A Trip To The Allstar Game

Ian had the honor of being selected to play in the Allstar game today for his rec council. He was one of 5 chosen from his team. The game was a nail bitter, with both teams scoring and then the next inning the other team coming back. Ian got 2 hits and 2 RBI's. Ian's team lost it in the bottom of the 8th inning. Final score 8-9.

Farmhouse Swap Sent

Cyndy from Crafty Stitchers and I were swap partners in the swap that Amy of Bumble Bee Lane hosted on her blog. I've long been an admirer of Cyndy's work and when I found out we were swap partners I was super excited.



So to try to get to know a little more about Cyndy besides that she makes awesome raggedy anns I went back and read through her blog. Cyndy said in a post that she was redoing her sewing room, so that's the inspiration that I used to create a Crafty Stitchers sign for her.




Then while looking around blogland and seeing all the cute salt dough ornies being made, I started thinking that maybe I could make some to go in her sewing room. I found a small button cookie cutter online, a spool and a thimble one as well and ordered them. I set about making the salt bowl fillers. Made a complete batch and only a few of the small buttons turned out well...I had issues with getting them out of the cookie cutter. So after sleeping on it, I decided I would try to make larger buttons and to rethink my approach to getting the dough out of the smaller cookie cutter. I am pleased to say that the final results turned out great. Here they are bagged.




So along with the button and spools salt bowl fillers, I made a set of beehive and bumble bees ones too. Amy had given us a list of themes to choose from to include and bees were on that list.






Here they are bagged. I had a lot of fun painting these up and they were so easy to make. Having said that when it came to the beehive, no matter what I did I had a beehive that was slightly puffy. After making 3 different ones and having mostly the same results, I picked the less puffy one to paint. Sorry about the Cyndy.







So while on a roll so to speak with the salt dough ornies, I made some blooms and naturally made some more bees to go with them. Sure hope Cyndy has a nice big dough bowl or trencher to display them in. Blooms were also on the list of themes to pick from.








And here they are bagged as well.








Also on the list was one item made from fabric. I wracked my brain thinking of what I could make with fabric. I remembered seeing these in a Create and Decorate last year and formulated a plan. I had even bought all the material last year...just never got around to making them. So found the correct issue of C&D and followed the directions as outlined. I think they turned out pretty good and plan on making a set for myself.



Also as a suggested theme was americana...cause what's summertime without the good ole red, white and blue. So had the hubby cut me a set of blocks and made the stencil for this americana set. I love, love how these turned out and will be offering them for sale in my etsy shoppe.




And one final thing I did for this swap was a set of sitter blocks with a bee theme. That way Cyndy can pair these with the bees salt dough bowl fillers. I sure had a blast making all for Cyndy and reading and getting to know her a little better.

Thank you to Amy for hosting this wonderful Farmhouse Summer Swap.

Until next time...

Beautiful Blooms

I really wanted to participate in the display chain that Amy of Bumble Bee Lane had this past week, but it seemed like I never had enough time to get outside with my camera to take some pictures. Well I finally did yesterday and then go so busy last night that I didn't get to do a blog post.



The rose in the above picture is from a bush that we had given my mother in law some 20+ years ago. The rose is so beautiful and it smells awesome. Tiffany is the roses name and is one of my favorites...now if I could just afford to shop in it's namesakes store.


I had double impatiens like these last year in my back window boxes and they did fabulous, so since it "ain't broke" I'm not fixing it, so I found some more to plant for this year. Just need to get around to it! Never enough time in the day.


Last year I planted 2 bleeding hearts in my new perennial bed and lost both of them over the winter. I don't know if it was due to December being bitterly cold and the plants not going into their dormant state gradually, if there was too much salt from the road that was shovel with the snow we had, or if the raised bed was too warm last summer. Anyway, this bleeding heart was one my mother in law planted. It has finally really blossomed into a very nice plant. I'm torn on whether to leave it where it is or to transplant it into the front perennial bed.


This is one of 2 azaleas that we have left. Our neighborhood is beautiful around Mother's Day with all the azaleas in bloom. We had a row in the front yard but removed them last year when we put in the large perennial bed. We were going to replace them with the new ever blooming ones, but planted monarda (bee balm) along the fence instead. I think that was a wiser choice and more in keeping with the perennial flower garden theme.


This little rose bush has had such a plethora of blooms this year. It is much shorter in stature than the rest of the roses in the bed but what it lacks in size it is making up in blooms. And boy do they smell delicious! It's a called Angelface and is just too sweet.

I had already shared my hanging petunias in a previous post, but wanted to share them here again. They are doing fantastic and the smell that comes wafting off them is out of this world! Oh my!



I had a guara planted last year in my perennial bed and it was huge and just simply gorgeous. Here again is another plant that didn't make it through the winter. I know it can be a tempermental plant to grow at times, but can't figure out what went wrong. Anyway, it is simply a stunning plant, blooming from early spring straight through to fall, so I had to replace it with another one. Hopefully this year we will make it through the winter.



There's nothing like the color and beauty that annual impatiens provide. I usually have planters full of them on my front porch. It is so nice to look at all their lovely beauty each day.


This is one of 2 yellow knock out roses that we planted last year. When we moved here, the front foundation plantings were definitely getting old and tired looking, so I had Josh remove them. It took me another year to decide what we would put in. After looking around we decided on 2 yellow and 3 pink knock out roses. We searched and sniffed lots of them before we settled on the 2 varities that we purchased. Not only do they look good, but they smell great!

This red rose is a monster. It's Mr. Lincoln and my second plant that I have had of this variety. My hubby bought one for me many, many years ago as a Mother's Day gift. We had been living in our former house and the neighbors goats got out and into our yard. They proceed to strip the plant and my Mr. Lincoln died. It is simply a gorgeous rose and the fragrance is to die for!






Another favorite annual of mine...new guinea impatiens. They are waiting their turn in the front bed. I still have pansies in there that over wintered and are just out doing themselves, that I hate to pull them out. I've decided that I will change out the pansies next week as in another few weeks, the heat will be too much for them and they won't look as pretty. The hubby and I decided on red and white for our front of the house annuals this year.


This is such a fragrant rose and the buds are just beautiful. I love taking pictures of the blooms in the macro setting on my camera. Here I captured the bloom just after a gentle rain. If you haven't figured out by now, not only do my roses have to look beautiful they have to smell heavenly. Hey, I can multi-task, why can't my flowers?


This is my neighbors iris. Once it's done blooming, a small piece of it will be in one of my beds so that I will be able to enjoy it. My across the alley neighbor, Mary and I share plants with each other, expanding our selections. Such a nice neighborly thing to do.










My hubby loved the color combination on the pansies in this pot. I just love them and they are just thriving. Hate to have to disturb them, but will pot impatiens in this pot real soon as it will again be too hot for the pansies on my front porch.





Another perennial favorite of mine are these dianthus or pinks as they are called. I picked these up at the flea market a few years ago and they don't disappoint me in the spring.



Peonies are said to be an old fashioned plant. Whether it's considered "old Fashioned" or not, it is a beauty. We have 3 different varities, pink, burgundy and white and all are simply stunning in beauty and fragrance. Even the ants love the blossoms and ridding the flowers of them is easily overcome by cutting them and letting me sit for a bit, the ants leave and they are safe to bring in the house.








Carrying on the red and white theme, I couldn't resist these petunias when I spied them at the garden center. I planted them in the back side yard where we get the most sun. They have a slight fragrance to them.







This Wine and Roses weigelia is one of 3 that we planted in our front foundation bed along with the knock out roses. It's simply gorgeous with it's fuschia flowers and in the summer it foliage turns a darker reddish color.







And last but not least is my white iris. This iris was planted 3 years ago and had finally decided to bloom this year. It is simply beautiful and it also smell terrific.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of the blooms from my gardens. Sure wish I had smell-a-vision so I could share not only the sights but the smells with you. I think springtime is my favorite season with it's bounty of beauty.

Until next time...

Farmhouse Swap Goodies Came

I was paired up with Cyndy from Crafty Stitchers as a swap partner in the Farmhouse Summer Swap that Amy of Bumble Bee Lane hosted. And I gotta tell you that Cyndy sent the most wonderful goodies.



Cyndy makes the most cutest raggedy anns ever! If you haven't seen her work you really need to hurry on over to her etsy shoppe and check it out. They are awesome! Cyndy sent me this little cutie patootie! She has the sweetest little yellow dress with little bumble bees on it...Oh my! Too cute!











Here she is with the other Raggedy Ann and Andy that I purchased from Diane at Country Doings blog. She looks right at home.
























Cyndy also sent this cute little sheep sign, stuffed sheep ornie and little cutest little sheep magnet. Already found homes for all of them too...




There was also this paper mache sheep box...too cool! I have also found a new home for that! Boy I am running outta room on my new peg shelf, guess I'd better have the hubby make me a couple more! LOL! He doesn't know it but I have plans already.











Here is the sheep box and the sign in their new home. And if that weren't enough, there was this neat stuffed pillow. If I remember correctly from a post Cyndy made on her blog, it's stuffed with sawdust. This is a printed on fabric technique, that I am dying to try. Just bought the freezer paper to give it a whirl. So if anyone has any tips or pointers, please share.




I have found a temporary home for the pillow and after not liking it there, have decided that it may join Mr. Sunfloweres on my rocking chair in my bedroom.





Cyndy also sent this cute watermelon plate and handpainted watermelon slices. I have them sitting on my dresser right now...too darn cute. I've gotta tell you that I feel thoroughly spoiled by Cyndy. I hope she enjoys what I sent her as much as I am enjoying what she sent to me. Thanks again Cyndy

Until next time...

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Here in Baltimore in the spring there are 2 sports....baseball and lacrosse. Depending on what your father grew up playing, usually determines what the sports the sons would play. When my hubby grew up, he played baseball. So it was a natural thing for his sons to do...



Ian only plays rec council baseball, which is much different than what his brother Josh played. Don't get me wrong, Josh "had" to play rec council ball too, but he hated every second of it. He would much rather have just played travel ball and high school ball, where the level of play is just a little more serious and the skill level a little more refined. Anyway, back to Ian. Ian is my kid who likes to do lots of things...he isn't too obsessed with baseball the way Josh was, but he still likes to play.


As a young teenage girl, I was sort of a tomboy. I played softball as that's all that girls were allowed to play back then. I was much like Josh...frustrated with the level of skill. I was a pretty good player and made a hand picked allstar team two years in a row. My favorite positions were third base and I would also pitch.


Ian likes to play third base. Josh also use to play third base but went on to become an awesome catcher in his travel league as well as high school. So far Ian's team isn't doing that bad this year. He is being coached again by Mr. Glenn, for the third year and he has already hit one home run in his first game. So most Monday and Thursday nights you will find me on the baseball diamond, cheering on Ian and his team. Go Cardinals!

Until next time....

Random Act of Kindness

Boy was I surprised when I heard the doorbell ring the other day. I had just gotten into the shower but managed to peer out the bathroom window to see the mailman walking away. His ringing of the doorbell could mean only one thing...a package. So as I showered, I contemplated the possibilities. Was it the new molds I had just ordered? A package from my swap partner? Or something that the hubby ordered?

By the time I had gotten showered and dressed, Sean had gone outside and retrieved the package. I was big and from my favorite place to shop...Kohl's. But knowing that I don't shop Kohl's online but in store, I looked at the address label. It was from Linda Parker. What a pleasant surprise...


As I opened the box up to see what was inside, I pulled out a bunch of goodies. First there was an unused stencil for a summertime sign inside. Forgot to take a picture of it and clear mylar doesn't photograph well. I will be sure to share the finished sign with you when I get to making it. Then there was this itty-bitty basket. Isn't it too cute? I'm thinking of painting the little bow and handle black and it has already found a home.





Next I pulled out this elbow basket. Isn't it cute? I have a place all picked out for it to go but will need the hubby to be more cooperative. He's swamped with keeping up with his customers lawns right now, so he's told me whatever new shelf I want will have to wait...sigh! Always back burnered!











There was also this larger elbow basket. This too will have to wait for it's new home. Sure wish we would have a rain day soon...maybe I could get some projects done with the hubby.














A pair of tapers were the next out of the box. I hung them off my dough bowl rack. Thinking that I might dip them in beeswax and roll them in spices to make them a bit more grubby.







There was also this light. I'm thinking of finding a small lamp shade for it maybe and adding some hips and sticks to the fluted metal pan around it. At this point I'm thinking there can't be anything else in the box. Right? Nope! Wrong. I dig through the peanuts and packing materials and pull out this....















I know where I would like to hang it but don't think that the males in my house will be able to walk down the steps and not hit it. There this skinny wall on the side of the livingroom closet, but it's exposed and on the way down the steps...sigh! I'm thinking I will have to find a safer place than that for it.



I think I finally have hit the bottom of the box when feeling around there is still another little present at the very bottom. It is a spoon rack complete with spoons that Linda redid. Isn't it cute. I am planning on putting that in the diningroom once I get it all repainted.






And here's the little itty bitty basket and the candle tapers hanging off the pegs on my dough bowl rack. I will take pictures as I get all the other goodies in their new homes too.

I want to thank Linda for her simple act of kindness that sure brought a smile to my face. She is a very generous soul and I am so glad that we have become friends via this great thing called "blogland". It has allowed the miles between us to just disappear. So Linda, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Until next time...