As is typical for this time of year - time fly's by so quickly.

I have two more sleeps until we travel south for Christmas, and there's no telling how often I'll get back to you all to wish you much love and Christmas cheer.

So please accept this virtual Christmas card from your Mugwhump.



But don't think because I'm not posting that I'm also not checking up on you. So you better be good while I'm gone, and don't eat too many sweets.

Merry Christmas, lots of love and hugs,

LJ

As Promised Caus' You Asked

Couch ...


Recliner .....


Love Seat ....


In the direct shot of the reliner, my back is right against the fire place. Not much room.

Tight, but warm and welcoming quarters. Can you see the Mooses on the lampses?

Hold On To Your Tighty-Whitey's

I'll post pictures of the new furniture as soon as I can take the picture.

Geesh - a demanding crowd reads this blog. ;-)

My Living Room Shrank

Our new furniture arrived!! Hip-Hip-Hooray!!!

We put the old stuff (a couch and swivel rocker) out on the sidewalk with a large "FREE" sign attached. The rocker went quickly. The couch .... is now sitting on our front porch until we can properly dispose of it. It's the wrong time of the year to try to give larger furniture away.

Now ... on to the new pieces - oh how lovely. I have to pinch myself on a regular basis to help myself understand that its ours, its new, and it ain't going no-where! Our wee house is only 1,000 sq.ft. big, which means our living room is teeny-tiny, and a couch, love seat, and recliner (all leather) have taken over. We can't really even fit a coffee table in the center anymore. But that's ok. We actually like the way it looks.

My hubby was so excited by the blooming transformation that he decided "we" need new lamps to go with the new look. Out went to broken ones, in came 4 Moose-thematic ones 1 floor, 3 table tops). I barely recognize the joint. And yes, I really did say 'moose-thematic' .... Don't judge a sister. Just take my word for it - it all works together.


Amongst all this extreme leap into adult ownership, I still found time to play. Also over the weekend I found a local wool shop and purchased some items for needle felting. Here are the results:





And in case you can't tell - - its a starfish - top and bottom respectively.

I think my next project will be a penguin, but then again .... maybe a cat ... or .... heck, I don't know. My mind is all a-quiver with possibilities.

Re-aquaintences and New Found Fun

I got away for the weekend and visited a friend and her family on one of the wee islands surround my larger one. Life being what it is, I hadn't been to see them in 7 years. So needless to say - I saw an opportunity and grabbed it.

Like all our islands it requires a short ferry ride to it. But I often find this the most relaxing portion of any trip. In this particular ferry's case - there is really no where to go except staying in your car. So I did, and read by the light of my dashboard. Twenty minutes later, I was back on terra firma and 5 minute drive in seemingly country side I arrived at my friends acreage. I love their place. Nestled onto a hill, looking out over their sheep pasture towards the ocean (a view of the mainland mountains in the daylight).

It has a generally calming affect on me.

We had a lovely weekend. I teased and joked with her two boys (7 & 10 yrs) mercilessly, and they teased back. Laurie and I went to a craft show and did some crafting of our own on Saturday night. Sunday I even went to their little church with them. What a contrast between my church body of 700+ to their 30+, but homey and welcoming all the same.

Laurie's husband taught me a new craft. Yes, I know what you're thinking - LJ doesn't need another new craft. But I couldn't help myself, especially when I saw what wonderful creations he had made. I don't have any pictures of his work, but I do have a picture of my first attempts at "needle felting".



I have since sewn on larger eyes, a smile, and some beads for buttons down his middle, but I kinda like the dressed down look of this one better. Needle felting is taking wool roving (this is raw or cleaned carted wool that has not been spun into yarn - rough definition), and by using a very sharp needle with small barbs on it you poke the wool (repeatedly) in such a way that the fibers bind up on themselves.

My friend creates small animals, whales, and birds. His birds are amazing and look quite life like. My inconsequential little snowman has nothing compared to his works of art, but I think its a grand start.

On arriving back home on Sunday night I immediately googled as many resources as I could, and have since ordered a starter kit. A Christmas present to myself, but quite possibly beneficial to others.

I will not be giving up my addiction to paper, but maybe there is a way I can incorporate felting and paper .......

A Dream Interpreter Needed

I've been having a recurring dream lately.

I'm visiting someone and at some point need to use the bathroom. Generally I find the toilet in less than private surroundings (large rooms and often with a line up or other other people milling about). What concerns me the most is ... while I'm using it, the dang privy comes off its base and can't be reattached. Spillage occurs (of course) all over the place. I quickly notice/assume that I'm not the first recipient of this foul treatment, and don't know what to do about it.

To top it all off - I DO NOT go about seeking my host or hostess to inform them of this mishap. In fact I slink away in hopes that the next person will break the news.

So ... what do you brilliant peeps think of all this? Or should I really ask.

Another Step Towards Adulthood

We did it! We finally agreed upon, and paid for new living room furniture!!

Last weekend (on our third trip to the same store) we sat down on a couch and love seat set and said - at the same time - "hey! What do you think about this one?" with identical enthusiasm and pleasure. Our butts felt at home. This truly was a mind blowing experience. We rarely agree on anything.

Mind you it did take three weekends, and over 11 furniture stores, and countless pieces of furniture.

This rates right up there with purchasing a new car last January. I feel so mature.

In my 47 years on this earth I have never purchased new furniture. I've always gleefully accepted other peoples cast-offs in order to level up in a bargain basement lifestyle. I feel more grown up now.

Now the bigger question remains - what do we do with the stuff we're getting rid of? They have come to their last living room, and its time to retire them to the great living room furniture pasture in the sky (or dump, whichever comes first).

Included in the new couch and love seat purchase is also a leather recliner. A "must have" or so my husband told me. My new fervent prayer will be to make it all fit into our little rental house living room. I hope I'm not around when its all delivered later this week. Oh Please Lord - let it be delivered this week.