News from the Nest, November 14
“This is a wonderful day, I have never seen this one before.”
Maya Angelou
I hope your Monday is off to a FANTASTIC start! 🌞
We are coming off a lovely weekend! For a couple whose default weekend mode is comfy clothes and ‘stay-at-home’, this was a busy weekend. On Friday, we gathered with our ‘game night’ friends for a night of delicious food, rejuvenating fellowship, huge laughter, and our go-to card game. 🃏 On Saturday, we attended the wedding of a beautiful young lady who we watched grow up through swim team meets over the years. Then on Sunday, I was excited to learn a little about painting with watercolors in a fun class.
I tend to think about my busyness in terms of makeup! I could go many days without makeup, but this was a three makeup-day stretch! Phew…that’s a lot of mascara!
Some of these links may be Amazon affiliate links and I may earn a small commission off of the sale of these products to help defray the costs of operating this site, but the price you are charged is not affected. You can see my full disclosure policy here.
zippered pouch winners
I love giveaways!
It was fun reading all your comments and I guess I was a little surprised at the OVERWHELMING favorite zippered pouch saying. I guess it shouldn’t surprise me because it is probably the phrase that knitters hiss lovingly say most often, “Shhhh, I’m counting!”
- The Random Number Generator selected Elly Lowry and Susan Hunt as winners! If you two would email me your address and what zippered pouch saying you would like, I’ll get those in the works for you.
thanksgiving preparations
Just a reminder, Thanksgiving is next week. 😮 I know, right!?
Table of Contents
- If you will be a guest at a Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving meal, print off some of these wine tags to take with your bottle of wine.
- This Cranberry Apple Banana Bread was a regular in our kitchen on Thanksgiving morning.
- All-Clad and Williams-Sonoma brand roasting pans are on a pretty good sale right now…up to 50% off!
soak up all the pumpkin things!
We are getting ready to shift from pumpkin spice to gingerbread spice! Want to enjoy a few pumpkin-y things before the shift?
- You will love these Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. If you have a dessert table for Thanksgiving, this would be a great addition.
- A breakfast including these Pumpkin Doughnut Holes will get the day started on the right note!
- Flora says, “Dogs love Pumpkin, too!”
knit things
- I finally had a chance to publish the video showing how to knit in the round with double-pointed needles that accompanied this DPN post. You can save the video to your Pinterest board for easy access.
Christmas crafting
- I can’t tell you how much I LOVE that this blog serves as a clearinghouse for the fantastic ideas of our readers. Katherine has brilliantly upcycled the fabric bags that often accompany shoes and lingerie. She purchased iron-on Christmas patches to cover the company logo and will use them to give gifts this year. What a brilliant way to upcycle perfectly good bags.
- Knit a Christmas tree pillow for your home or to give as a gift.
- This Santa’s Sweet Shoppe window is one of my all-time favorite projects.
gift ideas
- Do you have book lovers on your gift list? There are some fantastic suggestions in this list of bibliophile gift ideas. The Jane Eyre phone case cover is hugely popular!
- If you will be a guest sometime over the holidays, this list of great Hostess Gifts will be handy.
last, but not least
Well, friends. I’m off to breakfast with friends (make-up free!) and then I need to get busy. I’ve got a darling embroidered Christmas tree project for you coming up, in addition to some scrumptious chocolate sugar cookie ‘presents’.
Hugs,
I can just hear the enthusiastic tone inYour voice. One of my crocheting friends is having a problem so she will stop by fir m6 help and I invited her for lunch.need to make my chicken salad so I already. Blessings to you fir making my day
Hi Barbs! Thank you so much for your sweet note! I am so lucky that I love doing this and there are folks like you who like what I do. Doesn’t get any better. I trust you were able to help with the crochet and enjoyed your chicken salad and catching up with each other.
Have a wonderful day, my friend.
Hugs, Lynn
a propos of nothing (well, maybe the upcycled lingerie bags).
Save your wall calendars and use those beautiful pictures to wrap gifts. You save on wrapping paper, and everyone will know the gift is from you. (and it’s fun to try to match the picture to what’s inside, if you can.)
Hi Jeanie,
That’s another great upcycling idea! Taking it step further, it’d be fun to use the birthday month for the calendar to wrap the birthday gift. Keep those creative ideas flowing!
Hugs, Lynn
Lynn,
I just wanted to let you know that I made the Cranberry Apple Banana Bread and I took it to my church so my church family could have it with the coffee that I make in the morning before church services. I got so many compliments on it that one of the women even asked me for the recipe. Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe.
Oh Beverly,
Can you see me beaming from here? That just makes my day when I hear that our recipes are much loved and shared.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write in, it truly means the world to me.
Hugs, Lynn
I thoroughly enjoy your household tips, gift ideas, recipes and knitting patterns! Can you name your “go-to” card game?…we’re always looking for fun games to play with our adult children and friends during the holidays. Thank you!
Hi Lisa,
We call it Jazz, but it looks very similar to a game called Canadian Salad. It’s a tricks taking game and very fun. Let me know what you think.
And, thank for your kind comments! I have fun doing this.
Have a great day,
Hugs, Lynn
Lynn,
I finished a Grace baby blanket this week. I love this pattern. It was easy enough, with the video you made. It was SO HELPFUL! Guess I am a visual learner! Our first grandchild is due on St. Patrick’s Day & I can hardly wait to take a picture of the baby wrapped up in the handmade blanket. Sending wishes for you to have a WONDERFUL holiday season!