Finally Decorated and Mother Nature Took Care of the Outdoors!

W ell, we have at least 18 inches of snow and drifts two times that! It is very pretty and luckily it was a weekend so there wasn't any work panic! I am so sslow at getting ready this year. I was way ahead, I thought, but this stinkin' flu really hung around and I am still so tired and I still have a cough...hate that!

But, I finally took some pics around the house, so here they are. I decorate a lot. If someone gave it to me, I feel I have to put it out. This year, I gave up after a while, so this is less than usual...and not as carefully placed. It was out of the box-good enough-naptime!

 First this- the best decorations in a home!

Now, the house.

I'll take a daylight pic.

My mom made those puffy trees.

I usually put stuff away and then decorate ...not this year..piled it on!

Tree looks better in person..all those kid ornaments.....

countdown panel quilt

"If you like to make things out of wood, or sew, or dance, or style people's hair, or dream up stories and act them out, or play the trumpet, or jump rope, whatever you really love to do, and you love that in front of your children, that's going to be a far more important gift than anything you could ever give them wrapped up in a box with ribbons. And what's more: the last thing in the world you have to be is perfect at it. It's the spirit that gives that kind of gift its wings."

Mister (Fred) Rogers

Click here for a sweet Christmas card.

My Big Score!

I am linking up here -so go see more featured furniture!
    

     Not that I wanted to do this at this time, but a craisgslist opportunity arose...and I had to go with it. I really saw the ad back at the beginning of the month but the seller was not that easy. First time, after many emails, we agreed to a Saturday morning whaich was changed to 5 PM. Pitch black and raining, but we found the house about 35-40 minutes away. We rang, knocked, called and no answer. We waited and tried again-no. Discouraged and feeling that it was "sketchy", I gave up on it   He emailed the next day and said someome was there, had we shown up? Ugh!

He emailed a week later and said he'd be around Thanksgiving weekend. I kind of gave up on it and the family was in so....He said the following wekend. OK..Now, how would we get it home was another issue. We arrived and saw this:

EKTORP!!!

It was in really near perfect condition. We were getting it home!!!  We carried it out easily after removing legs and put it right into the back of our Jeep Commander. Our son was with us so I sat in the back area with the sofa!!

The cushions had been taped in moving so I need to get a little sticky off  (suggestions?...alcohol?) and it will be fine.  I will take pics in the little room when we've painted (ahhhhh!-love paint!) and rearranged. This room is our spare bedroom/room with a desk/ too much gets dumped there/ craft room/  and if a bed still fits, guest room! I want the white covers, but am happy with Khaki and will watch IKEA for deals.  I had originally  wanted the loveseat but for the price...oh I didn't tell you ..............................

$100!!!!!

and it sells for

 EKTORP Sofa

$499.00
Idemo beige


So, pretty good?
I think so! So comfy! Now I sit there with my laptop on my lap and say hello to all of you! YAY!

The Dickens are ready...even if I'm not!

     My favorite thing to set up at Christmas is my Dicken's village. I have been collecting for many years and each box has the year it was purchased.  My Mom and I both started-she only had a few and we split them when she died a few years ago. Our first were purchased at A&S -which has gone out of business, along with Gimbels and Altmans and Fortunoffs-all great stores! I stopped collecting houses a few years ago, because of space and price.
           Luckily I got this set up becasue after hauling all the Christmas boxes out of the attic and starting to decorate, I got all achy and thought it was the lifting. No, a few hours later 102 and chills and the works. The flu. The worst part is the half done house and the desire, but no strength. I thought I was over it but a short time of laundry or dishes and I have to hit the couch. Very unlike me. Better off now than Christmas week, I suppose. So, here is what I have done so far-and even this is an effort! I couldn't even go on 2 days ago!

I have The Crowntree Inn -one of the oldest, The Toy Shop, The Golden Swan Bakery, Thomas Karsey Coffee House and Maylie Cottage  (which were my Mom's), Wheat Cakes and Puddings,The Old Curiosity Shoppe, Fruit and Spice and Booter and Cobbler. I have a few figures that you can hardly see-I will add a daylight picture tomorrow! Sometimes I spread them out a bit, but becasue of this:

I can't! Up high and away!!

          I am also a Dicken's lover...and Jane Austen. Did you happen to see Masterpiece Theater last season with David Copperfield ( with little Daniel Radcliffe), Old Curiosity Shoppe, Oliver Twist and the amazing Little Dorrit? My husband watches with me but says he can't understand the British accent! Talk English! I make everyone watch on Sunday nights on PBS. December 20th a new season begins and one of the stories is Emma-my favorite-that's on Januart 24th. I love the Gwyneth Paltrow version, but this one looks great -if you like-check it out!

         So tomorrow I finish decoration-I have a lot-so I think I will hold back a bit-no tree yeat. We get a real one and usually next weekend is the time.

While I was watching ELF...

I saw something like this at J Crew

I had some ribbon and thought I'd give it a try...while watching ELF...which we all memorized!

I made three rosettes out of 1" muted silver satin ribbon and sewed them about 15" inches in from the edge of a piece of  2" satin muted gold ribbon to allow for a bow tie. Measure your waist and about 12" more for a bow. I would demonstarte that but it is Thanksgiving...toooo much waist!!

My daughter wanted it simple, but I could see this in many different shaped flowers and colors.

My next one will be grosgrain ribbon and black jersey knit flowers....I just rummage through the ribbon and fabric that I have.

It will have to wait for later...I am still cleaning up after this weekend of everyone home....and my dishwasher broke....on Thanksgiving....and all the leftovers in plastic containers from yesterday filling my sink....ugh.

Who is happy with their dishwasher? mine is a Maytag and it has been terrible! I love appliances...not fair! Here is another decision I do not want to make. I want stainless, next time I replace....but my fridge is fairly new and  my stove is ok except it is an electric smooth top and I wish I could have gas. (Does anyone have propane? )So, do I get a white dishwasher again or go with one stainless appliance??

Too much to think about.....I watched the Christmas Dog last night and loved it and it was so peaceful....OH- because the dishwasher was not running!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving to All!

       Hope you got your bird,,,

    

And your bird doesn't get to you...

That everything goes as you have planned...

That your loved ones are gathered with you

To give thanks for all of our blessings...

Never forgetting those who made it possible.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families! I am thankful  for all the new friends

 I have "met" in this blogging world!

I am so happy that all my children are under our roof tonight!!

Love,

Phinally Phantom in NY

For my son's 16th birthday, we decided to take him to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Number 2 son is at college and couldn't get home midweek, so 4 of us went. I had gotten discount tickets from our library, which made it half of what we would have spent. (Two-fers!) You can also go to Times Square day of performance and try for discount tix at TKTS. There is a new amazing waiting place ( bc you do wait) at TKTS. It is an enormous lit red staircase! I had never seen it before!

The largest load-bearing glass structure in the world, the new TKTS booth in Times Square, supports glass benches atop two-inch-thick windows. Sounds delicate, but it regularly holds 500 foot-stomping Jumbotron watchers

Before the theater, we went to dinner at Tony's DiNapoli in Times Square

on 43rd Street between 6th and 7th Avenue. The menu has single portions, but is known for its Family Style dinners. For 4 of us we ordered Rigatoni  w/Vodka Sauce and mushrooms $19 and A Chicken Special-Chicken with asparagus, prociutto, mozzarella and ? in a tomato basil sauce. $22. We could have had a nice salad, too, but didn't want to be too stuffed in the theater. Ok-so that's pretty cheap for 4 people (no drinks) water with lemon and lots of yummy bread. The food was so delicious and we were full! There were 3 giant pieces on chicken on the platter and so much pasta...we almost left some...nope!

We walked down Broadway which is CLOSED to vehicle traffic! It was great! We could look around like tourists without fear of taxis running us down! Broadway and Times square are so lit up now-millions of screen and lit billboards and marquis. Too unbelievable-I've seen it so many times, but it always looks different amd brighter! Earlier that day we had walked over to Bryant Park to meet up with my husband who works across the river in NJ and my daughter who works downtown. My son and I walked around Bryant-(where Runway takes place-were you happy with the outcome???)

and there are the cutest shops set up now through the holidays AND ice skating! It is free, except for skate rentals $7? and you can't bring anything on the ice so there are lockers. We want to go back and skate-my daughter has skated there because ypou look up and there is the Empire State Building. That night it was lit for Veteran's Day-a beautiful sight!

So, the real reason for the night was the show and we are still singing a week later! It was breathtaking! (I love the movie-Gerard Butler sigh) but the stage show is a.m.a.z.i.n.g! If you ever come this way I'll try to give you info-although many out of NYers probably know more than me!

I want to see this as soon as possble-next weekend...and I read the Lovely Bones and think I want to see this....but I am a little nervous...I guess I am better at vampires...