New Year's Day No. 2

If you are still getting ready for tonight's festivities, you may want to include this recipe.  It is always a hit, serve with assorted crackers or a vegetable tray.  It is a family favorite at our house. I got this recipe several years ago from Taste of Home magazine http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Corn-and-Bacon-Dip. Be sure to stop by their website for other fabulous recipes.

New Year's Day No.3

Okay the countdown is continuing.  My mind is turning to New Year's Eve.  In our family that has always been a grownup night. A night to celebrate with friends while waiting for the coming year. I love having good food on hand and something fun to do for those who stop by to wish us a Happy New Year.  I popped by Amazon to pick up a couple of games for the evening.  Here are two of my current favorites, Apples to Apples and imaginiff.  I love games that keep everyone involved and not just politely waiting their turn.  If you haven't played one of these games, you are missing out on a ton of fun. Before you know it we will be counting down the last few hours until 2010.

New Years Day Brunch Ideas, Day No. 4

Our family loves to get together for crepes on the morning of New Year's Day.. Visit this Iowa Egg site for a great recipe.  You may want to start a new tradition.  We all look forward to it every year.  It seems we have a new recipe for one of the fillings to add to the menu.  This years new recipe is sliced peaches with orange zest cream.  Some of our favorites are fresh strawberries, bananas, mixed berries, my personal favorite is my son's own recipe for praline cream sauce.  Served with  a side of scrambled eggs topped with finely grated cheddar and a slice of ham.  What a great way to start the New Year!.

Counting down New Year's Day No. 5

Wow, it is finally here.  The last week of 2009.  I personally am looking forward to the New Year.  I have been saving many ideas to add to my blog during 2010.  I like the first day of a new year, it is sort of like having a new box of crayons, a new sketch pad or a new pair of shoes. I can't wait to use them but I also like seeing them new and fresh with so many possibilities. I like spending the time thinking of all of the what ifs I could create with these items. Sometimes change is good and a New Year seems to mark that for many of us.  I am looking forward to the changes and hope you are going to come along on the adventure.

White Christmas

Christmas is coming!

It is an OMG (oh my gosh) moment. My table is piled high with things that I am still working on for Christmas. This has been a strange year for me, lots of changes. I am looking forward to Christmas, sharing time with my kids and Christmas morning tradition of homemade crepes with all different kinds of fillings or toppings. It is a lot of fun with my kids. Merry Christmas to everyone. Thanks to my daughter Courtney for this picture of the Rocky Mountains in the Park City, Utah area.

Holiday Cheer Giveaway

I just entered the $100 Gift Card Sweepstakes
from Artbeads.com.  What a fun opportunity.  Here at the Cottage in the Country, we have been invited to enter their contest and we have been also invited to have our readers enter.  You may want to check out their website for other promotions and sweepstakes.  If your are still trying to decide what to get for people on your gift list, you may consider getting one of  the gift cards that they offer. Have fun looking around their site.


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Merriest of Holiday Seasons

Vintage Treasure

Okay, here is what I am using my time for everyday, going through my boxes of vintage and junk jewelry.  I love recycling old jewelry.  Some I keep just to look at and some I sell on Ebay or on Etsy.  I believe it may be an addiction, definetly not one I plan on giving up soon.

Blogging and other Social Media

I visited the blog of Heather Bullard today and she had an interesting post up.  It gave me a lot to think about and I thought that I would throw it out to you. She entitled her blog as a Coffee Chat: Social Networking. Her commentary was on social networking and how important it is in her readers day to day lives. I would love to hear back from my readers on not only how you feel about social networking but also the reason that you visit a blog.  I think this would be really helpful for me in planning my future blogs.  I originally started my blog because I felt that I had something to offer readers. Facebook, Twitter, My Space, blogs and others offer different versions of social networking.  I would love to hear how important these networking sites are in your life and business.  I like sharing the things that I find interesting as well as new ideas and occasionally a little personal journaling type posts. If you feel you could take a minute to give me feedback I would love to hear from you.Here is a link to Heather's blog if you would like to read it. Heather Bullard

Celebrating Halloween

The pages of the calendar blowing in the wind tell me that the night of ghouls and goblins will soon be upon us.  As I prepare to turn the page I want to leave this month with words of caution.  Watch for witches with red brooms and little ghosts that scurry behind the bushes and trees. Have a Happy Halloween easy on the treats.

Trick or Treat?

Well imagine my surprise when I got back home this evening and my email box had a lot of birthday wishes in it and my blog has been "Hacked"  I thought you all may want to see who the little culprit is.  So here she is, my little mischeif maker. You tell me was it a Trick or a Treat?  I love my family and they make my life so worthwhile.

Happy Birthday Debbie!

10/26/2009 

Deb from Cottage In The Country's Birthday!!!

This is Debbie's Daughter Courtney. I just wanted you to all know that it is her birthday today! October 26th 2009! You should all wish her a happy birthday! I love my mom so much! She is such a great woman. She is so talented and so inspiring! She inspired me to be a photographer. :). She is so great. Happy Birthday Mom!!! 

Fall Fashion Colors

Fall is an amazing time of transition, as we watch the weather turning from warm to cool. This layered necklace is a great compliment to this season's fashion colors.  I loved working with the items I recieved from artbeads.com. The beautiful colors of light topaz for warmth and the coolness of silver.  A great fashion color combo for fall this year.  Thanks to Artbeads.com for suppling these wonderful products to design with. Make sure you check out their projects page for other great ideas.
Disclosure...As a reviewer of products at Artbeads.com, I received the Swarvoski crystal beads and pearls as well as the sterling silver toggle clasp, the silvertoned chains and components used in the project above free of charge. I have been asked to review these products and give my honest opinion of the products...positive or negative. I am not being compensated by Artbeads.com for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received and reviewed.

Great Gifts!

So, here's the reason blogging has been a little slow lately. Little miss Ivy Jane decided to come three weeks early. This is my oldest son's sweet little baby girl and look at her going for that thumb. Oh, oh. Nothing was going to stop that.

We have other good news. This is Desiree and Bryton, my youngest son's baby. We were there to rejoice in the birth of this darling little boy three weeks ago.We are so grateful for these beautiful gifts

Home, Life & Style October 7, 2009 by theoriginalpeapod on Polyvore.com

Untitled by Aurora M. featuring dollhouse shoes

I have just found a website that is so fun.  Click on the images to eperience this creative way to shop.  I am not an affliate for this company, but I am a very intrigued reader.  Let me know what you think.

New Beads and Charms

Look what came in the mail over the weekend!  My Artbeads order!  I am so excited.  I was thrilled when I opened the wonderfully wrapped bundle of  Swarovski crystal beads, pearls,  sterling silver charms . I really like their silver toned chains  I had ordered these items just a few days before and was very pleased with the delivery and the packaging.  The quality of the products is amazing.  I can hardly wait until I can make up a new design with these beautiful items. Make sure you check them out.  I felt I had fantastic service and the products are wonderful.

Free Halloween Patterns

In case you missed them last year, I am offering the Blog Party Patterns for my readers who may have missed them last year. Be sure to sign up on the list so that I can send them to you. Party Patterns
http://cottageinthecountry.blogspot.com/2008/10/free-party-favor-patterns.html

Fall Scenes

Cottage Reds

We are finally at the end of summer and the harvesting is starting to slow down a bit. It has been a fun summer, with so much to do and see. As temperatures are beginning to cool, my thoughts are turning to the inside of my home.  I love decorating with red, for me it is one of those happy colors.  Looking through some old blog photos, I came across this pic of some fun cottage decorating items.  I want to share them with you before we bring out the fall leaves and all of the wonderful seasonal items.

French General Handmade Soirees

I couldn't resist posting on this new book from French General.  This cover photo makes the book look so fun.  I have really enjoyed my books that I have purchased from French General. I hope to be picking up my copy soon.  I will let you know what I think of if.

Tribal Jewelry ideas from Artbeads

When I find something that I really like, I love to share the idea.  I found this wonderful necklace set atartbeads.com.   I want to make one of these for myself.  I think all this mountain man stuff has gone to my head and I love it.  Stop by their site for more ideas.

Fall in Ogden Canyon

 

Last rose of summer

 

Autumn Beauties

My daughter Courtney took this wonderful picture for her fall collection. I loved it so much, I hope you will too. I am setting up this morning to sell my jewelry at an American Heritage Festival being held here in Utah. Fall is here and thankfully it is a little cooler so we should have a nice show.

Beautiful Beadwork

 

Shopping Mountain Man Style

I loved shopping at the rendevouz! Everything was very authentic to the period when the mountain men would gather to trade their furs and hides for the items that they needed in exchange. Sometimes money would be exhanged but mostly shopping was done by trades. Many of the tents that were pitched inside Fort Bridger were the tents of traders. The photos on my blog depict what it may have looked like in those days. Enjoy this glimpse into the past.

Rendevouz Pictures

I want to thank my beautiful daughter and her wonderful husband for coming to visit us in Wyoming. The above pictures were taken by my daughter Courtney Crabtree Beardall.

Fort Bridger, Wyoming

Here they are, some of the pics from my visit to the Mountain Man Rendevouz at Fort Bridger, Wyoming. We had a wonderful time and made a lot of new friends.

Mountain Man Rendevouz

I think there is a chance I might be totally crazy! I believe it has actually happened to me. My husband has talked me into attending the Mountain Man Rendevouz at Fort Bridger, Wyoming. I am closing my Etsy shop for the weekend so that I can take along the jewelry I have made over the last few weeks and display it for sale, while he peddles his wares in a booth for the traders. This is new to me, since I have never been before I want to have something to do. Wish me luck. four days is a long time to spend in a tent. I will let you know how it goes when I get back. This is a big change for a gal whose heart belongs in a country cottage. Have a wonderful and safe Labor Day.

Halloween Party Decorations and Ideas

In case you missed it last year, I am posting some highlights from my Halloween Blog Party Last year. I have free download patterns available for many of the ideas so please make sure you sign up and I will send them asap.I want to make sure you have them in time to plan your Halloween decorations. Let me know how you like them.

Choices?

This is sort of a disclaimer post. I have signed up for the Google Adsense program, which means that I have consented to allow ads to be placed on my blog. This is sort of a way that I have hoped to financially support some of the posts and events that I would like to do this year for my blog readers. I am feeling a little embrassed, however, that some of the ads do not reflect my values. I am in the process of making the decision to possibly look for other ways to support my blog. I love bringing good ideas for cottage decorating and crafting to my friends and readers. In the meantime please accept my apologies, since I have found some of the ads offensive, I am concerned that some of my readers may also share that value. I hope you have a good experience when you visit Cottage in the Country. Deb

Settling in for Fall

It has been a very long time since I have posted last. I am getting more settled and have finally had time to work on a few projects. Here are a few pics of some of the items I just listed in my Etsy shop. The shop has been empty all summer while I have moved and gotten settled.