tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18669077936677019642024-03-12T19:00:39.762-04:00Fleur CottageTHIS HOME IS OPEN TO GOD, SUNSHINE AND FRIENDSfleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.comBlogger506125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-65916416659535454282013-07-30T10:11:00.000-04:002013-07-30T10:11:20.520-04:00Going Home...Mr D had a quiet and peaceful Homecoming on Tuesday evening, July 16. God gave me the gift of seeing him draw his last two breaths. As a family, we were incredibly blessed with church, friends and a community of believers supporting us through this time. A thank you seems so mundane but we truly are grateful from the bottom of our hearts for your support - God bless you all!<br />
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My nephew sent this song to me via face book and I re posted it to my Fleur Cottage page where it can be accessed by clicking on the right side of this blog. I hope you'll take the time to listen to it...it describes Mr D's passing perfectly.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/iloveLIBERA?feature=watch">http://www.youtube.com/user/iloveLIBERA?feature=watch</a><br />
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There are many changes coming into my life...changes that Mr D and I have decided together. I will be taking several months break from posting but plan on being back in October.<br />
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Thank you for walking along side of us in our two plus year journey!fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-50399140610576022552013-06-19T15:46:00.000-04:002013-06-19T15:46:58.057-04:00Psalm Twenty Three<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,</div>
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I will fear no evil:</div>
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for thou art with me;</div>
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thy rod and staff comfort me.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Psalm 23 :4</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">KJ</span></div>
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Mr D is walking this walk.</div>
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Though in his heart of hearts he wishes he could stay awhile,</div>
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he fears no evil.</div>
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We did what could be done.</div>
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It's all up to God.</div>
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Unless He performs a miracle,</div>
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Mr D will finish a race he has run well.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(you can follow our journey on Fleur Cottage face book page)</span></div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-73895332324350321162013-05-03T13:47:00.000-04:002013-05-03T17:32:47.004-04:00All Around The Globe...I like old globes. I like old books. I like old, wooden orphan drawers. Link them all together and one has a lovely vignette.<br />
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I found three orphan wooden desk drawers on a free pile at a yard sale. I took them home with me because I loved the hardware on them. They sat in in our utility shed for several years collecting more dust, waiting for me to be inspired. Some weeks ago I carried them into the house and the transformation began.<br />
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- The Before -</div>
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In all their ugly but lots of potential condition.</div>
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And the hardware? Oh my...<strong>caked</strong> with years of neglect and dirt!</div>
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Even a soak in water didn't budge the dirt.</div>
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Struck gold after a hard scrubbing...amazing!</div>
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The drawers were falling apart and one had lost its bottom...</div>
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and very dirty with spider nest in the crevices and key holes.</div>
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I took them completely apart, sanded the wood and the rusty track. Mr D made a new bottom for the bottom-less drawer. I sprayed the insides of the drawers with semi-gloss clear wood finish and what an amazing difference! By now, I was really loving this project, even though I had no idea what I was going to do with them.</div>
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Isn't this rustic glamour amazing?</div>
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I watered down the paint and without using any primer, I gave the outside of the drawers a quick slap-it-on coat because I wanted a weathered look. Doing that made these dates appear on the sides of each one...love the extra bonus!</div>
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- The Beautiful After! -</div>
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All the while, I had NO idea what I was going to do with them! As I was finishing them, inspiration came. My <a href="http://fleurcottage.blogspot.com/2012/12/though-i-bring-my-brush-bottle-trees.html">Christmas putz houses</a> were still up (yes, from Christmas; I liked them so much!) and it was beyond time to store them again. The books were already there which led me to my small globe collection because reading takes one anywhere in the world one wants to go!</div>
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I am <em>so</em> pleased with the results! After scrubbing the hardware with a scrubby (the only to take off the grime) and giving them a shine with steel wool, it turned out it looked like this. I loved that surprise - I had no idea this loveliness was under the dirt! I sanded the paint lightly and put the scubby to use again around the cup handles that would naturally show wear. The globes were picked up over the years thrift-ing; the small one is a glass light shade.<br />
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Can I say I'm in love? Because I am!</div>
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I want to find more dirty, broken treasures like this!</div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-72888801507041646752013-04-23T11:32:00.001-04:002013-04-23T11:32:50.308-04:00Homemade Pita BreadNope...fleurcottage is not turning into a food blog! Because of my husband's health I have more time to try out recipes that intrigue me and homemade pit bread is one of them. I also made <a href="http://www.fromaway.com/">homemade flour tortillas</a> which are so simple and so fun to make, I think I'll go in the business of making them to sell. Ho-ho...THAT is a great big 'just kidding!' because I don't even like to spend time in the kitchen! <br />
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You'll find plain and easy instructions at <a href="http://stellabskitchen.blogspot.com/">Stella B's Kitchen</a> and though this is not a direct link to the pita bread, it can be found there by scrolling through her many food recipes. <br />
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The dough is very soft and needs lots of flour to work with when dividing <br />
and forming the pita bread - it's a divide and conquer process.</div>
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Rolling them out is easy and again, use lots of flour.<br />
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My rolling pin is new. We were given one as a wedding gift and it resided in my kitchen drawers for forty-three years until several months ago when I decided I'll never make a pie again. I was glad to get rid of it - it was big and clumsy and didn't fit into my old kitchen drawers. Hence, the need for a new rolling pin that is smaller and lighter...so yay for small and light traded for old and clumsy!</div>
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They puff up while baking!<br />
Now is a good time to do some window peeking while baking.</div>
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Finished results. </div>
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Like Stella says...odd shapes add character and isn't that heart-shaped one cute!</div>
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Proudly showing off my flour tortillas and pita bread. </div>
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Just don't do what I did by cutting slits in the side of the pita. </div>
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It wasn't until I did that to five pitas it dawned on me to simply cut them in half!</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
No, I don't have a beautifully staged sandwich to end this with. I'll let that up to the pros. <br />
This post is merely to show you what common, ordinary people-who-don't-like-to-spend-time-in-the-kitchen can do. <br />
Even four year old Bub can do this!<br />
<br />
PS #1<br />
You'll notice the cooling rack placed on the oven rack to bake the pita.<br />
Stella explains all about that and I bought mine for five bucks<br />
and it makes cool-looking marks on the bottom.<br />
Not that anyone notices the bottom!<br />
PS #2<br />
I like to know when I eat either of these I'm not eating a long list<br />
of unpronounceable words.<br />
PS #3<br />
Next time I'm using whole wheat flour.<br />
<br />
Give both of these a try - they really are simple, easy and quick to make!</div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-34464118473527098832013-03-22T11:25:00.000-04:002013-03-22T11:25:22.318-04:00Winter/Spring 2013The snows of 2012/2013 came and went - the snows disappeared the day they came, just how I like it. The 'Big One' was a total washout aside of the predicted four...yep, FOUR inches but it rained instead, dashing many hopes of winter fun. We did, however, have really pretty snow scenes, sunrises and sunsets. <br />
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This was our typical snow this winter.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Lovely sunrises and sunsets.</div>
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Warmer weather is very reluctant in coming but my paint-splattered crocs and I took a walk around the garden in the few warmer hours of this week. The evidence of spring growth is all around - one just has to go look for it!</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
- tree peony -</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
- blooming hellebore -</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
- crocus -</div>
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- daffodil -</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
- peony -</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I like this. A lone single stalk pushing up through the cold. A reminder that circumstances may be harsh but LIFE is there!</div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-10466764762049561892013-03-19T11:53:00.002-04:002013-03-19T11:55:57.131-04:00I Love Fireplace Mantles!Yep...I'm officially in love with fireplace frames/fireplace mantles! I certainly didn't need a second one but a second one I got...at a thrift store, of course! I fell in love with its truly old design so it came along home with me. I did like the yellow color but I'm still a die-hard shabby chic girl at heart.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
- before - </div>
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- after -</div>
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I tried my favorite Gentle Rain by Behr but it didn't work with the rest of the room.</div>
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I experimented with the decoration but that didn't fly either.</div>
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So I ended up painting it all the same without shabby-ing it for now. </div>
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Perhaps in another time in another place...</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
This was my winter mantle. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I have other plans for the backdrop which too will wait for another time and place.</div>
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And because of everything else going on in our lives, simple blue jars came to the rescue once more!</div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-89215750770640462052013-03-19T10:33:00.000-04:002013-03-19T10:33:24.310-04:00Turning Butter Into GheeI've been spending more time in the kitchen in the weeks of Mr D's recovery from surgery and have been trying recipes that were in my favorites list. One of these was making ghee from butter in a crock pot - so, so easy!<br />
<br />
Why ghee? One..it cooks out the milk that's left in butter. Two...it stores well for a long time. Three...it makes everything taste delicious. It can be done with no work at all other than watching it turn from butter into ghee - you can watch the process for 6-8 hours or you can forget about it until the sixth hour and keep an eye on it til it's finished.<br />
<br />
Any butter can be used: however, the closer to organic the better! I bought mine at a local Amish store in a two-three pound roll. I placed it in the crock pot at 8:00 and by 2:00 it was turned into this lovely clear, gold liquid.<br />
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Warning: it's very hot at this stage. Pour it through either a cloth or a coffee strainer that doesn't need a coffee filter into a container. I used recycled glass jars.<br />
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This is what is cooked and strained out of the ghee. The butter was salted which made this very salty but it can be used to add flavor to rice, etc...just do it before adding other salts.<br />
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It looks like this after it's refrigerated. It stays there until I need a fresh container then I let it sit on the counter where it softens again. This gives popcorn a new dimension of flavor! fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-19993573567857504422013-03-12T20:16:00.003-04:002013-03-12T20:16:42.225-04:00Cream of Mushroom Soup {homemade/home-canned}I purchased several pounds of day(s)-old mushrooms with the intent of following a recipe with a condensed version for soup but wasn't too thrilled about it. Sometime back I had bought this cookbook that has a lot of good, easy and healthy recipes in it. Sure enough, I found one to try and am very pleased with it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ijvINNaXO1-XfBL1Cb5NWQH1chPa15Vd5rxXjDZ5H4ocXb25ueRTbDTNjBxAe_Cs8zHAAM9x0OuAfpbf8Rm467N-GK8ZM4FgdpKZHHWVKOlrqitz4UMtPXaSH2UOWxKCRpaDDjjaOoH3/s1600/DSC07024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ijvINNaXO1-XfBL1Cb5NWQH1chPa15Vd5rxXjDZ5H4ocXb25ueRTbDTNjBxAe_Cs8zHAAM9x0OuAfpbf8Rm467N-GK8ZM4FgdpKZHHWVKOlrqitz4UMtPXaSH2UOWxKCRpaDDjjaOoH3/s640/DSC07024.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
This cookbook was first published in February 2008 and is in its ninth printing. It explains anything from fermenting to gardening tips to alternatives for white sugar/white flour. I bought it local but if anyone is interested in buying, it can be sent for at this address...<br />
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Katie Stoltzfus</div>
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426 Stormtowm Rd.</div>
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Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505</div>
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Origional Recipe</div>
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Cream of Celery Soup</div>
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1 cup butter</div>
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5 cups diced celery</div>
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1-2 T salt</div>
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1 cup tapioca starch (found at health food stores)</div>
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8 cups milk</div>
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Melt butter in large saucepan. Add celery (mushrooms) and saute for five minutes.</div>
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Add salt and tapiocs starch (will be very thick), stir well, then add milk slowly,</div>
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cooking until thickened, stirring constantly.</div>
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Pour into jars and coldpack for 2 hours.</div>
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This fills five pint jars. </div>
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Variation: Cream of Mushroom Soup </div>
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Omit celery; add 3 cups chopped or sliced mushrooms.</div>
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I added dry ckicken broth for flavor or liquid broth can replace some of the milk; </div>
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it gave it a better flavor.</div>
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Do not fill the jars beyond the neck. As it cooks in the canner, the soup swells and seeps out </div>
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after the cooking time is finished.</div>
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This is delish </div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-58696574309888156292013-03-06T16:52:00.000-05:002013-03-06T16:52:54.283-05:00My Mother's Ironing BoardI grew up in the days before easy-care clothes were available (or the wrinkle-look was stylish!). For some reason, ironing shirts for six brothers is what I connect the most with ironing. First I 'sprinkled' water on the shirt, then rolled it up tight for the water to dampen it and finished it off by wrapping it in a towel to keep the moisture in. So different from the easy-care clothes of today. I chuckle to myself when I remember what my dear friend Rhoda says..."she hopes folks think her husband's Sunday-go-meetin' shirt just got wrinkly on the way to church!' No, ironing was not a favorite laundry job.<br />
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After my parents passed, I ended up with the ironing board because I couldn't bear to let it end up in the trash heap and because of the memories attached to it. It spent a lot of time in storage. I used it outdoors for one summer as a garden prop and it went back into storage again. It came out last summer when I used it to display my collection of watering cans for a garden tour. After browsing through some blogs I saw the beginning of an idea and the ironing board found it's place in 'my hall of memory fame.'<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBQ4iiUdPaMNw_OZFOZLv7aN-CsmpuM-dOBvIquBUH8XtMo_dXfpb0xomc3LwuCQ1IiSDCJ7srBTMwOpx8J7cRC_p2bmviwdTIHrdjBGK9LuPPr5RtxDvbcJxjou2acNAhW3iTYimh6RM/s1600/DSC07017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" jsa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBQ4iiUdPaMNw_OZFOZLv7aN-CsmpuM-dOBvIquBUH8XtMo_dXfpb0xomc3LwuCQ1IiSDCJ7srBTMwOpx8J7cRC_p2bmviwdTIHrdjBGK9LuPPr5RtxDvbcJxjou2acNAhW3iTYimh6RM/s640/DSC07017.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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In the laundry, of course!</div>
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Our laundry is very narrow and it's impossible to get a direct picture but one gets the idea.</div>
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I'm as pleased as punch with it!</div>
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Now I think fondly of ironing my brother's shirts and can still hear </div>
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my mother's voice giving instructions in the art of ironing.</div>
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Because we grew up six boys and six girls in my family, </div>
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it made sense to use the number twelve to give it a lovely finish.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTGWnP4gw5i0OwWtu74bEZK8FZlPooagPT4yqm0OAsTnVaunTz1Xd_OEDvY3xgKVyxFO13Vx5IP-jdNgiibHw2xihQ8-533soHnVOti6uaBBTz5ZR5-tRIR62BJqRuo5Es-BjFA3u8_It/s1600/DSC07004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" jsa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTGWnP4gw5i0OwWtu74bEZK8FZlPooagPT4yqm0OAsTnVaunTz1Xd_OEDvY3xgKVyxFO13Vx5IP-jdNgiibHw2xihQ8-533soHnVOti6uaBBTz5ZR5-tRIR62BJqRuo5Es-BjFA3u8_It/s640/DSC07004.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Folded up, the back is an art in itself and could be displayed like this as well. I am thinking of cutting the legs off so it hangs flat against the wall but that's still undecided. There are no screws to take out; rather it's a kind of welded (?) bolt on it so I used plastic ties to keep the legs together.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3UOxBukkrqNknr_ycZ6MVyYJgvGeYYs4zovLk5QAWSEhZKOTKMLMm8M7X8lHjIy_kvmFlt8-RGQBsQsNpsMPuM6kN5WOL5m_EyvUnjqpFCgGkgL7930-XKzSogAYkYTWgsis5ziAP-tYv/s1600/DSC07006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" jsa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3UOxBukkrqNknr_ycZ6MVyYJgvGeYYs4zovLk5QAWSEhZKOTKMLMm8M7X8lHjIy_kvmFlt8-RGQBsQsNpsMPuM6kN5WOL5m_EyvUnjqpFCgGkgL7930-XKzSogAYkYTWgsis5ziAP-tYv/s640/DSC07006.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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The weathered finish is just gorgeous! Product of the natural aging from the summers spent outdoors.</div>
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The lettering was very simple to do and I used a permanent marking pen to outline the letters...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0-3N20KQyFOYoB0Y7SGfbd54kKKweOKlUg-2pxVj5qz_HUIoNo1FFr8tbA0OBmCRkWAMQa4_rSihYTEPQ_yXgYepchMABz9IjmmIRrtoyYmM5wpgAeGgyc45uumSum-NMLhqZZL9-LmV/s1600/DSC07012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" jsa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0-3N20KQyFOYoB0Y7SGfbd54kKKweOKlUg-2pxVj5qz_HUIoNo1FFr8tbA0OBmCRkWAMQa4_rSihYTEPQ_yXgYepchMABz9IjmmIRrtoyYmM5wpgAeGgyc45uumSum-NMLhqZZL9-LmV/s640/DSC07012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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and didn't bother about being particular filling it all in.</div>
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It got a good sanding to finish it off. I'm totally, totally pleased with it</div>
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and it comes under my idea of rustic glamour!</div>
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What do you think...</div>
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let it as is?</div>
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cut the legs off?</div>
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<br /></div>
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(wonder what my mother would say if she'd see it now?)</div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-30908008544362677962013-03-06T15:04:00.000-05:002013-03-06T15:25:47.368-05:00Update on Mr DI wrote this on my face book page yesterday...<br />
<br />
Okay...it's time for a long overdue report on what's happening at our house! Saturday evening was not a good night for my honey and he saw 2:00 AM before he fell asleep. After sleeping most of Sunday forenoon, he felt better and could play table games with son Wayne & family from WV who spent 24 hours at our house. Sunday evening, Loren and family and Julia and family were here for an hour - the g...rands were eager to see Grandpa again!<br />
<br />
Dave slept most of Monday morning recovering from the weekend. After lunch we went to Home Depot and he drove for the first in four weeks. We were gone 45 minutes, long enough to not make him too tired and Monday evening he spent some time at the monthly fire hall meeting.<br />
<br />
Today he spent several hours at the shop (I was freakin' out!), sitting at the desk and answering phone calls. All of a sudden he's eating more and doing MUCH better. Now to fatten him up to regain some of the 27 lbs he lost and I do believe we're good to go!<br />
<br />
This 'pause' in our life for me has had times of facing new realities, of spending lots of 'sitting around waiting' at which I'm not always good at. It was good to spend one on one time with our children on the days they drove me to Mercy. This time forced me out of my comfort zone of my little 'safe' Mennonite world where the hospital staff and the cafeteria cooks became familiar faces and the receptionists and security recognized me. I was forced to learn to drive into and find my way around a big city.<br />
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<br />
It also was/is good for me to spend concentrated time with my honey and to lay aside for a time the things I love to do. We talk a lot about what's ahead of us which in no way defines our faith in a God who can heal. I say once more - the cold, hard facts DO NOT trump the sovereignetry of God who is good - ALL THE TIME! <br />
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Thank you, thank you for your prayers that we felt surrounded with!<br />
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Adding a few more words from the surgeon, Dr Sardi...</div>
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The risk of the cancer coming back is still very high. Mr D and I are taking this time of recovery to treasure each other, making memories and sharing dreams and it's all good!</div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-68203374803884154992013-02-09T10:02:00.002-05:002013-04-21T21:00:56.900-04:00At Mercy Hospital In Baltimore, MDFebruary 5<br />
<br />
Mr D had major surgery Tuesday of this week. The following was written by our daughter moments after we met with the surgeon, Dr. Sardi...<br />
Dad is out of surgery. They took out his spleen, one kidney, part of his pancreas and they cleaned 8 spots off his liver. They got all the tumors but the chance of him having microscopic tumors is extremely high. It will take 8 weeks for him to recuperate and before they can do more chemo. The original tumor was much, much bigger than we thought. They also took a little of his intestine and a sliver of his stomach and a small portion of his diaphragm. It is a gift from God that he didn't have pain since the anointing service.<br />
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I wrote this on my Fleur Cottage face book page...</div>
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What a day...never did we expect to sit in the surgical waiting room thirteen hours! Our local children and their husband/wives sat with me today all the way through, supporting and caring for me. Good friends Paul and Rhoda Nissley made a special trip from Lancaster to Baltimore, spending an hour with us...thank you, Paul and Rhoda!<br />
<br />
<br />
The cancer spread was extensive. Dave lost his spleen, a kidney, a sliver of the pancreas, diaphragm and stomach, six to eight inches of intestine and the liver had eight spots of cancer. The tumor itself was the size of a medium-sized cantaloupe. Dr Sardi got all the cancer that could be seen but cannot guarantee small microscopic cancers turning up elsewhere. Two hours of heated chemo was applied before he was closed up. <br />
<br />
Dave will need a two month recovery/healing time before he can have more chemo treatments. It is during this time the cancer could show up again. Dr Sardi was very honest with us today and did not guarantee anything, though he did say Dave's chances are better now than what they were by not doing the surgery. <br />
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Thank you, my friends, for lifting us up in prayer today! <br />
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GOD IS GOOD - ALL THE TIME<br />
<br />
This is why I've been MIA in posting on my blog. If you're interested in following along on our cancer journey, 'like' my fleurcottage face book page through the face book badge on the side margin.<br />
<br />
February 6<br />
<br />
Our daughter Julia, took me to Mercy today...I felt a flutter of panic when I realized Dave was still in ICU. Dr Sardi was in his room explaining how the surgery was and what needed to be removed. The cause for an extra day was a sluggish kidney but that was better when we left this evening.<br />
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<br />
Dave took the news his usual calm way but was so relieved the tumor was out. He's on a managed pain regiment, looks a little drugged, tires easily and sleeps a lot.<br />
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Thank you for the care comments and prayers lifted up to our Heavenly Father. I am well taken care of by our children...I am now the 'child' and they are the parent and I'm loving it! :)<br />
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God bless you all!<br />
<br />
February 7<br />
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fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-45832667478651353822013-02-01T15:51:00.001-05:002013-02-02T17:12:21.537-05:00Forty-Four YearsToday, February 1, 2013 is our forty-fourth wedding anniversary. Even as I write this, it seems impossible to believe but facts do not lie. This forty-fourth anniversary post is for my beloved husband...<br />
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He does things <i>right</i>!</div>
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He fixes my mistakes...this will <i>never</i> fall apart again!</div>
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His love of serving took him to Haiti even though the work was more suited for</div>
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someone twenty years younger.</div>
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He has regretted selling his first car and this is as close to it as he could get. </div>
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Loves spending time with the grands!</div>
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A dream fulfilled - a place for everyone to play in the water at our cabin!</div>
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Handles his cancer journey with grace.</div>
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Loves to hunt and he got a big one in Montana.</div>
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His winter hobby is putting a 1000 piece puzzle together - the harder the better!</div>
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Fulfills my dreams by building them!</div>
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Here we are today - forty-four years later with our seventeen grands (two oldest missing).</div>
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Tuesday of next week he'll be having surgery for a second bout of cancer. Like his first one, he's facing this with a serenity that challenges me. To me, the next month feels long and I'm <i>grateful</i> for our children who will be standing with us in this second phase of our journey. God has blessed us with <i>many</i> believers who have been and continue to lift us up to our heavenly Father - thank you, thank you! </div>
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I close this post with my theme that has carried me through times when life doesn't make sense:</div>
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GOD IS GOOD - ALL THE TIME!</div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-73632408078061230642013-01-23T19:54:00.000-05:002013-01-23T19:54:03.163-05:00Ultra Violet IrradiationUVI has been around since the thirties so it's not a new concept, though we had never heard of it until recent months. It cleans the blood as it passes through an ultra violet light, which then attacks the other bad stuff in the blood. Mr D chose to do this after the chemo failed to make any difference to his tumor. Did it help? I don't know that we'll ever know other than there was a lot of debris in his blood.<br />
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Dr Godfrey and his assistant drawing six oz of blood, using an IV container.</div>
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The blood passes through this flat piece which is placed under the light as it goes back into his body.</div>
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As the container empties, it leaves these bubbles behind which will be a consistent pattern by the time the ten sessions are finished.</div>
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Mr D waiting the ninety minutes it takes for the blood to drip back through the IV and back into his body. </div>
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This is a painless procedure other than the IV pricks. We felt it had as much value as the chemo treatments, especially in light of what we learned in this past week. The next step in this cancer journey is having surgery to remove the tumor in several weeks at Mercy Hospital, using the HYPEC method. Mr D is thrilled that finally someone is doing the surgery he had been asking for since July 2012.<br />
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I'll keep updating on this as it happens.</div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-82762293031051259962013-01-23T19:04:00.002-05:002013-01-23T19:04:22.755-05:00Family Fun at Christmas 2013No, it's not Christmas 2013 but we do have our Christmas get-together the first Saturday after the New Year. I'm posting these late - but I like to record a few pictures from our time together.<br />
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First off: we had a white Christmas; not much but enough to look pretty!</div>
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We also took family pictures and it.was.COLD!</div>
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All of our grandchildren except the oldest who had a basketball tournament. </div>
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All because of two people... </div>
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More family pictures at a later time. </div>
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The girls spent a lot of the day coloring together.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXJtb8hrvFJeElzELdZSNZfCvyhcolI-lrt4EmWh1gNrdTHgaTrMNNjFXCn2xFl4Wxw7iWzQzl159Y9b-egZ_nRYBpseiAlPVCu8Mv4IsZUn7uQNDpzzgrEr0so9HRKbQGtpWUYnxN6AW/s1600/DSC06918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXJtb8hrvFJeElzELdZSNZfCvyhcolI-lrt4EmWh1gNrdTHgaTrMNNjFXCn2xFl4Wxw7iWzQzl159Y9b-egZ_nRYBpseiAlPVCu8Mv4IsZUn7uQNDpzzgrEr0so9HRKbQGtpWUYnxN6AW/s640/DSC06918.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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These three are best buds and played in their own corner protected</div>
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from any little hands that wanted to grab their animals...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIPl_5AKKY7Ti19Tpin1IkHtMwLljOQJg0o84lcXjZimtkX9y0PKQtpnfCB-Zn_i0JA47QivlSDYt_BzqaCRl_D8eVxcap8cWge_EGqjMB633dollt-gXNNleh5eFbMD7iXxCDUulpjK6/s1600/DSC06912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIPl_5AKKY7Ti19Tpin1IkHtMwLljOQJg0o84lcXjZimtkX9y0PKQtpnfCB-Zn_i0JA47QivlSDYt_BzqaCRl_D8eVxcap8cWge_EGqjMB633dollt-gXNNleh5eFbMD7iXxCDUulpjK6/s640/DSC06912.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We can't forget the cooks!</div>
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Oh, the meal was yummy!</div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-68450693559925122122013-01-18T14:27:00.000-05:002013-01-18T14:27:02.330-05:00Revised Church Attendance Board<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This church attendance board was a too long on-going project but was finished in time to greet the 2013 New Year and I must say I'm very pleased with it. After asking for ideas on what to do with it, several suggested the chalkboard idea and I ran with that one.<br />
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- before - </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbThCDX64vP2kLoAB_tD7Pkq_onKlTQszIwa8ADADVqmTWRns7kHOJlFLaeqGIzfnokutLz1s0MqHesT_PUCNd3k876u9wfwMvRbGDIU_O8A-03dVq3FZ5ooW38g7jnYHax3aaqF6lII40/s1600/DSC06448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbThCDX64vP2kLoAB_tD7Pkq_onKlTQszIwa8ADADVqmTWRns7kHOJlFLaeqGIzfnokutLz1s0MqHesT_PUCNd3k876u9wfwMvRbGDIU_O8A-03dVq3FZ5ooW38g7jnYHax3aaqF6lII40/s640/DSC06448.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
The board needed <strike>some</strike> quite a bit of repair to make it nice enough for a chalkboard. Mr D repaired the split down the middle and I took it from there. The cracks were puttied and sanded several times until it was smooth enough to write on, then the fun began! I gave it two coats of primer and one coat of white before I spray painted it with the chalkboard paint.<br />
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I used a picture frame to frame the chalkboard area, painting it before gluing it on the board. It got another coat of paint and a light sanding to finish it off. It was hung New Year's Eve.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGeJUkdXXhPDxN428XxNXRimLTz6sb2v3obgVFPASxLg78I5pLBWZXczwlc0enFnGmzBnCZyHnjWe3ztgEDELEjrTNIftwQQ0KnO17L_aXInjD0cBUJXIZrjwcj31QuXZjmVgyrQXFFQL6/s1600/DSC06887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGeJUkdXXhPDxN428XxNXRimLTz6sb2v3obgVFPASxLg78I5pLBWZXczwlc0enFnGmzBnCZyHnjWe3ztgEDELEjrTNIftwQQ0KnO17L_aXInjD0cBUJXIZrjwcj31QuXZjmVgyrQXFFQL6/s640/DSC06887.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Now it's all set for the winter months! It's hung just inside the laundry room and before you step into the kitchen, welcoming everyone who walks through our doors.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8GWY9maHGcBF1P_F1ed9R_jAfIwCQhw507_GdxLzHzP-lCBB0SaokMemjp_FiKv80l89f0bm0rn0nVyREf8wRPkEM0v4HRW7BljBLEs8VQDX8tu6UaFAiZl28GeVjOQvdrx9ORXY-LLX/s1600/DSC06937-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8GWY9maHGcBF1P_F1ed9R_jAfIwCQhw507_GdxLzHzP-lCBB0SaokMemjp_FiKv80l89f0bm0rn0nVyREf8wRPkEM0v4HRW7BljBLEs8VQDX8tu6UaFAiZl28GeVjOQvdrx9ORXY-LLX/s640/DSC06937-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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And yes, I'm pleased with the results.</div>
And to think I was going to just take the numbers and letters and let the board at the yard sale!fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-51268282038440385492013-01-14T16:19:00.000-05:002013-01-14T16:19:21.901-05:00Magnet-ics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Do you have as many magnets as we do? Thanks to my friend Joyce at <a href="http://quiltednestantiques.blogspot.com/2012/11/quick-junk-mail-project.html">Quilted Nest</a>, here's a lovely idea to re-purpose them. Mr D has a collection on his file cabinet so I took a few that were outdated and re-purposed them. First I sprayed primer on the magnets to avoid a see-through (lesson learned from Joyce!). <br />
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- before -</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWCQA-I78Ttpflw2kOUSA7o0TxD4cDEBxJqefmKhZ98nEGHefXwb0AYfKOLWrErFbF9qyJZCQTFTVLxiTuLG5tGquAYGLjcRJFMV36oRfOd4bYPJZFD3QFqNaV4tCzRp5DD9B742Z_Hp0x/s1600/DSC06749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWCQA-I78Ttpflw2kOUSA7o0TxD4cDEBxJqefmKhZ98nEGHefXwb0AYfKOLWrErFbF9qyJZCQTFTVLxiTuLG5tGquAYGLjcRJFMV36oRfOd4bYPJZFD3QFqNaV4tCzRp5DD9B742Z_Hp0x/s640/DSC06749.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
- after -<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMlgTOfNA1ZUf-kUW2yh8AVVtN3Y5FuEELwhy-hQ5Jq2K5Fa5aVbT4uzyP_SoTj6zPivfposM57JWkZDvYzLdpK_VRoyILEkcCnBQ7XYeyxABdNUok-z2rv7bUcjiqapkDZSFF5eG6565/s1600/DSC06890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMlgTOfNA1ZUf-kUW2yh8AVVtN3Y5FuEELwhy-hQ5Jq2K5Fa5aVbT4uzyP_SoTj6zPivfposM57JWkZDvYzLdpK_VRoyILEkcCnBQ7XYeyxABdNUok-z2rv7bUcjiqapkDZSFF5eG6565/s640/DSC06890.JPG" width="640" /> </a>The wording on the left came from a gift bag - the one on the right from a wedding card, both cut to size. I used Elmer's Craft Bond spray adhesive to glue it to the magnet. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEb1ePtSIkaKE3-4NgygHpVsPTAV7Fwh4ELEGW3zWwNRtO26W_ijuThf7HlqFPioXW95fLyGwc80ToSITvMCBk5aWCci-dYpuiYm8RkT7IrBh-lHi0KDq1K2TZbDt6q_Ks0rxNvIyzsen/s1600/DSC06761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEb1ePtSIkaKE3-4NgygHpVsPTAV7Fwh4ELEGW3zWwNRtO26W_ijuThf7HlqFPioXW95fLyGwc80ToSITvMCBk5aWCci-dYpuiYm8RkT7IrBh-lHi0KDq1K2TZbDt6q_Ks0rxNvIyzsen/s640/DSC06761.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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These are sprayed with chalkboard paint; however, I did not sand the magnets and the paint does chip if handled roughly. So if your grand kids want to play/write with these, it's a good idea to do some sanding. :) These are on the frig as a few of the 'littles' enjoy writing on them. This is a simple project to do and sometime I'll get a brainstorm to use them some other place! </div>
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fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-77001943782772585502013-01-03T14:46:00.000-05:002013-01-03T14:46:34.676-05:00Acheived 2012 Goals!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In January of 2012, two of my brothers took me out for my December birthday. In the course of our conversation one of them asked me what my goals are for the year. My reply was prompt: lose thirty pounds. </div>
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I did. More than that. </div>
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Because I didn't want to do the hard thing, I didn't weigh myself before I started so I can only guess how much I lost. But I can tell you, I've been on this journey so often before, I can easily guess where I was. And I did measure certain places. Yep, that excuses me for not doing the hard thing (rolling my eyes)! :)</div>
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Having said all of this, I was rewarded far beyond what I expected!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xGwOlPJBhwRKvkXPaT3ttMdaDlpAT8c5WteFKS8X5EhN704MYQGVlgA7yVMp5FKWS4zAzR9snmP82JocMfu_wCeaIGKw5hTuOBX_7yWdL5bGhyzndzTiQPekkemA0PNQ_TgE0Z0CMIWH/s1600/DSC06895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xGwOlPJBhwRKvkXPaT3ttMdaDlpAT8c5WteFKS8X5EhN704MYQGVlgA7yVMp5FKWS4zAzR9snmP82JocMfu_wCeaIGKw5hTuOBX_7yWdL5bGhyzndzTiQPekkemA0PNQ_TgE0Z0CMIWH/s640/DSC06895.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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In March, I joined a CPRS Wellness Center nearby. I'm a homebody so this was a stretch for me and I didn't know a soul. The most exercising I've ever done was walking in our township park for six years which is just across the road from us. A fall on my knees in 2010 put a stop to that. When I walked into the building that first time I felt like a fish out of the water, but Sue, the Wellness director/personal trainer to everyone, put me at ease. She walked me through the cardio and weight machines, then I was on my own! </div>
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However, I planned on waiting until fall and after the gardening season was finished.</div>
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Boy, am I glad I didn't! This has been/is the best thing that has happened to me! I started with doing a bike for thirty minutes and weights for upper and lower body for thirty minutes. I'd go home exhausted and did thirty minutes of recovery in a recliner...oh yeah, I was in terrible shape! But...I soon began feeling muscles I didn't know I had - literally. I'd be rubbing an arm or leg and I could <em>feel</em> the muscle - it was amazing! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_gNGd_0dYwouFXDXFd5uSta1J5II97VoqnAfcxcW5YFgKrliNVbzHq7DGg4obHmBTwDBPCV0Vb-wVZqhoTopD5ooP8Wsm5xSdy3EjgiAp7Bh2NhOq00e-ZSW0yZXRIj769l1I4RO2m-eG/s1600/DSC06894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_gNGd_0dYwouFXDXFd5uSta1J5II97VoqnAfcxcW5YFgKrliNVbzHq7DGg4obHmBTwDBPCV0Vb-wVZqhoTopD5ooP8Wsm5xSdy3EjgiAp7Bh2NhOq00e-ZSW0yZXRIj769l1I4RO2m-eG/s640/DSC06894.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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- stationary bike and elliptical -</div>
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After doing the bike for two months I asked for the elliptical. Whoa...this was like going from the nursery to fifth grade stuff! I started out with seven minutes and worked my way up to thirty minutes, doing the weights, then another fifteen minutes on the elliptical. It was hard work...sweaty work! But did it ever whittle me down. I'll never be a skinny-minny but I sure like the new me!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2hwz34hgCRJ198wEaK85qyrR3ceGlzVcq3s0S7r0yHkvbWU5dtnCnHMxB3IMrMCF2C4riof9MKZKKTF7QJAPBoz7u9x9RM5LPWDzOvzVc2ZzGz250uKXk1iJGzS6rJJmhNFkChQ4g3x-/s1600/DSC06891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2hwz34hgCRJ198wEaK85qyrR3ceGlzVcq3s0S7r0yHkvbWU5dtnCnHMxB3IMrMCF2C4riof9MKZKKTF7QJAPBoz7u9x9RM5LPWDzOvzVc2ZzGz250uKXk1iJGzS6rJJmhNFkChQ4g3x-/s640/DSC06891.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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- Sue and myself after a workout -</div>
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Doing something out of my comfort zone has given me a better body but more importantly, new friends. Sue cares, I mean <em>really cares</em> about us. Outside of family, she was the first one I told about Mr D's second cancer bout and continues to be a shoulder to cry on. I've met Mandy, a young single mother of a three year old who loves the Lord and we've become good friends. Evie, who teaches art in a private Christian school and has to care for her husband who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer just as he retired. Beth, who has a brilliant autistic child and an ailing husband, is diabetic herself and has just retired from many years of supporting her family. I've met several former alcoholics and smokers who made the hard choice to stop years ago. John, a stand-offish kind of man and I, became friends after I blew him off pretty badly and apologized to him for it. Now we smile a good-morning at each other and occasionally pedal the elliptical side by side. Bill, who spends a lot of time writing a commentary/devotional along with a group of men on the New Testament. Pony-tailed Frank, an ex-alcoholic, loves the Lord, talking and antiquing, in that order. Cathy, mother of two adult sons, one of them studying to be a youth pastor, and a physically handicapped daughter, works nights while her husband stays home with their daughter so her family can care for her. Yes, this has been really, really good for me in more ways than bodily exercise! </div>
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I'm hoping to lose a bit more weight but more importantly, maintain the weight loss. I've had losses and gains ever since we're married and weight issues as long back as I can remember. I feel better than I've had in a long time and am grateful for the people God has brought into my life who have helped me be where I'm at today!</div>
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- before and after -</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEZSbYWfJ4JvIDLZZwgP7_i6HP01Ld_dj0JgoZoiaExpkK47E1UMMHQS1i7cC1Vvd1Bw0duHrh2oELoLqkmn_1H6SJ0Q06T7K0zJkJQEeAQp8Eo95LQz5uBTfjxud_J2k6WFZ7tn7P9vS/s1600/IMG_5466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEZSbYWfJ4JvIDLZZwgP7_i6HP01Ld_dj0JgoZoiaExpkK47E1UMMHQS1i7cC1Vvd1Bw0duHrh2oELoLqkmn_1H6SJ0Q06T7K0zJkJQEeAQp8Eo95LQz5uBTfjxud_J2k6WFZ7tn7P9vS/s640/IMG_5466.jpg" width="638" /></a></div>
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A 'before' that was taken in October 2010, before Mr D's illness...he's also lost weight since. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsuj4RL5jSww0A7rxApBzCDFxpNiA0TjPaf_k-HQeIWY6WLTwnHsO6b7mAARTrgHIHmjiEkoVhDn4oabSYXnNLCh0587u_HgU1aJl9T4HnV_CheRNphv3jvTceiJeDnV72yfbqKdzfUeK/s1600/DSC06507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsuj4RL5jSww0A7rxApBzCDFxpNiA0TjPaf_k-HQeIWY6WLTwnHsO6b7mAARTrgHIHmjiEkoVhDn4oabSYXnNLCh0587u_HgU1aJl9T4HnV_CheRNphv3jvTceiJeDnV72yfbqKdzfUeK/s640/DSC06507.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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- taken sommer of 2012 -</div>
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fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-3159383886737225212012-12-24T12:04:00.002-05:002012-12-24T12:04:30.698-05:00Christmas At Our House - 2012<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
I like Christmas decorations that are simple to put up and simple to take down and it's certainly that at our house this year! Most are recycled from year to year but used in a different place, such as my collection of putz houses. Yep, I discovered my <a href="http://fleurcottage.blogspot.com/2012/12/though-i-bring-my-brush-bottle-trees.html">'sparkly houses'</a> are really 'putz' houses - they must have been created by the Germans because it's a Pennsylvania Dutch expression we use when 'we putz around' or do a kind of nothing to fill in time, and yes, I'm exposing my ignorance here! :) But I've always been fascinated by them and snatch them up <strike>if they're not too costly</strike> if I'm in the mood to spend the money on them. I so like them!</div>
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- laundry -</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCJbwH4gJEvPNpMrkXk34lWGs7QWhN1UdBA7UEp7Vys9dVTs123_P1ArbCikjuCUjbCo5ZEz56rkL85dDC3MUUw1Z9-hDre5XDg0SpXuYdLSUJ9SUQZhPwUFnkeFubZP7vttDMGcPIMAe/s1600/DSC06870-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCJbwH4gJEvPNpMrkXk34lWGs7QWhN1UdBA7UEp7Vys9dVTs123_P1ArbCikjuCUjbCo5ZEz56rkL85dDC3MUUw1Z9-hDre5XDg0SpXuYdLSUJ9SUQZhPwUFnkeFubZP7vttDMGcPIMAe/s640/DSC06870-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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My <a href="http://fleurcottage.blogspot.com/2011/12/twas-night-before-christmas.html">'starry night'</a> banner I made last year where it hung in the living room.</div>
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- kitchen -</div>
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Simple greens and lights above the cupboards. Last year I used a mix of live and store-bought greens - </div>
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not again...what a mess that was!</div>
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I bought these tin ornaments years ago and every year they sit on my kitchen window - I so like these, too! Sometimes I keep them up until the wintry days are over.</div>
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Part of an all-white manger scene. I've displayed these pieces this way for several years - somehow, the simplicity of a lone shepherd coming to Jesus with what he has speaks to me. This is tucked in the corner of the counter top. The reminder of His Presence is especially real this Christmas!</div>
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This is the 'third wall' in my kitchen. The <a href="http://fleurcottage.blogspot.com/2012/12/brown-paper-bags-flowers.html">paper flowers</a> are new for this year.</div>
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- dinning room -</div>
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- living room -</div>
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The past three years Wal-Mart had these cute little church ornaments but I didn't care for the gold one this year. It's been said that two of one thing is a collection...I guess this is my start of a church collection!</div>
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Several months ago, I changed the arrangement in our <a href="http://fleurcottage.blogspot.com/2012/10/rearranged-living-room.html">living room</a> by placing the couch in front of the fireplace mantel. Last week I found another <strike>irresistable</strike> fireplace and placed it here...</div>
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Oh, she's a beauty! I cannot.wait.to.transform her! </div>
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This was a quick arrangement on Saturday and will be enough for this year.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Wishing my readers a blessed Christmas</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and a blessed New Year!</span></div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-64705161008307498022012-12-17T10:44:00.001-05:002012-12-17T17:51:09.862-05:00Bottle Brush Trees And Sparkly Cardboard HousesThough I bring my <a href="http://fleurcottage.blogspot.com/2009/11/before-after.html">brush bottle trees</a> with the cute sparkly cardboard houses out every Christmas, I'm not always happy with how they're displayed. This year I found just the right place in the large box-like space in the entertainment center. Shifting the stacked books around that were already there, I placed the houses on top of them and placed the trees around them. Ta-da...love!<br />
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I've had these delightful houses for some years and I think they're a classic for Christmas decorating that doesn't get old. One of the fences was purchased new and one at a thrift shop that was wound around a small Christmas tree.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1RVKwoW1hErHTxPDr_YpokbFgap9BZXHpFflX1r9Etg_MtovsFHoDmqXWldbR1-PY1K2UIrali9qtyLkPc9l-i8axmTKitt9uAJEovdnXPzvHKzZatzgMYE0i9DTEkJDR71_SWaGlwWv/s1600/DSC06864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1RVKwoW1hErHTxPDr_YpokbFgap9BZXHpFflX1r9Etg_MtovsFHoDmqXWldbR1-PY1K2UIrali9qtyLkPc9l-i8axmTKitt9uAJEovdnXPzvHKzZatzgMYE0i9DTEkJDR71_SWaGlwWv/s640/DSC06864.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
I bought most of the bottle brush trees at yard sales/thrift shops and wanted a few more, so I went on a hunt the last several weeks to thrift shops, only to discover they're pret-ty scarce. If you see some at yard sales, snatch 'em up where you can! It's easy to transform them from ugly green to this lovely look!<br />
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<a href="http://fleurcottage.blogspot.com/2012/03/lightening-up-our-entainment-center.html">This</a> is how it looks the rest of the year.</div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-29078446967893956062012-12-13T10:46:00.001-05:002012-12-13T10:46:29.879-05:00Christmas On Our PorchI determined to use greens on the front porch from what was in my gardens and I'm pleased with the results. I kept the bones from the <a href="http://fleurcottage.blogspot.com/2012/09/autumn-and-candles.html">Autumn</a> decorating and used lots of greenery. <br />
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The pictures were taken late afternoon, giving it a lovely glow.</div>
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The red berries are from a spring-flowering tree and the dried lime light hydrangeas are perfect for outdoor pots. I had planted a lavender in this pot for the summer and simply tucked in the greens around it.<br />
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I lit the candles on a gray day just for fun and light them at night when guests are expected. <br />
It's very pretty!</div>
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Instead of my usual greens that I've used for years, I hung a small rolled sheet music hanging with added greens on the front door. It's protected by a storm door so it'll be fine there. I'm hoping the exposure will age it!</div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-85761902398489607902012-12-12T15:31:00.000-05:002012-12-12T15:31:13.464-05:00Christmas MantleMy Christmas mantle is simple. My taste has changed from <strike>fussy</strike> 'more is better' to almost plain, but what is there, speaks. I think it must be my age! Less to dust, less to store...now it's 'less is more!' <br />
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When I decorate for Christmas, I like to decorate around what is there already and simply changing out the little stuff. The empty picture frames are still there. I was sad to take down the <a href="http://fleurcottage.blogspot.com/2012/09/our-mantel.html">Autumn</a> display, I liked it so much! But I like this just as much.<br />
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The airy greens with the red berries are a long-time staple for Christmas decorating at our house. The pears are a thrift find and the silver Christmas tree balls are a post-Christmas buy. The berries on the top shelf are real rose hips. The rest of the items are there <strike>forever</strike> until I get another brainstorm! :) </div>
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I love Christmas! </div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-67783334180760014202012-12-10T10:58:00.003-05:002012-12-10T11:04:41.732-05:00 Brown Paper Bag Flowers<div style="text-align: center;">
Brown paper bag flowers?! </div>
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Yes, indeed...out.of.brown.paper.bags. </div>
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Simple to make. Simple to hang. Simple classy style. </div>
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And I shamelessly copied!</div>
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Thank you, Clarita!</div>
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Click on her link to see her Autumn wall.</div>
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You'll find it hard to leave - she's very talented!</div>
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<a href="http://lifeisadance.xanga.com/">http://lifeisadance.xanga.com/</a></div>
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I was unable to do a link to the original site, however, you'll find it on hers.</div>
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This is my version...</div>
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I love old silver and it's such a classic for Christmas decorating!</div>
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The teapot was a yard sale find and the creamer and sugar a gift from a friend.</div>
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The trays are a GW find and the berries are real.</div>
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The lantern was a Christmas Tea door prize win.</div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-1521469682668049572012-11-29T10:13:00.001-05:002012-11-29T10:13:08.573-05:00Kyra's Birthday<div style="text-align: center;">
Our youngest grandchild had her first birthday over the week end - sweet little Kyra!</div>
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She wasn't sure what to do with it...</div>
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so she poked at it...</div>
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and after doing some coaxing, took a bite.</div>
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Finally relaxing enough to enjoy it -</div>
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and the ten other people watching her clapped and cheered!</div>
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Sweet little Kyra!</div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-14697001349710575582012-11-23T14:51:00.001-05:002012-11-23T14:51:48.660-05:00Our Thanksgiving <div style="text-align: center;">
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Our Thanksgiving was delightful!</div>
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We celebrated a friend's birthday on Thanksgiving eve with a delightful meal and delightful company in their home. We spent a good part of the day with our family at our son's house and while we all contributed to the meal, DIL M did the cooking. Her table was lovely!<br />
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Their table is large enough to seat all eighteen of us at once.</div>
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And the bittersweet is the real stuff...</div>
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just don't use it outside because the seeds will drop and start a very invasive plant - trust me, I know! </div>
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We treasure this moment - a moment of time among many other moments. </div>
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We hug them close to our heart because we have no guarantee we'll have tomorrow...</div>
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The loud, healthy noises of seven boys enjoying each other's company.</div>
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Little Kyra raising her arms to be held and snuggling.</div>
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Daddy giving two delighted girls a pony ride.</div>
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Three year old Ty sliding off the same pony and brushing himself off and saying, 'I'm okay.'</div>
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Playing table games and hearing the men talking man talk.</div>
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Eating a yummy dessert an hour after we ate the main course 'cause it was so delicous!</div>
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Yes, our Thanksgiving was wonderful!</div>
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That was yesterday.</div>
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Today I'm doing this...</div>
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Christmas decorating while I'm listening to Christmas music!</div>
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Life is good.</div>
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But better yet...</div>
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GOD IS GOOD!</div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1866907793667701964.post-53378378485786396622012-11-15T09:25:00.000-05:002012-11-15T09:25:21.282-05:00Where We Are...Our <a href="http://fleurcottage.blogspot.com/2011/05/c-word.html">cancer journey</a> has been one of shock and hope, high expectations and dashed dreams. There have been valleys and mountain tops with...'we're going to conquer this.' Then reality set in. The <a href="http://fleurcottage.blogspot.com/2012/08/for-his-glory.html">second time</a> around, and with a knowledge of what genetic rectal colon cancer truly is, feels a whole lot different than the first diagnosis...very final and very much like a death sentence. It IS a death sentence, a 'manageable' death sentence. <br />
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Sounds harsh I know, but the reality of life is, we not born to live here forever. We're approaching Christmas when we celebrate the real reason of this season...the birth of Jesus, taking on Himself the form of humanity to GIVE His life on a cross, the cruelest of all deaths and rising from that death victorious so the <u>sting of death is taken away!</u> (1Corinthians 15:54-57) THAT is our hope, a hope NO ONE can take away!<br />
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Mr D just finished six rounds of 'killer chemo' (the doctor's words) in the hopes the tumor will shrink enough to have surgery. We met with the doctor yesterday and the news was that it's still too big to remove. It was hard news to hear, though not totally unexpected. We were offered another, milder form of chemo, hoping this one would work differently...Mr D chose to say no.<br />
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He is choosing to stay under this doctor's care but will be using supplements, among a few other choices, with the doctors blessing. That feels good! It also feels scary for me because regardless of the two choices we are left with, the next step in this journey is the winter of cancer. How long this winter will be, I have no idea. I just know we're not walking it alone - we have family, friends, church, a community of believers...what more can we ask for?! <br />
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GOD IS GOOD - ALL THE TIME </div>
We both truly believe He will bring glory to HIMSELF, whether it's through life or whether it's through death!<br />
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We enjoy our gifts to the fullest - Mr D sleeps well. He has a good appetite and his weight has stabilized. Though he tires easily, he looks well and is able to work everyday. He enjoys hunting, his favorite hobby and we're still able to travel. Yes, we treasure our gifts and thank God for them!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fSkLFxW1EWtI0hGyG-w3hvKGwfONe0qh2USrdbk3-SxIhjHCs_9-9DFKzcuBDJzg4VBt_n9ujE8esIYpJ8ut4FVrz17eEpvFctgzSMu3S5BCuFBX-vYykhY2QISbXtiSNH92msstDZN-/s1600/DSC06754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fSkLFxW1EWtI0hGyG-w3hvKGwfONe0qh2USrdbk3-SxIhjHCs_9-9DFKzcuBDJzg4VBt_n9ujE8esIYpJ8ut4FVrz17eEpvFctgzSMu3S5BCuFBX-vYykhY2QISbXtiSNH92msstDZN-/s640/DSC06754.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I found the last of these roses yesterday so beautifully dried on the stem. Though they 'had their time,' there is beauty even in death. Death is the closing of one door and the opening of another into indescribable beauty that no one on earth has words to do it justice! Psalm 23 are not mere words - they are a PROMISE that no valley has to be feared for He is with us!</div>
fleurcottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815196168266378048noreply@blogger.com8