Let's catch up.........

These past few weeks have been filled with some fun and exciting events that I wanted to be sure to share with you all.  So before time gets away from me, grab a cup of tea and maybe a cookie or two  and lets catch up.......
On October 17 Alex and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary.  Wow 22 years ago we said " I do" and began our lives together as man and wife.  When Alex asked me how I wanted to celebrate this anniversary, I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do.  Then he asked the question in a different way..."Do you want to go out for a really nice dinner or do you want to get another puppy"?  I had to think about that for about one second---"Let's have pizza and get a puppy" We had been talking about getting a friend for Sassy and this seemed like the perfect way to celebrate our anniversary.  I have always wanted a Golden Retreiver but Alex wasn't sure that he wanted such a big dog.  He just could not be convinced that it was a good idea but since this was a gift for our anniversary he gave in.  I called around and found a breeder who had one little girl left---I knew she was ment for us.  After talking with the breeder for a long while she invited us to come and meet this sweet little pup.  How do I know that my husband loves me.... I forgot to mention that we had to drive about 2 1/2 hours from home,  on a Sunday afternoon , during the STEELER game. I think that says "true love".  Oh boy was it worth it---I fell in love with her the minute I saw her.  Let me introduce to you the newest member of our family......

Mabel Vanilla Grace

Oh yes,  I asked the little girls I babysit to help name her--I chose her first name but her middle names were carefully and lovingly choosen by Kate and Emma.

Mable is settling in wonderfully at her new home.  She and Sassy love each other and it sure is a blast to watch them play.  She is going to be the perfect addition to our family.

Another exciting event occured last Friday night at my son's football game. It is a tradition that before the last home game of the regular season all of the senior band members, cheerleaders, and football players along with their parents walk onto the field to be recognized.  It was a beautiful night, warm temperatures and NO rain.   We had watched this event for many years and it seemed surreal  that we were actually apart of  this year's Senior Night celebration.  

 

All of the moms were give the most beautiful yellow rose corsage and a family picture was taken to commerate the event.  I have not received a copy of that photo yet but I will share it with you at a later post. The night continued on with a win for the team which made 100 wins for our head coach.  The boys were so excited as the game was played against our number one rival. 

 It was a wonderful night--one that I will remember for a long time.

This weekends activity will be the last event I share for this post.  It is a weekend event that my mom and I look forward to every year.   We work all year creating items to display and sell at a local craft fair.  It is a large show with many vendors.  The weather was beautiful this year which brought many shoppers our way. 

I displayed my soldered charms, scrapbooks, and cards while my mom shared her beautiful quilts, purses, and embellished jean shirts.  We had so much fun this year as my good friends Joyce and Bethanie had their tables next to ours.  I also have so much fun meeting new people and talking about my art.  After the craft show my mom and I ended the day with a nice dinner at one of my favorite local restrauants .  It was a great day for many reasons but it was extra special because I got to share it with my mom. 

Thanks for catching up with me.  It has been a long day and I am headed off to bed for some much needed sleep.  Have a great rest of the weekend.  Check back soon as I have some Christmas projects that I can't wait to share with you.

xoxoxo

Mimi~

Happy Halloween

I have such fond childhood memories of Halloween night. I grew up in a large neighborhood with lots of children. It was great fun walking the neighborhood with my sister and my best friend, Heidi while our dads led the way from house to house. I loved walking up to each door and ringing the bell. "TRICK OR TREAT" We knew all the neighbors and loved for them to guess who was under each costume. Some of the neighbors would have special treat bags for us while others would hand out huge chocolate bars. I think my favorite treat was the homemade popcorn balls. As we walked up the sidewalk to the front door you could smell the popcorn popping. When you entered the front door the sweet smell of candied popcorn was there to greet us. YUM!!! As the evening came to a close and our legs were tired from walking, when we thought we couldn't take another step we would head home for a nice warm cup of hot chocolate. The evening would always end up by dumping all of our loot onto the floor, sorting it into piles, and trading each other for our favorites.

Yes that's me--I am the bunny and my sister the little leopard. My mom always made our costumes. When I became a mom, I couldn't wait to carry on the tradition of making Alex's Halloween costumes. My favorite was the year he was a robot.

Oh such fun memories.......

Before I close this Halloween post for tonight, I wanted to share a few little projects that I completed for my little shop at Sweet Peas.

Trick or Treat candy boxes and Halloween peek a boo notes.

I hope you all have a Happy Halloween making special memories that will last a life time. As for me, I am off to eat some leftover trick or treat candy---Butterfingers here I come.......

Leather and Lace

Did you ever feel so proud of your child that you thought you might just burst? That's how my husband and I are feeling lately about Alex. Of course we are always proud of him and the fine young man he has grown into but lately we just can't help ourselves from sounding his praises a little more. Alex has been playing football since he was just eight years old. First playing for Tiger Pride, an organization affiliated with our school district for young boys interested in football. He moved on to middle school football and then to JV. Last year, being a junior, he played a little varsity but this year with a lot of hard work and determination has worked his way to becoming an important member of the varsity squad. My husband and I sit in the stands, watching him play with so much intensity giving the team 110%. We watch as the other team members and coaches pat him on the helmet after a great play and as the camaraderie between he and the other players grow. We watch as he runs out of the locker room with the team while the school fight song is played by the band. It can almost bring tears to our eyes. (ok I must admit--it has brought a tear to my eye) This past Friday was so special as both sets of grandparents were able to attend to cheer Alex on.....

We were so excited to wake up this past Saturday to find that Alex had made the front page of the sports section of our local paper. It was such a shame that it was not a win for the team but Alex played a great game....

Thanks for letting a proud mom do a little bragging...now onto the lace portion of this post. My friend Bethanie recently went to an estate sale and boy did she hit the jackpot!!! The estate belonged to a lady who was a seamstress for many years. Bethanie was able to purchase yards and yards of vintage lace. Being such a good friend, she willing shared her treasure with me. I could hardly wait to make some soldered charms with this beautiful lace. Here are just a few that I took to SweetPeas.

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week. I am off to create----the craft shows will be here before you know it.

Happy Labor Day

What exactly is the Labor Day holiday all about? When I looked up the meaning of Labor Day on the Internet, it stated that it is a day created by the Labor movement to celebrate all the achievements made by the American workforce for the benefit and well-being of our country. To me, Labor Day is that but oh so much more. A day filled with rest, picnics, family, and parades. It's the symbolic marking of the end of Summer. Wow the end of Summer already. Time to close the swimming pools and get ready for the beauty of Autumn and all the fun activities this new season will bring. On this holiday weekend, I wish you a wonderful time of rest and special memories with your family. Before I close this post for tonight, I thought I would share a few projects that I recently completed for my shop at SweetPeas. I have been working on altering compositions notebooks. I love making these notebooks--a fun and simple project.

These first books were decorated using a delightful stamp set created by a wonderful company called Papertrey ink. The set is called Everyday Button Bits. Just stamp and add buttons---so much fun!!!

This last little book fits perfectly into this sweet bag that my mom created. We have been working on these together for an up and coming craft show. She creates the bags and I decorate the coordinating notebook to fit inside. What a team we are....

She has been busy sewing so look for more of these little cuties in a future post.... Until then Happy Labor Day and Happy creating :)

Are You Ready For Some Football??

One of my favorite things about Autumn is the start of football season. Living and growing up in Pittsburgh I could not help but to become a football fan. In fact my parents were such Steeler fans that my friends would never come to my house on Sundays because of all the loud cheering. When my son started to play football at the age of eight, I never dreamed he would continue until his senior year. I must admit I am really going to miss those Friday night high school games. There is something about sitting on those bleachers all bundled up in our hooded sweatshirts, surrounded by other parents all cheering for our sons. The band plays loudly while the cheerleaders encourage everyone to show their school spirit. At the far end of the bleachers is the student section. They come equipped with noise makers, painted faces and I love to see all the school spirit exhibited in their outfits. One of my favorite traditions at the start of the season is Media Day. A morning set aside for team and individual photos. Parents are encouraged to attend with cameras in hand to capture special memories. This year was extra special for me as it is our last Media Day. Alex usually hides from the camera but he must have felt the excitement of this day because he cooperated so nicely.




After Summer conditioning, three a day camp and playing in two scrimmages, our team is finally ready for the season to begin. All that is left to say is GO TIGERS!!!!

It's the most Wonderful time of the year........

Have any of you seen the back to school commercial from Staples? If you haven't take a look here it will definitely make you smile. This Summer has passed by so quickly I can hardly believe it is time for the kids to return to school. Kate and Emma (the little ones I babysit) are truly excited that tomorrow is the first day of school. Kate will be entering the fourth grade and Emma, preschool. Oh there are new shoes, backpacks, notebooks, pencils, lunchboxes, markers, and pencil cases. The excitement was high yesterday when we visited school to meet their teachers. Now Alex's first day is Thursday. I must admit the excitement expressed by the girls is not totally shared by Alex. He will be a Senior this year and has done this "first day of school" thing many times and takes it all in stride. I guess the wonder of it all has disappeared. His excitement lies in planning his future, choosing a career and becoming an adult. Even though he is not thrilled about another school year I think deep inside he is looking forward to all that his Senior year will bring.

In honor of the "Back to School" week I wanted to share with you a few projects I completed for my little shop at SweetPeas. I had such fun creating this vintage inspired scrapbook. I am drawn to this style of scrapbooking and was happy with the end result.

I was thrilled to find a large box of Anagram letters for only one dollar at the flea market. I knew just what I would use them for. The little ruler at the edge of the cover was another great find in a local "junk" store. I wish they would have had more of these little cuties. I scanned the school bus image from a vintage children's book I found buried in a box under a table at the flea market.

I also completed some Back to School themed peek a boo notes to slip into all those new lunchboxes. Whether you are celebrating this most wonderful time of the year with your little ones or your ones that are all grown up, I hope you create lots of special memories. HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!

Just for fun I am ending this post with a picture of Alex on his very first day of Kindergarden. What was his mother thinking with that outfit (LOL)---maybe it's not totally the outfit. Maybe it is the way I helped him tuck in his shirt into his shorts---just where does his waist begin.

When life gets in the way............

As I sit here at my desk, staring at my blank computer screen, I watch as the little cursor blinks on and off as if to say "Well aren't you going to write something" It has been so long since my last post and I don't really know why except to say sometimes life just gets so busy and overwhelming it is hard to put it into words. I have started to write this post on many occasion however the words were clumsy, awkward and just would not express how I was feeling. With the craziness of life it left me with very little time to spend in my studio creating and very few projects to share with you. Nothing left to do but cancel the post and wait until another day. It is not that I didn't think about my blog or the friends that I have made through my blog it is just that the right words would not come to me and the longer I waited the harder it became. So tonight, as both my husband and my son are out for the evening and the house is so quiet I thought we could catch up for a bit. I will not bore you with all the little details of the past two months just the highlights........

I guess the biggest event occurred at the end of June when my husband underwent gastric bypass surgery. We had been preparing for this event for such a long time and were both quite nervous as the time drew nearer. The fear of the unknown---wondering if this was indeed the right decision for Alex and our family

The morning of the surgery finally arrived and we took our "before" picture.......

The surgery was a difficult one and we did have some frightening moments. Alex's blood pressure became quite high and he remained in the ICU for several days. He was finally able to return home to continue his recovery process, which again was difficult for him. The next several weeks proved to be a very stressful time for our family. It is hard to watch someone you love go through something so difficult. It was a helpless feeling. Alex has been feeling much better these days. His blood pressure and blood sugar have stabilized and he has reached a weight loss of 60 lbs. We are now looking forward to continued success.

This picture was taken this past Friday at Alex's football media day. I will be sharing more pictures of this event in another post soon. It was such a wonderful, special day.

When our sweet and loyal friend, Maggie started to become ill after Lucy passed away we did our best to nurse her back to health but finally had to make the decision not to let her suffer any longer.

We miss her terribly but are so thankful for our little Sassy to bring smiles to our faces. It is fun to watch her grow and develop into a wonderful dog. She does live up to her name however but adds such joy to our family.

Well the last thing I want to do is to turn this post into the lyrics of a country western song. I have had many blessings in the past two months as well.........

Celebrating Father's Day with my husband and my dad. Reminding them just how special they are to me.

Celebrating the accomplishments of a very special young man. Jeremy and Alex grew up together and he spent quite a bit of time with our family . Jeremy joined the Army earlier this year and successfully graduated from boot camp. He came by for a visit before being deployed. We could not be prouder if he were our own son.

Now that things are slowing down a bit I have had time to work in my studio. I have been busy creating new merchandise for my space at SweetPeas. I am happy to report that things have been going well with that venture. I do have several projects that I am excited to share with you all. Perhaps now that I have broken the blog silence the words will come easier for me. I will be back soon to share some of my new creations. Thanks for being patient with me my friends and I look forward to catching up with all of you.

Fondly

Mimi~

Things that made me SMILE today.......

The days seem to be flying by so quickly....sometimes it seems the alarm clock rings at 5:30am and before I know it, time has ticked by and the clock reads 10:00pm. I wonder just were this day has gone. I go about my day doing all of my everyday tasks not really thinking about the day itself. Today I decided to make a conscious effort to appreciate the day. To really be aware of the things throughout the day that brought a smile to my face.

When Emma brought a game with her today and happily announced that we would be playing it together, I realized how long it had been since I played Hi-Ho Cherry-o. Alex and I used to play it all the time together when he was a little boy. Remembering those times made me smile.

As I was walking back from getting the mail, I really took notice of my beautiful peonies, the sweet little rose buds getting ready to bloom, and my front porch which welcomes friends and family. Each in it's own way brought a smile to my day.

The girls and I had such fun with the bubble wands today. It was a bit windy so we just held the wands into the air and let the wind do all the work.

This last series of pictures not only brought a smile to my face but it actually made me laugh out loud. I hope it brings a smile to your day as well............

All that I can say is---It's a good thing she is cute!!!!!

With Gratitude and Thanks

On this most special of days, I wanted to take time to express my gratitude to the men and women who with their unselfish service, protect our country and guard our freedoms. Thank you to our veterans who without their service we would not have this blessing of freedom. And to those who have given the ultimate sacrifice--we remember and honor you and your families on this day.

I wish you all a wonderful Memorial Day as you celebrate with your family and friends.

Take time to remember ...................

My Patio

With the days of Winter a distant memory and the threat of frost behind us, it is finally time to venture outside and ready the patio for Summer. My patio is one of the things I love most about my house. It is not a very large space but one of comfort, one that invites you to stay a while with a good book and a nice tall glass of iced tea. We have had many a family gathering on my patio and in the Summer it becomes an extension of the inside rooms of our home. As a family we eat our dinner on the patio and even my husband enjoys watching a favorite sporting event while seated among all the potted flowers. I finally finished up the last bit of planting today and then grabbed my camera to snap some photos to share with you all.
Gardening gives me such great pleasure. All of the amazing colors and the small details of each flower that makes them so unique unto themselves. This year while preparing to plant, I began by collecting all of the clay pots and containers from the shed. Each time I entered the shed I heard the tiniest of chirps. For the life of me I could not figure out where that sound would be coming from. Then out of the corner of my eye I noticed a nervous Jenny Wren with a little worm hanging from her beak flying from the ground to the roof back to the ground. I quickly stepped from the shed and watched to see where she was headed. To my surprise, she flew right into the shed and it was then that I realized where those little sounds were coming from.....
In my haste to clean up at the end of the season last Fall, I carelessly hung a wilted and withered geranium plant on a hook in the shed promising to empty it at a later time. Well that time never did arrive and it is a good thing it didn't. That sweet little bird decided it would make the perfect place to call home and to raise her precious babies. This is what I saw when I carefully peeked inside.
I guess I made just enough noise that those tiny babies thought I was their mother bringing them something yummy to eat. Four little mouths open wide waiting for their lunch. I gathered my containers and quietly closed the shed doors as not to disturb this wonderful new family. I feel blessed to have been allowed to witness this newness of life in nature. A little miracle ......

What Have I Been Up To????

Once again time has slipped away from me. How easily that seems to happen these days. A friend asked me this morning if I had given up on my blog----Oh my goodness no---I just need a few more hours in my day. Anyway here is a little up date as to what is going on in my life. Oh I knew having a new puppy would be lots of work but somehow I forgot just how much. What a little fireball she is. In my mind I pictured her laying by my side in my studio as I worked on all of my projects. As it turns out she does love being in my studio however her favorite thing to do is grab hold of the end piece of nicely wound ribbon and run for her life. She is so playful and fun. The house training thing is still a work in progress. Let's just say if you are looking to purchase stock, I would suggest Bounty Paper Towels or Clorox Clean Up Wipes. All of my favorite Somerset Life and scrapbooking magazines have been put on the shelf for now. They have been replaced with puppy training magazines and books on understanding your Beagle. Apparently Sassy wasn't overly excited to see that I was reading all about how to teach her to be a well behaved little girl.........

She has certainly stolen the hearts of our whole family.......

Another exciting event for our family was Alex's Junior Prom. We had been preparing for this for weeks---the new suit, shoes, shirt and tie were all purchased as were the corsage and boutonniere. Finally the day was here.....He looked so handsome it brought tears to my eyes. Could this young man standing beside me actually be my baby boy??

His date was lovely

Alex and Tina attended the prom with a group of friends and we were invited to the home of one of them to take pictures. The had a beautiful yard, the perfect place for photos. They whole group looked so wonderful.

Alex had a great evening. What an exciting time in his life. He has so much to look forward to. I could not be prouder.

A Loyal and True Friend

When you bring a pet into your home you know you are going to love it. But what isn't realized sometimes is just how much. They become part of your family. You count on them to always be there, tail wagging, welcoming you home. Supplying you with that unconditional love even when you are crabby and have had the worst day. They can look at you with those brown eyes and easily change all that is bad to good. There is just something about that kind of love. And the best part is that as much as you love them they love you back twice as much. We had a bit of sadness in our family this week as we lost our beloved friend, Lucy. Her illness just didn't allow us to care for her any longer. Let me just say that it was the hardest decision that I have ever made. Her gentleness and meekness made her so special and loved by our whole family. I find myself missing her so much. I can still hear her tail wagging as it hit the wall beside her bed. I find myself still calling her name to offer her a treat. She followed me everywhere and I will truly miss her companionship.

Not that there is any good time for this kind of sadness, but it was especially hard for our family as today is Alex's 18th Birthday. We had been asking him for some time what he would like for this milestone birthday but he was always unsure. In light of this recent situation we thought it might be a good time to invite another puppy into our home. When we discussed it with Alex, his response was "That would be sweet". To interpret for those of you who don't understand the language of an 18 year old, that is a good thing. So we did some investigating and here is the newest member of our family.....

Athena Velvet Buttons

What a name huh???? Well seeing that our last name is Panormios (very Greek) we decided that it would be only fitting to have a matching first name. As for the Velvet Buttons, that addition was the contribution from the little girls I babysit. They too were having such a difficult time with losing Lucy that we thought it might be fun to include them on the naming of the new puppy. It worked---they love her too. Athena is a 7 week old, full breed beagle pup and I know from growing up with a beagle I have a lot of work ahead of me. But how could I not love this sweet little face?

Although I love this little darling so much already, there will always be that special place in my heart that belongs only to Lucy ......and it always will.

**********A LITTLE EDIT TO THE ABOVE POST***********

After spending the day with family and watching the puppy interact with family members and their dogs we have decided to have a slight name change. We had a blast watching her play and bark at all the bigger dogs totally without any fear. Chasing their tails and biting at their ears all in such puppy fun. We have decided that the name Sassy fits her personality a little better. Sassy she is but oh so sweet!!!! Sassy Velvet Buttons-------we could not love her more !!!

And the Winner is...............

Just to be sure this give away would be fair, I enlisted the help of my son, Alex to help me pull the winning name. (what a good sport he was)Without further ado, the winner is.........
Pam is a wonderful friend that I have met through my blog. She is also a very talented artist and creates the sweetest, most whimsical watercolors. If you click this link it will take you to her blog. Take a peek I know you will love her work. Congratulations Pam!!! on being the winner of my first blog give away. Thank you to all that left me a comment. I had fun with this give away so look for more to come in the future.
Pam just email me your address and I will send your prize right away :)

Happy Birthday Dandelion Wishes

I can remember it so well. Sitting at my desk, staring at my blank computer screen, wondering if I should actually begin a blog. "Oh I'll give it a try" I thought to myself. "Maybe my family will enjoy reading it now and again" As it turns out I was right. My family and my close friends did read my posts and would leave me a comment or two. I enjoyed writing and looked forward to their comments. So a month turned into two and then three and four. As time carried on, I began to notice comments from others that were not in my family. What fun it was to think that others actually visited my blog and then left me comments to make me aware of their visits. I began to visit their blogs as well getting to know them through their pictures and posts. And so I continued my blog, meeting and making so many new friends along the way. Four months turned into five and then to six until I sit here today marking the one year birthday of my blog. Who knew that my little blog would help me to meet and befriend ladies from all over the world. All because of this little thing called a blog. I am so grateful for these friendships -- the old and the new. So on this, my blog birthday, I want to celebrate and say thank you for all of your visits and comments by having a little give away. All you have to do is leave me a comment on this post. I will put all the names in a hat and pull a winner on Sunday April 19. Now for the fun part-------here is a little sample of the prize (just a sample, it's always fun to receive surprises)
******A sweet little birds nest, a hand soldered charm with vintage lace, and a package of peek a boo love notes. (plus a few more little surprises) *******

Thanks to all of you for making the past year so lovely with all of your visits, comments and inspiration. I am looking forward to another year full of friendships.

xoxoxo

Mimi~

A Blessed Easter

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again." 8 Then they remembered his words.

Luke 24: 1-8

Wishing you a Blessed Easter filled with family and the wonderful reassurance of Christ's love for us. How he demonstrated this love by suffering and dying on the cross for our sins. And then rising again on the third day so we would know that he truly is the Son of God. Have a beautiful Easter day.

xoxo

Mimi~

With a Heavy Heart

Life is busy. Days become filled with the everyday chores of life that are so familiar to me. There are meals to plan, groceries to purchase, laundry to do, house cleaning that needs done, bills to pay, homework to help with, sports practices to make, phone calls to return --the list could go on forever. It is so easy to take for granted that each day will start the same, be filled with these chores and end with a goodnight kiss from my loved ones. Every once in a while something will happen to remind me of the uncertainty of life and just how much each day is a gift. Last Saturday a situation occurred here in Pittsburgh that ended so tragically with three of our city police officers losing their lives. It was a senseless act leaving several small children without their Daddies and many family members asking Why. As I watched on my television this afternoon the procession of family members, officers and the public filing in to pay their respects to these fallen heroes, my heart just broke. My heart aches for their loss. Their lives are changed forever. Through this senseless tragedy I have been reminded to stop in life's ongoing rush and appreciate my family and all that I have. It also reminds me to appreciate those who place their lives on the line daily for our protection. With a brother-in-law who is a police officer and a son contemplating this profession, this tragedy brings home to me how we need to pray for the safety of these special men and women. In support of our police officers and to honor those who have lost their lives we have been asked to place a blue light in our window. A small token of support to those who give so much of themselves for us. Thank you to all those who serve.

Weekend Fun

The weekend, a time for relaxing, sleeping in, spending time with family, and just doing something you enjoy. This weekend my sister and her family came for a visit. They only live a couple of hours away but you know how life gets busy and before you know it months pass without seeing each other. We decided to take a trip to the Strip District. I have posted about this wonderful area of Pittsburgh in previous posts. It is one of my family's favorite places to visit. We had breakfast at one of my mom's favorite diners, Pamela's and then did some shopping at all of the wonderful shops. Because this trip was in honor of my mom's birthday, I thought it would be nice to take a picture of her and all of her grandchildren. I love this picture. Believe me this was not an easy one to capture. It's hard to get three silly boys to stand still and smile without making silly faces at the camera. I reminded them it was for Grandma's birthday so they finally behaved themselves. Oh boys will be boys.

After the Strip District I decided to take a little walk around the local antique store. They were having a sale---anything with the color blue was 15% off. Oh I surly could find something blue. And guess what, I did!! I have a love for vintage children's books. I find the illustrations to be so delightful and innocent. I found two of the sweetest books (both with blue on the cover) I scanned one of my favorite images to share with all of you.

The other book was filled with nursery rhymes and the accompanying sheet music. When I opened the cover I had the instant idea to incorporate these sweet images into note cards for my shop. Here is what I came up with.........

Simple but sweet. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend doing all the things that you enjoy.

With a Little Help from My Friends..........

...........Dandelion Wishes at Sweetpea's is officially open. For the past three weeks I have been working nonstop on items for my little shop. There were so many things to accomplish before my deadline of April 1. Collecting items for my display, making inventory, pricing inventory, and preparing all the little things to make my shop special. I have had the display set up in my living room for weeks arranging and rearranging to get it just the way I had envisioned it my my mind. I must say I have been blessed with so many friends and my family who provided me with so much encouragement and support. When I started to become overwhelmed with the task of labeling and pricing all the merchandise it didn't even take a second for my friend, Heidi to volunteer to help.

And when the day finally arrived to set up shop, my mom and my friend, Joyce were right by my side to lend a hand.

I am really excited and pleased with the ending result...........

I am not sure where this little adventure will lead but I am so looking forward to the journey.

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

This day in March is the day we celebrate my Mom and her birthday. Today we celebrate all the special things about her that makes us love her so much. Her kind spirit, sense of humor, nurturing way, love of the Lord, willingness to share her talents, friendliness, wisdom, love of adventure, and joyous heart. There are so many things I love about my mom I couldn't possibly list them all. Her unconditional love for me is such a blessing and something I cherish. We had a lovely day. My friend, Heidi, invited us to her home for the most delicious lunch. What a nice time we had laughing and spending time with each other. Heidi has the sweetest little dog named Jazzie who just could not be left out of the celebration. Later in the day Mom came to my home for dinner and for a little bit of crafting afterward. We worked together making cards to be mailed to members of her church group in need of cheering up.

Alex ventured in to say hello and because it was Grandma's birthday agreed to pose for a picture without too much convincing.

Happy Birthday Mom. I love you so much!!!

A Swap for All Seasons

When my very good friend, Joyce, mentioned that she had joined a Spring swap my first thought was "Oh that's nice---Swaps are just not for me. You may be asking yourself what exactly is a swap??? A swap happens when a group of Internet friends decide to exchange names with each participant receiving the name of a partner. The swap has a host who organizes the event and assigns a theme. The goal is to get to know your partner through her blog or through e-mails and keeping with the assigned theme search for special treasures that your partner will love. I thought the idea sounded like fun and had joined two swaps in the past. After putting much thought into the gifts for my partner, I received nothing in return. It was a very big disappointment. Joyce assured me that this would not happen in this swap-- "The host, Linda, is a lovely lady and her swaps are organized and so much fun." After receiving a thoughtful email from Linda and reading her beautiful blog, I felt reassured and decided to give it another try. Oh my goodness am I glad I did. I was assigned a partner (also named Linda) and began to get to know her by reading her wonderful blog, Lambsworld. After exchanging emails I set to work hunting for special treasures. I will post pictures of them in another post as her package is still in route and I want her to be surprised. But I will show you pictures of what I received in return. I am overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude. First of all this is the top of the box my gifts were mailed in. WOW!!! The mailman just smiled at me as he handed me my box of treasures. I carefully opened the box from the bottom so that I could save this masterpiece. These are the wonderful goodies I found inside..........After opening all of these lovely gifts, my little helper Emma could hardly wait to open her favorite of all ----the M & M's

Thank you so much Linda for all of these wonderful gifts. I could not love them more!!!!

WELCOME SPRING

At long last Spring is here!!! As if my daffodils and crocus's were anticipating this day as much as I, they have begun to poke through the chilly ground to feel the warm sun on their petals. I love this time of year when everything is fresh and new. I recently came across this sweet little poem. It speaks of so many of the things I look forward to in this season.

The Call of Spring

When Spring begins

again to light

Our happy world

With colors bright,

The robins all come

Back to see

How beautiful

The earth will be.

With crocus gold,

And daffodils

Lighting Meadows,

Fields, and hills;

With leaves of green

And tulips gay,

And birds arriving

Every day.

Before I close this post for today, I want to share with you another little project that I have just completed for a Vintage Spring Swap hosted by A Swap for all Seasons.

I created this photo banner using some of my favorite vintage supplies. A page from a French novel, sheet music, seam binding, and a scanned image from a vintage greeting card. The card images have been sewn on the corners to form a pocket. A 4 X 6 photo will slip easily into the corner pockets to complete the photo banner. I had such fun creating this banner and I hope my swap partner will enjoy it.

I wish you all a happy first day of Spring. Enjoy all the wonders this day brings.

A New Adventure

Is it really March 11? Wow eleven days since my last post. Time really will slip away from you if you let it. In that time between my last post, I have decided to embark on a new adventure that I am so excited share with you. Located about 15 minutes from my home, there is a little boutique/gift shop called Sweet Pea's. It makes it's home in a sweet little house filled with all the wonderful vintage charm that I love so. Sweet Pea's is a boutique filled with wares from over 70 local designers. All of the items sold in the shop are handmade. I had contemplated becoming a part of the Sweet Pea family about a year and a half ago but the timing was just not right. Recently the opportunity presented itself once again. With much thought and prayer I have decided to set up my little shop, Dandelion Wishes, and become part of the Sweet Pea team. So I have three weeks to gather display pieces, make price tags and business cards, make a shop sign, and make enough products to fill my shop. I jokingly told my husband and son that the dinner selection for the next three weeks would be either pizza, hot dogs, or Cheerios. ( Hmmm I think I was joking) I have so many ideas swimming around in my thoughts and I have been very busy creating. Before I let too many more days go by, I wanted to share with you some of the items that will be a part of Dandelion Wishes at Sweet Pea's. I have created several different variations of my Peek a Boo Lunchbox Notes....

I have been saving this pretty pink paper for sometime now and this seemed like the perfect project to use it on. A sweet scalloped chipboard book---just a sample of it's pages........

One last project for today..this sweet little farm accordion book. I found this adorable fabric and just had to have a piece. It makes the perfect cover for the vintage farm animals inside......

Well I'd better get back to work. April 1 will be here before I know it. I will definitely be posting more of my completed projects for you all to see so I hope you will visit again real soon.

Hope

Reliance upon the future, faith, expectation, confidence, anticipation, optimism

As I woke this morning and peeked through one eye out of the bedroom window I could see the sun shinning so brightly. The sky was so blue not a cloud to be seen. Oh now don't get me wrong it is still freezing outside but just to see the sun was wonderful!! I hopped out of bed and went to the window and there fluttering in the leaves was a family of Robins!!! Oh Yes Spring is on the way. For some reason this Winter season seems to be taking forever to finally fade into Spring. But just seeing those happy Robins gave me hope.

And then look what I found just outside my kitchen door in the herb garden......
Sweet little snowdrops--the first flower of Spring. They sometimes even bloom as they are being covered with snow. It surely can't be long now. Before we know it our gardens will be bursting with blooms. Just in case you are having trouble waiting for the arrival of the Spring flowers, let me share with you these two beauties that I purchased yesterday.

Alex and I decided to go to breakfast yesterday morning and took a little drive to a wonderful diner called Pamela's. It was delicious and the best part was, it is located right next to my favorite store, Roxannes. I just could not leave without taking these beautiful roses home with me.

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday. Take heart, have faith, and anticipate the arrival of Spring.

One Last Gift

I have one last special Birthday gift to share with you all. This gift is so special to me not only because it was given to me by my Mom, but because she made it for me. My mom is such a talented lady and from as far back as I can remember she has loved to sew. When we were little she would sew dresses for my sister and I and make the most wonderful doll cloths for our baby dolls and Barbies. As I grew older I began to appreciate her talent more and more. There was one afternoon my mom and I were shopping and looking at the magazine section of a local drugstore. She picked up a quilting magazine and said how much she admired quilts and would love to learn how to make them. And guess what--- With some direction from some ladies at our church but mainly all on her own---she did. I love to go with her to the local quilt shop and watch her pick out fabric. She has such an eye for color and can match fabrics together to complete the most amazing quilts. This year for my Birthday she made me the most beautiful "shabby chic" quilt I have ever seen. She choose all of my favorite colors--I couldn't love it more!!
One of the things I love most about this quilt is that with each washing the "raw" edges of the flowers will fray more and more so that it will have the look of chenille. Thank you Mom for this most special gift. I will treasure it ALWAYS!!!

"Egg"-actly what I love

As I shared in the last post, my Birthday was truly wonderful. I am so blessed to have family and friends who have taken the time to really get to know me as a person and know exactly what warms my heart. It sincerely is a special feeling. I wanted to share today some of the gifts that were bestowed to me in celebration of my Birthday. Do remember that sweet little nest that my friend Heidi purchased for me at Roxanne's? Well here is what I did with it.

The apothecary jar was a gift from the family for whom I babysit. I have always wanted one but never actually went ahead and treated myself. I think I may have squealed with delight as I opened the package. With a little shredded vintage sheet music in the bottom of the jar, it made a perfect home for my little nest. I added this happy little bird and some blue eggs to finish off the display. I am so happy with the result. Then as if all my friends got together and discussed a theme this year, my wonderful friend Michele made me this sweet little bottle.

Tucked down inside the gift bag, Michele also added this lovely candy mold.

As I opened the next gift it was very apparent that my friends do know what makes me smile. My friend, Joyce surprised me with this delightful little nest which looks so perfect on my mantle.

And this little vintage creamer that I filled with more cheery eggs. I just love it's soft color.

Last night as I was thinking about this post and listening to the weatherman inform me of yet another round of snow that was headed my way, I decided it was time to display all of these wonderful gifts and to bring out the rest of my Spring decorations. I started with the mantle.....

I added a bit of netting across the mantle to soften the look.

The little girls in the picture frame are my Mom and my Aunt holding their Easter baskets. After the mantle was complete I added a few more Spring decorations to my kitchen.

When I was at a local flea market last Summer I picked up the fun vintage egg box. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it but I just had to have it. I am so glad I did because here is the result.......

Now you can see why I received "Egg"-actly what I love and why I am so "Egg"-cited for the arrival of Spring!!!

Birthday's Can Be Beautiful

As I get older the excitement and anticipation of each new Birthday seems to diminish with each passing year. As a little girl, I can remember counting Birthdays with eager expectancy even announcing the half year mark with pride. It seemed to take forever until the next Birthday would arrive and I could say I was another year older. Now as the years have quickly crept up on me I accept Birthday wishes with a smile and hope that no one actually asks me how old I will be turning. This year as my Birthday was approaching, Emma, the sweet little girl who I babysit, asked me to show her on my fingers how many years old I would be turning. I guess to a four year old this was a distinct possibility. I just smiled and told her I would need several more hands to accommodate her request. I must say however, even though I do not look forward to turning another year older, I do look forward to time spent with friends who make this day so special. This year they really out did themselves. My Birthday this year fell on a Sunday. When my very best friend, Heidi, asked me what I would like to do I quickly answered that I would like to take a Saturday trip to the Strip District. Now don't worry, with a name like the Strip District your minds are probably swirling with ideas. For those of you familiar with Pittsburgh, you know that this is an area just east of the city known for it's wholesalers, restaurants and fun funky shops. There are so many ethnic groups represented in the Strip and the street vendors are plenty as well selling everything from food to T-Shirts. I was so excited to visit one of my all time favorite stores, Roxanne's Dried Flowers. Let me just show you in photos why this is one of my favorite places.......

This sweet little bird nest was so unique I just fell in love with it. I was thrilled when Heidi offered to purchase it for my Birthday. Wait until you see what I did with it... but that will have to be a post for a later time. After shopping at Roxanne's, we had a most delicious breakfast at a lovely cafe and continued on with our shopping. We purchased the most yummy biscotti, spices, gourmet popcorn, and of course some Steeler T-shirts.

This fun stove was on display at the gourmet popcorn store. Wouldn't it be amazing to have this stove in your kitchen. I just loved the color. Below are flowers for sale on the street corner. Aren't they beautiful.

Heidi and I had such a wonderful morning. I could not have asked for a better way to start off my Birthday celebration---and that was Saturday alone. I have so much more to share from other friends but I think I will do a sequel to this post.
Even though getting a year old is not one of my favorite things, Birthday's can be Beautiful spent with Beautiful friends.

Sweet Little Picture Frames

Not a long post tonight...I just wanted to share with you a little project that I have been working on. I found these adorable little picture frames as I was wondering around one of our local stores yesterday. I almost passed them by when I noticed that the mat inside of the frame was actually a thin piece of particle board. How perfect for altering. So I scooped up a bunch and hurried home to create. I just wanted something simple---sometimes less is more. Here are the first two that I completed.

The precious little girl in this frame is my mom. I just love this picture!!

This sweet little boy is none other than my husband on his first birthday.

This was a fun project to complete. I bought several more of these frames and have so many ideas on how to alter them. So off I go to create..............

"Deer" to my Heart

One of my fondest childhood memories were the times spent with my Dad looking for deer. I can remember many evenings the whole family would pile into my Dad's truck and head for the local apple orchard to "spot" for deer. He had this giant spotlight that when plugged into the cigarette lighter could light up the universe. He would drive ever so slowly while my sister and I would take turns sweeping the light across the apple orchard trying to catch the glowing eyes of unsuspecting deer. There is something to that phrase "like a deer caught in the headlights". Those poor deer were probably blinded by the light of that spotlight. As we drove on, my Dad would share with us all of his "deer wisdom".

1. Deer always travel in numbers.

2. When one deer crosses the road always wait a minute--more will follow.

3. When looking for deer, focus on the woods edge.

My Dad even took me deer hunting with him once. The key word here is ONCE. Don't worry I didn't carry a gun I just went along to spend time with him. After we made a slight adjustment to the outfit my Mom sent for me to wear in the woods, we were ready for our adventure. An adjustment you ask? Well she sent a nice warm BROWN coat and for my head-- a pretty WHITE crocheted hat with a giant WHITE pom pom. Could I have looked more like a deer? Thankfully my Dad replaced all of this with the brightest orange I ever saw. All was going well until a little field mouse popped right out of the grass and ran across my legs. I screamed so loud that I am sure deer from miles around knew of our presence. Like I said before, he only took me once. But what fond memories I have. To this day I always find myself on the look out for deer. Imagine my surprise when I looked out of my bedroom window and spotted a whole family of deer just hanging out in my neighbors yard. They didn't even mind me hanging out of my window, camera in hand, snapping pictures like a crazy woman. If I could have only read their thoughts. Here are some of the pictures I was able to capture.......

I was so excited to see these beauties so close I must have stood at my window for a half an hour just watching them. I wonder how I will feel when they return in the Spring to nibble on the tender sprouts in my flower garden....

Love Notes and a little Surprise

When I was a little girl my mom would sometimes surprise me with little notes tucked secretly in my lunch bag. What fun it was to be sitting at the lunch table to open my lunch and find this fun reminder that my mom loved me. When it was time for me to send Alex off to school with his lunch bag, I remembered how much I enjoyed finding secrete notes from my mom and I would occasionally surprise Alex with notes of his own. This was a fun tradition until one day he so sweetly reminded me he was a big boy now and that it was not so cool to find secrete notes from your mom while sitting with all of your friends. (oh did I mention that he was in the 6th grade--the poor kid) Since that time the little notes have stopped but I would like to think he will remember those little love notes fondly forever.

That memory has inspired me to create these little lunchbox love notes to add to my etsy shop.

The little brad at the top of each note allows the top scalloped circle to swing away to reveal your message.

Just for fun I made some silly aliens.

Now onto a little surprise for me. Barbara of Southern Lady's Vintage surprised me by awarding me this sweet blog award. I copied the explanation for this award from Barbara's blog.....

The authors say that blogs who receive this award are exceedingly charming. This blog invests in the PROXIMITY in space, time and relationships. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that even more friendships are propagated.

Thank you so much Barbara for thinking of me and awarding me this honor. I am truly touched. The authors of this award also ask that I pass this award on to 8 other bloggers-- which I find very hard to do. I am going to take an idea from another blog friend, Bev. She found it impossible as I do to choose only 8 bloggers as I have made so many friendships through so many lovely blogs. So as she wrote, consider this award passed on to you if you read my blog and pass it on to someone you feel deserves this as well. Thank you again Barbara for such a wonderful surprise.

Love You Forever

In keeping with the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday, I couldn't wait to create a little Valentine project using this sweet heart-shaped chipboard book. It's one from the group that I purchased from Michael's Craft Store a few days ago. If you haven't had a chance to check these little books out yet, hurry on over to Michael's. They are so easy to work with and so much fun to alter.
A perfect place to keep those special Valentine memories.

The Car Goes Beep

Have you ever been so inspired to create a project that you just can't stop working on it until it is done? That's how I was with this little chipboard car book. I was wandering around Michaels Craft Store the other day and stumbled upon a whole series of new chipboard books made by the companies ColorBok and Crayola. You will never guess what isle they were in----the dollar isle. I was so excited I could hardly believe it. There were several different styles to choose from--little cars, hearts, houses, stars, flowers, scalloped squares and circles. If you don't know me by now, yes I bought some of each design. I started with the car but I can hardly wait to create something fun with the other books as well.

This is the before picture..............

And here is the after...................

This was such a fun project to complete. I loved adding all the little details to this sweet book and I could hardly wait to share it with you. My next project will be the little heart--so look for another post soon.

Mimi's Bake Shoppe

Now don't get excited, I have not decided to open a bake shoppe.....but if I did I would want it to be just like this one. It even has the perfect name don't you think?? My friends and I spotted this new little bake shoppe on one of our many trips to the local craft stores but never took the time to stop in. We would say " One of these days we are going to make time to pop in to see what it's all about". This Wednesday seemed like the perfect day as Joyce celebrated her Birthday on Tuesday and what better way to say Happy Birthday then with a wonderful cupcake!!! With much anticipation and excitement, Michele, Joyce and I all loaded into the car and headed for "Mimi's". When we opened the door we definitely were not disappointed! Shelves full of the most beautiful cakes I had ever seen and a glass counter filled with every kind of baked sweet. I even spotted a delicious looking feta and spinach pie that seemed to be calling my name.

After admiring everything it was time to make some decisions. Well since it was almost time for lunch and there were exactly three spinach and feta pies we decided to sit for a while in the little cafe and enjoy some lunch and a cup of coffee.

Just look at the wonderful lighting and mirror wall!!!!

The spinach and feta pie was amazing as was the Chocolate Mounds cupcake I shared with Michele. There is no picture of this cupcake because well lets face it--- I inhaled it so fast---I just couldn't help myself. Joyce purchased a couple to take home so I took a quick picture of those. Don't they look YUMMY!!

We had such a nice time visiting with each other and enjoying the bakery it was hard to leave. I decided to purchase a treat for later and I just couldn't leave without that cranberry orange scone. Trust me that was delicious too!!! If you live in the Pittsburgh area and are looking for a bakery, you must give Mimi's a try. Here is a link to their website---just click on the picture below.....What a wonderful way to spend the afternoon and to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my special friend, Joyce. XOXOX

Valentine Sweets

Do you love Valentines Day as much as I do? What could be better than a day to remind those dear to us just how much they are loved. Whether they are reminded with a bouquet of flowers, a box of candy, a pretty handmade card or just a simple kiss it's the thoughtful reminder that means so much. There is something about Valentines Day that reminds me of a simpler, innocent time-- creating Valentine cards with paper doilies, glitter, glue and construction paper. I can still remember making my Valentine box to hold those special cards from classmates. Always hoping that cute boy would sign his card with "love". How special those boxes looked covered in aluminum foil and glitter.

This year I decided to start making my cards a little earlier than usual. It's much more enjoyable to take my time and create rather than rush to get them done. Here is a little peek at two that I have completed.

In the next couple of weeks leading up to Valentines Day, I will be posting more about this wonderful day. Before I close this first post I wanted to share two more of my favorite Valentine traditions.......

Pretty glittered hearts......

and these sweet little conversation hearts always make me SMILE

The Bluebird of Happiness

Oh the weather outside is frightful......It has been snowing outside of my window for days. Not a lot of snow just enough to be a nuisance and the temperatures are going to dip below freezing tonight. I so long for the days of Spring. Those sunny warm days with blue skies, blooming flowers and happy chirping birds. It was those very days that became my inspiration for a new series of soldered charms, the bluebird of happiness series. This series reflects the happiness that comes with the sound of each little songbird happily welcoming Spring. The back of each charm has a tiny piece of vintage sheet music along with a thoughtful sentiment. They are all available in my etsy shop---www.mgpscrapbooker.etsy.com
If you are like me you will be counting the days until Spring---only 65 more to go.

Christmas in Review Part 2---Christmas Day

I was determined to figure out how to download the rest of the Christmas photos from my new camera to my computer without any assistance. I am a fairly intelligent person and can usually figure things out. "I CAN do this " I said to myself. I got the instruction manual and read it from cover to cover. I was ready to give it a try. OK so it didn't work the first time, maybe I just misread something. Well when it didn't work the second, third or forth time I set it aside to try again later. When I woke this morning to a snowy day, I thought this would be a good day to catch up on things and to "try again later" Besides five days had past since my last post and before I let things slip by any longer I wanted to share these photos with you. I refreshed my mind with the instruction manual and gave it my best shot. Oh this camera must be broken I thought and gave in to ask for assistance from my husband. I quickly explained to him how I had done everything right and how this camera must be broken. He pulled up a chair and let's just say in a matter of less than five minutes my pictures magically appeared right in front of my eyes---you guessed it on my computer. Oh well from now on if at first I don't succeed, I'll just ask Alex. So without further delay here are the rest of my Christmas pictures.......

Alex and Alex

Alex with his YaYa

Alex with this cousin, Will

Alex and his cousin, Danielle

Uncle John's dog, Ouzo. The perfect name for a dog belonging to a Greek family don't you think.

Ouzo thinks he is a lap dog

A friendly game of Christmas football between Uncle Stephen and Alex

PaPoo and Yaya got Alex a set of weights for Christmas. The rest of us could hardly lift them.......

Uncle Stephen and Aunt Kim

We had a wonderful Christmas day at Alex's parent's house. Enjoying a delicious meal of grilled lamb along with the company of family one of the best things about the Christmas season.