Friday, June 14, 2013

Card Making ~ Noli Style

If you're anything like me, you keep every sweet handmade card your children or grandchildren have made for you. Your refrigerator is probably full to the brim with cards and drawings!

I was looking through the top drawer in my buffet this morning, hunting for an old metal toothpick holder that belonged to my grandmother (don't ask me why.... it's a long story....) but anyway, while rooting around in that drawer (a drawer that holds all manner of photos, cards, little stuff and nonsense) I came across this card! It was made by Noli with, I'm sure, a bit of help from mommy, and was my valentine a few years ago. 


Unfortunately, it's not dated but from Noli's picture, I'd say she was close to three which would make it February 2009. Her hair is still short and whispy -- just like her mother, her hair didn't grow much or thicken until she was well into her three's and four's.



It was made by gluing an embroidered armchair antimacassar to a used card (if there's anything that my daughter is, it's thrifty and totally into upcycling and recycling!) 



Isn't that butterfly sweet? and the pink and blue crochet edging?



The inside has recycled valentine tissue paper topped with a bird cut from a felted sweater on one side...



and a cute picture of Noli surrounded by flowers on the other! The background is water colored on card stock. Noli looks like a little waif in the picture with her soulful expression! I remember the dress -- a longish prairie style with tiny pink and blue flowers. 


Stephanie always made cards for me when she was small, and has passed that tradition on to Noli. 

Noli loves to make cards for every occasion, for everybody in her life -- some are plain with just writing and some are more elaborate with lots of glued on detail.




This is one that Noli made for my recent birthday (we don't talk about it because it was a BIG one...). I have no idea why she drew a puppy on it since we are all kitty people around here! But it's sweet and shows her writing abilities now at the summer after 1st grade. Don't you love little kid's spelling? Note the two T's in birthday and the backwards D! Cute!

And these are very detailed ones that she made for Stephanie for Mother's Day. I just had to document it in a pic! 


This one is Noli -- her hands are from tracing her own hands, and she crinkled the hair so it would be curly!
And the missing teeth! She has something like seven new ones now!



And this is a lovely purse



which opens to reveal some information about mommy




Note that in "the good old days" mommy liked to play with baby dolls,  not balls as it looks like -- there go those backwards D's again! And note the cute spelling of "especially" -- that's the one that should be in the dictionary! 


Boy, rooting through a drawer on a toothpick holder quest sure brings back the memories!!


sharing at


♥♥

Thursday, May 2, 2013

The Other Side of the Window ~ A Favorite Thing


Last week my favorite thing was the window-less window over my kitchen sink that's full of some sweet things that make me happy while washing dishes. So today I'm sharing the other side of that mirrored window -- the not-so-pretty backside.

If the window were a real window, it would look out into the laundry room and then out the window beyond into the backyard. That would be OK, except for the laundry room in between that's not so lovely...

The mirror and shelves facing into the kitchen are backed by plain old plywood and then the glass of the original window. That brick is the original outside of the house.



Lovely, huh?

That glass canister that holds my laundry detergent
was my mother's -- she used it for flour.
It makes me smile too!

And those candles are my emergency when-the-lights-go-out candles.
They don't make me smile because if I'm using them
it means no electricity and a bad storm outside.
Not liking that!

But then I have a pretty sky and rainbow
and big yellow flowers
covering (most) of that plywood!



It's a poster that Stephanie painted when she was a little kid
She was just learning to spell that long name
and she wrote it backwards on the poster!

It makes me smile.
It makes doing laundry bearable enjoyable.
It makes me remember that sweet little girl
who will soon be 30!



Oliver! I was just going to write about the funny red and black house
and you're in the way!

>^.^<
Hewwo 
I am Oliver, the King Kitty
and I am taking over this blog!



Mommy brought the outside inside
but where are the birdies?



Hmmm, maybe it's a good place to hide... 
Now you can't see me, can you?



OK, I'm bored!
Giving the blog back to mommy.
>^.^<

Well! Thank you very much, Oliver, for your input....



So, about that house....
quite tall and skinny with many windows in an interesting arrangement,
and a garden that grows mammoth flowers!

But the best is her name
written right to left
and every letter backwards!
(and the child is left-handed -- can you imagine all that backwardness?!!)

Yep, definitely a favorite thing!



sharing at
Claudia's for A Favorite Thing
Smiling Sally's for Blue Monday 


♥♥

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Teapots and Hummels ~ A Favorite Thing


I don't have a kitchen window.

Well, I have a window, but it's mirrored in. The people who owned the house before us added a sun porch and laundry room onto what was then the back of the house. While I love these additions, it did leave a missing window that would have looked out onto the laundry room. Of course, I would much rather have that mirrored window above my kitchen sink than to gaze out upon the laundry room!

The window is recessed, mirrored all the way around, and has glass shelves.



So my favorite thing today is what is on one of those glass shelves. I love what's on the top shelf too, but what's on the eye level shelf is what gives me the most smiles. One day I'll show you what's on the laundry room side of that window, 'cause that's a favorite thing too!



This is a teapot that I painted and glazed back in my ceramics days. Isn't it the cutest?!! I love the gnome cottage look of it and the backside is my favorite because of the cute kitty in the window. I sponged little blue flowers on it and did a paint on, wipe off process for the stones.



 My daughter wants it -- I have to watch her when she's here so that she doesn't make off with it!! Not really, but I did tell her I'd give it to her one day...  For now, and for quite a long time, it's staying in my pretend window!



She wants the other teapot too -- this dark blue one. It belonged to my mother-in-law and I dearly love it. Nothing so special about it -- just a blue pottery teapot. But I love it and think it's so sweet.



Now the Hummels -- well they are super special. Again, my mother-in-law's. They lived in Germany for several years when my father-in-law was in the army. She collected about ten of them, and designated that, after her death, they were to go to my daughter. Stephanie graciously lets me keep them (she knows how much I love them)!



Their cutie patootie backsides....



These three reside on the glass shelves -- they are kind of kitchen related -- Baker taking a little taste, Little Sweeper, and Busy Student who is writing her ABCs (which she would do in the kitchen, in front of the fireplace).

Hey! I just realized....

My daughter actually owns EVERYTHING on my favorite kitchen window shelf!!

(shhh..... don't remind her....)



sharing over at Claudia's for A Favorite Thing
and at Smiling Sally's for Blue Monday 


♥♥

Monday, April 8, 2013

Thrifting with a Theme

I'm so glad spring is finally arriving and the weather is nice most days. My hubby can play golf in shorts!!

To me, spring means GARAGE SALES!!  Estate sales and thrift stores are year-round, but garage sales tend to happen in the spring and summer. I'm sure its the same everywhere, but I'm just giddy with the thought of garage sales!

Most every time I say something about garage sales my hubby says "well, who's selling their garage and why do you want to buy it?" Ha! He's such a card -- he needs to be on that golf course!

BUT, have you ever gone to a estate sale or garage sale or thrift store and everything you bought followed a theme? That's what I realized when I got my treasures home -- it was a sewing theme.

A few patterns


This one is very cool in the sleeveless version and I love the fact that the model is wearing tennis shoes!
and is that a man's tie I see around her waist?!!



This pattern is pretty crazy and I would feel silly wearing it, but for the right person it would be awesome!
I dunno about those pants though....


Now on to the really cute stuff!


This adorable kitty string holder with its pretty blue and pink flowers



Who wouldn't love that sweet face!



A cutie mouse pin cushion and thimble



The thimble has a home on her tail!!



And this sweet tea pot shaped like a sewing machine!



Reminds me of my mother's sewing machine!  
When she was teaching me how to sew, I had to stitch on a sheet --
seam after seam to practice stitching in a straight line!
Totally boring -- I wanted to sew something!!


Aren't they all the cutest?!!
They'll be in my shop soon, whenever I can get a little research done on the ceramics!


Yay for nicer weather!!


Sharing at
Smiling Sally's for Blue Monday
The Nifty Thrifty at A Living Space
Knick of Time Tuesday
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm


♥♥