Tuesday, December 20, 2016

7 Great Books to Give this Holiday Season! { #QT/ #Open Book }


Because a book makes the best gift!
Let's get right to it.......
how about some choices for holiday/ seasonal reads? 

 1
Debbie Macomber's
I'm in the middle of the Cedar Cove creator's latest! 
Debbie's books are light, easy reading.
Likable characters, relatable situations.
Soooooo fun.
Enjoy~



2

David Sedaris's holiday-themed essays 
(for the whole year, not just Christmas)


3

Nancy Drew meets Jane Austen in this murder mystery 
set on Christmas Eve, 1814.

4

Nothing beats a  Mary Higgins Clark novel, right? 
She is seriously The Best suspense writer of today.
At 88 years of age, she can still scare the daylights out of me....
and keep me guessing!
<here's Ms Clark's latest!>

But this one's my fave Christmas story:



5
What's Christmas without Hans Christian Andersen's
 classic The  Little Match Girl?


And this particular version features  the luminous art of Caldecott Honor
 recipient Jerry Pinkney.


6
Talk about a blat from the past:

Everything I Need to Know About Christmas 

I Learned From a Little Golden Book


Product Details
How fun is this title?
Not as much fun as actually reading it!

Featuring iconic art from Golden Books luminaries
 including Eloise Wilkin, Richard Scarry, J.P. Miller, Garth Williams!!

7
No list of Christmas-related stories would be complete
without a Max Lucado...you do know that right?
A perfect, moving, beautiful stony to gift someone special!

"The child in the cradle became the King on the cross." 


<< Here are the recent guides from weeks past in case you missed them: >>
The Ultimate in Bling!  
Frugal & Unique Gifts for HER that Sparkle: Holiday 2016!
Featuring iconic art from Golden Books luminaries
 including Eloise Wilkin, Richard Scarry, J.P. Miller, Garth Williams!!

                                                   Ultimate List of  Tech Deals: 
                                      From Kindles to Tablets to Fire Sticks & Dots!

"The Stockings Were Hung" ~
 23 Frugal & Unique Stockings AND Stuffers! 


I'm so happy to link at Anne's home on the web, 
Modern Mrs Darcy, for her What I'm Reading Lately linky!
Please head over for some unique reading recommendations by
Anne and her blogger friends who've  joined in!


I'm grateful to link at Kelly's for her weekly Quick Takes hop!
It's been a while since I last linked at Kelly's 
with my post on the Grand Canyon.....:
Descent to the Colorado: 
7 Tips for Hiking 5000 Feet and 10 Miles in 120 Degree Heat to 
Phantom Ranch 




Have you signed up to receive my posts in your email inbox?
   If not, just click here to 
quickly and easily  so we can be in touch regularly!
You might wish to follow on Facebook as well.....


This post contains amazon affiliate links....
If you are shopping at  amazon this Christmas season,
would you consider clicking through my link


In this way, I will receive a small commission on the purchase.....
a few pennies per dollar.
If YOU are an amazon affiliate, please send me
your link and I will do the same!
THANK YOU!


Until next time,

~Chris

Sunday, December 18, 2016

"The Stockings Were Hung" ~ 23 Frugal & Unique Stockings AND Stuffers!

The Big Day's a week from today! 
and soooooooo: another shopping guide for you.

<< Here are the recent guides from weeks past in case you missed them: >>
The Ultimate in Bling!  
Frugal & Unique Gifts for HER that Sparkle: Holiday 2016!

                                                   Ultimate List of  Tech Deals: 
                                      From Kindles to Tablets to Fire Sticks & Dots!

In today's post~ stocking stuffers!
Everyone's favorite to discover wrapped and hidden at the toe of your
stocking...........
But not so easy to locate , right?

Hopefully, these ideas may solve some of your stocking stuffer dilemma~!


First of all, let's hang those stockings with style
 with these lovely options~














No mantle~ No problem!
Here ya go~

Our stockings have been around forEVER!
But inc ase yours are in need of replacement,
here are a few gorgeous ones to peruse~


Kurt Adler 21 inch designed
set of 2




set of two ~ white and red





Now.......onto stuffing those stockings~
Even adults love to play with..........













and the unique thinking putty


















How about some treats?
And who wouldn't love to find that Santa left these.........?





Rice Krispy Treats



Strawberry Twizzlers



To keep nice n cozy warm..........





















(cozy velvet lined) 



Thank you for spending some of your precious time today
here at my home on the web! 

Have you signed up to receive my posts in your email inbox?
   If not, just click here to 
quickly and easily  so we can be in touch regularly!
You might wish to follow on Facebook as well.....


If you are shopping at  amazon and Target
why not consider clicking through my link
In this way, I will receive a small commission on the purchase.....
at no cost to you.
THANK YOU!

Until next time,



~Chris


BTW, I'm offering photo services and customized
photo packages for your blog or business!
< Subscribers receive a deep discount! > 



Wednesday, December 14, 2016

December Sky ~ WW



The view out our kitchen window.....
facing east.

Sunrise on a frosty, but beautiful almost-winter morn.



Thank you for spending some of YOUR busy day right here with me!

I'll be back s-o-o-n with more shopping guides!
They're so much fun to put together and
I hope they're giving you an idea or two!!

<< Here are the recent ones  in case you missed them: >>>
The Ultimate in Bling!  
Frugal & Unique Gifts for HER that Sparkle: Holiday 2016!

                                                   Ultimate List of  Tech Deals: 
                                      From Kindles to Tablets to Fire Sticks & Dots!
Have you signed up to receive my posts in your email inbox?
   If not, just click here to 
quickly and easily  so we can be in touch regularly!
You might wish to follow on Facebook as well.....


Cotton Delight divider

This post contains amazon affiliate links....
If you are shopping at  amazon this Christmas season,
would you consider clicking through my link


In this way, I will receive a small commission on the purchase.....
a few pennies per dollar.
If YOU are an amazon affiliate, please send me
your link and I will do the same!
THANK YOU!


Until next time,

~Chris

Monday, December 12, 2016

Time Does Fly~ A Quick Look Back at Four Years........

 On this very day in 2012,
Our Lady's Feast Day, I decided to begin my "online journal,"
never, ever realizing the world of opportunity and friends
 that would come my way because of it!

I've met so many truly amazing people,
developed friendships with special individuals
on this and three other continents....wow!.....
.....been granted the privilege to experience 
and hopefully, improved my writing skills 
here in myhome on the web.....
I've slapped some poetry and memoir up here
as well as shopping guides,
 a camping how-to, birthday party wrap ups,
more cakes than I can count...but here's my fave, for you Whovians.
And here's a  Victory Cake for Hunger Games readers.....
and
boy, it's been a blast!
No one's more surprised than I am that I'm still here,
with "regulars" stopping by and new friends on occasion,
peeking in to introduce themselves and leave a comment once in  while too!
And thank you all!

How about a real  quick peek at the top 3 reasons readers
have stopped by?








WIth this a close second...........>>>






 And this, travel post, sliding right in to 3rd place~!




And my "wrap up" of each year since I began blogging?
Here is my look back at 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Didn't write one yet for 2016!
But I did embark this year on
two blog challenges this year!
Yay!
Here's the April A to Z challenge



and the October #Write31Days challenge!

Aaaaaaaaannnnnnnndddddddd....
I am privileged to have a story included in the
Five MInute Friday Book!!





I've been honored to blog for the NY Cosmos 
<<#NYisCosmosCountry!!>>



as well 
as Compassion International



and
for our diocese when Papa rocked the Garden last year!



Yup, it's been a full year here on the blog.....
and that's thanks to YOU, my friends!

Thank you for spending some of YOUR busy day right here with me!

Have you signed up to receive my posts in your email inbox?
   If not, just click here to 
quickly and easily  so we can be in touch regularly!
You might wish to follow on Facebook as well.....



This post contains amazon affiliate links....
If you are shopping at  amazon this Christmas season,
would you consider clicking through my link


In this way, I will receive a small commission on the purchase.....
a few pennies per dollar.
If YOU are an amazon affiliate, please send me
your link and I will do the same!
THANK YOU!


Until next time,

~Chris