Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to “Show and Tell Friday!” Do you have something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Look around your home for something to share; dig through those boxes in your closet if you have to! Share photos and the story that goes with your special item.


Today, I am sharing a couple of new treasures. Many of you know that my favorite book is The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. A few weeks ago I told Beth from Arete that I was looking for a Secret Garden themed necklace. She was wonderful to work with and here is what she made for me...


A sweet charm necklace and matching earrings. Everything was packaged up beautifully inside, too. I should have taken pictures right away, but I was too excited.


Mary's key to the garden.


A soft yellow rose...my favorite color.


And a sweet robin.


I also love the matching earrings.


Thank you Beth, for doing such a wonderful job! I couldn't be more happy with everything.

Thank you for taking a look at my show and tell! The kids and I will be visiting my family next week, so there will be no Show and Tell on August 7. Have a wonderful weekend!


Remember, that your Show and Tell needs to be something from your home or garden. Please read the Show and Tell Guidelines for step-by-step instructions on how to participate.

If you would like to join in, please leave your exact show and tell blog post link, along with your first name only (this makes the list easier to read). If your link has been removed from Mr. Linky, please re-read over the guidelines before re-posting, or e-mail me with any questions.

Handmade Card Tutorial

Welcome to this week's handmade card project! You will need:
-5 1/2" x 4" blank notecard
-2 coordinating scrapbook papers
-1 coordinating cardstock
-Rubber stamp and ink or stickers
-Ribbon


Gather your supplies. My 10 Top Card Making Essentials list is HERE.


Cut a 4 3/8" x 2 3/4" piece of scrapbook paper. Cut a smaller 4 3/8" x 1 1/2" piece of coordinating scrapbook paper.


Cut a 4 3/8 x 1 1/2" strip of cardstock. Cut long edge with paper punch or decorative scissors.


Glue small piece of scrapbook paper to bottom of blank notecard. Glue the cardstock strip on top, overlapping slightly.


Add a rubber stamped image or stickers to larger piece of scrapbook paper. Glue to front of card, as shown, overlapping the cardstock strip.


Wrap a 15" length of ribbon around inside of card and around to the front. Tie a knot and trim ends.


Send to a friend! More handmade card tutorials HERE.

A few more things I've made this week...

Merci mini cards.


Bird gift tags.


Petite cards with a bee themed checklist.

Everything can be found in my Etsy Shop! Thank you for stopping by for a visit!

Handmade Card Making Essentials

Good morning! Leah from South Breeze Farm sent me an email asking if I had a Top 10 Card Making Essentials list, so she could start making cards. I thought this was a great idea, so I'm sharing my list with you, too! I get most of my supplies at Michaels and Hobby Lobby, with 40-50% off coupons.


1. Paper Cutter
This one is under $10.00 and is great for cutting 12" x 12" paper. The blades are easy to replace and there are also scoring blades for making your own blank notecards.


2. Glue
There are many different varieties of glue, but this is my favorite. It dries quickly and a little goes a long way.


3. Pre-made blank notecards
You can also make your own for more color variety, but I love these packages because envelopes are included. They come in white and ivory.


4. Cardstock and paper
The paper aisle can be very overwhelming, so try to find one paper you like and then look for a coordinating sheet. I always get a coordinating sheet of cardstock, too. My favorite is ivory.


Most of my cards are simple and use a sheet of scrapbook paper and coordinating cardstock.


5. Rubber Stamps
Investing in a few rubber stamps is a good idea because you can use them over and over again.


6. Ink pads
Start out with a few basic colors.


7. Sponge
I get round sponges from the artist/paint section of stores and cut them into fourths.


Dab on an ink pad, and then the edges of cardstock to get a shaded look. This will take practice!


8. Ribbon
I love the ribbon at Hobby Lobby because it is usually 50% off.


9. Embellishments
There are many embellishments for paper crafting, but I keep it simple with tiny flowers and rhinestones.


10. Decorative punches and scissors.
These can be collected over time and will add fancy touches to your cards.

In addition to local stores, I have found many supplies (especially rubber stamps) at thrift store and yardsales.

A few cards using a single sheet of scrapbook paper and coordinating cardstock...






Thank you for stopping by for a visit and I hope the list was helpful. I will share a card making project tomorrow!

Letter Writing

Pretty letter writing paper can be expensive, but not if you have a Dollar Tree nearby. I love their new summer line of paper, journals and notepads!

Monday, July 27, 09

Good morning! It is a dark and rainy day here in Texas. I gave my bedroom a quick new look by reversing the comforter.


I prefer the patchwork, but will enjoy the change for awhile.

We kept the house tidy this weekend, so there are just a few chores today. I need to figure out what is wrong with my vacuum cleaner, so I don't have to vacuum the entire house with only the suction hose! But first, I'm off to enjoy another cup of coffee. Have a great start to your week!

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to “Show and Tell Friday!” Do you have something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Look around your home for something to share; dig through those boxes in your closet if you have to! Share photos and the story that goes with your special item.


Happy Friday! Today, I am sharing my kitchen hutch and set of china. Both were given to us my Phillip's mom and I love the hutch so much, when we get a new kitchen table set we will make sure it matches.




The pattern is Royal Ruby by Noritake.


We have service for 12, plus several serving dishes and trays.


We use the dishes for all the special holidays and "just because" days, too.


I especially like the Victorian design.






Thank you for taking a look at my china! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!


Remember, that your Show and Tell needs to be something from your home or garden. Please read the Show and Tell Guidelines for step-by-step instructions on how to participate.

If you would like to join in, please leave your exact show and tell blog post link, along with your first name only (this makes the list easier to read). If your link has been removed from Mr. Linky, please re-read over the guidelines before re-posting, or e-mail me with any questions.

Click on the green Mr. Linky down below and add your link!

Coming up for air...

I'm making good progress on my to-do list. All that's left is grocery shopping and Daisy's vet appointment tomorrow. I got a good night's sleep and made banana muffins for breakfast. Hope all is well at your house, too!

Monday Chit~Chat

Good morning! I hope you had a good weekend. A few weeks ago, we had friends over for dinner. Grace did a wonderful job setting the table and the centerpiece is our three tiered platter with lots of different seashells.


I made a salad with romaine, red and green peppers, green onions, cucumber, grape tomatoes and black olives.


Right before dinner I added feta cheese and a romano basil dressing.


Phillip grilled chicken and we also had sour dough bread.


We ended the meal with strawberries, peaches, and blueberries or vanilla ice cream. It was quick and easy, and no one had to spend all day in the kitchen!

It is supposed to be cooler this week, but I'm still glad we are finished with swim lessons. I have several things on my weekly to-do list: vet appointment for Daisy, renew drivers license, menu plan and grocery shop. Thank you for stopping by for a visit. I hope you have a great start to your week!

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to “Show and Tell Friday!” Do you have something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Look around your home for something to share; dig through those boxes in your closet if you have to! Share photos and the story that goes with your special item.


Today, I am sharing a very special doll. She was a gift to my mom, from my dad when I was born. Somehow, years later I ended up with her. Growing up, I thought she was so pretty with her extra special touches...


Pearl earrings.


Fancy hairstyle.


Pink fingernails.


And a sweet face! Thank you for looking at my show and tell and have a wonderful weekend!

Remember, that your Show and Tell needs to be something from your home or garden. Please read the Show and Tell Guidelines for step-by-step instructions on how to participate.

If you would like to join in, please leave your exact show and tell blog post link, along with your first name only (this makes the list easier to read). If your link has been removed from Mr. Linky, please re-read over the guidelines before re-posting, or e-mail me with any questions.

Click on the green Mr. Linky down below and add your link!

Handmade Card Tutorial

Hello! Thank you for your comments on my kitchen and new candle holder. For those who asked, I found it at Hallmark. Tomorrow is the last day of swim lessons, so I'll be around more next week. In the meantime, I thought I would share a handmade card project!


I made a Happy Birthday card with glittery floral paper, but you can use any kind of paper, rubber stamps, or stickers.


Gather your supplies:
-Blank 5 1/2" x 4" notecard
-Scrapbook paper
-Cardstock
-Rubber stamp and ink, or stickers
-Ribbon


Cut three 3 7/8" x 1 3/4" rectangles of coordinating scrapbook paper. Glue to front of card, as shown.


Cut a 3" x 1 1/2" rectangle of cardstock. Add stamp or stickers. The exact measurements will depend on the stamp you use. I also shaded the edges with a foam ink pad. Glue to slightly larger rectangle of cardstock.


Glue to front of card, as shown.


Add a small ribbon bow, using hot glue. Send to a friend!


A Christmas version. Speaking of Christmas, I've been making lots of "Christmas in July" tags and cards!







Everything can be found in my Etsy Shop and all my Christmas things are 20% off through the 22nd!

Thank you for stopping by for a visit!  I'll be back for Show and Tell Friday.

Simple Little Pleasures for Monday...

Starting the week with a clean kitchen.


A new tealight holder from my favorite artist.


Have a wonderful Monday!

"I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string."
— L.M. Montgomery

Patchwork Apron

Good morning! Thank you for your comments on our apron collection! My friend, Kelly asked to see the entire patchwork apron, so I'm sharing the pictures here, in case anyone else wants to try and duplicate it, too.


The squares are 3 1/2" in size, not including seam allowances. Let me know if you have any questions!

We are off to run a few errands and we'll probably grill with friends this evening. Have a great weekend!

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to “Show and Tell Friday!” Do you have something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Look around your home for something to share; dig through those boxes in your closet if you have to! Share photos and the story that goes with your special item.


Happy Friday! The girls and I like to collect aprons, so today I'm going to share some favorites...


Many of them are from the depression era and have been found at local antique shops.








I got this Christmas apron for Grace many years ago.


My Grandma made this child sized apron for my sister and I.




And finally, the latest apron to add our collection has a fun diner theme. My mom made it from vintage fabric for Emily's birthday.

Thank you for taking a look at our our aprons! I hope your week has gone well. We've spent a lot of time at the pool with swim lessons and playing with friends. The plans are the same for next week!


Remember, that your Show and Tell needs to be something from your home or garden. Please read the Show and Tell Guidelines for step-by-step instructions on how to participate.

If you would like to join in, please leave your exact show and tell blog post link, along with your first name only (this makes the list easier to read). If your link has been removed from Mr. Linky, please re-read over the guidelines before re-posting, or e-mail me with any questions.

Vacation Days...

I'll be back on Friday!

Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to “Show and Tell Friday!” Do you have something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Look around your home for something to share; dig through those boxes in your closet if you have to! Share photos and the story that goes with your special item.


Hello everyone! Today, I am sharing my late June/early July gardens. I've been watering every day, to try and keep everything alive.




Daisy loves the water fountain.


A view of the Fairy and Herb Garden from the back porch.


I have various flowers and rosemary, dill, thyme, oregano, parsley, sage and lemon balm.


In the backyard, we have a small area between the house and fence that I call our Secret Garden. Last week, I planted morning glories to climb up the arch.


Hopefully the Jasmine will grow quickly and cover the fence posts.




Thank you for taking a look around our gardens. We are hosting a BBQ this weekend, so we'll be busy with cleaning, cooking, and lots of fun. Happy 4th of July!


Remember, that your Show and Tell needs to be something from your home or garden. Please read the Show and Tell Guidelines for step-by-step instructions on how to participate.

If you would like to join in, please leave your exact show and tell blog post link, along with your first name only (this makes the list easier to read). If your link has been removed from Mr. Linky, please re-read over the guidelines before re-posting, or e-mail me with any questions.

Handmade Card Tutorial

Hello! Today, I am sharing a handmade card project.


Gather your supplies:
1. Blank 5 1/2" x 4" blank notecard
2. 5 3/8" x 3 7/8" piece of cardstock
3. 6 - 1 3/4" squares of coordinating scrapbook paper
4. 15" length of ribbon
4. Embellishments


Cut 6 - 1 3/4" squares of scrapbook paper.


Glue to cardstock rectangle, as shown.


Glue cardstock to front of blank notecard.


Tie a ribbon around center of card, tie a knot and trim ends.


Add any embellishments, if desired. I used a tiny flower and pink gem.


Send to a friend!

A few more things I've made this week...








Everything can be found in my Etsy Shop!

Thank you for stopping by and taking a look. I hope your week is going well. We are having company over this evening and then it's time to get ready for the 4th of July. Happy Canada Day to my Canadian friends and Happy Birthday to my brother, Stephen!

There will be a Show and Tell Friday, so I hope to see you then.