Anything To Get Home My WHITES!

I had a wonderful time visiting my girlfriend Sara in PA. 

As much fun as I did have, it was a long drive and I am very happy to be home with my family. 

 I missed them!

I missed all of you too.  I have to be honest, I did sneak on my hostess's computer a few times to take a peak at a few blogs.  I was good though and only was on the computer for a few minutes at a time.  I had the biggest surprise.  I saw the welcome sign from my shed on someone else's blog:  wait, what is that, I hit the brakes on my scrolling and went to check it out.  Low and behold it was MY SHED, the one that thinks it's a COTTAGE, and it was featured on Remodel Aholic.  I couldn't believe it and I was so honored that Cassity would pick my blog post.  If you are not already a follower you should check out some of her new posts here, she has new features almost every day and sometimes more than one.

I don't know if you heard any yelling over the weekend.  It was ME, oh boy, how could I not be, there was an EXTRAVAGANZA going on in ALL of the antique shops and we visited FOUR flea markets. 

OMGosh, you are NOT going to believe all the treasures  I  we found.  There was a lot of HAPPY DANCING going on and we did get some weird looks.  We didn't care we giggled all the way to the car.  Three, yes 3, van loads we had to unload.  Have you ever gone to a flea market and wondered if you should pay the vendor extra because maybe they didn't understand what a great deal they just gave you?  One of the first pieces I bought is the one that caused the most stress. 

 I was so loving the piece of furniture I did not care how I got it home. 

WELL, I almost had to use one of these:

But, thank goodness I only had to use these:

I learned to ALWAYS bring this when shopping for treasures:

Thank goodness I was able to remove the trim, yes there was some demolition, but don't worry I can put it all back together like it never happened.

I bet you are patiently waiting to see what it is I actually bought aren't you.  Hahahahaha, evil laugh, I was going to make you wait till Friday for Show and Tell Friday but I will give a sneak peak for White Wednesday with Kathleen from Faded Charm.

Isn't this cabinet beautiful! 

 Yep, I had to remove all the trim, top, middle and bottom. 

 The important thing is I got it home. 

 

See my poor cabinet?  It is ok, I will put it all back together tomorrow.

I picked up a potty seat for my gardens-interesting seat to have in the garden huh. A few smalls, white pitcher, couple of white plates and two white butter dishes. 

 

Can you guess what they are?  A clue, we used them in Biology class?

 Did you guess petri dishes or plates.

  You would not believe how much Science/Biology glass and materials we saw at the flea markets.

I am not going to tell you what I have planned for them you will just have to wait for that.

 Oh and LOOK at that grain sack. I am planing on using it for a chair I picked up too. 

Where is the chair you ask? 

Ha, you will have to come back for Show and Tell Friday. 

This is only one load, there are two more to show.

I hope you had a laugh, I know we did trying to get all of my stuff loaded into the van.

Thanks for visiting, make sure you stop back over by Faded Charm and check out all the other great WHITES.

Homeward Bound

 The van is PACKED and I mean to the roof.

  I even had to do some furniture modification to get a piece inside. 

I can't wait to show everyone all of my treasures and share my stories.  

Catch up on all that I missed while gone.

My SOUL is rejuvenated and I am ready to tackle another year. 

I had so much fun hanging out with my friend Sara.  

We TALKED AND TALKED so much, I think we drove her family nuts! 

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I miss the noise of my children and my husbands voice.  

It will be a VERY long drive home.  

I have to drive slower with such a heavy load. 

Driving through those curvy roads of PA can be scary enough with an empty van.

I wish I had the ability to click ruby red slippers.  

Fly faster than a speeding bullet.

Beam me up Scottie.

A Wrinkle in Time.

I wish I were homeward bound!

Mmmmmmm

I am doing a few small posts to pop up while I am on vacation. 

That way my husband can show the kids, "see, it is true, mommy CAN'T stop blogging even when she is not at home.

I have heard of this recipe from Paula Dean and I have also seen it in other food publications but I had never tried it.  Not until I found the recipe again by Trisha Yearwood.  I have my own recipe book that I put my favorite recipes that I want to share with my family, but they don't make it in until I have tried the recipe. 

 OH boy, it is GOOD! 

To put the recipe in my book I remembered a post I saw on Sweet Savannah on creating recipe cards. 

 If you want to give it a try go here.

This is the recipe card I made:

I have used this recipe several times now for parties and I always have to write the recipe down for my guests.

Why don't you try making something new for your 4th of July party.

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I miss checking up on all the news!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Going On A Soul Trip

I have been busy this week, last week and I will be again next week.  I have been working like a crazy women trying to get my home ready for our guests whom will be arriving in two weeks.  Plenty of time you say, I say NOT.

You see I also am taking a road trip to visit my best friend.  It is a long seven hour drive, but SO worth it.  I recharge my battery when I see her, you see, I do NOT take my husband or children.  This is totally ME time.

My friend Sara, whom I am going to visit has been my best friend since we were in fifth grade together.  It is a funny story how we met.  I still remember the day, it was the first day of gym class and we were filling out the form and it asked for middle name.  I hated my middle name and you KNOW I can't spell.  I turned to the person next to me, Sara, and said "how do you spell Louise?"  She said "LOUISE, why?"  I told her it was my middle name, she said it was hers' too and we have been friends ever since.  We both gave our daughters the same middle name, it was a lucky one for us so you never know.

We have a lot of fun when I come to visit.  The night I arrive we sit on the deck and over a few beers, chat most of the night away.  The next day we plan what we are doing for the rest of the weekend.  It usually involves lots of shopping.  It just so happened, the first year I visited was during a Summer Extravaganza.  Now we plan for my visit to be on that same weekend every year.  There are so many antique shops and flea markets, OH the bargains we have found.  Sometimes we have had to make a quick trip to her home to unload and go back out for more.

This is how I hope it looks when I am ready to come home! 

We both just have the best time and it takes us back to when we used to own a shop together and spent many a weekend shopping for new pretties for the shop.  After shopping we exhausted, it is either eat dinner at her house or depending on the plans, let the night take us where it may.  I am usually rewarded with some kind of neighborhood party on one of the nights.  I am lucky she has the best friends that would offer to invite me, especially after my first incident, wasn't pretty, I learned to make sure and eat dinner before going out.    I have to cut the trip short so I can go home and get ready for my guests, but at least I still get to go, and that is most important for my SOUL!

Then I turn back into that crazy woman with a million things to get done by the 4th of July.

I also just found out my other best friend from junior high, whom I spent every summer hanging out with is coming with her two children to stay with her parents for three weeks.  It is amazing how well children that have only seen each other once every couple of years can get along so well.  So now there will be lots of pool parties and trips to the beach, museum, park, aquarium, amusement park, zoo and just plain hanging out together.

I think it is going to be a great summer.  Especially since I no longer have to worry about my son not passing 2nd grade, although we did promise to practice math and reading over the summer break.  Ah yeah, we will practice the math skills while laying on the pool deck I promise!

Do you have favorite things you like to do with best friends for your SOUL?

This is going to have to be a short post. 

I have lots and lots to do! 

I did not want to miss joining Jo for Feather Your Nest at Secret Garden Cottage. 

Some of these pictures may have been shown as a mosaic on a previous post.

I love to have candles around the house.  This is one of my button candles.

Buttons and birdhouses.

Little white tables that fit in almost anywhere.

Black and white hats, gifts from a mother.

Hand made shelves to display my whites.

I have a dinning room hutch packed with all of my china. 

I just can't say no to roses on almost anything. 

I have plenty for a spontaneous tea party. 

 Table for 25 if the need ever arises.

Do you take one lump or two?

Plenty of chairs for company.

Both, inside and out.

The chairs are out and company is coming soon.

 I have to go pack for my trip.

Have a great day.

Stop back at Secret Garden Cottage to check out the other Nest Feathers.

How do you Feather Your Nest?

Whites With a Side of Mulch

I was SUPPOSED to be getting a load of mulch but I had to check and see if one of my favorite Garage Sales was open yet.  I have been checking each Friday for the past three weeks.  YEP, whohooo, I was jumping for joy, I get the best WHITES there.  She remembered me too!  "Hey aren't you the one who bought some chandeliers here!"  "Yes ma'am, three in fact."  OMGosh how could I resist when she has such good prices.

After an hour and half we piled everything into Mr. M.'s truck.  The whole time we are loading up the truck she kept showing me more chairs and other whites, "now how about this, it will look good in your garden."
"No, thank you, remember I still have to get mulch in the back of this truck."  Although she did talk me into taking the white swing, come on, it was so CHEAP, I could not resist!
"Well, I will be open ALL weekend long and you can come back."
I was practically running to get out of there.  Stop me before I find more!

 I was an hour and 1/2 late for getting back to my mother-in-laws to do her mulching and I was still not exactly sure how I was going to accomplish it.
 I still had to pick up the mulch!

But I did!

  

No problem, just put my finds ON TOP OF THE MULCH and away we go!

The front of the truck was packed too!

  

This is what I was able to pack in the truck ALONG with the yard of mulch.

All these wonderful Garage Sale whites will be added to the rest to Feather My Nest.

A new swing for a back yard tree, it will look lovely with a few pillows and a quilt.

How about that, she had another chandelier. I think it will look awesome in the living room.

Now how exactly do I explain to Mr. M. that the ceiling fan just HAS to go? 

 You know if I could figure out how to remove it myself I would have done so ALREADY!

A few mirrors in need of a little white paint will go nicely in the bathroom I think.

Don't ask me WHY, I just liked the collection of BALLS. 

 It may be due to Mr. M. and my two older kids like to play baseball. 

They will look good in a large white bowl setting on the coffee table.

These are just neat lights. 

 I am not sure but I think they are going to get a coat of white on the brass.  

Then they are going into the SHED.

Some new/old white chairs for the gardens, they will fit right in.  

In fact, at this moment they have already found a home in the back yard gardens.

I love finding monograms to make pillows from.

Those are my white finds for the week. 

 I am sharing this with Kathleen at Faded Charm for White Wednesday

Take a few minutes and visit all of the other WHITES.

 There is always a new friend or idea to be found.

An Award

This is my second award and I feel honored that someone would think enough of my blog and the way I blog to pass this on to me.

I read the terms and conditions upon receiving this award and they are simple:

Thank the one whom passed the award to you.
Tell 7 things about you.
Pick 15 bloggers to pass the award onto.

 I received this award from Jo at Secret Garden Cottage and if I had not received this award from her, she would have been one of the 15 other bloggers I would have chosen.  Each day I am surprised by the warmth and encouragement I receive from so many wonderful blogging women I have had the lucky chance to get to know.

Seven things about me:

1.  I have extreme hearing impairmented and I need to wear hearing aids in both ears.. 
2.  I love to be in my gardens, I even love to WEED!
3.  I am a terrible speller.
4.  I love to lay in the sun reading magazines.
5.  I want to open another shop.
6.  I know how to drive a tractor.
7.  I am a terrible procrastinator.

Now for the 15 bloggers to pass this to;
1.   Run, Mother Run
2.   Much To  Do With Nothing
3.   Home & Harmony
4.   Olivia and Me
5.   Cottage State of Mind
6.   Vanilla Haven
7.   Laughing With Angels
8.   Gracefully Vintage
9.   Painted Whyte
10. Chair Up
11. Wit Behind the Ears
12. Common Ground
13. Whimages
14.  Kates Place
15.  Shabby Whites

* Please note; I do understand it is end of school year for most, also summer is now upon us and we all have tons to do.  If you can not participate, do not worry about it, just know you are appreciated and please enjoy your well deserved award.

Thank you for visiting me and you too might want to check out a new blogger today.

Happy Fathers Day

Happy Father's Day to all you fathers and sons of fathers.

This is my father, we call him POP! 

 My father is a retired Math Teacher, a Farmer and an Artist. 

He taught me how to work with tools, drive tractors and maybe my love for painting. 

He recently had open heart surgery but he is recovering well. 

Well as expected for a farmer that was told to slow down during the middle of HAY season, for a husband who likes to take his wife out dancing and a father who makes sure to celebrate his children's birthdays.

Happy Father's Day POP!

Their DAD

My husband is a great dad.
 I could never ask for a better man to be a father of my children.
 I am always amazed by his patience with our children and his help when I need him.
He is teaching them how to be little bakers like himself and I love him so for that!

A happy man with his tractor!

Who loves his wife!

and

Who loves his kids!

He has big shoes to fill!

He is always ready for a walk!

Sets a great example!

Always shows his support!

Knows how to get a laugh!

He is our Norm Abrams!

See I told you he could make breakfast! 

And he looks amazing in uniform!.

He is our SUPERHERO!

He's their DAD!

And boy do we love HIM!

Happy Father's Day!

Where I Create!

Come on in, the sign says the blog room is OPEN!

  I have been looking forward to this party since I found out about it a couple of weeks ago.  From some of the comments on posts and sneak peaks I knew all my favorite bloggers are going to be giving us a tour of where they do all of their creating.  I have a feeling it is going to be like my favorite White Wednesday except even better!  Please join me at one of the largest blog parties of them all, Where Blogger's Create II with Karen Valentine at My Desert Cottage. 

Put your party had on ladies and gentlemen I think this party is going to last for days!

Now let me tell you a little about Where I Create.  My space is small, only 9x1, although those who have gotten to know me know I can pack A LOT in a small space.

Besides having quite a bit of furniture in the room, I am blessed with three large windows that let lots of natural light, fresh breezes, and plenty of beautiful views of my gardens.

  This is some of what inspires me when I blog.

My gardens are the other space where I CREATE, but that is a whole other post. 

 Now back to "Mom's Blog Room" as my family lovingly refer to the room.

This room was once my youngest son's bedroom, who has since gone upstairs to share a room with his older brother.  I have now claimed it as my office and I put some of my special touches on it.  I am still not quite done, I want to put some finishing touches on it, but for now I am happy.

My office is one of the rooms that I have a balance of both black and white,

 with a splash of pink as an accent color. 

I love having fresh roses from the gardens for my desk.

Mirror, mirror on the wall.  I tend to collect mirrors.

  I love all the light they bounce around a room.

This cabinet holds all my paper products and any extras that just don't fit anywhere else.

Of course no room would be complete without a chair. 

As much as I like the Zebra print I think the chair is due for a change.

 Mmmmm perhaps some burlap!

On my desk is one of my signature Rose Pens. 

 I have been buying some new roses to make for my kids teachers as end of the year gifts.

The love seat is the second slipcover I ever made and I am in LOVE.

  My kids like to come and sit and watch me blog, especially if I am mentioning them in the blog.

I love having columns to bring the eye upward in a room, and of course my plants.

One of my creations lately have been moss monograms.

They are a bit messy but fun to make.

  

Another creative moment I had was to make chalkboards out of silver platters.

They are magnetic too, very fun!

I use this memo board for posting some of my inspirations.

Button, button I got the buttons!

I have lots of buttons as you can see, the theme being white, of course.

I like to glue buttons to whatever I think will work, frames, candles, mirrors. 

My favorite ones to make are the button candles, I used to sell out of them in my shop.

If you know me or have read some of my posts then you are probably wondering, where I do all my painting?  It is pretty obvious that one of my painting projects is not going to fit in my office.

 Well most of my painting is done right in the kitchen, but if I am spray painting I take care of that in the driveway. 

All of my sewing projects are relegated to the basement where I have more room. 

One of these days I will have it tidy enough to take pictures to show you.

 Now we have to leave, the office is closed. 

 Thank you so much for visiting Where I Create. 

Make a day of the party and visit all the Where Bloggers Create II,  I know you won't be disappointed, I certainly wasn't. 

 Have a great weekend and Happy Father's Day.