More treasures from friends

I have had a wonderful week so far – nothing but ‘good’.
Can’t say that every week but I can right now.
The weather has been gorgeous one day and rainy/windy the next….but as long as the sun peeks out once in awhile I’m okay.

Although Sunday night we had some awful storms (as did many areas). We were fortunate to just have trees falling on wires causing outages all over our town.

I had mentioned to a ‘friend’ that it would be good to be Amish right then…
I would have gas lanterns
I would not have TV or radio to worry about
I would have a gas generator or propane for my refrigerator
I would have a wood cook stove
Now tell me...what more do you need????

Sometimes I think they have the right idea – depend on yourself and the Lord and not the outside influences that only frustrate us when things go wrong.

On with the ‘treasures’!

Last week I received some beautiful ‘wax bowl filler Pansy’s’ that I ordered from Misi at http://1890gablehousemusings.blogspot.com/
Aren’t they real looking? And you should smell the gorgeous aroma they give off.

Then on Monday I received a package from Kriss at Kountry Porch Primitives:  We did a swap and knew what we were swapping…she saw something I had and I saw a cute pillow she made.
It came in a large box and all grunged up…grunge story follows!   
 

Okay…so here’s just a little bit of what Kriss e-mailed to me that she went through at the post office trying to get a ‘grungy’ package mailed:
”When she looked at the paper on the box (okay...I realize only us prim people get THAT) she said "what is wrong with this!" I laughed and told her it was fine, it's SUPPOSED to look that way, she INSISTED it was leaking and couldn't be mailed! I told her it was a staining process...decorative...she looked at me like I was crazy and wanted to know if the person receiving the package would be happy receiving it THIS way. By this point I was honestly getting angry. I asked her if she could send it priority so I could just get out of there!
Sooooo, you and I get it but she didn't and obviously didn't appreciate my handiwork LOL!!
Talk about going postal LOL”.

I think people that DON’T like Primitive or Grungy JUST DON’T GET IT…am I right? But I did have a good giggle over it.
Thanks so much Kriss…I love it!

Kriss has a give away going on at her blog too…
See what she’s giving
 
Little Blue Saltbox Sampler Pin Keep
This little pillow is from my pattern line and measures approximately 4 3/4 x 4 3/4 and is rag stuffed.
So give yourself a treat and visit her and sign up – you just may win.
http://kountryporchprimitives.blogspot.com/

I haven’t been on the internet much lately – I’ve had a bad case of Bronchitis. Caught it a week ago Saturday and it’s still hanging on even after antibiotics and cough medicine. I think it hangs on no matter what you are given for it. Some things just need to run the course. But I don’t have time for feeling sluggish!!! I’ve been selling my patterns quite nicely…mainly through the Pattern Cupboard. Haven’t sold any from my site. How ironic. I make and sell them but sell better on someone else’s site…strange.

I also have two huge orders from a couple quilt shops that will now sell my patterns…yeah! It took a long time to get them to reply but when they did…WOW.
Hope they re-order and order Christmas ones too.

And…I’m in the process of getting some of my designs made up and patterns too to send to IN GRANDMA’S ATTIC (just outside of Lancaster, PA) for their show which is on the 10-13th of June…go on out there if you live near by. She’s having a Wholesale Cash & Carry as well as a huge sale.
http://ingrandmasattic.blogspot.com/
3545 Lincoln Hwy. (Rt. 30 )
Kinzers, PA. 17535
(717) 442-4337

Made a new design last week – it’s my Pansies in a Watering Can

Close-up – the flowers are not stitched down on this design
 

Karen

What’s up with me…

That’s right…what’s up with this - two posts in a week – can you tell by now I’m in a chatty phase!
Guess it comes from always having to talk to myself because no one here listens – well, listen yes, just not contributing to the other end of the conversation…so it’s you all who gets my chatter!  Lucky You!!!

So on with it….

First…I see today I reached 740 followers…WOW…thank you everyone for being so supportive – it’s because of you that I keep doing this blog.
Every now and then someone comments that isn’t a follower but I LOVE THAT…I visit different blogs too! They are all so wonderful but I think you all realize like me that you can’t get to everyone – so we do what we can.
I kind of have a little system (doesn’t always work but I try).
One day I will use the list on my blog sidebar to go visiting…another time I’ll go from the list on my dashboard – seems I get to some of the one’s I’ve forgotten about.

Sunday I decided to get my Spring flowers out. There were many. I keep buying ones that catch my eye so I think I have enough now. In fact I put a few back in the basement storage.
Here are the color piles I had to work with
Pinks…

Purples…

Yellow/Red/Golds…

And here’s where they all got placed

At the back door on the bench…

Front porch…

Tin in Dining Room…this is on my bench by the stairs, I also put it in front of the windows but Lola likes to play with them so not sure where they will land for sure.

Lavender on Red Pewter Cupboard…

Pinks on top of cupboard in kitchen…

A couple of Pansies on top of Mitten cupboard in kitchen…

Last week we found the Robbins building nests on two of our house lights – both fell down on their own because there just wasn’t a solid base to hold them up there – but there’s some left on the front porch light – maybe mama will come back – not sure.

I froze my ham bone from Easter so on Sunday I also made some Bean and Ham Soup – and I must say it really tasted quite good. Yesterday when we went to visit my aunt I took her a large jar of it and she was very happy! It’s something an 84 year old lady living alone just doesn’t make.

We ate lap top style that evening
(looks rather green like Pea soup doesn’t it…yuk!)

I also made some wonderful Chocolate Chip Cookies
Took auntie some too…

Okay, I’ve bent your ears long enough…but I have one more thing…
I made a new little table mat.
It’s not my design but a ‘Penny Lane’ design.
I revamped it for myself to use on my little table. It caught my eye and so I made it my own with buttons and larger leaves. I won’t put it for sale because it is someone else’s design regardless of the revamping but I wanted to share it with you.

Enjoy…

Karen

Flowers, Kids, 3-D, Shots and gifts

Hi all,

Been a busy day here. We packed a lot into one day -

First I want to share my Easter Flowers…I had purchased a Pink Tulip plant for my Aunt for Easter.
It was 7 inches tall when I bought it on Tuesday and by Friday it was 14 inches and all buds had blossomed out – so I just didn’t want to give her a plant that was almost finished. Amazing what 3 days did to this plant. (we ended up giving her some wonderful ‘truffle’ candy – and she loved it)
Our son and daughter in-law brought a Daffodil plant on Easter
Took this on Tuesday after Easter
 
So today I planted them in the gardens. I should have separated the bulbs but I didn’t  want to aggravate my back and hips by bending and kneeling for too long….so they will get a good start in the ground this Summer and then late Fall I can split them up.

Emily and Joe were here for their last day of Easter break and I felt bad because most of the morning was taken up with big people stuff.

They had to go over to the hospital with me and wait while I had another SI joint injection – yes, it’s back good and strong again!
But before I had the shot the Neurologist spoke with Doug and I about me to getting the RF treatment (Radio Frequency – Nerve Ablation). They will zap (burn) the nerve endings in the hopes that the pain stays away longer than with the shots. So hopefully in 2-3 weeks I’ll have that procedure.

Took them to lunch right after the shot, came home and the kids watched a 3-D movie – (yes…he broke down and yesterday he bought the 3-D glasses, 3-D Blue-Ray player).
I’m not real impressed with 3-D but it’s part of the TV even if we never use it.
 
The movie was about the Ocean – not too pretty looking without glasses
- but you can see double exposure – this is something built in the sand.

I’m very slow with my Rug Hooking project. I ran out of background green and was going to buy some more but I checked in my big tote of colors and found a very large bunch almost the same green so I’m mixing them and you can’t even tell the difference…but I like the variegated look.
And I like the design as well…it’s going on my black Windsor chair and I think I might purchase another one for my other chair.

I had the most wonderful surprise in the mail today…a package from Jen Taylor
( http://taylorsfarmhouseattic.blogspot.com/ )
How she found the time with all that has been happening with her family/extended family is beyond me. She’s such a dear friend and so talented.
Just look at these beautiful Pillow Tucks with HER OWN DESIGNS and filled with the most aromatic ‘Lavender’.  THANK YOU JEN!

I also took my flower pots over to the garden center and picked out plants – they will do the work and keep them until the 3rd week of May so they get a good start in the greenhouse. Last year I did my own and they just didn’t have the ‘look’ that they do.

I’ll leave you with this picture of my two kitties sunning themselves in the doorway today – such a life! If it wasn’t for the sun you would NEVER see them this close…EVER!!!

Hope you all have a safe and wonderful weekend.

Karen

TV, Cancellations, Winning, Dinner

Such a mixed up heading!
But that’s what this week has been – besides the weather being crappy the beginning of the week and causing our ‘first’ of 5 golf lessons to be cancelled there has been a lot going on.
We signed up for a series of 5 lessons to hopefully help me with my golf – I can’t say I’m a ‘golfer’ yet – I’ve gone several times the last couple years but nothing has changed for the better. I swing, sometimes I hit the ball, sometimes I score decent…most times I score lousy. So it’s time to get some help.
Hopefully this Monday it will be nice weather so it’s not called off again.
Doug is taking the lessons right along with me to see just what they are teaching me and also he said the lessons would not hurt him either.

The rest of the week was as lousy as the weather….our TV decided to die, and in our house there has to be a TV – I personally can live without one but there is someone else here that ‘needs his TV’.
That was Wednesday night it happened so Thursday he went and purchased a new one….same size as the old one – Panasonic, 50 inch Plasma with 3D – although the 3D was not what we wanted but it came in the TV – and the extras the TV has is incredible.

Old TV on floor (well, it’s not really old in my mind – 6 years old I personally think it should have more life than that)

Brett helping get it hooked up

Basically it works – at least it looks like it works doesn’t it???

But…it really didn’t work properly….the darned thing was blurry so Saturday our other son came over early before our family Easter dinner and helped Doug take it back and they gave us a different one – this one is perfect…FINALLY

So on to something fun….I won a darling Chick from Brenda from http://therustythimble.blogspot.com/ 
She drew my name in her last Give A-Way! THANK YOU BRENDA
She does such wonderful work…I’m always in awe at the quality of her products.

My Lola had to check her out too!
Look at the Pipe Cleaner feet on this little darling…too cute.

Last night we had our family Easter Dinner here.
Everyone had plans for today so it worked out great this way.

Alexandra our oldest granddaughter brought her boyfriend, Tyler, along.
She had gone into O'Hare earlier yesterday to pick him up for his 3 weeks home form the Air Force. Aren’t they cute???

This was the middle of January when she flew down to San Antonio, TX while he was in basics.

Here they are in September at my nephew’s wedding…what a difference 6 months and the ‘service’ does to a young man!
 

Speaking of Alex…She turns 18 next month and graduates in June. These are a few shots for graduation pictures, but she didn’t choose any of these – guess I’m going to have to wait until June to find out.
  
 

 

Guess I didn’t leave anything out of this post – it sure is long enough - I haven’t been on for quite awhile and had lots to catch up on.

Hope you all are enjoying your Easter holiday!

Karen

So many new things…

WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY!
Not sure what to start with first – maybe the purchases from last weeks shopping.
I have a thing for Chocolate Molds but don’t like to pay much for them so when I find one at a reasonable price I buy it.
I purchased the two molds on my cupboard…the bunny and the chick.
They stand about 8 inches so they’re nice size.
I sometimes want to change out this step back cupboard and put other things in it but then I think I’d miss the look of the Pewter along with the red cupboard. So it’s probably always going to look like this.
I love change but IF I get something
I LOVE, it stays!

I also found a wood painting for our screen room.
Doug put it up in the peak but after he got it up and I had a chance to look at it for awhile…I don’t care for it there.
So it will most likely go on the house by our kitchen door, above the bench.
Trial and error!
Sorry about the fan blade – no way to get a straight on photo.
Plus you can’t read what it says - “Sunshine Welcome Here”

Most of you are busy putting out your Spring goodies…I’m still waiting until the weather says NO MORE SNOW…it still wanted to do it over the weekend.
But  for Easter I did bring up my wire tree and added the
Tin Bunny Chocolate Molds and Carrots to it and then I found my Primitive Easter Grass that I had stashed away.
Forgot about it last year and found it this week.
So I added it around the base and put my Yellow Ware Eggs around. Sometime I hope to find more of the Carrots and Bunnies because it’s rather sparse.

Close-up

And I added some potted Purple flowers
to a basket and the Mache Rabbit

And some fun Chicks to the top of my Pantry
Oh, I bought the plate too…thought it went
well with my Penny Rugs – plus I love the verse.
Better picture of the plate before I placed it

And this wonderful sheep picture…now not sure where it’s going.
Great size too -  14 x 18

Those are my goodies from last week and a bit of Easter

Yesterday my brother and his wife came over and we went  Antiquing – that’s all that was open on a Monday – the nice Prim shops are all closed on Monday’s but it didn’t seem to stop us.
Doug took my brother over to the fitness center to use up some of our free passes and when they got back we all went to lunch and then shopping.
I didn’t get much except some bowls.
One is an antique Yellow Ware with Blue stripes
The top is rather rough so I got it for $18.00
It’s 8-1/2 inches round x 5 inches tall

And this set of Pyrex glass bowls in a gorgeous deep brick red, even though they show up brighter here, and they go perfectly with all my dishes! Bonus!!!
And they were $18.00 as well.

Let’s see what else…oh, my twine is always getting tangled up and I found this at our local Greenhouse – twine in a can!
No more tangles and it even has a cutter on it. And it sticks out of the hole so no more loosing ends. Oh and YES, it was overpriced but I had to have it!!

 

MANY OF YOU HAVE ASKED WHERE TO GET THIS TWINE IN A CAN…HERE’S THE LINK:

http://www.plumbersurplus.com/Prod/Luster-Leaf-402-Rapiclip-325-Natural-3-Ply-Twine/203976/Cat/1047?utm_medium=referral

Remember my pattern venture…IT’S WONDERFUL
I have sold so many on The Pattern Cupboard and guess what….I heard from a Quilt shop. Quilting-B’s in Cortland, Ohio. She said she is interested and will purchase my patterns!

ANNNNDDDDD….Ben Franklin in Delevan is  very interested so I will take patterns there this week or next week.
So I guess it’s finally coming around – boy it takes time.

And don’t forget, you can order directly from me just send an e-mail. You can find them in the tab at the top of the blog.
Please wish me luck with it all.

Karen