Winter time and taking it slow

 I have been lazy lately, not wanting to do much of anything except that needs to be done.    Time to sit back and rest up for the next season.  Hasn't been too terribly cold this past week.  I am hoping for more colder temps and more snow.  

Meanwhile I have been working on my bead picture.  I love doing this, relaxes me.

These are the square beads; I think I like working with the round ones better.

Gotta make sure the squares stay lined up.  Some of mine aren't. 

Enjoying one of my favorite snack foods while beading, pistachios.   

I have enough hobbies going on at the moment, but I had to order alcohol paints.

I am going to do a picture with them next.  I saw where they can be mixed with some clear glue to make some nice little stained-glass pictures or suncatchers.  I like working with real stained glass but it's too cold at the moment to take that back up in the garage.  I have two unfinished small ones that I need to solder. 

I found this on Pinterest and so many more ideas than I needed at the moment.  Glue and alcohol paints are what I am going to use.

on to other things like getting up from here and getting a little exercise.  Getting the last few items to the attic from Christmas would be nice.  Yes Christmas, it has been a while.  No hurry, obviously.

This box has my two elves that my Granddaughter found for me, one last year I saw in a window in Fredericksburg Va.  she found the same one here in a thrift store and had her mom get for me. 

The other one is one she found for me this Christmas.  She said there is a male elf and I told her to put a bug in Santa's ear for this year.  I love these, so colorful and fun. Here boxed to return to storage. 

I just noticed a little mending needing to be done on the apron with flower trim.

Some candles I made from old pickle jars and glue, Epsom salt, more glue and snow with an addition of sparkles.  Winter sparkle I call them.  I make sure I seal well so none of the fluff I call it comes off and it doesn't.  I use real votives for light inside and battery if I have them. 

Nice glow they give and not just for Christmas.  I guess I could actually add a little heart to the front.

Well this is what I have been up to for the moment anyway.  I have been reading in between.  Taking some ideas from my Cosy book.  

That's it for the moment.  

Betsy 😄

Rain, snow and shopping

It's the way it's been this past two weeks.  I wish it would snow good just one time.

Took a day drive out Route 33 in Montpelier Va. two weeks ago to a little shop called Plum Pickings not too far from us. 

The Christmas window display still up.  Adorable

short clip of decoration

I found a few little things like some earrings and bracelet. 

Amazonite stone.  I have several chunks of Amazonite from a mine in Virginia that used to be open for anyone to come purchase a pail and look for stones.  It's still closed and I wish it would reopen.

Amelia mines is what I think it was called. 

Stone of hope

A cute 60ish Christmas decoration

I think this will be easy to make. 

Little mistletoe sprigs on the bottom

For five dollars, frosted fruit in pretty bowl. The bowl is heavy. Not sure what it's made of. 

Across the road from the thrift store is this nice old barn.  I don't see a lot like this one around here much these days. By the looks of this one, it may not be around too much longer, I hope it is though.

On another outing More treasures I was lucky to find and have always wanted were these soup bowls with handles.

These were in a little thrift store in my area, and I had to grab them before they were gone.

I got six sets at $4.00 a set.

Wedgewood EDME

Made in England 

I made potato and corn chowder, or as my sister and brother-in-law say from Maine "Chowda"

On a tray down to the den for my husband

Chowder with bacon bits and cheese on top, I always sprinkle mine with nutmeg. Salad with a ham and cheese on rye with pineapple mustard.  Dredged in egg and then grilled with butter. 

It rained so hard a few weeks ago that the slash near our drive was filling and so thankful it was flowing at the same time.  Lot of rain.

Another day trip to Afton Virginia in Rockfish Gap area, beautiful scenery to be enjoyed and two thrift stores.  We like to visit.  

Rockfish Gap is a wind Gap.  Located in Blue Ridge mountains between Charlottesville and Waynesboro Va. through Afton Mountain which is frequently used to refer to the gap. 
 

Rockfish Gap country store and sister store Greenwood Unique's and Antiques.

The latter store is sitting not too far in the bend down this gorgeous drive.

There are grape orchards growing a little further down.  Virginia has some good wine.

I purchased this Rum Apple Butter.  We purchased other things like an outdoor plant holder with wheels to be able to push some pots around on the patio easier without lifting. 

Our drive home

The next day

It's all gone

we had some snow on Friday but that is gone now. 

I want one good snow!

I purchased this cute lil heater to help out the mini split on the jalousie porch in which those jalousies should be replace as there is air that comes in between them, no matter what I do.  The curtains help in the winter to hold some of it.  Actually, helped a lot.  I don't know, will see.  Not the top of my list right now. The simulated fire can be turned down for brightness levels and there are two levels for heat and fan.

A tiny parlor stove would be nice out here. 

That's it for now

Will see what tomorrow brings.

BH