flower-power!

I've been making these fabric flowers in the evenings, while watching TV. By the looks of it, I seem to be a tad obsessed with them. If you're intersted, there are tons of tutorials on how to make these, along with great ideas on what fun things you can do with them. I need to pretty-up the centers...I'm thinking pearl beads or a plain white button. If you have some fabric scraps, it's a great way to use them up and accessorize at the same time.

And then there was this pink flower, attached to BB's fur. It seems she had a little day of beauty and this flower was just too sweet. It was very, very cute in her fur and doggie seemed to sense that she looked pretty darn irresistable with that pink flower behind her ear. For once she didn't try to remove it in 33.6 minutes. The flower actually stayed put for 5 hours.

I've added some great new site-buttons over there on my sidebar. Let me introduce you:

Bari J. Ackerman is a talented fabric designer, who also has some great tutorials on her site. Her blog is visually beautiful and she shares her perspective on colors and designs...if you love art and color, you'll love her site.

Little Birdie Secrets is a great source for all kinds of crafts, including kid-friendly projects.

And for cute softies, visit Retro Mama. She has some great free stuff, along with great patterns you can purchase at great prices.

Skip To My Lou, another fantastic site just LOADED with ideas for moms and kids. There are some GREAT teacher gift ideas, FYI.

I'll be adding more great inspiring sites...once you visit them, you'll be hooked. I promise!

discombobulated and disconnected!

I am currently experiencing "connection" or lack of, an internect connection. I believe it's a router issue, but I'm no techie...

I'll be back, right here, once we get the issue resolved. I miss writing on my little blog and miss the interaction with you guys.

Hopefully this little issue will be resolved soon...

Until then,

Hang tight and don't forget about me!

Hugs,

I took this photo this past weekend, while sitting on the patio. The sky was a perfect blue, so calming and soothing. This is the best time of the year in Florida, the perfect weather and vibrant spring colors. In a few short months, the humidity will be like a wet blanket, suffocating and wreaking havoc on my hair. And isn't that what's important, the texture of my hair? I thought so!

they're just kids, with coats!

It might have been easier to have a few horses as pets.

Horses socialize together, have a strong sense of independence. If you need them to work, they'll pull a plow. They're also a great source of transportation. They're affectionate and not to mention, beautiful!

As opposed to this creature.

Who has been sick with a bowel problem and in need of "special" attention...

...assistance in cleaning her backside after executing certain "movements."

How far do the duties of motherhood extend?!

It could be worse...

I'd probably do the same for a sick horse.

And that's a whole lot of wet wipes!

time for new pajamas!

Forever Plaid!

We all have a favorite pair of jammies.

Mine happen to be a pair of blue flannel plaid. Pants that I've been wearing for about 10 years…they’re disintegrating, but I couldn’t face that sad fact. I cringe at the thought of tossing out my favorite pajamas, but they've been mended, patched and re-sewn so many times, their time has finally come.

Yes, those are the jammies in the photo.

And since spring is a time of new beginnings, perhaps it's time to make a new pair of pajama pants using my old plaid pair as a pattern. It shouldn't be too difficult, should it?

I'm going to use the instructions at Sew 4 Home  to make my new pair. If all sews well, they should fit just as well as the old pair!

If you sew, why don't you join me in making yourself a nice new pair of summer pjs? The process looks pretty easy and what a great way to get some jammies that fit like your old faithful pair...

life in a barn.

Our house is not a barn!

I've been away from my blog for a very long time! I never intended to go AWOL, but I guess "stuff" just happens. Where I've been, what I've been doing all this time is just as much a mystery to me, as it is to you. Let's see, if I start with today and work backwards, let's see what I can come up with.

~Today. Blogging; talking with Jonathan and friend; Lowe's; dining out; work; cleaning stinky, disgusting stain on carpet; dog-poop; work; vet appointment; coffee, makeup; cereal, shower; waking up.

~Yesterday. Bedtime; reading;dinner; clingy dog; work; coffee, makeup, cereal, dog trying to get in shower; shower, waking up.

You might have noticed that we've been having dog issues. BB the wonder-dog has been acting funky and weird and really, the doggie accident on the carpet almost put me over the edge. Wow. Talk about the house smelling like a barn! I'm here to tell you that just pouring hydrogen peroxide on the spot worked wonders!

I could go on and on and on...(sorry), but you'd find that all my days have pretty much been the same. I sometimes feel that I have nothing interesting to share with you, no altruistic thoughts or inspiring project. But then again, when has anything on this blog been all that interesting, inspiring, or altruistic?

Lucky for you (or not), I'm not going anywhere and I'm going to keep plugging away at this here blog. I've made a few purses and am currently working on boxer shorts for ladies. In pretty fabrics. I figure that I have one more pair of throw-aways, and I'll have perfected the construction of the shorts and they'll look pretty. Then I'll be looking for a model to pose in them for my Etsy shop.

So there you have it!

Stay tuned for another interesting post about nothing in particular. I think I have this writer's block whipped!

L.O.V.E.

My parents, with their great-grandson, Liam.

Photographing pure love is akin to capturing air...so elusive.

I don't need to insert any more words...the moment is perfect!


*I "borrowed" this photo from Liam's grandpa's Facebook album. I hope my brother doesn't sue me.

sunset over Florida.

A beautiful Florida sunset, captured over the Intercoastal in Ponte Vedra, Florida.

I can't believe a week has come and gone, our baby boy, Liam, is back at home in Buffalo, NY. We had a wonderful week with our little boy and his great-grandparents, holding him and watching him spit up and coo and all the wonderful things that little babies do. It was wonderful to see his parents, even his grandpa (my brother) came down to share in the meeting of the great-grandparents and their sweet great-grandbaby.

We had a great time, but I'm ready to get back to posting regularly and sharing my ho-hum life.

I'll post some photos of this sweet little baby soon...how could I not?!

stowaway!

Our nephew Rob, is bringing his family to Florida to introduce the first "great" to the rest of the family.

We are very excited!

Great-grandma and great-grandpa can't wait to meet Liam.

I can't wait, either! Is it wrong to pinch a baby's cheeks?

I texted Rob and asked if Liam was excited to be arriving tomorrow.

Rob said, "Liam's stoked! He's packing his bag right now."

And then I got this photo:

Liam is so excited to meet us, he packed himself!

Smart, funny little boy.

I can't wait to get my hands on him!

Of course, I'm going to have to wait my turn...I can't very well rip the baby out of my mother's arms. Or can I......?

No, I'll be patient and wait my turn... but it won't be easy!

Oh, Lordy! This baby is going to undo me.

Hurry up, Liam! Aunt Patti can't wait to meet you!

winner, winner, sandwich dinner!

Yes, yes, I know...I ws going to announce the winner yesterday, but yesterday totally ran away from me and I finally caught up with it today.

Sorry about the delay.

And the lucky number, randomly chosen by the handy-dandy Number Generator is...

#10!

This is what the winning entrant said about the question of being "hot"......

Whosyergurl said...


I came by to visit because MINDY told me to! But please know that I don't always do what she suggests...but I'm glad I did this time...

I had that Thai salad last time I was there and it was GOOD!

Am I hot? Of course, dahling! I am the hottest brand new Grandma around and...those darn hot flashes! yuck. xo, Cheryl

OK, Cheryl, you won the nifty Panera's card. I'll be contacting you later on today.

Thanks to everyone for playing along. I really LOVE you guys!

Have a great Sunday!

lunch at Panera's!

You may have previously heard me whining about a wisdom tooth I unexpectedly had pulled last week. No
problems.

But two days later, I had a raging headache that just wouldn't quit...for 3 loooonnnggg days.

And then on Friday, the kiddo came home from work a mean, green, hurling-machine!

Posting here didn't happen, because (A) I didn't feel well, (B) my son was sick and (C) my week was BORING!

To ensure our work week ends on a resounding sweet note, I'm going to buy one of you lunch. 

As much as I'd like to pick you up and go off together for a nice chat, we all know that's not possible. Especially if you live in Texas, or New York, California, or anyplace outside my 8-mile radius. 

Panera's it is!

So much to choose from...healthy, delicious, sweet! 

I strongly urge you to try the Thai Salad, if you enjoy mild "hotness."

Are you hot?

Interpret that any way you'd like.

In the comments section at the end of this post, tell me if you're hot and what makes you hot.

I'll randomly choose a winner...or choose a random winner. Which is it?

I'll choose the winner on Friday. And you can only enter once.

Is it me, or is it hot in here...? 

*Note: if you need to comment via "annonymous," please leave your email address in your comment so that I can notify the winner.

getting to the root of the matter.

Several years ago, I decided to take a quilting class. I loved every minute of it.

Above is only one of two quilt tops I've ever made. This is my favorite of the entire two.

It does, of course, need to be finished. I pulled it out of my closet last week and fell in love all over again with the French Country feel of the fabrics. The colors are incredibly amazing. Please overlook the errant threads and the fact that I didn't press this quilt prior to taking photos. I figured you'd forgive me for the wrinkles. On the quilt, not my face. Someday, I'll finish this lovely quilt!

In other news, my sewing room is still half cleaned. Half put-back-together. My plan for today, cleaning the destruction I created last week, was thwarted by an aching tooth. My tooth has been hurting for awhile and just this past Saturday morning, I finally called the dentist to make an appointment. In my vast dental experience, I self-diagnosed a probable cavity, or loose filling. 

Ha. I was wrong on both counts. My appointment was this morning and upon several x-rays and examination, the ever-charming and competent Dr. Martinez told me the pain I had been experiencing in my molar was due to a problem with my wisdom tooth and that it would, in fact, need to be extracted. In his usual jovial fashion, he assured me that he could pull the wisdom tooth, which had a crazy twisted root, right there in his office and that I wouldn't need to go to a specialist. "No problem...what's the worst that could happen?" he asked. At which point I burst out laughing (I know, that really wasn't very reassuring), he laughed, the nurse laughed and then we all got down to business. Within 2.38 minutes, the root popped and the tooth was soundly nestled within the dentist tongs. 

A little gauze, my instruction sheet and pain prescription (I have not take any!) and I was on my way. I've done some laundry and ironing, but am now ready to go nestle into the couch and read on my Kindle. Love my Kindle.

Hence, the whole reason I'm a lazy girl today. Not even an interesting blog post.

Check back for a giveaway sometime this week. Think "gift card."

Something that's fun and you can get yourself a little something...from me to you.

Now if you'll excuse me, Jane Eyre is calling...

It's time to rest my gums.

these shoes are made for walkin'...

Way back in the '80's, I owned some great shoes.

Not terribly expensive, but they were some real lookers, baby!

Heels. High-heels.

I wore red heels, white heels, black heels. Black heels. Black heels.

Boots. Leather boots. With heels. Brown. Black. Black. Black.

You get the picture.

Upon checking my email this afternoon, I found heels waiting for me from Anthropologie. 

These luscious heels:

And these high, funky wedges.

I wore wedges, too. 

 Sometimes the shoes hurt my feet...but that didn't stop me from wearing the beauties. No sir, they looked great and I knew that eventually, I'd break them in and the blisters and callouses would be well-worth it! Because fashion knows no boundaries.

 Just take a look at these cute little multi-colored shoes below. I am in love. 

I swore that I would always wear heels, no matter what! No sensible shoes for me!

Then I grew up and have taken a different view on the whole fashion-shoe debate.

Heels. Pretty to look at, but so dysfunctional.

Now these, these are shoes that you can live in!

Granny shoes.

So practical, so utilitarian.

I think they even come in black!

Would it be too gauche of me to wear them to a formal social function?

I didn't think so.

color my world blue.

 Blue...Sunday was warm and oh, so blue!

Jason was determined to take the boat out on the water this weekend and we had a lovely day boating on the St. John's River. It was sunny and warm, a perfect day for cruising without a destination...just ride!

Of course I left my camera at home, leaving me with just my cell phone. Hence, the blue photo. But you know, out on the water, the world is bluer! I couldn't resist a photo of the city's skyline.

Then it was home and time to swab the decks and upholstery. I bet the seafarers of old didn't worry about cleaning the white upholstery. Of course, they didn't have a radio to listen to while cleaning, either. But I didn't have a cask of rum to swill. Or a plank to walk. Or treasure to bury.

In other news, these are two new wristlets I finished last week. I've received some nice compliments on these little numbers. I'm working on another made from laminated material, much like a rain jacket, that can be carried to the beach, pool, or....on a boat!

I'll let you know how the new wristlet turns out.

Since I'm off today, I need to accomplish all the chores I didn't do this weekend, since A) I worked on Saturday and B) I played on the boat all day Sunday. 

I see a dust rag, Pledge and a vacuum in my future.

Oh joy!

driving along in my automobile.

What the motivation was to take my camera along to pick the dog up from the groomer's, I'm not certain.

Perhaps it was to document blatant traffic infringements...like this driver...

 ...who ran the red light and pulled out right in front of me. Grrrrrr....

Without hesitation, I took a photo of her dastardly deed. If you recognize this driver, please report this tag number to the Division of Moron-driving Vehicles.

I was so irritated.

Or maybe I took my camera along that I could share with you the pretty promise of Spring. The grass is to turning green and the foliage is preparing to present multitudes of brilliant color.

My Yankee family and friends might consider me to be rubbing their poor, cold noses into our beautiful weather, as they struggle to escape the freezing temperatures and snow of this Winter.

Yet I remind Yankee-dwellers of their beautiful Fall weather and colors, which we in Florida totally lack.

Do you really think that I would be so petty as to taunt my friends with photos of beautiful blue Southern skies?!

Yup... you'd be totally correct in that assumption.

Some days, I feel so totally wicked!

tie a yellow ribbon...

Having my hair done always makes me feel better...

younger...

And the same goes for the dog.

 A total glamour shot...she's posing.

She's letting the squirrels know that she's back and just because she has bows in her ears, she's still the baddest dog in town.

And the bows!

The bows are so stinkin' adorable.

The bows stayed in for several hours, until B.B. had enough of them...she just can't stand looking too girlie.

Because the squirrels taunt her...

And you can't be a bad-ass squirrel hunter with yellow bows in your ears!

"hearting" these hearts!

I have an affliction...

Self-diagnosis: Craftoholic.

Symptoms: Once you see a creative, remarkable craft, you can't shake the image. It's all you think about. Perhaps for days. Weeks. Months.

This morning, I found this little tutorial over at Little Birdie Secrets, on how to make darling little note cards.

Thankfully, I had just about all the supplies needed already on hand.

All that was missing was the heart-punch and they're on sale at Joann's.

Here are the cards I made:

These are a lot of fun to make and has generated several ideas for alternative note-cards. 

Now I just need to get the old printer hooked up.

My mind is spinning ideas 'round and 'round...

Creativity: a curse and yet, a delight!

birthday ode to Mr. Incredible.

Today is Jason's birthday.

Jason is my Mr. Incredible. Jason has always been very strong...amazingly strong. In fact, if you were to put a super-hero suit on him, he would look just like Mr. Incredible!

We were just discussing how in the last few years, due to a major back problem, Jason isn't quite as strong as he was when we first met. The years have, apparently, taken their toll on his super-human strength.

Reflecting on our conversation, I now beg to differ.

The vast physical strength Jason once possessed has been replaced with a quiet spiritual strength. His faith now is stronger than his back ever was, and to me, he is infinitely more incredible!

Happy Birthday, Jason!

You're not getting older, you're getting stronger...

And I love you!

"feels-like" factor....and the winner.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, MOM and DAD!

One ringy-dingy, two ringy-dingies...

"Hi, Dad! Happy Anniversary!"

"Thanks, honey."

"So, Dad. How many years have you and Mom been married?"

"One-hundred and fifty-seven years!"

"That's funny, Dad. Is that how long it feels like you've been married?"

"Yup...ha, ha, ha."

And that, my friends, is the "feels-like" factor.

I only hope that we all, one day, will be able to say that to our children. What a blessing!

On behalf of my brothers, the son-and-daughter-in-laws, grandchildren and great-grandson... 

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad...we love you!

And now, the winner of the CSNstores.com $25 certificate is...

Yankee, Transferred said...

I would totally love to win! I need a new toaster in a big, bad way!


Yankee, please leave me your email, so that I can send you the electronic gift certificate code instructions. Have fun  shopping!

Thank you to everyone who left a comment. This was fun, we'll do it again, real soon!