getting ready

Ahh! The holidays are fast approaching.
Some times I have to remind myself that tomorrow,  yes tomorrow will be December 1st.
When there is no snow or super cold weather it's hard to think Christmas.
I plan on making loads of handmade gifts for those who appreciate the goodness of handmade
(believe it or not, some don't).

I saw this on Pinterest and knew that I could make some of these!

crochet wreath

I have made 2 and plan to make some more.  I like to crochet certain things (nothing that has to be straight or square). These are super easy, and fun!

Pretty cute huh!  These are in the shop to see if they will sell. I  priced them at $22.00.  The original inspiration is from Garnet Hill, I can just imagine what they charged!

I also put some of my silk flower hair clips in the shop.

I am trying out a new names for my little business.  I was thinking "Handmade Goodness", or maybe "Goddess Goodness"...what do you all think?

I also am making this into a wall hanging.....the first lyric was my first choice, but I was short two H's.
Bothersome!

 I ended up going with this John Lenon lyric..... I have glued down the tiles, and will mount it on a thin piece of wood, add a hanger, and presto....cool wall art.  I have someone in mind for this.

I bought a simply boring yet very comfy chair for the bedroom....super vanilla!

I love to dress chairs and tables.....layers, and layers.
The seat is a sheep's wool skin, that I have had since Ivan was a baby.
The back is a gorgeous piece of random woven wool that I got at a yard sale, and the top is a sample piece from an Angela Adam rug. Love it!

I am in the process of setting up my office/craft room.
I need table space, but didn't want to commit to anything yet (built-in - vs - wood tables).
I found this white table at  a thrift store for $5.00.
It ain't pretty! Yup, it's plastic!

No worries, it's nothing that a Crate and Barrel table cloth,
 and a vintage Vera table cloth couldn't handle.

Not that it matters to much, this is what the top looks like already!

I love Vera!!!!!! and layering linens! Ya'll give it a try!

Christmas tree lighting, and a few other things...

I really enjoy seeing these every time I leave my house!

I will never cook a turkey again without brining it first!
It was so amazing!!
Recipe is here.

next to sunlight,  nothing beats candle light!

Ivan's favorite reading spot on the upper porch.
Porch make-over photos coming soon!

Downtown Fernandina Beach

Christmas tree lighting in shorts!!!!!

Pirates wandering-about!
Most are quite friendly, even after too much sauce!!!!

The perfect artificial tree. hem....
but lovely warm breezes!!!!!

Hat shopping.

The boy's bought the hats, and are ready for tomorrow's golf game!

phew.....

I finally found the Nikon!
It's been hard to document the coming and goings of my life,
with my good camera hiding under Bob's recliner!

I wanted to share a recipe with you(but first a short story).
People are so nice down here. Everywhere I go people are asking me if I need help.
I am not exaggerating! The other day I was in Pier One, I got asked like 6 times
(they were not asking everyone else).
I think I need to study my face in the mirror, I obviously have a helpless look about me.

Anyway,  I was in the "make your own pie" isle in the grocery store(with my helpless face on).
A woman walks up to me and asks me if I have ever baked with cherries before(how random is that).
I replied no. She then proceeds to help me fill my cart with the needed ingredients to make the best, and easiest cherry dessert ever.  I just stood there with my "face" letting her proceed. She continued to tell me the recipe 3 times, and was off to find more helpless people.  I must say, it was very easy and yummy.

dump 2 cans of cherries in a baking dish

evenly dump one box of cake mix over the cherries

slice up a stick of butter and place over cake mix

you need nuts (most kinds will do, I had almonds).  Use coffee grinder to chop em' up.

evenly dump on top....bake at 350 for an hour.

There you have it, a cherrie dump cake.

We have had a wonder spell of weather here. Sunny and warm every day!

Sunday at the beach

We rode our bikes, which was fun, but impossible on the soft sand.

The light at the beach never disappoints!

Our Sunday outing didn't end at the beach, we decided to walk downtown to try a new restaurant.
We found a place on 4th street called Espana.

It took a bit of time to figure out how to get into the restaurant.

but it is all about the journey.

Um, YUM!!!! Seafood Paella !!!!

Bob had the scallops. 

I highly recommend this restaurant!
Spanish food at it's best.  Entrees are in the $20.00.
Ivan had chicken strips and spanish rice, best chicken strips ever!

photo by Ivan.

One of my favorite parts of island living is the need for a boat to get to some destinations.  My favorite area to shop off-island is Jacksonville Beach. They have some really good "house-ware" shops.  The easiest way to get to Jacksonville Beach is by car ferry.  I've taken the ferry about 4 times, each time I didn't have my camera, but yesterday I did!

It is a lovely way to travel!  Have a lovely Thanksgiving!

A walk to the beach

The weather down here sure does keep you guessing. One day I am looking for my woolens, the next my bathing suit!  Tuesday was a bathing suit day, so off to the beach we went.  The main reason we chose our house was the proximity to the beach; 13 miles of  beach!   We have a pretty short walk(5 minutes)....

and we're off...

at the pathway looking back to the stop sign at our street

at the pathway,  looking at the gate

through the gate

up the stairs(the flowers here are so fragrant).

at the top of stairs....next we cross the street

last bit of walking... down the wooden path to the dunes.

yurtle the turtle

almost there

looking back at the end of the wooden pathway

beach flare

jelly fish

the boys

piper at the pier

barnacles

double dunk.....I went in as well. Nov.15th!

date stamp(proof).

the walk home....we do so love the beach!