Looking back? At what?

2010 IN REVIEW!!! 
I've been reading over so many blogs the last week and seeing everyone's accomplishments for 2010; and well, I've already posted what my intentions are for 2011 in my HOPE TO list-- so what did I accomplish this year?


I have no idea where to start!  I've had lots of irons in the fire and honestly-- I don't know that I've actually FINISHED VERY MANY PROJECTS...


We'll see by the end of this post, won't we?


Let's see  I did some work on furniture-

and received an honorable mention from



 
 ...you can read about it here.




I had some help creating a cute little place to put my magazine...(this was while I was still on my previous blog..but it got rave reviews and everyone still loves my little MAG-WAGON... 

Mag-wagon

I participated in my first workshop ,with Donna from FJI giving us TONS OF ENCOURAGEMENT!!! I didn't win votes for BEST WORKSPACE... but in the end WE WERE ALL WINNERS  cause we ended having a super cool place to work!  NOT TO MENTION IT WAS FUN!!!!!

Workshop

I also feel like I've accomplished much this year with HONEY being NEWLY retired. 

We've worked together on a few projects...

Our Pawn shop Saturday scored a new camera and chainsaw! 

Prioritizing projects beginning with the bedroom- His and Her Empty Nest -a place of Peace! 

The Frankenshelves. 

Now please take note-- in the process of this year, I moved my blog to the current URL and I hope to have all of those posts moved one day. In the mean time clicking some of these photos takes you to 

Simply Casual (dash)Cottage   

AKA: Corn in My Coffee Pot (before moving URL's)  Yes it's complicated but Here I am now. 

While looking to see what HAS BEEN accomplished-- I've seen that I've left some projects unfinished (frankenshelves are NOT painted STILL!!!) and some are still JUST ideas waiting to be hashed out-- I'm a true procrastinator AT HEART. I'm not braggin' (as we say here in TEXAS) -- just stating the facts!  

I hope to do better. Hey! there is another thing to add to my HOPE TO list!!! 

Hope to NOT procrastinate so much. 

The other thing WAY MORE worth looking back on for 2010 

are the new additions to our family 

and the Gratefulness to God for tending his littlest sheep! 

The Cousins-- 

Easton 





Emily... 


And lastly-- 
I'm glad to look back on a year of blogging and seeing a community of new found friends!  I've enjoyed getting to know so many of you throughout the year of blogging.  So many women have a heart for caring for their homes, families, marriages, children and Glorifying God in their homes-- it is a blessing to see a renewed interest in women's hearts having a bent toward homemaking!  


Which brings me to today!!  
I got to meet a blogger buddy in person - I'm so excited to have made a connection with my new friend Lezlee     
from 'Priorlives' 





She is such a beautiful Godly person--we had lunch and chatted it up for 1 1/2 and still had a ton to talk about if time had allowed.  I feel like I've made a friend for life! 


And...I had my camera in my purse and can you believe it?  I didn't get a shot of us together!  UH! what was a thinking?  We were so busy talking... I just forgot. But we had an enjoyable time! She brought me two bags of old magazines... one of my many vises...and we have such similar interests it is hilarious! 




That's it ...that's my list.  I think I'm linking up here.... 

God Bless you 
and 
Thanks for reading! 

No, it isn't cORn

In the coffee pot this time....

Yesterday I wrote a HOPE TO list and named off just a smattering of ideas that I'd like to pursue in the coming year. You can read it entirely here.

Number 2 on my list was gardening. 

The put -veggies- on- the- table type of gardening. 

Well, this is a little project I've stumbled into EARLY sort of... 

This is my GROW LIGHT....

...and these are...

 TOMATOES IN MY BATHTUB!!!!!!

Crazy I know! I just couldn't help it. We grew these tomatoes from seed.  IN THE SPRING!!! We nurtured them all summer long through sweltering temperatures and then when things FINALLY started to cool down ...Oh, I'd say around OCTOBER!!!!!! There was this potted tomato plant with little blooms ALL OVER IT!!!! 

Then ...the temps got low at night so we brought this baby inside and well... 

In a few days ...were gonna EAT 'EM!!!!!

You can't make this stuff up folks. 

God Bless you 

and 

Thanks for reading!!!

My HOPE TO list-

With the NEW YEAR  approaching it seems like I am always in the mind set to save money, re-organize, and re-assess our needs, priorities and goals. 
It seems like I'm not alone!  
I've read lots of blogs today and many of you have the same ideas! Go figure... 
I knew there was a reason I like reading your blogs!  


...New ideas, new challenges, a New Year with new steam behind our motivation to push us to living lives more frugally, more simply and less cluttered with material possessions. 


Some of you are taking it upon yourselves to shop with a smaller budget in mind for groceries.  
Some of you are looking forward to new decorating projects. 
Some of you are looking forward to new careers and entrepreneurial endeavors!  


-- BEST WISHES TO YOU ALL!
Since I've been thinking this way too- 
 I thought I'd share a few of the things I'm hoping to accomplish in the New Year-- 


1. I'm hoping to learn a new skill-- namely Tatting.  My Granny was learning to tat right before she passed almost 15 years ago and my Great -Grandmother tatted; I have a sampling of both their works.  I'm fascinated by this almost lost skill/art and am looking very forward to learning.


2. I am also looking forward to gardening this year (seriously gardening)  Like having -vegetables- and -herbs at- every- meal -gardening!  I am hoping to save money on groceries too. I've been researching square foot gardening and raised bed gardening.  
I have a little something I may post later in the next day or so about this RENEWED interest. 


3. I am also looking into bartering and hoping to finding some willing and friendly people to exchange goods, work, and material items with in order to keep cost down for myself and others. 


4. In the home, on the decorating front-- I have a list that is sooooo long
but here are a few things I'm hoping to accomplish just to give you an idea! 


*upholstery (hope to get that project done, AND SOON!) 
* kitchen  

• Honey wants to try making a butcher block counter top (we need new counters) 
• re-doing the kitchen floors (we have several ideas on this- we're undecided at the moment)  
• re-working some of the cabinets-- COST EFFICIENTLY 

* Getting the 2 spare bedrooms livable again-- 

When did I become a HOARDER?  (THAT is another post!) 

* And when the weather is right-- I hope to get the barn and the shed cleaned out!   We have lots of items to sell and lots of items to re-purpose and lots of items to REDISCOVER- I'm SURE! 

So that is my HOPE TO... list for 2011---

Now I must fall back re-group and face the new year with vigor and AMBITION! 

What are you HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH for the new year?  

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And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.  Colossians 3:17

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God Bless you 

and 

Thanks for reading! 

PS-- I have a new button for my blog-AT THE TOP OF MY SIDE BAR. SO... don't forget to PUT THE KETTLE ON   before you leave!      

It looks like this-- 

            

A Cooking experiment and Tablescape

Well, plans DO change, don't they?  

I had posted in an earlier post that we'd be alone on Christmas and not be seeing any family-- 

WHAT WAS I THINKING?  

We have one son that is single and well, the last 3 years has spent Christmas day with us. 

Seriously, who forgets things like that?  

Then out of the clear blue the oldest son calls and says 

something like, 'Hey Mom, what are you and dad doing on Christmas?' 

Me, being sharp like a tack and excellent at 'recovery'...

Said, 'Why, I'm cooking Christmas dinner for your dad, brother, myself and your family, OF COURSE' 

He said, 'What time?' 

We've got to eat right? 

So, this is a post about my Christmas dinner with the boys and one SWEET DIL and one very precious grand-daughter! 

Alright- I haven't had many cooking posts here at CORN; 

desperate times call for desperate measures. 

I really needed a dessert. I had a boxed mix SPICE CAKE but no bundt pan.

 I came up with an 'on the spot' fix for making this cake for Christmas dinner. 

I washed this can really well-- but didn't remove the paper. (my thoughts were the paper has a waxed coating on it) I also buttered it. Hind sight being what it is-- I should have taken the paper off. 

OH,  and I might add I didn't have a big enough pan or two round cake pans either- so I used my 10 inch cast-iron skillet.  I've made corn bread in it so I figured this would work well. 

For the sake of REALITY BLOGGING---yes, this is what I did. 

 Now, I should have put water in the can to keep it in place, because once the cake began to rise, well the tin can fell over into the cake and made a complete mess of it. 

I  made necessary adjustments-got the cake out and let it cool, flipped it onto a cake plate 

and below is the finished product. 

 My bundt!  Complete with powdered sugar icing. 

As you can see the HOLE is NOT round...

oh well.

I sliced it and served it to my family! 

***********************************************************

The next two photos are of my table. 

I've never EVER done a table-scape and taken photos.  

If you've read Corn in My Coffee Pot for very long at all...

You KNOW I have an eat in kitchen; a table-scape doesn't make great photos. BLECH!

So these photos are cropped-- that makes for better viewing, believe me. 

Cue dream sequence music...

I thought it turned out pretty. 

The red transfer ware were my great grandmother's -- they are pretty and red. So I used 'em! 

The print on them is from the Homer Laughlin- HISTORICAL AMERICA collection. 

These have a depiction of Betsy Ross and the American Flag. 

...ssshh!!!

The go really well with my Good Will  Corel, don't you think? 

The candlesticks were made by  Honey in wood-shop about 43 years ago. 

They are part of the inherited pieces from MIL home. 

Cue music from PSYCHO ...

Now I should probably tell you-- after the cake NEAR DISASTER, the cornish-game hens took way longer to cook than the recipe stated. By the time they were finished cooking- we were FAMISHED. 

I mean, we had already set down to eat and noticed they were NOT done --no CLEAR JUICES. 

So back in the oven they went...FAMISHED I TELL YOU!  

Finally, they're done after  another 1 1/2 hours.

All of this is going on while a second wave of guests pops in (they think we've already eaten) so we visit a bit before they head on their way.  

Just as we are about to sit down for the second time-- I decide the ribbon should probably come off the table..

Now, mind you, our glasses have iced-tea in them. 

And...

I spilled mine and ruined about half the deviled eggs.

By the time we sat down to eat. 

Not only was I famished; but a little edgy too. 

When it was all said and done-- I decided if it came down to having a mixed up crazy dinner with part of my family-- or having a perfect dinner without incident just Honey and I. 

I'll prefer mixed up and crazy any day of the week. 

Especially at Christmas! 

Oh ! 

and I received one of the best compliments too. 

My daughter in law told me everything looked so nice. She thought it was pretty. 

That made my day! 

That is my Christmas story- 

I'll be transcribing this one into the family Holiday Journal too. 

**************************

and sharing it here...

God Bless you 

and 

thank you for reading! 

Merry Christmas-

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

but made himself nothing,

taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to death—

even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

Philippians 2:5-11

Merry Christmas 

and 

Thanks for reading!

OH, Christmas Tree, indeed!

Everyone has been posting about real trees this year  and that's cool. 

But for me-- artificial is the way to go. 

It gets so dry here and we heat our home with a wood burning stove-- so I  feel much more at ease with artificial.   Plus, I like the fact that I don't have to make that purchase year after year. We've not had a real tree in 20 years. 

I suppose it's personal preference really.  

Anyway,My son dropped my camera off today on his way through to work; And I get to post some pictures of our tree!  

I usually cover my tree top to bottom with ornaments. The more the merrier. But this years theme, for me,is less is more.  NOT TO MENTION EASY! 

This is the first year to use the tulle on my tree. I like how it turned out.

The first year we were married we received a gift set of bells from an Uncle for Christmas-- they're from JC Penny. They are The Twelve Days of Christmas themed.

                                 Two Turtle Doves. 

I'm not showing all twelve-- but you get the idea. The cranberries are wooden- I love the deep red and how they mimic real cranberries! 

Below is one of the last of 4 Norman Rockwell Christmas balls that I have. 

I loved these little balls they've been some of my favorites over the years-- I bought these at a thrift years ago-- when times were tougher than they are now. We didn't have money for a tree and our neighbor loaned us a little 4 ft. table top tree.  I loved that Christmas-- my babies were small and they had that eagerness for Christmas- I remember REJOICING in the small things- miracles really, that we had that year. 

This year our tree sits in the same spot it did last  year.  I'm only showing this picture to keep it real for ya... It makes me laugh!   

You can't tell if the angel is topping the tree...OR riding that Bass on the wall! 

Go ahead, you can look again if you need to, I'll wait. 

                                                    

My perfectly shaped tree. (I was playing around with my photo shop program...humor me,please.)

 Real, Artificial, FLOCKED, DRoooooPY, tWigGY, LEANING... there really is no perfect tree. 

Except for this one. 

That is what the Christ child was born for-

-- to die upon a tree for those he came to save. 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 

God bless you this Christmas

and 

Thanks for reading! 

New families- Christmas traditions

Ok, So I got over my dull drums mode and am ready to post for Christmas! 

Better late than never I suppose. 

I finally got our tree up. YAY! 

Had to...I had presents wrapped but no place to put them. 

I guess I could have stacked them up all nice and neat in the corner... but not very festive. 

Besides I wanted a tree--FINALLY! 

I don't have a picture of it yet; but believe me it is finally up. 

My camera is being borrowed by my oldest son. 

His baby's first Christmas... so I'll show pictures of the tree later, or NOT, I'd rather have pictures of my grand-daughter on her first Christmas than showing you pictures of some ol' tree...

In the mean time here is a picture of His and my Daughter in laws tree! 

We had a Christmas party at their home last weekend.  It was fun.  They live in a small apartment and it was pretty crowded. But TONS of fun-- 

My daughter in- law is a traditional kind of gal, I'm finding out. 

And she is eager to make some traditions for their family. 

She baked ginger bread and let everyone know to bring whatever type of decorations you wanted to have on your gingerbread house. 

Now- I'm here to tell ya...

I've never in 45 years constructed a gingerbread house. NEVER! 

The closest I've come is building a log cabin was with Lincoln Logs or Popsicle sticks...(smile) 

You'll see what I mean below- 

This is my gingerbread CABIN!  YES! underneath those huge pretzel sticks (logs) is gingerbread. 

Now you must forgive-- Honey had the camera that day as my hands were a little- A LOT messy. 

Below is the back view of my CABIN. 

It's awful. I know. You can laugh if you want to... I did!  

 This next house isn't complete.  Some reason we didn't get a final picture of this little gingerbread house. 

Oh yes!  Honey was man-ing the camera. 

This is Daughter-in law's house. She used marshmallow cream for her snow.  

Gooey.  

Oh and she ran out of gingerbread and made hers out of graham cracker.  

It turned out really cute in the end. 

Now my youngest son- brought his version of the gingerbread house. Only his is complete with cabin and "brick" walkway, corral, and swing-set.  It is TEXAS style ranch/farm gingerbread  chocolate cake! 

 Notice the animals in the corral? And the lush green pasture?

The last one is my youngest daughters...she made this cute little gingerbread house in the midst of the mess on the table-- let me tell you, there were toppings every where. AND!!! she traded off doing this on occasion while doing "mommy duty" for 2 children !

ADORABLE! 

 I had such a great time doing this.  I had such high hopes for my gingerbread CABIN.  But folks, let me tell ya... 

THIS IS WAY HARDER THAN IT LOOKS! 

Christmas is just a few days away-- 

I hope that you all have a Merry Christmas- 

REJOICE IN THE GIFT OF GOD'S SON---

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

ISAIAH 9:6

thank you for reading!