The Post-Thanksgiving Wrap-Up

Thanksgiving has come and gone! Despite a nasty bout of the stomach flu a few days before, I was able to throw together a meal for our guests. I had to make a little sign, too, which I set up with the desserts...one leg in the apple pie, one leg in the pecan pie.

I can't bear to take it down, even though Thanksgiving is over. I'll leave it up until it's time to put up the Christmas decorations!

This year, too, I made a few Thanksgiving cards for friends living out of town. I used a rubber stamp to decorate the plain white envelope...


...then I made a 'Happy Thanksgiving' ribbon POP by folding it at each end. I used embossing on both the ribbon and the turkey image.

It's hard to see at first, but if the card is slanted, you can see the raised image.

I used a translucent bronze ribbon under the turkey 'medallion'. On the inside of the card, I used natural-colored card stock, cut in a scalloped shape, to hide the messy ribbon ends.

The inside was a simple stamped message.

I love playing with my crafts!

Now that Thanksgiving is done, I had time to do something that I'm several weeks behind on...prepare my amaryllis for winter forcing. It's easy to do. Cut the leaves from your plant, leaving just a 1 - 2 inch stem.

I removed mine from the soil because it needed to be repotted, but it's not necessary. You can leave yours potted.

Then, leave it in a cool, dark place for 2 - 3 months. Bring them up and start watering them then...and they'll start to grow. I'm a bit late for true winter forcing, but I know, at least, I'll have lovely blooms in late February.

While the cats are resting comfortably inside...

...I've been able to gather a few remaining colorful leaves, outside.


Most of the leaves have fallen, though.

The bare branches are stark against the sky, with the distinctive round squirrel dens known as dreys appearing at regular intervals.

Dreys are just leaves and other building materials that squirrels pile up for nests, making nice, cozy dens for winter napping.

I'm in my little nest quite a bit, in this winter season, too. Our business kicks into high gear from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Our merchandise is stored in our basement, and that's where I work. Here's my official work station...

We have a full basement consisting of four large rooms, and they're all full of shelves.

Shelves...

...shelves...

...and more shelves! Roll out shelves, mostly, that can be pulled back to reveal...more shelves.

It may look like an episode of "Hoarders", but really, it's organized fairly well.

Although I shudder at the thought of all the work we'll have to do when we are finally ready to move, getting all this out of the basement!

Todd built a little T.V. shelf in the corner and season 1 of "The Office" is on continual loop.

Bosewichte comes down and keeps me company while I work, too. He loves bubble wrap even more than I do.

So between work, being sick, taking care of Todd while he's been sick, and the holidays, I haven't had time for much knitting or baking, other than a lopsided German chocolate cake for a friend a while back.

Hopefully I'll have more time soon.

Have a great week!