How To Make A Pretty Pie Crust & Some Bloggy Love!

Okay girls, here's the secret to making a pretty pie crust...and no I haven't tried this method

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I have been ashamed of myself for not posting these wonderful awards before now. They mean the world to me. But, I think I'll blame being sick with that virus bug & just haven't gotten around to posting until now....

This first award is to honor being a mom and I received it from Melissa @
Melissa's Heart and Home and also from Tardevil @ Confessions of a 40-something Mama Queen
Thank you both from the bottom of my heart!

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The next one is the Sisterhood Award from Chris @ Chris's Corner and I do feel like her cyber sister! Thanks so much....

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And looky at this cute little hug award from April @ Straight From The Heart. I'm thrilled to receive a hug from her!

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And last but not least I am happy to receive this Lemonade Award again...this time from dear Nancy @ ~Southern Lady~

Please know I appreciate these honors so very much from you ladies! If you haven't visited each of their blogs, you owe it to yourself to go meet them...you will be glad you did! As late as I am in posting, rather than name anyone to pass them to....I want each and every blogger who has not received them to take them with you.

♥♥♥♥♥♥

PLEASE VOTE FOR LIL BEAR

Remember my rescue dog, Lil Bear? Well, Bissell is having a contest for dogs and the grand prize winner gets to name an animal charity to receive $10,000. The winning dog gets its photo on one of their products. This is a great cause for animals. If you've got a minute, click here to vote:

http://www.bissell.com/MVP09/Week03/Vote3.aspx?ImageName=Lil+Bear&FileName=1139.jpg

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Also, you can enter your pet's photo. There will be weekly winners based on number of votes. Thanks for taking a minute to vote!

~How To Have A "Dish-licious" Day~

What to do on a cold, blustery winter day?...go shopping, of course...so off Mr. Bo & I go to the football field size Montgomery Street Antique Mall...

And look who we run into...

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Hello everybody...meet Pauler-deen (or whatever her name was...I forgot) and she can be yours for only $89.95

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Thinking of her, made us hungry...so we duck in for a bite of lunch at the Rose Garden Tearoom which is much larger & more attractive than this photo shows...

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Poor Mr. Bo's manly-man choices were few, but he opted for the bean & bacon soup with roast beef/Swiss on a french roll...I got the trio combo...chicken salad, quiche, bean & bacon soup and gave him the fruits...we both had a strawberry muffin...yum!

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Now let the shopping, er...I mean LOOKING begin...
Oh, a cabinet full of Johnson Bros. Friendly Village pattern china...they had so much they stacked some plates on the floor..

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Spode anyone? You'd have thought they were going out of business there were so many booths selling it...oh, yeah...they are, aren't they...

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Don't whimper for Quimper...it's here!

Until Prof. Debbie told us, I didn't even know what Quimper was.. there are some serious pieces in this booth...

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And here...

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And here, too.

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Okay, now this is loony to me...this cabinet is $34, 995.00...that's more than our first house, furniture & car added together cost! (way back when)

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The china is Luneville...Novak Collection and this small tureen can be had for only $1,350.
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If you'd prefer a larger one, this is a mere $1,800....really!

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Finally, something for the budget-minded...plates are just $245. EACH...

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That last display rattled me so much I forgot to check anything on these pretty blue & white Spode dishes.

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Look at these beauties for $395. for all 47 pieces...sorry, didn't get the maker but I thought about Kathleen Ellis for these...

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A close-up of the teapot...so pretty

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Well, I would have been thrilled with any of these beautiful dishes (except maybe the Loony-ville) if the lottery would only call our numbers...

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But being the thrifty seeker I am...I bought these instead...I sure didn't need them & I'm not showing a good picture because I'll do a tablescape soon...

Someone here in Blogland has this same set by American Atelier "Heavenly Hosts"...I remember they showed them at Christmas & I thought they were so pretty...who was it?
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Thanks for indulging me on this little shopping spree...
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Have a "dish-licious" day!

Bo's Mail Call

Do you know what is better than a surprise in your mailbox? TWO surprises in the same day!!Looky what I got....
This is a package from no other than that all around great bloggy friend to all known as NikkiCrumpet @
Blah, Blah, Blah, blog

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Oooh, let's see what's in there....

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Here's her sweet note to me!
Do y'all remember her post about looking in her "drawers"?

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Yes! I now have my very own eye-gouger-outer-thingy and love the color!
This is going on my key ring pronto....
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Wait...I see something else tucked in this box....
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Can you believe it...let's take a better look...
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Look what she did...she captured one of my childhood photos from a post I did & put together this darling frame...look at the polka-dot matting & how cute is the ribbon & heart embellishments! Nikki, I adore this and forever & always will think of you when I enjoy looking at this photo!!!!
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
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Remember I said TWO surprises! Hmmm, who do I know from this return address?
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This box is HEAVY....so there's something under all these peanuts!
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Aha, a note.... *
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Oh, my word...it's from that darling duo...the twins...Fran & Fern! I had won a giveaway they had & because all my walls are textured I didn't think the wall words would adhere...*
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So look what those girls did....I just LOVE these coasters! & also love them for doing this!
Fran & Fern have a blog aptly named Twice as Nice and they have recently opened an etsy shop where they sell the cutest things. If you are looking for an unusual & special gift, be sure to check them out.
Thank you girls so much for the SPECIAL coasters...they'll be put to good use.
♥♥♥♥♥

The Big, Bad Bug!

Oh woe is me... Iam down & out with some kind of a "bug"...

Sonny & I have eaten the same things, but I tangled with something that is giving me the UPROARS & the DOWNPOURS.

Hope to be back SOON!

QUICK & EASY "Photo Tag"

I was tagged by my sweet new friend Kathy @ Emptynester for a "photo tag". The rules of this tag are quick & easy:

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1. Go to the the 4th folder where you keep your pictures on your computer.

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2. Post the 4th picture in the folder.

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3. Explain the photo.

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4. Tag 4 fellow bloggers to join in the fun!

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So here is my 4th photo in my 4th folder. I am sorry to say I have no story or explanation about this photo as I did not take it. I received it in an email and thought it was intriguing & interesting & saved it.... I sure hope the "photo police" don't come and get me!!!

Okay, now I am supposed to "photo tag" 4 bloggers to post their 4th photo in their 4th folder.

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1. TarDevil @
Confessions of a 40-something Mama Queen

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2. Lisa @ British Colonial Love Affair

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3. Suzanne @ Coloradolady

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4. BJ @ ~ ~ SWEET NOTHINGS ~ ~

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Thanks for coming by and if you get a chance, check out these ladies' blogs & see what they have stashed in their folders.

A Doggone Good Tale...

So there we were 2 days after Christmas, my DH & I setting out to run some errands when we saw a little dog that looked like this one running in the street. Fearing it would get run over, we stopped & called to it to see if it had tags. It would just run & bark at us....so we followed it up another block & down the street. Some people had their garage door open & the little dog ran inside & continued barking. Sonny (DH), rang the people's doorbell to ask if it was their dog & to tell them he was running the streets. A man came out and said it was their dog & they LET him come & go as he pleased!! We told him we had Pomeranians and were worried for the dog's safety. The man then told us they were thinking of getting rid of him because they were gone all day....and did we want him? HUH??? He also said, "You can yank him up by his tail & he won't bite you!"...HUH?...the little dog was dirty, matted & obviously neglected..

We sure didn't need another dog but how could we resist...

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So meet "Lil Bear" (their name for him)...The man told us he was 5, but his kids said he was 7 years old...so we don't know how old he is for sure...

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Look how smart he is...he can beg...we think he found us & begged us to take him home...

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Look...he can turn his head to the right...

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He can look down....

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He can look straight forward.....

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OK, Lil Bear, smile at all of my blogger friends...now isn't he just the smartest little guy...LOL

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We took him to the vet yesterday and had him checked out. All of his vitals are excellent. He does need his teeth cleaned which is scheduled for January 15th...He is such a sweet, loving little guy I don't know how anyone could just GIVE him away...but we are GLAD they did!
~~~~WARNING~~
This probably won't be the last you'll be seeing of Lil Bear...LOL
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Thanks for coming by to visit today & Lil Bear says "WOOF"