Somebody! Please let me outa here!

Just because we left you at the swanky kennel for 6 days while we vacationed in Pennsylvania, doesn't mean I'm going to leave you at the Vet's, BB! Chill out!

Besides, you'll never make it over that door...

And we missed you. Glad we're all back together!

Antiquity. Age.

It's beautiful, it's breathtaking.

On a ride down an old country road...how many have come this way?

Who might have stood in the exact spot as I, gazing at this beautiful barn?

I never tire of these scenes.

Cat House

BB-the-Dog, of whom there are numerous photos plastered all over this blog (because she's the only mammal in this house who semi-lets me take her picture), had a little visit to the doctor's today. She's OK, it was her yearly visit and something to do with a "package" I purchased last year that covers her vaccines and yet, I ended up paying extra for antibiotics that will clear up a little rash she's developed.

 *Surprise!

These are what greeted BB as we walked through the doors to the Vet...CATS! Baby cats. And the only good cat in BB's world is a cat that's racing for its life up and over a fence!

But darn it, these kitties were just too cute!

That white kitty was a hoot. Mischievous. Aggressive. Cheeky.


He wasn't having any lazing-around!

"I'm King of the World! And the doggie can't get me when I'm way up here!"

Look out! Whitey is right behind you and by the looks of it, you're about to be pushed of your perch!

 Or squeezed off.

Instagram. I love that app!

Just look at that pretty pink nose!

Good bye, little kitties. I really hope someone adopts all of you.

And don't let those dogs get you down.

And for goodness' sake, please don't tell any of your friends about how BB cried the entire time we were in the lobby, whining while she couldn't take her eyes off of you. She's never seen a cat-in-a-house.

You're enigmas.

And cute. Thanks for the fun.

20 Mule Team Throwback!

I'm here to tell you this stuff is phenomenal. You can do so much with it, and it makes your laundry smell so fresh!

As I was opening the box, I squeezed it a little and some of the granules popped out into the sink...I went ahead and figured I'd see how it worked as a surface cleanser and wow! Clean!

I then put some in the toilet, that suffers from hard water stains (among others...ahem) and voila! Clean, clean, clean!

A few other uses:

~diapers/baby clothes
~delicates
~fine china
~dishwasher
~garbage cans
~cookware
~spills/carpet stains
~tub/shower
~flower preservation

AND MORE!

After washing my white sheets in Borax, going to sleep in fresh and soft linens was soooo refreshing! What a sweet night's sleep!

I'm not kidding, try some Borax. I don't care to clean, but yesterday on my day off and armed with my box of Borax, I had a cleaning frenzy field day!

Borax isn't paying me...this is my own PSA for my friends.

Because if I have to clean, I'm going to share the love.

Owl Be Seeing You...

My friend asked if I would make her soon-to-be-mommy/daughter a diaper bag. The only stipulation was that it had to be owls. Owls. Owls. Owls....hmmmm. OK.  After a very thorough and exhaustive search on the Internet for owl material, I found a pattern that I thought would be cute as a baby motif. As with all modern textile lines, the design comes in different color segways, so for guidance, I once again turned to the excited grandma-to-be for color advice. She didn't care. As long as it had owls. For a girl. This narrowed it down a little for me. Decisions, decisions, decisions...

Here is what I decided upon:

 Pretty bright, don't you agree? But what fun! That Grandma knew what she wanted...and she was right! The owls are adorable!

 Each side panel has a sweet elastic pocket, to carry a bottle, or some other handy-dandy doo-dad they make for babies and their mothers these days.

And the necessary changing pad...'cause you just can never tell when or where you're going to need a quick change...

Did I mention it's reversible? It's reversible...

And a quick peek at the inside of the bag...lots of pockets and a center divider.

In the old days, I would have fixed these pics up a little bit, in either Flickr or Picnik. They did away with Picnik and I'm just not on- board to the other photo-editing sites.

So you're getting RAW!

Did I mention that this bag was supposed to be finished in time for Grandma to take to Texas for the birth of her first grandchild? And that I missed that deadline, then the deadline of Grandpa leaving for Texas? And then the week following the birth of the baby? And a few days after that?

I didn't mention it?

OK, we'll keep it our little secret. I had many reasons for the delay, none of which really matter...

You know what "they" say....

Excuses, excuses, EXCUSES!

Nobody wants to hear them....

But the bag is enormous and bright and happy, and I threw in a few little extra coordinating goodies for the new mommy.

That is my story and I'm stickin' with it!

Happy Mother's Day!

Have you visited your favorite fabric shop recently?

There are some beautiful, beautiful designs...this Maasai line is particularly lovely. The palette is so soothing...

A few months ago, I de-stashed all the cheap fabrics I had bought years ago...there wasn't the overwhelming choice of beautiful patterns and quality of fabric that we have today. It felt good to purge that extensive load of unremarkableness.

A few of my current favorite fabric shops are...

• Hawthorne Threads...A huge selection of fabrics, a great web site, with a great blog, too!
• Fabric Shoppe...it's on Etsy and her selection of fabric is fabulous!
• Cinnamon's Quilt Shoppe...a traditional bricks and mortar quilt shop, loads of fun, the girls there are so helpful!
• Paula's Fine Fabrics...another local shop with beautiful contemporary designs and a large selection of sewing machines.
• Fresh Squeezed Fabrics...online, fast delivery, fantastic customer service. You won't be disappointed.

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

This is a Christmas-quilt kit.

I've had for about a month...

and it hasn't changed! It still looks just like this.

When I get around to putting this together, it's going to be one sweet, happy quilt!

There's only one thing...I have a problem cutting into pretty fresh fabrics.

I like to sit and look at it, admire it, appreciate it.

I'm thinking this quilt is never going to happen.

Time will tell.

Do me a favor...remind me about this kit in a few months, K?

Thanks bunches!

good-grooming DOES make a good impression!

Does it make me a "bad" mother for loving her even more, now that her fur is cut?

That's what I thought...

I can't help it, she's just so darn cute now!

Down On The Boardwalk



Being Saturday and the day before Easter,

Jason and I opted to go grab a bite to eat.

But we didn't want to go just anywhere....

we wanted to have a dining experience!



The restaurant itself isn't elegant, the food is good and satisfying, but not particularly incredible. But the view...the view is spectacular! Look at the gentleman to the right, he was eating lobster...I love how I have a shot of him in mid-bite, so enjoying his food!

Just outside the restaurant is a small boardwalk, overlooking the ocean. We left just as dusk was settling in and the ocean was at high-tide. Thank goodness for iPhones, as I didn't bring my camera (as usual) and the phone has a decent-enough camera. I saw our shadows and thought it would make for an interesting photo.

The beauty of the ocean is breathtaking! Especially on the eve of Easter...

God's perfect beauty...

An unsuspecting cactus hidden in the dunes...

Houses on the beach...can you imagine?

The restaurant.

Palm trees...so elegant and perfect on the coast.

We sat and watched the breaking of the waves. The skies are blue, the wind whipping about...

A random beach-estate on the ride home.

But are they happy??!!

Ha, ha...I'll bet they are!

But do they have a cozy little home with a sweet little dog to greet them when they walk through the door?

I wouldn't trade a thing in my life...God's plan is perfectly perfect for me!

Boating the St. John's River

Cruise Ship...I Think I'll Pass

Chillin'

J

Condos on the River

Jacksonville Landing

Pirate Ship

Curls....

 What a beautiful day!

I grew up on an island, but I never really thought twice about all the water. Boating wasn't such a big deal to the inlander Islanders...a boat was never on my radar.

Apparently, it's been on my husband's for many years and we're really enjoying our boat...

Though I no longer live on an island, we do live by lots and lots of water! Our home isn't far from the St. John's River, so we're able to enjoy the water, especially now that the weather is turning very warm.

 I love being out on the boat, especially with my two guys... my husband and our son. Today, we cruised along a part of the river we've never been before.

The water was calm and the sky was a beautiful blue, with gigantic puffy clouds. Basking under the warm sun was lovely and I must say, my farmer's tan is coming along quite nicely...don't be jealous!

We're looking forward to our next outing...

Why don't you join us?

Shoe Story

I went shopping this afternoon.

I didn't find any tops that swept me off my feet.

But I did find some shoes that swept me off my feet...

Aren't they cute????

A pair in white....

And a pair in denim.

Perfect for summer...

Now I need a black pair of shoes and I'll be set for a few weeks.

Just kidding.

And I am so happy that this year, I've found my shoes early!

Espadrilles...they make me so happy!

Oh, my!

Eyelash curlers, in assorted colors!

Love them. I once had an eyelash curler that hung around for 20 years. Truth-be-told, I might still be using it! I'm frugal that way.

But THESE...these took my breath away!

I really, really think that I must buy one of these...so pretty!

And one's eyelashes can never have too much curl.

I am, afterall, an '80's girl!

Poi Meets Boy

Like all mothers, I spent many years and loads of energy teaching our son the dangers of fire....

I'd say, "Whatever you do, DON'T play with fire!"

He promised me he wouldn't!!!

I failed...my dire warnings fell on deaf ears.

My nineteen year-old baby rebelled and ordered fire poi.

 He plays with fire. With lots of fire. Hot fire.

Fire-y fire.

Yellow. Hot. Intense.

Thankfully, there's a pool a few feet away from where he spins it.

Until recently, his father and I were unaware he plays with fire.

We know now!

You're asking yourself, "How in the world can she keep herself from running over and blowing that poi out?"

I've tried, it's not a pretty site! Not to mention my hair would go up in flames...

I pray...I pray a LOT!

These are my girls...my first dolls.

I am having such a blast with these dolls! I love coordinating the fabrics, sewing the dresses, ironing the dresses...I think these are the little girls I never had!

The pattern for the dolls were purchased from Retro Mama...as was the pattern for their sweet little dresses. Which are reversible, by the way. So she really has two little dresses. There's also a pattern for a little cape, but I haven't tried that yet. Maybe soon...I want to make a few more dolls and list them on Etsy.

These girls are available for purchase, if anyone is interested. Their little faces are embroidered and their dresses are made from lovely, durable fabric. The hair and shoes are constructed of wool felt...

My favorite thing about this dolly is that she's so old-fashioned. She's a perfect, wholesome companion for a little girl.

It's going to be sad letting go of these darlings...I've so enjoyed looking at them spending time together in the family rocking chair!

bright felt love.

Surprise! I'm in a doll-making mode these days. And if dolls are to be made, then this stuff is extremely important...

Wool felt.

It's delicious! High-quality, durable and sturdy wool felt!

It's used for hair, clothing, shoes...

The possibilities are endless!

I'm putting the finishing touches on several dolls, having just finished one of their cute little reversible dresses. I'm looking forward to sharing the dollies in their pretty dresses...

But first, we await a bright and sunny Florida day. Regionally-speaking, the skies have been rather "Buffalo-ish" here in recent days.

And we can't take photos of sunny dolls on dreary Buffalo days!

If you're inclined to order some lovely felt, here's a link to where I ordered my felt...Retro Mama! She's currently having a sale on her felt and patterns, just enter LEAP15 at the checkout and you'll receive 15% off your order (it figures I just missed out on this promo!).

Go, be amazed at the colors. I highly recommend this shop!

Blogging from my phone!

Being able to blog via my iPhone is revolutionary! It has the potential of throwing my dear readers into a plethora of crazy, meaningless posts from yours truly.

As I type, you are a participant in this new adventure...how exciting for you! You're welcome! Any and all errors on my part don't count and must be forgiven, 'cause I have no idea of what I'm doing!

Fun! Don't you agree?

And this is what the hubby and I did Saturday...

While snow covered the yard up in Pennsylvania where my brother and his family lives...

Leaves cover the earth where we live. And that means raking.

And mulching.

And fertilizing.

Thank goodness it's raining today, because I need a little break from the yard work!

hooker school.

I've really, really been wanting to learn how to crochet. Like I don't have enough "stuff" (aka "projects") already in the works. Let's see...I'm currently making dolls. Prior to that, purses and prior to that, boxer shorts. Purses, wristlets, purses. A few wallets, banners, aprons, hats...

I am confident that my squeeze, Jason, is going to be thrilled with this newest endeavor. I have a sweater that fetches all kinds of compliments, but sadly, I always have to deny having anything personally to do with its marvelous construction. Just once, I'd like to say, "Why yes, I did make this, thank you!"

I really don't think it's a coincidence that I stumbled across a site dedicated to free crochet lessons. Complete with "how-to" videos. This is destiny, baby!

The link to crochet love is right here. If you're interested in attending, it's free and I'd love to have you as a classmate.

Grab your hook, some yarn and I'll see you in class!

 

weekend rays of sunlight!

 I love this time of day/year.

These are photos from the house/yard...

Happy Weekend!