A Forest of Trees!

HELP! I'm living in a forest and I can't get out!!
HAHA!

Hubby has started making wood turned trees and they are absolutely beautiful! I have sold several
for Christmas gifts so I thought I would share them with you in case anyone is interested.

Each one is unique and they are also different sizes. I didn't have time to really stage them so I just took
a few photos. 

He amazes me. He has worked as a machinist with metal for over 40 years and this came
natural to him. His brother-in-law gave him a lathe and he loves playing around with it. One day I
said "you should try and make a tree" and the rest is history. He loves turning wood and that
is a 'good thing' as Martha says.

Has the GM strike hit your household? It just hit ours. His factory supplies parts for GM and this is
his first week of layoff. ugh. I sure hope they get this strike settled soon. In the meantime, he will
keep making trees. It keeps him busy and out of my hair. Just kidding!

Trees range from $20-$45 depending on size, base etc.

Give me a hollar if you think you might want one. My email link is on the left side of my page.
Happy Fall everyone!!

Please remove your shoes(and don't take a better pair when you leave!}

What do you think of this sign?

I just laughed and laughed when I first saw it, but I also thought I
NEEDED IT.

We just put new carpet in the living room that is light
colored and no shoes are allowed nor is any food or drinks.

First time I saw the sign it was marked down from 19.99 to 14.99.
I didn't get it.

Next time it was marked down to 9.99.
I got it...and I LOVE it!

I've been doing a little decorating here and there. This is really not exactly like I want it, but
I got tired of messing with it so it is what it is. Does that ever happen to you?  Most days
I love to decorate, but some days it just doesn't fall together so I give up. yep.
I guess I'm a quitter...of sorts. :)

You are probably wondering what the BELIEVE chalkboard has to do with the decor.
Absolutely nothing! HA! It is my word of the year and has been there since
January 1 and I just can't change it. It was a very appropriate word I might add.
With all the changes our family has been through this year I have to BELIEVE
that everything will be okay.

I also wanted to share a new fountain with you that was just installed in Bryan, Ohio.
I call it a local town because we are there every other day it seems. Okay, maybe
not quite the often, but a lot!  Isn't the fountain just beautiful?

This is kinda random, but this past week a HUGE part of our willow tree
FELL DOWN...GO BOOM!

Hubby was contemplating cutting this part of the tree down because it was splitting, but
he didn't have a chance. We woke up one morning and he looked out the window like he
always does and said, "Well, I guess I don't have to cut the tree down". We were
floored! HOW did we not hear this huge tree fall in the night? 

Thanking God that it didn't come down on the house!
As you can see it just missed it so someone was looking out for us that is for sure.
I am also very thankful that it didn't come down when hubby or I were mowing
underneath it. That would not have been good.

We have a lot of it cut up and hauled off to an area on our property, but we still have the largest
part of the trunk to get cut up. We do a little at a time because we are OLD and we just
 can't handle hours and hours at a time. :)

While we were outside working on the tree, hubby showed me this hornets nest in another tree
in front of our house. There doesn't appear to be any activity at all so it must be an old one.

I just can't believe it is almost the end of October already!! The fall colors this year were
spectacular in Michigan! I took a lot of photos and am overwhelmed by the beauty that
God creates for us every year.

Oh, one more thing...we have a new granddaughter!!! Grandchild #9!! She was born
yesterday to my oldest son and his family. They now have three sweeties.
Keira, Kanaan and now Korrah  Michelle Boothman. She weighed 6 lbs and 8 ounces
and was 19.5 inches long. Born around 4:30 pm. We hope to visit them on Sunday
and get a few snuggles in.

Happy fall day to each and every one of you!!
Blessings~

Friendship Tree

I have been spending a lot of time lately rearranging my studio along with adding a floor
 length chalkboard {more on that on a later post}, and gray washing my pie safe that
stores all my linens and it has kept me very busy and tired! :)  It  has also led me to adding
special pieces to this little tree.

I call it my "Friendship Tree".

I picked up this little wire cutie a year or so ago at a friends shop who was selling and moving
out of the state. I only paid like a couple bucks for it and I knew it had to come home with me.

I have always been a "detail" person and just love the bits and bobs that come along
with ordering things in the mail. I started hanging them on this tree and each time I
look at it and see a specific tag , I think of the person who sent it to me.

I just added this tulle bow with the "OH JOY" tag. I won it in a Christmas in July
giveaway.

This JDL fabric tag and lace was on one of the scarves that I ordered last year.
Love it!

I have shown this heart tag before. Becky over at Timewashed sent this to me along with some other
goodies awhile ago.  As you can see I haven't removed it from the tag yet because I love it as is. 

I can't highlight each and every tag, but believe me there are several and there is room for many more so I
shall keep filling it up. It just makes me happy.

What makes you happy?


I hope you had a wonderful weekend and that you will have an awesome week ahead!
Blessings~

*** A little Christmas magic ***

I thought I would give you a mini tour of my home all decorated for Christmas today.

So grab a cup of tea and some cookies and pretend that I am having an open house.

I do hope you enjoy it. *smile*

{Haven't figured out yet how to hide that thermostat or telephone yet}

I made a few of these cards this year, but not nearly enough.

They are prettier than the pic shows with tinsel glitter and a Swarovski rhinestone added
to each one.

I love these gray clay pots that I scored at a sale a few years ago. I am using them for
candleholders.

I think some photos got left out so I hope to add them another day along with my advent calendar
that Sandi over at The Cottage Muse blog inspired me to make. I LOVE how it turned out!

Hubby is still job hunting and really doesn't expect to find anything until after the holidays,
but please continue to  keep us in your prayers.

Merry Christmas to all of my wonderful peeps in blog land. I never dreamed when I started on
this journey a few years ago where it would take me. It has been a huge blessing in my life!!

Hugs~