$100 Giveaway and…

…the winner is…drum roll…KRISTI LONGLEY of Abilene, Texas.

Congratulations to Kristi and thanks to all who entered.

Don’t worry…MilandDil will be doing more giveaways and you could be the lucky one next time.

Two Days and Counting

Just two more days and I’ll be drawing for our $100 giveaway. Response has been fantastic…it’s been exciting to meet so many new friends.

The shop has been busy this week creating new designs, sprinkling glitter everywhere, and I mean everywhere.  The glue guns are heated up and creative juices are flowing. If only we could stop long enough to take photos and get the new products listed…maybe later. Take a look at this little guy on his throne…I couldn’t resist to share the happiness he brings me when I look at this one. So you’re getting a sneak peak before it even gets listed.What are you doing today? I have to get to the grocery store or I’ll be in for a miserable day…you know the kind where you stand with the frig door open hoping something yummy will just jump out for you to eat.

My biggest challenge still remains…everything I make I want to keep, but I know I would end up on one of those hoarder shows surrounded by centerpieces, flower arrangements, and wreaths. So far I’ve only kept one arrangement I couldn’t bear to part with and it now proudly sits in my dining room.  Want to see??? Photo is not that great..it’s really prettier in person. The flash washed the colors out.

Meanwhile, product is everywhere and it looks like Hobby Lobby threw up on my dining room table. Someone contact A&E…hoarders here I come.

A Little Change from Ninny’s Notes to MilandDil Designs

Yes, I’m still a Ninny. And I still have a few notes here and there. But it’s been a while since I’ve posted and I’ve really missed my blogging friends.

So much change since my last visit on here. My sweet mother-in-law passed away in June. A precious woman who made such an impact on me. Taught me some real old-fashioned values and how to be an extraordinary wife, grandmother and true Southern lady. And her recipes and how to cook like she did…don’t even get me started ‘cause I could go on forever about her cooking. A treasured cornbread dressing recipe is still used during the holiday season. We will truly miss her.

But now we’re pressing on into hopefully some cooler temperatures. Cooler for us would be maybe in the 90’s as we have had over 30 days of triple digits.

I’m ready for fall, the smell of cinnamon, the crisp cool air, pumpkins and all that goes with the coming season.

So one way I’m coping with the jagged remains of a hot summer is making fall arrangements for our new business MilandDil Designs. I started the business with my DIL Olga who is in nursing school. It allows her to devote time to her studies, set her own work schedule and of course spend time with her little one Lilliana.  Here’s a few photos…Olga with Lilliana, a Russian-like photo of her and bath-time unruly curly hair (thanks to her Ninny).

Now you can see why we both need as much Lilliana time as possible.

Here are a couple of our arrangements…of course fall to get you in the mood.

MilandDil is currently having a giveaway….$100 credit for either a current product offered or applied toward a custom item.

To enter your name for the drawing on Monday, August 15th, you can:

Go to our MilandDil Designs Facebook page and hit the like button.

Become a follower of MilandDil Designs on this page (added bonus --- all my current friends are automatically entered but you might want to enter on FB too).

So the three ways are FB like, follower on MilandDil (formerly Ninny’s Notes) and leave a comment.  You got it???

Good luck everyone and please think cool.

Introducing MilandDil Designs

Check out my guest post on Teresa's blog about my new business with one of my daughters-in-law.

Only 359 Days Until Christmas 2011

Just posted a guest blog on A Baby Changes Everything.  Check it out!

Welcome Christmas – Past and Present

The Marshall’s are making merry, making memories, making messes and welcoming Christmas. A fun-filled week around here making sugary Christmas cookies with ALL six of the grands – ages 7 months to 13 years. Sometimes I wonder if my silly traditions are noticed, but when my almost 30 year old son reminds me we’re still using some of the same cookie cutters he used when he was a boy…now we’re still pulling them out for his three boys. Wow, they do notice!

Cookie-making steps: First, you get Poppy to show you how to do it. When that doesn’t work you get Mommy to show you.

Then you decorate it…

bake it, show Daddy where it is,

and while it’s in the oven you raid your grandmother’s pantry ‘cause that’s where all the GOOD stuff is…

Now showing it to Ninny…and the best part eating and eating and eating…

and end it all with an up high ride from Aunt Jessy. Glad the kitchen ceiling is vaulted because Aunt Jessy’s six feet tall and this is up high!

A fun day making cookies and memories…new ones with the grands.

A special memory for me was over 30 years ago I made Santa cookies for my in-laws with their names on each one. You know, completely forgot I even did it. Didn’t know they were anything special and I especially didn’t think they were decorated that great. But they were made with love…apparently my MIL thought they were a treasure because when we moved her from Arkansas to live with us in Louisiana, look what we found in her freezer…

and inside were those not-so-special cookies I made so long ago. I guess they were more special than I imagined. So we moved them to Shreveport, kept them in our freezer, and on cookie day we bring them out to take a look at them.

This year my DIL Jessy took the same cookie cutter and made a pair of Santas for us…

and yes, they will proudly take their place next to the other two in the freezer.

On another note, we won 2nd place in the Christmas house decorating contest and here’s proof.

Merry Christmas from Ninny and Poppy!

Technorati Tags: Christmas cookies,Christmas contest,Vintage Santas

More Tree Photos

Not much time to post because it’s WAY past my bedtime. Just wanted to post a few of the latest photos of trees I’ve personally decorated. I promise there will be more photos of my house in the next few days. Enjoy!

 

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