Tuesday, June 25, 2013

YUMMY NEW FABRICS

I admit to having a few weaknesses and one of them is pretty fabrics. When I go into a fabric store I become dizzy and light headed and all of my will power and good intentions fly out the door. All I can think about is what I would do with all of those beautiful bolts of fabric. I have a terrible time selecting which ones will be coming home with me and always end up buying more than I should.
Here are just a few of the ones that I have purchased in the last few weeks.


Can you guess what the ones in the above photo have in common besides being lovely?

 


I'll be working with these two fabrics over the next few days.

I promise to show you what I’ve been doing with them soon but right now that will have to remain a secret.

Have a great day and as always, thanks for stopping by.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

WHY JUNE 23RD IS SO IMPORTANT


June 23rd is an important date for me. I have several major anniversaries connected to this date. Twenty-0ne years ago today I made the first of a series of major changes in my life by leaving the place I’d called home for so many years and moving to Vancouver Washington. My first husband and the father of my children lived there and we had decided to see if we could rekindle what we once had. One terribly long year later after deciding that rekindling was impossible and I moved again but not half way across the country this time, just across the river. 
So, June 23rd is my twenty year anniversary of my living in this area. I still think of this place as a temporary home town for me even though I’ve lived here longer than anywhere else. Up until twenty years ago I had been a nomad, a wanderer and had lived in many places. Seventeen places, give or take, so settling down was one of those major changes that I mentioned. 
As important as the two anniversaries above are.....
The main reason June 23rd is so important is because it is my granddaughter Ariel’s birthday. Twenty two years ago today this beautiful person came into our lives. Ariel is the youngest of my grandchildren and the only girl. She is also beautiful and smart and funny and oh so many wonderful things.

Note the Mona Lisa smile...and she has her Gran's cheek bones

Right now Ariel is attending medical school and when she graduates she is going to be a brilliant doctor! I’m absolutely sure of that! How could she not be?? I know that every grandmother thinks her grand kids are beautiful and smart. We Grans all do our share of bragging and if you think that I’m being a proud granny here, you are right about that.
Because she lives and attends school in another state I don’t get to see my funny little Ari-berry as often as I would like and because of her schedule we don’t get to spend a lot of time on the phone chatting either. Even with her busy schedule she’s the one who makes sure we get together. She flew up for Mother’s day to surprise her mother and me and that is when these photos were taken.

YO Grams, Whaz-up???


Ariel & her uncle Ken


Even now that she's all grown up, she is still a character and a bit of a nut and she will always be my little Ari-berry and I could not be prouder of her.
  ~HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARIEL~
I know I haven't been around much lately and there is a good reason for that and I'll tell you all about it at a later time but for now I'll wish you a wonderful day and as always, thanks for stopping by.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

COLOR BURSTING OUT ALLOVER

There are times when I really like my yard and this is why
 




The weather this year is so different than what we had at this time last year. Here it is one week into May and the temperatures have been like summer and the shrubs and plants in my garden and yard are a lovely sight. Greenery and blossoms everywhere and I have the allergies to prove it.



It looks like the strawberries are starting to get flowers too. This is only one of the raised garden beds where they are planted.
I bought myself a little green house a few months ago so I could get an early start on my garden and with the weather we’ve been having it seems like it isn’t that necessary but the seedlings that I’ve started will survive if the temperatures do drop. Am I the only one that has that kind of luck? I debate about whether or not to do something and when I finally make the decision to do it whatever it is it hardly seems worth the effort.


These buds will probably be open and in full bloom tomorrow. They are some of my favorites.  The color is soft and the blossoms have a lovely shape.

There is still a lot of work to be done to get to the point where I can sit back and enjoy but sometimes the work is the best part. Maybe not so much the physical work but the planning part and the shopping part. Don't you just love shopping for plants and shrubs and new cushions for the patio furniture? I know I do.

On one of the blog sites I visit a dear friend named Mona has posted photos of her fairy garden and after seeing it I've been wanting to plant one too. That's the planning part that I was talking about that is so much fun.  

Like I said, the weather is beautiful and I’m heading outside to enjoy it.
Have a great day and as always, thanks for stopping by.