Gorgeous spring

I could live to be a billion years old, and never grow tired of the spring. This year it has been so cool and heavenly, less bugs, wonderful sleeping at night, and just perfect. I've been working outside adding a few fun things. I never thought I'd buy a gazing ball, and this year I bought two! Some pics of my flowers and garden art...

A Misunderstood Mother

As a mom myself, I know there have been times when I've felt misunderstood, by my husband, my own mom, and my children...but I have always felt like I was blessed with a fantastic mother, a wonderful role model, and I guess I've prided myself on being a "good mom".



In working on my Marie Antoinette Toy Theatre, I had to research her quite a bit, and although she had a horrendous reputation, just ask my teenage sons, who studied about her in their history classes, I came to the conclusion she was truly misunderstood and so very much another "good mom". If there was anything that she did well in her short lived life, it was being a loving, caring mother to her children. I read that in those times, the upper class would send their children away to be schooled and didn't have all that much to do with them. NOT Marie...she insisted her children remain with her at home...a "home schooler" I'm sure she'd be labeled now. She suffered miscarriage and lost a child at a young age...having suffered miscarriages myself, I could relate so well and again I found myself sympathizing with her. She so loved her privacy as I do, and she has become a spirit that has lived inside of me these past few months.







This is just a sneak preview of more to come that I have made for her and by her...In this portrait of Marie, I wanted to show her serene and happy side that her children brought out in her.
She was a "mother" first and foremost, then a Queen...and as a Queen she felt locked away in a prison of deceit, treason, hatred, and misunderstandings.




Her love for beautiful things was obvious, and as a young girl she couldn't help but be caught up in all the opulance that was available to her. Wouldn't we all have been?
My sons will never understand her, but her heart was held by her children, as mine is as well.


HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY !!!!

Sail away Buckaneers!!!!!!!!!!

***CLICK ALL PHOTOS TO ENLARGE****

I decided to start the party early here, as tomorrow me and the mateeees are off to sea! No time for anything else than sailing, so I best get this swashbucklin' swashing here tonight! The above is my dad as a little boy. I had to let him come too!

When I was a little girl, I had a favorite book and it was called:



I see this cover and get goosebumps because it was one of those books that just got my heart racing....



Filled with stories, poems, and pictures that took me away to some far off land of hidden treasures, lost islands, ghostly pirates, and ships in bottles. It was my brother's book, but who says little girls can't play Pirates??? Afterall, Eloise did!!!





I loved these cute little dancing guys and gals!






But who can be a pirate without a treasure chest????



I found this old little chest in an antique store, added some gold to it and look at the design that appeared! Like magic!



But inside low and behold was a mermaid and jewels and a treasure map!








Ahhh..to be a mermaid and sleep in a treasure chest all day!

And last but not least, Marie Antoinette, insisted I bring her to the party too. Hope y'all don't mind, but she dressed for the occasion and this is one of her pics I really love. She's kind of boyish I think, but so fitting for the occassion.



So let's sail away my friends from all our woes and all our cares and be free to sing and dance and celebrate all our treasures forever and ever............

Because we all will have...........

Spring babies are here

Last night was a very long one for me, but mostly for my sweet little Heidi who finally delivered five lovely puppies. She was a trooper and they are all nursing and doing well. FOUR boys and one girl...all have loving homes waiting on them. A pic of the pups, the dad, and the mom...I love spring babies...truly a miracle to watch them be born.

Old plates

One of my favorite things to collect over the years has been decorative plates. I love the old handpainted ones. I also collect Cavalier King Charles plates...and Ken Ottinger has some beauties.



Then, I love the red transferware plates, as well as cherubs and birds and the old old flow blue plates.







I have lots of fruit plates in my kitchen.








This one was my grandparent's...the colors are still so vibrant.


This is actually a pie plate that a friend gave me. I love the colors and the welcoming pineapple symbol. It's newer, but it blends in great with my colors.

Love Lily of the Valley, but have always had trouble growing it and yet we have plenty of shade.




Another old one from my grandparent's.




Time crumbles things; everything grows old under the power of Time and is forgotten through the lapse of Time.
Aristotle

I'm glad my old plates have yet to crumble even though I continue to grow older!

Enjoy your day...

Seeing is believing

I used to have the best eyesight. I would always help my grandmothers thread their needles or get splinters out of my son's little hands.

No more...those days are over and I am forever losing my glasses or breaking my glasses! My problem is, I can't seem to wear contacts(tried three times at the Opthos) and I need my regular glasses as well as reading glasses for the computer. Consequently, I have a lot of glasses! I try to keep a pair in every room. The other day I found this pair.



It was missing one of it's sides, and there it was on the floor. I was about to throw it out, but figured, I might find a use for it, so I threw it on my art table.

This weekend I needed a change from working on my fashion theater, so I decided to help a little faerie find a new home. I had found an empty teacup at an antique store...shaped like a tulip in AQUA...my favorite color these days, so I bought it...just perfect for her. Then as I was looking over my art table, trying to see what else I could use, I spotted that eyeglass wire. I had some pretty aqua ribbon so I wrapped it around the wire and it made a great stem for my gorgeous old pink millinery flower.


I added a butterfly and rhinestone antennae.

Made my little Faerie girl(who had been patiently waiting in the back of my mind all this time) and placed her inside with some other old and new flowers in front of her and feathers behind. Not sure you can see, but there are tiny little beaded ones too...just love those. Click to enlarge and you might be able to spot them.


She told me she wanted to sell her flowers, so I told her fine, I'd make her a sign too.



See, never throw out anything...and live in clutter like I do. LOL
Be sure to buy some Faerie flowers today!!!

You've got to try this!!!

My 16 year old son LOVES peanut butter. I LOVE chocolate, and just recently at WalMart, I found this DARK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER. It is so yummy and truly dreamy to taste! So if you like both of these, be sure to try it out, same aisle as all the other peanut butters, but I found that only one of our WalMarts carries it...oh, and there's even a white chocolate version. I like it right out of the jar! I say it's gotta be good for us too!