A Slow Twinkle!

It started out with just a few little twinkling lights in the living room.  I thought it would help to cheer up the place a bit as we've been having a lot of dark and rather dreery days here in the hinterlands of northern Wisconsin.  Well, one string led to another.  Soon the slow twinkle I had initially planned turned into kind of a Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation sort of thing as I untangled yet another string of mini lights!

Around the double patio doors in the living room.... yep... they have the little mechanism that you control to make them twinkle real fast or my favorite a nice SLOW twinkle! 

Another string found it's way into a wool cupboard in the studio!

More little twinkies on a pine cone wreath!  Deck the Halls!!

I was having fun with my roll of packaging tape ( used to attach the  lights)  and more lights around some shelves in the shop/studio... Fa La La La La~  LOL!

I have to say it's helped brighten up the joint!  No more dark days around the Red House Wool Studio. No siree! We're all lit up like a Christmas tree! 

After all... "Tis the Season"!!

Cathy G

An Elegant Thanksgiving Table

 As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches I've been thinking about how nice it would be to have a more elegant and beautiful dinner this year.  Maybe because  in everyday life when it comes to eating meals around here it's anything but elegant and beautiful.  I have a suspicion we're not alone in our habit of filling a plate with food and plopping in front of the tv to watch the evening news. I know that's bad... but sadly it's everyday life.

 Our family gatherings at Thanksgiving tend to be quite informal as well.  It's usually Buffet style where everyone grabs a paper plate (gasp!!) and heads for the couch or even the floor (gasp!!) to gobble up the turkey and mashed potatoes!

I remember a time  growing up when my Grandmother  hosted Thanksgiving dinner at her house!  Now that was a true Thanksgiving celebration!  

Yes... we all sat around the lace tablecloth draped dining table!  The Blue Willow dishes, linen napkins and good silverware were retrieved from the buffet.  We were always crammed shoulder to shoulder around that table but my Grandmother wouldn't hear of someone going off to eat in another location. 

Good memories!

I've gathered some photos for inspiration and thought perhaps you'd enjoy them too!  

Tall and elegant candles!  Dripless would be charming... and the long zinc tray as a centerpiece... how neat is that!

So simple.. yet elegant and wouldn't these be awesome at night!

No celebration is complete without fresh flowers... 

How about Pumpkin Pie Martini's served in elegant crystal stemware after dinner INSTEAD of traditional PP and (Cool Whip)gasp!   ...recipe HERE

So elegant!

Go visit SimplySuzannes web page for an elegant Thanksgiving Dinner menu with recipes including one for petite Pumpkin Cheesecakes with sweet sour cream topping.

Grandma would be proud!   I happened to have inherited her set of BlueWillow dishes!  They are in a box in the basement and sadly haven't seen the light of day for quite a few years.... but after our kitchen remodeling is done I have plans to retrieve them and maybe next Thanksgiving they shall grace the dinner table!

So no plans for an elegant sit down dinner this year unfortunately!

It's nice to dream.

Would love to hear about your Thanksgiving table...

fancy or paper plates (gasp!!)?

Cathy G

"Tis The Season" For a NEW PATTERN!

Yes dear friends!  That time is upon us! Here is my newest hooked rug design that depicts an old creamy painted buttocks basket filled with good cheer and merry thoughts for the Holiday Season!

I made my completed hooked piece into a pillow but it is a nice size to hang on a wall or lay on a table.

It hooks up so quick you will have it done in no time!

A fun design that is easy for a beginner in rug hooking or a seasoned hooker!

Gosh... I wonder if I'm that "seasoned" hooker?  LOL!  Sugar and spice and all things nice I hope! 

So if you are interested in purchasing the paper pattern for "Tis The Season" just head on over to 

www.Etsy.com/shop/redhousewoolstudio 

There is a link to my Etsy shop on the left in my side bar too. There you will find more paper patterns of my designs!

Thank you as always for your kind support of my designs and my humble home based business!

Together we'll make it a success!

May your Season be Blessed and Merry!

Cathy G

B is for Brown

Brown.   Let me count the ways I love you.  

Brown and November go hand in hand don't you think?

Is it any wonder chocolate is brown?

Oh I know there's white chocolate....  

but I'll take the brown.

Brown calico in a log cabin square... and did you see my blog background?  I took a photo of a brown paisley calico in my stash of antique fabrics and made the background photo.  A prized possession

that piece of fabric. 

A rug I hooked for a friend's birthday present a few years back.  All hand-torn strips.

I need to make another!

I've been looking at new sinks for my kitchen lately.  Oh... not really thinking of a brown one though. But when I spied this one on Pinterest..... it got me to thinking.

These sinks are surely lovely!  But they remind me too much of chocolate. I don't  think  I really need that staring me in the face everyday!  LOL! 

( besides..they are waaaayyyy to pricey for our budget!!)

The search goes on for a new sink.

No matter what color I end up with I know now that I don't have to change the name of my blog!

Whew!  Thank you dear readers! 

Your comments on my last post have brought great comfort.

So stay tuned right here on the Orange Sink blog!  I'll have that new hooked rug design ready to go in a couple of days!  And a paper pattern too!

Cathy G