Hickory Hollow's Winter Giveaway

Thank you everyone who stopped in to visit my open house! I have never had so many comments...that was so EXCITING! There still is lots and lots of decorating to do. Tomorrow I am going to the cottage to clean and to say goodbye to our elderly neighbors, Florence and Bob. But let's get on with the good stuff!
Celebrating the Seasons
with
Hickory Hollow
~Celebrate Winter~
In one of my favorite local shops, I found a real treasure! I already have this in my cookbook collection, so I thought of you all, and grabbed it right up!

Yes, it is a
Susan Branch Cookbook Giveaway!

I have been in LOVE with Susan Branch books for years! I have every one of them. Sometimes when I get a little blue, I will curl up with a steamy cup of coffee and read her wonderful books. They are so inspirational, I learned about Gladys Taber through Susan's books.

Look here...there is even a special section on celebrating winter.
LOVE her darling ideas!

Who wouldn't love cookin' up a big pot of this Split Pea Soup, just because this picture is so cute! I think maybe for St. Patricks Day!
~*~
But that's not all...
I also found another treasure for you.
Yeah, I already had this one too!
But I KNOW you will want it!

It is the wonderfully beautiful current issue of Victoria Magazine!
My ALL-TIME favorite magazine!
~*~
What do you have to do to get your name put in the bonnet for my drawing?
Just leave me a little note, letting me you stopped by to visit any time in the next week. The more notes, the more you name goes in the bonnet!
I bought all of these, with you my blogging friends in mind.
I am so excited to be able to give them to a lucky one of you!
~*~
Okay on to more
Fabulous Finds
Here are some goodies I have found in the past couple of weeks.
Yep, even a move won't keep me from haunting my favorite stores!

Oh, isn't she just darling. I bought both that were for sale! They were only $2 each.
The still attached price tag says Hallmark $35.00. I kid you not!
They are now hanging in my breakfast room windows.
Do you see the little bit of SNOW we have here in Hickory Hollow?

Look at these gorgeous roses.
Yummy, makes we want to grab a BIG box of Bon Bons!

I found this gorgeous lace blouse with ribbons that tie in the back.
I am most certainly going to wear this on
Valentine's Day.

I LOVE the large cuff on the sleeve, very romantic.

This is the bodice...little beads, satin ribbon and sequins.
It is also lined with a soft fabric.

I also found these charming HEART CHARMS one day.
They were stitched onto a pitiful little pillow, who had seen much better days. There were about 12 of them in all different sizes, from large to teeny tiny. I thought they would make a gorgeous vintage-looking bracelet. I cut them off the pillow and turned them into a Valentine's Day charm bracelet.

See you can find goodies almost anywhere and at anytime.
One must be most vigilant!
It is getting late, and I am ready to jump into those lavender, flannel jammies again.
Wishing you best wishes!
~Jill~

Hickory Hollow Open House Part 1

Let me begin by saying, I've Only Just Begun!
I still have goodies tucked away in boxes that I need to unwrap. But this is a pretty good start. Doug was so good yesterday to help put up some pictures and mirrors. He absolutely detests hanging stuff. I, on the other hand, LOVE hanging stuff.
~*~
This is just part one, because Bob isn't quite finished with the tile in the kitchen. Guess what? Bob now visits here too! Hi, Bob...leave a comment, pretty please!

So without further adieu...

Welcome to a Hickory Hollow Open House!

Last night, after I had puttered, cleaned and decorated all day, I put on my flannel jammies, settled myself infront of the fire and looked at some of my favorite books. I needed to recharge my decorating batteries!

Hope you enjoyed my little Open House. There is still lots of decorating to do. I will get busy and hopefully be able to share Open House Part 2 soon.
~*~
On Wednesday I will announce the
Celebrating Winter with Hickory Hollow
Giveaway!
Trust me, if you like Susan Branch, you won't want to miss it!
~*~
I need to scoot... still in those flannel jammies and Bob the Builder is due any minute now!
~Jill~

Just a little bit longer....

Sorry, no pictures yet. You know me, I want it to be perfect. Well, semi-perfect at least for some good pictures! We spent most of the day in Lowe's yesterday. I have some curtains up, took some curtains down (didn't like the look goin' on in the dining room). Some blinds fit, some didn't...have to go back to Lowe's. Cute Daniel did get my chandelier hung today in the breakfast room, and Bob the Builder is putting up the tile behind my stove.

~*~

All that before lunch...now we are finishing packing up here at the Cottage...it looks so forlorn. Kinda of sad. I will miss the kitties and puppies across the street. I talk to them everyday. Actually the puppies (grown dogs) are a bit mean, but I talk to them anyway. Oh, I also talk to squirrels and birds. I even honk at the cows on my country drives to see if they will look.

~*~

The kids rode the bus this morning....bright and early at 7:00. They were so excited. I was excited that I didn't have to drive them all the way to school today. Well, Doug is busy packing and here I sit typing. I must go and help.

Okay,
Pinkie Promise
Pictures
Soon
~Jill~

P.S. Oh MY Goodness 26 Followers! WOW~~
Looking forward to meeting ya'all soon!

P.P.S. I have the BEST giveway coming UP!

Phew....almost there!

Just a quick little note to tell you all a very funny story. I am also going to keep you in suspense for one more day, before I have pictures to show. We haven't gotten the internet hooked up at the new house yet. No DSL in the country. So we are going with a satellite provider. They are scheduled to come one day next week.
~*~
For now, we have left the computer at the cottage, we haven't moved it yet, or my kitchen goodies. Doug had to come back to take a shower, and I needed to pick up some food.
No showers yet at the new house, I haven't bought a gorgeous shower curtain for the kids bathroom, and I still need to order the shower door, for the master bath. Honestly I have a never ending list of things to purchase! Lindsey was very concerned that we wouldn't ever have a place for the toilet paper!
~*~

Okay, now for the funny story!
I have never had the pleasure of owning a whirlpool bathtub before. So having this one in my master bath is very EXCITING! I cleaned it all up this morning, still lots of drywall mud, paint splatters, insulation...etc....in the tub.
So I decide, let's see if the bubbles work!
I knew, that I would have to fill the tub with enough water to cover the intake filter. That went well...I knew to check and make sure that the jets were pointed down, yep, that looked good. So I pushed the button.
Nothing happened.
Called Doug in,
Aha
Need to plug tub into hidden outlet
Okay
Lindsey came in to see how cool the bubbles are going to be...
Pushed the button
dismal display of bubbles
I make the comment
"Is that it?"
All of a sudden water ERUPTED from the jets!
The jets weren't completed submerged
It was like Old Faithful
WATER GUSHING EVERYWHERE.

I turned the water off
NOTHING HAPPENED!
Imagine SCREAMING and DANCING AND GUSHING WATER EVERYWHERE!
Finally, Doug hit the OFF button.

I was DRENCHED in water.

Water on the wall...
Water on the floor...
Water on the window!
Okay, that would be fine, if I had a change of clothes,

Nope, no clothes and I am literally dripping wet.
Well, we had a good laugh,

Moped up the floor, walls, and window.

I dried my socks on the heat vent.
Lesson Learned
#1
Make sure jets are completely submerged before turning unit on!

~*~
I have noticed some new followers!
Hello, and thanks so much for finding my little blog entertaining enough to come back for more.

I promise I will make it to your place to visit. It may just be a bit later than sooner!
~*~
I pinkie promise
Tomorrow, pictures!
~Jill~

Loadin' Up and Movin' Out

Well Ladies, I can hardly believe it, moving day is almost here.

The carpet is being installed today and Doug and I are going to put our Big Bed up this evening. No sleepovers yet, we just have pieces of bed everywhere!
Remember my big 4 poster? I hardly do, it has been 8 months since I have seen it.
Here it is to refresh my memory...


Yikes...it is time to go and pick the kiddos up from school.
Next week they will be riding the bus!
~*~
Anyhoo, don't you forget about me!
I am packing and moving this weekend.
I hope to have plenty of pictures to share with you on Monday or Tuesday!
See Ya Soon!
~Jill~

Hooked on Victorian Houses

Some people understand it, others are just bewildered by it...the love of old houses.
I LOVE them.
I DREAM about them.
They make my heart go Pitter Patter!
Julia at Hooked on Houses has asked what we are hooked on..
I'm hooked on...
Victorian Houses
~*~
There is one for sale in my little town.
If I won the lottery tomorrow, I would snatch it right up!
What would I do with it?
I would turn it into maybe...
A Boutique
A Flower Shoppe
A Tea Room
A Bed & Breakfast
~*~
Even with the economy soooo dismal. I would start a business.
Why?
well I just won the lottery
I'm probably a millionaire!
~*~
It is still free to dream isn't it ladies?
Here she is....

Forget-Me-Nots
Floral and Gifts

Isn't this little porch just adorable?
Oh my wicker would be so perfect here.

I love curved porches and look there is some cute wicker
and some beautiful ferns.

How about some fresh, ripe cherries,
plucked right off the tree?


Wouldn't you love to come to my Tea Room
and sit on the back porch?

Which overlooks this charming wee garden,
complete with picket fence and birdbaths.

Here is my little potting shed,
complete with window boxes and adorable little shutters.
I could sell herb plants and garden goodies back here!

Welcome to the parlor.
Guests staying at my Bed & Breakfast
would get to have evening wine tasting here.

Or you could have your wine in the library,
take you time picking at a good book from our
extensive collection!

Are you getting sleepy?
If so, trundle yourself up the stairs.
Cozy robes are waiting for you.

Sweet dreams in your canopied Victorian bed!

On wintry mornings, enjoy your morning cup of coffee or hot tea in our formal dining room. Baskets of fresh baked scones and muffins will be on the sideboard.
When you are ready, I will bring out a warm slice of bacon asparagus quiche!

This cozy little kitchen is where I will whip up delectable treats
for the tea room or the bed and breakfast.

Wouldn't it be loverly?
I just love these old Victorian houses.
Precious, isn't it?

*Jill *

Remembering Little Cottage

I'm so very cold here!
Isn't that strange coming from a girl who lived in Colorado for 4 years.
Well, it is a different kinda of cold, it's a cold that finds every little, bitty exposed piece of skin. It is a damp, bone chilling cold.
And as much I like the little cottage, it is a bit drafty.


I decided I would share some pictures of the cottage from the summer.
Of the days that I would sit in the wicker rocking chair, looking at the new Victoria magazine and dreaming about how I would decorate the Victorian chicken house.

Remember the Cottage Kitchen?

Remember how I had to paint the walls because they were bright lime green?

Remember the beautiful door knobs?

Remember the beautiful pocket doors?

Remember the nice and tall dining room ceiling?

I remember beautiful summer days, rocking on the porch.
I was recovering from the convoy of the move.

I remember planting my Clematis and little rose bush.
They were so glad to stick their little toes
back into the soil.

I remember the farm auction. The first one I had been to in over ten years. It was so hot! I had fun though, eating a hot dog and bidding on this cute wicker table, a wicker rocker, and my chandelier!

I remember dreaming about where I was going to put this in the new house.
Now she is painted and all her prisms are sparkling.
She is at the new house getting ready to be put in the breakfast room.
~*~
Good Ole Days of Summer, how I miss thee!
I do like the four seasons, but I think I enjoy summer the most!
Our days at the Cottage are coming to an end.
Even Lindsey has mentioned how the little cottage sure has been nice...
We walked to the library
Befriended the neighbors & their cats
Rocked on the porch and read books
and hit the garage sales
I will definitely be coming back for the garage sales!
~*~
Have a cozy, winter evening...
Jill