decking out the Duff House

first
i just want to say a big

thank you

for all of your prayers
sweet words
and understanding
about the loss of our dog

we are sad but okay
and never underestimate how much it helps
when folks like you
share your concern
for folks like me

now
onto happier things

we're pretty big on tradition
when it comes to Christmas

that's why
every year
on the friday after Thanksgiving
we load up the minivan
and head to our favorite Christmas tree farm
to cut down the perfect tree

strap it to the roof
and haul it home

and despite my best intentions

to get a smaller tree

we end up pickin' one that reaches right up to the ceiling

we haul out the strings of lights

boxes of ornaments

bits and bobbles

to be set about

and voila

the stockings get hung

the rooms get bedecked and bedazzled

and now

Christmas can come

at least

it can come as soon as i finish shopping

hiding

wrapping

posting

and baking

how about you

are your halls decked?

a little sadness

i had a very different
and jollier
post planned for today

but last night
our little dog Sipsie
was out running loose

and after a couple hours of searching
i found her lying in the road
still
cold

i brought her home
and in the dark and fog and rain
buried her beneath a pine tree

and cried myself to sleep

it's kind of hard to believe
how much sadness i feel
over such a small creature

an introduction and a giveaway reminder

i am so pleased
to introduce you all
to my two newest sponsors
here at Stuff and Nonsense





is one fabulous
and creative blog
authored by april

wife
mum
and crafty vintage girl

she has an etsy shop


that is filled with lovely vintage finds like
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so if you're interested in some awesome crafty ideas and tutorials



some fun posts about home renovation

savory recipes

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are just on the browse for some vintage goodies


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another new sponsor to Stuff and Nonsense is



a wise and wonderful blog
written by Joii Cooper


wife
daughter
sister
and passionate follower of Jesus

if you're wondering just how Joii (pronounced 'Joy' of course)
came up with the name for her blog

she writes
         This blog is forever dedicated to my mommy, Ms. Bush.  She had a permanent email signature that read, “Live each day to the fullest”.  She passed away 1 month after I got married in 2009 and 10 days after her 60th birthday.  I have chosen to name my blog after my mom’s charge to all who received email from her because it is a great mantra.  My mom lived by it.  She was a fiercely independent woman, who worked hard and traveled extensively.  She shopped, ate great food, stayed at the best hotels, and did everything with big excitement.  There was nothing that was too good for her or those she loved.  So, this blog is a celebration of living life to the fullest.  I want you to celebrate life. Don’t take a great meal for granted. When a prayer is answered, stop and be thankful. Let us celebrate life together; great food, great faith, great fashion, great family, great travel….the list goes on and on.


in addition to her encouraging and insightful posts
Joii hosts a recipe link-up





where you can link up your excellent eats
and find inspiration shared by other foodies


i hope you'll take a moment
to visit






and



today

and be sure to tell April and Joii
that i sent ya!


and if you haven't already done so
don't forget to enter my Mikarose Giveaway
which ends tomorrow night


good luck!

fridays unfolded #43

welcome friends
to


this week's party
is starting a day early
in honor of

Thanksgiving

which i am excited to spend
with some of the hubs' family
eating too much for my own good
laughing
visiting
catching up
watching the kiddie cousins play

good stuff

and speaking of good stuff

there was a whole lot of it shared
as usual
at last week's party

Ellen's Creative Passage shared a fantastic tutorial
for felting wool from thrifted sweaters


and since you're going to be felting wool
you should try making these creative place holders
for your Thanksgiving table
shared by My Decoupaged Life


i love this simple and inexpensive method
for using hollow core doors
to make these Pottery Barn-esque floating shelves
shared by Low Country Living


looking for a last-minute treat
to take to grandma's house tomorrow?
how about these pumpkin cheesecake truffles from The Rickett Chronicles?


and finally
It's Just Me shared this cool and vintagy looking shelf
made from a pallet


pretty nifty, huh?

if your post was featured
be sure to grab a button


and before we go

have you entered my Mikarose Giveaway yet?


you can enter for a chance to win
a $50 gift certificate to use as a Christmas gift
or to get a little something special for yourself


just click on the link above

and now it's your turn
to show us what unfolded for you
this week
or last week
or
well
you get the idea

the rules are simple:

follow Stuff and Nonsense
(and leave a comment so i can follow you back)

link up your recipe, sewing project, decor, craft, poem, essay, tutorial, etc.
whatever 'unfolded' for you this week

be sure to link back to your post and not just your url 
(by joining fridays unfolded you are giving me permission
to use your photos for features on Stuff and Nonsense)

visit a few of the other links and leave a comment
(it's just polite)

post my button on your blog
so others can join the fun

after you link up here
i would love for you to
visit my friday friends
and join their linky parties as well

 

  

and finally

i wish you all 

a warm and wonderful

Thanksgiving

a thankful heart

{via}

since we will soon all gather
around Thanksgiving tables everywhere

i wanted to share
a little something
that's been on my heart lately about

gratitude

the Holy Spirit
has been reminding me that

there are orphans who have no one to love them

{pinterest}

so give thanks for your quirky, imperfect family

{via}

there are women you know
who are being wounded by their husbands

so give thanks if you married a gentle man

{pinterest}

there are hurting men and women
in marriages that are cracking under enormous pressure

so give thanks if the Lord has blessed you with fruitful and healthy marriage

there are folks who are out of work
and cannot find employment

so give thanks for the work of your hands
that provides for your family

{via}

there are parents of very sick children
who live with fear and heartache as constant companions

there are men and women who long to be called mom and dad
struggling with infertility
waiting
hoping
aching
to hold a child in their arms

so give thanks for your healthy children

{pinterest}

there are families
who will mark an empty place
around the Thanksgiving table
because someone they love is a thousand miles away

{pinterest}

or has gone to a place
from which they will never return

{via}

so give thanks
for the ones close to you today
who you can touch
hold
cherish

there are those this week

who will gather around

a stranger's table

to eat food that they could not prepare

so give thanks for the means to buy food

and for loved ones to share it with

{via}

there are those
who do not know the love of a Savior
who have never encountered Jesus
who are lost

so give thanks to the One
Who sent His Spirit to dwell in us
so that we are never alone

Who offers us all
a hope and a future

{via}

may we all be truly grateful
for the blessings we have been given
and may your Thanksgiving this year
be sweet indeed