New Projects in the Making!

Lulu and Whimsy have put their cute heads together and come up with some wonderful new projects.  Stay tuned!

I'm Home!

Neil and I had a wonderful camping vacation.  He fished a lot and I read and day-dreamed a lot.  I day-dreamed about what I would do when I got home. 

This was our home for the past nine days.

This was the view outside our front door.,

and the view behind our camper.

I've wanted to do EVERYTHING I've been planning on my first day home.  But, I ended up doing something I never day-dreamed about last week.  We woke up to a crisp, cool, somewhat moist day and I wanted to open up all my doors and windows and let that coolness in. So today I took down the lace curtains in my living and dining rooms and while they were getting the dust washed out of them I cleaned the windows, pulled out the furniture and vacuumed everywhere ~ including the ceilings~ opened the windows, rehung the curtains and oh my!  The rooms are so fresh and airy now.  The soft breezes are playing with the lace curtains.  My roses are blooming right outside those windows and giving me such a beautiful view and glimpse of the lovely fall weather to come. What a wonderful homecoming this day has turned out to be!

A Shocking Pink Saturday

I was quite surprised when I looked at the picture I snapped of my Mandevilla.  I didn't realize it was such a shocking pink until I saw it on my computer monitor.  

Sweet hubby and I are coming home from our camping trip tomorrow.  I hope to come by and visit every one of you just as soon as I get unpacked. Don't forget to leave me a comment so I'll know you stopped by.

Be sure to go by Beverly's for a list of all the Pink Saturday participants this week.



Feeling Like a Kid Again

When I smelled my new shampoo the other day it reminded me of how, as a girl I used to love to wash my hair at our outdoor hydrant with my favorite shampoo, Clairol Herbal Essence.  Oh why not? It was a very warm day, I was home alone....again....and enjoyed my alfresco shampoo immensely.  I wonder if the Fed Ex man was surprised when I walked around the house with my hair bound up in a towel to get the package he brought?
 

My Hummingbird Plant is Out of Control!

What started out as a cute little vine has completely taken over my archway making all our front door visitors struggle through a jungle just to ring the doorbell.

Every September I tell myself that I'm not going to let these plants take over my archway next year.  But the hummingbirds love the little red blooms so much, and...

... I did take my hummingbird feeder down because I felt guilty that it was empty more often than it was full. Okay, so maybe next year I'll pull up and discard all but two or three of the little returning plants. I've had these plants for many years now and they come back by the hundreds every spring.

  

Gone Fishing

My sweet husband and I have set off on a camping adventure...just the two of us!  We plan to do a little fishing, a little biking, a little relaxing, and very little work. But you, my bloggy friends, are not forgotten.  I have scheduled several posts to be released while I'm gone and I'm crossing my fingers and holding my breath, just hoping it works for me...this time.

By the way, want to know what I'm taking with me besides my bicycle, fishing pole, and lounge chair?  I'm taking embroidery and knitting supplies and a BIG bag of library books. Maybe I'll have something to show you when I get home.  I'll be by to visit you upon my return.  Just leave me a note and let me know you've stopped by. Tootles!

I Finished my Afghan in Time for Pink Saturday!

I finished up my crocheted afghan that I posted about here and here.

I sort of made up my own pattern for the edging as I went.  I like that it ended up looking kind of lacy.

I made the afghan for the camper but after draping it over this chair, I liked the pop of color it added to my otherwise pastel living room.   I just may have to make another one soon.  I still have plenty of left-over yarn from other projects and I like to have an evening project to work on so I don't fall asleep in front of the TV.

This blog is a happy participant of: Pink Saturday
                                                     Get Your Craft on Thursday

Surprise!!!

 The sweet lady that gave me these bulbs many years ago called them Surprise Lilies.  I'm not sure if that's their real name or a nick name describing their traits, but they definitely live up to it.  The reason they're such a surprise is that when most of the summer flowers have all flowered out, these bare stalks shoot up out of the ground wearing a little red bud on top. Then the buds open up into these magnificent blooms.  All this happens in 2-3 days, then the bloom drops off and the beautiful leaves put up around the stem.  I always forget they're even there until one sweet day in September....Surprise!!!


This post is linked to: Outdoor Wednesday
                                 Show and Tell Friday

Family Reunion

My husband, son, and I attended my family reunion yesterday.  It was held in the city of Euharlee, Georgia.  Here are some facts I read about Euharlee after doing a little research upon my return home to Alabama.  According to Wikipedia:   The name, Euharlee,  is derived from a Native American word meaning "she laughs as she runs." The city has a total area of 4.7 miles. (Does that tell you something of the size of it?) And its claim to fame is that it is the home to Georgia's oldest covered bridge (shown in the below two pics I snapped yesterday). 

Below is a picture of my hubby and youngest son walking through the bridge. I snapped this picture and then my camera battery died. I'm so glad we took the time after the family reunion to explore the bridge and surrounding area.

Remembering Sweet CC on this Pink Saturday

The world is a little less pink this Saturday because of the loss of one of our dear Pink Saturday friends. However, CC was such a happy soul that I don't think she would approve of us mourning our loss, but would, instead, want us to carry on her tradition of spreading joy and encouraging others. So, in honor of CC this day I will give away more smiles, reach out a hand to someone else, and try to be an encouragment to others.

To a Friend

by Grace Stricker Dawson

You entered my life in a casual way;

And saw at a glance what I needed;

There were others who passed me or met me each day,

But never a one of them heeded.

Perhaps you were thinking of other folks more,

Or chance simply seemed to decree it;

I know there were many such chances before,

But the others - well, they didn't see it.

You said just the things that I wished you would say,

And you made me believe that you meant it;

I held up my head in the old gallant way,

And resolved you should never repent it.

There are times when encouragement means such a lot,

And a word is enough to convey it;

There were others who could have, as easy as not -

But, just the same, they didn't say it.

There may have been someone who could have done more

To help me along, though I doubt it;

What I needed was cheering, and always before

They had let me plod onward without it.

You helped to refashion the dream of my heart,

And made me turn eagerly to it;

There were others who might have (I question that part)-

But, after all, they didn't do it.

You may visit CC's blog here and the list of other Pink Saturday participants here.

Visiting Nature in My Backyard

One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats. ~ Iris Murdoch

What I do when I'm home alone...

I hang all my sewn-by-me skirts out on the clothesline to admire.  Isn't that what everybody does?

I made this purple one this summer while I was going through my purple phase.  It's my favorite.

I love the green biased tape I put around the bottom of this skirt.  I like to think it makes it look like a very expensive skirt.  It's my favorite.

I made this one way back in January of this year when I was craving some color in my drab winter clothes.  The many colored sparkles reminded me of fireworks, just right for New Years.  It's my favorite.

I have a thrifted skirt that I just love wearing.  I love it because it has just two pleats in the front and none in the back.  Deciding I would make my own, I searched everywhere for a pattern just like it.  After coming up with nothing, I enlisted the help of my sweet hubby.  Using my plain A-line skirt pattern for a base, he re-worked it, adding the pleats that I so adored.  I made the following two skirts from that special, one-of-a kind pattern.  They're my favorites.

I feel guilty when I wear this skirt because it is so light and airy.  It's all softness and comfort, just like one of my favorite hankies.  The eyelet detail shows up in the second picture, below.  I love wearing this skirt with a lacy aqua tank top in the summer.  It's my favorite.

This skirt may look a little plain-jane compared to the brighter colors of the others, but it contains its own little inside secret...

It has a racy-lacy hem.  It's my favorite.

This skirt makes me happy when I just look at it and I just glow all over when I put it on.  I sometimes let its colors stand alone by pairing it with a black or gray top, but other days I go all out and wear it with a bright pink top. On those days I have a perpetual smile on my face.  It's my happy skirt. Shhh, don't tell the others, but it's my real favorite.

So, there you have it.  This is what I do when I'm home alone.  What do you do? 

This post is linked to Show and Tell Friday
                                Made by You Mondays

Celebrating the Cooler Days with Food

The past few Autumn-like days had me reaching for a jar of my newly canned tomatoes to cook up our first batch of chili of the season. Our garden generously provided us with enough tomatoes to last the entire winter and then some. Since the garden also yielded quite a few bell peppers that I had chopped up and put in the freezer, I threw some of those in too.

Slow Cooker Chili

In a skillet, cook until meat is brown:

1/2 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1/4 - 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves minced garlic

Drain meat and add to slow cooker along with the following ingredients:

quart of tomatoes

2 cans beans, your choice (I used a can of chili beans and a can of black beans)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon vinegar

2 teaspoons mustard

1 teaspoon salt

Stir well.  Cover and cook in slow cooker on low for 4-8 hours. Great served with a dollop of sour cream and grated cheddar cheese!

The canning party over at A Latte' with Ott, A was such a success that she and Jenn have decided to extend the fun by letting us show how we are cooking up our canning produce. This is going to be a weekly feature, so make sure you check it out and join in! Here is the list of the other participating blogs this week:

A Latte' with Ott, A

From Mess Hall to Bistro

Gourmet Meals for Less

From the Hive

Frog Belly Soup

 

Also participating in: Show and Tell Friday

 

Am I Too Late for Bikini Season?


Yes, I think I was born too late for Bikini Season, but I enjoyed reading about it anyway. I just finished reading this fun book and enjoyed it so much that I wanted to share. Here is what is written on the back cover:

     Erin Merritt has returned to her scenic hometown of Heart Lake to plan her wedding, but when she repeatedly runs into her childhood crush, she wonders if she's engaged to the wrong man.  To make matters worse, all the stress is making her eat, and now she can't fit into her wedding dress.

    Erin enlists the aid of the women of her cooking club-Angela, Megan, and Kizzy-and the Teeny Bikini diet Club is born.  The women make a pact to get slim enough to wear their bikinis to the lake by summertime, a pact that changes their lives forever.  With a little help from her friends, Angela faces her fear that her marriage is crumbling.  Megan confronts the self-esteem issues that have always held her back.  Kizzy deals with her husband's efforts to sabotage her diet and keep her over-weight.  And Erin learns some important truths about love.

    Pull up your favorite beach chair and savor this funny, inspiring story about being true to yourself and following your heart, and the women who enrich our lives.

I found a little of my personality in each of the characters in this book.  I highly recommend it for a fun, fast read.

I've Gone Yoyo for Yo-yo's!

Can you guess what I'm making? Pictures of my completed project to be posted soon!


This blog is a happy participant of Pink Saturday.

Hamper Make-Over

Here's the hamper make-over I promised.



Before


All it took was a little paint...(and with the flavor color, Caramel Latte, it had to turn out delicious),




...a small piece of faux-leather fabric, a little time, and...




TA-DAA!!! Not too shabby for a 29 year old hamper. 



After




Hamper Top





Back



For more details on the hamper and where to purchase the fabric, check out this post.

Thank you for dropping by today. Hope you can come back tomorrow for Pink Saturday.

This post is linked to: Show and Tell Friday
                                 Transformation Thursdays

Mushrooms, Morning Glories, and Spiders, Oh My!

So many treats await my eyes right outside my very own back door every morning.

Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul. ~ Psalm 143:8

Roman Shade Project Finished !!!

Following the instructions from the Little Green Notebook blog, I turned an old, cheap mini-blind into a roman shade for the boys'/guest bathroom, and I'm very happy with the results.

The room was a little too girly for my sons' tastes, so we struck a compromise. The pastel colored towels, bath mat, shower curtain, and window treatment were swapped out with dark brown replacements..BUT I got to keep the pink walls!

This is the small window before the manly make-over.



The only supplies needed to make the transformation were:

• the mini-blind that had been hanging on this window for years
• a bottle of Fabri-Tac
• fabric (I used 1 yard for my 32" x 36" window)

I didn't have to go any farther than my local Walmart for the glue and fabric. The faux-leather fabric was $7.97 a yard, and I love it! The pictures really don't do it justice. It is a rich dark coffee-brown with a black design and the back is solid black, making it a room-darkening shade. It even has a leather smell! It was thick enough that I didn't have to line it, and it's washable! I think our local store had just gotten the fabric in. I thought it had to have been made just for our bathroom but another shopper there told me she had already made a lady's jacket out of some and it turned out beautifully. You might want to check it out if you're lucky enough to still have a fabric department in your local Walmart.


Participant of: Transformation Thursday