The Arrival Of Santa

Happy Monday all!
So our paranormal folks that stopped by
Saturday night were very informative.
We were told that we have children in our attic.
A military man who does not like change,
and feels when we move things around,
we will want him out.
He lets us know he is around by touching our necks,
or the back of our neck gets cold.
This happened to both Bob and I on
Halloween night.

The Detroit Paranormal Expedition folks
 let me ask questions in the Spirit Box.

My first question was
"Do you know who owns the store?"
Clear as day it said
"YOU"
We were all amazed.

My next statement was that I knew

they were there because I could feel you.

My question after that was 

"Would you like to stay here?"

"PLEASE"

I then said you are welcome to stay.

Our ghost responded back

"WELCOME"

Another area of our store,
they did another Spirit Box.
One of the guys from the paranormal team
 asked who is here.
Answer: Janice is here.
WOW 
I was just amazed.
Then the ghost said cop.
Jeff who was asking the questions
said I am a cop.
Do you know my name?
the ghost says "JEFF"

Then they asked if there was anywhere in the store

they should not go.

The ghost said

"The Basement"

Jeff went up into the attic and got scratched.

It was exciting seeing shadows and voices.

At first I thought I would be frightened,

but when they stopped at about midnight,

I was wishing we could continue. 

They will give us the results of the EVP's
in a few weeks. 
I hope they catch more evidence.
Much more was caught though.
Too much to say right now. 

Today Bob went back in the attic

where Jeff said he was scratched,

and someone tugged on his shirt.

Like a child would do to get someone's attention.

Like I said, many things happened that night.

Much more things we were told about our ghosts.

Some we knew.

Some we did not know.

All very interesting to us.

Do you believe in spirits?

So now let me get back to my post.

The Santa in earlier pics,

is a new one I purchased.

I decided to pair it up with a brush tree

and added vintage red and blue ornaments.

Then added the silver mercury garland.

Santa has arrived.

Our bucket bench.

Decked in holiday cheer.

The other corner of our back room.

Well off to work.

Only 5 more days of work,

 then I am on vacation until the first of the year.

Looking forward to it.

Santa's Arrival Blessings to All!

Janice

Baskets Bells And Christmas Bounty

Merry & Bright.

Christmas Delight!

I had so much fun creating a warm

inviting Christmas this year.

It is going to be hard to top it next year.

However I do already have a plan...

always ahead of myself. LOL

I love early baskets.

It amazes me at how they were made.

Not something I could do.

The bows were all from my stash of red fabric.

I love the homespun look  it gives.

More red mittens my aunt made for me.

I will cherish them all forever.

The Santa pillow I made and is rag stuffed.

Early sleigh bells.

They sound wonderful when moved.

A Christmas cozy corner.

Full of Christmas bounty!

Off to work the store.

Our big holiday sale today!

WOOHOO

Will love chatting with our customers.

Sunday I will be making cookies and

writing out Christmas cards.

What will your plans be this weekend?

Bountiful Christmas Blessings To All!

Janice

Snow And Ice

Well friends the weekend is almost here.
I will be working at our store on Saturday.
We are doing our Christmas
haggle deal with the vendors for our customers,
then Bob and I are having a 
Christmas party for our vendors.

Also  between 9pm and midnight,
a paranormal group will be in our store
looking for ghosts.
If you are interested in watching live,
visit the Facebook page of
Detroit Paranormal Expedition.
{I am both excited & nervous}
[We know we have ghosts]

Now for today's post.

When dragging things down from the attic,

I stumbled upon this one storage bin

with items I made in the 1980's.

It brought back some fond memories 

so I just had to create a grouping from these.

Sledding was a big thing as a kid.

Gramma H's farm and farmhouse

was located at the top of a hill on a dirt road.

So naturally when the roads were snowy,

it made for the best sledding ever!

My cousins and I would take turns 

going downhill on our sleds, while one of us

would stay at the top on lookout for cars coming.

Being on a rural road, cars came by occasionally.

When one did, we stopped to let it go by...

and we were off sledding again. 

[ Antique Skater lamp]

Besides sledding, 

we all learned how to ice skate too.

Again at gramma H's farm,

one of my uncles would create an ice pond for us.

After the crops were harvested,

and the fields plowed for next year's crops;

a square was made for us by 

building up the dirt all around.

Water was added.

Once frozen we had an instant thin ice pond.

No worries of falling through any ice and drowning.

My dad did this for us as well once

our vegetable garden was harvested.

Although we did not skate at night,

in the early days skaters would

carry these little skater lamps.

Since our early foremothers and forefathers

skated on rivers, ponds, 

flooded fields and even frozen lakes,

the lamps were a necessity to safely

get back to shore off the ice.

For groups of skaters,

bonfires were lit on land for both warmth

and to socialize around.

These were the skating rinks of the past.

For my grouping, 

the little stitched pillows I made.

The snowman pillow my mom made for me.

Whilst the mittens were once again

 knitted by my aunt.

So glad I opened this bin.

What memories it reminded me of.

Do you decorate with a memory in mind?

Did you sled, skate or ski as a kid?

Or do you still today do Wintertime activities?

Snow And Ice Blessings To All!

Janice

Our Christmas Privy

A huge 
THANK YOU
from all who wished me 
a Happy Birthday.
Mother Nature gave me a 6o degree day.
I could not have asked for a better one.
I even sat outside and enjoyed the sunshine for a bit.
Dinner was also
AMAZING.
The chef cooked in front of us everything.
Fried rice, fresh veggies.
I ordered  chicken and shrimp.
Had so much food that 
I ate more for lunch yesterday.  

Today's post is our bath all decked out
in Christmas Mirth {joy}

I created this medicine label which reads ~

No 25   Dr. S. Claus
Directions:
A sprinkle of Mirth
With some crushed Holly
Will increase your Girth
While making you Jolly
{poem by me}

A new Santa purchase.

Some added greenery completes this display.

{Bob considers this another tree}

LOL

Other side of our vanity.

Another new Santa.

A few of my many baskets.

My mom made this pillow eons ago.

I still love it.

Another early Santa.

This one still has its tag

from Hungary

My soaps.

The shaving brush on the right was my dads.

A lil stocking I made years ago.

A stitchery I also made years ago.

The cabinet above our toilet.

Bob actually made this for me.

A pop of red.

Bob also made our toilet paper holder.

On top another bar of soap

 on a small black pantry box.

My aunt knitted the red mitten for me.

A few faux juniper greens finishes this look.

Still in love with our privy {bath}

Especially at Christmas!

Later today is our work Christmas party.

What are your plans for today if any?

Remember I am posting every other day,

now until Christmas.

Thank you everyone for your sweet comments.

I love decorating and love to show you 

how I create things in my home.

My friends say I should be a part of 

the Holiday home tour here,

but since I have heard from one person

who did and things went missing from her home,

I would rather just have you my followers

enjoy my holiday tour.

Until next time.

Privy Christmas Blessings To All!

Janice 

Toyland

Today is my birthday.

Happy Birthday to me!

I have reached another milestone friends.

I turned the BIG 60 today.

Later my family will be taking me to dinner.

A japanese steakhouse where they cook

the food in front of you. 

Bob and I went to one in The Villages, FL

about 5 years ago...and loved it!  

My next tree starts with this chenille garland.

Mom told me when when she was a child 

they made a similar garland using pipe cleaners.

The original (chenille) pipe cleaners

were actually used to clean pipes,

They were also smaller in diameter & a cream color.

Pipe cleaners were brushes for pipes.

They were used to scrub 

the residue & moisture from them.

Once smoking pipes came out of fashion,

the makers of pipe cleaners found

 a use for them for crafters.

Now they are bigger and come in all colors.

For my garland, I cut one stem in half.

Formed a circle and twisted the ends.

Wrapping the next stem around the first,

formed another circle and again twisted the ends.

Next year I may prim these up 

misting them with water 

then sprinkling cinnamon over them.

Then let air dry. 

For this post I am featuring my 

toyland tree.

Santa is watching over them all.

Antique blocks & a homemade blue stocking.

One of my dolls.

Nestled with a book and present.

An antique tin horn with a Peter Rabbit book.

I love bunnies!

An early teddy with more blocks.

A wonderful mix of toys don't you think?

The picture above is my Great grandpa Robert

and my Great gramma Effie.

My maternal grammas parents.

This toy tree is in our living room.

My other larger tree has more

antique toys.

Well off to make breakfast for the guys.

French toast & breakfast sausage.

Then more decorating before we head out to dinner.

What are your plans today?

Toylan Blessings To All!

Janice