Hip to be Square Headboard

My youngest daughter is anything but square - so when we bought her a new bed and changed her from a twin to a more grown up queen size bed - I wanted to upgrade her to a headboard more in keeping with her fun, "random" personality. 

After much head scratching, a lot false starts and many ideas that never left my sketch pad - here's what I came up with.....

Each panel is hung on the wall separately so she can move it around if she wants and keep the pattern interesting. (of course - her bed is never made - so this is the best picture I can give you).....

Winters Chill

Winter ice clothes the branches outside my window in delicate lacy webs of white.  I peek outside and watch the little birds hop from foot to foot and wish I could gather them together inside my nice warm home.   They look at me from their perches in the crisp fresh air and wonder why I'm locked away behind the glass.

Shutter Re-do

I found these shutters at a yard sale and immediately saw their shabby chic potential as a room divider.  Much to my family's dismay - I took the wonderful and lovely golden oak wood and "shabbied it up" and in no time had it looking ancient and worn.... my favorite kind of look.... quite an improvement don't you think?

Before

After

After Closeup

Footstool Makover

 I'm living proof that you don't have to be a pro at sewing (or love to measure) in order to make a footstool cover. 

Here's a picture of my shabby chic footstool makeover.  

Lucy Loo

Say hello to our newest addition - little Lucy loo - she's a little hairless ratty that's sweet as can be... (course the picture reveals that she's oh so hairy in all the wrong places) - but then -

what's a little ratty girl to do?

My little diva dog is absolutely disgusted... if you have to know - he thinks our ratty family additions are icky.... well - he want's to like them, for breakfast or lunch perhaps, but as pets go - he thinks they should be kept off the furniture... so this last one ("if it can even be called a rat" - I heard him tell one of his friends) - is the absolute last straw!  This is this face I get from him every time she is out of her cage and on "his" couch!

Tell me what you want - but all I see is  the pursed lips of my grade school English teacher... TOTAL AND UTTER DISAPPROVAL - I'm sure he'd tell me "get that thing off the couch!" if he only had the words!

After Christmas Blues.....

This morning when I woke up....  the tree still sparkled the way it did yesterday.....

The snow was still gently falling on the ground outside my living room window.....

The birds were singing and the sun was shining (although weakly) through the clouds......

But something had changed.  The magic, the anticipation of Christmas was gone from the air.... and in it's place a mixture of relief tinged with sadness.  The pressure was gone but so was the excitement.  Another year is almost over and with that knowledge I have  a few regrets.  Up ahead, however, comes another new year.  A fresh beginning, a clean slate.  It's an overwhelming anticipation - a challenge, an excitement of the changes to come.  What new things will 2011 bring into my life?  But today.... I rest and store up my strength for the year to come!

Saw my Napoleon Look alike....

So  - I saw my Napoleon Reincarnate today - he's still a bit shy  but can't you see the resemblance?  To further add to his reputation - we've had a complete changeover to our squirreldom lately.   Now, this squirrel actually may be a direct descendant of our previous tree inhabitants - but the new ones are so timid, and our last visitors were so bold.... it's really hard to imagine that children  of  our former squirrel guests wouldn't have picked up at least some of the same airs of entitlement their parents had.  

It hasn't taken me long, however, to take scrawny underfed little furballs and turn them into Fatty-mc-fat-fats!  I have a true gift for that (?) .... you know - for plumping up anything within my reach.... in which case.. my feet should be the smallest things ever.  : )

Some days I feel like the last little leaf clinging to the uppermost branch of a very tall tree. Stress whips around me like a frigid wind and it's all I can do not to let go and fly away into the whirling gusts. But just when I think I've had all I can take, God Gives me the grace for just one day.

Sorry Did you Want this?

ABC's of Thankfulness

So, honestly, this Thanksgiving was really hard.  Not only was my family spread all over the country, but the part of my family that was together wasn't exactly getting along.   In spite of the potential for drama - our Thanksgiving was remarkably uneventful - it was the waiting for the other shoe to drop that made it so hard. 

So - in the spirit of Thanksgiving - I decided to focus on all the things I have in my life that I should be grateful for..... so here goes.... an alphabet of thankfulness (not in any particular order) to remind me of all the blessings I have in my life!

Eyes and ears that work.  I've noticed lately that my eyes aren't working as well as they used to.  In fact.... I had to break down and buy some of those... "cosmetic" glasses at 1.25 magnification "just to make it easier to see my homework". In addition .... "what?" seems to be becoming a big part of my vocabulary lately and not because I'm not paying attention but I just don't seem to hear what people are saying the first time as often as I used to.  I guess this growing older thing creeps up on us all - but it's made me appreciate how fortunate I am to have eyes and ears that, for the most part, work well.  There are so many people around me that cope with difficulties in hearing and seeing every day and manage to make it through their days with no complaints.  It is something I need to remind myself when I find my heart lacking in gratitude.

Cars- I am really grateful to have a working car right now. Although we are going through a time where all of our cars are systematically breaking down (my maxima is parked with ignition coil issues, the pt cruiser just had $600 worth of work done, the truck has a blown head, my daughter's car is currently in the shop with an estimate of $600 for power steering issues etc and my husbands car leaks water on his feet - - -we think it's the heating coil... which the shop has estimated will be around $600 - really?  I think they should get a little creative on the price... on the less than $600 side for a change - but what do I know?..) - still  - I am so glad we have our cars to get us where we need to go.  Just being without them for a day or two makes me realize just how much we depend on them to give us the freedom to come and go.  I feel so fortunate to have so many vehicles (even though they are all limpin along) between the driving adults in our family. 

FRIENDS (and Family)- Ok - all you people out there - you made my list of things I'm thankful for - and really - I need to put you in front of Cars - but I guess I need my car so I can come see you - but then - without you I'd be locked away in a little rubber room with my matching "hug myself" jacket  - with absolutely no need of a car... so - - Well - thanks to all of you who stick by me during my daily life of drama and mayhem.  I love you all and am so thankful to have you in my life.

ICECREAM - ok - really - I can think of other things that start with "I" to be thankful for - but can you think of anything better?  My crunch and heath klondike's have gotten me through a really stressful summer and I am extremely grateful!  : )

My Mom and Dad - every day with my parents is such a gift.  I remember when I was a kid and took having parents for granted.  Now I look around at other people my age and realize just how lucky I am to have two parents that love each other so sweetly still in my life.  I am so very thankful to share my days with them.

Home - I look around at my home and feel so very blessed.  Not only do I have a roof over my head this Christmas, but God has been so good to me to give me a wonderful home that I love.  I pray for those people who are struggling right now and hope that the new year will be one of new beginnings and better situations for so many people that have had a rough 2010.

Squirrels - my funny furry friends.  Yes - you'll see pictures on my blog of how much I love these little critters - they've filled my days with such delight.  Their crazy antics on my back porch as they chase each other around my deck and up and down the trees in my back yard.  I swear the reincarnation of napoleon** has taken the shape of a squirrel and eats corn on my back porch rail every day!  It brings a smile to my heart!

Quiet morning walks - This summer I had the pleasure of getting up early and walking by the lake.  The total freedom of being awake when many people were still in bed, of breathing the early morning air - of watching the sun rise over the lake, was such a gift.  It's been many years since I've been able to take the time for myself in the morning.  Just an hour with the dogs before the days craziness started.  I enjoyed it tremendously.

Katie - my sweet little girl - of course I'm thankful for her, every day  - even the hard ones.  She's not so little anymore and getting more grown up by the minute - which just makes each day more precious than the one before.

Love -  I am so grateful for those people in my life that love and care for me and that I have in my life  to love and care for back.  Life can be such a lonely place.  We have to reach out and hold on to those friends and loved ones around us and make sure they know how we feel.  Don't let a day go  by without telling the people you love how you feel!

Washing machine - my bathroom plumbing went out this summer and my washing machine (which drained through the same pipes)  was then out of commission for a couple weeks while my husband re-ran the plumbing - I can't tell you how grateful I was to get my washing machine back!  We are so spoiled in this country to be able to wash our clothes whenever we want.  I don't ever want to take that for granted!

Hand Wrapped Candy Bars

Here's an easy, inexpensive Christmas idea to give a little personal gesture to an acquaintance coworker or (the mailman).  Take a large Hershey bar and remove the overwrap - replace it with wrapping and embellishments of your choice and voila' - a crafty and cute gift to give along with your christmas card.  Make it extra special by getting the really really big Hershey bars!  Everyone loves chocolate! 

**  This one shown with Cinnamon Star ornament (see my recipe)

Busy Bee

I sat in my garden the other day and watched

this little guy go about his work.

He was so busy he didn't even see me

 sitting right there in the middle of his world.

He looked so important, so together, so organized

Perhaps he even knew the secrets of the universe...

I wanted to ask him a question -

but if he saw me - he gave no indication.

Am I that busy bee?  Who did I ignore today

sitting in the middle of my world... who's

universe of questions could I have answered

 if I'd only stopped long enough to see them?

Aunt Martha...

So - My youngest fur child should be in greeting cards - not the Hallmark variety with the sweet puppies on the front - MY lovely son would star on the shoe box greetings - with sentiments such as...

Pucker up for Birthday
Kisses from Aunt Martha......



or.....

You're HOW old?????

My shelter rescue is cross between a pig and a possum (so says my mother)- and although he has his moments when he can look like the regal pooch.....

I'm pretty sure his photo pose of choice is

psycho dog!!!

Lookout Hallmark dog models - here comes your competition!!!



Finding my Serenity

Every day its the same, rise at 5 - shower, pack lunches, ready backpacks and briefcases, feed dogs, kids (squirrels and rats) make coffee, clean up last nights remnants (if I didn't do it the night before) and then out the door to another hectic day of classes, appointments, proposals, phone calls meetings, housework errands, laundry, picking up kids from school to do homework (theirs and mine) and dinner preparation for the next day - time with hubby (if I'm lucky) then to bed in the wee morning hours to get ready for it to start all over again.  It's easy to lose sight of the beauty around us when we race through the day. I took this picture between appointments once day.  It had just rained and the air was misty and damp.  Everything was fresh and clean - I had to walk through wet grass and mud to get this shot - but the picture was worth it! Every time I see it I remember  to stop and appreciate the beauty around me.  It's not just about the tasks I do every day - it's about living - enjoying life and having a thankful heart!