We just recently finished painting our living room and dining room, laying hardwood, and flipping our living and dining rooms around. It feels like a whole new house. It was a happy, happy day when we tore out the carpet that came with this place. The dining room reveal will come in the New Year... ...

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'Twas a month before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The hardwood was piled by the chimney with care, In hopes that the new floors soon would be there; The child wasn't nestled all snug in her bed, She was at school learning A’s to Zed’s. And me with my camera, sans the lens cap, Was ready for photos soon to be snapped. When out at the mailbox there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my perch to see what was the matter. Away to the doorway I flew like a flash, Tore a hole in my pj pants and heard a loud crash. The sun on the crest of the new-fallen snow Gave the luster of diamonds to our mailman, Joe. When what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a box addressed to me, in the city Red Deer. With a little old label, so neat and so slick, I knew in a moment, it MUST be from Vic’. Vickie a la Ranger 911 ......

Thank you everyone for your well wishes on our painting and flooring adventure. I am missing having the time and energy to visit all of my favourite blogs. I did take a quick minute (while my assistant carpenter was at a meeting) to fluff up and photograph the Christmas cubby. (Note the compressor handle is part of the display...) Nestled in among the holiday knick knacks is someone new and very special to us... who came from south of the border. In addition to all of the amazing inspiration to be found on blogs I have met some of the sweetest people. People that no matter how far away they are, they are still such a treasured part of your day. People that make you laugh and share your love of the good things in life -- you know... vintage junk , painting the vintage junk, decorating with the vintage junk... making things, Pinning things... the important stuff. Ranger 911 One of those sweet (and very funny and talented) people is my friend ......

Here it is, twenty-seven days until Christmas and we are starting a wee reno . On the weekend we happily bid farewell to the carpets we hated disliked immensely. Now we just have to level the floors,  remove icky sconces, choose  colours and paint three rooms, lay hardwood, prepare the fireplace for refacing, paint and install new baseboards. I thought we were just laying the hardwood. Things kind of escalated. My Christmas crafting has taken a back seat. Even my lovely holiday chalkboard plans have been laid aside. I PhotoShopped over the two words I had finished so that I could bring you my entirely digital chalkboard art...   I received the most deeeelightful package in the mail yesterday and I cannot wait to tell you about it!! For now, all you get to see is the same plywood floors and spackled walls that we're enjoying. I may be a little bit absent over the next week or so as I hang up my crochet hook and wield a paint brush. ......

Wishing my parents a very Happy 56th Anniversary today. I sure wish we could be there to celebrate with you (especially since we are in the middle of tearing out our carpet on the entire mail level to begin laying hardwood). Have a wonderful day. :) Wishing you many more happy years together! Love from all of us! xo ...

Behind this seemingly pastoral winter scene in funky turquoise, red, and white is yet another of my kitchen disasters. We didn't need to call the fire department and thankfully everything has turned out just fine. Better than expected actually. It all started with my bright idea to make a new bunting for the old window that hangs in our breakfast nook... It only took a short time to make and I loved it. Till I hung it up. The colours were terrible. Although it somehow looks turquoise here, it is really a deep greenish turquoise and the red is... not funky at all. More like a blood red. Eeew. Max even turned his nose up at it. So, I hauled out a rather sparse bunting I'd made a couple of years ago, got out a box of clearance pine cones that I picked up two Christmases ago (which had the exact number of pine cones required for the bunting rescue), the proper colour red yarn... five minutes and... voila. I like it even better than the first one. Go figu......