Smile Awhile

CROSS YOUR FINGERS! I am going to try it again. If we are all lucky, I will not have to delete the posting because no one can see the pictures. No, I did not take these...I just collected them from here and there and everywhere. You get to make up your own subtitles.

Knitting Jewelry

The last time I talk with you about Leslie Wind's work, I showed you this:

The cable necklace. Now I bring you the bracelet to go with it that can help you keep your stitch markers together!

I have one of these:

Handmade Flame-eyed Yarn Needles

These large-eyed needles can be made to your specs. Available in three sizes and in a twined combination of either sterling / bronze or copper / bronze. Further choices include either a bent or straight tip and round or squared shaft.

This perfect for this time of year as you can wear it as a shawl pin but also have it handy when you need to deal with those ends!

Leslie has other jewelry on hand and this is the time of year to gift yourself or a lady friend who knits or wears knits a lovely hand made gift.

Kanji Pin "Birth, Life"

You can view her pretties here. Give her a look! It's a good thing! (oops, things!)

(PS. Leslie has given me nothing to write this. In fact, until I tell her, she won't even know I have done this. I just like her work and want to share her.)

Margaret Mallory's Knight of Pleasure

Don't you just love it when you find an author you like and then find out there's a new book forthcoming? Well, Margaret Mallory has done it. Remember, she wrote Knight of Desire that I liked so much? I had forgotten it was part of a series...maybe because it could stand alone. Anyway, Seductive Musings sent me an email with a good interview with Ms. Mallory and the opportunity to win a copy of the latest book. If you read my review of the last one, you know I just had to enter for a chance to read this new book!

Now if you want to read my earlier review, click on the title. If you want to read the interview and enter the contest, click on the posting title or Seductive Musings blog name and you will be whisked on over! If this is as good as the last one, we will be in for a treat!

I have now had true Scottish Tablet!

Whatever am I talking about? Hang on and I will let the lady of Kiss My Thistle tell you all about it!

Thistle Melts

Tablet

Scots know this candy as Tablet, but that name cannot express the sensation of sugar, butter, and caramel sweetness as it excites your mouth with the first bite. Scottish Tablet is a treasure of the land. Children and adults alike flock to candy shops and bakeries all over Scotland to bring home small bags of this sweet. Our version is called Thistle Melt.

How do you describe a flavor? It is a burst of sugar and butter that delight your taste buds. It has the density of fudge and the buttery caramel flavor of toffee. It will not stick to your teeth, but it will wake up your sweet tooth!

Southern friends have told me that it is like a praline without nuts. Latino friends remember a candy from their childhood. Scottish friends give it rave reviews!

When I asked my Dundee, Scotland, born hubby about it, he insisted I order some ASAP! So I did. And it arrived and melted into nonexistence in no time. So had did hubby react? "IT'S DAMN GOOD!"

Ms Julie Heveran, owner, baker, and, like me, Scottish descendant, was sweet enough to send a wee bit of short bread in our box. All I have to say is it is like nothing I have ever tasted before! It is WONDERFUL!

If you are curious about these two products, I have two ways for you; 1. Click on Julie's name or the posting title to get there in a flash OR 2. rush over to LESLIE LOVES VEGGIES where you can enter her contest to win some fantastically good short bread!

While visiting Leslie's site, you want to see what other contests she's go going....she has lots of them going all the time!

Monday Mayhem

Lola's Holiday Meme

[ Sunday, December 6, 2009 | 1 comments ]

Welcome to Monday Mayhem, the coolest place to be on a Monday.

This week's meme was borrowed from Lola -

Simply copy and paste this into your own post and respond to the prompts.

Here goes: 1. What is your favorite holiday show/animated show? I like them all!!

2. What holiday character do you think you're most like? The littlest angel

3. What holiday character does your spouse think you're most like? one of the visions that came to visit scrooge

4. Favorite Christmas/holiday song? Do you hear what i here.

5. Most hated Christmas/holiday song? Elvis' blue christmas

6. If you have an all holiday music radio station when do you start listening to it? When dh (scrooge) is not around.

7. If you have an all holiday music radio station do you love it or hate it? When i am in the mood, i love it/ when not, off it goes.

8. Have you ever wrapped yourself as a Christmas/holiday present? Come on...you can tell! yes and that is all i am going to say!

9. Who is Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer's father? Randolf
10. Do you drive your neighborhood or one near you at night to look at other people's holiday decorations? sure!

11. When you see a heavily decorated house do you think, 'oh that's lovely'? Or do you think, 'oh criminy, that looks like Christmas threw up all over their lawn'? I am out to enjoy myself so you figure it out!

12. Are you counting the days to Christmas/Holidays with excited anticipation or dread? at some moments yes, at others, no.

13. When was the last time you had your photo taken with Santa? Did you sit on his lap? do not know that i ever did...haven't ever seen a picture of same.

14. Do you make a Christmas/Holiday list for your spouse or significant other or do you rely on them to pick your gift(s) without a clue from you? i never want to give lists to anyone. and anything i get is lovely.

15. When do you put up your tree and/or menorah/and or anything else? i try to sneak them in when the grumpy puppy is having rare bright moment.

16. If tree- Real or fake? Either.

17. When do you take your tree/decorations down? if fake, it could stay up for ever.

18. Do you shop the day after Christmas sales? What do you shop for? no and nothing.

19. Is your work/office having a holiday party this year? Will you attend? retired so...

20. Do you have your New Year's Eve Plans set yet? no

Thanks for playing!

See you next week.