The House Looks Pretty Anyway

I'm going to skip talking about my teeth/bone grafts because that's only interesting to me. It was/is bad. I'm trying to avoid thinking about it as much as possible. Pardon my swollen face in these photos-that might be with me for a bit. 

 Let's talk about neglected items instead, starting with this lovely little Walborg evening bag. It is roomier than it appears, having space to accommodate all my necessities. If memory serves, it was on a shelf with scarves and hats at Hand-Me-Ups. Could have easily missed it.

Big pieces starting with a silver bracelet from Mexico, a giant unmarked brooch, and some dangling clip earrings in the same smoky silver.

Sitting on the stairs looking like a moody teenager.

Suede skirt and boots are vintage. Sweater came from Kohls around 2005. It is wool with metallic thread shot through. Sort of a timeless style with the giant cowl neck. 

70s velour Vanity Fair robe that everyone's mother had (in the US anyway). My mother's was brown (how very 70s). I'm not sure how I feel about it, but as a neglected piece it only seemed fair to give it another chance. 

This 70s Sears robe definitely isn't going anywhere. I mean, come on-green!

Plenty of casual attire as I recuperate. Another sparkly sweater, this one from the 80s.

This one is getting packed away until warmer weather returns.

I didn't leave the house like this. I changed into proper shoes first 😀

I did a dairy free/diabetic sugar-free makeover to blueberry muffins. Almond flour is versatile, and turns what would otherwise be nutritionally lacking into a protein rich treat. Aldi has almond flour that's much less expensive than what I'd been buying, and every bit as good. Or so I'm told-I just bake the stuff.

The panettone were baked with regular flour and sugar as the diabetic doesn't care for it. The second one is in the freezer. 

Runzas/Bierocks (cabbage and beef in bread dough) made sugar free and with rye flour. I have so much rye flour left from fair baking that I need to use it in novel ways. This was a good combination. Next time might try some ground caraway. 

I didn't have the energy to make a proper gingerbread house this year, but wanted to do something.I refuse to purchase a kit that is $$$ and looks terrible anyway, so I made a batch of royal icing and stuck some lebkuchen together. And look, Curious George has made his first appearance of the holiday season. We don't do Elf on the Shelf nonsense, but George has a way of turning up on trees and birthday cakes. Dan adored that little chap as a small child, and we have quite a lot of George items to show for it. If I'm honest, George has a place in my heart as well. 

The Omaha Spinners and Weavers Guild had their annual show the weekend before Thanksgiving and it did not disappoint. This tiny felted baby came home as a gift for Dan, and is currently snuggled in the Christmas tree where all kittens long to be! The detail on this is wonderful-look at those itty bitty toe beans!

Also bought Dan two pair of alpaca socks as he'd been admiring mine (mine have held up for years). They're a good investment, and warm. Had a chance to speak with the alpaca farmer and tell her how much I appreciate the socks all winter. She invited us to come visit the farm, and as it is closer by than I'd known, we're going to take her up on the invite. Anything we can do outdoors is welcome, and who doesn't love alpacas. They're such sweet animals. Very much looking forward to that.

Dan is delighted with his new socks. They're perfect for sleeping in the cold season. And it has been cold. Really cold. Not as cold as it can get, but it is very early to be this cold. January and February are more typical for these temperatures.

If nothing else I can make sure my baby's feet are warm. 

Dan decorated the (fake) Christmas tree this year. He also assembled it. It looks so beautiful, and I enjoy having the lights on in the early morning as I move through the quiet house doing things before everyone wakes up. I try to eek out a bit of time early, so have been getting up at 4 AM. The tree makes lovely company, and is as nice a way to start the day as I can think of.

Dan's homemade decorations from when he was small.

He decorated the gingerbread people this year as well. The recipe I use has vegetable shortening instead of butter, and wrapped tightly in treat bags they will last for months. After Christmas the cookies get eaten, or ground up to thicken sauces, and even feed the odd squirrel that's bold enough to sit beside my sliding glass door in some sort of protest, demanding food. If you haven't tried using ground up gingerbread to make sauces or gravy, do give it a try. I'm always a little sad when we finally run out of them near spring as it works so nicely and adds a festive touch to something simple like dumplings.

The Ghost of Christmas Past. I started a tradition as a joke putting an Easter Peep into the Christmas candy dish. This year I've trapped a ghost left from Halloween. Those chocolate Father Christmas candies are Rohan (from France), and are delicious. I bought them as decorations, and it is taking every bit of strength I possess to resist eating them in a single go. That's the danger of using good chocolate as holiday decor.

I made a new wreath for the door this year. Farah Fawcet doll (she's an Angel after all), tiny mirrored disco balls from the dollar store (more like $1.25 now), and some doves. It gets laughs from people that get it. I'm pleased with my artwork. I'm not generally creative or crafty, but this came out well.

The holiday dishes are unpacked, washed, and in service. I love seeing them every year.

There's nothing prettier than red cabbage on a blue plate. Fight me, white plate people.

Dan selected these when he was about four. They were in the after Christmas sales which is obviously the best time to purchase holiday items.

These plates are heavy.

There's more, but I won't bore you with dish patterns. This time of year I try to make an effort with meal presentation as it is cold, dreary, and the food tends to be photogenic things like chili and curry. A fun plate/bowl goes a long way.

Back to outfits.

I don't love this acrylic cardigan, and will be moving it along. I've had it for years, almost never wear it, and even now that there's a bit more room in it (it was always small), that hasn't changed the fact that it slips around my shoulders (or lack of). Someone will make use of it, and adore it. That's the beauty of thrift shopping.

I really nailed the 70s look with clog boots and a denim skirt though. 

This was shortly after the extraction and no makeup.

Leather blazer, loden skirt, warm sweater, heavy knit tights. Works for me.

Holiday brooch time.

The wall is up.

This one too. Those are 12 Days of Christmas place mats from the 50s. I found them unused still in their gift packet from a long-gone insurance company.

The artwork is rather lovely.

I like this perspective-it makes me look like a giant!

And back to regular size.

The copper belt was another find sitting in a bin of scarves and odds and ends. It needed some small repairs, but for $3.99 I was happy to do them. I've always wanted a copper band belt, but knew eventually I'd find one in a thrift store. I'm good at resisting the temptation to purchase things online. 

My awkward attempt to show brooch, belt, earrings, and bracelet in one photo. I'm never going to be the person that labours over photographs. Sorry.

This Betsey Johnson bag is falling apart, and needs to go. I love it, but it has lived a good long life of use and can now be stripped for4 interesting parts and disposed of. The body itself is worn, so there's not much I can do for it.

Such a cute interior as well. Sigh. Oh well, nothing lasts forever, and this Y2K bag probably lasted longer than intended.

What I'm not doing is re-donating it to the thrift store. At some point, people need to just dispose of things. I'm finding worse and worse stuff hitting the sales floor because people are essentially donating garbage. If it is too trashed for use, recycle what you can for parts and then dispose of it. (lecture over).

Another holiday brooch. I'm making an effort to get them worn this year.

Dressed for the cold and don't care how ridiculous it looks.

Vintage Scottish cashmere sweater over a cheap poloneck from H&M. Balance, I guess. 

Cute label.

I'm not sure a hunting cap will ever be fashionable, even in Nebraska-but it is very warm. The ear flaps snap up and make for a different, albeit still strange sort of look. 

Talbot's skirt I bought in the 80s, Snowland boots from the 70s, handwoven scarf from the Fiber arts show about 5 years ago. Painted pewter necklace getting a yearly wear.

Better look at the H&M poloneck. I don't like the slouchy look of the neck, but it is otherwise fine.

Birdie!

More cold weather attire.

Don't typically wear the Dale of Norway sweater in November, but it has been stupid cold.

More heavy knit tights and a wool skirt over. There's a heavy slip under there as well.

Not willing to freeze for fashion. The cardigan and wool poloneck beneath are both items I've had for decades. I shrunk both of them for Dan when he was little. Now that he's grown, and I've shrunk, I'm taking them back to wear. Funny how life goes, isn't it. The Dale cardigan was something my father purchased for me, but it didn't involve any boat rides in rough seas to Nantucket. It did involve a car ride to Northern Wisconsin. Something about him dragging me out in the cold and ending with the purchase of a wool sweater seems to be a theme that runs through my relationship with him. He once bought my husband a coat in Maine, and me some flannel sheet in New Hampshire. Hmmm. Anyway, warm cardigan courtesy of Dad and Dale of Norway.

Maybe I shrunk this one a little too well! OK, let's call them 3/4 sleeves and maybe no one will know differently.

See? I fixed it.

Not sure where the pendant is from. It is unmarked. Feels Scandinavian to me.

A dramatic jacket demands a dramatic photo. I did my best.

Beaded jacket on silk. Impossible to photograph.

A close up

It is heavy! Sort of like wearing a stylish weighted blanket. 

Time for the red coat

Want to buy some small, fenced, electronics? How about a watch?

Fine, I'll just be getting my (vintage) hat and leaving...

See you next time.