Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Vintage Thingie Thursday: Vintage Yellow Dishes

Welcome everyone to Vintage Thingies Thursday. If you have a love for vintage things, well....you have come to the right place. We have a "dog-gone" good time each and every week!!!
If you are new to this party, please take the time to
read and follow the instructions for participating in Vintage Thingies Thursday, click HERE. I try and keep things fairly simple, so  please make sure you follow the instructions. Please only ONE link per week.  

Lastly, if you link in, your post needs to include:
1. the LINK back to my blog and or the button for Vintage Thingie Thursday. I have been visiting lately and when I click on a link, there is no mention of Vintage Thingie Thursday or my blog. 

2. make sure your post has something to do with something vintage. All advertisements will be deleted. If you'd like to advertise on my blog, email me, we can work that out. No more free advertising by linking in.  Shame on those who do this, nothing is free in life.


Starting this month, if you fail to either have the button on your blog, or in your blog post and/or have not linked back to my blog in your post. I will delete your link. 

It is not fair to those who follow the rules to allow others not to do so. I am not being ugly, but rules are rules.....in all aspects of life. So if you find your link removed, check your post, you need to see why that happened. Hopefully, I won't have to do that. 


________________________________________________

This week I have a few vintage pieces in a yellow theme. I usually don't gravitate to yellow as a rule, but these are not the normal things and to me, they are quiet special.

I really can not remember where I spotted this sweet yellow plate. I love the crazing and the delicate roses on the handles of the plate. Believe me when I said I snatched this up so fast it was not even funny. I know I did not pay more than a dollar or so for this plate.

The yellow basket was a GW wind I paid 50 cents for this basket. To me, it was a real buy. I have seen these before on someone's blog, and they had all four of the baskets in different colors. I only found one, but always keep an eye out for more!

This is the marking on the back of the little basket. I thought is was rather unusual, so I decided to include a photo of it.

This little platter is really rather small in size. It is about 7 inches long, and I like the pattern. Of course, it has its fair share of yellow too.

Hope the sunny yellow vintage goodies bring a bright spot to your day!! Have a great week and enjoy each and every day!



Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Happiness is knowing when someone enjoys your hard work

Do you remember this quilt? The wedding quilt I made for my friends daughter? Well, she sent me a thank you note telling me how much they loved their gift......

It is nice to be thanked and appreciated for all your hard work. Sometimes you just never know if someone will be thrilled with something you made for them. But look what they included in with the thank you note......

Their smiles said it all! I am so very glad they will treasure this quilt and enjoy it for many years to come!! Brian and Juli are such a special couple and they took the time and went the extra mile to let me know how wonderful they thought their quilt was.....it really made my day!! I hope they will always be as happy as they are today!!

Monday, May 23, 2011

This Is How My Garden Grows

Have you planted a garden this year? If so, how is it doing?? I have been rather surprised at how well ours has taken off this spring. We actually are already benefiting from our hard work!!

The jalapeno peppers are tiny, but they are there! Can not wait to make hot sauce out of these.

Our Roma tomatoes are really coming on strong too. We have lots of green ones, just no red ones  yet. We need some warm sunny days and they will be ready to pick and enjoy.

But........we do have some cherry tomatoes almost ready to pick and eat off the plant!! These are so sweet and we really do have great luck with the cherry  and grape tomatoes here.

We have Squash!!! This plant is the yellow summer squash. I find it hard to believe with the cooler weather that we actually have squash....and almost ready to pick too!! YUM!

Don't know the name of this funny looking squash, but I can attest to how wonderful these are sliced, breaded with bread crumbs and fried....oh, my. Southern home cooking at its finest.

We planted 3 bell pepper plants, and we have lots of bell peppers almost ready to pick. We have not been able to try any of these yet, and would you like to know why??? Dora seems to have learned that there are fresh veggies served buffet style right off the vine, she picks tomatoes and I caught her with a bell pepper in her mouth.....seriously folks....she is fed well....she does not know she is a dog and if she has to have salad fixins instead of meat...well...she is all for it! All she knows is there is fresh people food right out in the back yard, so it must be for her!!

The corn is coming along too!! We planted some for the birds and squirrels and some for us! I have no idea which is which, thank goodness my husband remembers!! I really love the corn stalks.

We also have zucchini squash......I will be making zucchini bread as soon as these are ready!!

Yes siree....our little garden is really coming along this year! We have onions too, and we have had some of those....and they were wonderfully delish.

My hanging plants are enjoying this nice cool weather......now if only the wind would die down a bit, they might like it much better!

The plant on the left is another pepper plant.....and well, every garden needs a warning sign....this is what we have to warn off evil varmints!! So far, it must be working!!

I really enjoy our garden? What about you.....what types of things are growing in your garden this spring???

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Something to Think About........

Thought I'd share this today.....sure gives me something to think about!

Have a great day!!

Friday, May 20, 2011

The Little Engine That Could Quilt

A month or so ago, I was asked to make a quilt for an upcoming new baby boy. Of course I was so glad to have done so, it is always so fun starting a new project!!

This was made from the fabrics with the Little Engine That Could theme. I thought they were fun and so colorful.

Here is the back.....I love the train engine stripe going across the back of the quilt. I love how it turned out!

I really have been busy quilting!!! In fact....quilting A LOT!!! I hope to be able to show more of what I have been working on soon!! Just because you have not seen too much crafty things going on....does not mean they are being worked on behind the scenes!!!

I hope the new parents enjoy this quilt! I like how it turned out!!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Vintage Thingie Thursday: Vintage Ash Trays - For a Non Smoker

Welcome everyone to Vintage Thingies Thursday. If you have a love for vintage things, well....you have come to the right place. We have a "dog-gone" good time each and every week!!!
If you are new to this party, please take the time to
read and follow the instructions for participating in Vintage Thingies Thursday, click HERE. I try and keep things fairly simple, so  please make sure you follow the instructions. Please only ONE link per week.  

Lastly, if you link in, your post needs to include:
1. the LINK back to my blog and or the button for Vintage Thingie Thursday. I have been visiting lately and when I click on a link, there is no mention of Vintage Thingie Thursday or my blog. 

2. make sure your post has something to do with something vintage. All advertisements will be deleted. If you'd like to advertise on my blog, email me, we can work that out. No more free advertising by linking in.  Shame on those who do this, nothing is free in life.


Starting this month, if you fail to either have the button on your blog, or in your blog post and/or have not linked back to my blog in your post. I will delete your link. 

It is not fair to those who follow the rules to allow others not to do so. I am not being ugly, but rules are rules.....in all aspects of life. So if you find your link removed, check your post, you need to see why that happened. Hopefully, I won't have to do that. 


________________________________________________ 

Well....blogger sure played tricks on all our post last week....let's hope this week is a little better!!!

I picked these little ash trays up at an estate sale a few months back. I loved the little flowers, but I really liked the fact that they originally came from a local store here in Ft. Worth.

And....No......I am not a smoker and these are not being used as they were intended!!

The flower is a Morning glory cactus....I loved the flowers on these.


This is what is on the back....Striplings was a department store here in Ft. Worth for a very long time. But like most things of the past, they all have closed now. In fact, at one time there were about 5 of them total I believe. I don't know if this was some sort of promotional item, but I liked that fact that is was a piece of local history.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!! Enjoy your time with friends and family!!



Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Outside BBQ - Grilling At Nose Level.......

My son has a small charcoal grill and has left it at our house, so this past weekend my husband wanted to grill some pork chops on the little grill. Sounded like a good plan......

Until Dora woke up from her nap and thought all her dreams had finally come true. She was quick to agree that this was the best plan she had seen all weekend long. She was quick to alert Sophie and Bailey too....I mean, it is not every day that you can actually see the food cooking at eye level.....poor thing.

They sniffed.....and sniffed.....and sniffed......thinking for sure it must be a mistake and could not wait for my husband to walk back inside. Once he walks inside....that food is fair game!! The quickest one here gets the prize!

Dora was sneaking around that little grill just looking for a cool spot....she is the food stealer of all the bunch....she is smart too.....but she could not or would not get past the heat from the charcoal....thank goodness.

Finally, she looked at my husband as it to ask..."What is up with this? I see the food....I smell the food....but I darn well can not get to the food....This is not how this should have worked out."

Finally, she sees that the pork chops are coming off the grill and on to a plate! Yep, she knows those plates well...very easy to steal bites off of those plates if someone leaves them laying around.

We always use the big grill, and the dogs stand there and sniff the air just hoping for a bite....this was more like torture for them.....

Poor Dora just looked in disbelief that her "would be" supper was right there in front of her nose, cooking and smelling divine.....and just like that it was over.....no bites were to be had! I honestly don't think they appreciated us cooking at their nose level this meal.....sorta felt sorry for them. Don't worry, they did get a small bite.....just was not the whole pork chop they were hoping for!

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Vintage Thingie Thursday: Vintage Button Holder

Welcome everyone to Vintage Thingies Thursday. If you have a love for vintage things, well....you have come to the right place. We have a "dog-gone" good time each and every week!!!
If you are new to this party, please take the time to
read and follow the instructions for participating in Vintage Thingies Thursday, click HERE. I try and keep things fairly simple, so  please make sure you follow the instructions. Please only ONE link per week.  

Lastly, if you link in, your post needs to include:
1. the LINK back to my blog and or the button for Vintage Thingie Thursday. I have been visiting lately and when I click on a link, there is no mention of Vintage Thingie Thursday or my blog. 

2. make sure your post has something to do with something vintage. All advertisements will be deleted. If you'd like to advertise on my blog, email me, we can work that out. No more free advertising by linking in.  Shame on those who do this, nothing is free in life.


Starting this month, if you fail to either have the button on your blog, or in your blog post and/or have not linked back to my blog in your post. I will delete your link. 

It is not fair to those who follow the rules to allow others not to do so. I am not being ugly, but rules are rules.....in all aspects of life. So if you find your link removed, check your post, you need to see why that happened. Hopefully, I won't have to do that. 


________________________________________________

Today, I'd like to show off one of my mothers day gifts. My daughter surprised me beyond belief with her crafty ability on my gift. I simply love it.

She purchased a bird feeder and buttons and added the buttons to dress it up a bit.

I was so touched that she took the time to make this super special for me knowing my taste. I was impressed that she even thought of the idea.

But...it is too cute and too special to me to put outside and let the birds pick the buttons off one by one while trying to get to bird seed.....so.....I decided to store some of my vintage buttons in the feeder and display it in my sewing room.


I just love it and it brings a smile each and every time I look at it. Perfect for storing some of my vintage buttons and allowing me to enjoy looking at the at the same time! Thanks again Alisha, very sweet and thoughtful gift! I love it.


Friday, May 6, 2011

Five Minute Friday: Motherhood Should Come With.......

Today I'm linking up to Lisa-Jo aka the gypsy mama, who chooses a topic every Friday and writes for five minutes.

Only five minutes
And the rule is that whatever you write about in that five minutes is what you posts. No editing your thoughts. Today, her topic choice is "Motherhood should come with....."

Ready. Set. Go......

My son Jeff and my daughter Alisha, March 2011....A day at the Beach!

Wow....I only have five minutes right??? Motherhood should come with a gift certificate to take a class. Not a class on what to do for your child, but one that would help a parent see what not to do. I think most mothers are born with the instinct of what needs to be done for their child. Love, protection, concern, nurturing, and wanting only the best for our children is a natural thing for mothers.

The hard part is figuring out a good balance. Finding a balance that is healthy for the child to grow and mature in a safe environment at a young age. I have seen so many mothers just hover over their children their whole lives. Never letting the child spread their own wings and try to find their own way. Instead the parent figures out what path they want their child to take and they push and push and make sure that is the path the child chooses. In the long run, I think this leads to a very unsatisfied teen or young adult, and worse, the child has no idea how to think for themselves and constantly look towards their parent to come up with the answers for them. Maybe that sounds ok to some...but is that really what a parent should strive to do??

Along with figuring out a good balance I also think one of the hardest things is for a parent to learn when to back off and stay out of decisions their child may need to make. Now I am not talking about a toddler here, but a teen or young adult.

Personally, it is the biggest mistake I make. I know (or think I know) what the road looks like my kids are on and I try and find a detour to a route I think is safer. Realistically, I know this is not how things need to work, but as a mother, it is so very hard to keep my mouth shut. Parent interventions are not always the best for the situation. I know from experience.

The best thing a mother can do for their children is to provide unconditional love and try and not be afraid to let their children make their own decisions and if it results in failure or mistakes, then it is the child's failure and mistakes, not the parent. I am certainly not claiming I do that...but I am trying....and it is not easy.

If there was a class on "what not to do" I think there would be a lot more teens and parents less stressed in the world. I know it would maybe have saved myself a lot of stress and a lot of sleepless nights and guilt ridden days......motherhood comes with many things....but sometimes too much of some things are just simply too much......maybe motherhood should come with instructions on what not to do.

that was a quick 5 minutes....I really don't want to push publish without rereading this...but I guess I will...

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Vintage Thingie Thursday: A Quarter of A Century

Who ever thought for one minute that marriage is easy should really stop and think again. Marriage is tough and rough. If you are one of the young ones who still believe that to not be so, well hang on to the seat of your pants because I speak the truth....you will see what I mean if you stick with it.


Being married a quarter of a century {today} and still have your heart skip a small beat when your spouse walks in the door is really a good thing. That is reason enough to keep him around I'd say. Whatever he's done - like throwing his clothes on the floor instead of the place where the dirty laundry is kept, or making me repeat something for the third and forth time because he really was not listening to the answer in the first place is really less important when your heart skips that small beat.

Funny, no one tells you when you first get married that all the glory for the most parts fade.....when you go from "I can't wait until I get him alone tonight" to if he snores one more time or farts in his sleep, I am going to stuff a pillow down his throat. Or the fact that once you have children, by the time the end of the day gets here, yes, your heart may still skip a beat, but it also skips a beat at thinking of getting in that bed and ONLY sleeping because you are too tired to do anything else.

Being married is really about the business of living together and making it work. There is nothing romantic about dirty, smelly socks that need to be loaded in the washer, or taxes, credit card bills or mortgages to be paid. These are the things that over time can file away all the love you once felt if you let it, but it also becomes the necessary glue to keep things hanging in balance, believe that or not.

If someone was to ask what the secret to being married 25 years I'd really not know a firm answer for them. I'd most likely say respect, hard work, a lot of compromise and negotiation. Throw in a few shared dreams, love and compassion, a little stubbornness and love on all measures mixed with a little laughter would be a good start. Laughter is good for the soul. Laugh together, laugh when you want to cry, laugh at each other (respectfully) and most important, laugh at yourself. It is hard for your heart to break when you are laughing.

At first, you may believe that love has the power to change a person, make them more of your ideal, more sensitive, more compatible, more to your liking. Love can do a lot of things even change some things, but not the important things. Not the staying things when times get tough, it takes so much more. Marriage is far more work than they ever tell you. Or, if they do tell you, I bet we just did not choose to listen. But always, for me...the work is so worth it.

Last week, we watched a "fairytale" begin, and like those two newlyweds, I was star stuck too. I never wondered for a minute about what struggles were to come. You are never guaranteed long and healthy lives, luckily we have been pretty lucky in that department. You don't think about the hard times when things don't go the way you plan. You don't think about the not so romantic times. You don't think about the dirty clothes or the day after day grind that leaves you tired, worn out and just struggling to make it.

And in saying that, I am sure he did not ever think I'd be nothing more than the hot sexy young thing he married so long ago. So full of energy then, I never really got tired. I am sure some days he wakes up and honestly thinks, "what in the world happened?" Well....marriage happened, a life together full of joys, heartaches and struggles happened and guess what, we are still together. Remember my big plans to get back into that wedding dress, well, you can just imagine, it did not happen. I have accepted that, not easy to do, but I did. Sometimes, you have to learn to let things go, not worry anymore about how you wanted things to turn out....that dress was one of them. Same thing in life....let go of the junk and hang on to what is important. We still put one foot in front of the other each day and my heart still skips that beat when he walks in the door.

It is not easy, and it has not been easy. Nothing worth it is ever easy. So this morning, no bands played, no party streamers were thrown, no big celebrations were planned, it was just him and me doing what we do every day.....he may remember, he may not.....but he better!

Unopened for 25 years. Married at The Little Wedding Chapel of The West, Las Vegas, Nevada.

This one is a big one for me for more reasons than one. It symbolizes the staying kind of love we have, the forgiving kind of love we have, the kind of love you don't have to worry about walking out the door. Even if there is no party, or big event to mark this occasion there is cause to celebrate this milestone.

Twenty five years of a scarred and marred heart that has been kissed and bandaged up time and time again by one special person certainly is cause to stop and be thankful. Thankful, that luck was on our side long ago and we were able to find the one person who'd be all we needed them to be, the one person who is the best friend above all others.

So after 25 years do I think it was easy? Goodness no. But the good does out weigh the bad. We have each other and know what ever comes our way, we will see it through. We have seen our dreams become reality one by one, and we have more to look forward to coming true with a little bit of work. But is certainly makes things a little easier when your heart still skips a beat after 25 years when you see the love of your life walk in the front door.

Happy 25th Anniversary to my husband, I love you with all that I am and .....I demand we make it to 50 and that is not up for negotiation.

Real Life...Real Love......for 25 years!

I just added the link for Vintage Thingie Thursday...no time this week for a new post. My vintage thingie is the unopened bottle of champagne from when we got married! Have a  great week!




Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...