Shopping????

Well, what can i say? I started this blog and then "forgot" it existed for a few days.

It wasnt my intention to keep it all about Christmas, but ya know...its that time of year! Christmas is in my mind and i cant help to write about all thing christmas.

I'm thinking im nearly ready for the big day. I got the tree together and decorated a week or 2 ago. Of course as seen before, my village is put together. I have some presents stashed here and there. Still on the list to do yet is..... wrap presents (i've not wrapped even 1 yet), make a dinner list, as well as a grocery list. Finish buying presents for Bob and the boys -- which i have no idea what to get them. Sew my mother-in-laws and my own moms gifts together yet. Ummmmmmmmm, did i really say I thought I was almost done? What planet was I living on? What I really meant to say is that my decorating is all done. =)

We got new additions to our family this Sunday night. I knew our cat (pyscho, as we call her) was going to have kittens. When we arrived home from visiting my parents that night, she was prancing around and acting goofy. I sat down after a long day and played a game of pinochle @ yahoo. I heard this noise and immediately thought "what was that?". Ooooooooh, did i ever get a surprise! There about 2 inches from my feet layed a newborn kitten!!! When all was said and done, we ended up with 4 new little additions. They are so darn cute.

And speaking of births, a blog of thoughts for another day is the fact that my oldest son was born on Christmas Eve, 1993. I have no idea what to get him for his birthday AGAIN. As we usually go to my parents house each year on Christmas Eve, Tylers only wish this year was that we get to stay home. That wish is already granted, but I cant really use that as his present. He's going to be 15 and he thinks he should get a new dirt bike??? Yes, Tyler, we have a money tree growing in our backyard, let me just go pick some money for you a new dirt bike. lol.

Hava I stressed yet, how important it is that I need to go shopping in the next week or so? Time is so limited as I have training all next weekend for H & R Block. I took the course there to become a Tax Professional. Im so excited to be rejoining the work force for a few months this coming year.

So for now, i guess ill go and get some sleep and hope that when I wake up... My shopping will be all done, gifs all wrapped, dinner and shopping lists are made, house is clean, etc etc. LOL.

To Putz or not Putz

That is the million dollar question! To putz or not putz.

I am so good at putting off today what can wait until tomorrow. I

mean, really who does things when they dont need to do so. Isn't it more fun to wait until the last minute and then work under pressure or hope that we get what we've ordered before the holidays? As Bob always says about me "never fear last minute Bessie, she will always have it all worked out when all is said and done". So yeah, i am a master of putzy'ing around.

But oh wait, thats not the kind of putz I intended to write about. My friend from yahoo (hiya aka) introduced me to a new type of "putz". Putz Mica buildings/villages to be exact. I was instantly in love!

Long ago when things were tough for folks, they made their own handpainted christmas villages. These are the most adorable things i've seen in the line of christmas antiques. As I understand it, ya could either buy the kits or make them yourself from cardboard boxes. They were all handpainted. They are mostly done in the simple primary colors. They had holes cut into the backs of them to insert lights if ya so wished to do so. Painted mostly in bright primary colors, some were trimmed with "snow" and other embellishments to make them lifelike.

I cant describe how cute they really are.

There are a few listings on ebay for them. Most have minor imperfections from normal wear and tear through the years. But, still they could easily be repaired and serve their purpose for many more years to entertain and mesmerize those who are lucky enough to own the originals.

The originals? Hmmmm, did i really say that? Yes, they are adorable and yes i'd love to own them. And then, i think "ohhhhhhhh how much fun i could have with my own variation of designing/creating these little buggers. For this Christmas tho? I THINK NOT! I mean lets face it, i have all kinds of time before next Christmas to "putz" around, right?

I surely wished I could show you a picture of these little cardboard creatures. But, you know the copyright laws. I'd not want to "steal" anothers image. So, i'll let you be surprised to see how adorable they are by typing "putz mica Christmas village" in the ebay or google search bars. =)

And So Begins The Experience of the Blog World

This is my very first try at the blogging world, so bare with me while I get started. My name is Holly and im from a small town in the beautiful state of Pennsylania. Together with my wondeful husband (Bob) and our 2 boys (ages 10 & 14), we live in early american style home that I love decorating, how? On a shoestring!

I had been thinking about blogging for a few weeks now, but really didnt seem to have an "exciting" topic to write that fit in with what i wanted to write about. The idea came alive today when I was setting up my oh-so-beloved Christmas Village. I've seen so many through the years that just seemed to always take my breath away. Staring at them always seemed to put me in another time and place.

3 Years ago, i'd decided it was time to start this wonderful fascinaion that has followed through childhood into adulthood. But, I knew (or so I thought i knew)these were not cheap items to collect. I set out on a mission to prove my own theory wrong.

My first piece, the church in the upper right hand corner was i guess you could say, my inspiration piece. It was given to me by my mother-in-law. I really had no idea what to do with it that year, so i'd just set it out and put a few decorations around it.

Last Christmas, oh how the village came to life. I was browsing in our local dollar store when i found the 3 little buildings (toy store, school and firehouse). I was so happy to find them for $1 each. The 2nd bigger piece came with a joann fabrics 50% coupon right before christmas last year. Several of the small "fill-in" pieces were acquired by clearance and trusty old joann coupons. I dont think i've paid anymore than $3 each for those peices. As id thought it had grown enough by Christmas last year, my husband surprised me yet, one more piece. I dont know how much he paid for it, but knowing him, it probaly wasnt cheap as he wont shop for the bargains like I do. He goes into the stores and gets what he wants and gets out asap. He is a man, right?

Today, I got gutsy or maybe some may call it insane and brought out all my decorations that make my house come to life this time of year. As i was deciding where to put the village this year, my eyes kept going back to the china closet that so desperately needs refinished (someday, I will accomplish that task...or rather maybe not. As my husband says when i talk about doing so "not in this lifetime will you finish it. It's been like that for 5 years, why start now?" Anyways, the china closet won the battle. As i'd started to place the pieces I had, they just werent big enough to fill the china closet and still look nice. Lo and behold, just like he was reading my mind, bob says "do you need anything from Walmart?". Oh my, im thinking now, he's got to know that's really a silly question! OF COURSE, i replied. And off we went, i never did tell him it was my intentions all along to buy another village building or 2. I brought home yet 2 more pieces and the most expensive ones to date, $15 each. Oh and I found the artificial tree that I want also while we were browsing. I dont know, but im thinking Bob wont be asking me again anytime soon if i need anything from Walmart.

So, anyways... back to the moral of todays post. If you have a dream of a collection of something that is usually rather expensive, shop the thrift stores, use coupons, drop hints to your better half, or others that maybe you swap gifts with. Where there's a will, there's a way!