Wow....what a year...

So

Very 

Grateful

2013 

is 

over.

It was simply one of the most difficult years we've had to endure.

Things are looking up though.

But, first...

Someone stole my other blog when I was cleaning up after the flood.

Remember

Not Yo Mommas Handbag?

named for my Etsy shop?

Created by me to chronicle the making of my 

Handbags?

Yes,

well, someone stole it.

Now if you go to the old site, 

there is one post

months old

of a vacation somewhere.

Not mine.

So, here is my new 

blog for the shop,

(which will be re-opened as soon as we move)

http://ellensnotyomommashandbag.blogspot.com

Hopefully, 

I can hold on to this one....

smiles!

SO looking forward to Thanksgiving....

truly....

I have realized that I love Thanksgiving more than 

any other holiday.....

Presidents' Day, 

Veterans Day,

Memorial Day,

Forth of July,

they all choke me up...

Valentines Day

speaks for itself,

also,

it was the day 

that I had my very first "date" with my sweetie....

Easter,

Christmas,

all religious holidays

make me feel 

blessed....

BUT,

Thanksgiving,

whose only purpose is to 

give us an opportunity 

to show 

GRATITUDE!!!

Now that's my sort of holiday.....

Eat lots of turkey,

get stuffed,

sit back watch football with the family....

Who couldn't be grateful for that?

Also,

while fixing all the goodies,

I think about how very blessed we are in the

United States of America.

Thank Goodness for those
brave souls that
fought to hold us together as a country.

Men and women that established
towns, churches, fellowships,
communities...

Men and women that explored the west....

All people who put the greater good in front of their own needs,
or opinions....

Freedom

no,

make

that 

FREEDOM

Freedom to

love,

disagree,

travel,

work,

play,

create,

repair,

we are truly a fortunate people.

I am no "pie-in-the-sky" optimist,

no,
I tend more toward the cynical point of view.

But Thanksgiving that's a no brainer!
Good food,
Good Company,
Good times,
smiles!

Busy as a Bee!....

Winter Slaw is the best!

and the easiest, when you have one of these..

YUM!

Then there is that expensive "chillin" box that we bought for 

the kitchen re-model

"cabinet depth, stainless steel, side by side"

PAIN IN THE NECK!

We have had it "fixed" twice...

and still, the little door that allows ice to be dispensed

doesn't close well enough to keep the ice from becoming a solid mass...

So....we struggle to get the ice handler out to defrost it...

chop the ice off the inside mechanism...

run cool water over the ice handler/boxie thingy

make sure that the button works again..

put a piece of plastic down to cover the floor...

and together we work on fixing the ice maker....

DO NOT BUY THIS KITCHENAID!

Ah....on to better things...

a gift of hen eggs from a farmer friend...

a completed apron for a friend of mine...

who has taken up cake decorating 

(maybe she will make me one!)

An opportunity to give a sweet young couple a family portrait...

My first Apple Tart...

Yes, it is not my recipe, but "her's"

A rose from my sweetie

A lovely couch that I found at a used stuff store...

clean it up...and I know right where to put it...

In my office!

hangin out with Not Yo Momma...

Just below the flower posters I bought years ago from 

Martha...

Inspired me to clean the ol' place up...

find a place for everything...

and everything in it's place...

dust it off..

organize...

under the watchful eye of my sweetie...

And Wha-Laa! 

I feel like a new person...

amazing how good being busy feels...

smiles

Coming off a "pink cloud".....

yep.....

slowly coming back down to earth.

The last couple of days have been

a whirlwind of excitement.

Here is why.

That is one of my 

Not Yo Mommas Handbags!

Several months ago,

a very sweet young lady contacted me and 

asked if I would be willing to have one of 

my photos appear in a Gap ad......

Yeah, right....I thought.

Well, as things developed, I realized that 

this was for real.

Yipes!

How excited was I to see this!

You can enter a cool contest

HERE...

smiles.

A giveaway......Big Smiles.....!

Some of you know...

and some don't.

I have an Etsy shop,

and

 I am an Etsy addict.....

I love to peruse the pages of Etsy

looking for inspiration,

gifts, decor ideas,

you name it...

So I was very flattered when 

Anne at magalerie

asked if I would like to participate in a 

GIVEAWAY!

Oh yeah!

you betcha......smiles

Here are some of my favorite images from magalerie

The elegant simplicity 

and simple, clean structure

grabs my attention each time.

Here's how it works.

Go to her shop

magalerie

purchase an image,

and as you make your purchase,

leave her a message

first telling her that you found out about this 

from Not Yo Mommas Handbag, 

(My shop)

and then, which 

image you would like for FREE.

That's right 

Buy One Get One for free....

(same size)

Seems to me that this is an easy way to 

get started on Christmas gifts.

Even if they are for yourself...

smiles.