Dixie's Dragon

Onward to 2006

Juan, my dear friend in Dallas, who has a wife and 4 lovely daughters, constantly reminds me in his kind way to keep things in perspective. Today he sent me this to help me keep my 2006 goals and priorities straight. Thanks Juan!

To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and
the affection of little children, to earn the appreciation of honest
critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to
find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by
healthy child, a friend, or a shared memory...to know even one life has
breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!

-Emerson

Merry Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to Everyone! I have already received so many wonderful gifts and it is not even Christmas yet!

1. Some little someone snuck in my yard and decorated my watchdeer.
2. My husband is making all of Christmas Eve dinner tonight.
3. A very nice older gentleman saw me enter a crowded parking lot from afar and waited until I was near in my car to pull out so that I could have his space. He was a crusty old fellow too, and insisted that I roll down my window so that he could tell me Merry Christmas.
4. I sold three (yes, three) of my felted bags.
5. I have made wonderful new friends this year in blogland.
6. Every night this month, two of my cats tousle with each other to determine who gets to sleep with me ( I feel so loved).
7. My rescued kitten is now eating out the big cat bowls in the kitchen and has overcome 80% of his fear of humans.

Do you believe in elves?

I do! Some little elf or two snuck in my yard last night and left a little Christmas cheer. My eye caught something bright in the very front of our yard this morning when I was walking past the front windows.

Bennett our watch deer was rather brightly adornedfor the season! Thank you sneaky elf.

Peep the cat, by me.

This is Peep, painted by moi, in "felt pens" using a free downloadable program called Artrage. You can get this wonderful free program here: Art Rage

Another uncle story

When I was supposed to be working and was instead perusing various online advent calendars, I read this Christmas story and it made me smile:Advent Calendar story

Christmas Etouffe at Uncle Mark's

My Uncle Mark has always been the best contributor in our families' culinary tradition. For years he has bucked tradition and brought cheesecakes for Thanksgiving desserts, usually one plain cheesecake and one semi-experimental one (one year we had milk chocolate walnut cheesecake). He hosts a casual family get together the Saturday before Christmas and always provides an unexpected menu, that for me is always welcome amidst the turkey, cheese logs, ham and other dishes that are prevalent at every other Christmas function attended. Yesterday, was the best ever. (even better than last year' s menu of homemade corncakes and an array of southern barbecue). The menu:  Homemade Shrimp etouffee (no recipe, just by whim), popcorn rice, crowder peas (well, why not?) and the most delicious spinach salad with fresh oranges, pecans, mushrooms that shall reside permanently on my top ten list  of salads. The dressing was a collaboration of a junior league recipe that he coupled with his imagination and whim - sweet, but not cloyingly so, and tart. Mark, how about that recipe for us?  I am off now to a traditional Christmas brunch with my parents, and I know that I will be longing for some spicy etouffe... Bud, your chocolate pies were lovely too.

Sorry no pics. But you don't really want to see my extended family eating, now, do you?

Late Friday night, I stopped in my scramble to finish my Christmas presents and began making something for me.  It is intended to be a scarf, shawl that will dress up any plain outfit that I have. I have decided to intersperse rows of beige Rowan kid silk haze that is so fine and delicate that it disappears into the air.

a few hand made things...

Admittedly I got the idea for these little trees from Lyn at Molly Chicken . Mine are different enough I believe to avoid an legal action. Anyhoo, thanks for the idea Lyn.

And along the same line, I posted about a pillow the other day (just scroll down, it seems so L.A. to put a link in for a post just down the page a bit) and decided that I would make my own version in my own colors and such. Here she is. I kind of like her. She has a little brother that will make an appearance shortly.

I have almost wrapped up Christmas, but not wrapped for Christmas. I have been collecting various and sundry treats for my mother -in-law Pat (who is really fun to buy for because, like me, she likes to cook and sew. Unlike me she is a very very skilled quilter and seamstress). I left the room for a minute and my greyhound decimated two lovely organic chocolate bars for cooking. Sorry, Pat. Other than that, gifting is going along nicely, but for the fact that the remaining sock hanging out of my Christmas list suitcase is a gift for my husband. Off now to watch the Grinch and look at Christmas cookie recipes...

 

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to Bon Bon

One of my favorite websites is Natalie at  BonBon , I am a daily surfer, however, I cannot figure out how to leave comments. So here is a belated Happy Birthday and an early Merry Christmas to a very talented blogger!

no camera, no problem

So what if I can't post my own pictures, there are plenty pretty things on the net to post, such as this KoKo Beddign Company pillow, which I thinks is total yum. You can get it here: Pillows and Throws

I can make something like this can't I?

Boring blogger

So I have been a bad blogger lately. But, it is that time of the year, I have to hurriedly get all my continuting legal education credits, get the house clean after renovations that left all parts of the house with a fine sheen of dust, decorate, and generally be chipper given the season.
On to happier things, here is a progress report on my tangerine bag as promises. My contractor told me it looked like it had tiny little pizzas all over it.

Thanks to all my friends participating in the Christmas card swap. I have been receiving the loveliest cards all with lovely vintage hankies enclosed. What a treat.

And now, presenting the gift for every Republican on your list. The Dubya moving paper toy. You can get it here: Paper Pino . There are some free downloadable paper toys that are worth checking out too. Thanks to MeggieCat for the link.

Here is my mom's wonderful chocolate tart recipe. They are so easy and delish, perfect for Christmas gifts.

Dixie's Mom’s chocolate tarts

 
12 tart shells

 2 eggs

1 ½ cups sugar

2 squares of unsweetened chocolate (full square, i.e both pieces)

1/3 cup milk

1 stick butter ( the real McCoy only)

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/8 salt

 
Melt butter and chocolate together. Cool slightly so eggs don’t cook. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Put in uncooked tart shells. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Do not overcook.

 Enjoy. I like them with homemade whipped cream with a dash of bourbon and confectioner's sugar.

Hello walls

My camera is on the blink so no craft updates. I did however, find these cool wall decals at Modern Seed:

In case anyone reading this wants to know

a great little hostess gift/stocking stuffer, that is quirky, unique and useful. It's these little egglings and you can get them at Sprout Home. Sprout Home has tons and tons of other peculiar, but divine gifts, and the prices are all reasonable.
 

I thought these were interesting as far as fungi go. Basil mushrooms I think they are called.

Then, this felted garland, got me thinking about all those snippets and blobs of felt that I have. Garlands don't have to be made from perfect circles, after all.

Fun projects with Kids for Xmas break

I have been stockpiling ideas for keeping my little one happy, busy, mesmerized by the holidays and away from the television. One of them is making some of these delightful free toys and such at: the ToyMaker.

A nifty cat bag

A tiny theatre featuring the adventures of Florimel

A little truck that you can fill with chocolates (what a great stocking stuffer)

and naturally, a little marble mouse to make for my mischevious felines

Some of my handiwork

This is the stocking that I made for Ms. Robyn of Daily Parcels for the vintage Christmas stocking swap that she hosted. This is upholstery weight velvet along with a vintage lace doily that my mom gave me. I knitted the flowers and used some vintage beads for embellishment. The leaves on the flowers are some of my knitted felt. Here she is...

I turn my back for a minute

Today, my contractor was at our house doing various and sundry home improvements. Two of my hooligans took the opportunity to jump in his van when no one was looking. We couldn't find them and then we saw this (look closely on the passenger seat side):

Upon closer inspection, this:

More treats in the mail...

Today I received my seasonal swap pampering package from Laurie (the cat saint) at Rose Cottage. Lucky me! Another beautifully wrapped package...

Enclosed were Thymes lavender bath salts (I adore lavender), a beautiful box of Tea forte which (which I have been dying to try) and lastly a funny little cat ornament. Laurie's home was devasted by the hurricaine, but she still managed to rescue an itty bitty kitten that she found amongst the detritious, see Baby Nala here. Thank you so much Laurie! Purrs to Nala.