time is a-galloping

 

L to R - my cousin (her husband was AWOL on "business", party pooper!), 

my husband (who had to set the timer & run to get in the picture),

Me - Queen of the Turkey Neck 

and how the heck did my hair get so poofy and RED?!",
my cousin in his hot rod shirt, he's all about cars and car clubs

(they drove down in his fancy vrooom vrooom Porsche), 

my 89 year old Auntie (who was the life of the party as always!),
and my cousins darling wife, such a sweetheart - she doesn't
know what she's gotten herself into bwahahhahahha!

HELLO!

Anyone still out there???

I ask because I've lost three followers in the past few months - which I certainly understand as I may well be the most boring person out there in Bloglandia! 

I know we're all different and like different things.  Wishing you good cheer wherever you land.

For those of you committed or more likely the case, misguided enough (hahhahhaha) to hang on for this intermittent ride, please know you are dear to me. Oh! You just don't know how much I wish I could find the time I used to spend enjoying and commenting on your lovely blogs. 

But someone, some dastardly low down meanie of a time keeper, has spun the hands on the clock and I can no longer find those stolen moments (er, hours!) that I used to.

Thinking of you and and wishing you a happy week!

the blue bird's story

(I've scanned these two pages three times and get a blurry scan each time WAH!)

This somewhat bedraggled but much loved little book is another bit of the treasure I found at my parents house after my daddy passed away.  Published in 1948, it would have been first my brother's book and then handed down to me.  Although it is said to be the "blue bird's" story, the above pages are the only illustrations of the blue bird in the book.  I feel a bit let down, don't you LOL?!  The blue bird is so charming and I wanted more but the squirrels seem to be the real stars of the piece teehee.

Tomorrow we're driving out to one of my cousins to have a small reunion with another cousin, who I have not seen in more than 30 years!  My visiting cousin and his wife (who I've never met), drove down from Oregon and have been playing at Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm and Universal Studios for a week and will meet us over at our other cousins.  FUN!  

My one remaining Auntie (the mommy of my cousin who is hosting) ... (my Uncles have all passed away too), will be there and that's the real point of the get together. She is the last of the Old Guard and the only one remaining who knows our history. With my father gone, she is the glue that holds us together.  And we have not done a good job as a family, of passing down our stories and histories.  I am hoping her failing memory will have a good day tomorrow and shine brightly with reminiscences.

clara bell the clown

a little boys treasure from long ago ...

I wonder who remembers Howdy Doody
and Clara Bell?

dagnabbit, there it is again!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!  It's still there.  Looks like someone else's content on top of mine or ???  Blogger also frequently said while I was typing my post below that there was an error and it couldn't Save my post - maybe due to overload from everyone being on the internet right now about the tragedy and unfolding events in Boston?  Anyway, you can see most of my post below. 

weary

Please note that I wrote and posted this entry yesterday and had problems with several lines of computer code appearing on top of my post.  I couldn't detect anything odd in the HTML to cause the problem but then it's been more than twenty years since I had programming classes and I never was great at it anyway hahhahhaha.  So I just deleted it.  Well, I just tried to post it again and I looked at the HTML before posting it and it was totally bonkers, completely whackadoo.  All sorts of code that I sure didn't write, as I had no idea what on earth it was. I'd sure be interested to hear if anyone else is experiencing problems with Blogger. 

Fingers crossed...attempting one last time to post my post.  Sheesh.  I kept the draft of it so it will be essentially the same to those who did catch it yesterday.

Hello!  Time sure flies!

We've been sick, our Georgie doggie has been sick - they switched one of his cancer meds and the new one made him very ill.  Scary!  (The previous one was in short supply for some reason and that's why they switched it on him - thankfully we were able to have the old prescription formulated at a compounding pharmacy for him and all is well again.  WHEW!)

So between our being sick and Georgie being sick, there went our high hopes and grand schemes for the two weeks of much needed fun over the hubby's vacation.  WAH!

And meanwhile, never a dull moment, both sides of my family seem to be nuttier than fruitcakes, at the same time!  Argh!  Let's put the fun back in dysfunctional, huh?!

I've been feeling down in the dumps and very defeated.  Hard to find topics to write about, wondering if I even want to blog anymore? (So many blogs have gone quiet these days or are winding down.) There's so much I want to do and so much I need to do in real life.

My heart breaks over the incomprehensible tragedy in Boston.  My heart and prayers go out to the families, friends, neighbors, community of those lost.

And I am appalled and disgusted by our Senate not passing the proposed gun control measures after the tragedy in Connecticut.  How could they look into the faces of the families of Newtown, CT and not know it was the right (and long overdue) thing to do?!  How could they thumb their noses at the American citizenry who resoundingly want those gun control measures enacted?

I don't know how to process all this pain and live is this world anymore? I am so very weary of living in a world run amok. So much ugliness and craziness.

I want to turn off the news and cancel the newspaper.  I wish I could run away and hide somewhere.

I know that some of us find comfort in being creative and as a vehicle to process and channel our pain. I came across this blog post yesterday regarding The Prayer Flag Project on Michele Bilyeu's blog, With Heart and Hands.

something is wrong with my blog

(edited to add:  just in case you think this post is the post I'm referring to below and you don't see any strange code - this isn't the post I'm referring to ... I removed the one that has the code on top of my post)

sheesh ... I finally write a post and there's some weird code written over part of my post, several lines of weird code.  It doesn't show up in the Preview at all but every time I "publish", there it is.  grrrrrrrr

Anybody else having this fun problem?!

ARGH! 

hunca munca times two

 

a little hunca munca cross stitch (I never finished)
a little hunca munca figurine
a cute little bunny

favorite things

 

Well here I am, so sorry for the ultra poor quality photos.  I strained my lower back yesterday and I feel so miserable.  Not that that's a good excuse for the poor photos (especially since my photos are always poor) but geez, they're even worse today.  Oh well.

I thought since I'm sidelined and can't do what I had planned, "Oh! Take some quick photos for A Favorite Thing and then I can lay down with the iPad and visit everybody!"

Sharing some of my most favorite things today ... 

 

"A Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady", such a charming book!  Later when they started producing china from it, my mom got me the basin and pitcher.  And last but by no means least, one of my absolute favorite things I own, Mrs. Toadflax (from the Brambly Hedge books), also a gift from my mom.

 

Treasured little bits on A Favorite Thing Saturday, 

with Claudia at Mockingbird Hill Cottage.

I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the Milky Way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced, but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A Poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund company: I gazed—and gazed—but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought: For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils. - See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15925#sthash.pY36VQu6.dpuf

I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the Milky Way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced, but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A Poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund company: I gazed—and gazed—but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought: For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils. - See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15925#sthash.pY36VQu6.dpuf

that's amore

When the moon hits your eye
Like a big-a pizza pie
That's amore
When the world seems to shine
Like you've had too much wine
That's amore

Okay, let it be said out loud ... I have a sort of OCD when it comes to presents ...  no understatement at all. I drive myself crazy trying to find things I think are perfect.  So it follows that I went on the hunt for a shower gift and wedding gifts for my oldest nieces quickly approaching nuptials. 

The lucky young couple are going to honeymoon on the Amalfi Coast in Italy so I had to grab up this hand painted ceramic dish from Italy, in my nieces wedding color of dark blue for a bridal shower gift. And that of course led to my realization that I should get Italian wrapping paper! 

And here's where things went wrong, for some reason I thought I had to buy material too ... not sure why at this point hahahhahaha.  But it seemed like the thing to do at the time. So I looked for cottons with navy blue ... nuh uh, nothing nada zip zilch.  But I found these really pretty fabrics that I thought at the time, the darkest blues in them, would be okay.  And of course like an even bigger nincompoop, I had to get the Fat Quarter pack.  What is wrong with me?!

Well they arrived the same day as the gorgeous paper and no way in you-know-what, do they go together or look in the least bit Italian. One batch is English chintzy and the other French toile-y. WAH! 

So the search is back on ... perhaps for another something Italian for my nieces bridal shower gift? 

 

Perhaps my niece will place sea shells they found on the beach on their honeymoon in the little heart shaped plate I got her.  Because that's amore ...

adorable Johanna Parker freebie Easter tussie mussie

This is so darling, I just had to share!  Just in case you're not a frequent visitor to Johanna Parker's blog or receive her newsletter (Heavens! you must correct that immediately because you're really missing out!), she has posted a charming freebie printable for everyone.  Here's the link!

woohoo! the easter bunny made it to Canada

WHEW!  Big sigh of relief ... just received the good news from Jill that she received my swap package.  yippie yippie yippie!

I'm so frustrated and tired of working on my taxes --- I couldn't find the appraisal for my dad's house this morning and just about throttled myself --- so that's a good reason to take a break, don't you think LOL. And have some easter candy and post some pictures of what I sent to Jill.

Holy moly!  I sure suffer from lack of focus and sensory overload. I had too many ideas and too many directions.  We were to make a spoolie for our partner and send them a box or basket of goodies. Well before I could manage to focus on my spoolie, I found this darling vintage easter basket and knew it was just the thing.
 

I made a crepe paper ruffle for the first time ever, so much fun!  The inside of the basket is pretty small but I was able to put some chenille Easter ornaments, suckers and chocolates inside. I wrapped it up in Easter cellophane.

Making a spoolie was a real challenge for me, never having made one before.  I had a lot of fun figuring it out.  So here's my spoolie ... I used two of my grandmothers spools of threads for the base.

I took a photo of my spoolie before I put some packing in to cushion it ...

The inside of my box of goodies for Jill ...

little containers of surprises begging ...

Open me!  Goodies inside!

vintage buttons and also charms (from French General)

I am having spacing issues with stinking Blogger
and can't get rid of these cavernous spaces ... even though
they don't show up in the HTML! ARGH!

vintage bunny buttons and chick die cuts

vintage easter stickers and postcards

easter scrapbook

little easter bunnies
(no, I didn't make them but sure wish I knew how!)

Well that's it ... thank you so much Sandy for hosting!  And thank you so much Jill for all my goodies and being my very first swap partner and making it so much fun!

Happy (early) Easter!

521 Lake Street Easter Spoolie Swap Extravaganza has arrived

(Yup, you're not losing your minds - I accidentally hit publish right after I typed in the title to this post and nothing else and it took me quite awhile to add the text and photos, sorry!)

My package from my darling swap partner, Jill, arrived in yesterdays mail and ... Oh my good gosh!

The fun started right away too ... with bunnies and easter egg stickers on the shipping box and everything.  I took a picture for myself but am not posting since it has my whereabouts on it and I don't want some envious bunny burglaring going on at my place LOL. 

There were many layers of suspenseful goodness and unwrapping to be enjoyed!

First things first -
first out came the blue bag,
followed by the little pink bag ...
and the sweetest note and some stickers ...

And then there was the biggest purple easter egg
one ever did see, I assure you!

More on that later,
first we have to open the pink bag ...
Oh! I forgot to say, here is everything
out of the box ...

Lookie what was inside! 

The sweetest of earrings from Jill!
ooooohhhh - made from precious sea glass 

from Prince Edward Island. 

Be still my heart, all these goodies came
out of the blue bag --- it was like the magician
trick with the handkerchiefs, the bag was
bottomless, the cuteness endless.
So much fun!

Maple syrup from Ontario! Pretty chocolates,
cupcake papers, washi tape, even easter kleenex!

A Beatrix Potter book YIPPIE! A wonderful vintage
postcard, a decoupage egg, an easter egg magnet,
vintage rick rack and the sweetest and dearest of
all, a precious hanky from Jill's mom's collection. 
You know me, I am the biggest sentimental smoosh
ball of all time and I got all weepy when I read
that I was being gifted with it.



and now for the big reveal ...



Not only was my darling spoolie inside (!!! I love buttons and it's
covered in PINK [adore pink!] buttons), but there was yet
MORE!
Can you believe it?!!
A darling compact and the cutest little bunny ever!



I think you'll agree, that was most certainly
an Easter Spoolie Extravaganza, if ever there was one!

Thank you thank you thank you Easter baskets full, Jill!

Poor Jill has to wait on my package to arrive yet ...

hanging head in shame over the combined slow pokedness
of myself and the US Postal Service.

an irish blessing

 (This sweet little Irish Belleek china house was my momma's.)

 

May joy and peace surround you,
contentment latch your door

and happiness be with you now
and bless you evermore!

 ~old Irish blessing


Happy St. Patrick's Day!