Monday, June 29, 2009

Getting Ready For The 4th



I went to my friendly fabric store the other day looking for some fabric for several little projects I have up my sleeve. I saw on this ladies blog and thought to myself....I can make that! :) So, began the project and finished it! Yeah for me!! And, I knew that my sissy and two dear friends would love love love one as well....so I made them little mini ones for their house. Theirs has three little half circles on them. Everyone was happy with them. I also bought fabric to make two baby blankets for the two wee ones that have come into my life. Both girls. I just love pink!! I will show you those when I get them finished.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Happy Fathers Day!!



Happy Fathers Day to one of my greatest heros!!!!! I love you Daddy!!!

Monday, June 15, 2009

Elijah's Blankie


I saw this really cute panel at the fabric shop close to me. I knew when I saw it that I needed to make a blankie for the little baby in our lives. I thought it looked somewhat vintage-y with the soft colors. It has the cutest little pictures on it. See what I mean......



Beep Beep!! I especially like what it says on the clothes hanging on the line.....

"Frogs and snails and puppy dog tails. That's what little boys are made of."

I picked this little bug fabric for the back of his blankie.

And here is the finished project! I am really pleased with the way it turned out. I think his mommy and daddy were too!

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Summer Goodies

My sister and I had a brief window of time Saturday where we could be together kid free. BE STILL MY HEART!! That happens with us like....almost never. So, I called her and asked if she wanted to go to the little antique shop in town. We had a lot of fun looking around. She was looking for specific things to use with her crafts that she likes to do and I was just looking for things I like! HA! Here are some of my goodies from today.....


Little Scottie dog planter that she informed me must have a succulent plant inside the wagon. $4.00



Little doll dress with the cutest little pink stitches at the neckline. $1.50

Vintage looking flag for outside 4th of July decorations and festivities. $3.00

This came in the mail today for me. I am soooo thankful this magazine has not folded. So many of my favorites have went belly up and for a magazine addict....this is very disturbing. If you have not picked up one of these magazines, I encourage you to. The photos are breathtaking and the articles are wonderful and it is just a very encouraging magazine. Oh ya, there are fantastic recipes inside as well!

A tisket a tasket a little picnic basket........

My daughter and I got this picnic basket from Target the other day. They are $14.00 and there are a couple different designs you can choose from. We went with the light wood with the bandanna print liner. We decided we liked the way it looked summery for our picnics. We already have one scheduled for next Wednesday (if it does not rain!!!)

And lastly, these little tin buckets came from Target as well. They were in the dollar bins at the front of the store. We have plans to use them for our 4th of July shin-dig.

Happy Sunday to you!!!!!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Swinging



A couple years ago my hubby and I took a vacation to St. John Virgin Island. There is lots to tell you about that place!! Beautiful is not even accurate enough to describe the island. Can you believe that green/blue/turquoise water!!! We have been blessed to take several vacations to amazing places. On our trip to St. John we rented a little cottage on the side of a mountain. It was sooo lovely! On the deck of the cottage, there was a rainbow colored swing that I would sit in several times a day. I would eat my breakfast in there, read in there, crochet in there, nap in there and just swing. Here I am with my fresh mango eating breakfast in it. :)
When we got home, I asked my husband if we could get one. He said yes, since he enjoyed the swing too, and we got one. Well, we did not have a good tree to hang it from so we put it in the garage until we could come up with a plan to hang it and sadly, we forgot about that little swing!! Until the other day......








Here is my little swing. My daughter and my kitty are enjoying it. We have all been having so much fun swinging in that little swing. Can you see the foot rest? And, on the upper right side, there is a little cup holder for my iced tea or diet coke. Ahhhhhh!! The animals love to come outside and swing and watch what is going on in the back yard. My husband and a friend built a wooden "cross" to hang the swing from. So, some of my summer thus far has been outside, listening to Styx and The Eagles and Elton John and Journey and Fleetwood Mac on the oldies radio channel and remembering a simpler time long ago when I was a child.....and swinging.





Monday, June 8, 2009

Our Capitol


Today we took the kids to Springfield Illinois for a history lesson. Abraham Lincoln lived in Illinois. He was our 16th President. He was a good man we learned today. We visited his museum today, his home that he lived in with his wife and three sons and his tomb. All three places were very interesting. When I was in 8th grade, we took a field trip to Springfield and we saw his home and his tomb but the museum was something new. Here are some pictures from today....


Here is the Lincoln family made in wax. They looked very life-like. Kind of spooky really.



This was a neat exhibit. It was set up to tell people about Lincoln's years in the White House.



Here we are being silly in Mary Todd Lincoln's attic where we played dress up. I am Mary.....




My nephew is Honest Abe......




And so is my daughter...complete with top hat and coat. Dashing! :)




This is the only home that Lincoln ever owned we were told. It has been restored inside and out. It has wallpaper and carpet that was re-created from sketches they found of the house. Some of the Lincoln's furniture was inside. You should of seen how small their kitchen was! Geesh! Nothing like today's standards......that's for sure.




And lastly, these were taken at his tomb. This is where Lincoln and his wife and three sons are buried. It was really amazing for the kids, and my sister and I, to see this history.




And tradition has it that if you rub the bronze sculpture of Lincoln's nose, you will have good luck. So we tried it out.....just for luck. :)









Saturday, June 6, 2009

Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That


Let me just tell you.... if I were independently wealthy and did not need to work ..... I could have soooo much fun!!! I have been enjoying the time off from work this past week so very much! I had nothing on my agenda to do but hang out with my girls and sew. Well, there are two days left of my vacation and I finally sewed something today! I have been wanting to take some of the old flat bed pillows that have been hanging around the house and convert them into something pretty for my chairs outdoors. I bought a little tablecloth at the antique store a couple weeks ago and today I cut her up and made a little envelope pillow case for one of the pillows. Here she is......




I put a little bit of pink rick-rack for trim on the bottom and sewed two little yellow buttons for some extra bling. It looks really cute on my chair. A friend came over for coffee today and we tried it out. :)
My hubby also put in a clothes line for me. I washed my sheets today and put them out on the line. I am sooooo excited to climb in bed tonight and smell them. Yummmmmm.........


See the little pink dress hanging with the sheets? That is my clothes pin bag that I bought at the flea market a couple years ago. If one must do the mundane task of laundry....one should be surrounded by cuteness....don't you agree? ;)

I just love this BIG coffee cup and saucer pot. I put some flowers in there that seem to be very happy with their home. Living in a coffee cup would be lovely.......

A friend introducted me to these little jewels last year. I wish that she would not of!!!! I love them! I put them in a little dish next to my computer and I just can't control myself. Do you hear that Lori.....you created a midgee monster! ;)

And lastly, this is my newest little toy I won on Ebay. What would you like me to make for you? Cuppy cakes? Say...chocolate with pale pink butter cream frosting? Yup....that would be so nice. I saw one on this gals blog and thought wouldn't a vintage toy oven look ever so cute in my kitchen. My in-laws give me money for my birthday and I bought this for myself with that. :) I just love it!

So this is some fun I have been having the last few days. Boy do I wish I was independently wealthy....maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket. HA!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

My new ride.....

My husband surprised me today with a new set of wheels. I think it is sooo cute!!! It is baby blue and it has white wall tires. It also has little fenders to keep the water off my back. And, the most comfortable seat I have EVER had on a bike.


Here she is!! Isn't she adorable?! I have to think of a name for her. I took her for a little spin up and down our street with my youngest daughter tonight before yet another storm rolled in. My hubby was trying to get my seat adjusted and handlebars since it seems a tad to low for me.

This picture is rather blurry but here I come! :) My youngest daughter is really into the stage of her father and I "embarrassing her" right now. I knew the day would come when I was not a cool mama anymore. Sigh.... I was riding along with her and she was staring at me. I asked her if she liked my new bike and she told me she thought I looked like this gal.........

Nice....real nice. I thought I was looking really spiffy. Say like this gal..........

I can just picture myself with a bow in my hair and flowers in my little basket and singing through the neighbor hood...."The streets are alive with the sound of music......."

No wonder she is worried about me embarrassing her. ;)

Summer Fun

We are having some fun this week! My doctor that I work for is on vacation. So you know what they say....when the cats away the mice will play! I am the mice in this scenario. Hee Hee.
Today I thought would be a good day for a picnic. Sunny and very warm. We have a state park about 30 minutes from where we live. The kids want to go camping this summer and we usually go there. But to make reservations, you have to actually show up at the park to make them. So, we went over to make our reservations and have a little picnic. My hubby threw some worms and a pole and a tackle box in the back of the car as well. You know...."just to throw in a couple casts for fun." Right honey...right. :)

This is what they caught. Better throw that baby back in. He's too tiny to keep.

This was the spot Taylor chose to have our little lunch at. Our basket was packed with peanut butter sandwiches for the kids, potato chips, grapes and little baby cokes. For hubby and I, our sandwiches were pickle loaf and cheese with mustard. YUMMO! Oh, and Diet Coke for the mama. :)

There was a lot of this.....watching and waiting for the bobber to go under the water.

Lots of fluffy white billowy clouds that lazily rolled by. I was laying on our quilt watching them while the family was watching for fish. I believe my view was better. ;)

And, on our way out of the park, I looked in my rear view mirror and saw these little cuties both looking out their windows and both had their heads sticking out! HA! Just taking in the warm breeze and smells and sights of the woods. Darling if I ever do say so.