Irish Rose Afghan - Giveaway

There are a few things that can not help but make me think of my grandma, one of them is crocheting.  This beautiful hand crocheted afghan by Irish Rose Creations is to be given away.  It is nothing more then beautiful and an extremely generous.  Head on over to her site as well as her Etsy Shop - Irish Rose Creations and check it out. 

Tag - I Guess I'm It......

I used to love the PE games we would play when I was in grade school.. Please do not ask me to tell you just how long ago that was... Yet Dodge Ball, Kick Ball and the wonderful game of Tag were the usual ones played.  Seems that Heather  has started a game of blog land tag and Juniper at Wicca Moms has just managed to tag me... I am somewhat like Juniper in that I am not to crazy about these chain things in blog land, but in reading the questions I thought what the heck, its filler and it will let you all know a bit more about me...  

Of course there is a list of questions to answer and rules to abide by:  isn't there always.....  So here they are: 

- Copy and paste the questions to your blog

- Then Tag 5 or more of your favorite blogs and leave them a comment telling them they have been tagged.

- When you post your blog, please spread some Holiday Cheer, and leave a link back to Heather's Blog as well as the one to the blog of the person who tagged you.

So here are the questions:

1. Have you started your holiday shopping? I am always shopping... I like to get gifts that reflect the person I am giving them too, so of course yes I have.

2.  Tell me about some of your favorite traditions.  On Christmas eve we always have a big feed of goodies.... Candies, Cookies, Meats, Cheeses and such... Have done it for it years. Although this year will be the first in many that we will not have it as all the kids are scattered and it will just be Vince & I...

3.  When do you put up your tree?  This year we put the wee thing up quite early... although usually we wait til a couple weeks before Christmas.  Traditions seem to be changing with me as I transition from "Christmas" to Yule.  It has taken on a new meaning.

4.  Are you a Black Friday shopper.  Never.... Never...... Never.....

5.  Do you travel for the holidays or stay at home.  When the kids were little it seemed we always traveled... had to be at everyones house in a matter of a few days... I did not like it at all... The kids however loved it, yet who wouldn't if you were overloaded with presents.  Now I enjoy sitting at home.  Although with the kids abroad I have a feeling that we may travel from time to time to visit. 

6.  What is your funniest holiday memory  When my middle son woke up in the middle of the night to find me filling the stockings.  Before then he really believed in Santa...

7.  What is your favorite Holiday movie I watched "Its A Wonderful Life" for the first time last year with Vincent.  He could hardly believe that I had never watched it... A nice old heartwarming movie that makes you feel good all over... Yet I have to say I truly love, Christmas Story... Ralphie is my hero.  The movie makes me laughs for hours.

8.  Do you do your own holiday baking? Of course I always do my own baking holidays or no holidays....

9.  Fake or real tree.  In regards to the Christmas tree, fake... As I can not see the reason to cut a perfectly good tree down just so you can dress it up and let it die.  I love the smell don't get me wrong but I have grown far to fond of trees and just can't see the worth of such a thing.  Something with me that has changed through the years... Last year we did purchase a small Pine which was potted.  We kept it in the house til after the holidays then planted it outdoors.  I like this tradition much better.  You still get the wonderful aroma yet you don't have to slaughter a tree to do it. 

10.  What day does the actual panic set in to get ia ll done.  I think I have grown past this point.  Yule time should not be a time of panic.  It is a time of quiet calmness.  If preperation takes me to a place of chaos then I need to rethink what I am doing. 

11.  Are you still wrapping presents on Christmas/Solstice Eve?  Usually not.  As I said earlier I shop year through and usually am able to get this done early. 

12.  What is your favorite family fun time at the holidays.  Cooking the food and feeding it to friends and family.

13.What holiday craft do you like the best. Which ever one I am doing at the time... Yet if I had to pick it would probably be my cooking. 

14.  Holiday music yes or no? and if yes what is your favorite song.  I do not like the way Christmas music is everywhere all the time from the day after Thanksgiving and on.  There are a couple songs that I love due to sentimental value yet when you hear it so much it becomes a drain.  "O Holy Night" is one of my favorites because I remember my sister always wanting to hear it sung before she went to bed on Christmas Eve and as I grew older and learned the song, I realized it had beautiful 3 part harmony.  It has always been one of my favorite songs to sing.

15.  When do you plan to finish your shopping  when I finally find the perfect gift. 

Now I have to tag five other bloggers and make them do  this themselves (sorry!!)  Here they are in no particular order, and through no fault of their own.  Really I am just curious as to how they will answer all these questions....

Linda at Old Baggs n stuff shirts

Bridgett at Boo Plus Two

Lyon at the Wandering Hearth

Mxtodis at Moontides

Celia at Secret Diary of a Mountain Witch

Sorry girls, I really am just curious to see how you answer these questions, some of you more than others... hee hee... I am so naughty...

 

Give Peace A Chance

It is hard to believe that it has been 29 years.  Many times I wonder what all John would have given us if he had had the opportunity to live those years... yet we will never know.  What would his opinion be today of the world and all it has come to.  In another time and another place, he's probably laughing. 

You are missed, that goes without saying..... You are remembered for you gave and more....... You are loved by so many......

John Winston Lennon

October 9, 1940 - December 8, 1980

December Giveaway - A Few of My Favorite Things

I had so many things runnying around in my head for this months giveaway... Then finally I decided on the above... They are a few of my favorite things... which at this time of year go well together.... I love the birds as I have talked about in past postings... I dont even want to know my budget for seed and such... A while back I was given a box of packaged popcorn balls that were to be thrown out... I took them because I knew the birds would love them.... I put a few in my trees via a wire string and right I was... They ate them up... With the weather getting colder I figured that some peanut butter and some added seed would be good for their bellys... Hence the bird feeder.... While I am out feeding the birds, esp lately, it can get rather cold so a nice shawl is good to have... Hence the hand knitted  multi colored shawl that you see.  Now even a good shawl can not take all the winter cold from you, so when you finally do come in from the cold, a nice hot cup of tea is nice.  Hence the big red cup with a variety of tea to choose from.  Maybe you like honey in your tea, as do I.  Hence the honey stir sticks.. You will love them.  And what would a nice cup of tea be with out a piece of chocolate... A variety of chocolates to nibble on as you watch your birds out your window.  And lastly, today while I was finishing up my grandbabys quilt I did this cardinal square.  I thought it would go wonderful with this giveaway made up as a coaster... just a few of my favorite things to do on a cold december day. 

To enter just do the following:

-Leave a comment.  If your profile is private be sure and leave your email so that I can get a hold of you in case you win....

-Be A follower -

For extra entries:
-Post about the giveaway on your blog - be sure to leave an extra comment with your link to the post so I can give you credit.
-Post a button on your sidebar with a link back to my site - gives you 2 extra entries - just post 2 comments letting me know you did this...

The winner will be choosen randomly on December 30th... Wouldn't want to take anyone away from their New  Year Eves celebrations... You do know it is going to be a blue moon.....