against the dark wood and I've waved goodbye to the birdies.

I like to use unexpected things for candleholders. Here I have used a white sugar bowl.

A little green pitcher can become a candleholder with something placed inside to seat the candle. I've used a bottle of vitamin supplements...talk about unexpected. Hope I can remember where I put them.

I'm joining Tabletop Tuesday with Marty At A Stroll Through Life. Please be sure and click the link to stop by for a visit with sweet Marty. You won't be sorry.

Speaking of coffee. I know we weren't but I just didn't want you to nod off on me and not pay attention. Have you tried this?

I love Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha, but the closest store is about 30 miles away, which is probably a good thing because I could spend a lot of money sucking these delicious concoctions down. International Delights has come out with several varieties of flavored creamers and I spied the White Chocolate Mocha this weekend while grocery shopping. What the heck, I thought I would try it, without really thinking it would taste anywhere close to those drinks that I crave. I was pleasantly surprised to find that although not a perfect match, it's pretty darn close. For the price, I'm not going to split a frogs hair over the differance. I have not tried any of the other flavors, but there are several. Have you tried the white chocolate mocha or any of the other flavors? Let me know what you think.

Smile! You're Eating Chocolate Cake

2010-08-20T08:00:00.012-04:00

Quick. Easy. Tasty. Attractive. These are just four words to describe this wonderful Butterfinger Cake. I made this cake for an impromtu weeknight family dinner. I work full-time so my evening time is at a premium, but sharing a good meal occassionally with my married children and their families is definetly worth the effort. My family loves having meals that Mama cooks, so I am always on the lookout for recipes that are easy to prepare and don't take a lot of time but they have to be up to my standards in taste and appeal. If I am cooking during the week, I also like to provide a dessert, just to make sure the meal is special. You know everything that we Mom's cook or bake has to be special.

Butterfinger Cake
1 German chocolate or other chocolate cake mix and ingredients as noted on the box
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1 8 oz. jar Caramel
1 12 oz container Cool Whip
1 king size or 2 regular Butterfinger candy bars

Prepare cake as directed on box in a 9x13 sheet pan. In a bowl, combine caramel and Eagle Brand milk and stir until well blended. When cake is baked and while still hot, poke holes in the cake with the end of a wooden spoon. Pour the caramel mixture over the top of the cake, allowing it to soak in. Let cool completely. When cool, top with Cool Whip and sprinkle with crushed candy bars. Refrigerate before serving.

I'm joining the Foodie Friday party at Designs By Gollum. Please click the link to visit our hostess, Michael, and check out all the yummy recipes provided this week.
All The Best,

One Of My Favorite Things To Do

2010-08-19T12:15:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite things to do when I'm relaxing is to indulge in reading and viewing beautiful photos on home making, decorating and cooking. I especially enjoy all of the special editions from my favorite magazines, for the fall season and holidays. I am looking forward to snuggling up in a comfy chair and thumbing through these little goodies that I found this week.

This compliation of Halloween goodies from Taste of Home looked pretty good, although a quick flip when I picked it up, revealed some things that I've seen before. I guess it is hard to come up with a whole book of original Halloween themed food every year. Love these Ghastly Pear Ghosts.

I've already read through the Celebrate Fall edition and although I usually love these editions by Phyllis Hoffman, this one seemed a bit repetetive and I didn't really see any new ideas. I must admit that the candle in the articoke never gets old.

I'm always on the lookout for a good mystery...throw in a random murder or two and combine it with a Halloween theme and I'm hoping for a great read. I saw this paperback while browsing the mystery aisles and thought it sounded interesting. Has anyone read this series by Leslie Meier?

On tap for tonight. Fixing Chicken and Pasta for the family and finishing off with a Butterfinger cake. Yum. Getting closer to fall always turns my nesting instincts on high. After dinner, I'll be finding that comfy chair and an ottoman to prop my feet on.

All The Best,

Let's Go Virtual Shopping

2010-08-18T08:01:00.000-04:00

Come along with me today as we go on a virtual shopping trip. If you have followed my blog, you know that I absolutely love the Fall season and one of my favorite holidays is Halloween. In shopping this weekend, I found lots of Halloween and Fall goodies at Home Goods.

When I entered the store, I immediately saw the shelves of orange and black and knew that I was in trouble. I squared my shoulders and stuck my willpower out in front...and did not grab a shopping cart. I reasonsed that without a cart, I could only buy what I could comfortably carry. It actually worked, although I did buy a set of Halloween plates...there are four differant patterns. An owl, a cat, a bat and a pumpkin. Love these.

Here is all the wonderfulness that matches the plates I bought....I'm sure I'll be 'adopting' more into the family.

I love this punch bowl but I didn't buy it. When I drop by this weekend, if the punch bowl is still available, I'll have to consider that fate is at work and purchase it as a 'meant to be' item. Doesn't that make some kind of weird sense?

Be still my heart.

Love these canisters...look at the bat on top of the one in the back. Cute!

More dreadful goodness...

Hope you enjoyed your shopping trip....now, let's go have lunch.

All The Best,

A Weekend of Organizing

2010-08-16T07:11:00.005-04:00

I spent almost the entire weekend getting some of my things organized. This is something that was long overdue and as a result, took a long time to put back in order. I'm joining Susan's fun party for Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

I don't have any before pictures to share, and that was intentional. Who wants to see someone else's mess...and let's be honest...if you feel the need to organize, it means you have a mess. Hope some of these tips you find handy.

I use a dresser in an empty bedroom to organize my gift wrap supplies. I had tossed things into a drawer where ever there was empty space available as I bought new items or returned the remainder of ones I had used, ie. tissue and ribbon. I now have the drawers reorganized with tissue, ribbon, gift bags and tools organized in seperate drawers. I opened all of my tissue packages and folded the tissue in half within the first drawer to make it easily accessible and I can do a quick flip to see each color and pattern for a quick match to my giftbag or wrapping paper. Opening the packages and unfolding the tissue so that it only has one fold left is a great way to easily retrieve the tissue when needed...it is even possible to reach in with one hand to pull out the appropriate bundle.

Tissue:

Gift Bags:

Ribbons:

Tools and Supplies: cutters, tape, labels, gift tags and bow making supplies

I also cleaned the clutter our of my china cabinet and it looks clean and sparkly now.

I'm currently working on consolidating my dishware and decorative jars, plate stands and cloches. I have things stuck all over the house and want to get them in more order and more centralized. I have an inventory system that I'll be sharing in a future post that tracks what items I have with photos of the dish, where I bought the item and how much I paid. The photos will help with mixing and matching to plan for tablescapes without actually physically pulling the pieces from storage and the information on the acquistion will help when preparing a blog post.

All in all, a very productive weekend and I'm very pleased with the progress. I'm on a mission to get everything back in order before Fall. Of course, all this cleaning and organizing means that I did not spend any time reading blogs this weekend, so I am seriously behind. Look for comments from me over the next couple of days as I catch up with your last posts.....If I drop by, I always comment so that you know I was there. Hope you all had a great weekend as well.

All The Best,

Is It Luck or Just Plain Tenacity?

2010-08-12T08:01:00.000-04:00

Ever have a lucky coincidence that you never expected? Ever half-heartedly do something with the thought that you are totally wasting your time? This happened to me this week. What fickle fools we mortals are sometimes.

I have been searching for a beautiful armoire that I can bring into my home for extra storage and just because I think they are beautiful pieces of furniture. I have read many blog posts where someone found a great item on Craig's List and so I searched Craig's list consistently for a long time, looking for some of those great items that everyone else was finding. That's right, no luck. Sound familiar? So, of course, I stopped checking and focused my time and energy elsewere. Here is where the coincidence comes into the story. This week, I thought I would check under the Collectibles section to see if anyone had listed any Dept 56 Halloween Village pieces...again, of course,no luck. While I was online, I thought I'd go ahead and check the Furniture section. Why not, right? I rationalized the time by expecting that maybe someone would have something interesting listed that they did not sell at the 100 mile long yard sale. There were lots of entries...I sailed through the first 100 postings and nothing captured my attention. Typical, I thought and I almost closed out of the site but then I thought that I would go ahead and look at the next 100 postings. I almost stopped at the first 20 or so, as I was seeing nothing and there were other things that I could do with my time but then I thought well, I'll look at 10 more and then I'm definetly logging off. Soon, I found myself at the bottom of the page and ......there it was, almost the last entry. "Beautiful Ornate Armoire purchased at Antique store 5 years earlier for $750 and selling for $100"....OK, let me take a look at this dog, I figured it was probably kind of plain and not quite what it was being represented to be as had happened to me so often in the past. I clicked on the link, to see the picture attached and there it was....MY Armoire. But, the ad was from the previous day. No was was this prize still available, but I emailed the seller anyway with the thought that I would never hear back because someone would already have snapped this beauty up. Imagine my surprise when the seller responded back...within 5 minutes of my inquiry. HELLO.....what? Not only was the Armoire still available, but she also had a curio cabinet that she would give away for free, if I wanted it. Well let me take some time to think about this for a moment....do I want it....of course I WANT it. I grabbed the husband and the next evening, after work we headed to Chickamauga, Ga with a trailer behind the Burber. One hour later, I am staring at my Soulmate, well not really, but I was definetly in love. This sucker was heavy....my poor husband, hung in there with me and we finally wrestled the beast onto the trailer. Granted, there were some battle wounds that I will have to heal on the poor baby but we did the best we could to keep her safe. She is definetly old and I have a couple lose parts that need to be strengthened, so she is currently laying here in the hospital bed awaiting minor surgery. Isn't she a beaut??

We did this....but I can fix it. Just one more battle scar to build character.

I'm perched on a ladder in the garage just for you....here is another view of this gorgeous new member of the household. Just lean your head as far to the right as you can and you will have the right view plus you'll get in a little neck exercise. She is scheduled for cosmetic surgery this weekend. Once she is back on her feet, I'll post more news.

Here is my freebie.

She has really good genes, don't you think. I need to have some glass shelves cut and then she will be perfect...for some reason, the shelves were lost or broken at sometime in her past.

Look at the beautiful detail.

One more look:

Moral of the story....never give up and always stay in the hunt.....or......do you believe in fate?

All The Best,

Roosters In The House

2010-08-06T08:00:00.002-04:00

When I was growing up, I actually hated roosters. Growing up in the country, meant that roosters were not decorative but they were definetly functional. My unlove affair with roosters began at a young age when I was chased across the yard by a huge rooster. He was just protecting his territory but at about 5 years old, I just saw this rooster running at me with his wings spread wide and his neck outstretched...he was ready to do some damage. My Daddy saved me from what would surely have been a painful experience. Since that time, I steered clear of roosters. Now that I have been around the block a time or two, and know that don't have to run from roosters, I find that I love them....but only in decor with the kind that I can hang on my walls or sit on a table or shelf.

I picked these two decorative plates up in my favorite vacation spot, The Smokey Mountains, earlier this year. I love the woodgrain finish around the edges.

My husband bought these Egg boxes for me for Christmas. What a guy. He is great to listen for hints during the right time of year and for these, I was hinting big time.

Here is my chicken coop....loaded with chickens and roosters.

Don't you just love these little beauties. These are actually pictures from ......

'''Boyd's Bears...this huge barn in Pigeon Forge Tennessee was open back in 2005-2006 and was a great place to visit and view the beautiful displays and architecture of the building. Unfortunately, they closed this 4 level complex sometime in late 2006. Wish I'd had the foresight to purchase some of these cuties.

This little sweetie is a bit stuck up...notice that nose raised high in the air. Might he be a bit vain with his beautiful white color and cutwork designs?

Love the colors on this cream and sugar set.

I bought this little beauty at the 100 mile yardsale last year.....It's that time again and I'll be spending my day tomorrow hitting as many of the sales as possible. I'm hoping for lots of great finds.

Thanks so much to Barb at Bella Vista for hosting this fun party again. I love visiting with all the participants and seeing their wonderful rooster collections...hope you take the time to visit Barb and take a Rooster stroll.

All The Best,

Old World Style Tablescape

2010-08-05T17:04:00.006-04:00

My table is inspired by the antique map salad plates that I found at Pottery Barn at 75% off this past weekend.

A stack of several plates add several layers grounded with my Southern Living at Home Cantebury Chargers .

Earthenware pottery filled with greenery provides a centerpiece that resembles something that might be found in an archaeological dig.

A cozy setting for two. My tablecloth is a rust brown and cream check....in the pictures it looks much more like a red gingham.

I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for her weekly Tablescape party. If you want to view some eye candy, visit Susan and the other party participants to see their contribution this week.

All The Best,

Christmas Mystery Package

2010-08-04T12:19:00.002-04:00

Mr. Postman visited me the other day and brought this package. Red and white stripes and snowflakes, oh my!

Isn't it pretty..so bright and shiny. I felt cooler just looking at it. Let's take a peek and see what's inside.

Can you tell what it is....a beautiful Christmas turtle perhaps?

Ooohhhhh....so pretty. I'm a sucker for pretty. The good news is that this little beauty is functional as well. An insulated tote that can be used to transport a yummy dish or can be used alone for lots of tasty goodies. I love being able to prepare for the holidays early and I'm beginning to see some stores put items out for both Halloween and Christmas. Anyone else have their eye on anything for the holidays yet?

All The Best,

Movie Stars in Tennessee

2010-07-30T17:06:00.000-04:00

Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon are in Tennessee and North Georgia, shooting scenes for their new movie, Water for Elephants. Shooting will be at a home owned by the Cross Family on West Cove Road in Chickamauga, Georgia and at the Tennessee Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the next few days. If I had some time off, I might just take some time to tool around to these locations and watch the festivities. One of the local news programs showed the Chickamauga, Georgia location today and at 5:30am people were already lining the streets. Robert Pattinson shot a scene at the home this morning....poor baby, hope he does not melt in our humid Southern temps.

Mike and I are celebrating our 35th Anniversary this weekend with a trip to Franklin, Tn. Going antiquing!!

All The Best,

Discipline Issues Anyone !!?

2010-07-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

I have often heard it said that most bloggers are just frustrated writers. In my case, I must agree with that assessment. I have always wanted to write...I have bits and pieces of stories that I have written that span about 35 years....none of them are finished and that is why I am not a writer. I am the most undisciplined human being on the face of the earth today. I have big, bold, wonderful ideas but rarely see them through to completion. This is true in almost every aspect of my life and not just specific to writing. As sad as it is to say that about myself, I'm also a very honest person and I believe in calling a spade a spade. I'm not sadistic about not finishing things, it's just that my attention and interest moves on to something else...I like to think that I am so creative and full of ideas that my little ole brain just cannot contain and process them all. (LOL, now I might be getting away from that honesty a bit.)

You might notice from some of my book titles that I have very varied tastes in books, including some specific to the writing art...actually, I just love all books. Maybe I'm not undisciplined at all. Maybe I am just not good at recognizing what I really like...perhaps I just love books in general and I just think that I want to write. Maybe the fact that I want to write, and not that I need to write is the true answer here or maybe it is just that I get bored easily. Hmmmmm.

At this stage in my life, do I really even care to solve this mystery? Absolutely not. I kind of like being undisciplined and not always having a planned agenda of my life. Perhaps one day, I will finish a book and it will be just for me. In the meantime, I will continue to be just happy, undisciplined me.

I am always looking to be the best that I can be, so if you are also an undisciplined shmuck....I'll take any ideas you have on improving!!

All The Best,

mill57@charter.net
http://www.theycallmejammi.blogspot.com/

Catching Up

2010-07-26T08:00:00.000-04:00

I have been able to recover my laptop operating system and am working on reloading my programs. I can now get to the Internet and back on my blog. I'll be catching up on reading through the posts I've missed over the next few days. As my husband mentioned this weekend, I have been lost without my computer and am so happy to be able to take my trips back into Cyberspace.

Mike and I hit some yardsales on Saturday morning and scored some brand spanking new Southern Living Annual cookbooks. I have the entire collection except for a few of the early 1980s ones. When I find them now, I pick them up for my daughter Tiffany, who is working on building her collection. I also picked up 9 plantation shutters for $1 each. We had breakfast at Southern Restaurant in Red Bank and then stopped at TJ Maxx and a couple others shops. On Saturday night, we had an outdoor movie party and viewed Night At The Museum 2.

Of course, riding the four wheeler in the dark is a must. We intentionally pick movies that we know the kiddies like, but they still get restless after the first half hour. The popcorn and candy only works for a while before they have to jump up and move around. Mike took care of that by pulling out the four wheeler and tooling around on some nocturnal tours.

There are not too many things more beautiful than a Southern summer night,when a big ole bright moon is peaking over the treetops and covering the landscape with a silvery glow.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and you were able to enjoy your family and the beautiful outdoors.

All The Best,

mill57@charter.net
http://www.theycallmejammi.blogspot.com/

Major Coniption Fit Going On Here

2010-07-15T23:00:00.000-04:00

I cannot believe the bad luck that I am having with my computers lately. You might remember that my desktop died a slow and painful death a few months ago and I purchased a laptop. Wednesday, my laptop threw up the blue screen of death and then would not boot back up. My operating system is fried, meaning that I lost everything.....I'm trying not to cry and throw a major roll in the floor fit because on the bright side, I keep my files backed up on my portable hard drive and I only lost a couple months data. But really, I've lost two months of my photos that I will never be able to recover or replace, including my July 4th party. I know, stupid me. I should back up at least weekly and probably daily but I didn't and now I am so miserable that I could just throw that major coniption fit that is boiling under the surface. I'm trying to be thankful that it was not worse and I only lost a small group of photos but right now, I'm totally into a big pity party. Please someone bring the chips and join me.

OK, deep breaths. I know that once I stop crying that I will survive this. These are just material things...but they are my memories...stop it, stop it. Stay positive, be thankful. I think I'll chant this for awhile.

I just got off the phone with the tech rep and ordered a recovery disk with 2 day shipping. The rep assured me that this will fix my problem, although he has no idea why my system would have failed on a laptop that is less than a year old. I won't be able to post or read anyone for a few days (hopefully, only a few days) and I am so sad that I was not able to participate in Marty's Cloche party. I borrowed my daughters laptop to troubleshoot my problem and try to resolve it quickly...didn't work and Mr. Tech could not offer me anything that I could do to get the recovery disk tomorrow and unbelievably there was no option to download it tonight. Thanks to my sweet Tiffany for helping out her Mom and I'll be returning her laptop tomorrow. I will be MIA for a few days as I anxiously await the Fed Ex Dude with my disk and hope it fixes the problem. Wish me luck.

All The Best,

mill57@charter.net
http://www.theycallmejammi.blogspot.com/

Pitchers and Sunflowers, Oh My!

2010-07-13T01:20:00.000-04:00

I love the brightness of Sunflowers...I don't think you can look at something with such a rich sunshiney color and not be moved to smile. As homemakers, it is so important to surround ourselves with beauty and with things we love. This provides a peaceful background and helps create balance in our busy lives.

I love ceramic pitchers in all colors, shapes and sizes but I especially love the simple pleasure of a white pitcher. I have filled my pitcher with gorgeous sunflowers and added a bright bumble bee canister.

I used a farmhouse theme for my tabletop, with the large white ironstone pitcher, farm scene plates and a milk bottle, just in case the cow needs to be milked as she grazes on the table for the next week or so.

I'm joining the wonderful Ms Marty at a Stroll Through Life for her weekly Tabletop Tuesday party. Please visit Marty to view her beautiful site as well as enjoy some great tabletop vignettes from her party participants.

All The Best,

mill57@charter.net
http://www.theycallmejammi.blogspot.com/

Long Holiday Weekend Love

2010-07-07T10:13:00.001-04:00

This is going to be a stupid statement, but I love long holiday weekends. When I was growing up, we rarely celebrated the holidays, other than Christmas. My Mom's favorite saying was "It's just another day." She still has a tendancy to say this same thing today and it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand-up. I have always tried to make sure that I recognize special days, like birthdays and holidays for my family because I think it is important to have fun and enjoy each other, every chance we get. Daily life can be mundane, and working every day is hard and tiresome....that means the weekends should be reserved for something special.

We had our July 4th cookout and get together on Saturday this year and on Sunday, we had left-overs and enjoyed an outdoor movie after dark - we watched Journey to the Center of the Earth and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. On Monday, Mike and I went to the movies to see The Last Airbender and had a late lunch at O'Charleys. I loved the movie...I know the critics have basically trashed it but I enjoyed the story and the visual effects were beautiful...apparently, I'm not hard to please. I guage a movie based upon it's entertainment factor and how joyful and relaxed I feel when it's over. I don't worry about whether this was original or that was not possible...it's a movie...it's entertainment...it's not supposed to be realistic. I can get realism every day of the week, thank you very much. I don't need to have to think through every phrase for the underlying meaning...let me vegetate and just enjoy. As a bonus, give me a little kung fu and action to go along with my movie and I'm good.

You might remember that I planned to use the hay wagon as my serving table this year. You can read about my idea here. It worked out great and I'll definetly be using this idea again.

The troopes were getting really hungry, so I had to snap pictures very quickly. This is the best shot I got of the overall wagon surface.

I used a small chest to start the food line with plates and utensils.

Because of the heat, all cold items were set in an ice bath and this worked out great...the food stayed cold and I did not have to jump right up after everyone was served and rush the food back to the refrigerator. I used bandanas for napkins and also to cover the food so that it was safe from flying insects. A little yellow pitcher held extra BBQ sauce for the smoked ribs.

One corner was dedicated to beverages...off to the left and not shown in the picture, is a Coca Cola cooler of sodas...I used mason jars for sweet tea. I keep the jars in their original box for storage and after washing, I store them upside down in the box.

Individual bags of chips were available for the kiddies.

We played and worked hard to stay cool.

We enjoyed sparklers and fireworks.

I hope you had and opportunity to enjoy your weekend with family and friends. I'm joining Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for her weekly Outdoor Wednesday party....I almost forgot that it was Wednesday!! Thanks to Susan for hosting this fun get together each week...please stop by and visit with her and all the party participants.

All The Best,

mill57@charter.net
http://www.theycallmejammi.blogspot.com/