Another busy week......

It's been a busy week as usual.  The house has shown now 5 times but haven't heard back from anyone.  My new plan is to just go on with my life and quit being so fixated on the sale of the house.  The garden is looking terrific.  As a matter of fact, I harvested lavender this week.  Love the smell of lavender.

I've also painted this table.  It's one I inherited from my in-laws and have loved it but it never quite fit in anyplace.  Well, look at what a little chalk paint can do.  It now brightens up a corner in my bedroom.

The whole time I was painting this table, I could hear my father-in-law saying "you're painting that wood".  What is it with men that they think there's some kind of a law against painting wood.  What's really funny is that he stripped every piece of furniture he ever bought which took a lot of the value from them anyway and it's not like we have any really valuable pieces -- just to us. 

Better get busy finishing up some things for Leola's.  Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood....

Wish I could clone this day and make a year's worth of them.  It is gorgeous and everything is blooming.  It's impossible to describe the beautiful fragrance outside.  The lilacs are just beginning to bloom and there's nothing better then a big ole bouquet.  This one is sitting on the table I've been working on.  It isn't vintage but I loved the legs.

Hope to get some work done at Leola's this weekend.  It's so hard to get the yard done, the house cleaned, and the shop taken care of.  This is when I know I really need a smaller place but then I sit down on my back porch & think -- maybe tomorrow.

Have a great weekend.

The blooms are coming.....

The early bloomers are beginning to show us signs that spring is coming.  It's been cold here all week but tomorrow the warming trend is beginning.  As I wondered around the yard looking at all the weeds that need to be pulled, couldn't resist taking a few pictures.

Also finished the pillows this week.  The customer is redoing their porch and needed the 2 natural colored pillows to go with some RL pillows she already had.  I love when a project is completed.

The plan is to get my porch cleaned off this weekend and maybe next week some new cushions.  Also want to plant some lettuce, spinach and peas.  Can't wait!  There's a bench that's been waiting for some paint so hopefully, that will get some white paint on it.



Where's the sun.......

Inside work is finally getting done at my house.  There are so many projects that I've put off finishing and the knowledge that warm weather is coming, makes me know that if I'm going to work outside,  there are just a lot of projects that need to be completed inside.  So today I'm making pillows.

On Sunday I went out to the backyard and dug some vegetation to make a terrarium.  OK, Judy said I could purchase one of hers but this big jar was just waiting to be used for this.  It's amazing what has already happened in the jar and I find myself checking on it way too frequently. 

This is one of my large cloche that sits perfectly on my old German bread board.  This Easter decoration is perfect for it.

Yesterday was my work day at Leola's and the women had brought in some amazing pieces.  They work so hard to make this a success and to actually do this for a living.  We have so many people who appreciate our creativity but don't realize that if you just tell us how inspiring we are without sometimes purchasing an item, it's hard to pay the rent.  Just remember that when you buy from small businesses like Leola's, it goes right back into the community.  Everyone of these women take their check out into their neighborhoods and buy their groceries, eat at restaurants, shop with other dealers, buy their children's clothes (& their own), pay for lessons, shop at their local True Value, get haircuts, buy insurance and a million other things.  Pay attention to who your customer is and try to shop with them and do a little payback.  My hairdresser has never been in my shop and I'm giving that some serious thought.  I've been going to her for almost 20 yrs.  Loyalty means a great deal to me.

Anyway, enjoy these pictures of the wonderful, talented women of Leola's.

I love these single swings.  I'm thinkin' I'll put one in my big tree in the backyard.  Aren't they wonderful?

Front yard gardening.....

These are the results of my front yard gardening venture. Don't know if it's a lack of bees for pollination or what but they didn't produce a lot of fruit but the plants were beautiful. What they did produce was beautiful.

I have loved watching the eggplant grow. It's nestled in with a large hosta and seems to be thriving. I'll definitely do this again next year.

I'm off to work at Leola's today. It's sales tax time plus because of grandkids, I didn't get to do much replenishing last week so lots to do. Monday is a big day at Lamberts so lots of strollers and toothpicks but usually a busy shopping day too. Have a good week.

Where's SPRING?

Is this weather crazy or what! I can't even get my garden tilled. Everything is budding out & the forsythia are in full bloom along with lots of other blooming trees
& we're suppose to have snow. At least the temps aren't suppose to go that low. It's so sad when you see what's going on in other parts of the country. My heart breaks for all those up north who are worried about flooding & I'm certain all those out in Kansas have blooming things up & growing and now having feet of snow. Then there are those down south enduring tornadoes & torrential rains. Just seems like our weather gets crazier and crazier.

This was spring break for the g'kiddos so Stella took her turn to come to g'ma's. I had to make 20 hemmed napkins for my friend Annie so Stella wanted to sew too. We got out an old Holly Hobby sewing machine of her Mom's & she practiced her sewing. She's very patient & deliberate when she's learning a new skill. Someday soon I promised we'd learn to do some handsewing.
This beautiful flower is from Judy's magnolia tree. It has an amazing aroma. Seems like every year since she planted it, we've had one of those freaky coldsnaps & ruins the blossoms. We're hoping this year it will make it.

This is one of my wool Easter eggs that I love to make. The flowers & inside of leaf is actually hand-dyed velvet.

This is a cloche that Annie gave me with a bird, nest & eggs inside. She got it at the Thicket where either Ron or Mel designed it. The Thicket & The Nest are two of our real treasures in Springfield. If you're ever in Springfield, do yourself a favor & check them out.

Hope everyone has a good weekend. I plan on staying in & maybe do a little sewing. I'm so wanting to get my backporch perked up so maybe I'll start some pillows -- or maybe I'll just take a nap. With any luck, I can do both.

Fall is definitely here!

It is definitely fall! It's very chilly here this morning & we have the threat of our first killing frost this weekend. Guess I have to pick my green tomatoes & bring them in. For some strange reason my tomatoes are producing their best tomatoes right now. Also, I have the best crop of arugula (my very favorite lettuce) but it's pretty hardy & can take a little frost. If you've never used arugula before, try it. It's especially great on sandwiches.

It's my job to pick Sage up at school on Tuesday afternoons & this is him in his neighborhood this week with his ice cream cone. He started Cub Scouts this year & his G'pa told him that one requirement was to walk little old ladies across the street so this week as we were walking hand-in-hand back to the parking lot he told me that I was his "little old lady" this week -- so he made his quota. Lucky for him, he laughed when he said it. I hope he never outgrows his desire to spend time with his G'ma. I thought of that this morning as I watched Barack Obama get off the plane in Hawaii going to see his G'ma for probably the last time.

Anyway, I'm getting out of the house today. I've tried to keep my "nose to the grindstone" this week & get things ready for open house but I need a break. Usually Friday is garage sale day but this cool weather has caused a decline in the amount of sales. Maybe I'll check out some flea mkts. Have to have my "fix"!!!!

This is the tree I see in my front yard when I work on my computer. It's a huge maple & is gorgeous in the fall. It just needs another week. Tomorrow will be a good day for a drive in the country. Have a great weekend!