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Hello Winter!

Oh how I've missed this little space on the internet! Happy first day of winter everyone! It feels so good to be sitting down and reflecting on the weeks that have passed as the new year approaches! So where have I been, you ask? For starters, we took a wonderful family trip back out to Colorado to see some snow before it reached Ohio. Then between my growing girls, work, and family life, the days just seemed to fly!


We are still enjoying fresh eggs as the chicken coop got re-vamped for the winter months. They are not producing as much as they did in the summer, but I have yet to buy some eggs from the store. (I still smile when I pass that section in the super market.) Yes, we put a heat lamp in the coop, which I'm aware is frowned upon. But these Ohio winters could be brutal and the nights get very, very cold. So how does it all work? Well.... it's kind of a chicken coop, inside another chicken coop. A giant cold weather tent keeps them safe from the harsh winds and inside.... you can find where they sleep at night: another coop made of wood:) All smiles with this chicken mama. They seem to be happy with the set up. Best part... they can still dig in the dirt!



My hubby gave me an early Christmas gift. A custom made quilt ladder with wooden dowels. It's so amazing how different they seem to look stacked, on display vs. in a cabinet. I just love it! 


On another note, sewing life had a moment of stillness when my walking foot was on the fritz. But now that it's fixed, projects are on the go and the room is filled with this, that, and more flying geese.




 The mini wall piece below finally got "quilted". I love it so much and the best part.....the binding was hand stitched by moi :)



One more thing I'd love to share. This fabulous cream I made a couple of weeks ago! It's perfect for dry winter skin! All I did was mix shea butter, calendula flowers (dried), lotus oil, rose oil, and coconut oil in a double boiler till everything melted. I let the flowers steep in the oil for about 30 minutes. Then I drained out the flowers and placed my oily mixture in a jar. I stuck it outside, sealed, to cool off and harden in the cold weather.  Literally, I'm using this around my eyes, cheeks, and forehead to help with the dryness and redness every night!! So far, no complaints. (I'll keep you all posted.)






Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year!
Happy Trails to the roads that wander and make us lose track of time!

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