It's been awhile

I haven't been here in awhile - had some computer issues (operator error) which I hope have been resolved. Had company, went out of town, had company again. I'm slipping this in while the middle kidlet is still asleep - he takes full advantage of his vacation time to catch up on sleep. He made it here about 10;30 Monday night and the oldest will be here this afternoon.

we put up the tree while they were here for Thanksgiving - it really didn't look that big in the store! I didn't buy any new ornaments - I did make about 10 new ones (well, I made more than that but they went in gift boxes so I ended up with about 10 for myself)

I'll show the new stuff soon - hopefully before the end of the year, but who knows, my schedule has been whacky lately and doesn't seem to be getting any better.

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

keeping up

doesn't seem to be in my vocabulary. Santa came early and this

might be keeping me a little distracted' I would love to show you photos but I'm just hoping I don't get tn trouble for posting the cover! Get yours at www.bonjovi.com. Once you open the pages you won't put able to put it down.

Thought I would show a little of my fall decor before it starts being replaced with Christmas stuff tomorrow. I usually wait until after Thanksgiving but I don't want to stress myself out any more than happens naturally.

Not a lot of stuff for fall but I did put out a little.

still love my white cabinet!

like I said, just few little touches. 

Got a new (bigger) Christmas tree this year so I'll see how long it takes to do this one.

Happy Thanksgiving!

precious few moments

These days, there are precious few moments when we are all together at the same time and place so I couldn't let it pass without a photo. I missed the opportunity to get just the 'kids' so you get me in this one (something I usually try to avoid) but I'm posting it anyway.

I've been doing a little stitching and have finished a few felt ornaments - will try to show those soon.

And life goes on

It has been a long week and there are still many details to take care of but life does go on. In the past week, as Grammy passed on, there was one new great-grandchild born and one new great-great grandchild.

And today is Brian's birthday. I know it is late in the day but I didn't want to let it get by without sending a happy birthday! 

I still have pictures that I haven't downloaded yet along with some other people took while we had family together and I am waiting on those to be sent.

Anyway - Happy Birthday Brian. I know it isn't what you were hoping for but sometimes life just gets in the way when we think we have it all figured out. 

Love you with all my heart.

Mom

RIP

The only thing hubby wanted for his birthday this year was to spend it with his mother. She has been in a nursing home 4 hours away for the past month but he took the day off and made the drive up to see her.

This is a picture of them on his birthday last week.

She passed away early yesterday morning. It is always somewhat of a shock even when you know it is coming, but she is no longer in pain and his parents are reunited in Heaven. I know he takes comfort in that knowledge.

They raised him up to be a fine man and a wonderful husband and father, and for that, I am grateful.

Welcome

and happy Friday to ya!

Finished up this little wall hanging just in time to put it on the front door for a couple of weeks before I put up the fall one.

It's been raining here for a couple of days. Yesterday it was pretty much all day and it is still raining. Rain gauge marks 5 inches but probably actually holds at least another inch and it was over-flowing before lunch yesterday. The grass is so high Nicholas just about gets lost when he goes out! I guess I should set out a bucket and catch some water for the plants on the porch - they are looking pretty parched.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Happy birthday!

Just had to say Happy Birthday to my favorite guy!

Christmas in July

yes, I know it is already August but I did get this in July. Hubby came in from work and ask me if I had ordered anything. Nope, but this box was on the front porch. It was a birthday gift. I was scared to open it - there wasn't much left to open!

But look - everything arrived in tact despite the obvious beating the box took from the post office! My friend Sherry sent this box full of goodies. I apologize for the glare on the glass but I just couldn't find a good place to take a picture - either it came out too dark or I had to have the lights on and they left a glare. The little tin is hand painted - I'll try to get a close up of it soon. That Bareroots project book is awesome and will be seeing some action soon!

I have no idea what the name of the sampler is (or the designer) but if you are interested, email me and I'll ask sherry. 

I failed to get this in the photo with the other stuff (it was by my chair) but Sherry sent me a new study Bible. I am so happy to have it. The color shows up brown in the picture but it is more of a maroon color.

I can't tell you what fun I had pulling things out of that box. First because, well, who doesn't love unexpected gifts and second, I was so happy everything survived with no damage! Even the sampler with the glass on it was in perfect shape! I'll try to get a picture soon of where I decided to hang it. 

Sherry knows me so well, each and every thing in the box was perfect!

Now I'm off to see if I can actually get far enough along on something to share a project!

Still catching up

 I think this is the last of  the stuff my aunt brought when she came in April. 

 She had this sign she wasn't going to use and I had this picture hanging in the living room that I had been trying to decide what I could put with it so it didn't look so lonely and this seemed like the perfect match. (just for size comparison the picture is 40x29)

I have a couple of the vinyl things in my kitchen and have had no problem with them. This is a big one so I had hubby helping me with it - good thing because it did not want to stick to my wall. I don't know if it is the paint (which is either satin or eggshell - can't remember) or the texture on the wall. I didn't think they were that textured but whatever the reason I had to glue a lot of it up. I spent days with the step ladder sitting there  and when a piece would start to flop down, I would use either a toothpick or q-tip and slip a little glue under it. (which is probably why I didn't move back and show the whole picture) This is the back wall of the house and the way it is built you can see all but the last 'e' from the front door. 

in addition to the other crochet set she brought me (the one I showed in my dining room) there was this one. It was also made by my great-grandmother and is a perfect fit on top of the plant stand that belonged to my grandmother.

closer photo. There really isn't a good place in this house to take pictures in this house - they are either too light or too dark. Anyway - I'm almost caught up - maybe by the end of August I will have something a little more current to show.

Hope you are all having a great weekend!

Still catching up

I'm still trying to get some older pics posted. I got this cute glass flower when I was staying with Terry.

Wonder how long it will be before I hear from the HOA. It has been out there nearly a month. Maybe if I don't trim my shrubs back they won't notice?

Slowly catching up

I'm trying to get caught up on posting some pictures but I just seem to keep getting farther behind! Last month hubby and I spent the weekend with Terry and her hubby at their beautiful lake house. They were very gracious hosts and we had an awesome time. Tried to take a picture of the two of them inside the restaurant but it came out too dark. Hubby snapped this one of me and Terry with my phone - not a great picture but it is all I have. I don't get a lot of hits, I'm not a 'mega blogger' (and don't want to be) this is just my little online diary but one of the best things to come from it is Terry. She left me my very first comment and we have been friends ever since. We took a 'ghost tour' Saturday night which was fun. Now hubby had a 'ghost radar' on his phone and is always looking for ghosts! It is a really cute little town and we did some shopping, I was good and only bought a glass flower, which I need to take a picture of it while it is still in the front flower bed. Who knows if the HOA will spot it or not but until they do, it stays!

I've had the bigger plates hanging over my sofa for a while now and they just needed a little something extra but I never could figure out what. Terry had these extra white butter pats that she wasn't going to use and she gave them to me - I think it was just what was needed! (she has a really cute butter pat collection hanging in the room we slept in)

Thanks so much for the weekend Terry and Bob. We had a great time and hope you will come see us sometime soon. Not sure if we can be as good at hosting as you were - you rocked!

Then, as if the weekend of peace and quiet wasn't enough - she sent me these goodies for my birthday! I just love the little doxie thread winder. I have a collection of thread winders - most of them are Mother of Pearl but this one will still fit right in! And don't you just love the buttons? I'll have to find a special project to use them on so I can see them all the time instead of just putting them in the jar of buttons I have.

Still have more photos - and some I need to take so I'll be back. Not sure when (lots of stuff on the calendar the next couple of months) but I'm still shooting for at least once a week.

The birthday boy

Happy birthday. Daddy!

Cute, huh?

Happy Friday

I hope you all had a fun holiday weekend! Brian brought 4 friends for the weekend so we had a full house.

 There was a lot of this going on. I'm too old I guess. I know they are playing some kind of game, but I know nothing about it!

We went to Kingwood to watch fireworks. The weather was perfect - not too hot and the skeeters weren't trying to carry us away.

 This I know something about - when my aunt came to visit in the spring she brought me a few things. These doilies were made by my great-grandmother. I think they were probably meant for a coffee table and two end tables. (this first picture shows the color really well on my computer - your mileage may vary)

I've got them on the table in my dining room.

I'm so happy to have them!

 As you can see, I took the picture a while ago - I still had my Easter stuff out. 

Right now I have my stacked chickens there and I'm not sure they 'go together' the doilies are a little 'formal' than my chickens (I haven't taken a picture yet) To be honest - nothing in my house is formal so maybe I'll just let them blend in. I do have a watermelon bowl that would look pretty good there, just have to figure out what to do with my stack 'o chickens if I put the watermelon there. If I change it, do I post another photo? Something to think about over the weekend. :)

Happy 4th

A day early (unusual for me), but company coming in tonight for the weekend.

I hope you all have a safe and happy weekend!

Happy anniversary!

Just wanted to wish my parents a Happy Anniversary!

Every last drop

 This little table has been around awhile

It moved from Jacksonville with us and has been in just about every room in the house but I think it has found it's permanent home beside hubby's recliner. He kept running out of space on the half wall and this little table was a perfect fit. Problem is, it wasn't the perfect color. Also, couldn't ever get it to look clean. I used all kinds of cleaners on it, and it still looked dirty.

So, I popped it up on the kitchen table and gave it a couple of coats of ASCP. I used every last drop of my can on old white. Good thing the next thing on my want to paint list is going to be grey and I have a full can of that. 

(this next part turned into a mini rant so you might want to skip it.

Might get to it sooner rather than later since I can't use my washing machine at the moment. A part went out on it Saturday afternoon - it is a front loader and it wouldn't spin. It tried but just couldn't do it. Hubby called customer support but they couldn't figure out the problem so they set up a time for a service call - to the tune of  $89.00. That was just for them to come out. If they repaired it and it was a 'minor' repair it's another $150.00 + parts, $250 +parts for a major repair. Hubby kept looking around and found the problem. Went out on a search for the part but the only place that was open on Sunday was going to have to order it and it was roughly $75.00 and would take 5-7 business days. I got on Amazon and found the part for $55.00. Still going to take a few days to arrive but it is an easy fix once we get the part. Here is the thing - the part that is worn out is plastic. It is attached to a metal part with 4 screws so all that needs to be replaced is the plastic part but apparently you cant buy just that part. (though the service tech might have one but it would still cost me over $200.00) So, the service call was cancelled and part ordered. Tracking says it is in transit. Here's hoping it gets here before I have to find a laundry mat. I'm not naming the make of the washer but if you want to know, email me.

So, how's your week going?

5 years in the making

Yep - I've had this project 5 years (maybe closer to six) it was supposed to be a block of the month thing with a shop that is no longer in business. She closed up by about month 3 and it was like pulling teeth to eventually get all the rest of the months. I have pulled it out a couple of times and worked on a few blocks then I would put it away for something else but  I finally pulled it back out last month and decided to finish the last three months. There is one large and 3 small blocks for each month. I don't know when I will actually get the top sewn together but I'm taking a break for it for a bit. I think I want to hand quilt it so I won't be working on it for awhile - too hot,  I'll work on it in the winter so I can use it to cove up with while I quilt! I'm going to have to have some help getting it sandwiched - it's a biggie for me (the largest one I've done so far) At least it feels good to have all the blocks sewn together. I'm going to have company for a couple of days so who knows what will be going on around here. Sewing, stitching, shopping? 

Hope you all have a most wonderful week - I'm certainly looking forward to the rest of mine. (with the tiny exception of a grocery store run).

Maybe I can have it finished by the 10 year mark?

It's a sign!

It used to be a desk. These boards were the top of a desk that belonged to hubby's dad. The thing literally fell apart and the rest was thrown away. I have no idea what the rest was made out of but hubby wanted to keep these because they are red oak and he thought we could use them for something someday.

 When we moved here we had this big empty wall going up the stairs and I thought I would clean them up and make some kind of sign with them. First I had to get the individual boards back in the right order, then I thought I would paint it and put a vinyl decal of some kind on it, but when I started sanding, I kinda liked the look of the bare wood. Yep - me, the girl that will paint anything that doesn't move decided I might like the bare wood look.

 So - hubby took the belt sander to it and it cleaned up all nice and pretty then I stenciled a saying on it and we hung it in that big blank space (we are only coming up on 5 years in this house so I got right on it! LOL)

 We both saw this quote at different times and liked it so I got out the black sharpie and  then sprayed a clear coat of sealer on it.

This last picture looks kinda wonky but I was trying to get a good shot of the color of the wood. It is hanging over my head on the corner wall going up the stairs so this was the best I could do without risking my neck. 

Can't believe I waited so long to finally do this. It only took 2 days ( only because we let the glue dry overnight before we took the clamps off, other wise it would have been a one day project) 

Hope you are all having a great week!

Spoke too soon

 I guess I should have waited a couple of weeks to plant the flowerbed - I didn't think my lantana was going to come back so I pulled them up and planted 3 new plants then this popped up - a little baby lantana!

 and I have little baby vincas coming up - I knew I would have some of those so I only planted a few new ones

 some of my hostas survived but I did add a couple of new ones around the trees

 I even have some happy little caladiums coming up - I didn't plant any of those this year but I'm happy to see they like it here.

even have a few gardenia blooms - they smell so good !

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

My blue hydrangea

I bought this pretty blue hydrangea - it was labeled as blue and had blue blooms on it. I know the soil can change the colors so I also bought the stuff to keep it blue. I have all but drowned it in the stuff.

Isn't it just a lovely shade of blue? Uncle! - now have a lovely pink hydrangea with blue bottles (removed from the front flower bed - this is in the back yard - take that HOA)

We had nearly 5 inches of rain yesterday so the plants are all happy today! We even got some cooler temps to follow the rain. Too bad they will only be here a few days but I'll take what I can get.

Hope you are having a great week!

Happy Mother's Day

Me. my mother, my grandmother and my great-grandmother - a long time ago. I've already talked to my mother this morning and never a day passes that I don't think of my grandmother and great-grandmother at some point during the day. These are the women who taught me how to be a mom and they all hold a special place in my heart.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. 

Two in a row

I'm going for a record!

My aunt came for a visit a couple of weeks ago and brought me some goodies. This scarf (or whatever  you want to call it) is one she picked up awhile ago and decided she wasn't going to use it - but I have the perfect place for it!

She also brought a couple of pieces that my great-grandmother made - I'll show those in another post soon.

Have a nice day!

Hello friends

Went out of town for a couple of days last week to take care of some things and visit with my parents. I had started coughing the day before I left and it seemed to get worse while I was there - I don't know if they have something blooming there that we don't here or what, but whether it is a cold or a severe case of allergies I'm getting tired of it. It is getting old now and I wish it to go away!

I have managed to finally finish one of the get-a-way projects. This is the pin round we got to stitch on the first night. I don't think it was supposed to take so long to stitch but for some reason it was designed to stitch with one ply of a 3 ply silk. I will never, ever split 3 ply silk again! I have a hard enough time stitching with silk floss anyway - my hands are always too rough and I get pulls and snags. 

 Anyway - it is a cute pattern even if my angel has a rather irritated expression on her face. Kinda like the one I was having while separating that floss. Mine isn't stuffed quite as tight as it could be but I wasn't going to take it apart and re-do it. It says 'Simple Pleasures' on it but it's hard to see in the photo.

If I had been sure I would have enough for the other projects we were going to get over the weekend I would have just stitched the thing with all three ply and been a happy camper (we always get several projects and some, if not all, the threads will be the same). The other projects don't require separating the floss, thank goodness! I'll get to them soon I hope.

I've got another project going right now with cotton floss and it is so much faster! This one has a time limit on it so I want to finish it before I pull the other retreat pieces out to start on. I'm still not speedy but at least I am not having to cut off pieces of shredded floss.

I've got a roast and veggies in the crock-pot for dinner so we can be ready to watch 24 tonight. I doubt I'll be doing much stitching while that is on - I always make mistakes when I tried to stitch and watch 24 - I hope it doesn't disappoint.

We have been enjoying some nice weather - hope you have too. All too soon we will be complaining about it being too hot - I will be in the front of that line. I had a couple of pieces of furniture I wanted to get painted but I may have waited a bit too late - they may have to wait until fall. I'm a fair weather painter - either the weather has to be nice or I have to be able to paint it inside - I know I can do one of them inside and maybe the other one too but I'll have to go outside for the sanding part. I'll have to think on that one a bit. 

Welcome and Chores

I am still coming across goodies from the get-a-way. This sign was one of the door prizes I won - the exact colors I have in my house. Right now I have it in the entry but I will move it when I decide where it really needs to live

and just to prove that I do actually stitch every once in awhile, I finished this piece a couple of weeks ago and happened to have a frame the perfect size for it. It was a bright white so I gave it a little roughing up.

My to do List - Lizzie Kate designs. I've got it on the cart in the kitchen so I see it often.

Still can't find 'Too Cute For Pie' Moved when I put the Christmas stuff out and I don't know where I hid it.

Hope you are having a good week. The last two days here have been HOT but we had a bit of a cool down overnight so it is rather pleasant out there this morning.