Trimming my address book on Shutterfly

I use Shutterfly for my family photo holiday cards each year. 

Starting November 2024, I used Shutterfly’s free service to print mailing addresses on the envelopes for me. I had the envelopes printed with our return address too. 

Youngest helped me with this project when I was at her house Thanksgiving week. We cut a dozen or more names off our list at that time.

As other people’s cards arrived in our mailbox, November 2024 - January 2025, I paid attention to the senders. 

We received more cards this year than previous years. They were better quality cards this year. Most had pictures and information. There were very few store bought cards with just a signature. 

I deleted at least a half dozen additional people off my Shutterfly address book in February 2025, while it was all fresh in my mind. 

Why February? I had one of our holiday cards from November 2024, show up in my mail box on February 7, 2025. It was marked as “no longer at this address”.

So some of my deletes were our cards that came back, people had moved, I have not heard from them, so I don’t have a new address. 

Other deletes were people that we no longer hear from, have slipped away. 

When I did the first holiday card mailing in 2020, I cast a wide net. I sent to people we had not contacted in a long time. Five years later, 2025, it felt like it was time to cull that list.

So I now have a very up to date address book online at Shutterfly. I will be in good shape to order pre addressed holiday cards November 2025. 

Two stuffing like recipes without the bread

These have been modified by me for how I cook and what we eat.

Harvest Casserole Hash 

Do not double this recipe 

chicken sausage or 2 chicken breasts 
2 medium sweet potatoes cubed
1 lb Brussel sprouts halved (fresh or frozen)

1.5 cups raw wild rice 
No salt chicken broth 
1 small onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp paprika 
1 tsp cumin
1 apple (honey crisp), finely diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup sliced almonds 
Salt/pepper to taste

Eggs

Put wild rice and 3 cups broth in rice cooker. 

Preheat Oven 425° 

Roast Sweet potatoes, *Brussel sprouts, sprayed with olive oil, salt/pepper, 25 minutes, stir partway 

*roast raw/fresh Brussels sprouts. If using frozen, just thaw, but do not pre-cook/roast.

Spray large skillet with olive oil 

cook cubed chicken. 

Add onion, garlic, thyme, paprika, cumin.
Add apples. 

Stir in cranberries. 

Reduce oven to 400° 

Spray 9 x 13” baking dish, 
Combine all ingredients (except eggs)

Add 1/2 cup broth over mixture

Remember to add almonds, salt/pepper! 

Bake 20 minutes covered

Cook eggs over medium so they are still runny. 
Serve Harvest Casserole Hash with egg on top

This (below) is a slightly different take on the recipe above. We are making this version for Thanksgiving 2024.  

Cranberry-Glazed Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts, and Sweet Potato Salad with Cranberries and Goat Cheese 

Roasted Vegetables:

1 sm butternut squash, peel/cubed

1 lb Brussels sprouts, trim/halved

2 med sweet potatoes, peel/cubed

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Cranberry Glaze:

1/2 cup cranberry juice

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 T honey or maple syrup

1 T balsamic vinegar

Finishing Touch:

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup dried cranberries 

1 T fresh parsley, chopped 

Roast Vegetables

• Preheat oven 400°F 

• In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until well coated.

• Spread vegetables on a large baking sheet in a single layer.

• Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and caramelized.

Cranberry Glaze

• While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the cranberry glaze. In a small saucepan, combine the cranberry juice, dried cranberries, honey (or maple syrup), and balsamic vinegar.

• Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens into a glaze.

Assemble Salad

• Transfer roasted vegetables to a large serving bowl.

• Drizzle cranberry glaze over roasted vegetables, toss to coat.

• Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese and extra dried cranberries on top.

Shutterfly policy change

 I received an email from Shutterfly, last week, warning me of an important policy change. 

This is very major for me. Shutterfly is one of my backup photo storage places. 

Instead of getting irritated, I did my photo holiday card from start to finish on that Friday. And my plan is to order from Shutterfly every year, so I have an automatic order every 12 months. 

I ordered 120 custom 5”x7” cards with envelopes with free shipping. They should arrive today.

I think, this is the least I have spent for the most amount of cards. 

I did not special order rounded corners. I did not special order photo/print on the back. I did not special order off white stock/envelopes.

Having a total of four photos and very limited text on the front was helpful. I had to edit my text very tightly to convey our year in about 105 total words, including greeting and signature. 

I embraced the editing challenge and am very pleased with the card order. 

Dog bandana pattern and instructions and a picture of our tree this year

 🐕 🐕 🐕 🐕 🐕 🐕 🐕 🐕 🐕 🐕 🐕 🐕 🐕 🐕 🐕 

We put bandanas on the pups regularly from the beginning. They leave them alone 99.9% of the time. They seem to like wearing them. 

We remove harnesses, collars and bandanas when they go in their crate, for safety. 

That is a piece of sweet potato, she is learning “wait”. On command she tosses it up and then catches it. 

I am very attached to this dog bandana pattern, it has the casual look of a tied traditional (square) bandana without all the bulk. We prefer a dog bandana that ties (vs snap or button). 

I use one yard of fabric per bandana. That allows ample cutting room for both sides. 

The directions are simple -

Cut two, each on the fold, paying attention to the fabric if there is an up and a down to the print. The point is the bottom of the bandana, the long side is the top, if the dog wears it like the above picture. 

I double fold the fabric, opposite of how it comes off the bolt, and cut both pieces at the same time to save as much of the extra fabric as possible and to get identical pieces. If you click on the photo/enlarge, can see the edges and folds. The fabric is four layers thick under the pattern piece (only).

Here is the extra fabric, I can use for other projects -

Right sides together, sew with a 2/8” seam allowance, leaving a 3” gap to turn it right side out. 

I back stitch at the beginning and end of my stitching, at the point, and at the end of the ties. I use a zigzag foot for this 2/8” seam allowance -

Flip right side out and press carefully. 

Top stitch using (blending thread color) a very skinny (1/8”) presser foot, so the top stitching catches the inside seam allowance for added strength and sews up the 3” gap. 

I back stitch intermittently, for added strength, just a stitch or two, at the point and all along the ends which will be tied.

The pattern (below) is on a 1” grid. Drawing on graph paper, or blowing the picture up on a copy machine, or a combination of both, should work to duplicate this pattern at home. 

This pattern works for our pups at 30-35lbs. It is easy to enlarge or reduce this pattern size. 

Here are the bandanas under our tree for the puppies this year. The valentines and st pat are woven cotton, the plaids are cotton flannel.  

This is a 6’ skinny tree tucked on the window seat. It takes up no floor space, it fills the window, it takes a small amount of ornaments to fill this tree fully, I can do it myself. This year the tree was decorated with my gold set of ornaments. I also have a red/green, and white/aqua set, and matching “skirts”. I use one print/type of wrapping paper for everything. Two rolls gets me through a year, I switch every year. My leftover paper goes to my neighbor. 

Forcing bulbs

I hunted very hard for a Valentines decoration for my kitchen island (this year and last year).

No luck.

By pure chance I was in a different grocery store and saw containers of forced bulbs a few weeks ago.

I got tulips to try. When they bloomed and were very fun, I also got a started container of crocuses, and I got an identical empty container and started my own paper white narcissus bulbs.

There is a plastic device in the bottom of each base to keep the started bulbs up out of the water. The two started containers came with the plastic piece. The extra vase was missing the plastic piece. My husband cut 5 quarter/coin size holes in a plastic oatmeal lid and it works perfectly.

So I have three sets of bulbs going, all at different stages.

We all think this is very fun. Even my husband thinks it is a creative and interesting winter thing to do.

I will order bulbs next fall, put them in the refrigerator, and then start them at a staggered pace after the first of the year. I will reuse these 3 vases.

So far, not bothering my respiratory system.

This would make a great gift.

Skirts

It is very ironic.

I have made many beautiful Christmas tree skirts over the last 30-35 years.

And now I use plain upholstery fabric draped around the tree stand as my “skirt”.

Because I put my very skinny 6’ tree on a wooden box or the living room window seat, a traditional skirt will not work. Besides the upholstery fabric, I have also used draped tulle or burlap.

I am in the process of cleaning out my studio. One very painful week I sorted a lot of fabric. And then when my tree was set on the window seat for the first time (ever), I remembered a piece of gold upholstery weight fabric and it worked great.

There was another piece of gold that was nearly the same size. I sewed the two together. So the ends will not fray and I have a reversible “skirt”. This blends with my gold tree decorations.

I did the same thing with a piece of red and a piece of green I found in my stash. And this blends with my box of traditional decorations.

And I bought a white fabric and an aqua print for my third box of decorations.

You might remember, it only takes 50 ornaments to decorate my 6’ very skinny tree. I now have three full sets of ornaments/picks/ribbon that I can alternate different years. Traditional set, gold balls, white/aqua/silver balls are each packed in a separate small bin. White lights stay on the tree.

It would have been expensive to buy all six pieces of upholstery fabric at the same time. Using four from my stash and only buying (50% off coupon) two, felt really good.

The fabric (below)  folded back (gold, white, red) are my first choices on these “skirts”.

I could have put muslin or duck on the back of these pieces, but it the white would have shown around the edges. I could have just serged the edges, but they drape better with the fullness of the two fabrics. 

I had most of the fabric, and reversible seemed like a very smart choice. I took care to use six  different fabrics so I can have very unique  looks each year.

Call the midwife, Scotland, xmas special

Call the Midwife’s Christmas episode is now available on PBS app until mid January.

The midwives travel to Scotland and are in a coastal village, so the scenery is breathtaking and very Scottish.

Middle and I enjoy this series so much. And it is fun, they do a special episode each Christmas.

Puzzles

https://www.whitemountainpuzzles.com/

If you have older kids, a house full, or just yourself, a holiday puzzle can be very fun.

In the winter of 2018, I put together almost every puzzle in the house. I set up a table in front of the loveseat in the living room and just kept going, one to the next. All variety of puzzles. I was checking to see if they were all there.

I recycled the ones that were missing pieces. I sold all the complete but junky ones. I also sold most of the wooden ones.

I saved a great number of high quality kids’ puzzles.

I saved one 1000 piece puzzle of Mackinac Island.

I think the original puzzle came from Mackinaw Island itself when we were there years ago. I think oldest and I put it together at that time. I think there is a picture somewhere of me working on this puzzle.

The girls (and their friends) and my husband have been putting it together this week. It is set up at the end of the kitchen table. Big advantage of an 8’ table, a puzzle can be set up at one end, and the table is still functional.

We have had 5-6 friends of youngest’s floating in and out of our house this break. Only one or two were here to work on the puzzle, I should have gotten it out earlier. (It might be a lot like card and board games that they only do when they are here.)

It is something I am doing (putting puzzle out over Christmas break) from this point forward. And I am sticking with this type of puzzle that can easily be put together/finished over a few days, with many people working on it. It is challenging with lots of pieces, but totally doable.

I have no desire to have a puzzle out for weeks and weeks. And with the pup, really we cannot have a puzzle out all the time. She would take pieces off the table and eat them.

I ordered three 1000 piece puzzles from the same company (above) today. I ordered from their clearance section of discontinued 1000+ piece puzzles. I had a coupon for free shipping. So I spent $30 total on three good quality puzzles.

Absolutely can find puzzles at second hand stores and garage sales. Also could get into a trading system with neighbors and friends.

So I will have a stash for future years. And I think once each is complete, I am taking a picture of the fact that it is complete and then selling it. So we do not develop a huge inventory of puzzles we have already done.

These puzzles are normally in the $15 plus shipping price range. I think I can sell them for $10 used/complete on Marketplace. And that will recoup my money. (They also could be donated to a senior center.)

Our close friends always put a puzzle out for Christmas break. It was very much a tradition. And I think it is a good one.

This could be a good gift to send to older grandkids or have out for older grandkids when they visit over the holidays. Or have out to occupy kids when older relatives visit and they need to be present and you do not want them to be bored. Everyone could sit around the dining room table while some work on the puzzle and others chat, if you have older relatives who do not like to play games.

So I think this could be incorporated into a lot of family traditions in a very positive way.

Very pleased with my tree tableau this year

Ribbon instead of hooks

Maybe the whole world does this now.

We tie a loop of ribbon around Christmas tree ornaments (instead of using a hook).

It just makes everything easier and feels safer.

The pup is not allowed on the living room, but if she saw a hook on the floor, she would invade/conquer and definitely chew on it.



Our living room got rearranged this year. I am trying new configurations in preparation for new living room furniture.

The TV is now where the tree has been for several years. A recliner is sitting the tree’s original Position.

I thought about putting the tree in the entryway. And that might be an option in the future. The drawback is it cannot be seen from the outside (in the entryway).

So standing in the living room, contemplating tree placement, it occurred to me that the window seat was perfect. The tree is 6’ and super skinny. From the outside, it looks like a 8-9’ tree that goes to the floor.

The years this 6’ tree is sitting on the floor, I have a wooden box, covered in upholstery fabric, that holds it. With the box, it is just over 7’. The advantage to this 6’ tree is it is super skinny. I do not think I could find a 7-9’ tree this skinny. I like the small space footprint of this tree. And 50 ornaments and about 40 picks covers it. It is easy to put up/take down but looks FULL.

I removed the cushion and all the pillows (from the window seat) obviously. And the room looks far less cluttered.

We removed all the toys that were previously stored in bench. My husband vacuumed/dusted/wiped out the whole thing. That bench is 7’ long so it is impressive. After the tree comes down, extra blankets and pillows (for the Living room) will be stored in the bench. That will make the room look less cluttered.

We discovered there was a plug in the cavity part of the window seat/bench, so cords were easily handled. My husband enlarged the pull/hole and the cord/plug is totally invisible.

The tree is on a 5pm-midnight timer. I have many things on that same timer schedule including all the outside lights. I love having everything inside and out pop on at 5pm.

I do not think the picture does it justice. The lights on the right are our backyard tree. The lights on the left are our neighbor.

I no longer use childhood ornaments on tree. I like a coordinated tree of one or two blending colors. I call that a store or magazine tree.

I sold the (new) ornaments I have been using for the last several years. I spent a whopping $10 on a bucket of 50 ornaments yesterday. The color blends with the ribbon, picks and white lights I already had.

I am also going to weed out the 4+ boxes of old traditional ornaments. I plan to save 50, in case there is a year where I want a traditional tree. But I am selling/donating/rehoming the rest.

So our tree got a new location and a $10 make-over and I am really pleased.

My empty kitchen space turned into a decaf tea drawer

When we got the tool cabinet for the garage, I moved every tool into it. That cleaned out a drawer in the kitchen.

It does not bother me one bit to go out to the garage for supplies. Since everything is organized and easily found, that cabinet is a pleasure.

I knew a good use would turn up for the empty kitchen drawer.

I have had other empty drawers and cupboards. Some are empty for a long time, others a shorter time, but so far a wonderful alternative has turned up for each.

This time boxes of decaf tea presented themselves as needing a home. They were a jumble in the pantry. I had tried shelves and then a crock and then shelves again and still they were not easily identified.

In the drawer, they are easily found and used. They fit perfectly.

My youngest and my niece were here most of last week and sort of marveled at the drawer.

It is very inviting.

Last year I collected small white tea pots. I have four. And when everyone is here, they are all put to use.

I have an electric water kettle, think England, which is used every day and well worth it. When the tea drinkers are here, it is handy for speed and volume. But I use it every day to fill my thermos. I drink hot water, year round.

Another spot for holiday decorations

This little “window box” hangs on my back kitchen wall, between window and stove.

It is very sturdy, mounted on wall with L brackets.

I had odds and ends in it, which were not worthy of the space.

The chicken pair is staying on top.

I am planning to rotate the inside shelves with the holidays.

It gives me one more place to display *seasonal things.

It is a great place for small things.

* plus: back door, island, 3  bathroom counters.

Thanksgiving decor

Downstairs bathroom (girls Hobby Lobby, I had the bench) -

My bathroom (Hobby Lobby) -

Upstairs bathroom (I have had him for a long time) -

Backdoor (craft show this fall, I would like to find a turkey for center) -

Close up -

We will have extended family here over the holidays.

And most everyone loves games. That is what we do when we have a house full.

I listen to several podcasts. And games have been mentioned.

I got three for this year:

Note, youngest and her college friends went thru the Meme cards and removed the ones which were more gross than funny. We now have three stacks - PG, MA funny, MA gross. Same college kids have been playing these games, so youngest knows how to do all of them before family plays.

Also note: prices have gone up on a couple of these since I ordered.

sorting and storing the little holiday stuff (so that I USE IT).

The Christmas stuff is in red and green bins in the attic. Decorations do not need to be see thru bins, because they have been sorted and I USE everything that is in them. My husband can easily find them, they are red and green.

I have a huge fall piece and a huge Thanksgiving piece that are in the attic too. I will show you when I get them out for those seasons.

And the big plug in pumpkins are also in the attic.

The hanging holiday stuff (like for the kitchen picture rails and the hook on the backdoor and my bathroom), are in a couple places (basket in living room and oldest's closet and my closet). This is because of size and weight.

The rest of the holiday stuff, including the pieces I use on the counters, in the bathrooms, are in the top of the cupboard under the stairs.

I culled a few things, but mostly, I took a hot mess, that felt like it might come down on ones head every time the doors were opened, and divided it into categories.

As each season rolls around, I will evaluate what I have and where I use it. And if I am not going to use it and I don't particularly like it, it is going. Like there are a lot of things in the Halloween box that are definitely going.

The pumpkin on the top shelf, with the blue tape, needs rewired. I have extension cords that can be used. My friend's husband will be here in a couple weeks and will be able to do that for me.

I had all these boxes in my garage. I use this specific size a lot for things around the house. I pretty much wiped out my stash of this size. And my husband had to get a ladder and move the top shelf down one level, but I am very pleased.

Easter egg trees

Someone made me one as a child.

A small branch with many off shoots, painted white, stuck it in a cottage cheese container with plaster of Paris. And I have the idea/memory that the collage cheese container was somehow on Easter colors. So either the company had an annual tradition, or it was decorated.

That year, with the tree, I think somebidy blew out real eggs and dyed them. And hung them on the tree. I think the tree made it several years.

And I loved that tree. Probably this was when I was preschool age. We moved when I was in the middle of first grade, and I think it was long before that time.

And I may have made a tree when my kids were little, or maybe I just thought about doing it.

I sort of rediscovered my wire tree. It used to hold necklaces in my bathroom. Now it is on the island in the kitchen.

And I am looking for seasonal things to hang on it. Not every season, just some.

Clearly wanted to find small/lightweight eggs for an Easter tree.

(I found smaller type hanging eggs at JoAnn’s. I paid $17 for 36 eggs. They were on sale 50% off plus I had a 20% coupon. Shockingly high prices on their hanging plastic eggs. Nice colors.)


Very pleased with it.

I really like Easter egg trees. Very glad to have one again.

Added a plate rail

This is a civil war era cabinet made by one of my relatives, paternal grandmother's side.

It has been sitting in the same spot in the kitchen for many years.

I took this picture today, but it looks just like previous pictures.

The three little chairs are always on top. The three little trees are always to the side. (And at Christmas the three little penguins are added on the chairs.)

When I was getting ready to graduate from college, I asked for it. So very glad I did. This piece has always meant a lot to me.

Previously, it was in my grandmother's basement with about 14 coats of paint on it. Probably from the days when spring "cleaning" meant putting a new coat of paint or varnish on walls and floors. This would have been a kitchen cupboard, so it would have been in the same category. Scrub it down with a brush, and put another layer of paint on it.

My grandmother had it stripped for me. 1983. And I refinished it.

I am not sure anyone but the antique's roadshow would argue with redoing it. In its painted state, it was really dreadful.

And honestly, in its refinished state for 35 years now, it looks old.

The antique's roadshow would also be horrified to know I had the wooden panels taken out of the top doors and glass replaced. Also 35 years ago. And I am not sorry about that either.

The plate rail groove cut into each shelf, is very far from the back wall of the cabinet.

Yesterday my husband added a second rail to each shelf by going up, not down. He added a trim piece, painted to match the stain (I had the paint) and held in place by 5 tack nails. This allows me to put a second row of plates in the cabinet.

And absolutely you cannot tell this is a new addition. It looks like the second rail is original to the cabinet.

The original rail is cut fairly deep and on an angle. So there is a slope. The added piece sets right at the top of that slope.

This need to store more plates originated when I sent my husband up to the attic for what I thought was three boxes of china. This tea set, my mom's old china, and my grandmother's old china.

He came back with ten boxes. Glassware, serving pieces, ice buckets. ALL kinds of things packed at the old house and put directly  in the attic at this house.



 It took me several weeks to get thru it all.

Nothing went back in the attic.

It was sold, given away, put away in my pantry, or put in this cupboard.

More Halloween Costume Stories - what was the greatest Halloween Costume you ever wore?

Click to enlarge the image. These are from the October 2012 issue of Real Simple. Clicking on the holiday label at the bottom of this post, will bring up other holiday posts including more of these stories from past Halloween Posts.

Father's Day Collection

Karen Anderson with one of my very favorite Father's Day posts.

Yeahhhhhhh!

New computer was installed. I can order pictures today or tomorrow and have them Monday.

Computer guy (here, installing computer) wanted encyclopedias. Husband loaded them in the car for him (immediately). They were still stacked in the living room, with me trying to figure out what to do with them (storage wise in the house). Computer guy has an early grade school son who he said would like to read them. So it will be nice for him (the son) to have a set that is not viewed as expensive that he can just have like any other book. Pleased.

We kept the hard drive out of the old computer so if we discover something did not get moved to new computer, he can still retrieve it. He moved music, pictures, genealogy, documents. He set everything like we are used to having it. He put in Word 7, because 8 was terrible, and they are still working the bugs out on 10. I do not know about 9. We have 7 for now and 10 to come later. Keyboard was replaced. And maybe mouse. The new tower is freakishly tiny.

I thought I had a leak in my bathtub handheld tub device. Sighed. Well, I did have leak, but plumber was able to tighten something and it was fine. Very quick visit. He took off panel and looked under tub, no water. Relief. I called Friday morning after they were already busy for the day, but he still came, so I was not worried about it all weekend. I did not beg. I just stated facts. Even though it was a busy day, he came about 4pm on Friday. We have been with them thru two houses and probably nearly 30 years and I always pay bill immediately.

We cranked yesterday, including me, cleaning up stacks in computer room, so there are counters again. I am left with several bins of weird stuff to consider after the holidays, but I am okay with that. The cubbies/pigeon holes need a major clean out this winter.

It was nice enough so my husband washed outside of windows. Not every window, but he got the kitchen and porch, which were (really) bugging me. He also cleaned porch. Major leaves. He asked me what we use to clean front door, so he must have scrubbed that too.

I washed outside of some kitchen cupboards. Murphy Oil Soap kind of washing. Not every cupboard, but got the really dirty ones. Like the end where garbage/recycling sits. That was bad enough so that I wrapped wet rag around pancake turner and scrubbed with that. I mix murphy soap in a (cooking) pan that can then go in dishwasher. Then I do not have to figure out how to clean Murphy out of a bucket. Did not take long. Very pleasing. My husband got skirting/baseboard right where refrigerator and microwave are. I got over by stove. That was really dirty too.

Instead of feeling like I have so much ahead of me, I am feeling like we have done a lot. Still have momentum. Loft is next on my hit list.

We will not be in a panic next week.

Still working on pictures. Our reward for big work, each day,  is sitting down and working on pictures. Different mindset.