Saturday, January 30, 2010

Happy Birthday Daddy

Today is a very special man's birthday...my daddy...

Here are his parents, my grandparents on their anniversary...

Me and dad and Lola - Fall 2009

This one goes way back - I think I was 18 or 19 at my friends' wedding with my dad...

Way back to when I was a year old with my dad and older brothers - just call me grumpy!

At Christmas in my teen years...

On my wedding day - walking down the aisle...

Big hair was in!

And this was this past fall 2009 - shopping with my dad at Home Depot!

Love U Dad!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

A Collection....

Bride and Groom wedding cake toppers....one of my many obsessions...






Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Aprons Anybody??


I have been a busy beaver sewing away at my machine making these lovelies...full and half aprons. Can be used in the kitchen or in the craft room - either way they are sure to please. Take a gander at my etsy shop if you are interested...

I will be adding more different items soon in my shop! I'll keep you posted...

Monday, January 25, 2010

Happy Monday


Sunday, January 24, 2010

Looking Back


I spent a day last week looking for some certain photos to use in a "secret" project I'm making and came across many old photos of myself. Photos of me that I don't even remember...my past that I don't have any recollection of...a time of my life which seems like it belonged to someone else. As I look at the photos I remember the places that the pictures were taken, but I don't remember myself as a child. I wonder if this happens to everyone? Or do some people remember their life growing up as a child? I remember a few things, but much escapes my memory.
I find this sad...sad to realize that someday my own children won't remember their lives growing up in our home and all the special things we did as a family. I guess I can remind them while I am still here on this earth...remind them that they were special...that they had love in their lives...that their mom and dad were and are proud of their accomplishments...that we thought they were the cutest kids that walked the earth...that we can hardly believe that so many years have gone by in what seems like a blink of an eye.
We as parents want our children to grow up too fast - and then when they are grown up, we wish they were small again. Because if they were small again we could somehow control what they are doing in their lives...if they were small again we could change the way we brought them up and somehow do it a little better or different. We only want the best for our children and when we think that somehow we have failed as parents, we would go back in a heartbeat to change things. There are so many things that I would do differently...better...wiser...doing it out of love instead of reacting on impulse. But, being that I was never a parent before, I was growing in this role just as my child was growing in age. So in a sense we were learning and growing together. Learning from our mistakes and moving on...living one day at a time and hoping for the best for our children. Now as they approach adulthood I hope that they can take what we have given and taught them and go forward in life to make a difference in this world. A positive difference that they can show others. A legacy...and, when they look at photos of themselves as children I hope that they can recall the memories of their childhood, and all the love and care and time that was spent on them. I hope that they can remember all of this and smile...

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Girlfriends...

Is it time to commit me? I've started naming my jewelry and I think I might be a little crazy...crazy for anything that reminds me of the good ol' days gone by.

Back in September a girlfriend and I spent a week together here. Since our workshops were only a few days out of our week together, we decided to have our own "jewelry workshop" at home. We each took out all our supplies that we had brought and started planning our jewelry projects. I knew that I wanted to incorporate an old tin-type photo that I had on hand, so I went with the color scheme of the photo. It worked for me because I love black!

Baubles, beads, charms, rhinestones, old watch faces, charms, chandelier crystals...these were all part of the plan for my necklace. When I was done creating, I truly had made something that was so me. I love it!!

So, without further ado, here is the "Girlfriends" necklace...

Love it!


Side view...


Other side...


So, do you think it is time that I am committed or do you agree with me that some things just need a name and that this one fits perfectly!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Voila!

The unveiling of my daughter's bedroom...a guest room while she is away at university. Everybody loves this bed and says that it is the most comfortable bed to sleep in. When my daughter came home for Christmas break and saw her "new room" she was not taken with it. She said she loved her old room (yuck - blue and green!) and that this room would have to grow on her. I love it and how it turned out - I wish I could sleep in here!

The lace panel in the window was from the Queen of Tarte's barn sale. I purchased four of these panels from Annie, Fannie and Abigail who had lots of treasures there. It was ivory (if you look here you will see how I used it at my sister's wedding) but I dyed one panel black so I could use it in this room.

I'm still working on something else for above the bed but I stuck this candle holder up for the time being...

The shelf that used to be blue but now is painted black...

The other side of the room...

Some red boa feathers for fun...

Pillows from HomeSense - my favorite store for great finds...

A lampshade I altered with some old sheet music and an image from the front of some old song sheet...

My grandma's old hat box and some vintage black hats...

I love this box!

This is a great beehive hat with lovely cream millinery flowers...

Another great hat...


This was a hat my grandma had in the hatbox - this old red book I purchased at the vendor faire at art and soul portland...

A close-up...

I love this old clock face...

An old nancy ann doll and vintage pressed glass jar...

Such a cute face...

This one is a bit "googly-eyed"...

And of course there would be a red and black chandelier!

These are some old cameos...I don't know whether to repurpose them and make some jewelry from them?

Well, my daughter is just going to have to get used to the fact that her mom loves the color red and everything she touches turns to this color...even her bedroom! After all, she is only home 4 months out of the year so my decision rules!

Since I can't afford to go and visit Paris, I can visit this room and dream that I am there. I think it has a bit of that "feel" to it - do you?

Friday, January 15, 2010

Sisters

Circa 1983...27 years ago
My 21st Birthday Party....a surprise party
Rose Court Apartments...great times with great roommates
Campbell, CA...warm California weather
Relaxing in the pool with my sisters...fun
The memories it brings back...priceless

Me and Melissa...


Me and Jen...



A trip back in time to those carefree days of childhood and becoming an adult...

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Putting It Off


Just as I was late in getting all the Christmas decor up, it is taking just as long to take it down...possibly because I am catching up on all the blogs I follow and relaxing with these two gals. Which would you rather do? Stare into these two adorable faces or stare into the task at hand of undressing the tree and boxing up ALL of the Christmas frills that adorn EVERY room in your house?? I know my answer and the proof is in the picture! A day without the love of a dog is, well, just an ordinary day. A day with the love of a dog is an EXTRAORDINARY day! What would we do without them?

I hope you have been more productive than me!