Spring Polkadots

Pink polka dots.

You can't get any more Spring than that.

Perfect for jumping in mud puddles and trips to the pond.

A little chalk board art, inspiration found on Pinterest.

I am starting to bring out Spring colors throughout the house.

Are you ready for Spring?

Silly question!

We all are ready for SPRING!!

Where They Get Creative

I am a creative person.

I try to encourage creativity in my children.

I believe anyone can be creative.

My kitchen table is where it all starts.

This is the center piece on the kitchen table.

There is stuck on paint, glue, marker, crayon and tape on this table.

But, I really don't care.

This is where they create.

And

We were lucky enough to pick up this big oak table at the side of the road.

FREE!

And with three leaves to seat 10 people, I just cover it with a table cloth.

My youngest son drawing before the school bus comes.

This shabby chic secretary in the kitchen holds my pretty iron stone.

And extra crayons, markers, glue and tons of paper.

More stashes to promote creativity.

This is the cute little white cabinet that holds it.

Play dough for a rainy day.

Yep, it is hidden in this corner cabinet.

The kids have access to all they need right at the kitchen table.

Of course, I have plenty more in the basement for just such a need.

Where do your kids get creative?

Updates In The Basement

YEAH HAPPY NEW SOFA!

I have been watching Craigslist for a new sofa for quite a while now.

Originally I wanted a simple settee for the master bedroom that I can reupholster.

But, when a great bargain comes along, you just have to take it.

Well, at least that is my excuse.

Mr. M., the kids and I picked up the sofa at a tiny antique shop in Buffalo.

The guy had some amazing chairs, but due to the abundance that I already have!

I didn't bother to ask the price.

I knew I would get THE LOOK from Mr. M.

I have been wanting to replace the sofa in the basement for a long time.
13 Years long!

The only problem was, the first one was free.

How could I justify buying a new sofa when it wasn't a NEED as Mr. M. put it.

I had my argument all ready.

Old sofa, messy and needing a new slipcover.

Old sofa, too big for room.

Old sofa, not worth buying fabric nor worth sewing new slipcover for.

When this new sofa came along.

I just had to explain the savings of buying now verses a new one in a couple of years.

I can be persuasive.

I love my new sofa, and at half the cost than if we had traveled to Ikea to get it.

Now if only I can get my sewing machine fixed.
I am in the mood to sew some major slipcovers.

And you, what are you doing to get through the winter blahhhs?

My Mother's Books

When my mother died we all gathered at our childhood home to clean.

We learned many things those few weeks.

We laughed.

We cried.

We moved on.

We also took home some of my mother's things.

To remember.

To stay connected.

To Love.

I took some of my mother's books.

She loved to read.

She passed on that love to read to me.

But these were not that kind of books.

They were vintage books.

These were books for decorating.

I have many different colors, blues, greens, browns, blacks and reds.

I choose a color for each of the seasons.

Books look wonderful all piled up

This was last year's mantel for Valentine's Day.

St. Patrick's Day.

Books, lovely to look at all piled up.

WINTER

Snow, it has become the four letter word you do not want to say around here.

I do not do cold.

I do not do the month of February very well.

Now, it seems, I am not doing March very well either.

Snow covered arbor.

I was sent home early from work.

The word BLIZZARD was in the forecast.

Another SNOW DAY!

Spring, they say is around the corner.

Not believing it yet.

I am trying to beat the winter blues away with painting.

So far, I have been doing a lot of painting.

But it sure is hard to think of gardening right now.

I hope everyone survives this winter!