Cheery New Yeary!

It's time to say so long to the Christmas season and hello to  the

New Year!

Happy wishes to all!

Lil Pressies for Christmas!

A little mug cosie, sporting a blue and red stripey pattern and pom pom accent is just the right pressie for loved ones this Christmas!

Inspired by a sweet design featured in the crafting magazine Mollie Makes!

Pom poms are fun!

Don't forget to.....

this holiday season

Have a very merry Christmas!!!!!

Cupcake Love!!!

Red velvet cupcakes with blue buttercream frosting, made especially for Hope's baby shower.  Why red and blue at such a PINK event?

They were inspired by the storybook, The Velvetteen Rabbit, of course!

Baby Bloomer Bunting

Adorable baby bloomer bunting....made by yours truly for the tiny bundle of joy due to arrive in January.

all in shades of pink!

Cuteness!!!!

Inspiration Colors

Icecream Social jelly bellies, pink stripey straws, Cath Kidson napkins, and pink, polka dotted ones too inspire dreams of a perfectly pink baby shower color scheme!

And... dreams do come true....

 

Hope your dreams come true too!

Big Project Blues

Sorry I've been absent even more from my usual sporadic posting.  I have taken on a major project that has to do with ...

Lots and lots and lots of paint!

Wonderful, winsome,white paint.  Talk about being covered from head to toe with paint, white paint.  Don't know what I was thinking taking on such a huge,way over my head project before the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Oh my, it will all be worth it when done.

Because the painted somethings will match this color palette.  I can't wait to see how this ginormous project will turn out!

Pumpking Bunting!

I created this pumpkin bunting from black board ATC cards, then wrote a little message on them!

Happy October 31st

and a happy m

Monday filled with more treats than tricks!!!!!!!

Apple Picking

Fall is here and I am ready for an adventure! Time to head for the hills in search of apples to pick. And it is an an adventure.... at least a new experience, because I have never actually picked any before. Hillcrest Farms has just the right orchard!

There is something so charming about apples in the tree! It would be lovely to leave them there, but even more lovely to taste their sweet fresh flavor!

hmmm this one will be just right....

for the cute little apple jackets I chrocheted, inspired by my new fav magazine, Mollie Makes.

All in a row now!

Since we are picking apples, which apple with its cosy jacket is your favorite?

Waiting For the Next Color!

Back in June our daughter, Hope, along with her husband Jeremy announced they were expecting their first child. Yippee!!!!! Our first grandchild, I'm soooooo excited!

The plan was to find out out as soon as possible whether the bundle of joy, be boy or girl. Sooooo I decided to start on a baby blanket. I couldn't help myself. Inspired by Maaike's (creJJtion.blogspot.com) baby boy blanket in a Chevron pattern , I began crocheting, however using pastel colors. Working with the chevron pattern, brought back fond momories of my learning to crochet at the age of 14 with this very pattern. I kept crocheting until I had to know whether the next color would be a darker blue or pink. Hmmmm

Finally , the much awaited date of "finding out" arrived. The baby cooperated and the next color is pink!!!!!

Now, I am happy as a clam crocheting away on my grandaughter's blanket!!! Did I mention I am soooo excited to be a grandma!!!!

p.s. I borrowed the idea of the yarn in the bowl from Koralee at bluebird notes.blogspot.com

He he he.....

Just wanted to share some pretty fall flowers from the garden with you! Pretty pink dahlias and some fushia yarrow.
Happy September to you!

Wowzzers....

was one of the comments I heard, about this flower arangement with the gumballs. Here it is in its rightful place beside the cupcake stand on the dessert table!

The event: Lloyd and Aundi's wedding rehearsal dinner.

Little Favors...

are sweet things to give and to do for others...
being open to opportunities to brighten someone's day with a heartfelt expression...


can bring a sense of delight to ourselves in return!

I was excited to make these sweet favors for my son's wedding rehearsal dinner! From the macarons to the crocheted hearts, it was a delightful way to express our family's gratitude to the wedding party for being a part of such a special time in our son's life!

Ohh, the heart design came from Maaike, the lovely creator of the blog creJJtion. Her tutorial was so easy to follow; I was hooked! I knew the hearts would be the perfect embellishment for the macaron boxes!

My First Try....

at macarons. My guide to entering the world of preparing these french delicasies was, I Heart Macarons by Hisako Ogita. I learned about this how to book from Anne Marie, of the famed Na Da Farm. Anne Marie shared a post about her first batch of macarons. Since I am the queen of do it yourself, I had to get my hands on the book. And i did! :) I finally got around to making the sweet morsels for the special occasion of my son's wedding rehearsal dinner. I had heard they were quite difficult to make so if they didn't turn out well I would have to have a plan B. Hmmmm

The first pan!!!!

The most important factor that determines a successful macaron is the "pied" or foot that forms at the base of the macaron.... I did a little happy dance around the kitchen when all the macarons on the pan had their tiny feet.

Voila! Green colored macorons with a green apple marshmellow filling!

Made forty of these babies to use as favors for my son's wedding rehearsal dinner. I was so relieved that I could actually make these! Even better they were super yummy, if I do say so myself.

After eating quite a few of the miss shaped misfits....

p.s. Why so much green you may ask. The color theme for the wedding was classic white and black with a green apple accents. I just love a theme!!!!!

Goody, Goody Gumballs!

850 green apple flavored ones to be precise. What in the world would one do with sooooo many gumballs? What would you do with that many gumballs?

I actually do have plans for all these gumballs. Would you care to venture a guess on what those plans might be? In the mean time I'll be seeing green and counting gummy orbs of goodness to fall asleep instead of sheep! LOL

Gifts

"One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach---- waiting for a gift from the sea."
said Anne Morrow Lindbergh in her book, Gift From the Sea. Each year I like to read this highly, introspective book, along with taking a trip back to Florida to spend some much needed time at the beach. My gifts this year- shells! Most of these shells were collected from the beach where my husband and I honeymooned years ago.

My other gift, new memories to add to many others...

the beach baby to the right of the gentleman is me, the gentleman is my father and the other beachbaby is my older brother...this is one of my favorite pictures; taken in 1960...

" The waves echo behind me. Patience-Faith-Openess,

is what the sea has to teach"

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

The Cup cake speaks....

Summer is quickly slipping by .... take time to taste its goodness!

Blueberry picking...

amounts to a whole lot of summer yum. My sweet Zoe came all the way from Indiana for a visit. One of the things we did together was pick blueberries, along with Zoe's mom and my good friend, Chrissy. Of course we sampled as we picked, but still came away with enough berries for a pie or two.
Zoe was kind enough to don an apron and give you a peek at our pickings.

What have you been picking lately?

More Wedding Pictures!

Getting ready ... Here comes the bride...

Joy carried a bouquet of twenty-five white peonies and lambs ear. Although it was a vintage inspired wedding there are touches of the modern. All the men in the wedding wore gray converse shoes, aka chucks.

Exchanging of the vows!

Joy with her brides maids and man of honor.

Matt with his groomsmen...

Lil tug o war fun....

Look out below!

The wedding was such a joyously, fun event. These pictures are courtesy of

Hope Adams Photograpy..... please like her on facebook! Hope is also the proud sister of the bride and juggled her wedding duties beautifully.

Thanks for sharing in the Posey-Lesley wedding joy!