Serendipity day...love is in the air!

Yay! It's Friday...again...already? Wow, this week flew! It's March 16th...my youngest is getting married on March 31st....ahhhhhh...

 
I have some things I have to do for the wedding and now I'm suddenly down to the wire. Panic is setting in. Hmmm...yup...gonna be busy the next couple of weeks.


This will be my last post until the nuptials are over. I have to focus...focus...focus! Gosh, I hate focusing! I'm a do a little of this, do a little of that kinda gal. But, it's MY kid and he IS getting married sooooo, I guess I will focus, get my tasks completed and be back when cleaning up after him is his new wife's worry!...cue up the happy dance music...shhhhhhh


I thought I should get some wedding gift ideas before I go. There's always time for shopping, isn't there?
I need to find the perfect gift for my little (giant 6'7") baker son....

Gonna stroll through some shops that treasured my shop this week....

let's see what surprisingly beautiful things we can find!

My little (giant 6'7") son loves a good wine.
At Corkycrafts they make fun things from wine corks like this wreath. How cool would that be on the front door?

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue....isn't this the sweetest hair pin in blue? I found it at WeeLambieVintage she has great vintage items for sale in her Etsy shop.









 Dare I say that I may need this vintage crochet book from Amydscrochet ?
Ok, so that would be for me not them....can I just say...

                                              I ♥ babies!

justByou has opened up a whole new line of delicious treats in her shop. These tasty looking morsels are her "Bumpy Road" treats.


I seriously hope they don't have a "bumpy road"  type of life!

Of course no newlywed couples home is complete without romantic candlelight. AMomentinParadise has this beautiful blue hand poured candle she calls "Blue Lagoon". Sounds like a honeymoon destination, doesn't it?

My son's new bride could wear these very cute flip flops on their Blue Lagoon honeymoon, don't you think? I found them at Creatingwithni, she has a wonderfully eclectic shop!

I found another possibility for something old that just happens to be blue too at FancyDodo. Looks like "blue" is the theme this week!

My son may need an idea for a "♥" gift to his new bride. How perfect is this? ....sigh....young ♥...so romantic! Lucinda at ThisArtOfMine has beautiful mixed media art in her shop too!












And now, I really, really, really need to hop to it and get some things done before March 31st! I hope you found some shops to "♥" this week !

"Neat as a Pin" disease

I have a friend who suffers from "neat as a pin disease". You know the type. Everything is in order in her sewing room. Everything is done in an organized state. She has one of those cute hanging trash baskets near every work space so that nothing goes on the floor. You know the type.

Does any part of your sewing room look like this?


If it does, I would say you suffer from "neat as a pin" disease too. It's okay...don't panic! There is a cure.

Let go! I say, allow yourself to drop it on the floor. Stop wasting so much of your creative energy getting those threads and cuttings into the trash! Your creative mind is being stifled by your "neat as a pin" disease!

I took a look around my sewing room this morning to link up to WOYWW (what's on your workdesk Wednesday). The only thing I am sure of is that I DO NOT have "neat as a pin" disease.

I have no problem dropping things on the floor as I sew.

I'm pretty sure I have kicked that disease (if I ever had it)!

 So, I'm going over to  WOYWW   to share this triumph!
I think I am a pretty creative person....at least in MY mind....and judging by the floor in my room, I have been EXTREMELY creative!

 Are you a drop it on the floor type or a hanging basket type?

Serendipity Shopping Day

 It's Friday...well, at least it was when I started writing this post! Then my hubby decided to whisk me away for our anniversary...oh darn!

He is my fishing dork who ties his own flies and is pursuing his BS in Physics at the ripe old age of 50. 



He keeps me on my toes, he loves me even when I've spent waaaaay too much time on the computer and he cooks!

 Thank you, honey,  for 23 years of fun, frustration, joy and serendipity!


It's been quite a ride!!!


Hubby said I could go shopping for an anniversary gift so I thought I would begin by checking out some of the awesome shops who treasured my shop last week!



Let's go see what surprises we can find in these marvelous shops!











My first stop is Water Colors n More She has these beautiful vintage earrings, I think they are so sweet !










I also wanted to look at The Pretty Do Good Erin makes these super cute sparkly dinosaur necklaces and they come in lots of different colors.










I found this surprise package at Audrey's Buffalo Creek Crafts I wonder what's inside...you know I love surprises!












SunDevonaDesign is a shop that has amazing unique handcrafted jewelry.
I love this Eiffel Tower pendant, it reminds me of my sister.We traveled to Paris together and had so much fun!
                         






I  sew, but never for myself. TheSlightly Sarcastic Seamstress is my kinda gal!
Besides making beautiful aprons...she's slightly sarcastic....now that is a trait I am familiar with, it runs in my family!

Here's a pretty purple (love purple) scarf I found in NekozukiYarns, I think I'll add that to my list too!

I know a lot of people who collect ACEO's after seeing this one at TheVenusCollection, I think I might have to start collection

Hmmmm, I might have to ask for an E reader just so I can carry it around in this super cute tote I spotted at Simplynotesandtotes












Waterrose is owned by Rose and she is a wonderful textile artist. She makes these beautiful fabric cuffs. So pretty and lots to choose from too!

I wandered into Toppytoppy and found so many wonderful crochet and hand knitted items it was hard to pick just one to share with you. She is quite the yarn diva!

I told my hubby I would have to put something from AnitaSperoDesign on my list. I have always been fascinated with art that re-purposes things. I love this framed art piece!

GypsythatIwas is a fun shop too! So many wonderful, crazy fun items in her shop. I love these pink bubble gum earrings, so pretty for spring!

I am amazed at how many knitters and crocheters there are out there. DivineLuluCreations is a new Etsy shop that makes beautiful, warm fingerless gloves, hats and scarves, these are my favorites!

My last stop is another new Etsy shop. CHARMATIONS creates wonderful elegant  jewelry pieces. This piece is definitely on my list!






Wow! That was quite a shopping trip! My feet are tired.....I need a glass of wine and  a snack from the food court. I think I'll hand my list over to my hubby and let him decide what I want for my anniversary!

Thank you so much for shopping with me, I hope you got some nice things for your anniversary, birthday or just because list!

Just when you think your secrets are safe....

 ....along comes Aidan

As parents, we always try to pretend to our children that we NEVER did much wrong in our own growing up years. At least I did. Any of my youth "activity" was strictly on a need to know basis....and quite frankly, I didn't think my kids needed to know ANYTHING about such "activity".
I'm guessing that my daughter is the same with her two boys...and she has a lot to not tell....I know, I raised her.
She's going to have to watch out for Aidan, at 9 years old, I think he may already have the inside scoop on his mom's history......



I was on my usual travels this morning getting the grandkids to school...







We dropped off Jordan at middle school and as we exited the school, Aidan and I observed some kids hopping over what I'm hoping was their own backyard fence as a shortcut to get to school.

"I would do that if I lived there" I said

"No you wouldn't Grandma...Grandma's don't climb fences" Aidan responded.

"Well, I wouldn't be a Grandma if I was hopping the fence to get to middle school now would I?"

"Oh, yeah, I guess not"      

 There was a short pause and then this observation....

"I bet mom climbed a lot of fences"

.......I'm thinking my daughter better build a higher fence for this one.

I love being a Grandma!!

At least the trash can is empty

As a new blogger I have been spending an awful lot of time on the computer...or so I've been told by my husband, I don't know why he thinks because dinner isn't made and the laundry isn't done that this is the case.

It's essential to a good blog to spend time "researching" around reading other blogs and trying to figure out how all of this computer stuff works.

 There are tons and tons of blogs out there in the cyber world. I'm sure I have only happened upon a very small portion of them but I have already come across some favorites. One of them is Julie's blog,  J's Crafty Studio . She writes well, is funny and is so very crafty at making beautiful cards.

 

Julie links up every Wednesday to another wonderful blog Stamping Ground for a regular feature called "What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday".

Pffffff, how brave is that? Putting pictures of your work space on the internet!
 I look around my sewing room and think..."I sure hope nobody comes over right now" (and "right now" is pretty much "always")
So now I've been following Julie's blog and every Wednesday she posts pictures of her space and it looks a lot like mine....creative chaos would be a good description. I understand that kind of chaos! Piles of this, stacks of that........when you are in the moment of creating, the space you are in becomes a vortex of ribbon, trim, twine, tape, glue, fabric and thread.
I've decided I'm ready!  I think I too, will link up with WOYWW and share my space today. Thank you Julie for being so brave and for showing me the way! 

I am just as confused as you about what goes on in this space......













................but at least the trash can is empty!

Two of my favorite things.....

Don't you just love it when you purchase something and it actually lives up to your expectations? ......Okay, I know you've all had your share of disappointing purchases, I know I have. The stain remover that didn't remove the stain and even made it worse, the tool that made the job even more complicated, the useless piece of miracle equipment that did not work so miraculously.....uh, huh, I've bought them, tried them, tried them again and then placed them in the round file just like you.

This weekend as I began my February blocks on my Craftsy Block of the Month , yes, I know it's March but that's not important right now, I grabbed one of my favorite sewing tools and thought....."I really should blog about these!"

So, I am.....1. Procrastinating on making those February blocks again and.....2. Sharing with you the joy of finding a couple of products that absolutely do what they are suppose to do without any fuss and there is no learning curve, just plain simple things that work.
 (sounds like the description of someone's perfect guy...plain, simple and works)...


But seriously (I find that hard to be sometimes) there are all kinds of things out there for marking on fabric. I came across the "Frixion" pen at a quilt store recently. I was skeptical because so many of the chalks and markers I have used have not been so easy to remove, though they claim to be "disappearing" or "wash away".

I LOVE this pen by Pilot!! The ink is erasible with heat, hence the name "Frixion". Any source of heat will completely...and yes, I mean COMPLETELY erase the ink whether on paper or fabric. I use my iron but you could use a blow dryer. I don't think it was intended for fabric but some wise quilter out there discovered it's fantastic abilities and now I am so glad I have too! 

 
If you sew, this pen will be a welcome addition to your stash of tools.

 Have you ever bought something from a relative because it was a relative selling it?....Come on, you know you have. With so many in home party themes out there, Scentsy, Pampered Chef, Princess House (I wonder if they are still around) and then there is Tupperware....how many of you have a cupboard full of Tupperware?  I do too.
It's one of those things that when you use it, you are glad you have it because it really IS a great product.


And coming to you now from Canada is Norwex. I know, I know, one more thing to buy and hate....but wait....while I had a healthy dose of skepticism when my sister approached me about this new line, I bought one of these  Anti-bac microfiber window cleaning cloth  because she's my sister.

She promised me that I would love it. That my windows would look like this..... 


      
....Instead of this




 I said "Are you buying me a house on the lake?"


Well, of course she wasn't but she was going to make me love washing windows....????
I hate to admit it but, she was right and I will NEVER buy another bottle of window cleaner again....EVER. Use a wet cloth first (you might try this one Anti bac Envirocloth ) and use the  Anti-bac microfiber window cleaning cloth to dry them off. I swear (and I don't do that very often) you will be amazed! Easy, streak free, beautiful windows with just water.
You may wonder what this product has to do with crafting, well,  I thoroughly enjoy looking out my sewing room window now....it's so darn clean :)