another day in paradise

Thoughts and Things: It is a beautiful day today

Outside is where I want to be

Makes me want to have a barbequed hamburger with lots of mustard and ketchup

*****

Hey Brooke! I am sending this birdy pillow to you! I will take it over to your moms.

The table was set

Thoughts about things: My grandma always used a tablecloth. She just could not think of eating without one. When my family would visit, she would always have something delicious and ready for us to eat. The table set, with a cloth and her nice dishes, whether is was sunday dinner or just cookies and milk.

Maybe that's where I got my love for tablecloths.

A tablecloth even makes paper plates look nice...well...

all the colors make me happy

like looking at a rainbow

A little birdy told me...

Thoughts: The miracle is this - the more we share, the more we have.



Things: Sharing this pillow with you! Just leave me a comment if you're interested.. I'll put everyones name in a hat and draw on thursday.

Thoughts: One quilt project, like one cookie, is never

enough!

Things: I used this quilt as a shower curtain. I put a plastic curtain liner on the inside, then the quilt . After I bound the quilt I just sewed tabs to the top to slip through the rod. You could also use ribbon for your tabs.

(sorry about the toilet in the picture)

Gather crumbs of happiness to make a loaf of contentment

Thoughts: Some years ago my neighbor brought me a bag of fresh peaches off her tree. They are one of my favorites fruits, so I was so excited. Now you'll think I nuts, but, the bag that she brought them in was even better. It was an old certifresh bread bag. I'm sure it was saved by her grandma or mom to reuse it. One of their many ways to be thrifty. The bag reads, 27 cents a loaf. What?

This bag stays neatly folded in my kitchen drawer. Not to be reused.

My grandmother reused foil, wax paper, plastic bags, etc, until she could not get another use out of them.

I tease some of my friends, they do the same thing.

I caught myself washing out a ziplock bag...no more teasing.

Things: Old bread tins are another one of the things I like to find and collect. Since I have never mastered bread making, I certainly don't use them for their intended purpose. Does anyone use a bread box or tin anymore? Anyway, they are fun to decorate with. I can always find a spot for another one.

P.S. Well, I just remembered it's Earth Day today, I'll try to be better and reuse things more....

Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride

THOUGHTS about THINGS: I dusted off my bike today, ready to take it for a spin around the block. A Funny thing happens as you get older, a good thing I guess. You become more comfortable with who you are and don't worry much about what others think. My kids just laugh when they see me ride my bike. Whatever! My husband says all I need is a little black dog named "Toto" in the basket. Hmmm... rude!

Stay at home Mom and Grandma

Thoughts: I was always very lucky and blessed to be a stay at home mom while my 3 children were growing up. One very important thing to me was to always be home when they came home from school. They would open the front door and the first word out of their mouth was "MOM!" Just to know I was home was all they needed.

I miss that.

Now, when the front door opens, I love to hear "GRANDMA!"

THINGS: My high school girlfriend and I have stayed close friends after all these years. Her mom died of breast cancer when she was just 12. She has always felt such a huge void in her life, not having her mom. Her father also passed away a few years ago. She and her brother had the awful task of cleaning out the home that they were raised in. She knew I liked anything retro and asked if I wanted the table and 2 chairs that had been in the kitchen since she was a little girl. I was so touched and excited that she would offer it to me! The chairs were covered in mauve vinyl and the top had pink formica. I had the chairs recovered and I spray painted the top cream. It has a special place in my kitchen and my heart.

The Sabbath day... A time to rest

THOUGHTS: What a difference a day makes

Like Mr. Rogers would sing, "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood."

THINGS: Just trying to finish up some of my projects. This quilt top is done and ready to send to the quilter. Once the warm weather begins, who wants to be inside? My sewing begins to collect dust.

All Sunshine makes a desert.

-Arabic PROVERB

but...I'm tired of these...

I want to wear these.

Festoon Anyone?

THOUGHTS: In helping to make party favors for my grand-daughters birthday, I learned a new word.

Websters Dictionary: Festoon (noun). A decorative garland or band hanging between two points. To fashion with festoons. To link together with festoons.

I always just called it vintage tissue garland. Who knew!

THINGS: With some trial and error, I made my own festoon. That means if I can do it, you surely can! I looked on line to purchase it and WOW, it was expensive! Just $1.00 to $2.00 worth of tissue paper will make oodles! Maybe not as full and fancy but darn close!

How to make it: I cut my tissue strips 1 1/2 inches wide by length of tissue. You can do it whatever width you want. About 20 layers thick of tissue will make it nice and full.

If you want multi colored festoon, stack tissue every other color.

Sew a straight line down middle of tissue paper.

Fold in half, on stitch line.

With scissors, cut tissue about every 1/4th inch up to stitch line.

Fluff, crumple, shake, whatever it takes to separate the tissue.

Hot glue or tape on. Taa Daa!

Use your imagination, It can be used to decorate many different things.

Nestled Among the Best

THOUGHTS: My neighbors are very dear to me

They are always there whenever there is a need

We talk to each other and we borrow and lend

Such treasures they are, my neighbors and friends

I sing when they sing, and I laugh when they laugh

We do things for each other on the other's behalf

I share with them my worries and fears

They share with me their compassion and tears

How lonely and cheerless a place my soul would be

Without such neighbors and good friends as these

I cherish them all and take each one into my heart

Feeling love and kindness each in turn imparts.

This is a hooked rug I did some years ago. I loved doing it.

THINGS: I have always wanted to make a house quilt. This pattern is designed to use your scraps. If I knew how to scan pictures I would show you the finished quilt. HELLO! So Cute! (the book is Fig Tree Quilts-houses). My Pickles quilt group is planning a retreat in May and I thought this might be something everyone would like to make. I'll get the approval of my sister Pickles.

There are lots of pieces, but the assembly is quite simple.

1 block done, 15 more to go...

Too Much Fun

Thoughts: Welcome Monday!

A great 75th birthday celebration for my mother-in-law this past saturday

days of preparation, but still smiling while entertaining 75 people

(it was great to see everyone)

cleaning up after those 75 people, not smiling

on sunday,celebrating easter and all its trimmings with the family,smiling

cleaning up after 15 people, really not smiling

My broom is worn out and so is my body

wouldn't want it any other way

Things: The birthday cakes were delicious and cute! Pink, green and yellow flowers on rolled fondant frosting. One cake was chocolate and the other carrot. Fearing that I would not have enough I also got 2 angel food cakes, one lemon and one cherry. YUM!










Tulips to brighten up the table. I used a milk glass pitcher to put them in.

I bought this yellow polka-dot table cloth and thought it needed a little something extra. I added this green crochet trim.

All the eggs found...

almost everything eaten.

too much fun

Happy Easter

He Lives!

Get my running shoes on

THOUGHTS ON THINGS: No time for serious blogging or putting my feet up to relax today. I'm in full party preparation mode... getting everything ready for a 75th birthday bash for my mother-in-law.

P.S. I'll take pictures