More fun with Picnik...

I am really loving this website.

Photo Editing

I found a new photo editing website, it's free and fun at Picnic!  Very easy to select your own photo's and then save them back to your computer.  Dan thinks he looks like Tim in this photo! In the top picture, I just played around with the color.

Christmas Inspiration

Cottage Living

Coastal Living

Country Living

Old buildings on I-29

These were all taken in SD from the car, on the way back home on Friday. 

 The one above is my favorite.

I like this one a lot too.

Thanksgiving in Sioux Falls

Kelsey, Courtney & Miranda

Jamie & Sam

Eric & Sam

Me with Mollie-Pam reading 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!  We are heading down to Sioux Falls where Tim and Deb are hosting the Smith family.  I have some cream cheese pumpkin bread in the oven at the moment and I think it's turning out quite well.  If you google that recipe you will find the one that I used. I added milk chocolate chips to half the batch and walnuts to the other half.  Don't you think anything with cream cheese in it is delicious!?  I'm bringing some little cranberry salad tarts and olives too.  Dan is in charge of the beverage.

Wouldn't you like to be here?

I think this is pretty and might steal the idea for my kitchen this winter.  The ornaments remind me of the kind Ellen used to make.  I am looking forward to Christmas decorating. I'll probably start on Sat & Sun.  The outside is pretty much done except for the lights in the window box and deer.  I found old wool scarves to wrap around the neck of the deer-I thought that would be kind of cute.  

New hair-kind of...

I got my hair cut and highlighted last night.  I have two stylists in different towns and both of their names are Dee!  I went to Elbow Lake Dee this time since the other Dee convinced me that she doesn't care.  It's handy to stay in town sometimes.  So it's lighter this time and I think she layered it more than usual too.   She used a flat iron which I do not own and do not plan to buy.  She says it's sassy...and I said I'm sure my first graders will appreciate that. :)

Last of Maxine

Winter Decor/Crafts

I was using the red chair as a step ladder and plopped it back here instead.  This was a freebie from my cabin neighbor Becky-love it!  I like the way the fake paperwhites look on it (Target a couple years ago) and then I added the new Mittens I bought at Deans grocery store in Elbow.  Not what I went in for that day but one of the checkers (Mary) asked if I'd like to see the mittens her mom made.  Of course I did and there were only 2 pair left made from old sweaters so I bought this pair.  
These little clipboards are on sale at Duebers for 50 cents so I had fun altering them.  This one is for Betty who is a para in my classroom.   Shari suggested putting magnets on them so you can hang them on the fridge with to do notes or a photo and I will do that.  I may add some little buttons alongside the bottom of this one so it's not totally finished.  The material is the plastic coated stuff from Cath Kidston.  The glittery letters came from Duebers too.  They have a little end cap full of scrapbooking materials and get some cute items in for only $1.69, often on sale for 99cents!

Look, Shari!!!!

This picture is from a designers home and something here caught my eye....you are on the cutting edge of design.  Ellen, maybe you should think twice about your mother's taste!  For the rest of you wondering what this all about.  Shari found the woman on the right at a rummage sale and thought Ellen or Carly might like to have it in their room, however... Ellen was not impressed.   

Tulip Fields in Holland!

How pretty is this?!  

Maxine Humor

Foshay History

The Foshay Tower began construction in 1929.  It was the tallest building in Mpls until the IDS tower was built.  Mr. Foshay built an elaborate office on the 27th floor with the intention of the 28th floor being the family residence.  His family never moved in as he was sentenced to 15 years for a pyramid scheme that funded the Foshay.  He was later pardoned and only served 3 years but never returned to the Foshay.  The 27th office level is now a bar/lounge called Prohibition.  Ted and Pam met us at our room( on the 28th floor) and we took a quick tour of Prohibition.  It was gorgeous-they left the original casement windows which lead out to a patio and the woodwork is beautiful.  Anyone can go there as well as the 30th floor which is the history center and observation deck of the building.  It's free if you're a guest and $8 if you are not.  We toured this floor right before we left on Sunday.  Dan is pictured above on the observation deck with his favorite skyscraper in the background.
I took this picture from our room when I noticed the reflection of the Foshay tower in the tower across from us.  The Foshay was close to being demolished-I'm so glad they saved it.  The W hotel ended up putting three times as much into it as they planned, I forget how many millions.  They had no intention of building a hotel in Mn until they toured the Foshay and fell in love with it.

W Hotel@Foshay Tower

We stayed at the W hotel in the old Foshay tower last weekend for our 21st anniversary-loved it!  It's only been open for a few months.  Here's the view from the bathroom-Dan could admire his place of work.

Main floor bar/lounge area-notice the couple playing chess by the fire, isn' t that picture perfect?  I'd prefer a book like the lady on the right. :)

Last interior photo's

I really like old wire locker baskets.  If you ever see any for less than $5, you should buy it and I'll pay you for it.  They usually are 10 and up.  I can hang my earrings on this one too.  I'm keeping my eyes out for prettier mirrors in this room or maybe I'll just paint the frames silver or black.

When I was saving my geraniums for the winter, some had some new buds so I popped them in water and am enjoying them on my kitchen window.  All my geraniums are hanging in plastic bags down in the basement.  They need a cool place so I might move them up to a top floor bedroom-it's very chilly up there.

Our one and only bathroom.  I don't really count the one in the pantry!  Technically, it's a half I suppose. I bought this shower curtain in Vegas and then found another in Buffalo at an occasional sale so I was able to double the volume and it looks much better now.

More interior pictures

From the living room looking into the dining room.

I love this old vogue shot.  Ellen bought it at a Cyrus rummage sale at least 5 years ago and left it at Grandma's house.  I took it and put it in a frame and she can have it someday if she wants it.  It hangs in my bathroom now.
This is my little Anthropologie corner.  I love the store but it is outrageously expensive.  It's a great place to train your eye and pick up items that are similar.  The tablecloth did come from Anthropologie but it was 75 % off!  Love the ball fringe.

This valance came from the Bargain Bazaar this fall and it cost me a whopping 50 cents!  I like its length and the orange ball trim.   

Interior shots

Darlene, make sure that Jim knows his little pig cookie jar sits proudly out on top of the counter...no longer back in the cupboards where his mother kept it.  I love that pig.  Whenever I dust his little head, I think of his story.
Why do I have newspaper rolled around the legs of the table?  It's not a design trend, I have a cat who likes to scratch here.  :)
Just a few pictures that show what the house looks like this time of year.   I'm trying to keep things clean and organized.  It's not easy.  I brought Shelly's bag of clothing to the Bargain Bazaar yesterday and that inspired me to fill a bag of my own to bring there today.  Thank you Shelly!!!