Hope your weekend is great too!
My sissy is coming with her four kids and all of their families, so I created 5 books for them. All are pretty simple, and ready to add photos of the weekend to. I foofed only a few pages in each book, with pockets, and other little touches. When you use this paper, its so cool, you don't want to do too much to it.
Its great as is.
The tag on the page in the photo is only glued down on 2 sides, so it is a pocket to slip ticket stubs or other mementos into.
Now, I am wishing I'd made one for myself too….
Today, I am doing last minute spot cleaning to be ready for everyone. The yard is cleaned up, floors are mopped, laundry is done.
The bonfire pit is being cleaned out and a fresh load of logs will be laid out and ready for the campers. Yep, we'll have a tent city in the yard, at least 4 or 5 tents will be set up for the party. Looks like the weather will hold too, we got lucky. Now, I just need to get to the grocery store and getting chopping and dicing and cooking to have the house filled with food and treats when they arrive.
I can't wait!
* Lovely weather
* Family helping with yard work, getting things trimmed and tidied, and enjoying being outside together
* A bonus of a few extra, unexpected hours to play with Sugarwings
* The look of joy on my fairy grand baby's face when she saw the new additions to the Fairy Berry Trail
* A thoughtful, surprise gift in the mail from a reader (thank you, Susan!!)
* Giant mums in bloom, on sale for only $5.99 (I bought 6!)
* A delicious meal whipped up from our garden, by my son
* The happy anticipation of getting ready for the big family reunion this weekend
* A furry friend, who is always happy even when I have to pick tons of burrs from her silky hair.
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So, here are the two winners, each get one of these hand painted charms.
And the second winner is:
Did anyone see all the big, blooming hats on Mad Men last night!!!??? I couldn't even pay attention to the story, I was so overwhelmed with the millinery at the Derby party.
(These jewels are available in my Boutique and the jam jars are on Etsy)
I've been enjoying going out for walks on them myself. But while out there, I noticed the Canadian Thistle had gone a bit crazy. I know that thistle is considered an noxious weed, but I've always loved it. This drawing, is one that I did at age 15 for a biology class. Its the drawing that made me realize that I wanted to be an artist.
To this day, I keep this ink drawing out on display. You don't want to do the math to know how long that has been.
Why don't I think of that more often?
I am finally gaining the wisdom that comes with age (or getting lazy).
Ace Hardware had some clearance garden decor that was just right for out there. Wind chimes with doe-doe birds, and bright metal flowers on stakes. Sugarwings will be excited when she comes home on Tuesday
(she spends a few days with her Hippy Chick Mommy and other grandma every week) I love to surprise her with new additions to the trail, she always notices right away when we go for our walks along the path.
So, I've nailed this plaque to a tree at the top of the hill, at the beginning of the walkway.
Sugarwings can't read, but we will both stop and read it together every time we go into the woods.
I only had 10 of them, I wish I had more. That is the trouble with using vintage things, I can't just order more when I need them. I just kind of use what I find when I go out treasure hunting.
Then, I glued down three coordinating wallpapers that were a birthday gift from Beth.
I'm not sure if I'll do more to it or not… I could put another paper on the top and do something to the front of the door, but I kind of like it as is.
Don't forget you have a few more days to enter the August Giveaway by leaving a comment.
We decided to do things she loved to do with us. We went to Goodwill to shop, saw a scary movie and at popcorn at the theater, then went out to a restaurant she enjoyed (and one that we had a coupon for, to save money!)
Mom would have loved it. And the fairy party too, you are never too old to enjoy laughing and being silly with people you love.
While I am in Indiana for Bobbie's celebration, I thought I'd leave you with some pictures from the earlier event.
(yes, I am wearing Tinker Bell jammies, with a sparkly tuxedo jacket)
I had some stick on crystals on my nose, but after seeing this, that might have been a mistake, they look more like growths…
My husband's brother came to the sleep over, he's pretty close to Sissy. Having a gay brother is almost like having a 3rd sister. Plus, he lets me draw on his face.
And he knows how to dress up for the occasion, too!
Did I ever mention that I used to raise peafowl? I have a lot of peacock feathers from Percy (our papa bird) and have been making fans from them with vintage millinery and ribbon added. I thought one of the feathers would be just right to make a magic wand for Bobbie's Birthday.
It has hot pink, curly feathers from an old hat, some silk ribbon, and a millinery bloom topped off with a jewel pried from a broken vintage brooch.
Now, for a dash of fairy dust to get the magic kicked in gear, and its ready to wrap up and give to her at the party. I can't wait!! (maybe there will be more dancing..)
We flew my husband's mother from Wyoming to North Carolina for the wedding last week, and then brought her home with us for a few days after. So, in honor of Grandma Joan's visit to Kansas, I threw her a fairy tea party with her great grand daughters.
Sugarwings was still in the party mood, after all the birthday celebrations this week. She and little Pixie Pie have had a wonderful time together with so many family gatherings going on all week while Grandma Joan was here.
Even the big girls got into dressing up as fairies, although we couldn't convince their boyfriends to wear wings….
Our little ones were patient while we took some pictures before the party started. But not for too long. At 2 and 3, waiting times are limited when there is something exciting scheduled to happen.
We served blueberry and cranberry herb teas, but the tiniest fairies were more interested in the spoonfuls of sugar they could add to their cups.
Sugarwings drank cup after cup, just so she could pour more.
For Sugarwing's birthday, I let her help me decorate the dining room with Dollar Store garlands. Yes, gaudy and over the top, but she is in love with them, so we left them up for this party too.
We just added some fairies here and there. I happened to have a few around to use….
We served:
cherry tomatoes from the garden on toothpicks with grilled chicken breast
cherries and grapes with mandarin oranges
crust-less cucumber sandwiches
red cabbage with cream cheese rolled up in green tortilla shells
peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the littlest ones.
These are my fairy shoes, saved for special occasions like this.
Luckily you can't really tell here, but my makeup job was a bit like Baby Jane. Remember that scary Betty Davis movie? I got carried away with the eyeshadow, not a pretty sight after 50…
I'm on my way now to Indiana for my sister's 60th birthday party. I'd better pack my fairy wings and hit the road. The parties never end around here, huh?
We took the trip to the East for a combination of reasons. My husband's nephew was getting married, it was our 24th wedding anniversary, and my husband had some work to do. A lot to squeeze into less than a week, and a lot of traveling from one place to another.
But it was wonderful to spend time with family and see this little guy all grown up and happily married, so we were glad we went.
This antique mall was in Nag's Head, or Kitty Hawk, or one of those pretty little towns that run into each other. We stayed at a hotel on the beach in Nag's Head for 2 nights, but got in late the first night and left early, so really had only one whole day there.
On the trip in, I kept seeing one antique shop after another and of course, we were on a mission to get to the hotel and go out for dinner, so didn't have time to stop. Well, that is what one person in the car thought, anyway.
But that worked out fine, the non-antiquer in the family had to work the next day so, I spent the morning exploring and was able to trace my way back to most of the shops I had seen on the drive in.
Our balcony was on the side of the hotel, but we still had an ocean view, and I sat out there for my morning coffee and a glass of wine in the evening. I was able to twist around with the camera and get a semi-ocean background for the picture of my flowers.
My husband took me to see one of the golf courses his company runs, on Nag's Head. I have never played a round of golf in my life, and know for a fact that I never will, but I can still appreciate the beauty of the places and am always happy to go and see some of them with him.
As long as he doesn't expect me to learn to play! Just like I don't expect him to take up the never ending millinery hunt with me.
We've got it all worked out pretty well, after all of these years together. If I am lucky enough to have the longevity of my Great Aunt Caroline and live to be over 100, I plan on keeping him around for it.
Not only that, he was invaluable in helping me edit the book. My son has a sharp and critical eye for detail and isn't afraid to let me know if something needs changed in my artwork. It could be irritating, but it isn't because he is usually right.
Plus, did I mention he is a massage therapist??? There was also a FOOT MASSAGE for me after sitting at the computer all day. Yep, he is just about a perfect son.
Its been a good day. Garage sales in the morning, the farmer's market with Sugarwings and her Daddy, then I finished and ordered prints of the book!
Here is the cover.
Beth and I had a craft day at her house yesterday, and I painted this page while we talked. I decided that it is much easier to pack for craft day if I'm just painting a little something. If I am packing for a whole hog craft day project, I have to haul boxes and bags of supplies with me!
Beth has a great studio, there is so much to see there. And it is FULL of vintage treasures. You could say overflowing… We joked about starting a new diet fad, the Craft Room Diet. You fill your studio with so much stuff that you have to lose weight to fit in the room with all of it.
But she was gracious, even though I am one of those guests that you can't get rid of. She even gave me a stack of these pretty bowls.
All the items in this collage are in the Boutique now.
I've ordered just a couple copies to see how they look in person before I offer them to anyone. I sincerely appreciate your support and kind words (and inquiries to buy!!).
