"Ertls and Ertls" of Best Chritmas Wishes

Well ...  ERTL's or oodles, which ever you prefer.  Yesterday I found this tiny ERTL 

(brand name) collectible at Tractor Supply (oh how I love the Tractor Supply)  and today it's new Christmas decor.  It joins my hippo under glass from a couple years ago, a tribute to my favorite Christmas song "I want a Hippo for Christmas".   

 and Santa and Mrs. Claus shopping for a new '57 Ertle

I plan to make a Santa Barn or two I've made several and never kept one for myself  :)

tutorial here:

http://hshollow.blogspot.com/2012/10/santas-barn.html

I've been on a blogging and crafting hiatus for months, lost my mojo some how, I do like to recycle Christmas photos, so I made my cousin a shadow box using the card she sent me with her kids pics ... she boo hoo'd  I think that means she liked it  :)  

bad angle but you get the idea

Last April (April) my daughters "boyfriend" asked for her hand in marriage ... I cried, we hugged, and it was to remain a secret until the ring was in hand ... the boy agonized over ring styles and choices (he did good!) but finally in October he proposed.  Between both of their schedules I feared I would die never seeing them marry !!   He also wanted the proposal to be unique and special and agonized over the "how to",  so finally he asked if I'd help ... if you knew me, you'd be saying "how on earth did you manage to keep your mouth shut for so long???" Whew it was hard but once given the reigns I ran ... so I've spent much of my free time over the last few months making "it" happen.  It turned out beautiful.  We managed to keep it a surprise.  Here's a couple pics.  To get the pics a very sweet photographer, with permission of the "boy", crawled around in the dark and got a whole bunch of great pics !!   Wedding date 10-18-14  in Nashville, and the church is booked !!

 

I am a faithful reader of blogs, and follow many, so I am lurking in blogland and on pinterest.  Who knows when I will be on here next, but until then, I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.   Elaine

Let Freedom Ring !!

The chicks over at "The Crafting Chicks" blog shared this printable last year I love it so thought I share again and direct you over to visit them if you want to download it.   

Hope everyone has a great 4th !!!  E

Bad news:
June 2003: diagnosed with cancer
3 rounds chemo - Taxol
30 radiation treatments
2 surgeries
6 more rounds chemo Adriamycin/cytoxan
18 months recurrent cellulitis etc etc etc ....
lymphedema with therapy 
spontaneous fracture of port-a-cath, sailed into and lodged in right side of heart and had to be retrieved ...
(oh yeah the husband ran off with an angel of mercy)

But HOLY COW !  

Good news: 
TEN ... 10 years later I am alive, have no detectable lingering damage or disease, and doing what ever I want to do ... to celebrate I am making a pink cake ... 

Blessings to ALL who have made or are now making the journey ... 

Thank you GOD for the many blessings and thank you Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center !!  Have a great Pink Saturday !  E

Christy Jordan's Southern Plate 

I have a love hate relationship with pinterest ... how about you ?  So it seems they have made a few changes and I gladly ran across this link  but still I have a lingering question for you guys ... I can only see about 50 "pins" on my boards ... where before I could scroll through the entire board uninhibited ... am I missing something here ??  I do see a small (blurry) box to the right that I can scroll through but I really don't like that alternative ... how about you?  Also I can still scroll through the entire "front page" of the categories with no problem.  Anyone else experiencing this?  Any advice out there ladies? I sure hope I'm doing something wrong !  
Thx, E

Update: I went to the Pinterest fb page as suggested by a discussion board, apparently they have been under construction, and they say all is back to normal ... we'll see :)  

VELUZ Brides ... its wedding season

source

Its snowing in middle TN, so I am propped up doing what I do every year about this time, stalking everything wedding.  I follow as many event planners as I do crafters.  I have been following a young woman from the Philippines for a couple years.  I've seen her designs all over the internet and was really surprised that she was fairly new on the wedding dress scene.  I am absolutely blown away by her work.  I'd love to know what one of these suckers cost !!  Because she has had so many requests from across the globe for her designs she has created a RTW (ready to wear) line and though not custom per se, they are equally stunning and I can't wait for them to hit the shelves I must find a store and go see them I have to touch one (I'm a tactile shopper)  :)

So if you are looking for something to do and want some fun eye candy hope over to her blog and check out these stunning designs.    Have a warm and cozy weekend  XO E 

When I saw this cute Valentine card childhood memories came rushing back.  I joined Erica’s Valentine box swap and Elizabeth’s Valentine swap, and knew whatever I came up with would involve the cuties on this card.  Elizabeth often writes of winter and Valentine memories, her blog over flows with wonderful images and colors of the season.  Chris has a career in the classroom and writes about her adventures with the children … ah ha this is perfect !

I can’t tell you why but third grade was my favorite, and the most memorable of my elementary school years. Our teacher, Mrs. Naville, was the sweetest human being, and oh how refreshing after second grade and “the mean old witch” Mrs. Laura.  Mrs. Laura was a ruler-wielding, knuckle whacker !!  Mrs. Naville never made a threatening gesture or raised her voice.  Her teaching was multi-dimensional through books, play, and hands on activities; we were always doing something fun.  We made butter and ate it on saltines…I can still taste it !  We carved (carved… can you imagine?!) bars of ivory soap into polar bears; I can still smell the ivory soap, and we had a wonderful classroom party for Valentine’s Day. Mrs. Hartfield was one of the homeroom mothers and, just like it was yesterday, I can remember her lining us up to take this picture!   Her daughter Paula is standing, second from right … Paula Faye had dimples J

Isn’t this the epitome of 1958?  Look at that classroom !  I’m the kid on the left with a heart over my head and my best friend (then and NOW) Ms. Vickie Diane, with the heart on her chest. 

So given this memory I came up with these for my swap partners

Elizabeth

Chris

It is so fun to see these little hearts come to life in their new homes.  As some what of an after thought I fear, I decided there was a story to be told about these cute kids, so I also made a little book to go with each shadow box.  I’ll write more about the story later.  Both of my partners sent me the nicest thank you notes.  Doesn't it make your heart happy to make others happy?  Who would have thought, in 1958, that it would be possible to connect in such a way?  What a blessing to be able to share Valentine’s Day love in 
blogland !! 
                    Thanks for visiting … xoxo   E 

To my Valentine

I am really loving all the Valentine crafts and colors in blogland, and I am back to share what I received from my swap partner Chris.

She told me she was deviating a bit from the "rules" of Erica's swap 

She made this plaque for ME ... isn't it beautiful  !

So many layers, and colors, and details details details ... I love it Chris !!  

The words make you want to break out in song   :)

and she sent me a box of chocolates (long since gone)

decorated so cute ... love the cotton fringe !!

 and she included a bag FULL of all sorts of goodies !!  

 THANK YOU 

Chris for such a thoughtful Valentine creation and all the goodies ...
 and thank you Erica for hosting the swap !!
Chris has posted my gifts to her on her page so stop by and visit !  
XO E