Bellingham finally got snow, too

 

There have been many times - many - when the weather forecast announcement is:

Bellingham Washington

rain mixed with light snow flurries

disappearing overnight

HOWEVER, at the Mansfield house

there will be snow

disappearing maybe by the end of the week

We have seen the snow zone start at our driveway and end next door - they along with the rest of Bellingham will have rain, we'll have snow.

Granted we do live in a forest that I like to call the thousand acre woods and our driveway climbs hundreds of feet up from sea level to our house but when it snows it's the driveway from hell.  We just stay indoors and admire the winter wonderland going on outside and wait a week or so until it's all gone. With all the tower trees the driveway is protected (nor sees the light of the sun) and it will be a long time before we'll venture out (or down). 

Do you see the little red barn below - that's on the street level entrance to our home. We have 5 hairpin turns (you're looking at turn 3 - or as we call it The Clincher (it'll get ya if you're not careful), climbing up to the house and when it snows I'll give the neighboring kids five minutes to grab their sleds or skis and come play on the snowy slope. Of course this packs the snow into ice and takes us an extra couple days of warm temps to melt and let us use the driveway - but, it's fun watching them zoom down the driveway taking those turns like Olympic athletes.

We've had snow at our house since last Friday.

The rest of Bellingham finally caught up to us this morning --  it snowed!

It's time to snuggle up next to the fire, grab my crocheting project or read a book and put a pot of soup on for dinner, cause right now looking out my window the snow is really coming down hard.

At least it is at our home.

I found this great idea on sewmanyways.blogspot. It's a dresser with the drawers taken out with storage bins used for craft, sewing, scrapbooking, yarns, etc. Wish I had the room to do this project and get better organized.

It's a Wrap.....

In my family, holiday gift wrapping has become an art form.

My hubby's family use to challenge each other to create disguised wrappings to house their gifts.  Decorating a train of boxes including an engine and caboose to hide the umbrella inside. The large boxes would have a castle on top made out of toilet paper rolls, empty wrapping paper rolls and little boxes all wrapped in white. Or a silver foil ice skating rink with a forest of miniature trees. Another box may be decorated to become a gingerbread house.  A large paper bag (with gift inside) was transformed into a reindeer with a bell hanging from one antler. The wrapping usually took longer than the shopping for the gift. 

Now, I have family members (yup, that's you kids) who are very creative in designing works of art in their wrapping ideas. The elegantly dressed brown shipping/craft paper, large cut-out initials, old photos attached to the tag (without a name - guess who that present is for?). Ribbons, twine, string, yarn, paper ornaments or stamped images, buttons and a few bows to adorn the wrapping of the gifts. We all look forward to see what appears under the Christmas tree.

Here are a few holiday wrappings I've found on the web for inspiration, help get the creative juices flowing and spark this year's creative gift wrapping.

There's a New Shop in Town -

There's a new shop on the Internet that is a must go and see. Flora at www.flora-prints.com has just opened it's doors and is filled with the flora work of Scott Mansfield, San Francisco professional photographer. If you're looking for the perfect holiday gift or need a little color added to your own walls -- this is the place to shop. There's a large variety of flower prints to choose from and it is super easy to pick the size you want and printing format.

The best place on the Internet to shop for flora prints, go see for yourself

flora-prints

They followed me home....

Some recently found ideas from Pinterest that followed me home.

A simple paper plate with holes punched about 1" apart, threaded with decorative ribbon.

So simple, So effective!

Great idea for those gift, holiday cookies or candies you make.

For the cupcake baker in your home.

Easy way to store your cupcake liners -- stack in a spaghetti jar.

Cute!

One old dresser - remove legs - make seat cushion and wha-la,

you've got a perfect window seat or bench with storage.

Clever-Clever-Clever

Cover a pop can dispenser with paper (wrapping paper is about the right size) or contact paper and label for storing your can goods. We shop Costco - this will be perfect to organize the bulk buys.

So Cool!

I love bandanas - what's not to love? They're cheap (usually a buck each) come in fabulous colors, a great size to craft with and they're not just for doggy neck wear or cowgirl costumes. Take these little paisley prints out for a spin and let your imagination fly.

I found these on the blogger web site: under the table and dreaming 

where there's more ideas waiting to be discovered.

These are few of my favorties!

napkins

table runners

table cloths

a napkin holder

placemats

a quilt
or maybe a fun handkerchief

I'm heading to the store, partner, and getting some bandanas to play with.

You're going to love this -- I promise!

More Pinterest posts that followed me home

This would be so cute for wedding tables.

Hershey Kisses instead of peppermint? OR Valentine candy hearts (if you planned ahead)

Use large round plates or serving platters - depending on the size of your tables.

 

A blank white canvas and Elmer's Glue

How simple - How beautiful!

Using shower curtain hooks to hang up those bags

If only I had the closet space to do this -- I'd be in heaven

Using a Large V-neck hooded sweatshirt

Cut down center - hem - wrap to the side and add buttons

Adorable - Simply Adorable!

A Goodwill suit jacket -- there's lots out there without the matching pants.

Find one that is a good length and fit (don't worry about the arm lengths)

Trim off the arms (or remove at seam) - leaving some of the lining from the jacket side to fold inward to create a finished edge. WahLaa- you've got a custom vest, man (or woman).

Mirror Mirror On The Wall.....

More Pinterest finds.....

 

Love this idea to fill a small blank space

I've got the old windows - just need some scrap wood

Using inexpensive mirrors and hung horizontally

Be great to fill a wall - top to bottom

Oh, what you could do with empty toilet paper rolls

Love, Love a burst of flower power

Good Idea(s)?

Found some great ideas on Pinterest and brought them home to share with you.

Rubber bands to mark your sewing measurement

Empty ketchup bottle to hold pancake batter

for the perfect pancake size

One summer swim tube - cut down the center

Old shoe box with a cut out to hold the tube halves

Bag of marbles

I love this idea for some racing fun!

You're Invited

Taking a page from Pinterest and from Meridian Road blog post -- I created my new cabin on the lake. New cabin? (as opposed to an Old cabin?) Lake? (what lake?). That's the fun - create your own get-a-way place and dream.  And the best part is that it can change, move, or dream it again without prior notice.

So you're invited to come for a visit - stay as long as you'd like.

The doors always open, the coffee pot is on and the games are all set up to score.

I'm still building the hot tub - but, it'll be ready when you are.

 

The living room is cozy for those afternoon reads or evening fireplace conversations.

The meals will be entertaining with good food and great conversations.

The game table (not my first choice) has to be round, roomy and always up for the challenge.

 

Big-Big-Big Kitchen with loads of light, open cupboards, farmhouse sink.

There can never be too many cooks in this kitchen.

 

Bedrooms for everyone - magically added to accommodate one and all. Quilts, farmhouse antique finds and all with a view of the lake.

Glass enclosed showers and soaking tubs with a view. There's more than one or two or three.

Come on over to my place, stay awhile, relax on the deck or swim in the lake.

It's all good at Sam's Get-A-Way Cabin on the Lake.

(I hired Pinterest, the web and Sarah Richardson's web site - love, love Sarah Richardson's style - 

to put together my little cabin. See ya there.)

I want one!

 

I want a porch swing! I need a porch swing!

There is a magical quality to porch swings.  Perhaps it is the soothing rhythm or the reassuring creak of the porch swing that attracts us. Perhaps it is the companionable silence or quiet conversation. Or maybe swings simply remind us of more genteel times, sipping lemonade on a warm summer evening. 

 A remembrance of childhood a memory. Swinging on a swing set, being free, gliding above the ground, toes pointed reaching for the sky. Gaining confidence to stand, hang on and pump - pump high.

That's what I want - a porch swing. This is what I have now: a cedar glider that moves maybe 5 inches to and fro. It's a tease of what could be, what should be, of what's to come.

I have an idea -- take the glider apart and use the bench to make a real swing. I don't have a porch from which to hang said swing -- but I do have a deck -- a VERY large wrap-a-round deck. I could build a frame (and anchor it for the full out pumping experience) or build an extension from the roof line out to hang the swing from.

Either way, I want, I need, I have to have a deck swing.

Next summer's #1 project: the perfect spot to sip lemonade, watch the sunsets and enjoy our surrounding forest setting.

How I spent my summer vacation

This was a summer project where Murphy and his law decided many things and that pesty can of worms kept opening with surprises along the way. But, it was all worth it. The before picture is far below and these are the after photos. Next summer I'll get some large, red, ceramic planters to fill with flora and fauna and new deck furniture to complete the transformation. We may bring the crew back to redo the trim in a dark green instead of the dark gray. We'll think about it over the winter.