freckledfarm

2010-05-16T07:50:00.000-07:00

So I think this is the longest I've been away. It has been a whirlwind around here lately. This time of year is always busy with spring sports, field trips and school winding down, but this year seems to have been even crazier for us. I was able to work in the garden a bit this weekend and finally collected some peonies to display in my new vase given to me by a friend.

To recap our last month, Harrison's golf team won the MIAA Division A championship, and he placed fourth in the MIAA individuals. He also got his first real-paying job as a bag boy at a nearby country club. It is the perfect job, but it has been a bit of a reality check for him. A lot less playing golf and a lot more watching others playing golf and then having to clean their clubs!!

Gracie had her last school lacrosse game and received MVP for the season. Her travel lacrosse team just had their last game this weekend and now we move into her club lacrosse.

She is still riding but has decided that she wants to switch from English Pleasure to Hunter. So we are in the process of looking for another barn. In the meantime, she and Bob are becoming even closer.

And finally, that poor sweet man of mine has been suffering from a torn and detached retina. It has been a very scary two weeks. He had three different surgery's in one week and during that time went from being able to see to being completely blind in his right eye. The last surgery seems to have helped and his vision is slowly getting better.

At his latest appointment his doctor told him that he is happy with the way his eye is healing, but that he's not out of the woods on needing the "major" surgery. We're just hoping and praying that won't be the case. He has been an amazing patient through this whole experience and has managed to keep his sarcastic humor in tact.

So that's the update to those who have been wondering. Thanks for your sweet thoughts.

A Peek into my Playroom

2010-03-28T17:08:00.001-07:00

In my continued frenzy of spring cleaning, I decided to tidy up my craft room.....or play room.....or candy shop, as Harrison lovingly refers to it. My Sweetie will happily admit that he refers to it as the junk room.....whatever.

While it is somewhat organized and all the pretties are put in their places, I thought I would snap a few photos.

I have been searching for a sideboard for a while for my tiny room but have had a difficult time finding a piece that wouldn't overpower the room. On a very cold day back in December, Kelli and I were shopping at Chartreuse when I spied the "perfect blue" sideboard. She tried convincing me that I had to have it, but I don't make hasty decisions so I decided to wait. When I got home, I told my sweet hubby about it and he insisted on buying it for me for my birthday. Once I got it home he tried to convince me that we should use it in our family room instead. No Chance!!

A few jars of pretties and my treasured Rosie Posie, Clemetine, from Posies on Parade.

A few of my favorite things. The little pink bunny card is from my granny and grandpa when I turned one. Love that my mom saved it for me.

This is the corner of my desk. The other corner is piled high with "stuff."

My very favorite old tattered velvet millinery flower tied with silk ribbon and an old tape measure around a thrifted lamp shade.

An ironstone bowl filled with some of my ever-changing treasures.

Although these little fuzzy chickadees have found themselves a permanent home perched among my precious bits and bobs.

I hope you enjoyed a peek into my playroom. Have a wonderful week.

Happy Spring!!

2010-03-22T06:41:00.001-07:00

We finally had beautiful weather this weekend. It was in the high 60s and the sun was shining. Knowing that those temperatures were just a tease (it's cool and rainy today), I took advantage of the opportunity to throw open the windows and do some much needed cleaning and fluffing of our nest.

The rest of our weekend was spent on the lacrosse fields watching our girl. It amazes me the talent she possess on the field. I'm worried about her though because she is having a lot of pain in her ankles and knees. The doctor told us she is suffering from Osgood-Schlatter disease, which is basically growing pains and very common in young athletes. He assured us that she will not further injure herself if she continues to play, but as her mom and dad, it is very difficult to watch her play through the pain.

fast break to goal

She had four games over the weekend so this morning she was a bit worn out. I plan on spoiling her with some homemade chocolate chip cookies when she gets home from school this afternoon.

Wishing you a happy Monday.

Happy 13!!

2010-03-14T12:32:00.001-07:00

Our sweet baby girl turned 13 yesterday. It just breaks my heart when I think of how fast these past thirteen have flown by. She may now refer to herself as a teenager, but she will forever be my little girl.

Her day started off with white chocolate chip pancakes which were served to her in bed. After gobbling up her pancakes we headed out the door on a rescue mission. Now that Gracie is 13, she can volunteer at a nearby horse rescue farm. She has been excited for weeks knowing that she would be able to spend her birthday getting a tour of the farm and helping these neglected and abused horses.

Her day ended with a visit from Nan and Pop Pop, a family dinner and a surprise birthday present. Now every afternoon Bob will see his favorite girl coming to visit him riding on her shiny new Robin's Egg Blue Cruiser bike!

ROD Journal - Inside Pages - part 2

2010-02-27T07:28:00.001-08:00

So I thought I would show you the pages in my second signature of my ROD journal. Above is the first and last page of my second signature.

In this set of pages I seem to have made lots of flaps. The security envelope lifts as well as the Jenni Bowlin bingo card. I will use the space under the flaps to write life's daily happenings and attach photos.

This is probably my favorite page and is kind of a representation of my favorite things. I love having tea in the afternoon and even better when it's in a pretty tea cup. On the left side is a picture I took several years ago of my freshly laundered/ironed linens. Ironing my sheets is a task that I really enjoy (shirts, pants, etc. not so much), and there is nothing better than climbing into a bed with crisp, lavender-scented sheets!

More flaps. The scrapbook paper on the right is one of my favorites and is by Anna Griffin.

On these two pages I didn't add many extras in order to leave room for photos from the day.

Here I have used scrapbook paper, old music paper and a tag which I have sewn on some embellishments.

I really don't like these pages. I think I went a little crazy with the flaps and tabs. I'm not going to change anything though and am hoping I will like it more once I add elements from my day.

Gracie stitched the little heart for me so that definitely had to make it into the journal. I love the Dream post card from Hope at Paper Relics.

More blank pages to add writing and photos.

Here I made a little pocket from a hand-dyed coffee filter. The post card is by Charlotte Lyons and was given to me by my friend Kelli.

Thanks to those of you who stuck with me through this long post! I wish you a beautiful weekend!!

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T14:08:00.001-08:00

ROD Journal - Inside Pages

2010-02-11T12:10:00.000-08:00

I have pretty much completed my inside pages for my Remains of the Day journal. Above are the front pages of my two signatures which I will sew into my fabric journal cover. Below are the pages in my first signature.

As I look at this page, I realize that most of the papers were given to me by my sweet friend Hope, including the little fabric flower which was attached to my birthday present from her.

These pages include old paper, an old alphabet card along with a printed photo and a Hambly transparancy.

One of my new favorite techniques that I learned from Mary Ann was using security envelopes as little windows....love that!!! I used vintage wallpaper and vintage German scrap as well.

More vintage papers were used on these pages, as well as cigar wrappers, an old nut bag that I'm using as a pocket to hold treasures and a letterpress card that Harrison gave me for Christmas.

More vintage wallpaper, music paper and ledger paper and a Jenni Bowlin tag.

And for the last page in my first signature, I used a pretty Lollia box that I have been saving for years, scrapbook paper, another Jenni Bowlin tag and a vintage photo holder.

In the next couple of days I will show you my second completed signature. This has been such a fun, creative project.

44 inches and counting....

2010-02-10T11:45:00.000-08:00

We are currently in the middle of the second snow storm to hit our region within less than a week. The first storm sent us 33" and this one is supposed to deliver us with up to an additional 20."

The above photo is looking out our front window. The next photo is looking out into our back yard and into the picket fence enclosed kitchen garden. It's hard to image that I will be planting seeds in this little area in just a few months.

We've all managed to get along in spite of being cooped up in the house (other than going out one evening for dinner and to run a few errands) for five days. On the one hand it has been nice because life has really slowed down for us.......no carpooling, no sports, no activites. But let's face it, being in the house with two teenagers, there's only so much one can take.

Movies have been watched, reading has been done, games have been played, crafting has taken place, walks have been taken,

and playing in the snow has been done.

So now what? Any suggestions?

I guess I will just try to embrace the sibling bickering and enjoy the beauty around me.

Remains of the Day Journal

2010-02-03T16:41:00.000-08:00

I'm sure by now you have heard about Mary Ann Moss' online journaling class, Remains of the Day. I, like a lot of other folks, signed up and am so happy I did. This is the first online class I have taken and I'm having so much fun.

This is the back:

and a pocket on the inside front flap:

I'm in the process of finishing up my inside pages and will show you them as soon as I finish.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Wanna Play?

2010-02-01T05:07:00.000-08:00

The 7 degree temps this morning didn't stop Miss Alice from wanting to play in the snow with her new favorite toy.

Come on, how can you say no to this snow-covered snout? I couldn't....

Hello.....

2010-01-26T08:30:00.001-08:00

Long time, no chat…huh? I hope you are doing well and that you have been enjoying the new year.

Life is good here at freckledfarm. We had a relaxing holiday filled with family and friends. It’s hard to believe that January is so swiftly passing us by.

Above I am modeling, Dottie Angel style, my new apron that my sweet friend Kelli gave me for my birthday. Isn’t it just fabulous? I absolutely adore it!! She had it custom made by Tif at Dottie Angel. I love the colors, the lace trim and especially the hand-embroidered name of my blog.

It sure makes my household chores a whole lot more enjoyable. Okay, I’m off to do the dusting, and you know what? I don’t mind a bit!!

Happy Tuesday friends.

Quiet Time

2009-12-31T07:32:00.000-08:00

Our guests are gone and we're just enjoying some quality family quiet time. Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy New Year.

Christmas Came Early

2009-12-21T18:29:00.000-08:00

I'm so blessed to have these girls in my life. Kelli, Hope and I got together to celebrate Christmas a little early. We met at Starbucks for coffee, proceeded by a yummy lunch at The Tasting Room where we exchanged Christmas gifts.

Hope is like a little kid and couldn't wait for Kelli and me to open our presents from her. I couldn't believe it when I opened the bag from her and found this:

Hope knows that I love Emma Bridgewater pottery, and now I have a piece of my very own. Inside the pretty initialed hankie I found a piece of Anna Griffin fabric and an old box filled with pretty, vintage beads. She also made me custom return address labels which I adore!!

Kelli's talents never cease to amaze me! Her attention to detail, even in her gift wrapping, is like non other.

Inside the perfectly wrapped box was a beautiful scarf she had crocheted. The yarn is so soft and the colors are so me! I'm thinking she should add them to her shop! She also gave me a beautiful old English tin filled with chocolates!

My gifts to them were stockings I made from felted wool. I used a pretty green, old wool sweater for Kelli' stocking.

My favorite part was adding the embellishments to the stockings. On Kelli's stocking I used some old millinery, velvet leaves and vintage baubles along with some vintage lace.

Hope loves the color grey so I used a grey wool felted skirt for the base of her stocking.

I used more vintage lace and added a vintage rhinestone pin to the front along with a few old Christmas balls.

I filled their stockings with a few goodies I thought they would enjoy.

Thank you so much girls for such lovely and thoughtful gifts. It was the perfect way to begin the week of Christmas.

Snowed In

2009-12-20T06:42:00.001-08:00

and loving it!! We have 24" of snow outside which means I am inside all cozy and warm. I spent yesterday baking Black Cherry and Almond scones and sugar cookies which we all decorated last night. It looks like today will consist of more of the same thing, along with some wrapping of gifts.

Hope you're enjoying these last few days leading up to Christmas.

Simple Gift Giving Ideas

2009-12-17T07:28:00.000-08:00

I so enjoy giving (and receiving) handmade gifts. This year for Gracie's teachers I filled a jar with homemade Cherry Almond granola. I attached a Starbucks gift card along with a couple of vintage ornaments. So easy and so stress-free.

We have scaled way back in my family as far as gift giving. For a couple of years my siblings and I decided it would be nice to exchange names and make something for each other instead of buying gifts. I loved this idea and have several handmade gifts that I will always cherish. After about three years, my brothers and hubby nixed that plan.

Last year my sister-in-law, Cassie gave each of us girls an old Shiny Brite ornament box filled with this:
Yummy home baked treats along with vintage ornaments. I love this gift. I squealed with delight at the sight of the box. Not only is this a fabulous idea but the thought that went into this gift means so much to me. And isn't that what it's all about?

Christmas Decorating - Part One

2009-12-10T13:36:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite tasks around this time of year is to go outside with basket and clippers in tow and collect greens for decorating. I am very lucky because I am able to collect several different varieties from our property. This year I gathered holly, leyland cypress, boxwood, hemlock and scotch pine.

This is the fireplace in our kitchen. The wicker basket is usually filled with dried hydrangeas but is now overflowing with greens. I also tucked in some boxwood around the candles.

I have loved boxwood forever. It reminds me of my grandmother's garden from when I was a little girl. Just the scent of it takes me back to her garden. I made this wreath using some of the boxwood from our back garden. I have always bought my wreaths, but let me tell you.....never again. This wreath was so easy to make. I also made this swag for our foyer mirror using

clippings of fraser fir from our Christmas tree and some scotch pine. Again, very easy and such a fun project to do while listening to Christmas music and sipping some hot cocoa.

I love the simplicity and beauty of using greens in my Christmas decorating.

Eye Candy

2009-12-06T18:18:00.001-08:00

Saint Patrick's Cathedral

While visiting family in New York for Thanksgiving we decided to spend a few days in the city. Every time we go to NYC, I fall in love all over again and this visit was no exception.

We visited all of our favorite spots and the boys even appeased Gracie and me by dropping us off at Tinsel Trading Company for some Christmas shopping. As always, it was a crafter’s wonderland.

While strolling the streets of Soho we stumbled upon Rachel Ashwell’s new shop, Rachel Ashwell ~ Shabby Chic Couture. It was such a wonderful surprise because I didn’t realize that she had recently opened a new shop after closing her other one in Soho. Shabby Chic Couture is just as breathtaking as her previous Shabby Chic stores.

As soon as I walked in I spotted her inspiration boards that I had seen in magazines. She had the boards shipped to the NY store from California. I could have spent the whole day just gazing at this beautiful work of art.

Gracie loved the vintage prom dresses and picked one that she wanted to hold on to for her first prom.
Sadly, with a price tag of $1,200, we had to pass.

No trip to the city for our gang is complete without a visit to Billy's Bakery. So on our way out of town we made a quick stop in Tribeca and picked up a few yummy cupcakes for the ride home.

So much delicious eye candy in this amazing city.

Journaling

2009-12-01T07:37:00.003-08:00

I love handmade journals. I love making journals. I love the whole idea of journaling. The problem is, I have a really hard time filling the pages of these journals. I have at least five or six journals I have made just resting on my pretty shelves filled with blank pages. The blank page scares me to death.

I've mentioned to you more than once about how much I love Hope's journals. Every time we get together she brings her amazing journals, and every time I whine to her about wishing I could journal.

While at Silver Bella it was no surprise that I took two journal classes. The first class was with Rebecca Sower where we made our version of her Hodge Podge Journal. She has such a sweet and kind soul and I loved taking this class and am happy with the way mine turned out.

Love all of the different vintage papers and textures.

The second journal class was with Anna Corba. I have always admired her work and decided to make my journal using some vintage wallpaper and French post card. I'm hoping to be able to use this some day when I make it to France!

Pam Garrison had one of her amazing journals in her Silver Bella class and I got to to a peek at it. Being able to see her beautiful doodles and writing and her use of color just put me over the edge. I really, really, really want to start journaling. So, what did I do as soon as I got home from Silver Bella? I, of course, made another journal. This is the front:

and this is the back.

I am promising myself that I will fill the pages of this journal with my thoughts, my handwriting and my embarrassing doodles! Can I count on you to hold me to that?!!

Her Bliss

2009-11-23T16:47:00.001-08:00

I hope you will bear with me as I brag for just a moment about my sweet girl.

Saturday evening we attended an awards banquet honoring the county’s horse show teams. It was a fun event and we were so thrilled when they called Gracie’s name as this year’s Reserve Champion for the county in the English walk/trot division for her age group. She received a trophy and an embroidered sweatshirt, which she has been wearing (and has not removed) since Saturday evening!

It was just a year ago that our girl climbed up on the back of a horse for the very first time. Little did we know then that this would become her deep love and passion. Over the summer she has moved on to cantering and jumping and in the words of her instructors, "Is a complete natural."

I’m not sure where this will all lead, but as a parent, it is a wonderful thing to see your child find her bliss.

Bella Recap - Part One

2009-11-18T17:34:00.000-08:00

I'm home from Silver Bella and am finally getting back into the swing of things. My dear, sweet hubby did an excellent job of holding down the fort and getting the kids off to school on time and to all of their activities. I even came home to a clean house and a sweet little love note. Now the laundry, that’s a different story.

Let’s see, where should I start. It’s so hard to relay into words what an amazing event this is. The whole five days was a whirlwind of creativity, laughter and fun. I met so many lovely women, got to meet up with some friends from last year (Melissa, Lisa and Karlene) and made a few new friendships along the way.

Kelli, Jen and I roomed together this year which added to the whole experience. However, we had too many late nights which is very evident in most of my photos.

Hope is such a sweetheart and introduced us to many familiar faces, one being the adorable and talented Kari Ramstrom , aka Artsy Mama, and the oh so sweet and talented, Michelle Geller.

Our guest speaker was the lovely Jo Packham of Where Women Create. She is a phenomenal speaker and one of those women who captures your attention immediately. I think everyone agreed that we wish she had had more time to speak.

Vendor night was even more exciting and beautiful than I had remembered. I was so happy that the three of us got a picture taken in our aprons that we worked so hard on together.

The whole event was even more magical this year than last. I have such wonderful memories. Memories that will have to last until next year.

It's Finally Here

2009-11-10T14:52:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I hop on a plane and head for Omaha. I spent the whole day collecting and packing my supplies for Silver Bella. I made this tote bag in anticipation of filling it up with lots of treasures at the Vendor Faire. There are so many wonderful vendors this year, and I have a few that I plan on making a beeline for as soon as I step foot into that magical wonderland.

You're probably saying, "Again with the drop cloth."

This is what my dining room table looked like just a couple of hours ago. It is so hard to know what to bring as far as supplies.

Miss Alice was my shadow today, running from room to room gathering supplies. I think the look on her face pretty much sums up the way my family is feeling about Silver Bella right now....Enough Already!!

Have a wonderful couple of days my friends, and I look forward to sharing my crafting tales with you when I return.

Apron Stitching

2009-11-06T11:54:00.003-08:00

I have been a busy girl this last week getting ready for Silver Bella. I can't believe I will be leaving in just five days! Every year during the Vendor Faire there is a theme. This year the theme, which I absolutely adore, is 100 Aprons. I have had such a great time making my apron. I used painter's drop cloth as my base and used a very old German lace curtain panel as an overlay.

I am a lover of all things lace so I embellished the pocket with lots and lots of scraps of lace. I also pulled out my embroidery needle and thread and did a little stitching around the waist.

I made sure to include the beautiful rhinestone button that I picked up while antiquing this summer with Kelli, Hope and Gabrielle.

And of course no apron of mine is complete without a millinery flower.

Kelli and Hope came over last week and I pulled out old Bessie, my hubby's grandmother's avocado green sewing machine, (which I feel so lucky to now own) and worked on our aprons. It was so interesting to see how beautiful and different each of our aprons turned out. The making of this apron was by far my most favorite sewing project that I have worked on in a while. It's even better when you can get together with your good friends and make a whole day of it!

It's almost the weekend.......wishing you a lovely one.

Breathtaking

2009-10-26T06:23:00.000-07:00

Why do I torture myself this way? The other day I was perusing the Anthropologie website and came upon these beauties. I literally gasped. Goodness gracious I really, really want these babies.

Sweetie, I know I said that I wanted these for Christmas,
but finding the Winding Ruffle boots from Anthro under the tree would work instead and make me a very happy girl.

Homecoming

2009-10-21T09:05:00.000-07:00

As I stood there Saturday afternoon ironing Harrison’s shirt that he would be wearing that evening to homecoming my eyes filled with tears. It seems that it was just yesterday that I was ironing his little shirts for preschool. Now he is 16 years old, will be getting his drivers license soon, and was going to his first homecoming dance with a girl. They just went as friends....but still. It's all just happening too fast for me.

All of his buddies and their dates meet at his friend's house before the dance and then they went to another friend's house afterwards. He had a great time.

I'm so disappointed with my photos. It was pouring down rain on Saturday so we had to take pictures inside at his friend's house. But I still think he looks quite dashing!

Posies On Parade

2009-10-19T08:12:00.000-07:00

Today is the grand opening of Posies on Parade. Go take a peek. I promise you are going to love what you see!

Silver Bella Swapping

2009-10-15T15:17:00.000-07:00

Silver Bella is fast approaching and I have been busy cutting, pasting and stitching. I decided to join in on all the fun during the first night of the event by participating in a few swaps. The first swap I signed up for was the Bella Holiday Fatbook swap. Michelle is graciously hosting this swap again this year. Last year I was in awe of the pages the girls had created and feel so lucky to be part of this year's Fatbook. I just hope my pages are worthy.

Front Page

Our instructions were to simply create eleven pages from fabric and embellish them with our holiday color palette using our favorite bits and bobs. I am still having a love affair with drop cloth so that is what I used for the base of my pages.

Back Page

On the back of our pages we were to include our contact information. I decided to make a little pocket to hold a card that would include my information. On the front of the card is a picture of me from when I was about two and on the back of the card I hand wrote my information.

I also signed up for an Advent Matchbox swap and a Felt Ornament swap. I just need to put a few finishing touches on the 25 matchboxes, and I have ten of my ornaments finished.....just eight more to go!

Snuggle Weather

2009-10-14T13:33:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love this time of year? Fall is by far my favorite season. The temperature here is finally cooling, the leaves are turning and the squirrels are happy and scurrying about collecting the acorns that have been dropping like mad! Oh, and the sunrises, the best sunrises happen outside my front window in the fall.

Thankfully, lacrosse practice has been cancelled this evening because of a cold drizzle so I think a bowl of homemade tomato soup in front of the fire sounds like the perfect dinner for this fall evening.

Hope you too are enjoying some yummy fall weather

Why Bother

2009-09-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

Why do I bother making my bed......

or fluffing the pillows......

or collecting the dirty laundry......

or drying it for that matter......

or making her a nice comfy bed inside her crate when she would rather be on top.

Some days Miss Badness can annoy me, but my days sure would be lonely without her.

Friday Night Dinner

2009-09-22T07:18:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share with you this easy, delicious recipe (actually it's really a list of ingredients).

Pear & Prosciutto Appetizer

Bosc Pears

Prosciutto

Sage

Peal, core and halve the pears. Place sage on top of each pear half and wrap with prosciutto. Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for 5-7 minutes or until prosciutto is slightly browned and crispy.

Add rustic French bread, some good blue cheese and viola....you have dinner.

Missing My Girl

2009-09-16T11:34:00.001-07:00

Gracie has been away since Monday morning, and I can't wait to pick her up this evening. She has been camping on the Chesapeake Bay with her class as part of Outdoor Ed. It was very hard for her to leave knowing that she wouldn't be able to talk to us the entire time she was gone. We have been missing her terribly. Even Miss Alice has been wondering where she is.

These are pictures from, what is turning out to be, our annual last day of summer picnic.

Just a few more hours until I can wrap my arms around her and hear all about her last few days! It's been way too quiet around here without her.

Cleaning and Reminiscing

2009-09-10T07:11:00.001-07:00

With the kids happy and settled into their schools I now have a little time in between carpools to accomplish some things that have been on my to-do list for ages. First on the list was cleaning out this despicable closet.

I think this closet contained every scrapbooking embellishment since 2002. It is a nice size closet and I used it for several years as my little craft room.

Well, two days and three boxes for Goodwill later, I have a nice, clean and organized closet. I moved in these filing cabinets from our home office and plan to use the space now as a little gift wrapping station/photo storage room. I just need to get those pretty blue Martha Stewart photo boxes to replace the mismatched ones.

While I was organizing everything, Harrison came in and pulled out one of my old scrapbooking albums and asked me why I still didn't scrapbook. He was always my biggest fan and would show off my pages when friends came over. We proceeded to look at all of the albums reminiscing together.

Harrison's favorite page

Once I started this blog, I decided that this would be the way I would chronicle our everyday life instead of through the pages in an album. But after looking through those old albums with my now 16 year old boy and seeing how much he enjoyed it, I think I might start up again. Goodness knows, I have enough supplies!

My favorite page

under the BFF card reads:

Buddy, today it was just you and I in the car and out of the blue you said, "Mommy, you're my BFF," "That stands for best friend forever, in case you didn't know." Sometimes buddy, you know just what to say. your bff, Mommy

Her Summer Love

2009-09-01T17:30:00.001-07:00

Gracie heads back to school tomorrow and on her last day of summer vacation more than anything else she wanted to spend time with her summer love.

We are fortunate that our neighbor's have several horses and Gracie has spent the better part of the summer hanging out at their barn. She could be found feeding, watering, petting, grooming, mucking stalls and even occasionally riding one of the horses. But the one that stole her heart was a Thoroughbred named Bob.

Bob is pretty fond of her as well. As soon as he sees her walking down the lane he comes trotting over to her. I know she is going to miss him tomorrow, but there's no doubt in my mind that he will be waiting patiently for her walk down that lane when she gets home from school.

Is it Friday Already?

2009-08-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

We returned from our vacation on Monday, and I am still trying to dig my way out of dirty laundry!

It is always so hard for me to get back into the swing of things when coming back from any vacation but especially after vacationing at Bald Head Island. Our time on the island was filled with sunshiny days spent on the beach, shelling, bike riding, leisurely golf rides around the island, celebrating Harrison's 16th birthday, and one unfortunate encounter with a Portuguese Man of War (more on that later).

Of course the kids know that a beach trip for me is not complete without a few photo shoots.

Wishing you a lovely weekend filled with lots of moments to skip about.

You've Gotta Love

2009-08-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

a good thrift store or two, and I haven't been to one in ages!! The other day I popped into my two favorite thrift shops, and to the hubby's dismay, didn't come out empty handed.

At my first stop I lucked out in finding a gorgeous grey velvet piece of fabric, some old robin's egg blue crepe paper, a pretty green file box, some seam binding and an old bridal veil with the sweetest little flowers. I also picked up an old lampshade which I wanted for its nicely shaped base. Once I took off the outer fabric, I kind of liked the way it looked with the satin lining along with the wire base.

I also lucked out in finding a silver-plated ice bucket which I plan to use in my playroom for storing my markers.

I love the two rosaries I found, especially the one with the mother of pearl cross. Each rosary was only $2.49.

At my next stop I picked up two wicker baskets one of which is a wastebasket. I plan on gussying up that baby and using it in my craft room as well.

Oh, and I can't forget these few little jewelry bits. I just love all of my goodies and the absolute best part is that I only spent $27.

One more thing, I want to thank you for your get well wishes. It really was a very easy recovery, even at my age!

Love Tokens

2009-08-09T10:08:00.003-07:00

I've been blessed with such a wonderful family. On Friday I had to have two impacted wisdom teeth pulled. When I got home, I was treated to a vase filled with fresh cut flowers from Harrison, a sweet little handmade "feel better" card from Gracie and the yummiest ever Maple Gingersnap Gelato from my Sweetie.

Everyone around here has pitched in and helped while I have been hanging out on the sofa with my magazines and movies.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend.

A Summer Bouquet

2009-08-06T13:32:00.000-07:00

My garden has been looking a bit sad and tired lately, especially after being away. The heat and humidity really takes a toll on my perennials, but I can always count on this pretty pink crape myrtle to brighten up our back yard.

This is the first time I think I have ever cut some to bring indoors. I love the hot pink petals against the white enamel jug.

I was playing with my saturation settings in iphoto for the above photo. I never really play with my photos and what you see is most always straight from the camera. My hubby gave me photoshop two years ago for Christmas and I have shamelessly learned very little. I think maybe when the kiddos go back to school I will sign up for a class.

Hope you are enjoying your week.

Lake Recap

2009-08-05T09:21:00.001-07:00

I don't really know how to put into words what an amazing time my family had with Jen and her wonderful family. I think she said it best in her blog post here. The trip was so much better than I could have ever expected. I will try to recap just a few of the highlights through some photos.

Despite their age difference, these two girls became fast friends.

Maddie and Harrison hit it off right away and filled their days with movies, shooting pool, tubing and more movies.

Jen and I spent every morning and evening working on journals of our trip. Some mornings we would find Gracie and Emma next to us working on their little projects.

This guy kept me laughing the entire time. Oh, and he really knows how to grill some tasty chicken.

And Sweetie, thank you again from the bottom of my heart for agreeing to this getaway. I will be forever grateful.

My only regret is that we didn't get a photo of all eight of us together. Oh well, there's always next year...

We're Back

2009-08-03T17:36:00.000-07:00

"Who finds a faithful friend, finds a treasure."

Our Bags are Finally Packed

2009-07-28T19:36:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we leave bright and early for our trip to the lake with Jen and her family. We have been planning this trip since meeting each other last year at Silver Bella. It's finally here my sweet friend. Can't wait to see you.

I Fell Hard....

2009-07-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

Very hard. Yesterday Gracie and I ran into her favorite saddle and tack shop and as we were checking out there on the top display shelf behind the register was this glorious bag. I totally have Gracie to thank because she was the one who spied it first.

Well, it's not just any ole' pretty bag, but a Joules water-resistant cooler. Have you ever seen such a beautiful cooler? It is going to come in very handy for our upcoming vacation with this girl and her family.

I really lamented over purchasing it because I have been trying to be a good girl and not spend frivolously. But come on....this is such a Cammy bag (as Gracie reminded me) and our current ugly cooler we have had for over 15 years and was purchased at CVS. Not to mention that this pretty new cooler compliments my plaid picnic blanket so well. I don't think it was a frivolous purchase in the least.

And Miss Alice agrees.

Hello Friends,

2009-07-05T06:32:00.000-07:00

It's been too long since I have chatted with you. I have had so much to post about but everyday life seems to have gotten in the way. There has been golf tournaments, horse shows, flea marketing with friends, family gatherings and so much more. I'm so craving those lazy days of summer, but apparantly with one teenager and one almost teenager things don't slow down very much over the summer.

However, yesterday while the boys were at the AT&T National golf tournament and Gracie was at the neighbor's riding barn, I decided to do a much needed cleaning out of the kitchen pantry. Since it was so beautiful outside, I also decided to wash all my aprons and hang them out to dry. I get so much joy and satisfaction from this simple task. Just makes me smile watching my aprons dance in the breeze.

I hope you are finding some time to enjoy the lazy days of summer.

Fresh from the Nest

2009-06-18T09:58:00.003-07:00

Last week Gracie and I were out in the back yard and she spied a teeny, tiny baby bird sitting in the grass. As she ran to get a closer look at the bird, Miss Alice and her bad self followed Gracie and started to sniff at the bird. Well that poor little bird tried its hardest to fly away from the beast. He ran a little and then fluttered a little and finally ended up in our pool.

Gracie immediately jumped into the pool and rescued what had to be a very distraught little bird. I, of course, ran and grabbed my camera and put the beast inside. We weren't sure what to do with the baby bird because he had obviously just left his nest and didn't know how to fly.

Gracie put him back down in the grass and all of the sudden the momma bird started chirping and flew down next to her baby and they pecked their little beaks together. Then the momma bird proceeded to teach her baby how to fly. She would walk a little and then fly a little very low to the ground and the baby followed.

Gracie and I continued to watch from a distance as the baby spread his wings and began to fly a little bit further each time. It was truly and amazing thing to witness.

Wasting Time

2009-06-04T03:57:00.001-07:00

Summer Attire by cammyk featuring Dorothy Perkins shoes

Do you know about polyvore? I had so much fun putting together this fashion set. This is what I want my summer wardrobe to consist of......flowing cotton skirts and white tees, a denim jacket for cool nights (although they don't really exists here) and a cute pair of sandals. Oh, and that darling clutch. I really want that clutch!! Sadly, all I can really afford from this set is the Starbuck's coffee!

From the Garden

2009-06-03T05:58:00.001-07:00

I can't even begin to tell you how happy this dirty little bundle of French breakfast radishes makes me.

This year instead of just thinking and wishing for a vegetable garden of my very own, I decided to actually start one. The first thing I planted back in April was spring onions and these radishes.

So tonight these little beauties will grace our dinner table. I hope they taste as good as they look!

I'm about to find out!!

Peony Love

2009-06-01T09:13:00.000-07:00

It happens every year. Just when my peonies are looking their best in the garden we get heavy rain and thunderstorms. Last week I cut this basket full of blooms just before the rain came. I have never tried drying them, but Sue mentioned to me that she dries peonies from her garden so I am going to give it a try.

Happy Monday!

Outdoor Entertaining

2009-05-26T15:34:00.000-07:00

After being inspired by this girl and her potting bench, I decided to turn my potting table that my dad made me many, many years ago into an outdoor serving table.

Since I wanted the table to have kind of a European/French farmhouse look, I decided to make a skirt out of painters drop cloth. Ever since I discovered this fabulous fabric a while back, I've been covering everything in my house with drop cloths.

I have struggled for several years trying to find the right piece of furniture for this particular space on our back patio. This weekend we had two dinner parties and the serving table worked like a charm.

Thanks for the inspiration my friend!!

Happy Memorial Day

2009-05-25T10:46:00.001-07:00

I Spy......

2009-05-22T13:52:00.000-07:00

a pretty mess!! Yesterday was the most beautiful sunshiny day, and Hope and I got together for a little creative play. This girl's journals are such an inspiration to me so I was super excited to be able to work along side her. We worked and talked all day, and all I have to show for it is the beginnings of what is going to be my new garden journal. I just had such a hard time staying focused because she brought along so much yummy eye candy.

If you are interested in starting a journal, I recommend you hop on over to Hope's blog and take a peek at her journal pages. I promise you will be running for your pens and markers and paper!

She Wants

2009-05-20T09:06:00.001-07:00

One of the boys in our carpool raises sheep and the mommas had babies months ago and we have been trying to arrange a time to go see them. Well yesterday we finally got to go play with the lambs and Gracie fell in love!

She fell hard for this one and they are even planning on selling him. As soon as we got home she called her dad and begged him to consider letting her buy a lamb. I overheard her on the phone and she said, "Daddy, please put your heart and soul into this decision."

I think there are few things more beautiful than a field of grazing sheep. Ask anyone in my family and they will tell you that we have had to stop the car while driving more than once in order for me to hop out and take pictures of grazing sheep.

Now come on Sweetie, how can you look at this picture and not say, "yes!"

What's Blooming

2009-05-14T08:50:00.000-07:00

In my attempt to be better at chronicling the different blooming stages in my garden, I've decided to post my photos here of what's currently blooming.

Bleeding Heart

Azalea

Clematis (mailbox)

Lilac

Crimson Peony

Viburnum

Catnip

Iris

I hope to start a garden journal of sorts so that I will be better prepared for future purchases. What's blooming in your garden?

Exactly Where She Wants To Be

2009-05-12T08:43:00.000-07:00

I hope all of you mom's had a lovely Mother's day. I spent mine with my girl at her first horse show, and I must say, it was the perfect way to spend a warm, sunny Mother's Day Sunday.

I have always been a bit fearful of these large animals, but thanks to Gracie, I am now a horse lover almost as much as she. I would love to take riding lessons some day, but for now I will just enjoy watching my girl be exactly where she wants to be.

** Many, Many thanks to my friend Hope for giving me such a pretty blog header. I absolutely love it Hope!

Rain, Rain Go Away

2009-05-05T08:08:00.001-07:00

Please come back Mr. Sunshine!

Flea Marketing

2009-05-01T08:27:00.001-07:00

My parents and I took our annual trip to Pennsylvania last weekend in search of treasures. Here are a few things I picked up.

Old suitcase full of old satin ribbon - $5

Old Children's Book with great black & white illustrations - $2

Post card album which included about 15 old post cards - $3

1947 Horse Show Ribbon in my favorite mustard color

(which Gracie has already claimed) -$4

Black velvet jewelry case and some bling - $.10-$3

Vintage Millinery YUM - $.25-$3

And my most favorite purchase of the weekend, a very old Music Director Ribbon which was a whopping $12. I fell in love with this ribbon the moment I saw it. I will have to take some better close ups of it in order for you to appreciate its beauty!

I found lots of other goodies but I'm sure you've seen enough. I'm really wanting to make this a twice a year outing; however, I'm not sure the hubby will go for that AND Silver Bella.

Happy Friday!

Flowers from my Girl

2009-04-24T13:18:00.000-07:00

We finally have sunshine! After many dreary, soggy and rainy days, today the sun is shining and it is 70 degrees!

Gracie had a half day of school today and when she got home she immediately changed her clothes and pulled on her new hot pink wellies (of which I'm extremely jealous) and ran outside to play. A little while later she came clomping in the front door with this bouquet of wildflowers that she had picked from our woods.

She handed them to me and said, "Here, they're mainly weeds but I knew you liked Jack in the Pulpit so that was the first thing I picked." How sweet!! They are the most perfect weeds I have ever seen!

One of the small joys of living in the country.

Wishing you a lovely weekend and sunshiny days.

Shades of Inspiration - Purple

2009-04-18T15:41:00.000-07:00

Pretty Pansy

It's been a while since I have participated in Shades of Inspiration, but now that I have my camera back I am anxious to take start taking photos again!

Dried Lavender

Plums

Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

Bella Box Revisited

2009-04-16T11:27:00.001-07:00

I am so grateful and excited to be able to attend Silver Bella again this year. Teresa has outdone herself with the lineup of teachers and workshops, and it is sure to be another unforgettable weekend.

Although it's not until November, it's never too early to start thinking about the hunting and thrifting of treasures.......right? This was my train case that I brought to my classes last year and I must say, it served me well.

It just needs some replenishing of its bits, and baubles and bling. Wanna come shopping with me?!!

Happy Easter Friends

2009-04-12T15:22:00.001-07:00

Gracie enjoyed her basket filled with lots of little goodies.

The Easter bunny brought Harrison something that he thought he could use out on the golf course!

Wishing you a blessed Easter Sunday.

This and That

2009-04-09T04:29:00.000-07:00

Is it really Thursday already? I am so anxious to get out and dig in the dirt. I spent some time this weekend preparing my beds for a vegetable garden but haven't had a chance to get back out there because the weather hasn't cooperated. Plus, my social calendar has been a bit full this week! :) On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of spending the day with my friend Kelli and the super talented Hope Wallace of Paper Relics.

We spent some time shopping at the Queen's Ink and then had a nice long (but not long enough) lunch. Hope brought her journal that she is currently working in for us to see. I seriously have not been able to stop thinking about it. I am so inspired by her work and can't wait to start a journal using a moleskin. I am so looking forward to our next outing girls!

Today is supposed to be beautiful here in Maryland so I am planning on throwing open the windows and spending my day outside.

Wishing you a happy Thursday.

Beyond Excited

2009-04-01T08:01:00.000-07:00

Since today is April 1st and I knew Somerset Life would be hitting the newsstands, I ran to my nearest bookstore to pick up a copy of my favorite art magazine. You can image my surprise and excitement when I made a quick backwards flip through the magazine and caught a glimpse of one of my photos.

I knew they were interested in this particular photo but didn't know when or if it would actually be used. Thank you Somerset, this just means the world to me.

I also picked up Somerset's Marie. This too is an absolute must see! Can't wait to curl up with my cup of tea this evening and engross myself in these beautiful pages.

Happy Spring!!

2009-03-20T06:08:00.001-07:00

I woke up this morning to the sun shining on my face and the birds chirping outside my bedroom window. Although the temperatures don't reflect, it is only going to be in the 40s today, Spring is here!

Wishing you a sunshiny Friday.

So Proud

2009-03-18T05:11:00.000-07:00

Our little man made his high school golf team! Harrison has so much passion and love for the game of golf, and we are just so thrilled that his hard work and determination has paid off.

Buddy, we are so proud of your accomplishments, and yes, we will buy you the MSJ golf jacket!

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl

2009-03-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

My baby girl turns 12 today. Just doesn't seem possible. This is what will be waiting for her when she walks in the door from school. We will be celebrating this evening with several of her friends at The Melting Pot. As her friend said, "It's going to be a lot of FUN-due!"

Happy Weekend!

Would You Like Fries With That?

2009-03-12T06:51:00.001-07:00

Today Gracie has an Edible Art Show at her school. She decided to continue with the Wendy's theme since it was such a hit at Halloween.

The ingredients consisted of yellow cake, chocolate cookies, edible Easter grass, those yucky orange circus peanuts, fruit roll-ups and peanuts. The fries, which look the most realistic, are bread sticks.

By the end of the evening, after passing by this tray of food, we were all craving a Wendy's juicy cheeseburger and fries!

Nutty for Nut Cups

2009-03-11T08:18:00.001-07:00

My mom and I hosted a baby shower for my sister-in-law over the weekend. When my mom put me in charge of the favors, I knew exactly what I wanted to make. During my shopping spree at Tinsel Trading I found these cute vintage German scrap bunnies. I immediately fell in love with them and thought they would be the perfect embellishment for the favors. I also picked up this great tinsel there as well.

We filled each cup with yummy white Jordan almonds. I made a few extras which I plan to use for my Easter decorating.

This was such a fun little project, and I will definitely be make more in the future.

NYC Favorites

2009-03-06T08:45:00.000-08:00

Thanks for your sweet anniversary wishes.

The hubby and I were able to make a quick escape to NYC for a few days. We had such a nice, relaxing time and just enjoyed the simple pleasure of being alone together. We visited our favorite restaurants, Ideya, Tartine and Le Pien Quotidien and had lunch in beautiful Bryant Park. I went to some of my favorite shops, Tinsel Trading Company, M&J Trimmings, Purl Soho, Shabby Chic and my Sweetie appeased me by even tagging along with me to my favorite flea market!!

We, of course, visited his favorite shops, Earnest Sewn, and Liquor Store as well. Oh, and I can't forget our favorite Cocoa bar ......the absolute best hot chocolate in the most perfect french-inspired setting.

The next time you find yourself in The City, hopefully you will try one of our favorites.

I have had the worst luck with my cameras lately. The lens to my favorite camera broke and has been in the repair shop for almost eight weeks. My little point and shoot camera ran out of battery charge halfway through our trip.....hence, no photos.

Twenty Years

2009-02-25T09:30:00.000-08:00

Happy Anniversary Sweetie

Valentine Gifties

2009-02-14T11:07:00.000-08:00

I love making Valentine treats. These treats I made for a few special Valentine's in my life.

Wishing you and sweet and love-filled Valentine's Day.

Playing Catch Up

2009-02-10T07:32:00.000-08:00

My little boy was sick all last week with the flu bug so I spent most of the week taking care of him. He is finally back to school this week and I have lots to catch up on around here.....cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, laundry, baking, making Valentines, and laundry.

I have been wanting to show you the boxes I received from my swap partners in the Petite Inspiration Swap. I love them so much and each box contained some really unique treasures.

Carol

Connie

Sarah

Thank you so much girls. I can't wait to start using all of my goodies!

Petite Inspiration Swap

2009-02-02T10:20:00.001-08:00

I participated in my first swap hosted by Heather at Speckled Egg. Heather put us into groups of four and we were to decorate three large-sized matchboxes and fill them with vintage artsy goodies. This is what I came up with.

I decorated all three boxes the same but personalized each one with a little name tag. It is amazing how many little bits and bobs you can fit into these small boxes. Carol, Sarah and Connie, I had so much fun putting these little treasure boxes together and hope you enjoy them.

Snow Day!!

2009-01-28T11:33:00.001-08:00

Get Ready

Get Set

Wipe Out

I heart Breadmaking

2009-01-25T07:36:00.000-08:00

I've always been intimidated to make bread but decided on Friday to give it a try using this recipe. It was so good that I made it again yesterday.

Nothing tastes better than warm bread from the oven with my mom's homemade strawberry jam.

*Gracie took the first photo and as I was kneading the dough she said, "Stop, you just made a heart with your hands." Love that she noticed that!!

My Muse

2009-01-22T08:37:00.001-08:00

Last week my friend Kelli and I were able to finally get together. I haven't seen her since Silver Bella and we were both missing each other and looking forward to spending some time together.

Sweet Kelli surprised me with a beautifully wrapped birthday present. I was speechless (which is very rare) when I opened the box and found one of her amazing fairy's that she had made just for me.

Her fairy's are one of a kind and are created by her talented hands using all vintage materials.

She hand paints their sweet faces, fashions their clothes from vintage pieces of fabrics and even makes their darling little fairy shoes. I am telling you, this girl's talents are endless!

I've named her Clementine (hope you like that Kelli) and she seems to be very happy perched upon a basket on my desk giving me lots of inspiration.

Kelli, I am so very touched by your generosity and thank you for parting with her. She is absolutely perfect!!

My Two New Favorites

2009-01-14T09:04:00.000-08:00

I have finally found a breakfast that I actually enjoy eating and is healthy too. My new favorite breakfast......Greek yogurt with honey, toasted pecans, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a handful of pomegranate seeds. My breakfast in the past usually consisted of a quick cup of coffee and a bite or two of a muffin as I headed out to door to take the kiddos to school. Not the healthiest way to start your day.

My second favorite is my new laptop bag.

It's Cath Kidston and I picked it up at Goodwill for $3.50....that's right, three dollars and fifty cents!!! It is brand-spankin new, and I don't mind one bit that it was meant to be a diaper bag. Looks like a laptop bag to me. What do you think? What was this person thinking pricing this bag so low and better yet, who on God's beautiful earth would give a brand new Cath Kidston bag to the Goodwill!! Lucky for me they didn't know what they were getting rid of.

I also want to thank you for the closet love. You girls are the absolute best! Happy Wednesday my dear friends.

Copycat

2009-01-10T14:26:00.000-08:00

Yea, that's right, I'm a copycat, a wannabe.....but how can I not be when I am so completely and totally inspired by this talented gal. I just absolutely adore all of her work.

I remember way back when seeing Alicia's patchwork wallpapered closet door and thinking what a clever idea. Then last year when Pam showed us pictures of her newly wallpapered closet ~ goodness gracious, be still my heart ~ I just knew I had to find something to wallpaper.

After Silver Bella, I made the decision to move my craft room from our first floor office/library to our upstairs guest room. One of the driving forces was that I knew I would finally get to wallpaper a closet.

I have a bit more tweaking to do and my Sweetie has to reinforce the ends of the shelves which is why they might look bowed (it has nothing to do with the fact that the wallpaper might be slightly crooked). I still have so much more to add to the shelves but thought I would give you a quick peek into what's been keeping me busy.

I know she doesn't read my blog, but I just want to say, thank you Pam for the continued sharing and giving of your amazing talents. You inspire us all.

Birds of a Feather

2009-01-09T16:57:00.001-08:00

I have been wanting to share with you some birthday goodies I received last month from my sweet friend. I was so excited when the postman brought me this huge box with my name on it. Inside I found three smaller boxes that were beautifully wrapped (but in my haste to tear them open my photo didn't turn out) and filled with the above gifts.

Her amazing collage brought tears to my eyes. She put so much of herself into making this and I will treasure it forever. She also gave me a calendar that she had beautifully embellished as well as a pearl necklace. The fabric-covered box was filled with vintage Christmas goodies. In another box I found more vintage items that she had picked up at the Vendor Faire at Silver Bella.

We certainly are birds of a feather. I miss you terribly my friend.

Finally....

2009-01-06T13:19:00.000-08:00

all of Christmas is packed up and put away. It was a busy holiday for us as I am sure it was for you as well. We spent some quality time with family and friends and had a few fun outings with just the four of us. The kiddos started back to school yesterday so I am excited now to get back into the normal swing of things. I've been working on a little project that I hope to share with you later in the week.

Wishing you all peace and happiness this coming year.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T10:17:00.001-08:00

A few more Christmas images from around freckledfarm.

Wishing you a blessed and happy Christmas day.

A Christmas Tradition

2008-12-22T05:45:00.001-08:00

Our family of four has many Christmas traditions, but I think the one we most look forward to is our cookie decorating party. Every year I bake dozens of sugar cookies and we all set out to outdo the other in our decorating techniques.

These are just a few of our favorites this year.

I am so happy that Harrison still wants to partake in this little tradition of ours.

Gracie was such a big help this year in helping me prepare everything.

And this one "thinks" he's the most creative one. Hah!!

I would love to hear some of your Christmas traditions.

The Tree

2008-12-18T15:22:00.001-08:00

Has it been crazy busy around your house like it has been at mine? I always have these grand plans to be finished my Christmas shopping, decorating and baking early so that this last week before Christmas I can just sit back and relax. Silly me!!

As I mentioned earlier, our tree this year is filled with all vintage ornaments and I'm just loving it. I know it looks a bit crooked but it is straight in real life (I think). Now that I have enough old glass ornaments (if that's possible) I want to search for some old strands of mercury beads. Below are a few of my favorite baubles. As with everything else around my house, I'm partial to the ones that are tarnished and have chippy paint.

And look at Miss Thing taking a snooze under the tree.

Hope you enjoyed my little Christmas tree tour. Have a wonderful weekend.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

2008-12-09T11:47:00.001-08:00

The Christmas decorating has started. Inspired by Rebecca Sower, I grabbed a few old books and added some vintage ornaments, seam binding and a piece of holly. I love this simple arrangement.

I usually have this old fishing creel filled with hydrangeas (surprise, surprise). Using fresh greens is my favorite way to decorate for the holidays. This hangs in our mud room. I am forever asking the kids to please hang their jackets up in the closet instead of the hooks because momma has a real cute display here and I can't be having any jacket mess up my composition.....you know?! Isn't that awful?

My Sweetie is always in charge of putting the lights on the tree, and I must say he did a fabulous job! Gracie decided to join in on the fun. I will have to take a few pictures of our tree fully decorated. It is my favorite one yet!!

Silver Bella - Day Two

2008-12-01T08:26:00.001-08:00

I trust you had a happy Thanksgiving and ate lots of pumpkin pie. We spent a few days with my husband's family and his sister made a delicious pumpkin cheesecake with a graham cracker and hazelnut crust. I must get the recipe from her to share with you. I had my fair share....extra gym time this week.

I promise you this is the last post on Silver Bella. The last class I took was one by Kim Kwan and what a wonderful way to end this event. She is spunky, sassy and a lot of fun. I was exhausted at this point but managed to pull this piece together.

We distressed and sanded and painted and sewed. I have had the pearl shoe clip for about four years and was just waiting to use it in the right project.

This is my little partridge that I did in the soldering class taught by the infamous Sally Jean Alexander. She was so much fun and had us all laughing throughout the class. We spent a good portion of the class doing the collage that would be placed under the glass. Obviously, I have a lot to learn both in the collaging and soldering department. Hopefully, Santa is reading this and will bring me the goodies I need to practice my soldering!

This cute little embroidered ornament was a group project that we worked on the first night at Silver Bella. It was such an amazing experience for me to be sitting in a room with over 150 women just chatting, laughing and stitching.

What a true pleasure it was to meet Mary Engelbreit. She is down-to-earth and witty and spoke to us during a luncheon about her life and business. Afterwards she was kind enough to sign her books and a poster that she had created just for Silver Bella.

There is so much more that I could share about this amazing event, but I will stop myself. Wishing you a lovely week my friends.

Silver Bella Projects - Day One

2008-11-26T05:40:00.001-08:00

Being that I am a total Pam Garrison wannabe, you can imagine how excited I was to be able to meet her and take one of her classes. Not only is she amazingly talented and just as sweet as can be, but she is even cuter in person.

We made the above project using an old scrabble board as our base. I thoroughly enjoyed her class and can't wait to use the other half of my board.

My first workshop I took was taught by Carolyn Peeler who is an absolute sweetheart and was so generous. Love her!!

I learned several new techniques in her class and look forward to applying them in future projects. My journal pages will never be the same!!

The above project was taught by the talented Rebecca Sower. Her work is just so inspiring to me. Wish I could have taken her other stitching class. I had forgotten how much I love to stitch.

I have three other projects to share with you later. Hope you are enjoying your week.

Slowly Coming Off my Bella High

2008-11-19T07:26:00.001-08:00

I cannot even begin to express what an amazing couple of days I had at Silver Bella. It was so much more than I could have ever imagined. I laughed, I cried (from laughing so much), I made long-lasting friendships and was in awe of the talent by which I was surrounded.

One of the true highlights of this adventure was meeting my new best friend. Jen, what can I say....I now know what it means to have a sister. I have never met anyone who I share so much in common. I feel so lucky to have met you and can't wait until we can get together.

If it weren't for Kelli, I would have been a complete and total basket case before Silver Bella. Kelli and I hit it off right away and luckily live close to each other. So Kelli, when do you want to play?

I met so many other wonderful girls who I hope to keep in touch with. Sadly, because I was on such a glitter high I forgot to take photos. The weekend wouldn't have been the same without chatting and laughing with these girls.

And last but not least, Sweetie, thank you so much for all you do for me and for encouraging me to take this trip. I would have never gone had you not pushed me to "hit the button." You are the absolute best.

I have lots more to share throughout the week. Talk to you soon.

Silver Bella Bound

2008-11-12T07:13:00.000-08:00

How is one supposed to fit two big puffy crinolines in one suitcase that is already full?

Well the time is finally here. I leave tomorrow morning on a jet plane headed for Omaha. I'm feeling nervous, excited and a little guilty. I have never done anything like this before, and I am already missing my Sweetie and the kiddos (and that naughty Miss Alice too). I am so lucky because they are all so supportive of me taking a few days for myself. I asked Harrison this morning if he was going to miss me and his response was, "Yea, some ~ I'll miss you singing the Lil Wayne song in the car during carpool." Good to know I will be missed.

I'm looking forward to sharing my adventure with you next week when I return. Have a lovely couple of days.

My Bella Box

2008-11-07T09:12:00.001-08:00

I have been a busy, busy girl obsessing over putting together my Bella box for Silver Bella which is coming up next week. I decided to use this train case I've had forever to store and transport all of my supplies that I will need for the classes.

Inside the box I have old velvet jewelry boxes that hold my pretty baubles and vintage buttons. I covered two cardboard pencil boxes with old wallpaper and ledger paper along with a few bits of trim to store all of my "not so pretty" crafting essentials. I added a piece of lace from an old tablecloth to the lid to hold a few cabinet cards and trim.

Finally, I added a vintage millinery flower and fabric bow to the handle just because. Now I can start obsessing about what clothes I'm going to pack!

Wishing you all a lovely weekend.

The New Face of Wendy's

2008-10-31T15:19:00.000-07:00

Gracie has become fondly known at her new school as Wendy (as in fast food girl). So she decided she wanted to dress the part for Halloween.

Of course, Miss Alice had to get in on the fun. And to think we always thought she was a Redskins fan.

Happy Halloween!!

Can One Have Too Many Hydrangeas?

2008-10-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

I think not!! This basketful of hydrangeas came off of just one bush. I am off now to display them in every room of the house (much to my Sweetie's dismay)!

There is finally a nip in the air around here and I couldn't be happier. I hope you are enjoying some fall weather as well.

New Friend

2008-10-13T09:23:00.001-07:00

On Saturday I had the pleasure of spending the day with a very creative and talented gal. I met Kelli through the Silver Bella Yahoo group and after lots of emails back and forth we decided to meet each other in person since we don't live far from each other. She greeted me with the most beautifully wrapped package. Inside I found this stunning wand that she had made for me.

We started the day off with a yummy lunch followed by some antiquing. But the fun didn't stop there for me. Once we got to her house she invited me into her studio. I just wanted to cry tears of joy! It is over-the-top delicious. She is in the process of setting up a website and will soon be delighting us all with her amazing goodies. I am hoping she starts a blog as well. *wink*

Kelli, thanks for such a fun day, and I look forward to our next outing!

Football Season

2008-10-08T18:07:00.001-07:00

These photos made me smile. I hope they made you smile too :)

Early Halloween Treats

2008-10-05T18:30:00.001-07:00

from THE Matthew Mead!!! Linda at Restyled Home had a contest recently and I entered my Matthew Mead post. Well, can you believe Matthew actually picked my post as a winner and sent me this beautiful package filled with Halloween goodies.

Inside the lovely orange fabric covered box I found several treats. I love the little ceramic owl which was part of the Owl-oween party shoot and there was a treat box and bag filled with yummy candies.

But I must say my favorite was the autographed hard-back copy of his amazing book, Matthew Mead Halloween, Tricks & Treats.

Thank you for your thoughtfulness Michael....I am still giddy with excitement!

Sewing Project

2008-09-24T09:27:00.000-07:00

There is something about the fall air that makes me want to spend my days indoors sewing and baking (the baking happens tomorrow). I have been wanting to make an apron for quite some time and decided to make a craft apron to use at Silver Bella. I didn't use a pattern but had an idea of what I wanted and then just made it up as I went.

I used a mix of new and vintage fabrics from my ever-growing stash and a few other vintage elements, including a mother of pearl buckle from my new friend. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. It is far from perfect, but I think it will serve its purpose well.

Estate Sale Love

2008-09-18T13:45:00.001-07:00

I had my first experience at going to an estate sale last week and let me tell ya....I'm hooked!! I went to three different sales which were nearby and found a few treasures at each one.

I have been wanting an enamelware dishpan for in my laundry room and was so excited when I found this oval one. I'm always a happy girl when I find inexpensive millinery flowers and I even found a small roll of flocked wallpaper. I bought several cabinet cards for only 25 cents each. Many of these cabinet cards have very decorative backs so if I'm not particularly fond of the photo I will use the back of the card in craft projects.

One of my favorite finds was an old kitchen scale (which I forgot to take a picture of). It even got a thumbs up from my Sweetie which is always a plus. It is proudly being displayed on my range.

So guess who was perusing the classified ads early this morning!! Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Love in the Mail

2008-09-11T12:44:00.000-07:00

Aren't these just fabulous?! My friend Jen sent me a little goodie bag filled with these gorgeous vintage mother of pearl buckles. I was just giddy when I opened the bag and they all came spilling out into my happy hands. I am in the process of making an apron and I plan to use one of these little pretties to adorn a pocket.

She also included this darling little doggie button which I just LOVE. I will be saving this one for a special project. Although, Gracie fell in love with it too and has been begging me for it. Maybe I will make a little giftie for my sweet girl and include the button in my project.

Thank you sweet friend.

Creative Genius

2008-09-10T07:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I made my weekly visit to Target and as I was headed to the checkout I decided to pass by the newsstand to see if, God forbid, there was a magazine that I had not read. Well the first thing that caught my eye was the glossy colorful cover of Matthew Mead's newest magazine. I grabbed the magazine without even flipping through it because I knew from his past work that I was in for a real treat. Last night I had a chance to take a peek and every page is filled with inspiration and doable Halloween projects and ideas.

The first time I remember reading Matthew Mead's name was in Country Home magazine many years ago where he introduced me to Bristol Glass. Ever since then I have been a huge fan. I am so excited to find out from Linda at Restyled Home that he will be coming out with a monthly publication. How lucky are we!

This delightful magazine is available throughout the US & Canada so make sure on your next visit to the newsstand you pick up a copy. Also, be sure to stop by his website for even more inspiration and the most adorable vintage-inspired downloads.

Lemon-Lime Squares

2008-09-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share the recipe that Gracie & I used the other day for our lemon-lime squares. They were super easy and so delish.

Lemon-Lime Squares

Crust

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 Tbs. grated lemon zest

6 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Lemon-Lime Filling

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

3 Tbs all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the crust. In a bowl of a food processor, mix together dry ingredients then pulse in the butter. Press the dough evenly over the bottom of an ungreased 8 inch square baking pan. Bake the crust in the center of the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until it is just beginning to turn golden around the edges.

While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the eggs, sugar and lemon and lime juices until light, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the flour and beat just until combined.

Pour the filling over the hot baked crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes longer, or until the filling is set.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

Cut into squares and just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

(from the Best Bake Sale Ever Cookbook)

A Perfect Afternoon

2008-09-02T16:53:00.000-07:00

Today was Gracie's last day of summer vacation. Harrison already has one week of high school under his belt and is doing well. Over the weekend I asked Gracie what she wanted to do together on her last day before going back to school and she said she wanted to have a picnic together in the field. She has been talking and planning non-stop for this little soiree of ours.

So today we packed the wicker basket and spread out our blanket and pillows under the shade tree that she had picked and had the most perfect afternoon.

She planned the menu which included cucumber & cream cheese sandwiches and chicken salad sandwiches, sparkling french pink lemonade, freshly sliced peaches and red raspberries. And for dessert we had key lime squares.

Gracie finished her book, Anne of Green Gables which just seems like the most appropriate book for the occasion. I couldn't think of a more perfect way to spend the afternoon with my favorite girl.

shades of inspiration - turquoise

2008-08-30T18:05:00.003-07:00

vintage child's chair and sap bucket

blue topaz ring

old crepe paper

vintage sewing basket

Happy Birthday Buddy

2008-08-22T18:00:00.001-07:00

Today my little boy turns 15. I so clearly remember when I held him in my arms for the very first time. He was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen and the amount of love I felt for him was just overwhelming. These past 15 years have slipped by so quickly.

We didn't get to spend the day with him today as he is away for a long weekend with his friend at his lake house. So, instead of getting gushy hugs and kisses from his momma today, he was kneeboarding and jet skiing on the lake.

I missed you terribly today Buddy.

love you xoxo

shades of inspiration - rust

2008-08-20T19:42:00.001-07:00

finial

wire basket

tree bark

fencing

shades of inspiration - red & white

2008-08-15T06:33:00.001-07:00

vintage pom pom trim

old hand made/painted chinese box

wellies

Have a great weekend.

freckledfarm

A Peek into my Playroom

Happy Spring!!

Happy 13!!

ROD Journal - Inside Pages - part 2

Happy Valentine's Day

ROD Journal - Inside Pages

44 inches and counting....

Remains of the Day Journal

Wanna Play?

Hello.....

Quiet Time

Christmas Came Early

Snowed In

Simple Gift Giving Ideas

Christmas Decorating - Part One

Eye Candy

Journaling

Her Bliss

Bella Recap - Part One

It's Finally Here

Apron Stitching

Breathtaking

Homecoming

Posies On Parade

Silver Bella Swapping

Snuggle Weather

Why Bother

Friday Night Dinner

Missing My Girl

Cleaning and Reminiscing

Her Summer Love

Is it Friday Already?

You've Gotta Love

Love Tokens

A Summer Bouquet

Lake Recap

We're Back

Our Bags are *Finally* Packed

I Fell Hard....

Hello Friends,

Fresh from the Nest

Wasting Time

From the Garden

Peony Love

Outdoor Entertaining

Happy Memorial Day

I Spy......

She Wants

What's Blooming

Exactly Where She Wants To Be

Rain, Rain Go Away

Flea Marketing

Flowers from my Girl

Shades of Inspiration - Purple

Bella Box Revisited

Happy Easter Friends

This and That

Beyond Excited

Happy Spring!!

So Proud

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl

Would You Like Fries With That?

Nutty for Nut Cups

NYC Favorites

Twenty Years

Valentine Gifties

Playing Catch Up

Petite Inspiration Swap

Snow Day!!

I *heart* Breadmaking

My Muse

My Two New Favorites

Copycat

Birds of a Feather

Finally....

Merry Christmas

A Christmas Tradition

The Tree

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Our Bags are Finally Packed

I heart Breadmaking