April CupboardScape

I realize Easter is over already,

however this was my April CupbordScape for Easter.

Better late than never and hope you enjoy.

Filled with eggs and bunnies.

 

The pillows were both from Scattered Seed Samplers.

Love how they turned out.

Dressed up my prim tree with fabric eggs I made.

Added in all of my bunny molds to complete.

In other news,

It has been a crazy week thus far,

Sunday we were at the store when 

an active shooter report came in.

The incident was 4 blocks to the West

and then another 4 blocks south of our store.

They brought in police from various towns

along with border patrol and two drones.

What was thought to be a hostage situation

using an AR-15 was a swatting incident.

Now the FBI is involved to try and find out

who placed the call.

Monday Bob and I decided to go clothes shopping.

On our way we travel at this area where 

the road turns into a divided one 

which is one way only each way.

Well going up this lady was going the wrong way.

I was laying on my horn at her and she still

past me going the wrong way.

Then that same road going back home,

an elderly man was going the wrong way.

Bob immediately said, "Get me home.

There are too many crazies out here." 

Yesterday I had to take my mom to her dentist.

Left my house at 8:30am.

First stop though was to her doctor's office

to get her monthly blood work done and weigh her.

Figured I would do it at the same time 

so a second trip was not needed.

Dentist was bad news.

My mom needs two teeth extracted,

and a partial done on two more teeth.

So more dental appts needed.

My siblings should be glad I am retired now.

My cousin is her dental hygienist,

so it was nice catching up on family news.

While at the dentist, I received this call from

a realtor saying she got my number 

from another cousin that we were selling

my mom's house and she has a buyer for it.

NO we are not selling her house...

and I had already told this cousin we

were not selling. My cousin has a buyer and is

hoping we sell to her.

The nerve of some folks...and this is family.

EGAD 

I called the realtor back 

when I got home at 3:00pm,

and before she got her spiel out,

told her the house was not for sale.

She thanked me and hung up.

The plan is my brother is going to move in

once he sells his house.

We are unable to sell or rent my mom's house

or she loses the government money for her

to stay in her apartment.

So my brother is just going to live there

rent free and just pay the utilities and taxes.

He is helping us all out.

Well hopefully the rest of the week I can relax

and get some stitching and tv watching in. LOL

So much flooding in our state, so hopefully

things calm down.

Tornadoes came through early

Wednesday morning.

I hate this time of year. 

Hope all is good in your neck of the woods.

Thursday Blessings To All!

Janice

Sunday Starts

 Now that I am retired I decided

to start two more samplers.

First one is Jeny Brimer

by Milady's Needle.

I will be adding in my grandparents names

for this one for my heritage wall.

The next one I chose was

Elizabeth Manners 1843.

I wanted to do this one to place next 

to  Sarah Casey Unwin which is  below.

With the biblical sayings on each,

this will be my mini blessings wall.

My first day start I stitched 

a little bit of the border and the angel.

The angel was suppose to be this pink color.

I chose DMC 3779 which is the peach.

Did not want a pink angel.

I may work on this one more than the others,

as I want to make sure they have

 the same frame color like the other one.

Will see though...I may change my mind. LOL

In other news,

Well one full week of retirement under my belt.

Bob asked me how it felt to be retired now.

I told him right now it just feels like

I am on vacation.

It may take a bit to sink in for me.

Tomorrow Bob and I are meeting my brother

at my mom's house.

We are finished cleaning and now we

want Bob to see if he can sell anything

in our store before we contact

my friend to do the estate sale.

She knows we own an antique store,

so there will be no hard feelings.

She also knows we need to get as much money

as we can for my mom's care.

Hopefully it will be a nice day today so 

Tundra and I can spend some time outside.

Unfortunately he found a bunny nest yesterday,

and proceeded to grab the only one left.

Bob told me it had all of its fur, but died.

He also put some pallets around the area,

so Tundra can no longer snoop,

but he thinks he was too late.

Happy stitching, crafting or Hooking Blessings To All!

Janice

Whippy Wednesday

 

I don't have much to show this month.

Well by my standards anyways. LOL

Let's start off with Parade Sammy.

This is where I left you last month.

This has been my nightly stitch when I can.

I am almost to the finish line.

Floral Sampler has been another one 

I pick up now and then.

Am loving all of the flowers I have stitched thus far.

Even the purple ones.

I am a third of the way from completing 

this beauty now.

Next up is Faith 1831.

Almost finished with the second swag.

Finally I once again picked up the Summer Saltbox.

This is where I was last year when I put it away.

I started working on this when I was working

from home with nothing to do.

My boss knew I was doing nothing and did not care.

In other news,

I will miss my boss.

she was the BEST one I had ever had 

in my 50 year banking career.

20 years with First National Bank.

Then 30 years with Bank of America.

When I gave her my resignation letter,

the entire week she kept telling me

that she was not accepting it because

she did not want me to leave.

I was her top sales performer. 

So I made an announcement at my 

retirement party that if she was not

going to accept my letter, I was going AWOL.

Everyone laughed including her.

Easter was low key.

I went to lunch with my mom.

For lunch we had salad, deviled egg,

multi grain roll, 2 slices of ham with 

pineapple and cherry on top, stuffing,

mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole,

 peas and strawberry cheesecake for dessert.

That was a lot of food for lunch.

Later that evening Bob and I

had ham, green bean casserole and sweet potatoes.

Apple pie for dessert.

Every day thus far at least one of my co-workers

has texted me saying they miss me.

Guess I was really liked...well I know 

I was everyone's go to person.

Mid Week Blessings To All!

Janice

Bunny Molds

 Hello friends!

Today I wanted to share my collection

of chocolate bunny molds.

Bob brought this one home for me.

This one I purchased from a friend

who no longer wanted it.

She also let me purchase this one.

The next three I found antiquing through

the years.

           While most folks desire chocolate molds

from Germany, it was France who first came up with 

the idea of pouring liquid chocolate into molds.

It was exclusively for the elite of the day.

They were made from copper or pewter in the 

17th century.

By the 18th century, molds began appearing

in tin and iron and more intricate designs came

into fruition. 

These molds were hand crafted by skilled artisans.

The Industrial Revolution made for

mass production of molds in various shapes,

designs and sizes.

With this is was more affordable for common

folks to enjoy the luxury of chocolate.

By the 19th century, molds were now being made

with rubber and plastic.

Most of my collection is iron,

while a few pieces are made from tin.

Of course the iron ones are really heavy

so you can tell the difference.

The last two in my pics are the tin ones.

The rest are iron.

Some made in Germany...

some not marked so I do not know

the origin of these.

In other news,

my retirement party was nice.

It was at a local pizzeria Buddy's which is known

for the BEST pizza.

We had chicken fingers, breaded cauliflower,

warm bread sticks with pizza sauce,

Two salads- one regular and one antipasto.

Of course lots and lots of pizza.

fresh mozzarella cheese, veggie, meat, everything,

and one with just fresh tomato and mozzarella.

Desserts were chocolate chip cookies,

raisin oatmeal cookies, chocolate and vanilla cupcakes.

I received lots of gifts.

Oh my.

Two margarita glasses, margarita salt for the rims,

Large bottles of strawberry and regular margaritas.

Tortilla chips, salsa and cheese sauce to go with

the margaritas.

Many gifts cards to Hobby Lobby

plus one of our favorite Italian restaurants.

Travel stuff to keep in my car; ie

tools, car phone charger, car blanket, first aid kit.

A basket full of bath items.

Then there was the chocolate and the balloons.

I was spoiled.

Everyone wrote a memorable memory

of me and them.

These memories were gathered into a 

small presentation.

I enjoyed reading each and every one.

Now that I am retired, I will tell you

who I was employed with.

Some of you already knew who know me,

but I never shared it on my blog

because I felt it was not right to discuss it.

Any hoot I was an Assistant Vice President

 in the Commercial Loan area

with

Bank of America.

I handled customers with sales size between

$10 million to $20 million.

I already miss my customers.

Working 30 years,

my clients also became my extended family.

I knew them personally, their families,

along with their business.

Wednesday was a sad day,

as it was the last time I saw my co-workers

who were all at my retirement party.

Thursday I worked from home.

Friday morning I just turned in my badges,

work cell phone and work computer...

I was NEVER allowed to use my personal computer

for anything work related.

I will also miss my co-workers.

They were the BEST.

I will keep in touch with most of them though.

Bob came with me to see where I worked

all these years and then we drove home

and ate breakfast at our local diner.

Now begins the next chapter of my life.

WOOHOO!

Retirement Here I Come Blessings To All!

Janice

Another Recent Acquisition

Another recent purchase.

This one purchased from a friend. 

This sampler.

I do not know how old it is,

but do know it is a Spanish one.

(Sorry for the glare in these pics)

For the cross stitcher sleuths out there;

if you can tell me about this piece it would

be appreciated.

The best close up view I could get without a big glare.

Am not sure if it is an antique or someone just

stitched this from a recent pattern. 

My Spring display underneath. 

No daffodils outside, but I can enjoy

these faux ones inside. 

In other news,

one day of work...4 days left.

I am working from home today...

and doing nothing but checking what

little emails I may get...yesterday I had none.

Wednesday will work in the office as my

retirement party starts at noon that day.

Working from home then again on Thursday.

Friday have to go into the office

one last time to turn in my computer and cell.

Then its off to the sunset...WOOHOO!

Driving home yesterday through the marsh,

I saw many mallards and one heron...

my first of the year.

Spring must surely be here now.

It even reached 70 degrees yesterday. 

Well off to turn on my computer and stitch. LOL

There wont be any emails...as I have no customers

now since my portfolio was moved out of name already.

The Countdown Begins Blessings To All!

Janice

Friday Finish

This Friday I have 2 finishes to show off.

Bedelia Bunny by the

Artsy Housewife I finished stitching

last year.

I just decided to sew into a pillow.

I chose this floral fabric for the back.

 As usual stuffed with fabric...

but this time added a bit of

Tundra's fur.

He is shedding bigtime...and it is so soft.

Maybe Spring is finally coming.

This was stitched on 32 ct Cookie Dough.

This is the pattern photo.

I did not stitch any of the motifs.

For the flowers, my purples were more muted.

So were my yellows.

My Spring display with my new bunny pillow.

When last I showed you Sarah Casey Unwin,

I had this little corner left to stitch.

Here it is in its full glory already on the wall.

The shine on the right side of the house is the sun

coming in from the window.

(no ghosts) LOL

I chose a reddish brown frame because

I knew it was going to be hung above

our pumpkin pine cabinet.

I do have another pattern that I will

start soon...then when finished will

hang to the left of this one.

Hopefully they will still have the same

frame color because this new pattern

will probably take me another year to stitch.

I changed up the cabinet for a more Spring look.

My red curtains are really two blankets.

I hung one blanket on each side using clips.

Hung prim sheers for the middle

that are also stationary. 

For those who do not know 

what pumpkin pine is...

it is pine wood which was cut 

from the heart of a pine tree.

The oxidation from these old trees

made for the orange color, which they 

call pumpkin.

Hence pumpkin pine.

The older the pine tree, the more 

orange it would be.

Unfortunately you will not find

pumpkin pine sold now...

unless you find an antique one.

In other news,

I took mom to her monthly social

on Wednesday.

This month it was strawberry shortcake.

I brought both a strawberry rhubarb pie,

 and a strawberry cheesecake roll.

All was a hit.

My mom had a piece of pie and shortcake.

When we got back to her room, she

told me the pie was good. I told her that

I thought the shortcake was good and she says

"I did not have any of that"

I had to remind her she had both.

When I first got to her room,

her phone was not next to her.

I asked her where it was.

She said it was on the kitchen table charging.

I looked there and no phone.

I called her phone and could hear nothing.

Then I had to go on a hunt for it.

I looked everywhere for that dang phone.

Finally I looked in her purse which she

keeps in the closet.

Yep it was there.

She must have put it in there when took her

last Thursday for her outing.

She never took it out and it died.

Just sad she is getting so forgetful.

Well I have the weekend left,

then back to work for a week....

then RETIREMENT.

WOOHOO!!!

Friday Before Retirement Blessings To All!

Janice