Afternoon Light

I Hope You Surprise Yourself

Christmas Day

May your day be filled with blessed peace and merciful quiet ♥

Mimi Is Finished!

Here she is!

 I hope they like it.  Now to get this girl wrapped and under the tree!

Home Town

Do you watch these two on HGTV?

all pics courtesy of the web

It's one of my favourite home improvement shows.

Not only because Erin and Ben create spaces that are full of charm and personality, but also because I appreciate the fact that they restore beautiful vintage homes to their former glory, oftentimes re-using found materials to build stunning pieces of furniture destined to become heirlooms for the new homeowners.

Trends come and go but charm never goes out of fashion.

Do you love old homes?

Christmas Crack

I found this recipe on YouTube and the name is very fitting because this stuff IS addictive.

Here's what you'll need:

40 Saltine crackers
2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (or topping of your choice)

Preheat over to 400 degrees.

Line a sheet pan with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Line crackers in a single layer.

In a saucepan, melt butter and add brown sugar.  Bring to a full boil stirring constantly.

Boil for 3 minutes stirring constantly.  Immediately pour sauce over crackers and spread completely.

Bake for 5 minutes in preheated oven. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let chips sit for 3-4 minutes then spread over the crackers.

Top with pecans and let cool for 10-15 minutes, then put in fridge until cold and chocolate is set.

Break into pieces and enjoy.

Store in fridge in airtight container (like there'll be any left, lol).

I’m sharing this post with Between Naps on the Porch.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

It is with barely one eye open that I write this post on this overcast December Monday morning.

You see, we had the grandbabies for a sleepover. If you have grandchildren, you know how exhausting that can be, and how little 'sleep' it actually involves, lol.

We also attended a Christmas concert this week.

my choir angel

can you spot her?

And did some baking.

All in all it was a wonderful time of memory making and way too much sugar!

Planning an afternoon nap at this point.

Cheers! 

My Potluck Go-to

Our annual Christmas potluck is coming up.

It's an extended family get together with aunts, great-aunts, cousins, great-cousins, grandmas, dogs and grand-dogs ... well, you get the picture.  We are a large bunch and we enjoy our food.

The recipe I'm about the share with you is a crowd pleaser (always the first to go), it's cheap, and it's easy to make. 

Need I say more?

Here it is:

Deliciousness

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

·        6 mashed sweet potatoes

·        1 cup sugar

·        2 eggs, lightly beaten

·        1 teaspoon vanilla

·        1/2 cup milk

·        1 stick melted butter

  Topping:

·        1/2 cup brown sugar

·        1/3 cup flour

·        1/2 stick melted butter

·        1 cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

Combine first 6 ingredients and blend thoroughly with and electric mixer. Pour into a buttered baking dish. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes.

Mix topping ingredients together and sprinkle over top. Return to oven for another 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

My Thoughts On Forgiveness

That quote on my sidebar over there is by Maya Angelou. I live by it and it has served me well.

But let me explain because it can be a tricky thing, this forgiveness . . .

Forgiveness is a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness.

it does NOT mean forgetting, condoning or excusing the offence.

It's a process that has to be intentional and voluntary and requires a shift in feelings and attitude.

Again, Maya says it best:

'You are relieved 

of carrying that burden

 of resentment 

You really are lighter 

You feel lighter'

It really is a gift . . . from you to YOU.

Yuletide App

Since it's party season and you'll probably be hosting a few over the next couple of weeks, I thought I'd share an appetizer that I make all the time and everybody loves!

Artichoke dip:

pic courtesy of the net

It's ridiculously simple to make and like I said, always popular.

Here we go!

1 6.5 oz. jar artichoke hearts, drained

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

1 clove of garlic

Blend ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Serve hot with crusty French bread!

Let me know if try it ♥

Dog Heaven!

I've been dog sitting/walking for three years now.

To celebrate my love of dogs, I thought I'd share images of some of my most memorable charges with you.

Here they are in no particular order:

Jack

Pumpkin

Harley

Indy (my Ben in the background)

Zeus

Caramel

Peanut

Zeto

Cody

Dogs are the most exquisite beings on earth and I've been blessed with the privilege of caring for them when their humans are away.

I hope their images will bring a smile to your face.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mimi

I'm working on a new project this morning; actually it's a Christmas gift for my daughter and her family.

It's a portrait for their new family member, Mimi, a rescue from Costa Rica.

Here's Mimi in 'real life'. She's sweet and affectionate and very elegant. I hope I can capture her gentle nature in my painting.

Are you working on your Christmas list?

Winter Storm

We are in the middle of a nasty winter storm that started yesterday afternoon as is still going strong.

I had to run a few errands this morning and it's nasty out there.

Think I'll defrost by the fire for a little while and do some reading.

Have a wonderful day and stay safe.