"Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans..."

John Lennon's lyrics to "Beautiful Boy" seem to fit my life lately.

I have been wanting to read blogs, write posts of my own, and a million other things, but LIFE just seems to be getting in the way - a tiny health blip cut into my time - everything is fine now, but I haven't done a lot of the things I had planned.

Added to that, while we were in Kauai, I got an email saying that we were hosting the "soup course" on our lane's annual New Year's Eve Progressive Dinner - you'll note that we are not a late night crowd!

The good news there is that I had an excuse to leave up my Christmas decorations - in year's past, guests have asked me why the house was stripped of all Christmas.

This year there is still plenty of "Christmas",

but I wanted a little New Year decor.

A burlap bag on the Dutch door will greet guests with a simple message - It's Party Time.

A quick and easy banner made out of book pages (stenciled and colored in) hangs across the dining room windows.

My number collection was raided for a  0, 1, 2 & 6.

Everything except the 1 was found, but for some reason I had two 4's and Steve kindly made a 1 out of a 4.

My first thought was to have the numbers as a centerpiece on the table, but with three different soups and condiments on the table, I decided to put the numbers in the window,

The side windows needed a little something so I found inspirational quotes.

I simply printed them on colorful paper, cut them into flags, taped skewers to the back and stuck them into mason jars.

Despite the cold weather we are experiencing, there will be overflow into the garden.

The garden window went from Christmas to New Year's simply by adding a few stickers.

I don't know if anyone will actually eat their soup outside, but the patio table is ready and we will have a fire in the fire pit for people to stay warm.

The dining room is ready for guests.

Nothing matches, but I think everyone can work it out.

So I will wrap up my last post of 2015

with a simple message -

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Join me at

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson for Share Your Cup Thursday

and the winners are . . .

It is October 1st and time to announce the winners of my Passing On the Blog Love Giveaway.

I said I would draw 3 names, but there were 69 comments so I generated 5 names.

I doubt if anyone knows their number so let me introduce you to the winners.

#21 is Cynthia of Cynthia lee Designs who requested the word BLESSED.

#56 is Helen of Helen Philipps who asked for the word HOME.

#39 is Susan of As Long As You Have A Garden who likes the word THRIVE.

#14 is Jane of Blondie's Journals who also asked for the HOME.

# 48, Cathy of My 1929 Charmer, did not ask for a specific word, but she did say she has never received a blog gift so I am thrilled to be sending her a banner.

My creative space is once again organized so I was able to begin the little flags this morning, but I need colors and sizes from the winners before I finish up.

Thanks for all the sweet comments from everyone and keep your eyes out for another giveaway in the next few weeks.

I made this 10" wreath the other day and had so much fun playing with wire and writing words, that I will be making some Christmas ornaments to give away.

Meanwhile, enjoy the lovely month of October.

Passing on the "Blog Love"

I have been doing little in the way of "blog worthy" activities lately.

I did some fluffing on my kitchen shelves,

moved my front porch furniture around 

and spruced up the side of the garage, but nothing that merits a full blog post.

When I received this Home Goods gift card in the mail, it reminded me that I have never posted about the lovely gifts I received from sweet blogging friends.

I was the winner of the giveaway from Dagmara of Glamista Home and I can't wait to make the drive to nearest Home Goods; maybe I will buy some Halloween decor because I promised Steve I would stop buying dishes.

Earlier this summer, my friend Bobbie of Cottleston Pie sent me a fun package

lovingly wrapped in handmade tissue paper.

Inside was the cutest little magnetic mousetrap decorated with our sweet Lulu and a beautiful handmade card now hanging on my bicycle wheel.

And then, there was a great piece of fabric in my primary colors - still waiting to be made into a table runner.

Not long after I received Bobbie's gift, a blog friend I have actually met sent me a surprise package.

Patty of Patty's Pretty Things loves to use her Silhouette to make all sorts of things and she chose gorgeous gold speckled paper to make the tags.

Another item Patty made using her Silhouette is a little book with a great vintage seaside picture - that cute little outfit might have been worn by my mother when she was growing up in Ocean Park.

Just like Bobbie remembering Little Lulu, Patty threw in a pair of poodle socks that won't be worn for a couple more months if our warm weather holds.

Jann of Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson sent me the cutest framed vintage cloth

that found a home on my nightstand.

And last, but not least, Monica of Prince Snow Farm sent me some lovely home grown lavender.

My blog post written, I headed to bed, but I felt like something was missing from in the post - through the night, I realized that what was missing was my personal take on all of the sweet gifts so I got up this morning determined to do be creative.

The piece of fabric from Bobbie was torn in half (lazy me), sewn together and fringed (more laziness) to become a table runner.

Patty's sailor girl and Jann's sailor boy ended up in a shell display - it's still summer here!

Monica's lavender now holds a prominent spot in the living room in an old metal pitcher.

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And now, it is time to pass on the "blog love".

I made "boo" sachets pillows to thank Monica for the lavender and a few other things she sent me - I won't show them until they are embellished.

I will draw the names of 3 winners who may request whatever words they would like on the sachets.

obviously no one wants a S U M M E R banner now, but it was all I had to show a sample

Or, the winners can opt for a banner with the letters of their choice.

To participate, just leave a comment telling me what letters you would like if your name is drawn and whether you would like sachet pillows or a banner - length is no problem because I have plenty of drop cloth fabric.

 Names will be drawn on October 1.

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