Surprise!

Yes it was Christmas. Yes it was a time to be with loved ones. And, yes it was a time to remember the real reason for the season.





But it was also time to surprise my mother with a party for her retirement!!







Ya know at some surprise parties you can just tell that the person knew all along? Or at least they figured it out at some point beforehand? Well, my brother, his wife, Razor and I managed to pull it off. She didn't have a clue.






Happy Retirement Mom!! I love you.




-dana

Holiday trip to Nana & Papa's

We've been to Nana and Papa's. It was everything we had hoped it would be. Lazy. Loving. Giggle inducing. Fattening.






And magical.

-dana


P.S. I'm addicted to the song playing. I kept hearing it on a television commercial while on our trip. It's Marlena Shaw "California Soul - Diplo Remix". Don't worry. I'm sure I'll tire of it soon.

Family portraits in December?

I don't own flashes or strobes or light boxes. I shoot outdoors or near really large windows. So when they called wanting portraits in December I was a little unsure. Unsure because of the weather. Unsure because of the grayness that defines winter. Unsure cause of the mud and muck.

But, but, but . . . they've been married 25 years this month. And, the daughter is 18 and needs some portraits made. And, and, and . . . well, okay, we'll give it a shot.














I'm so glad we did.

-dana

P.S. I know you can see my legs reflected in the last shot. Her expression, position, smile are all so genuinely her that I wanted to include it here. Just pretend my legs aren't there. Like they don't even exist. Not in a morbid-gross-body-dismemberment sort of way but rather try to imagine the photo in a without-my-reflection sort of way. Thanks.

This is what I'm talking about

Love this!

-dana

It's how we roll

The girls and I make sugar cookies every year at Christmas. Mostly because Razor's mother got Licious hooked on them a few years back. And because they taste good. Even the raw cookie dough is good. So I'm told anyway.




::Blink:: ::Blink::

What??

Wasn't me. Didn't do it.











Click on the recipe image above to get a bigger printable version.

Got any cookie recipes you wanna share?

-dana

Like magic

My sewing machine has been working overtime the last couple of days. Ain't she a beauty?








And, Boo has been embroidering with me since Thanksgiving and decided to make her teachers Christmas gifts. I hope I'm able to part with them.




-dana

Adoration

Jezebel adores Razor. Really, really adores him. I think it might have something to do with the fact that he saved her life.


Call it a hunch.

-dana

Have I mentioned I live in the sticks?

I've told you before how I live in the country. Ya see, where I live it is not unusual to see signs like this.




And minutes old calves like this.




But, we were a little stumped to find this track in our yard. Oh, I know some of you will easily say that it is a deer track.




But I ask you, would a deer do this? Even a herd of deer wouldn't do this.




This is actually part of our 84 year old neighbors yard as we found it the other morning. Gone are the smooth lawn tractor riding days. Her entire yard has been torn up. Any guesses as to what wondrous creature would do this?




Let me give you a clue. Have you ever read this book? My girls love it for all of it's smelly humor.





But we be havin' us some wild boars for reals!

And they ain't purty!




I told you I live in the sticks.

-dana

My little elves

I love small town Christmas parades. The Shriners on lawn mowers. The volunteer fire department trucks. Fancy vintage tractors. Homecoming queens. Santas on horseback. And elves.

I love me some elves.

-dana

Thrift score

In my panic to put together and elf outfit for the Christmas parade on Saturday, I've hit all my local thrift shops several times in the last few weeks. And I've been victorious!

I found these perfectly vintage turquoise canisters last week. There are four of them. Don't ask me why I only photographed three. Probably because I was balancing on a wobbly chair as I photographed them on top of the refrigerator. I spent $20 on them which is waaaaaay more than I would normally spend. But, I ask you . . . how could I leave them there? They would have haunted me forever as the canisters that got away.





I also found this huge quilt top. It is all satin and nicely put together. It is just the top and I'm not sure I'll ever even do anything with it. But again, I just couldn't leave it there. Especially since it was only $1.






It's huge too. I haven't measured it but it is at least king sized if not larger.





Finally, I found this vintage Christmas-y thing. It's got a spinning dial to count down the days left until Christmas. I will be making it into something wonderfully creative and cute. Too bad I don't have any wonderfully creative and cute ideas just yet as . . . wait . . . let me check the spinning dial thingy . . . as there are only 22 days left until Christmas.




Guess I better get busy on the elf costume.

-dana

Book set winner

The random number generator picked number 149 which belongs to Sallgood that said,

"Kennedy, Macey, and Rebecca would love these! And so would the baby that will be here in May!! I'm their grandma and books are our favorites to share!"

Congratulations! Email me at dana@oldredbarnco.com so I can get your address.

Thanks for playing everyone. Look for more giveaways after the new year.

-dana

Thanking the days

We spent our Thanksgiving days at Nana and Papa's house.



Did you know Sarah Hale was responsible for making Thanksgiving a national holiday? Thank you Sarah Hale!


We spent lots of time doing artsy crafty things. Like pin curls.



And red lipstick.




And fun little embroidery pieces to eventually be made into a quilt.





And cool stained glass coloring sheet thingies.




You can still get in on the book bundle giveaway here. Mr. Random Number Generator will pick the winner tomorrow.

-dana