My Valentine Present

Hello friends and Happy Valentine's day

to each and everyone of you!

I know each of you touch my heart every time you visit!

So what did you all get for this day of love?

I did not get flowers.

Nor did I get a boxful of chocolate.

My sweetie Bob gave me drywall.

W H A T ? ? ?

Yep, my friends, I got drywall and I am as excited as a

honey bee in a honey tree.

You see when I bought this house 15 years ago,

it was a run down Summer cottage.

An older lady lived here, but did not have the means

to keep it up.

I saw the potential, and the fact that it is a

small community where we have our own beach,

dock and 3 1/2 park.

This was pre Bob.

After my divorce and the kids moving out,

I sold my big house to move closer to the river.

It took many years just to get the outside looking presentable.

1. Huge trees that needed to be cut down.

2. Driveway to be taken out..broken cement everywhere.

3. Getting rid of the bats in the attic (smelly job)

4. Hauling in loads of dirt. (5 truckloads) 

to even out the yard.

5. New landscaping in back and grass seed.

6. Getting rid of barberry shrubs (snake heaven)

After about a year after Bob came into my life,

we started to redo the house one room at a time.

We only have the kitchen and bath left.

So I love it that he surprised me with drywall.

I don't like the dust that goes with it though.

The ceiling is finished and sanded.

One more wall to go.

Then it will be painted a farmhouse white.

The same as our kitchen cabinets.

The white reminds me of gramma B's kitchen,

so you could say I am going back to my roots.

Even the blue wall where I do my CupboardScapes

will be painted white.

Soon I hope.......

Because dust is everywhere.

Here

There.

And everywhere.

But it will all be worth it in the end.

I had to warn my mom though.

We have no table and chairs right now.

They are in our back room..no room there now.

Dinner out tomorrow night.

She is coming tomorrow to spend the evening 

with us as we have a funeral on Thursday.

My gramma B's sister passed.

She was 92, and lived a good full life.

Like I said before, no flowers or chocolate,

but the love that Bob brings to each room,

makes it all worth the while.

I love coming home each night to a home

filled with love.

Drywall Dust Blessings To All!

Janice

Change Is Good

Afternoon everyone!

Bob and I had an awesome time yesterday.

For those who are not lucky enough to visit

Frankenmuth, MI...

let me tell you what our family style dinner

consisted of over at the Bavarian Inn.

First of all the entire waitstaff dresses in

German attire, including their hats.

Our first course is chicken noodle soup

with stollen bread (fruited bread) and their jam of the month.

This time it was strawberry rhubarb.

Second course was chicken salad, coleslaw,

applesauce and cranberry relish.

Followed by their famous lightly breaded fried chicken,

mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing,

 buttered noodles  and hubbard squash.

Oh yeah, and for dessert you get ice cream.

Bob and I both chose a swirl

(orange sherbert and vanilla soft serve)

You are allowed as much of the 2nd courses and main courses

that you are able to eat.

We literally almost had to roll ourselves outta there.

Then we went off to buy some more of that

awesome stollen bread and jam.

Egg noodles and chicken seasoning for my

own chicken noodle soup.

We then went to the cheese haus, for cheese,

summer sausage and pita crackers.

Then Bob had to have his taffy fix.

A boxful of different flavors,

while I got a tub of chocolate caramel popcorn.

Sweet and salty. YUM

So while we were driving up, Bob says to me.

I think you should put that table in our bedroom.

See I had bought this small early side table last weekend,

with the intention of selling it.

When Bob suggested that it might fit in our bedroom,

I thought...hmmm...it might at that.

This is what I had before the change.

Side view of the built in closet.

Prim winder on the floor.

So before Bob went to the store, 

he placed it in there...and by george he was right!

  

New table.

The knob on the drawer is a wood spool. 

Then I added this white/ blue coverlet piece.

For those who asked...

Now I am going to give you a little secret on decorating.

My design teacher always told us,

the secret to decorating is the

1  3  5  Rule.

Never decorate with 2 or 4 items.

I will do 3 items on this table.

The coverlet does not count as an item.
It is just a statement piece for the table.
This design would also work without the coverlet.

First item is this wrought iron candleholder.

Second item this wax sealer.

Together on the table.

See two items does not make a statement.

Even when I add the white tulips,

still not good.

(and no tulips do not count as an item)

Nor do the candles since they are on the 1st item.

Added the small stoneware pitcher in front.

Three always is the best.

If you notice I also have 3 items on the small peg

above the table.  2 bonnets and a rug beater.

When decorating your own home,

just remember the 1  3  5 rule.

I will talk about the 1 and 5 later on.

Hope this helps a bit for now.

Change Is Good Blessings To All!

Janice

Winter Blue Cold Winter Nights

Good evening sweet friends.
Well Bob and I are off this weekend for 
much needed time off.
Going to spend some time visiting our
favorite haunts (antique stores)
in the Thumb area of Michigan.
Plan on eating the famous chicken dinner
which put Frankenmuth, MI on the map.
Finally ending up at my mom's to spend
an evening with her and take her out for
an Valentine's Day dinner.
Getting away from the Winter blues.

While I thought of the name of this post,

it reminded me of cold Winter's nights

spent at gramma H's farmhouse.

After dinner she would make everyone

homemade hot chocolate. 

We would then gather around the table

and drink away...while warming up.

My mom and dad, sister, brother, gramma and I.

Hot cocoa was always sweeter when gramma made it!

Afterwards, our tradition would be playing Canasta.

Canasta is a card game.

The partners were always my mom and dad,

and gramma and I.

My sister and brother would go off and play

with their toys and watch tv. 

Gramma and I were always partners
in this card game. She was a sly partner at that.
Sneaky was more like it.
She would hold all of her cards and when she
knew she could win the game, she would
lick her thumb, make a fist and knock on the table.
Then show her cards out like a poker hand.

It was always amusing how she did it.

Sometimes she really got into the game and would

shout out a bad 4 letter word, cover her mouth

and say "Pardon my French" 

She was of French and German descent.

It was funny hearing my gramma swear.

We would play cards until bedtime. 

Bedtime had its own routine.

My sister and I would traipse upstairs,

get our jammies on while gramma got ready 

in the upstairs bathroom. 

She would come out in her flannel nightie.

Her hair would be in corn rollers and would

 be wrapped inside her nightcap.

She would first tuck us in under the quilts,

then she would open the window and have a cigarette.

(gramma took up smoking after grandpa passed)

Once she was finished with her smoke,

she would go to her dresser and grab the Vasoline.

A finger full of Vasoline always went into her mouth.
She told us that eating it helped not to get a cold.
Y U C K 
D O U B L E   Y U C K

She then turned off the light and joined
 us in bed for the night.
My sister and I always slept with gramma 
after grandpa passed until she sold her farmhouse.
Cold Winter nights were always warmer
at gramma H's.

How do you get over the Winter blues?

Cold Winter Night Memories To All!
Janice

Hearts Abound

In our February store window display.

Good evening sweet friends!

Another Monday of work under my belt.

Saturday night I brought dinner

aka sloppy joes and potato chips

to the store so that Bob and I could work on our

February store window display.

We spent 3 hours on Saturday night

and another 3 hours on Sunday morning...

after breakfast of course.

I think we did too good of a job though.

An hour after I left on Sunday,

Bob called to say that the dresser was sold.

(pictured above) 

I made a paper heart garland.

The conversation hearts in the window.

I made these using my computer and scrap book paper. 

I did every color except a light orange...

I could not find that color.

We kept our snowflakes up in between....

since it still is Winter.

Table display.

Cabinet display.

Basket on floor with a linsey woolsey blanket.

Settee with another linsey woolsey blanket.

Penny heart pillow I made.

Child's chair with bowl and rug piece.

This would look good as a table cover.

Early child's rocker with flowered bowl.

Big clock, candy jar on the left,

 with a cake plate & bowl on the right.

This a pale pink bow tie cutter quilt.

Another prim lady I made.

So I went back to the store after work today;

to redo the display since the dresser sold yesterday.

Bob had replaced it with curio cabinet.

Now the curio cabinet sold today....

The buyer is going to pick it up on Saturday.

I just fluffed up our window area a bit, and will 

have to redo it again on Saturday.

Not that I am complaining....its just really hard

work putting these displays together.

Just thought it would last more than a day.

LOL

Hope you liked our display for this month.

Starting to work on Easter goodies

 for our shows in March.

 Of course I will show you what I am working on.

What are your plans for the week?

Hearts Abound Blessings To All!

Janice

What A Crock

Happy TGIF everyone!

WOOHOO for the Weekend!

It will be a busy one for me,

so I figured I would get this post out to you now

before Bob brings home our pizza for dinner.

Wanted to show you these crocks

and ginger beer bottles.

They will be off to our show at the

Holly, Michigan prim show soon.

I simply love how wonky looking this one is.

You can really see this one was hand turned.
A nice one for sure.

2 Gallon crock.

3 Gallon one is the wonky one.

I already have a solid ovoid like this one.

I use mine for different faux flowers 

throughout the seasons.

Ginger Ale use to come in these crocks

before the invention of the glass bottle.

I have a small collection of these myself.

Made a small display until these go off to the show.

Will enjoy for a little bit. :-)

I was wondering if anyone would like me to write

a few posts on how I learned how to create displays.

I have been thinking about it lately, and wanted

to run it by all of you to see if you would be interested.

Well, off to eat my yummy pizza.

Have a great weekend my friends!!!

Weekend Blessings To All!

Janice

Wrapped In Love

Good evening sweet friends.
I am both humbled and blessed
by everyone's comments on my last post.
As I read each comment to Bob,
my heart was filled with joy that so many
of you took the time to comment,
 and even liked our kitchen.
(Bob was smiling too)
It is your kind words that keep me going.
So many of my blogging friends have
disappeared and it means a lot that you all
still follow and comment.
Unfortunately I am not able to email
 some of you back.
Not sure what has happened with blogger,
but many of you come in as a no reply blogger,
so it's not that I do not appreciate your thoughts;
I am just unable to reply.

I hope everyone is enjoying your Hump Day. 

As promised here is my finished Valentine creation.

As a kid I went to a private school where
uniforms were mandatory. Insert the word
< Y U C K >
There were however a few occasions where 
we were allowed to wear a dress.
(yes I did say a dress)  Insert the word.
< Y I P E E >

I was so thrilled beyond thrilled,
that one of those days was
St. Valentine's Day.
Mom made all of my dresses back then,
and besides my Christmas dress,
I especially loved the Valentine ones
 she sewed for me.

It was always a surprise.
Some were red, others pink.
Some had lace, ribbons or hand made hearts attached.
Once I even had feathers at the collar,
the bottom and the end of the sleeves.
That one was my favorite!
It was a pale pink with white feathers.
I thought I was a movie star at the time.
I remember even wearing that one with a pink bonnet
and white little gloves at Easter.
Aahhh the love my mom poured into my dresses.

This Valentine's reminded me of those 
long ago dresses...
and how mom use to wrap me up in her love.
It is where I thought of my stitchery.
Wrapped In Love.

(Notice the Conversation Hearts?)
Am making these for our February
 window at the store. 
Will show you once done.

Do you have one particular story in which you
felt wrapped in love?

On another note:
please keep my cousin and her husband
who live in Georgia in your thoughts. 
I just found out last night that those horrible
tornadoes took their house.
My aunt's house and farm is directly to the North
of my cousins and her's was spared...
except for those gorgeous 
Southern Oaks with the Spanish Moss on them.
My cousin is alright, but they did lose a pet,
and fear the other one will not make it.
I am so thankful they are alright, and hope
their other dog makes it.

Wrapped In Love Blessings To All!
Janice