Photo Challenge...

This is not a 'photography blog' - but it is fun to get out there

 with the camera and see what you can see.

  Heather from Raising Mighty Arrows is hosting a 

monthly photo challenge.  January's list looks like this...

 My love and I thought it would be fun to play along.

 (He's the real photographer - I just 'point and shoot'.)  

Our goal is 2 photos a week or 8 for the month...

not nearly 31 - but it's a start!  I'll post some of our pics here

 and some on facebook so you can follow the fun.  

Head on over to Heather's blog - you can play too!

BTW - did you know The Quilted Nest Antiques in on facebook now?

  Just click the blue 'f' icon on my sidebar.  Come 'like' me! I'd love having you!  ~Joyce

And a parting recent photo My Love took...

Don'cha just wanna pet 'im?

Even to the End...

  ^{As we approach 2014 - let us recall the words of Jesus...}

What a comfort... and what a challenge.  

God is with me!  I want to represent Him in all that I do.

Living Room Reveal...

What fun to enjoy a new living room...

Our recent project of sanding the floors and painting the 

walls made for some hectic days going into Christmas...

  ...but we are enjoying the lighter and whiter look 

we are pulling together.  We realize the walls

 are still a bit bare - we'll get there.

  A 'before' shot...

 and 'after'...

Merry Christmas to us!

 (Those wood base lamps will be getting a make over too... all in good time!)

The only monies spent were for paint, floor sander and 

polyurethane.  All other furnishings - we 'shopped our house'.

  Some things were repainted to bring them into our 'new' 

shabby white look.... using on-hand 'oops' paint of course. 

(Do you keep 'oops' paint on hand?)

Linking to:  Frugal Friday
Show & Tell Friday
Feathered Nest Friday 

Primitive Christmas Decor...

As promised - enjoy some Christmas decor - 

primitive country style - compliments of my

 sis-in-law and her real log home...

 Are you a primitive decor kinda gal?

Christmas Home Decor Part IV - Prim Style...

I'm a week or so late with the last of my home decor 

(or at least that will photograph half decently).  

This is a bit of my prim side in my

 family/dining room (small house!)...

 Yep - I store my good china in this old cupboard...

 For the rest of my home decor check out...

Part III  - Shabby Whites Living Room 

Part II - Fireplace

Part I - Front Porch

Recycled Handmade Gift Tags...

 All year I've been 'pinning' wonderful gift wrap ideas.  

You know the ones - using sheet music, brown craft paper, 

fabric, homemade washi tape, pine cones, etc... etc.  

Trouble is - I have all this store bought wrapping paper 

that I picked up at very discounted prices - 

and there are gift bags to recycle (always thrifty!)   

Not to mention the wrapping paper is just quicker. 

(I'm beginnig to enter panic mode here...)

My solution to add some interest to the 'normal' wrap  jobs...

 ...was to make some cute gift tags.

 These are card stock circles with dictionary page centers.  

The initial is made with a red Sharpie and a child's stencil.

 To one package a hot glued some of my origami stars.  

Plain string adds the finishing touch.  Easy...

 The card stock?  Recycled Christmas cards

 with the graphics to the back.   

Tip - to make the circles... I traced the outside of a canning ring - 

and then traced the inside of the same ring for a slightly smaller circle.

I actually make many gift tags from old Christmas cards.  

No card needed - just grab a tag.  Love quick and simple!

Do you recycle Christmas cards?  I'd love to hear your ideas!
Linking to Modest Monday

The Price Of Christmas...

...is much more than a tree.

taken in Lewisburg, PA 2013

 The price - the reason Jesus came - was to give His Life...

Source Unknown

...so we could have life eternal.  
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

Today could be your day of salvation!  
It's simple - but may be costly as well.

Just believe, repent of your sins, be baptized,

follow and obey His teachings.  Oh the reward!

I'd love to hear from you if you've decided to turn from your current
 life and receive and live for new life in Jesus!

Last Minute Easy $1 Christmas Gift Project...

Need a last minute gift that has a little bit of 'you' in it?  

Head to Dollar Tree and pick up their cylinder jar candles...

 Cut some sheet music (or tear) to width you desire 

and wrap around jar with jute or twine.  

(No need to glue in place and book pages would also work.)  

I added a jingle bell - you could add a pretty

 button or other trinket or ornament. 

 Lastly - I clipped a few skinny twigs from my

 dogwood tree and slid them behind the twine. 

Since I'm assuming we all have some version of everything

 already on hand except perhaps the jar candle -

 total cost for these cute gifts?  One dollar each.
Want lots more ideas? - Visit Funky Junk's link party.

 

Getting Cozy...

This week My Love is using the last of his vacation days for 2013.  And on his agenda?...

...looking into what we need to get our fireplace working... 

as in able to burn real fires instead of just

 candles or twinkle lights.

But in the mean time... it's still cozy!

Wise Men...

Behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem saying, 

“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?

 For we have seen His star in the East 
and have come to worship Him.”

Matthew 2:1b-2

What a beautiful example these wise men left for us... 

They sought Jesus - the One they knew to be King.  

May we too seek Him and allow Him to Rule

over every area our lives.

Neighbor Gifts (And A Cheeseball Recipe)...

I like to give gifts to my close neighbors but some of them are diabetic.  

So in lieu of my usual cookies and quick breads... 

I went for cheese and crackers this year.

 

  Kinda a sticky mess - but refrigerate it a bit and it will be OK...

 This is my favorite cheese ball recipe - tastes great and 

there are no fancy special ingredients to buy...

   Then (thanks to Pinterest ) I rolled spoonfuls into small balls - 

rolling again in paprika, Parmesan cheese, and chives or parsley.   

Tip: Instead of literally rolling the balls in my hands - I just plopped a generous 

spoonful into the dish of paprika, etc. and rolled it around till a ball formed.  

Much less messy!

 I found these wonderful wheat crackers already sealed 

into smaller packs - perfect for gift giving.

  Tomorrow its expected to snow like crazy -

  but I'll be out walking in it... delivering these packages.  

Brrrr.....

Christmas Vignettes Part III...

It's been fun decorating our newly finished living room.  

Since I have no 'every day' decor in place yet -

 I've been working with a blank canvas.  

It has made doing Christmas displays a breeze.  

Enjoy...

 On top of a china cupboard that I inherited...

My sweet Dollar Tree nativity figures 

(the animals were a separate antique shop buy for almost nothing)...

 The 3 ornaments were $1 for all 3 -  

they can represent gold, frankincense and myrrh...

I once had a brown cupboard...

...but it's been updated to creamy white to fit the decor...

 It sports sheet music origami and Moravian stars.

 I'd like to 'frost' or glitter the origami stars...

 but it might not happen this year.  

You can learn how to fold them here.

 I was all proud of myself for removing those brass detailings 

and reattaching them without incident (OK - lost 1 little nail).

A bit more Christmas decor to come - hopefully tomorrow.
Linking to Songbird's Christmas Ideas party

 Part I  - front porch

Part II - the fireplace and mantel