When you move to a new place, you don't know what to expect. I had looked up DC weather before we came, and I thought, "Gee, this is pretty much what I'm accustomed to here in St. Louis."Now I've discovered they are calling Fall 2009, "A season of soakers." Yes, it's evidentally the 15th wettest October on record. Downpours continued and made this the wettest November since 2004. And December is 2 inches ahead of last year. I'm not sure if that … [Read more...] about Rain, Rain Go Away
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What's New in My Life?
It's certainly been a year to remember. In May, Paper, Scissors, Death was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel. The list of novelists over the years who have been nominated include Mary Higgins Clarke, Jan Burke, and Janet Evanovich. I mean, really, how could you be in better company?Cut, Crop & Die was released in June 2009, but the release was quickly overshadowed by word that my mother had terminal cancer.My mom died in … [Read more...] about What's New in My Life?
Empty Chairs
In every life, at every holiday, there are empty chairs, reserved for the people we love who are no longer with us. This year I will look for my mother. I will expect to see her smiling over the funny trinkets in the aisles at Walmart. I will expect to hear her laugh when that stuffed snowman at the plastic piano sings, "Have a holly, jolly Christmas." I will go on thinking how I need to get a gift for her, and then I will remember, she has … [Read more...] about Empty Chairs
Cranberry Squares
These should come with a warning. We nearly had a fight at the Thanksgiving table because everyone wanted to gobble all these down. Even my husband, aka The Original Picky Eater, loved them. In fact, he's talked me into making a batch for the people at his store. That's such a shocker, I still get faint thinking about it.Read it again: He wants me to cook for other people? People he likes?Seriously, these are some sort of miracle chow.CRANBERRY … [Read more...] about Cranberry Squares
No Money, No Time–No Problem! Last Minute Gifts
Here are three thrifty and simple last minute gift ideas. 1. A Holiday Recipe Book-- I used a cute holiday card from the $1 section of Michaels for this. I added the words "Recipes for a" to the front of the card. I slipped the card into a one quart sized plastic ziplock bag. I trimmed the back of the back and taped it shut (envelope style) with a sticker on the reverse side. I punched holes in the left side of the card. I added pages of … [Read more...] about No Money, No Time–No Problem! Last Minute Gifts
One Template Makes Lots of Cool Layouts
People often tell me they aren't crafty or creative. "I just can't come up with ideas!" they'll moan. Here's the truth: Every craft idea is built upon another idea you glean from somewhere else. My favorite crafting these days is to take one layout, one design, and recycle the stuffing out of it.For example, I posted this original page design from Spotted Canary back in September:And here are all the "variations" I've created on that same theme, … [Read more...] about One Template Makes Lots of Cool Layouts