SPRING HAS BLOSSOMED!!!

Okay let's be real here. I see everyone posting pictures of beautiful spring blossoms as a sure sign of Spring.

Here at OUR house, these dandelions are the sure sign that spring has arrived!!!
Forget the fat red breasted robins hopping about pulling up big fat juicy worms. These suckers are blooming 'amok' all over the yard and flower beds. I don't have to do anything to make them multiply--they reproduce in the blink of an eye, laughing the entire time!

I was positive yesterday there were only three yellow heads in the back yard. This morning there must be 3 ZILLION!

I know. I know. I forget their true worth. I had handfuls of these 'pitty flowers mommy for you" through the years and proudly displayed them in small glasses all over the house. Now grand daughters are bringing them in to share their beauty with me.

I remember as a child my brothers and I, or my friends would pick the small yellow heads and hold them up under each other's chin's. If a yellow 'shadow' appeared then you "liked butter or mustard" If not, then you didn't like either. I used to hold great store in that undeniable 'truth.'

How many fuzzy seed heads did you pick, make a wish, then blow into the air to see them float lazily across the yard---hopefully to land in the neighbor's lawn and not yours?

And what about the dandelion necklaces and bracelets we made picking the stems and tying the ends together? The finest 'jewelery' of childhood.

My parents had a friend that made dandelion wine every year. As regular as clock work, they received a fifth of that wine every Christmas.

I don't remember seeing them ever drink it. I just remember it being pink and I was disappointed it wasn't yellow.

So cheers to the 'dandelion' the true harbinger of spring!

Sitting Quietly Remembering........

Tonite when we tucked the girls into bed, I said "Tomorrow Mommy and Daddy will be here!" Five yr old Nakiah did a few bounces on the bed with Yah's and squeals of excitement. Two yr old Tovi Joi thought I meant they were here now. She jumped out of bed and ran down the hall calling "Mama Mama" going as fast as her little legs could take her. She was devastated when she realized they were not here. Tomorrow is not a concept most 2 yr olds understand.

She snuggled in my neck and cried her heart out for "Mama". It broke my heart. They have been so good and well behaved for Oma and Opa all week. They haven't missed their "Mama" until tonite. Oh my dear heart! This one in particular looks exactly like her mommy at the same age, complete with the flair for the dramatic.

That little soft skin pressed into my 'not so soft' skin brought back a flood of memories of four little ones that called me 'mama' and wanted only me or 'dada'for comfort for 'boo boo's' and broken hearts until they were much older.

Those years were gone in a flash. I remember them like yesterday. Today they are adults---wonderful, loving, caring adults with babes of their own crying for 'mama'
or 'dada' to kiss away their small hurts.

What utter joy it is to watch the evolution of love and procreation. To witness the growth of your own children and then the bonus special of their children is so delicious!

It's like the BlUE LIGHT SPECIAL at K MART. Oma and Opa get to be an important part of their lives on such a different level.

We loved and cherished our children and every new thing they said or did---at least until the teen yrs and some things 'said' were better left 'unsaid."

But now we get to relive those same awe filled moments with even a sweeter flavor.
WE were so busy 'working and making a life for our family' and 'taking care of all we needed to' we didn't get to sit back and savor as much as we do now.

Thank You God for giving us this wonderful chance to experience such precious moments
all over again.

FUN WITH OMA

We have been busy all week with two of our grand daughters. Nakiah is 5 and her sister Tovi Joi is 2 on Earth Day!

We decided to make cookies last night. This recipe is an oldie from the 60's and courtesy of http://www.writemamawrite.typepad.com/. I love this blog


mixing it together


co-operative effort


OOPS


cutting out the cookie dough



the final product!

More of the Kitchen

This is one of my favorite new lights. We originally put all store bought light fixtures in every room. The house just didn't have enough of us in it. I saw something like this one in a decorating catalog. I took an old lamp shade and removed the shade part. I wrapped all the metal with torn strips from and old tattered cutter quilt. I bought reproduction vintage handkerchiefs at a nearby shop. I folded them in half and attached them to the shade base. I hung tea cups from both our grandmothers by different colored ribbon. I still have to wrap quilt around the long cord that hangs from the ceiling. I would be happy to share the directions with anyone who may be interested.









this is an antique letter sorter bought from a post office in a small town(vantage) in washington. The finish is pretty much off and the dividers were missing. I use it to show off my grandmother's salt and pepper shakers and a few small memorabilia.



this is the end of the kitchen where john's grandmother's old oak table is. It was taken out of small town saloon, complete with bullet hole before they refinished it.
on the wall is some of my salvaged collectibles along with some new.

this slider replaces a large picture window and opens out onto a new covered deck.

this is my favorite addition. They took part of the dining room and made this walk in pantry. It helps with storage of big appliances and foodstuff and whatever.



This is one corner in the kitchen that shows off john's great aunties advertising boxes stacked and attached to the oven wall. they house their red and white enamel ware pots and pans. I also am collecting raggedy ann and andy's and baby sock monkeys for the girls to play with with they are at Oma's. This is their favorite spot to play.



this shows the counter space and some of my sign emphemera. a few were salvaged from the fire a lot were lost.

Around the House!

Most of you know we had a major fire and had to rebuild the total interior of our house three years ago. We loved our little house with all the weird sponge painted walls and antique/vintage decorating I was so into.

I still am. But along with the rebuilding, the house took on a different personality. We didn't see it coming and we were floored at first.

Everything is brand new and beautiful. We got to pick our own tile and colors and
what not. We did salvage as much as possible. The most important was the family pictures and heirloom pieces passed down through the family. Some are worse for wear and others no longer with us, but we did reincorporate them as much as possible in our planning.

For months John and I wandered from room to room and admired the newness and the additions. It is beautiful. We love it. We miss the identity we had with it for 30 years. Where the kids stood straight against the brick fireplace wall in the kitchen, (and several of their friends) and bright colored tape marked their new heighth, now are new brick tiles that Bethany and Bryce put up for us. They are very neat and orderly and we still have to add the caulking between.

We both miss the marks our children made on that wall but they will be forever in our hearts. When I see the new tile I still can see the kids trying to stand on tiptoe while their Dad measured their growth. He would catch them and we would all have a good laugh.





We were able to salvage our wonderful one of a kind stove. I insisted. The contractors thought I was nuts. This stove has been the main ingredient of every meal I have cooked and baked for all of us for over 30 years.
There is no other like it. It had to be completely refurbished and rewired but it will always sit in a place of honor. I will use it til i can't.

It was bought from The House of Webster in Roger's Arkansas when we first moved into our house in 1975. They no longer make them. It was made from original molds from wood stoves in the 1850's. They electrified them and sold them for many years.

It has a small oven but we always seemed to manage with a microwave and a bbq grill for bigger celebrations or much planning ahead.



It has changed in that it used to have a black porcelain top that was seriously damaged from the high heat of the fire. The kind man who refinished it had a stainless steel top made for it.



With the refurbished stove in place, we also updated our kitchen to include a built in microwave and a big oven. it is also a convection oven but I have yet to master that part of the high tech stuff. I can tell you it is a very nice addition and adds so much more cooking availability for family get-togethers.

Our family continues to grow and this new kitchen will accomodate those additions for years to come.

I will post pics of more of the kitchen tomorrow. stay tuned.

The Hand Has IT

A few years ago I found two large porcelain hand molds from Germany that I love.
One is here in my studio and one in the bathroom to hold our hand towel.

In my search on ebay to find more I came across someone selling these glove molds that are a bit different. I was sure I could 'give them as gifts' or collage on them.


This was a gift and I used found stuff from my stash. This was for a friend who is the Wish Coordinator for Wishing Star Foundation. (www.wishingstarfoundation.org)


Another gift. I love the contrast of the red hearts with the white. I am also a collector of hearts and use them often in my crafts.



This is my very favorite so far. I collaged papers over this one then added other embellishments. It brightens up a shelf in one area of the bathroom.

EASTER FUN

This is one of my newest projects for special ones for Easter.
I made this 'chocolate bunny' out of styrofoam and paper clay with aluminum foil and masking tape for an armature.

His whiskers here are from my broom. I know they look like dry spaghetti! I have since bought a small broom with clear plastic to use and it looks more realistic.

I made a dozen.

Hello. I would like to welcome all of you to my little corner of the world. I have enjoyed reading all the other blogs out there for crafting and decorating
and just sharing daily life. At the prompting of some of my friends this is my attempt to join the rest of you.

I am recently disabled and get to stay home full time to pursue the dream of creativity.

I want to share that with anyone who is interested.

The photo is my special corner in my studio. I recovered an old family chair and it is so soft and comfy.

Faith is what keeps me going every day. My Kitty 'Callie' is my constant companion and this is her favorite corner in here when she isn't sitting on my laptop.

Welcome everyone.