Christmas goodbye

 Mr Elf sez: "Check me out in the kitchen window shot! I'm the star of the show"!! Once again, I looooove the boxes, especially when they are in this good of shape!

 Flossie was my Grandma's name. I bought this funnel cake mix just for the box.

 I'd never seen an elf apron, or any Christmas material - like this before.

 There's my hometown hero, Harry Truman! This pix was taken at the Square, in the 40's, when it was the heart of the shopping district. It's getting back to being a great place to visit!

 Crocheted red and green apron.

This apron is so pretty! It reminds me of my Grandma's kitchen curtains. Minus the glittery sparkle of course.

One last peek at the Christmas linens, aprons and "stuff" before it all is tucked snugly away til next year. I always get sad, but also excited to try something new after the holidays. I've been scouring magazines (I saved ALL my Mary Engelbriet and others) and yes, even all of your blogs -for ideas. Pix soon!!! Happy New Year...and hope all your days are Merry and Bright...even if Christmas is over. Love to all! Zootsuitmama

I forgot about the outside! I will post some super duper "blo-mold" pix tomorrow~Zootsuitmama

Love these old plastic holly wreaths! Here's what I've been doing for two days straight...

making a ton of pumpkin bread. All that Fall decor came in handy, fresh pumpkin makes the best bread!

Yes! I found my old camera and got some Christmas pix, finally!!!!

My bedroom is the first picture. I found this white vintage wreath with glitter on the free table at my work! It goes with my lil fiberoptic tree perfectly!

The wreath has vintage plastic Santas, but my fav is the lantern. The Santas and lanterns came in a bag o' Christmas at the thrift store!

The tray is vintage Christmas. I love the graphics on the old stuff!This isn't a vintage aluminum, but it is cute! It's fiberoptic and looks awesome in the dark. The Santa is early plastic, and has been in the family as long as I remember!

I filled my china cabinet with lots of vintage Christmas. Mostly Santa Claus, but some old ornaments and boxes. I love the old boxes almost as much as the ornaments.

My back room/dining room window. Lots of silver and red vintage garland with lights! That's no curtain! It's a vintage tablecloth. Shhhh!

My son got this "It's  a Wonderful Life" village a few years back.

More china cabinet fun!

This is by my stove in the kitchen. I try to cram lots of potholders and other little felt items on the towel holder.

I love my metal porch glider inside! It worked great for extra seating around the table Christmas Eve!

My kitchen window. I spend a heck of a lot of time staring out that thing while doing dishes, so I try to make it happy and interesting. I found this Elf wreath last minute this year. I have the box it came in, too.

My blog friend Mick from the Casablanca sent a pix of his place...how cute and clever! More to come! It's so fun sharing my stuff, I go into withdrawals with no camera!!

Still no camera so reruns of pix continue

Well sista's - I have screwed up another camera...trying to ..ahem...fix it. I am bursting to take more Christmas pix, before it's time to take it all down. I have a challenge! I am trying to think of a bright, colorful way to decorate the dining/back room after Christmas. Show me  yours if you use color. Or, send me cool sites or pictures of brightly colored rooms, think '40's Fiesta, cute graphics etc...I really need the input. I seem to decorate over and over the same. Thanks! Zootsuitmama

Snow family Greetings

I went to Weston Missouri yesterday on my annual trip with my best friend. It wasn't even supposed to snow, but it did! It made the day so magical, with the little crystal like flakes falling around all those 1843 buildings! All decorated so lovely and Christmasy. Go to the Weston Missouri website if you've never seen the town. It is the coolest!

http://www.westonmo.com/

Well, I took about 100 pix of Christmas decor....but all turned out dark!

So...I guess I'll show ya the one's that you can kinda see! The top is my pastel glittery bells. They have lights inside. New this year from a little thrift store in my college town.

My son bought me the "It's a Wonderful Life" houses a couple of years ago. I've added a few since. This is the Bailey's Building and Loan.

I love this pop bottle, so I made a laundry sprinkler out of it. The little bird match holder is metal..so cute! I decided to take a dollar store screen door sign, and add a lil wreath.

These candles are my fav, I think. It's hard to pick a fav, but these SO remind me of Woolworths!

This little plastic white tree with red berries is so sixties! Again, I could see it on the shelves at Woolworth.

This is Martini's - the bar where George Bailey had his drinks before deciding to jump off the bridge, when Clarence (the angel) saves him!

Not a great picture, but it's an old matchbook from a motel that I found.

 Hope everyone is doing well. I plan to get back in the swing of things this week, one more final and I'm through...Friday was my Master's Grad, but this is another Associates I started during the same time. Then, I'm free to celebrate. Going to Weston Missouri...the coolest town. I'll take pix, and let's hope they turn out! Zootsuitmama

Finally!

IT's ABOUT TIME! Sorry I've been away. I have been trying to get through the end of school, State being at my facility, and Thanksgiving. I did finally send the packages. I know, don't hate me. I ran out of time and money, don't know which came first though. I will try to be better on future give a ways. I still don't have a couple of addresses, though. I'll try to get to you on your blogs. Soooo...I am finally trying to get my Christmas up, and hope to have it done by tomorrow night...

Keep in touch! Zootsuitmama

Well....I DID IT!!!!

I passed my Comps!! Yeah! What a Relief. Thanks for all the good vibes sent my way!

Now I can focus on getting all my Christmas decor and Garb out - this is from last year...Can't wait to look for all my stuff and decorate this week!

This bowl reminds me of "A Partridge in a Pear Tree!"

I love my dear Deer Tablecloth! I'd never seen one like it before!

Well... Thanks again! And stay tuned for some Christmas fun!

I am back and better than ever...boy what a long haul.

and speaking of long hauls...just to let you all know, I haven't forgotten you! All but two have been sent, but I don't have addresses! Brooksie and Jenny Mae! send addresses to xbettiexdoll@aol.com!

Well, this last week was a doooozy! More on that later. Wanted to show you the slight transformation from Halloween to Autumn in the little guest room...This is my chickenwire and leaves lamp shade. Weirrrrd. Then, I found some orange sheers and topped them with some mod fifties orange and gold patterned curtains. I found lots of pillows. The desk is covered in a gold fall tablecloth and a fall leaf scarf. Just had to make it cute for Merilee, my bestest friend!
The dining room changed to Autumn too, until after this Thursday, when Christmas makes it's arrival. I had the craziest couple of weeks. Studying for comprehensive exams, where I had to write totally essay questions for about 41/2 hours, then accidently took my lil Angel dog's Lasix...water pill for congestive heart failure. This was the day last weekend when I was setting up for a flea market. Well, when it hit me, it didn't just make me pee...but deathly ill, vomiting dizzy etc.. I had to just go home puke and rest all day and night. Thank God my friend was here and packed up for me, cuz I was out of it. I guess my Potassium bottomed out..scary. How does a little 4o lb Beagle handle it? Well, she has fluid buildup, and needs it!
Then, I took my comps, and boy, was that a relief to get over with! I will find out this week if I get to graduate in December...formalities, ya know. But I am DONE! Now my goal is to take the exam for drug and alcohol counselor (another degree I started a while back).
Well, sorry about the delay in posts. I promise, your goodies are on the way!
Love, Zootsuitmama

Hello strangers!

Yes, I have not been the best blog friend lately! I hope to walk the stage for my Masters of Gerontology in December, and at the same time am almost done with my Drug and Alcohol counselor degree...whew! I have comps to take next Thursday which is about 4 hours essay writing. I am totally not ready, but plan to focus on these questions every day until then...Anyway, the addresses are rolling in and some of the winners prizes are sent, but a few still haven't contacted me. I hope to hear from all of you soon! I can't wait til I have more free time to just "play", decorate, etc... Happy Fall! Zoot