Friday's Fabulous Finds...

I spy with my Etsy eye... 

a week at the beach!

Clockwise, starting top left:

Paper Collage Art

Beach Umbrella Photograph

Crab Watercolor

Beach Towel

Accent Pillow Cover

We're going to enjoy a week at the Outer Banks
with all 26 members of our immediate family!
Wishing you and yours a beautiful Memorial Day weekend.

Bloomin' Tuesday

We have had a crazy spring this year. We were still getting snow a couple of weeks ago, but I believe spring has finally sprung in Colorado and last week I bought hundreds of flowers and planted away! I planted our tiered garden with impatiens like I do every year. There are a bagillion little impatiens buds in the first tier. They will fill in the area surrounding my birdie fountain in no time...

Have you ever seen a Dappled Willow bush? I hadn't seen any in our stores till this year, so I bought a couple to put in containers. I know they are usually planted in the ground, but I thought it would make a beautiful addition to a pot. It'll only last a season, but at $15 a bush (Home Depot) it made for an inexpensive container plant. It's so pretty and unusual with its mottled leaves and patches of pale pink.

Here's another planting that is new to our garden this year. I took a chance and decided to plant some ornamental grasses in a few of our containers, and I'm so glad I did. Planting in pots is a great way to feature grasses without the worry of them spreading or taking over a garden. I love the height they add to a grouping of containers. I added some impatiens and lobelias at the base of the grasses. This will definitely be something I repeat in years to come...

I bought some gorgeous already-potted geraniums this year. The blossoms on these plants are as big as a salad plate and the bright colors are stunning...

And finally, we got one of our square foot gardens planted. Four tomato plants, one banana pepper, one yellow squash, one zucchini and one eggplant (see flower below) fill the 4'x8' space on one side of our yard. We'll have to plant the veggie garden on the other side of the yard when we get back from our vacation.

Linked to:
Bloomin' Tuesday @ Ms. Green Thumb Jean

On another much more important level, my heart goes out to those in Oklahoma today. 

Prayers are being sent your way.

Basement Bathroom Redo...

Long ago I remember saying to my husband as we were having our new home built, "Let's just have some less-expensive cabinets and fixtures installed in the basement bathroom, and in a few years when we can afford better we can update." That was 21 years ago. It's amazing how 21 years can slip through your fingers. When it came right down to it there were many more things we chose to spend our money on -- like shoes, tacos, piano lessons and shin guards for our seven growing children. Truth be told there was plenty of moolaa spent on crafts during that time as well! Twenty-one years later we're finally updating that bathroom, and hot-diggity it's about time! We had this renovation set to begin in January, but "life happened" and our contractor was laid up for awhile. Then we had to delay it on our end because our daughter and her family moved in for a couple of months while their new home was being built. Today the demolition began. Here are a couple of "before" pictures taken in January. I love how I capture myself in the mirror of the first photo...

I didn't enlarging the "before" photos like I usually do for blog posts -- too embarrassing. This bathroom was begging for an update.

This is what the bathroom looks like today -- after a day of demolition...

I'll go ahead and enlarge those photos. It's sad when you'd rather enlarge photos from a bathroom demolition than the "before" pictures. It speaks volumes. ;o}

Over the course of the next two weeks there will be a lot of changes made. As you can see the bathroom has been brought down to the studs in some areas. I can't wait to finally see all the improvements. This week we leave for a family reunion in the Outer Banks, so much of the progress in the bathroom will be completed without our seeing each step. Fortunately, we have a very trustworthy handyman doing the work!  I'm so excited!

In the meantime, we'll be enjoying this view of the Outer Banks with all our kids and grandkids...

Can't wait!

Friday's Fabulous Finds...

I spy with my Etsy eye some...

spring green.

Clockwise, starting top left:

Knitted Mug Cozy

Vintage Tea Cups

Sugar & Creamer Set

Avocado Tea Towel 

Crocheted Chameleon 

Wishing you a beautiful spring weekend!

"Vintage" Pouch

I've mentioned before that my mother is going through the "downsizing" process. As a result the last few months she's been whittling down her belongings to accommodate a smaller space. A while ago I became the recipient of some cute little vintage fabric embroidered napkins...

There were only three, so I wasn't sure what I'd do with them, but I knew I wanted to repurpose them in some way. Last time I was at my mother's, she gave one of the granddaughters her sewing machine. Before it was taken away, mom went through her sewing supplies and kept a few things that might come in handy in the future. We put those in a little baggie and tucked them away.

The napkins came to mind when I decided I'd make my mother a little sewing kit -- a bag for her thread, needles, pins, and scissors. I thought one of these little pouches would be better storage for her sewing supplies than a baggie!

I cut the embroidered corner off the napkins and situated it on the front piece of the pouch and made three different versions with three different fabrics...

I haven't decided which one I'll give my mom, but I'm leaning toward the orange leafed one.

I just thought I'd throw this idea out there.
I'm may not be the only one wondering what to do with three vintage napkins.
;o)

Fabulous Friday Finds...

I spy with my Etsy eye... 

berries.

Clockwise, starting top left:

Hand Painted Earrings

Strawberry Fabric

Pincushion

Cup Cozy

Berry Colander

Wishing you a lovely spring weekend.

Vintage Dresses...

A few weeks ago my husband and I flew to California for a special event. My mother was celebrating her 90th birthday, so we spent the weekend with her. As a surprise for my mom our children also came from all over the U.S. to be in on the festivities. It was an amazing weekend. Here's a four generation photo of my granddaughter, my daughter, my mother and me. My mother is so beautiful, isn't she?

While there my mother gave my daughters two dresses that she had kept safe for years. They were her mother's (my grandmother's) dresses. We asked the girls to try them on to see if they fit. We were amazed that they seemed to be made just for them...

My daughter Jillian was given a gorgeous black velvet three piece dress. The sleeves were made of beautiful lace and the pocket (you can't really see it in the photo) has beautiful beading...

My daughter Shannon had visited my mother in December. While there Shannon found this beautiful beaded dress and instantly fell in love. The dress was my grandmother Lillie's wedding dress. Lillie was married in 1922 -- so the dress is 91 years old and in perfect condition. The beading and ribbon work on this dress is so amazing...

Shannon is also modeling a {real} 90 year old fox stole.
Don't judge -- they did things differently back then.
;o)

Since many of those who read my blog are sewers, I thought you might like to see these vintage dresses. I know that my daughters consider their great-grandmother's dresses beautiful treasures, and they were so grateful to be gifted them.

Friday's Fabulous Finds...

Just checking in to let you know I'm still alive. ;o) This last month has been a busy one with trips and family. We've had three grandkids (and their parents) living with us for the last five weeks while their new home is being built. Blogging has taken a back seat during that time, which is how it should be! This next month is going to be just as busy. Blog posts will be sporadic at best until mid June! In the meantime, here's a little Fabulous Friday love...

I spy with my Etsy eye...

some periwinkle!

Clockwise, starting top left:

Constellation Mobile

Writing Set

Periwinkle Night Stand

Photograph
Fabric Necklace
Wood Lampshade

Wishing you a fabulous May!