Show & Tell Friday 10/31

Happy Friday and welcome to this week's edition of Show & Tell Friday, hosted so graciously by Kelli @ "There's no place like home". I had a great time last week playing along and enjoying everyone's items, that I thought I'd do it again :0).

I love most things vintage and not to long ago I found some wonderful embroidered pillowcases.I love to make up the bed and look upon all my "floof". Thank goodness hubby is so patient and lets me do things up my way. LOL! He's so good about it too. At bedtime, he removes all the pillows and puts my "pretties" on my ...special chair. Hubby got this for me at an estate sale. It was one of my anniversary gifts that year. This chair sits in our bedroom.Thanks for spending some of your day with me. Be sure to visit Kelli and see who else is "showing & telling". Have a fantastic Friday!

Three or More Thursday & Help me decide...

I had all ready posted for today, then I saw Tam's "Three or More Thursday" and wanted in on the fun :0). It made for one lllooonnnggg entry. Thanks for taking the time!

Happy first Three or More Thursday!!! So graciously hosted by Tam @ The Gypsy's Corner. Be sure to pay her a visit for more "Three or More" paraders.
I"m going to share a collection of Pigs that my hubby actually started. I happen to like pigs, I think they're cute and actually even asked for a potbelly as a pet, but alas my hubs said "nay!" (or is that oink!) So instead he began gifting me with these little figurines. Each figurine represents something about us and our life together.

Here we have us as (from left to right) as two little piggies just hugging and loving each other. The second pig is down on his knee, popping the big question, the third figurine shows two pigs on their wedding day, and the fourth figurine he gave to me when we had our first child together. Sorry for the quality, my camera is not cooperating for this shot.
Here is the entire collection. Different figurines for different things that are unique to us. That pig on the motorcycle for example-my hubs used to ride a Harley. The pig at the juke box because my hubs plays guitar and sings, the pig couple in back is "us" and is called "my sweet valentine". I don't display them like I used to and they are put away for now (little hands about) but I always thought how sweet the gesture for my hubs to go out and take the time to find specifically themed figures that "could" represent us.
Help! I've had this cabinet for almost twelve years and I've yet to do anything with it. It's unfinished and in desperate need of a facelift. It only stands about 5'8" or so and as you can see the shelves are not very big or deep (that pic is a 5x7 frame). I've thought about painting it but I'm not sure which way to go with it. My living area is yellow (wickerware) and the molding, trim work and ceiling are white. The eating/dining area have the colors that are in the living area since it's all one big room. I have two end tables and a coffee table that are pine, that I'll be painting in an antique white color. Do I paint this piece the same color or do I take it another direction? The accent colors in the room are red, with some green. The curtains are Waverly Pantry Plaid in Crimson/Ecru. I posted a picture of the eating area so you can get a better idea of the colors/accents in the room. The white serving cart will eventually make it's way into the kitchen area, so the only furniture piece that will be white, will be the table and chairs, but I'm also thinking of giving these a facelift as well. I think I'm just over thinking the whole thing and it's causing me doubt. What are your thoughts. Be honest, but gentle :0). Thanks very much!

Thanks very much for stopping by and saying Hi! I hope you have a fantastic day!

C'Mon "Autumn Like" Weather...

It has been hot, hot, and hot here. I've been asking Mother Nature... okay begging Mother Nature, to please, please, please show us a bit of compassion and send some cooler temps. Finally, we may be seeing some relief. Today's high is only forecasted to be in the low 90s and even lower temps by the end of the week! So exciting to me! Yahoo, wahoo and major and I mean MAJOR "Happy Dancing" going on over here.
I keep trying to "psych" myself out by surrounding myself with anything "Autumish"(as if that could help bring in the cooler temps). Well, it might....right? Just go with me on this :0) Humor me. I'm desperate here!

You've been Boo'ed! ( I have too!)

BOO!
Shalia over at Note Songs booed me! Now it's my turn to Boo You!

Now this is going to be fun!! Here is how the Blogging Boo will go. Go to as many friends as you want and tell them they've been "Boo-ED". Have them link back to your blog to pick up their Halloween Treat (picture) and tell them to Boo their friends. (Then put the pic in your side bar so everyone knows that you've already been Boo-ed and to send the pic to someone else.

Are you scared yet!!??

Boo!

My First Blue Monday

I've been viewing and enjoying the participants of Sally's Blue Monday and I thought it was time to join in the fun. Be sure to visit Sally @ Smiling Sally and see who else is sharing their blue's.

Look how Blue the sky is next to the golden grass. In the Spring, these hills are so green and lush. This is the James Dean Memorial Highway. The intersection ahead, is where that tragic crash occurred.
Boats lazily bobbing in the bay.For the love of a little blue cornflower and my love of Corningware.The painting in the background is called "A night in shining amour" by Dale Terbush. One of my favorite artists. When the lights are dimmed just right, the moon and stars appear to "glow". It's really a beautiful and serene piece. I know it doesn't match my decor, but I loved it so much, I had to have it. Thank goodness hubbs agreed. :0) (click on picture to enlarge)
See that little blue tag? That "tells" anyone who may find my dog (if she ever got lost), that she is micro chipped and all they need to do is get her to vet and have her scanned to aid in our reunion. :0) Cookie is sitting atop a wedding ring quilt that has blue in the rings as well. It was a gift to hubbs and I when we were married.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by and see me. Have a great day!

Pink Saturday 10/25

It's time to roll out the PINK !!! Beverly at "How Sweet the Sound" is our ever gracious hostess. Be sure to pop on over and see who else is parading their PINK with Pride.
Being that we've an awesome bunch of PINK for everyone to get through, I'll keep this short, sweet and preciously PINK...

This is the Tiffany Style lamp my sweet hubby gifted me with on our first Christmas together as Man & Wife. I love the glow that comes from the pink poinsettia stained glass and of course I love my sweet hubby too!
Introducing Miss Cookie's N' Cream and Miss Daisy Dukes Froodle Poodle. Cookie is our nine year old Miniature Schnauzer whom we rescued when she was two years old. Daisy is our one year old Standard Poodle rescue. She turned one year on 5/7 which just happens to be my birthday as well. I'd say it was fate that she "bounded" into our lives. I cannot imagine our household without these two furbabies. Oh! The reason this picture is here is because you can just see Daisy's pink collar peeking out from all her curls. Thank you for taking the time to pay me a visit. I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

The Pink Ladies Pledge...THINK PINK!

My first Show & Tell Friday...

I've been enjoying "Show & Tell" Friday which is hosted by Kelli at There is no place like home
and I finally decided that it's time to join in the fun!
I have a love for anything vintage or that could tell a story if it could "talk".

This is a vintage hand mirror that my father found in a construction site. There used to be old Victorian homes that stood on the site that they had to clear and my dad found this as they were digging. I often wonder who it belonged to, how it got lost and what kind of lady must have used it. Was she a socialite? Did she admire her image as she got ready for a grand affair/ball? This is my china cabinet with my various pieces of china tea cups & crystal. The cabinet belonged to a great Godmother and has passed down three generations all ready. It's not fancy, by any means, but it is most treasured. The china on the top shelf is among my favorite. My mother had the original set and as we'd been hit by various earthquakes, many pieces were destroyed or damaged. I've since then, been able to build up the set again (Thank you Ebay!). I do have a couple of pieces that did belong to my mother, alas one of them is damaged, but it was hers and I was able to "repair" it. Here you'll also see a vintage tablecloth that my daughter and her boyfriend gave me for my last birthday. On the second shelf is some crystal that belonged to my mother, a crystal teapot that I do in fact use, and a set of cups and saucers that dates back to the 40s. On the third shelf you'll see a set that has dark cups and saucers that are ringed. These came from my favorite Aunt and I also have the Chargers to match. You'll also see some white, floral cups and saucers. Those are from my everyday set. I just purchased these cups, but I have the entire dish set that I purchased over 22 years ago. It's the tablecharm set (arcopal) and it is fantastic!
I loved the way the sun shone through these old canning jars. I just had to snap the picture.Thank you for taking the time to stop by and take a peek. I hope you have a fantastic day and weekend!

A Midweek Funny...

Sad News.

Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment
community. The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71.

Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of
celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs.
Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The grave site was piled high with flours.

Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was
not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times, he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive roll model for millions.

Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, three children: John
Dough, Jane Dough and Dosey Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He
is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart. The funeral was
held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.

If this has made you smile for even a brief second, then I have risen to the
occasion by sharing this smile with someone else
who may have been having a crumby day and was in knead of a lift.

Autumn in Suburbia...

It's
Autumn !!!


The magical color show, the crackle and crunch of fallen leaves...scarecrows, pumpkins and corn. There's the cooler temperatures, fireplaces aglow, and the smell of spice.
While "my" Autumn isn't quite as "colorful" and the next few days ahead will bring Santa Ana's and heat, I know that somewhere many of you are experiencing the glorious show of Autumn.
Enjoy!
I love, love, love to decorate for the seasons. It's not much, but it's enough to make my cozy space even more cozier.A sweet little pumpkin lovingly created by my little girl's hands...when she was just nine years old. Every season it makes it's way for the Autumn Show. A old china hutch dressed for the season. Hmm, where did I put those twinkly lights?!Scarecrows, pumpkins, pine cones and flowers.Autumn afternoon sun shining through.

Apples

What is it about the apple? I love apples but sometimes I think it's got to be one of the most under rated fruits out there. This pretty little globe of fruit comes in so many different varieties, each one having it's own unique taste and "talent". Granny smiths are great when cooking, especially with pork or chicken. Mixing sweet Golden Delicious, Fuji, Pink Lady or Macintosh with a more tart Pippin or Granny Smith and tossing them into your salads adds a nice punch and crunch! Apples are just cute and most keep well, plus scientific studies have shown that eating apples on a regular basis can improve overall health. I guess there really is something in that old saying "An apple a day, keeps the doctor away!", AND did you know that apples contain no fat, no sodium and no cholesterol? Wahoo! Good for you and satisfies that sweet craving at the same time.
I just love apples. Not that you could guess by any means (lol). I'm hoping that this season I'll be able to get my young ones up to an apple orchard where we can pick our own. Being suburbanites we'll need to drive out of the city to find the orchard, but I know it will make for a great day trip as well as a family memory.

So, have you had your apple today?

Pink Saturday 10/18/08

It's time for Pink Saturday. Our gracious hostess is Bev over at "How Sweet the Sound". Be sure to pay her a visit and see who else is sharing their pink.

I thought this would be interesting to share. This was taken last year when we were experiencing multiple fires. The air was so thick with smoke that the sun had a very difficult time shining through. Can you see the pink ring around the sun?

A great part of waking up...

Is freshly ground coffee brewed just perfectly, two of my favorite magazines and the sound of quiet (now that everyone is gone to school and work). What a way to start the day! I hope everyone has a fantastic Friday.

The "smells" of Autumn...

Being a suburbanite, I don't have the opportunity or "gift" to experience a true change of season. I don't see all those amazing bursts of color from the trees, nor do I feel much of a change in the air (it was 99 degrees today). Yes there is that occasional tree that happens to know it's time to drop a leaf, or two and there are those other suburbanistas who put out their Autumn displays of pumpkins, scarecrows and corn, but it's the smells that remind me that Autumn is honest and truly here...it's always smells that really cause a reaction in me.
SWEET CINNAMON PUMPKIN!!!
Now I know it's really Autumn (lol!)

P.S. Thank you Bath & Body Works! Oh, how I love the seasonal scents. The smell is not to heavy or perfume-y, but be warned, it could stimulate a craving for pie.

Let the decorating begin...finally!

So I've been a bit behind in my "Fall Decorating" (okay, more then a bit), mostly because I couldn't find my stuff! Hubby put it away for me last year, and when we went in search of it (Back in the beginning of September!) we couldn't find it. I've been looking ever since. Yesterday I was in the garage, looking for something else, and wouldn't you know it? I found my stuff! It was in a place I know I've checked at least a dozen times before. All I had to do was move the box that was in front of it, just a wee bit more to the right and I would have seen it. Geez! So anyway, I dragged the box out, pulled everything out, made sure no spiders or any other little pest has made the box a home over the past year. Nope! All clear! I dragged the box into the house and today I'll start my decorating. Good thing I can keep my Autumn decorations up until Thanksgiving.

Will you dress up for Halloween?

When I was young, I couldn't wait for Halloween to arrive. I loved being outside when it was dark and watching all the other kids and parents as they Trick or Treated for their candy bounty. I was always a ballerina. Yes! Tutu, tights and all. Of course I couldn't wear my ballet slippers, so mom would let me where my special white patent leather shoes. What a fun night it was.
Now I'm older and it's rare that I dress up anymore...I can't really say why. My kids have fun with it now. Just a few days ago I was going through our closets and found a Halloween costume that belonged to my youngest son. How it managed to stay there and not be passed to someone else, I'll never know. So now, I've got a really cute, plushy giraffe costume listed on Ebay, just waiting to find a new lucky boy or girl to costume. If you want more details, please check it out.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HALLOWEEN-GIRAFFE-COSTUME-2T-3T-BOY-GIRL_W0QQitemZ180298770484QQihZ008QQcategoryZ90635QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

From "inspired" to Reality...Thanks Cindy!

One of my favorite blogs to read is Cindy's "My Romantic Home". Well, a few months back she ventured out and while on one of her adventures, she found one of the most appealing stores. In one of her pictures, there was a door panel and it immediately caught my eye. It was made with a fabric that I had hanging in my living area and it was matched with one of he coordinating fabrics. Why on earth I didn't think of this makes me want to kick my own arse (not an easy feat). You see, I'd been struggling for months and months, trying to decide what I would use on that door. It's not the most attractive of doors, but I would never part with it because it is original to my house, and being that there are not many "originals" left, I'd like to preserve what little is left. Anyway, back to the door. The door is located between my picture window and a smaller window that is in our "dining area". The panels that decorate these windows are from Waverly and called "Pantry Plaid-Crimson". I'd bought a matching panel but returned it because it was just to much. Since that time, I'd not been able to find anything that would blend well with the plaid...Until now. Gotta love, love, love Waverly.


With Cindy's permission, here is her photo that just grabbed me.
What a wonderful room isn't it?

Here's my door...
My stepdaughter's mom made it for me. What's really great is I all ready have the tablecloth that matches the floral fabric. I'm not usually one for matchy matchers, but these are two fabrics I really do like a lot. I think I may need to have hubby set the bottom rod just a tad lower so that the "grate" that is hiding behind that panel is completely obscured. There is a metal grate there because there are three panels of glass on this door. With two young sons and three rather rambunctious canines, I dare not leave the glass unprotected (or the kids and dogs either). Oh, and the clock will be rehung about one to two inches lower as well. It's just here because there was all ready a nail set there and I didn't want to create another hole...lazy me.

So? What do you think? (never mind the holes on the door, you don't see them! You really don't! And you don't see those little boy finger smudges either! They are just figmants of your imagination.)

Stop and look around you.....

Living in such fast paced times, where everything seems to be about how fast you can get somewhere or do something, I've realized that I truly need to remind myself to "stop" and take a look at what is around me, lest I miss it.
In the morning, before I get the kids up for school...I spend a moment a watch the sun rise over the mountains in the distance, or I'll stop to watch the birds as they go about their morning business.
Back in April, my family and I were fortunate enough to be able to take a much anticipated and deserved vacation. One of our stops was the Grand Canyon. If ever there was a time to just STOP and take in the beauty and appreciate the awesomeness of God and Nature's creation...it's here, in this place. It's simply breathtaking, and no where else have I ever felt such a moment where the need to just Thank God for his blessings and gifts was so intense. This mighty canyon, in all it's greatness, holds such natural beauty.
So today, after you've gone to church, or cleaned house, or just ran errands. Remember to stop and take in the gift of the beauty that is around you. There is much to behold and to appreciate.

Have a wonderful day.

Pink Saturday...

It's that time again! Yay for Pink Saturday! Pink Saturday is graciously hosted by Bev at "How Sweet The Sound". Be sure to pay her a visit and see who else is "wearing" pink

One Pink Dress of fluff~~~Two Sweet Girls

This dress was made for my eldest girl when she was but 14months old. Yes this little gal is now twenty~three and in her last year of pre-med.
Some years later the dress found a new owner in "baby sister" when she was but 10 months old. This baby girl is now seventeen years old, a senior in high school, and busily applying for colleges.

Where or where does the time go?
I hope everyone has a great Pink Saturday! (and weekend too!)

E-A-T (and got tagged!)

Hi!
I've been busy scoping out new decor and accessories. I can't even begin to tell you how overwhelmed I'm feeling. I don't want to spend to much so I'm really making sure that whatever I choose I better like a whole lot! I'm also finding my creative side. Look what I did! Granted they are not "perfect", but for a "first timer" I'm happy with the way they came out. I really like them. Now I'm just trying to figure out if I should hang them above the window that's over the sink, or if I should hang them over the red shuttered doors that are at the end of the kitchen. Care to share your opinions? Thanks!





Deb, the Garage Sale Gal, tagged me!
It's the fun one. I'm to list 7 things about yourself...random, funny or whatever...Hmmm, let's see...

1. I'm not afraid of spiders. In fact if I see one in my house, I'll rescue it before anyone else sees it, either by picking it right up, letting it crawl on me, or getting a cup and letting it crawl inside. Then I take it outside and deposit it into my front planters. I can't help but wonder how many have come back inside (lol).

2. Even though I was born and raised in the city (suburbs actually), I long for a country home. Somewhere thats quiet. I'd prefer somewhere along the central coast where the pines meet the ocean.

3. I love vegetables and salads.

4. When I was younger I always SWORE I would NEVER, EVER drive a mini van. Guess what. I drive a mini van. LOL!

5. I love dogs and have three right now.

6. I love coffee! I grind my own beans fresh, every day and enjoy two cups every morning.

7. I love classic movies like "Wuthering Heights, The Ghost & Mrs. Muir", and most anything with Gene Kelly.

I know I have to tag others, but I say if you feel like participating and want to share a bit of yourself with us, then please do!

I hope everyone has a FANTASTIC day!