Year in Review or Not

I do love year end reviews. My top 5 blog posts are YEARS old, I am not going to highlight those here. 

Most searched term for 2021 was Ugly Christmas Sweater. 

Running my 12 month stats, I just discovered that Sweden was my number One audience, surpassing the USA. Russia, Canada, Germany, and Indonesia round out my largest following. The last few were France, the United Kingdom, and Bulgaria (+others).  

One of the top referring URLs was Ann at polyester-princess.blogspot.com. I have linked back to her. Another top URL was from a blog, the last post dated the summer of 2020. 

Glad I kept my Pinterest account open, it was also a top referring site. www.pinterest.com/thriftshpcomndo

And on to Reseller update. My latest gaffe - just when I thought I was nearing the end of my mountain of sewing patterns, I discovered MORE in a shopping bag. Ugh. 

Total eBay listings are hovering around 1,600. Total annual sales were over $9,000. 

Soon, I will be caught up on all of the miscellaneous stuff I have in the eBay listing death pile. There will be lots of quilt tops/blocks, boy/girl scout stuff, a few books, and CDs. 

What didn't sell this past year and will be culled from listing? Books in the following categories: Dollhouses and their furniture, Vegetarian cookbooks, and the red plaid cookbooks. 

Pattern of the Day to hit the eBay listings was this unique sock monkey family.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185237092535

Wishing all a safe, healthy, and happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

A 1994 image of my mom and dad in Leavenworth, Washington. 

The Tami 2015 version

2016

2018 - Queen of the Christmas CD

The 2021 version

Recipe of the Day from the Antique American Cookbooks Home Cookery Ladies' Indispensable Companion:

Curried Lobster

Cut up your meat, and add pepper, salt, vinegar, and a quarter of a pound of butter to a large lobster. Shake in a little flour. Add some curry powder mixed with water, and thin the lobster with water. Scald well together, and it is done. To be eaten with rice. 

Christmas trivia: In White Christmas, what was everybody hoping for? Snow!

What I am listening to:

Wishing all good tidings of great joy and a Happy New Year! And to all a Good Night!

Christmas Eve and Holiday Stitchery

A few holiday stitchery images.

I could not pass up this beautifully stitched table runner, found just a few days ago 99 cents at thrift almost made it criminal! The close-up of this piece is in the lead-off image.

This sort of linen joins my personal collection. I know the work that goes into a completed cross-stitch. 

Recipe of the Day from the Antique American Cookbooks Home Cookery Ladies' Indispensable Companion:

Tipsy Cake

Cut a pan of sponge cake in halves, and place it in two glass dishes; stick it over full of blanched and quartered almonds. Wet the cake with wine. Drop raspberry jam about it, and then make a nice soft custard and pour over and around it. 

Christmas trivia: How do you say "Merry Christmas" in Italy? Bono Natale.

What I am listening to:

Sometimes It Is the Smalls

An image from my Countdown in years past. I have brought out even fewer decorations this year, these meeces are still in storage. 

This has been my favorite necklace this season, Noel necklace $6 at thrift. 

Owl pin set against my Nick and Nora Christmas flamingo flannel top.

Just can't resist all the leetle retro pins. 

Recipe of the Day from the Antique American Cookbooks Home Cookery Ladies' Indispensable Companion:

Corn Oysters

One quart of corn rasped with coarse grater, 2 teasponfuls of new milk, 1 teacupful of flower; mix together and add 2 eggs well beaten. Season the batter with salt and pepper. Drop into boiling lard, or cook them on a griddle. The corn should be such as is most suitable for boiling. 

Christmas trivia: Where was I when I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus? On the stairs.

What I am listening to:

This little jointed Boyd's angel bear just joined my collection.

Maybe a Few Mooses

Mooses, just Mooses, on this Countdown to Christmas day.

All my mooses in their annual roll call. 

Skating moose ornament, a thrift shop rescue, just joined my collection.

Recipe of the Day from the Antique American Cookbooks Home Cookery Ladies' Indispensable Companion:

Succotash

Cut corn from the cob, and mix with shelled beans. Put salt and butter in them, and send very hot to table. 

Christmas trivia: In 1988, what Christmas reunion of a TV family was CBS' highest-rated TV movie? A Very Brady Christmas.

What I am listening to:

Christmas Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs discovered the tree farm. All the items are thrift shop finds. 

Recipe of the Day from the Antique American Cookbooks Home Cookery Ladies' Indispensable Companion:

A Spanish Method of Dressing Tomatoes at Table

Scald and cool the tomatoes, slice them, sprinkle over pepper, salt, and Cayenne, and cover them with the best of Madeira wine. 

Christmas trivia: What is the last thing the Grinch takes out of the Who refrigerator? A can of Who-hash.

What I am listening to:

A 

Angels We Have Heard on High

Just some angels for this day on the Countdown to Christmas.

Recipe of the Day from the Antique American Cookbooks Home Cookery Ladies' Indispensable Companion:

Potatoes with Cream

Boil some new potatoes, cut them in slices, put them into a stewpan with a pint or less of cream, 4 ounces of fresh butter, a pinch of nutmeg, salt, pepper, and a slice or two of lemon. Set them to boil, stir them well together, and dish them up with sippets of bread. 

Christmas trivia: Is the city of Snowflake in Michigan or Arizona? Arizona.

What I am listening to:

Retro Christmas Cards and Decorations

I stumbled onto this artist who has created a Mid-Century Modern Christmas Village in acrylic (not a paid promotion). I love this stuff! Here is one example of her work for sale. 

Link to more images of her work ifitshipitshere.com/retro-christmas-village.

A couple of years ago, I did a fruitcake lady candle recreation. 

And on to some retro Christmas card images. 

And a retro pattern recently listed on eBay - one from the Dynasty Series Collection.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185209878403

Recipe of the Day from the Antique American Cookbooks Home Cookery Ladies' Indispensable Companion:

To Fry Salt Pork

Cut salt pork in thin slices, take off the rind, dip each slice into beaten egg, and roll each in pounded cracker. Fry them light brown. A nice relish for breakfast.

Christmas trivia: What two Gospels of the Bible tell the most complete Christmas story? Matthew and Luke.

What I am listening to: