A little walk down memory lane...

Less than a week til Christmas...momentary panic!! Ok, now deep breathe, and remember your shopping is done. Wheee!

Ever have one of those moments that transport you back to a sweet memory of childhood? It happened to me this week and I thought I would share...



I stopped at my favorite brew place to pick up my favorite latte. It is not an everyday occurrence, but a treat I allow myself once or twice a month. It never fails to take me back to my childhood where I would stay with my Grammie. On those weekends at her house the day always started with a little "coffee laty". These were nothing like what I get these days, but they are every bit as special. Mine was served in a small demitasse cup that came from my grandmother's treasured china cabinet. I never knew they were actually expresso cups, I just thought they were cute little cups just saved for me. The coffee was made with one tablespoon of hot coffee, a small amount of sugar, and then filled to the brim with milk. Stirred with a special small spoon that had the image of a little girl on the handle. (We all coveted that spoon!) I felt soooo grown up. There we would sit, sipping our coffee.


I still have trouble ordering a "latte" instead of a "coffee laty".

When my grandmother died, it was really the only thing I wanted...one of those little tiny cups. So perfectly miniature, so sweetly remembered.

What things stir childhood memories for you?

Please have a wonderful week and remember the real reason for this season of the year!

...and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!

Wow, It has been a crazy few weeks! Let me just chronicle a little for you and you'll know why I haven't been blogging. First, spent a fun week at the American Paint Horse World Show in Texas. It was balmy, in the 70's. And they have the very best, huge stuffed baked potatoes. The second week I spent in Wyoming, where it was balmy (for November) in the 30's, and breezy. DH and I helped on the family buffalo ranch, separating Mamas from babies. Time for them to grow up and move on. Third week, back to Utah for repacking and on to Colorado for Thanksgiving with Son and DIL, new friends, and a TON of food. I got to introduce my DIL who is Brazilian, to the great American pastime, called BLACK FRIDAY. She is soooo excited and I am not sure my Son is appreciative...
I finally got to sleep in my own bed last week, before I was back in Colorado for the Habitat for Humanity extravaganza. Presented my play tents and got to network with other artisans.

Okay, so now it is the second week in December and I need to get on the Christmas thing...

Sweet grandsons are here tomorrow, so Christmas cookies may be on the menu. Cherishing every moment with them.

Have a great week!

Riding the Train Today.

There's a blizzard on the way, so instead of riding the train somewhere fun, with the boys, I'll be doing it virtual today!!





And while the snow is pounding against the windows, I'll be cozy behind my sewing machine working on all the goodness I get to take to my craft show on December 5 in Colorado.

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I hope the snow lets up by then :)


The Eclectic Noni

Christmas is Commmmming!

Well, first let me apologize for being such a slacker! The trip to Texas for the APHA World Show was fun, but long hours and a lot of barn dust did not make for happy blogging. Now back to the grind. I need to get back to sewing and building the inventory for Eclectic Boutique. I will be participating in a craft show in Loveland,CO the 4th of December. Should be fun. I haven't done a craft show in a while and this is to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. A very worthwhile cause.

And since my ADD brain can't stay with one project...I found these cute Baked Potato and Tortilla Steamers at Nancy's Notions. I thought they would make great neighbor gifts or Christmas gifts for someone who has everything. Check them out....



http://www.nancysnotions.com/product/code/bptskt.do?extid=101019#

Thanks to all of you who entered the Living on Love and Cents Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide! the Winner will be announced soon and one of you will be warm and cozy in the Snugglerug.

Here's to happy snuggling!

Tuesday Train Today.

I'm taking in the World Show today down in Texas...but you can also find me on the Train.





And over at FMBT



Check back for more pictures from Texas.

Etsy Shop Giveaway

Gooood Morning!

I am so excited to have Eclectic...a boutique of sorts featured on the site Living on Love and Cents.

We did an interview and she is featuring my etsy shop www.etsy.com/shop/fromnoniwithlove

Even better THERE'S A GIVEAWAY...

Go to her site and check out all the great ideas she has and enter to win a really, really, cute Snugglerug.

Winter's coming and your gonna want one of these.

Have an awesome week everyone!

One HOT cup of coffee!

Okay...well I am late posting this week. I had such great plans for the day. My goals list looked like this:

1. Finish the "in progress" play tent. I was sooo close all pinned and ready to roll.

2. Post the remaining Snugglerugs to my etsy shop.

3. Post my blog.

And while it wasn't officially on the list. I just want a HOT cup of coffee. So hard for my Noni brain.

Only three 3 things should have been easy. Right?

This is how it went.

I was up at 5:30 a.m. No shower. Got the coffee made...one step closer!

Opened computer...signed in.

Boys arrived 6:45 a.m. READY TO ROLL! I love their absolute joy of life and energy even early in the morning. Breakfast made. And turned on Cat In the Hat.

Walked to the sewing room, thought I could get one side sewn. Turned on the sewing machine and there they were behind me.

Poured my coffee and decided to check emails. And that was as far as I got. I refereed, sent #2 grandson to time out for clunking his brother on the head with a wooden coaster holder, and turned on the radio so we could dance.

One swig of coffee. Two emails answered.

Dressed one child...the other resisted. After "Dinosaur Train", dressed #2. Finally, coffee, it was cold.

Outside..had to wait till it warmed up. They stood with their noses pressed to the door.

Moved to Goal #2.

They were so cooperative. #2 even faked sleep for me.

Melts my heart...

Who the heck needs coffee? And what's a 12 hour delay in the blog world?

Never get these days back.

Happy Halloween....

Sale on Halloween Fabric

Check out the sales this week at www.joann.com. I know you are all frantically working on those last minute Halloween costumes. Or did your child just decide he doesn't want to be a pirate, but a vampire? #1 grandson wanted to be "The Man With the Yellow Hat" again this year, but the outfit is a little worse for wear. Mama talked him into being a fisherman (easy) and his brother was going to be the fish (looking remarkably like Nemo) . So glad Mama has gotten less frantic about Halloween. The first year I made a monkey with that really soft furry fabric...that falls apart everywhere when you cut it..I think I still am vacuuming it up. But he sure looked cute. #2 grandson wore it last year...yep he was the Curious George to the "Man with the Yellow hat" . Anyone else seeing a pattern here...I see years of therapy coming.

What cute costumes or decorations are you sewing this year?

Oh my gosh...techie I am not!

JoAnn's having a big sale this weekend..scary.

I would much prefer the fabric store on a sale day. You know the one where you have to take numbers to get your fabric cut and they are on 25 and you pull number 40! I use it as an opportunity to do more shopping, of course. But I digress. As I was saying, I just spent a whole afternoon setting up a Facebook page for my online shop The Eclectic Boutique. Many of you may not know that I am 50 birthdays plus. I only mention this because it may garner me a little more sympathy. Got the page set up pictures and everything, I was SOOOOO proud! This is what I learned:

1. Don't set up a new profile ( there are then two of you!) Always wanted to clone myself..

2. If you set up a new profile you don't have any friends (very sad) I think I stole some of my daughters..not sure how THAT happened.

3. When you delete your duplicate persona you have to start ALL over again. Everything. All. of. it.

So I started over , reloaded photos, and got the thing going. Phew!

I can't wait until my four-year-old grandson can help me with this in a few years.

Meanwhile check out my etsy shop at www.etsy.com/shop/fromnoniwithlove

Have a great week...What are you making this weekend?

"ew...ew" factor

Yep...I decided it is definitely a disease. It comes on as soon as you cross the thresh hold. And I take comfort in the knowledge that I AM NOT ALONE! I start hyperventilating and my eyes glaze over...I am in heaven (or close to it). I am in the fabric store.

Others of "our kind" are there as well. We bump carts often because we are in a daze surrounded by the things we love. Touching is a must. You have to feel the textures, weight, transparancy. Occasionally, I resort to the "ew,ew" factor. A sound that sends my DH into a panic because he knows it will involve the purchase of more fabric. My family has actually been able to track me down in the store by listening for the mumbling or the "ew..ew".

"Ew..ew" for those of you unaccustomed to living with a "fabri-holic" is when you are just wandering down an aisle and suddenly you find a material that incites several idea explosions at once. You HAVE to have it! And if its on sale its like winning the lottery...It will go home with you and sit lovingly on a shelf to wait its turn in the UFO (unfinished objects) pile.

But sometimes they become wonderful objects of imaginary play...

Enjoy the week...

The Eclectic Noni