This is my beautiful Christmas banner, it was made for me by a very lovely person here in blogland. It's Pearl of Pearl's Sentimental Journey. This is one of four that she made for me, one for each season. I had only been blogging for about a month when she surprised me with them. Isn't this lovely? Thanks Pearl, I've been waiting a long time it seems to use this one.

Then my friend Jan at Bold & Free gave me this beautiful award. Jan just had a beautiful new Granddaughter! Here you can read all about it. Congratulations Jan! What a blessing to your family! I wish much joy to you all.

Jan, this is such a beautiful award and I haven't gotten one in a long time. I first want to give this one right back to you, for you are Bold & Free and a Lovely Lady yourself.

I will be sharing this award with others soon. Deb

~In Home Shopping For A Lovely Tablescape Tuesday~

Today for Tablescape Tuesday I'm going to feature four plates that I have from the Currier & Ives collection. I bought them about 6 years ago and I always find a place to display them for the Christmas season. This year will be the first time they actually made it to the kitchen table due to Susan at Between Naps On The Porch, the hostess of Tablescape Tuesday, you must stop by her blog she has set the most beautiful table ever. Well I bought my plates at Big Lots, this is when Big Lots was really a discount store. Now I believe they're trying to compete with the big name retail stores with all the high price items they have now, but mind you, not a lot items that you would really want. Anyway I was pleased with this purchase back then, I paid 4 or 5.00 each. Everything else here are things I already had but never knew they could be used in a tablesetting until I met all of you Tablescape Tuesday participants. The above plate is called: The Road Winter, it and the others are paired with my same old chargers from last time, because I love them.

This plate is: American Homestead Winter

and this: American Winter Scene - Morning

Last but not least: Winter in the Country- A Cold Morning. Of course they're just for displaying you can't eat off of them, they're toxic if you do so, so what I really have here is two chargers. But, that's not a problem. I just pull out my trusty plastic ware in white, from the Dollar Store and there you go.

See, you still can enjoy a lovely table setting with dinner, in addition I could add a matching bowl or saucer if that's what's needed for my meal. You ask why not use real white plates for this small group? Because I don't have any. LOL!!! I'm really into large crowds and my paper and plastic is all I need.

Clean-up still a breeze! I must say I'm into fast clean-up the less house-work the better. Now if I plan to host a dinner for four and one of the quest is the Pope, I'll use the real thing. LOL!!! No puns intended for the Pope.

I went around the house and picked up items that would compliment the plates and I think it turned out okay but, I'll let you guys be the judge. This is the center view.

Right side

Left side

Centerpiece

Right angle

Left angle, the flatware was ordered from a catalog, I admit not one of my better purchases, but okay for everyday since at the time I ordered them they were to go with the everyday dishes that I ordered.

I know, it won't seat a crowd, but it's dinner for four, and cheap, cheap, cheap.

Gollum's Decorating/Writing Game

I saw this challenge at Donna's Story and thought it would be so much fun to join in. It was started at Designs By Gollum please go there to see how to play.

Here are the rules to her game.

1. Make up a decorating story that involves this setting:

2. Then watch the video and /or listen to the song. The song with this photo is Windmills Of Your Mind - by Sting

Write sketch about the photo and the song, and use the following words:

French blue
Daylight or (rain)
Cinnamon or (cloves)
Invitation
Smooth or (rough, crinkly,glassy)
Clock
Circle or (circles)
Apple
Keys
Summer
Lovers
You don't have to use all the words just use at least 5.


It was in the heat of summer, and vacationing in Switzerland with his family, was not as I had planned. We'd started a celibate relationship only two months earlier, but he was beginning to change. Intriguing at first, he appeared to be a man of self control. But now the pressure I feel by his wise cracks and his boasting of the number of women that would love to be with him is quite overwhelming. I can take no more of the love he feels for himself. His stroking of his own ego is more than I can stand and I can hardly wait to kiss his back-side goodbye. I will be leaving here tomorrow little does he know, but today I would host a pretend game with members of his family that are just as full of themselves as he.



The invitation was at the spur of the moment and not my idea at all, for if it was, I would have planned to poison them all. Yes, I would pour it right from that bottle of fine wine and into those pretty little rose stemmed glasses that I'd found in the cupboard.

Everything was so good in the beginning, we met at the Airport, he had come from Washington to New York on business and I had just flown in from Chicago. We both were checking our baggage with difficulty and in our wait had struck up a conversation. It wasn't long before our conversation turn into dinner and dinner into a night cap at my place. I had made it clear that that was all it would be and he agreed. I had had my fill of smooth talkers that only had one thing in mind and he'd assured me that he was not that kind.



It was daylight when he left and we made plans for that evening. He was due back in Washington in a couple of days but would return in two weeks. We spent endless hours on the phone together and when he returned endless hours in each others company. At the end of of his last business trip in New York he told me that he'd arranged a trip for us both to Switzerland. It was to visit with his family, and to last a month.



I was reluctant to give him an answer right away but I thought that maybe I could get ideas for the ending of my upcoming book by taking in the beautiful scenery's there. It proved to be the worst move I could have made. He thought that by my agreeing to take the trip I would be consenting to a lovers bout, but he was in for a big surprise. Needless to say that after the first week we had absolutely no interest in each other. I was planning to skip out on this liar and free him up to do what he thought he was put here on earth for, and that was, for his good looks and abililty to lie his way into the under garments of trusting women.



The invitation was to his mother and father, and of course, his brother and his lover. I found that he had also told them of the trouble that was between us because she thought she'd tell me about his little flock of fools that he could have anytime without a doubt. I told her if she thought that her little story would change my mind that she must be in a drunken stupor, I could tell she was a boozer by her glassy eyes and the dark circles that she tried to hide with her gobs of makeup.



All in all I tried to remain the gracious host, though his mother did all the cooking. She thought she should have her own cooking show but I think she ought not to bother. I served them poison-free wine and lit the candles on the impeccable table that I'd set with the lovely French Blue tablecloth. I watched the clock praying for the time that they would all leave. I sat there pretending to be apart of the group but I was really just admiring the countryside that I could see through the window glass. Tomorrow I will be going home.

Update!

I just wanted to post a little update. Above is the pic I posted yesterday. I asked for help as to what could be done to make this look a little less lonely and you wonderful ladies suggested adding greenery and/or festive statues. Well below are pictures of the outcomes. You ladies are AWESOME!!

The Den is my room that's all about Santa!

Lonely little Canisters - Before

Now a little festive greenery makes all the difference! Thanks Ladies! I've finished my Den and now I'm headed to the Kitchen it will be all about Snowmen! Deb

~ Decisions ~ Decisions ~ Decisions ~

See this? I ordered it from Through The Country Door. It was ordered before it was decided that we weren't going to be home for Thanksgiving. So, then I thought should I keep it, I won't need it. Then I tried to cancel the order but the day I called to cancel it, was the day that they shipped it out. So I guess it will be next year for this guy. I thought I would send it back but I really like it. What I like about it is that it can be used in two ways.

This way

or this way, isn't that neat? It has a hook so that it can be hung.

Remember my trip to Kirkland's when I got the Cloches for 4.97 each? I thought about painting the bases gold to go festive for Christmas but we'll see.

At that same time, I bought this, I'd not even opened the box, so today I did! I have so many things that I want to use for Christmas decorations but, I'm running out of places to put them or I don't have just what I want to go with them. I wanted to use this on the Den coffee table. I want to really pretty up the den because this is where my husband and I spend most of our time.

Here are the canisters, I could use these here and maybe add a little something else because it seems to be missing something. I could look in some of my Christmas magazines for ideas. If you ladies have any ideas please share them. I thought maybe candy dishes.

But, I tried these little candles and rings but, I'm just not satisfied with them. It really looks like less is more may win here.

Then I have this jar. The table would really be empty with just this.

Then I thought about using the jar here to replace this for the holidays, but I don't know what to put with it here either.

See, very empty! I guess I'll just have to play around with it to see what fits. So this is what I'm up against today. Could be worse, huh? I thank God its not! LOL!!! Have a great day ladies what's got you stumped today? Decisions, Decisions, Decisions.

Before I go, here's a little sneak preview of what I've done so far, this is the mantle in the Den. I'm copying this from Pat of Back Porch Musings. She did a sneak peek of her lovely blue Dining Room but it's done now and so very beautiful. Go take a look, I posted the link. Deb

Tablescape Tuesday On A Serious Budget

I've seen a lot of beautiful table settings in Blogland, so beautiful at times I've been green with envy. But not green enough to go out and spend a small fortune on table settings, especially since I always try to invite at least thirty guest when I host a party. The more the merrier I say! Well Susan, of Between Naps On The Porch is the hostess of Tablescape Tuesday. I've really enjoyed looking at the different Tablescapes so I would like to share one of my own. (Cheap)

I'll start with a charger from Hobby Lobby for 1.87, paper and plastic plates, plastic cups, napkins, all from Party City, and cutlery from The Dollar Tree. Which are all good for a quick clean up.

Centerpiece - a candle holder, candle, glass beads, and pine sprigs from the Dollar Tree, and a candle ring from Big Lots.

Put together make for a table setting that's easy clean up, unbreakable, and quite pretty too.

So next time you want a no fuss, inexpensive, throw away, beautiful, table setting. Hop on down to the nearest Dollar Store and take your pick.

Very easy way to host a large party, and you never have to use the same settings. I can't wait to show you my settings and decorations for the Christmas party that the Savings Club I'm in will be having here in December. I used this table setting for a Fall atmosphere, when I had my club meeting early this month. I only set the large table and we really enjoyed ourselves.


I served Chili, with all the fixins, shredded Mexican cheeses, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, tortilla chips, Mexican cornbread, sour cream, buttermilk ranch dressing, and for desert Pat @ Back Porch Musing's recipe for Pumpkin casserole. Everything was so good!


Thanksgiving we're going to my husbands niece's house but, we will celebrate Christmas here at our house. Christmas is also my husbands birthday. Deb

AND THE LUCKY WINNERS ARE!!!

PRIM PACKAGE WINNER IS! - Kady! Life On Bonnie Lane

COTTAGE PACKAGE WINNER IS! - Sweetie! of Sweetie's World

Congratulations Ladies! Just send your information to Debscountrykisses@charter.net and your packages will arrive to you soon! Thanks for entering! Deb

~GIVEAWAY~

I'd planned to do this for my 100th post but that was several post ago, so here goes.

Well as you know I no longer have my Country Den, so I have a few things tucked away not being used. So I said to myself, "Self, why are you holding onto these things that someone else might love having? So, although I love these candle sticks with heart and soul lol!!!, I want to give someone else a chance to love them too!

Then I'm adding these letters that spell home. Home seems to be a special place for us all, it shows in the homes of all that I've visited here in blogland.

Last, I'm parting with this cute little game board, and I'll call this and the above my "Prim Package".

Below

though not a good picture, this little ensemble, pitcher, vase, and doo-dad. I don't know what its called. LOL!!! I hope you can see the colors clearly, I used my old camera while my battery charges on the other. The colors are black, white, pale blue, and the flowers are pink, and sort of peach. I'm not sure of the style but, I'm going to call it my "Cottage Package".

Please specify which package you want to draw for, one or the other so participants are sure to get the package they wanted. Those who don't want either, soon I'll have something that could go with any style. LOL!!!! Drawing will be one week from today, which will be next Monday! Deb

"I Didn't Vote For Obama" by Kentucky Scott

Posted by Ladilovely on Sandrarose.com

Which I borrowed from Attorneymom @ Character Corner

This article spoke to my heart and I want to share it also, with anyone who stops in to see me, and it reads...

"I’m a middle-class white guy living in Jacksonville , Florida . I’ve got a wife and two kids. Because the kids had no school today, I took a vacation day from work, and took the kids downtown to vote early. Fifty-nine minutes later, two smiling children and I proudly sported ‘I Voted’ stickers.But I didn’t vote for Obama.

I voted for my ancestors, who believed in the promise of this country and came with nothing as immigrants. I voted for my parents, who taught in the public schools for decades. I voted for Steve, an acquaintance of mine from Kentucky . (Killed by an IED two years ago in Iraq ). I voted for Shawn, another who’s been to Iraq twice, and Afghanistan once, and who’ll be going back to Afghanistan again soon — and whose family earned eleven bucks a month too much to qualify for food stamps when the war started.

I voted for April, the only African-American girl in my high school — it was years before it occurred to me how different her experience of our school must have been. I voted for my college friends who are Christian, Jewish, Mormon, and yes — Muslim. I voted for my grandfathers, who worked hard in factories and died too young. I voted for the plumber who worked on my house, because I want him to get a REAL tax break. I voted for four little angels from Birmingham . I voted for a bunch of dead white men who, although personally flawed, were willing to pledge their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor, and used a time of great crisis to expand freedom rather than suspend it.

I voted for all those people and more, and I voted for all of you, too. But mostly, I voted selfishly: I voted for two little kids, one who has ballet in an hour, and one who has baseball practice at the same time. I voted for a world where they can be confident that their government will represent the best that is in this country, and that will in turn demand the best of them.I voted for a government that will be respected in the world. I voted for an economy that will reward work above guile. I voted for everything I believe in. Sure, I filled in the circle next to the name Obama, but it wasn’t him I was voting for — it was every single one of us, and those I love most of all."

Oh how I love this man!

Deb