Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Look what I made on Sunday and other stuff..........

Quite proud of what I did and it cost me less than $7 to make.

I started out with a bucket, bought some foil wrapping paper, $1 from the dollar store, and wrapped the bucket in that. Added some stones to the bucket to weigh it down. Cut a circle of Styrofoam we had in the house, and inserted that in the top of the bucket. Cut some greenery from the garden, stuck that in the bucket, added the candy canes, $1 each from the dollar store (they're plastic and reusable). Added a couple of branches and hung the red Christmas balls from them, again $1 for all six. Stuck a big bow on the front of the bucket, another $1.

Wrapped an old brick, and empty Kleenex box, and the box the red ball decorations came in to make them look like presents. The little bows on top of the presents, were on the candy canes. I did weigh down the empty boxes. This way if someone wants to "take" the presents they can!! Then I set it all up on the deck by the front door. Its all waterproof, so should stand up to nasty weather.

Talking of the weather, I was talking to the vet's assistant on Monday and she was telling me I could go and pick up the crazy pink pills, as the latest set of pills are useless. They look like red jelly beans and are as effective as red jelly beans!! Anyhow, we were having a "discussion," which translates as me arguing with her over the amount of pills they were giving me, approx. 40 days??? Anyhow, she says that by then we'll see how Molly is "when the snow flies" and its colder.

Now I had never heard of that expression, "when the snow flies." I suppose its better than saying if ****ing well snowing again.........right? By the way you can add whatever word takes your fancy where I have inserted the **** It turns out that "when the snow flies," it's a time between Fall and Winter, when the snow just starts to fall. Not sure if that is just a local expression, or a Canadian/American expression. I know I have never heard that expression in Britain.

I must say though the weather continues to be glorious at the moment, and I think my mail lady was saying we're in for another good week? As I said to her, I wouldn't care if it didn't snow at all this year or next!!!

I have a "sitemeter" on this blog and find the whole thing fascinating. People search for the craziest things, but I am a numbers person, I just love looking at the numbers, and all the other stats on there. I love the graphs and the pie charts. I find it interesting that Saturday is my quietest day for visitors on my blog. Thursday's are generally the busiest, that's because I do a regular post and a Skywatch post as well. I find those photo meme's attract a lot of people. Mind you those people don't write as much on those type of posts, as people do on a regular post I find. I could do a whole post on the ins and outs of the stats from my blog but don't want to bore you!!

Finally DEAL ALERT for the Canadian's and American's!!! From now until December 31st, 2010, if you order $39 or more worth of books from Bookcloseouts.com you get free shipping. I have ordered from these guys a few times and am very, very happy with the service etc. There is a great selection of books at super low prices.

29 comments:

ChrisJ said...

Like you, I discovered that blogs with photos attract greater numbers. I have also found weekends and holidays fewer people visit.

MyBulletinBoard said...

Never heard that expression before. Don't think it's a Texas expression, sorry. But do hope the cooler weather will help Molly.

Liz in the Republic of Texas

landcuckoo said...

Think your tree decoration looks smashing! And I hope no-one thinks to walk away with any of it.
Take care
Sarah x

Unknown said...

Just love your little festive bucket-y thing! So cheery!
Vicky x

Sugar__Mama said...

i absolutely love your new outdoor decor!

Niki said...

you did a lovely job! I'm a big fan of book closeouts too!

flowerpower said...

Thank you for the book link i love it.
Sue.M

Laura said...

I am a nut for Sitemeter too! A lot of people end up on my blog after searching 'things on a farm', and for some reason, that makes me want to do a series for them - introduce some 'thing' on my farm each week. Maybe some day!

Love the arrangement - you're so creative!

-Laura at TenThingsFarm

Christy said...

I'm in Southern Ontario and that's definitely an expression that I'm familiar with :)

Going to go check out that book link!

Decadent Housewife said...

Your decoration is lovely! My stats skyrocketed when I posted about Pigs and Lawyers. Food seems to be a big draw too. (Somehow that seems all connected.)

"When the snow flies" is an old saying in Ontario, mostly rural. Now that you "live out in the sticks" you will likely pick up more sayings and maybe sticks too.

Winifred said...

Lovely decoration it would probably blow away here. all my garden furniture and huge pots blow over as there's just no shelter. If I had a column or post I could wire it.

Hope the tablets do the trick.

Prairie Farmstead Ponderings said...

Well now, aren't you thrifty and crafty?! Would that make you crifty or thrafty? Heehee! Seriously, that is extremely creative and it turned out lovely, Gill.

I'm originally from Big Sky Country (Montana) and always heard 'when the snow flies' growing up...then we moved to southern Arizona...no such thing as snow. Now that we're in Neeeeeebraska, it's a quite common phrase. To me, it just means it's *that* time of year when those white fluffy crystals fall from the sky.

Ella said...

It came out very lovely.
Blessings, GG

Piece by Piece said...

I am also in S. W. Ontario and have heard that expression. Your outdoor Christmas decoration looks very festive.
Patricia

the fly in the web said...

Thank you for your comment on mine...for some reason I can't make a reply to you on mine, but; yes, it is dreadful that people feel impelled to suicide because of lack of thought in how to accommodate them in a changing work landscape.

QuiltedSimple said...

Oh I love this decoration - I think I need to get to the dollar store - what a great idea!!!!

I've heard that expression here in Ohio.

I have one of the maps, and I love seeing where people come from.
Kris

Unknown said...

That is really thoughtful of you to decorate outside.

DeniseinVA said...

Well as you know my blog is all about photography, starting out as a place for me to store my photos. Little did I know. For me the Live Feed is a favorite for me to look at as I love to see where everyone is from, and the flags give me a clue. Your decoration is lovely Gill. I haven't heard that expression either and I do hope that Molly's allergies will quieten down one of these days, for her sake and for your pocket book.

Scrappy quilter said...

I love your Christmas decoration. Beautiful!!

The saying "when the snow flies" has been heard many times in our neck of the woods.

Hugs..

bubble said...

wow...thats great!! I look at alot of blogs and think 'yeh...I could make that'...but it never works out lol!!

Bubble xx

Kim said...

Your decoration looks great! I'm also in Ontario and have heard that expression before.

I'd like it to snow on Christmas eve and then stop :)

Tracey said...

Brilliant bucket decoration! I think people are busier at weekends (except me!) thats why theres less visitors. xxx

Evelyn said...

I've heard the expression alot around here unfortunately

Heather Robinson said...

It's such a delight to meet another Canadian in the blogging world. I've really enjoyed browsing through your blog and seeing the photos of the birds at your feeders (know what you mean about the massive amount they are consuming). Love the Christmas decorating. Do you rent yourself out? I have no talent for this at all but you have inspired me to try.

Patty said...

I always knew you were a crafty lady. LOL Pretty nice decoration for your patio. Haven't been around in a while. Busy, busy, busy.

Our youngest daughter and our granddaughter are still living with us. Daughter is taking classes two nights a week and works full time. She wants to become a Registered Nurse.

So Grandma takes granddaughter to and from school. She's a good kid, doesn't cause any problems, but seems to get grumpy and whiny when her Mother comes home. I think it's because she knows she can get away with it.

Also I have had cataract surgery on both eyes, the left one on Aug.27th. and the right one on Oct.22nd. They are both healing nicely.

I think since the last time I visited your blog, my sister-in-law passed away, she lost her battle with cancer and died the 24th. of July. My brother and sister-in-law had lost their only son in Oct. 2008 from a car accident, which was not his fault. I sometimes wonder if the sister-in-law just gave up and thought why fight the cancer any longer.

Well enough of my doom and gloom. Thanks for stopping by. Right at the moment, we're getting rain, I can hear it hitting the sky lights.

Frostbite and Sunburn said...

Super decoration.

I've never heard that snow expression before, and I haven't heard it in Alberta yet. There's plenty of time!!

And I too love the statistics that the sitemeters throw up - fascinating stuff!

Karine said...

I LOVE your Christmas decoration!!! It's the type of thing I would make if I could, I'm getting quite antsy to have a house of my own, but I'm going to have to wait a while for that I think :o)

As for 'when the snow flies', I've never heard it either, so I guess it really is just a southern Ontario thing!

Margaret said...

Hi I'm the person who makes your site meter read Auckland New Zealand Love your blog and your Christmas bucket thingy!

Soonermomofmany said...

I love it.........oh and I'm from oklahoma and I've heard thar expression before..........

{{{SIGH}}}

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