Styish Blogger Award

I got an Stylish Blogger award a while back from Heidi at Sewing Daisies (here).

 That was a surprise! That's my first blogger award EVER.    

Well, thanks so much Sewing Daisies...that was very sweet of you and I really appreciated your thoughtfulness.  Please take a moment to visit Sewing Daisies.  Heidi has the most stylish blog (here) herself and she features her fantastic crochet & sewing projects with the most stunning photos.

 Now I'm suppose to tell you seven things about myself that you wouldn't know.

 So here goes:

1. I can tell the correct time without a watch or clock most of the time. It always surprises my hubby that I have this ability and he thinks I'm pretty accurate.
2. On the other hand, I have no sense of direction.  At all.  Forget the men directions... i.e., North, South, East, West...blab...blab...blab...it means nothing to me.  Luckily my hubby was born with a map in his head and the best sense of direction par none.  As long as he is with me I don't get lost.
3. I love all things techie...computers, TVs, phones...any electrical gadget that I can play with and have fun.   Hubby comes to the rescue...he installs everything and then tells me how the gadget works.     
4. I HATE to grocery shop. I will put it off indefinitely if I could. I'm lucky my hubby doesn't mind and he goes with me to help out whenever he can get me to go. Needless to say some of our orders are quite large when we do go.
5. I like to type but I dislike handwriting. I'm a lefty and regardless of how I hold my left hand the ink will smear somewhere on the paper before I finish writing. Plus, I don't know why, but my hand gets very tired quickly when I write. Now typing I'm great at...I took a typing course in high school to help me in college and it was one of the best things I ever did. And I like spell check because I'm a lousy speller.
6. Both my Dad and I were the 3rd child.  My Dad's father was 25 when my Dad was born and my Dad was 25 when I was born.   I had the sweetest father any girl could ever have and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss him terribly.  That's my handsome Dad in the photo below. 
7. I was a Philosophy major in college. I met my hubby in "Philosophy of Law" class.  He has the brains (and common sense).  I have common sense (but no brains).  We met when we were both late for our first evening class... with my hubby-to-be arriving just before me (neither of us were ever late to a class before this).  I walked in and there were only three guys sitting there so I asked if this was "Philosophy of Law".  As my future hubby joked out loud that it wasn't... I noticed that there was a message written on the board that the class had been moved to another room... so I pointed that out to the clueless guys.  They hadn't noticed the sign so I guess it was a good thing I showed up.  Anyways my future hubby and I walked together down to the class and we are still together almost 40 years later.  Best class I ever took! 

Here's my Mom and Dad with Mom holding me and my Dad with my brothers (1947).  The camera caught my Mom laughing about something.

I've blogged about my Mom a few times but not my Dad.

I had a very special relationship with my Dad...maybe because I was the only girl and the youngest.  My Dad was so handsome, smart and the nicest and sweetest father.  

(Darn...I didn't clean the dust off this picture before it was scanned.)

Now I'm suppose to pass this award on to another blogger or bloggers but I would rather not do that.

Instead my practice is to frequently highlight a favorite blogger of mine on my blog.   That just seems to work for me.        

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day. 

    

Mosaic Monday - Creative Crocheting

Other Fantastic Crocheters Courtesy of Flickr

1. Pretty Petals, 2. Circles of Rings, 3. flower chain for cabinet part 1, 4. samples, 5. finished ripple blanket, 6. Hooked on Crochet, 7. Beyond the Square - Motif 45, 8. Flower, 9. PocketCottage19

Look at all of this wonderful creative crocheting!  

These are creations from other crocheters courtesy of Flickr.  I love to look at other crocheters work...I can't help but be inspired.

Just click on any legend above to see the full photo and check out the creative mind behind any of these fantastic projects.

Please join Mary at The Little Red House (here) for more Mosaic Monday!

Something in PINK!

Something in PINK!

A pretty doily.

The doily sits on top of my Mom's jewelry box.  I bought the jewelry box as a gift for my Mom years ago.  It holds some of her costume jewelry.  

I always thought my Mom was very pretty..she was slim and tall at 5 foot 6 inches (3 inches taller than me).  She had the prettiest blue eyes (...I have my Dad's brown eyes) and thick wavy hair (...I have my Dad's thin hair).  And, oh, my...thin ankles to die for!  She looked great in high heels.   

And my Mom loved, I mean LOVED, to dress up.  

She would fuss for hours in her bedroom going through clothes and jewelry.   Clothes for work the next day were selected the night before.  And she never left the house without looking good.   I was so proud of her.  

My Mom as a young teenager with three of her four sisters.

Left to Right:  Aunt Vee,  Aunt Helen, Aunt Rita and my Mom (Dorothy).

Mom was the youngest of the five girls.    She married at 17 probably just a few years after this photo was taken.

But that's not all of the kids.  Mom had three brothers too...one older and two younger.  I loved her family.  We had a ball at family get togethers.   Sadly all are gone now except for one brother.      

My Mom started to work when I was around 7 - 8 years old back in the years when moms traditionally stayed at home.   There weren't many conveniences for working moms back then (no microwaves...LOL) and no concessions at work.  You had to show up or you were fired.  Women dressed up for work...pretty dresses, girdles (which she didn't even need), garter belts, nylons and high heels very day.   Think MAD MEN fashion.   

Unfortunately her daughter (that's me) went through a period of long straight hair and wearing blue jeans for every occasion much to her dismay.  But she still loved me...blue jeans and all.            

People didn't eat out back then...restaurants were too expensive.  Mom fixed a meal for us every evening after her long commute home from work including a nice roast beef dinner on Sundays.  We all sat down together at the kitchen table for our meals.  She worked hard at home too making sure we had a clean home to live in.   As a grown woman I understand the sacrifices she made to provide a good, clean, healthy environment for her husband and three children.   It wasn't all hard work Mom was fun to be around too...we loved to play games with her. 

In this age of very casual dressing it's fun to look back to see when dressing up was important and defined a person's character.     

Welcome to Beverly's Pink Saturday .  Click on her link to see more PINK!

Antique Brass Candle Sticks & Yikes More Snow

Antique Brass Candle Sticks

Are you into antiques?  

One of my brothers was very interested in antiques back in the 1970s.  He acquired these antique brass candle sticks during that time period.  They are huge and very heavy.   I think they are beautiful.   

My brother gave them to me many years ago.  I don't know how old they are but many of my brother's antiques were bought from a neighbor of his who was in her 90s.  

The candles were a gift from one of my Hubby's co-workers.  The co-worker bought them on a trip to England.   They are Christmas colors of red and green.

Yikes... we got dumped again last night with more snow!

Our Leland Cypresses are drooping with heavy, wet snow!

I shot this scene through our screened in porch...that's why there is a grid look to it.

Buried in AGAIN!

The Tall Grass plant is hung over!  Drunk with snow.

Me and the snow mounds.

The birds are eating the fruit from our Bradbury Pear Trees in our front yard.  

Snow plow cleaning our street.

Look at the snow piled up at the end of our driveway.  That's from the snow plow.

Look at the ice formation next to this low voltage light fixture.

Where's the front step?

It took us from 10:30 AM until 12:45 PM today to clear the driveway, sidewalk and front step.  Luckily we have a snow blower because this snow was wet and HEAVY!   

And the weatherman is predicting MORE snow showers on both Friday and Saturday!  We feel like we are back in Chicago with all this snow.   

Please join me for:

Make It My Day at Backyard Eden
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays

Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Artie at Color Outside the Lines for Vignette Fridays

Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Wendy at The Shabby Nest for Frugal Friday
 Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special

Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party

Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Cielo at The House in the Roses for Show of Your Cottage Monday

Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday  

Granny Goodness

Mellow Yellow Baby Throw WIP

Granny Goodness Baby Girl Throw

I bought this Tivoli Cotton Feel Double Knit yarn in 1995 for about $38 for 8 skeins.  And then it sat for years until recently I pulled it out thinking I would make something for our niece's baby girl that is due in May.  It's a very delicate light creamy color...with a slight yellow tinge.  The yarn is very soft.  

I found a lovely baby throw pattern and tried it.  Flogged it and tried the stitch again.  But my hand was so sore after two rows I decided to flog it AGAIN and try a different pattern.   Blogged about it (here).   

So the yarn sat there for several days.  I just couldn't get inspired until finally I decided to do one big granny square (hook size H) and add a pretty edging.  I'm almost done with the body and I should have about three skeins left to do an edging. 

 

Winter Is Still Here!

We woke up to falling snow this morning.  It is a white winter wonderland here.  Schools are closed.  Many of our neighbors are home today.  

Our Front Door

I love Tall Grasses 

Our Back Yard

Most people would stay home but I asked hubby to drive me over to "Bed, Bath & Beyond" to get some new bed sheets and to "Michaels" to get more yarn.    The roads were deserted this morning and not many folks out shopping either.  Luckily Hubby doesn't mind driving in snow and it helps that we have a 4 wheel drive vehicle (Subaru Outback).  The roads were a little slippery though.  

Driving out of our subdivision

This is the view driving out of our subdivison.  The snow plows haven't been here yet.  

Teacup Lane

I think we have about 5 to 6 inches already with another 5 to 10 inches of snow predicted throughout the night.  

New Yarn

Look at the pretty colors of Loops & Threads Silky Soft 100% acrylic yarn I bought today!  

See my pretty colors!

I may crochet another granny square throw alternating squares of purple and blue shades.   But first I have to finish the baby throw.  

I found two sets of pretty bedsheets and am washing them as I type this.  I had a 20% off coupon (the entire purchase) at "Bed, Bath & Beyond".  And I had a Christmas gift card for "Michaels" to use for the yarn.  

It was a fun morning.  Now I can relax and crochet.   

It's a tough life being RETIRED!  LOL!

Thanks for stopping by!    

The Cardinal and The Canary

Going to the Birds!

My Little Bird Lamps!

The Cardinal and The Canary!

I adore them still...after all these years.

I saw these Bird Lamps in Marshall Fields at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Illinois years and years ago.  I just fell in love with them.  I picked two out that were my favorites and Hubby surprised me at Christmas with them.   I believe they were $35 apiece.    

At the time we hadn't been married that long...it may have been our second married Christmas because I remember being in our second apartment (Countryside) in Palatine, Illinois.   We will be married 37 years this May so these lamps are probably around 35 years old now.  They have weathered the years gracefully...only two little chips on one of the flowers on the yellow canary bird.  But then I have a few "chips" too after all these years. 

These little bird lamps have sat on our dresser since then.  I'm sorry... but I don't change things to be "in style".  If I love something it usually stays in my decor.  The light glow from them is so soft and it bathes the birdies beautifully. 

Cardinal

Canary

Next week I'll share with you another beautiful piece I have from Marshall Fields.  

There are more REDs to enjoy with our host, Sue, at 

It's A Very Cherry World

(here) 

for REDnesday!

Ms. Guinevere in the PINK!

Guinevere loves hugs!

Hi, here's Guinevere - my PINK teddy bear.  

She's a Boyds Bears Teddy Bear.

I love her pink and white fur, black nose & eyes, heart buttons and pink rose ribbon headband.

Do you love PINK too?

Isn't she a pink cutie?

Welcome to Beverly's Pink Saturday .  Click on her link to see more PINK!

Our Wallpapered Two Story Foyer

Our foyer wallpaper print

I'm wondering if I am finally in style?  

LOL! 

Many designers/blogs are showing wallpaper with bold prints again.  

I can't take credit for the wallpaper in our foyer and dining room as the previous owners installed it.  But I liked it enough to leave it alone when we moved in eleven years ago this month. 

We have a beautiful two story foyer with an open staircase landing on the second floor that I love because of the flood of light that fills the space.  

Framed wallpaper panels

I like these framed panels of wallpaper that help to warm up the large surface wall area of the foyer.

Our dramatic two story foyer with our bold wallpaper.

Our foyer rug...it has a similar flower look to it like the foyer wallpaper!

I even found a rug that has a similar flower design to place at the front door.  

Dining room wallpaper, border paper, molding and chair rail.

Our dining room has a similar wallpaper pattern in the same shades with a border above the chair rail.  

Dining room wallpaper design

We have only ever wallpapered one room in one of our homes.  We wallpapered the bathroom in our first home.   I'm sure we would have just painted the walls in this house if it hadn't been wallpapered by the previous owners when we moved in.  But I'm glad that it was as it enhances the foyer and gives it that special POP.  I haven't tired of this look yet.

Thanks for joining me to take a look at our foyer! 

Please join me for:

Make It My Day at Backyard Eden
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays

Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Artie at Color Outside the Lines for Vignette Fridays

Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Wendy at The Shabby Nest for Frugal Friday
 Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special

Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party

Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Cielo at The House in the Roses for Show of Your Cottage Monday

Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday