New Year's Resolutions and Superstitions

Another year has passed.

It is time for all those resolutions.
If we make them, let's hope we keep them - at least for a few months.

I have been thinking about a word for 2018. I think my word will be contentment. I will try and be content in everything I do and in everything that happens.

I know that will be hard. It seems we are never content. But, I will do my best and try.

I grew up with many superstitions.

On New Year's Day we always ate cabbage, and in that cabbage was a piece of silver. We still keep this tradition, but I don't usually put silver in it.
People cook cabbage differently. My daughter-in-law's family cook apples in their cabbage.
Click here to see how my husband cooks our cabbage.

My grandmother believed in first-footer. The first one to set foot in her house on New Year's Day had to be a male. If you went by it precisely - a tall dark-haired male. It would bring you good luck and prosperity. I read somewhere that this was a Scottish tradition. We are Scotch-Irish, so maybe this is where Grandma McMillion came by this tradition.

Can you leave a comment telling us New Year's superstitions you grew up with? And, do you still go by them?

Or, perhaps leave a word for 2018 or a resolution you will try to keep.

Happy New Year!

Oh, Christmas Tree

I finally got my Christmas tree up and decorated.

I couldn't decide whether to put vintage ornaments or homemade ornaments on it. I love both!

So, I decorated with both.

vintage  ornaments + snowmen from jar lids and old wooden spools and vintage quilts

more from old quilts, scrabble ornaments

angel from page from song book and I love the vintage one where the heat from a light makes the inside wings go around and around

gingerbread baker from small lightbulb, handmade sheep and santa.

wreath made from vintage ornaments

Below are some links to posts from previous years on making Christmas ornaments and crafts. Check them out. There is still time to make some Christmas magic.

 Click here, here, here, here, here, and here. 


 Have you put up your tree yet?

Do you like homemade ornaments or new shiny ones?

Natural Christmas Decorating with Dried Hydrangeas

My neighbor (who is also my cousin) was taking up his hydrangeas last year and wanted to know if I wanted it to plant in my yard.

"Yes!" I said. I have a snowball bush, which is similar, but I had always wanted a hydrangea.

It really too off this year and grew huge. The flowers are dried now and I went out to trim the bush.

I got an idea! Why not spray paint them red and stick them in my outside flower pots.

So that is what I did. The project turned out great. I think they are very pretty - and Christmassy.

They went from ugly . . . 

to beautiful!

What do you think?

If you have some dried-up hydrangeas, you might want to give it a try.