The Lost Thanksgiving dinner and Ebay auctions

Wow....sorry I haven't posted in some time. The entire family got hit with the rotavirus about a week before Thanksgiving. First the baby got it and then, like dominoes, everyone else, one by one fell to the sickness. Including us, Grandpa and Grandma. I got it the day before Thanksgiving.
Poor little Jayden is getting over it now but it took him the longest to recover, almost 10 days. Alan had gotten the flu shot too but the rota virus ran roughshod over that. I don't think I've been that sick in years. Both Alan and I lost weight, each about 6 lbs.

Needless to say, our Thanksgiving this year was a bust for the most part...at least the meal as none of us could handle eating for a few days, other than soup and scrambled eggs.
Thanking the Lord that we're all recovered or recovering, including the little one....here is a latest photo of our grandson...

He's 16 months now, growing like a weed, and talking up a storm. I  think he looks cute in his little jeans and plaid shirt.

 Sold!

I have listed some Campbells Soup Kid ornaments on Ebay...these were put out by the Danbury Mint back in the 90s. I had the entire set and just have 10 left so if you'd like some, they are up for auction. Very cute, very cute resin figures of the kids....

This one is called "Peak a Boo"  Sold!

I just love their cute faces and the details are amazing.. I already listed one batch of 13 and sold every one of them. This is the last of them. When they're gone, they're gone. Here's the link ....China Lake Auctions

hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and can't believe it will be Christmas so soon..where has the year gone?

Cupboard Door Giveaway

I wasn't going to post today but just enjoy reading some of my favorite blogs, get caught up with everyones doings...when I ran into this giveaway and thought I'd better tell you about it.
Wila is a etsy artist and has her own shop, plus her blog, The Old Cupboard Door is always fun to read.
She is giving away this painted breadboard....

so get on over to the Cupboard door and sign up!

Deviled Eggs

One of our traditions at Thanksgiving are deviled eggs..why? I don't really know but my mom would always have them, as well as relishes, pickles, and olives heaped in little dishes and plates. Somewhere back in the family, I am thinking my German grandmother, the "seven sours and seven sweets" must have made a showing and hence we have deviled eggs today. There are many recipes for deviled eggs so I won't bore you with mine. Its just a smidge of this and that..mainly a little mayonnaise, dry mustard, and a hint of horseradish.
I ran into this darling deviled egg dish and have it in my Etsy shop for sale. Its unusual in that there is an embossed design in the center of a poinsettia. I've never seen one like it.
The lucky person who buys it will also get for free, this cute little dish that could be used for those olives, pickles or relishes.

I'm not sure where I got this, it just appeared in the china cabinet one day. But I think its rather cute...I like the handles...

If you'd like this set, please order it soon as Thanksgiving is coming fast it seems. You'll find the egg platter in my shop, Inspiration Memories...let me know that you read about it here and I will be sure to add the second plate at no cost. This is only for my blog readers.

Saturday Chat

Last week we did a locksmith job in Santee, California. Alan noticed a little shop as we were leaving and we stopped in. The man who owned the shop, Tom McCoy refurbishes old radios and makes them new again. He had quite a selection in the shop, "Mantiques" and sells them very reasonably. Alan surprised me and bought this wonderful old radio which gets great reception in our dining room. I just love it and cried  with happy as we hadn't gotten anything for ourselves in years. Its a reproduction from the 90s of a 1930 radio...isn't it great? Most of his radios are originals and I'd love to get a second one in the future so both our sons will one day have one. He also has other vintage items and furniture. Hope you will stop by if you're in the area...its a delightful shop.

 The election is over and I was terribly upset by the outcome as were 50% of Americans. I don't think people who voted for the President realize what will happen. Already there have been thousands of layoffs which are not being reported by most newspapers and the media. As this is not a political blog, I will not go into it further, however, our next door neighbor has been laid off, and says she won't look for work. She plans on living on unemployment for the next 99 months.
However, I know that God is in control and He will provide so am giving it all to Him who is the final authority.

Now that cooler weather is here, I've started baking again. Made a mile high apple pie the other day which is over half gone now.....decorated the top with pastry leaves...and it was yum (as our grandson would say) The crock pot in the background was full of roast beef, with baby carrots, potatoes and onions. The house smelled really good that day!

I've gotten the embroidery on the  baby quilt almost done and ready to be sent to Nancy who has volunteered to complete it for me. Says she's one of Jayden's grandmas which is wonderful..there can never be too many people to love. Time is going by so fast now so have to get all our projects done before Christmas comes! I promised her I'd embroider a towel for her daughter so that's what's next. Hopefully it won't take me near as long as this quilt has...its hard to embroider with a 15th month old baby exploring the world. We did get baby gates which is making it easier. He's talking up a storm and the other day, actually called us Grandma and Grandpa clearly. Delightful!

Pre Election Day Funnies

Tomorrow is Election Day...so in view of that, I've decided to post some funnies......lighten things up a bit......by now, most people have decided who to vote for and what propositions they are for and against in the various states..

Happy Halloween

Wishing you a wonderful Halloween

China, Ebay and Family

I've been busy listing some items on Ebay, I decided to list some of this beautiful Haviland china that I inherited from my dear grandmother. I got it over 40 years ago but have never used it. The kids are not interested in it either.
The set was originally for 12. However, when I got it, many of the pieces were broken. As it was a big set, there are still enough for a service of 8. It includes 8 beautiful dinner plates, a casserole with lid, 6 soup bowls, 4 teacups with saucers, a gravy bowl and 3 platters, increasing in size to a turkey platter. Also 12 butter pats which are darling.
Haviland is one of those china sets that has increased in value over the years while others have declined.
Grandpa and Grandma lived during the Great Depression. Grandma bought this set piece by piece from a neighbor during that time so I'm not sure what the real age is for these.

They are all in beautiful condition. So far I've listed a tea cup and butter pat. So delicate and pretty. Below is one of the butter pats...darling huh? They are only about 2 inches across. I have the pink Depression glass glasses that Grandma teamed with the set but I'm keeping them at this time.

The above vintage photo is of my grandmother...She was German, the daughter of German immigrants. She grew up in Ottumwa, Iowa on a farm outside of town. Her and her siblings went to "English" school during the week, and German school on Saturdays. They were staunch Baptists, attended church and Sunday School.

Here she is with her Sunday school class..pretty lady in the bottom middle. It was a  large class too...

 I was fortunate enough to get a few of these old photos...Grandpa took my mother and I into the basement. He had a trunk full of old photos like this that he went through. Gave us a few of them. We found out later that after he passed..my aunt took the photos and gave them to the thrift shop. Sadness. She thought no one would be interested in them. So happy we got a few anyway.
I am rambling and will post this now...if you are interested in the china....here is the link to my Ebay sales....China Lake Auctions

Applesauce Thoughts

We've both been busy the last few days. We traveled up to apple country and came home with two bushels of apples, Jonagold and Winesap. Yesterday and today we made and canned applesauce. Wow! is it good?! We now have 15 qts and 14 pints of sauce for the winter.
Our weather here in California is getting cooler. We don't have the dramatic change of seasons like you do in other parts of the country but we do have seasons. The days are in the 70s and nights in the low 60s. Later in the winter, it does get down to freezing at night.

We did our voting also. We vote absentee. As Republicans, we know our vote won't count for the most part but will on some of the propositions. Our governor seems to think we will all vote to raise (temporarily, if you can believe that) to help the schools. I've been voting in every election since I was 18 and there is always some proposition that supposedly will save the schools. Its why our state lottery was approved.The lottery was said to save us from ever having to worry about the schools again. How did that work out? Thank you, Governor Brown, but no. Guess I'm just cynical.
I will be glad when this election is over and hopefully we have a new President. We need someone who understands business, and economics. The old President has never really held down a real job and no one on his staff (and I mean no one) has ever had a job in the private sector.  It was especially obvious in the first debate.

I've been working on and off on a cross stitched monkey quilt for Jayden. Hope to get it completed soon.

Nancy Huggins will be binding and finishing it for me so got it get the 12 squares finished. It will have a flannel backing so will be warm and comfy this winter. Its difficult to embroider with the little guy around but it is possible!

I've also started selling on Ebay again! I used to, years ago but took the plunge again this month.  My name on Ebay is ChinaLake Auctions mostly selling things we find at estate sales...I have a beautiful butter dish that we found at an estate sale about a week ago. The lady had been a avid collector of glass....
its such a pretty dish, almost didn't want to part with it!

This sold, thank you!

Inspiring!

  I wanted to share also with you one of my favorite artists,,,this is Jon McNaughton's work...you can find him on Facebook...he's a talented artist as you can see. His work is very inspiring. This work is about the second coming....Every warrior from every time period kneels before Him.

 Jon also has many other subject matters, many political and he also does lovely landscapes.

 Here is the link to his website...McNaughton Fine Art....just looking at the art on his site is like walking through a fine art gallery.

A Wonderful Giveaway!

Brenda from the Rusty Thimble is hosting a wonderful giveaway and I wanted to share this with my readers. There will be 24 winners..yes, 24 winners as 24 different craftspeople have donated wonderful Christmas items for this giveaway....I will post a button on my side bar for this and hope you will sign up.
I can't post all the wonderful things but here are a few...

A Christmas Mouse from Buttermilk Creek Farm

A Rolling Pin Rack from the CrackerJack Kid

and a 

 Primitive Santa Hat from

My Stitches to Treasure..

Please sign up and also on Brenda's blog, The Rusty Thimble..there are links to many of the crafters blogs........