From ‘here’ to ‘there’ and back again!

Yep, on Wednesday we headed out to Pennsylvania for 3 reasons.
#1 we needed a getaway
#2 we had orders to deliver
#3 we were meeting up with a blog friend…reason #3 is first in my book!

Not sure why we picked now to head on out but maybe cabin fever – do you all have that right now?
There’s still tons of snow on the ground here and no sun – thought a short trip might do it.

We left on Wednesday and stayed overnight near Margie of Hungry Hook Primitives – before heading out on Thursday for Lancaster we met up with Margie and her husband Jim for breakfast.
Our husbands are such troopers – Doug carried in a big shopping bag of goodies for Margie and her husband carried in a big basket of wool for me…lol
We had the most enjoyable hour and a half visiting, laughing, catching up on each others families and exchanging gifts.
Margie is known for her Wool and Rug Hooking and I was blessed with both -  along with wonderful company.
I got a shot of Margie as she was getting out of her car…and look…it’s snowing…we didn’t get too far out of snow country and it came down hard in spots.
 

Oh I love this gal…she’s just as sweet in person as on her blog…she’s fun, intelligent and so cute!!!!  Her and Jim make a beautiful couple.

After lots of fun getting to know each other better we exchanged our gifts and I got to choose wool from the basket Jim brought in.
I got an adorable creation of Margie's…her Spring Chick Pillow…isn’t it adorable!

And a cute little ‘friends’ plaque

And some wonderful Wool!
 

And after all that I shopped for more wool in the wool basket!

I had purchased this pack of Green wool from her site and she brought it along too.

All of it together…quite a stack huh???

We intended to go to the Quilt Show at the Lancaster Convention Center on Thursday but all the parking garages were full so we shopped instead – but on Friday we did get into the show and I found a couple bundles of wool…not very big pieces in each bundle but I liked the colors

One of the booths had some adorable purses…I bought one to use as a glasses case as I don’t have one  and it worked perfect!  It’s all felted wool.

I did find a neat pair of ‘thread snips’ at one of the booths.

Oh and two little squares of a pretty wool felt – a color I do not have but might have to buy a bolt of it now that I’ve seen it for real.  I think it will work up nicely in my designs.  It’s kind of a goldish/brownish/orangie color

During the two days we were out there we did a bit of shopping – nothing special.
My favorite purchase is one Doug wanted…a huge long basket.  Not sure how I will display it though.  Might go on the dining room table with Geraniums or possibly 3 large battery candles and some Forsythia sprigs entwined around the candles.

And a silly purchase but I needed pot holders so when we were at Central Market I bought two from an Amish lady.  She said I picked out ones with true Amish colors!

This candle is huge…and smells so fresh like Spring

Up at Day’s Gone By Creations shop in Lititz she had these hand made sheep –  the wool on the body is from the actual sheep he styled the sheep after.

And some Robin’s Egg Blue eggs for one of my birds nests

Hope you enjoyed my little getaway post…still waiting for Spring here – it will arrive I know but it’s becoming a very long Winter here in Wisconsin.

Darren sent a new picture of Miranda just before we left…she’s sure getting to be a big girl.

Karen

Candle Glow…and a simple change

Being Winter is still here in southeast Wisconsin I will stay in that mode for awhile anyway – and so will the look inside my home.
I should bring out my Spring and Easter but it’s buried and I can’t get at it…it will happen soon enough though.
I love the glow of candles giving the home a warm cozy look.
I keep my lights / candles on most of the time.  Some may say it’s a waste of energy for the electric ones, but I live here and want to enjoy what I have.
So this post will be a short one and mostly pictures I took around the house this week.

First I want to show you what I did with my wall cabinet in the family room.

It has been there since the day we. put it up…never moved it and it has become ugly to me now – and the top was pulling away and I was afraid it might fall down and sure didn’t want it to happen with one of the little grand's here so Doug fixed it and we moved it.
I also have a wall cabinet in the bedroom on the dresser – was growing tired of it too – been there for at least 3 years.

BEFORE – GLASS DOOR CABINET IN FAMILY ROOM…

NOW – BLUE CABINET IN FAMILY ROOM…
It won’t stay decorated like this but I only do so much at one time right now and these things were at hand.

BEFORE -  BLUE CABINET IN BEDROOM…
 

NOW – GLASS DOOR CABINET IN BEDROOM…

I like the changes a lot – cabinet size was not a whole lot different but the color changes I love.  Funny how one little thing like that can make one smile.

So on with the glow of candles…the candles are not real…I use all battery operated ones.
Oh and I have found that the ‘timed’ battery operated candles wear out way faster than the regular ones.  I will try from now on to purchase only reg. ones. And if they are running low and turn them on – they shut off like within a minute or so. We replace batteries far too often with those.
 

 

 

 

 

  

  

   

I hope you liked the warm glow of lights and candles today!

It’s pretty hard to find things to post about when I don’t get out much or buy much anymore – I’ve had two outings of fun so to speak since on the mend and that’s not much.

Got something in the works for this coming week but not sure if it will materialize for me because of my back but I’m sure hoping…I need something fun to smile about.  If it does work out you will see a picture of a blog friend  who a lot of you know!

Hope you all have a happy and fun weekend. Stay safe.

P.S.  IF YOU HAVE SOME FAVORITE SHOPS IN THE NEW ENGLAND STATES I’D LOVE A LIST OF THEM…HOPEFULLY WILL BE ABLE TO GO TO SOME THIS SUMMER!

Karen

So Happy – So Sad – So Frustrated…but then again…life is good

Oh I get so mad at computers - I had a post pretty much done and ready to click publish and the cord came out of the back and I lost the post. I should know by now to SAVE – SAVE - SAVE.  It was one of the first things that was drilled into our heads when I was on computers at work. Save every 5 minutes or so and you will not get into this fix.   Well I guess I didn’t learn.
But the reason I lost it was because the battery is completely dead on my computer so the cord HAS TO BE PLUGGED IN - if it pops out, which it does often, then it shuts off immediately.  Except for that the computer really runs like a charm.

So here I am again trying to remember what I posted.  Don’t forget you can click on pictures to make them larger.

I’m starting off by shouting out a huge THANK YOU  to Lecia of Farmhouse Prims Blog. She is just the dearest lady.  Saturday I went to the mailbox and found a package from her as a ‘JUST BECAUSE’ gift - now isn’t that nice.  She had other reasons but I won’t go into it - but let’s just say she is very appreciative and also very tender hearted.  You can find her here:   http://farmhouseprims.blogspot.com/

Some of you may have already received her beautiful bonnets - well I just got one and she does fantastic work.  I love it Lecia - THANK YOU AGAIN.
I have it hanging in my hallway so I see it every day…
It’s a gorgeous Black with an Ivory design - PERFECT.
  
Look at the quilt stitching on the hat part - beautiful 

Last Thursday Doug and I headed into Milwaukee to State Fair Park to the RV/Camper show – wow…so many wonderful RV’s out there – some are better than living in homes.  We were mostly interested in the 5th Wheel kind but that still took us 3 hours to go through them all - the place is huge and I wore myself out going up and down the steps with Doug's helping had of course - I would never have been able to do it otherwise.  My butt muscles were sore by evening time – hadn’t done anything that strenuous since the surgery.  Won’t again for awhile - lol  But I doubled up on my pain patches that morning so I could do it.  We saw a few we liked but won’t be buying one as of yet - I have said no to so many things Doug has wanted to do so thought I had better say yes something -  the day was fun and I needed an outing too. 

Sunday after church we went over to Brett/Heathers for a little brunch so we could hear all about Joe’s trip to Monterey Bay, CA.  He went there with 17 7th and 8th graders to explore Ocean life with the JASON PROJECT.
We’re so proud of him  and his sister Emily - she went to Disney World 2 years ago for the project.

Waiting at airport in Milwaukee - Joe is the 3rd on the left from bottom

On the rocks of the bay – Joe - middle back row
 

I made a Blueberry/Cream coffee cake to take along to brunch - got the recipe from Pinterest (oh I love that site)
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Blueberry-Coffee-Cake-4
I hope you try this recipe - it’s easy and so very moist – there’s a crumble on the top but it’s hard to see here.

So what else has happened here – oh, I’m ready to send out a wholesale order but wanted to show you a couple of the items she ordered - they are new so I will now have them on my site.
I also added a few more Penny Rugs last week.

I’m saying this with pride – my husband spoils me!  At times things go on as normal but over the weekend he surprised me with the DOWNTON ABBEY DVD’S.  We have now watched all of season One and today he brought home disc 1 of season Two.
He does listen now and then!!!  And this time a very lovely surprise came out of it.  So we both are now hooked on this fantastic series.  I never heard of it until I stumbled on to it on FB – a place I rarely go but someone mentioned it and it sounded like a ‘craze’ was happening. Who out there has been watching it?  And where have I been – lol

 

 

My sadness to this post is that my step-mother passed away Sunday evening – she has been ill for the past 3 months but the last 3 weeks has been the worst.
Quite awhile ago I told the story about her and my step-dad - they basically are neither to me - but have been in my life since I was 15. 
Virginia is in the front-right - Boots is in the front-left.
Today they would have been married 42 years!  She was 91 last month and he will be 90 in May. They have been a part of my life for so long - but not related.
Yesterday morning I was sitting here debating whether to go down and visit her or wait till the middle of the week and something just didn’t seem right…I put down my sewing and said to Doug ‘we are leaving right now’ - and when we walked in I knew she was gone. She passed at 10pm the night before - he was just going to call us when we got there.  I must have felt his message getting to me or something.  But it’s a blessing. 
Boots sat by her side at home for 3 days – never going to bed or changing his clothes. He would not leave her side.  Bless his heart. He did the same thing for my mother when they were married.  So sad he had to go through this 2 times.  He’s a spry, take care of himself, on the go man…still drives.  He will be sad but he knows this was for the best.  You would never know they were 90!

Oh my I must not forget….I reached 1,000 followers last night and I thank you so much - I know you are not all here visiting but I sure hope you stop in now and then - thank you Paula for being number 1,000!

Don’t forget to go over and visit Margie at HUNGRY HOOK PRIMITIVES to sign up for her giveaway. 
http://hungryhookprimitives.blogspot.com/
Each Monday she adds a new item - and then she will draw a name for each one listed.

Ann over at OHIO FARM BASKET:  http://1803ohiofarmbaskets.blogspot.com/ 
She is having a giveaway too -go on over and visit her while you are blog hopping.

Supposed to get a good snow storm starting tonight and into tomorrow.  Guess that’s what Winter is - snow – snow – snow.  Waiting for that breath of Spring soon.

I think that is it for now - wish I had some wonderful ‘home’ photos for you all – but there has been no decorating or re-arranging here for me yet - still need to heal more before I can get into that.  But I’m so anxious - it’s getting rather dull looking in here.  I need some changes.
Blessings to all my friends out there – I slowly get around to visiting you all – not at once but here and there.
Karen