Take Thankfully the Past

"What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment. And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new. Right now." ~Author Unknown

At school there is a staff room stocked with books people bring in for swapping and sharing. Before the holiday, I found this book next to a box on the floor. The appearance of age and the color are what I was first drawn to.

When I opened it and saw the date 1926, I just couldn't image why anyone would just throw it out.

There's even an Army stamp on the inside cover.

It now sits in my living room.



"Live neither in the past nor in the future, but let each day's work absorb your entire energies, and satisfy your widest ambition." Sir William Osler (1849 - 1919), to his students


Wishing you a bright and beautiful New Year!

Peace & blessings, Tammy

White Wednesday Wishes

Last week I bought this wonderful book called "Living With Lace".

Each page is filled with pictures to inspire.



I had another yarn session with Kathy to help with the shell part of the trellis shawl. I started over with a different yarn today. Would not have had enough of the other one and just didn't like the way it looked. The pattern actually calls for medium/worsted weight yarn but that is nowhere to be found in Kuwait.

Kathy gave me a bunch of bits and bobs to craft with.

And this sweet little nativity set from Mexico that I just love.

Although I haven't accomplished a whole lot, today has been a good day! Wishing you well! Tammy

Tuesday Tidings

I was up early today. Could not stop thinking about the boy who was killed and how his mom must be feeling.

One of my made over candle jars all wrapped up. A gift for my friend Kathy who did my hair this morning. Ironically and sadly, I found out today that her nephew (who has a twin) also died two days before Christmas because of a car accident in Venezuela. He would have been 19 in February. The coincidence with the accident here is just uncanny, unimaginable.

We had a lovely lunch together. I love going to her place. She has a flair for decorating and her home is so beautiful and comfortable.

After lunch, another crochet session. She knits beautiful scarves, but has never learned to crochet. We are working on a trellis shawl. An easy pattern, but unfortuntely, not easy to find the best yarn for the project as choices are so limited in Kuwait. My yarn is on the left and her's is on the right. I think I will try to find a different yarn and start over.

Zack got to do a taste test. Sugar cookies with homemade or store bought frosting. He agreed that homemade frosting is the best.

I hope everyone is having a terrific Tuesday! Sweet dreams! Tammy

Many Shades of Blue

Lots of lovely items of blue ....

for friends so true.

I met friends at PF Chang for lunch today. I've never heard of the chain but apparently it is popular in parts of the States. The food and atmosphere were all good.



I also had not heard much before about Cath Kidston until I started blogging and since there happened to be a store in the mall, I decided to check it out.

They were having a sale, so I bought a few things -- a straw purse that I can put my crochet projects in so that they stay nice and neat and out of the way of kids and cat.


Kitchen towels and soap.


A friend leaving Kuwait left me some plain Ikea frames that have just been collecting dust. I finally took one of them and jazzed it up. I printed music paper (By The Crystal Sea) from The Graphics Fairy and then cut out some pictures of me and Zack by the beach. I used the scrap pieces from the photos that were all in varying shades of blue and decoupaged around the frame to give it a tile-like appearance.

On a sad note of blue, I found out today that a friend's son came from the States a few days before Christmas and the day after he arrived, he was struck down by a driver who was talking on her mobile. He was 19 and the driver is 20. The young man (who is a twin) died 2 days before Christmas and the driver is now in the hospital as she is unable to deal with the trauma of the tragedy. There is a law in Kuwait that no one can talk on the mobile while driving but unfortunately it is not enforced properly. I for one do not understand what is so important that one cannot wait to get to a stopping point to talk with someone. There was a time when phonebooths were found on the side of the road; but in this day age, folks seem to think that their car is a phonebooth. I do hope that this will be a lesson learned by anyone who hears of this story. I pray for peace and understanding for the families. Wishing each and every one of you a most wonderful and beautiful day! Stay safe! Peace & blessings, Tammy

Sunday Salutations

More crafting was done today than actual cleaning. It's 8:20 pm and I'm still in pjs. I have saved so many jars that now need makeovers.

  A little friendship book for someone special.

The decoupaged bottle of bath salts with other pink goodies ...

all bundled up in a former cocoa mix box that also got a makeover.

Now I need to go clean up all the messes I've made. Hope you are having a super Sunday! Tammy

The Day After and a little Saturday Pink

I hope that everyone had a most blessed and wonderful Christmas Day! This is the first year that we did not have a typical Christmas with a traditional holiday meal. Instead, we took one of Sam's employees out to lunch along with his wife.

They are a very sweet couple from India who are working here while their three children are still back home. Although they make more money here than they would in their own country, their wages are still so very, very low. When we asked them what they would like to eat, they said Indian food! So off we went to my favorite restaurant, Rangoli!

We had a delicous meal, then walked around a bit.


Back to our house for tea on the balcony and Christmas gifts. They don't speak English and although Sam speaks Urdu, he does not speak Hindi, so they had to communicate in Arabic. A lot of translation going on.


It was certainly a different kind of Christmas but that's okay, as long as they enjoyed their time.

I even had time for some crafting in the evening. All this recycling I am doing is getting out of hand. I took an instant coffee jar, decoupaged a rose onto it, added some ribbon and green bath salts. Will be a nice little gift for someone.

My resolution is to clean a little and craft a little every single day! Hope that you are all finding some time to relax now that Christmas Day has come and gone. We are still enjoying another week off as I am sure many of you are. Happy Holidays! Tammy

Merry Christmas!

I would like to thank each and every one of you who venture over to my little corner of the world to visit ever so often. I have so enjoyed getting to know you and sharing a bit of ourselves although we are oh so very far apart.

Wishing you much joy, peace and love, today and every day! Holiday blessings, Tammy

Christmas Eve

It's 10 pm and all is quiet around here now. Melissa, one of my dearest friends, came to visit this morning. We had a nice little chit chat and exchanged gifts.

Gifts for her.

And gifts for me.

I crafted a bit this afternoon. Worked on several things but this is the only Christmas related project I finished. The red netting came with a box of tangerines we bought and I stitched it onto a piece of a brown paper bag that was a doggie bag from lunch out last week. Everything is either recycled or I already had here on hand. I still need to add something brown for the trunk of the button tree.

Our friend Bassam came to visit this evening and brought us this Christmas swiss roll.

I took the decorations off and made this little winter scene in a jar. I saw the idea on a few blogs out there and thought they were just adorable.

The kids unwrapped goodies found in their stockings and then put on a finger play.

An additional treat I tried to make yesterday was the toffee I posted about the other day. Unfortunately, although it looks good and the taste is okay, I definitely do not know the difference between chewy caramel and hard ball stage when it comes to the combination of brown sugar, butter and heat. I thought I cooked it long enough but obviously did not. It set well but came out gooey rather than like a brittle. I'll have to get Leslie to show me how it's done.

Now before I got to bed, I'm gonna read my favorite Christmas story -- Cajun Night Before Christmas, and I'll be thinking about all my Cajun blogging buddies out there.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good nite! Tammy