New to the Website ...

Sweet little wooly robin pinkeep ...

Hand quilted shabby chic table topper ...

Two birds sampler pinkeep ...

When This You See Remember Me pinkeep...

ABC sampler pinkeep ...

1803 pinkeep ...

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A Few New Goodies ...

I've been busy ... a little busy anyway ... a few new goodies have been added to the website today ...

I've been bit by the cross stitch bug ...

Penny rug made with my hand dyed wools ... YUMMY!!!!

Sweet little sampler stitched on 32 count linen ...

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE how this sampler turned out ... a reproduction of an antique sampler by Sarah Tobias ... pattern from Blackbird Designs in their booklet "Thank You, Sarah Tobias" ... stitched on 32 count linen. I started this sampler many months ago and recently picked it back up and finished it. Hundreds of little x's in dull primitive colored cotton floss.

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More new goodies will be added to the website in the next few days ... I'm on a roll!!!!

Out in the Gardens ...

The poppies are INCREDIBLE this year! I wish they stayed like this all summer long ... but alas, they don't. As a matter of fact, the poppy plant itself gets downright UGLY long before the end of summer. But they sure are spectacular while in bloom!!!

My wild phlox that everyone said would NEVER take off when I stopped along an old country road and dug these delicious smelling beauties. And boy were they WRONG! The wild phlox have sprung up everywhere in my gardens! I love the smell of them all in bloom ...

The boys' old sandbox ... now our hosta bed with my dumpster divin' metal sculpture from last spring ... LOVE having my office close to the art school at the university ... those wacky art students are right up my junk-lovin' alley!!!! You never know what you'll find in the dumpsters!!! Hubby and I started collecting different hosta varieties a couple of years ago and add a new variety or two every summer. We'll be purchasing this year's newby in a couple of weeks when our 50% off bucks kick into action at a local greenhouse. See the ceramic mushroom lower left in the sandbox? That's the spot for our newby this year.

Think the hostas on the side of the house need to be thinned? Ya think?!!? Anybody want some? My friend Neenee would say they're just junker common hostas, but I love them just the same ... seriously though, come fall these babies HAVE to be thinned!

The herb bed this year ... rosemary from seed (!!!), lavendar, basil, tomatoes (cherry and not), chives, hyssop, rue, lilies, daisies, sedum, orange mint, hen and chicks, alyssum, hmmmmmmmm ... what else???

My egg basket from the Amish guy's farm in Lancaster, PA ... all planted up and coming right along ...

Once this basket gets settled in and the plants start to grow, it's going to be downright GORGEOUS! And it must weigh 80 pounds!!!! Tons of plants in this basket!!!

The vegetable garden is coming right along ... I'll be posting some pictures soon ...

Long time ... no post

No pictures today ... sorry ... I know eye candy is important ... maybe the MOST important thing in a blog. No pics still ... soon though -- promise.

We've been busy, busy, BUSY cleaning out the gardens, laying 22(!!!!) bags of mini pine bark chips, I've lost count of how many bags of soil, fertilizer, etc. And I'm happy to report that we're DONE with it all!!! Every last bit has been turned over, weeds ripped out, and seeds and plants put in. The gardens should be spectacular this year. We've planted three different kinds of tomatoes, five different kinds of peppers, green beans, cukes, zucchini and patty pan squash (first year on the patty pan -- we'll see how it goes), peas, radishes (we're on our second planting already!!!), carrots, pie punkins, bunching onions, Walla Walla onions, and red sweet onions. We also put in a mixed variety of gourds along the old fence -- AWAY from the veggie garden this year. Hubby was ticked when my gourds got away from me last year and swallowed our tomatoes, cages and all. So this year the gourds are planted far, far away. The herbs this year are basil, oregano, orange mint, lemon balm, lemon thyme, chives, hyssop, rue, and nasturtiums. We've planted flowers galore -- marigolds all over in the veggie garden, and lots of baskets and pots. Pictures soon -- I promise ...

On the homefront, hubby will be having his fifth hip surgery on June 11. We're hopeful that this surgery will finally fix his hip that was replaced last July. It's been a real roller coaster ride getting to a diagnosis, but we're hopeful that we have indeed arrived and can get off this crazy, wild ride once and for all. I'd appreciate it if you could find the time to say a little prayer for my husband, Rick. He has endured so much more than I would have thought was even humanly possible. He so deserves to finally be pain free and to have his life given back to him.

And our youngest son, Quinn, is taking his ASVAB test for the Air Force today. He wants to enlist full time and this old mom's heart is breaking ... I understand his reasons for wanting to do this and I certainly would encourage him to be all that he can be. I just wish ... well, I wish about a million different things. But what will be, will be. And there's just not much I can do about it.

And that's about it for my "dump" today ... next time there'll be pictures ... promise.

Vacationing in Lancaster, PA ...

We're on the road! My friend, Terri and I ... we're in Lancaster, PA visiting, shopping, EATING, shopping ... ummmmmm, shopping ...

We left last Saturday morning, early ... 12 hours, lots and LOTS of laughs, and a few Starbucks later, we arrived in Lancaster. We're staying at a gorgeous hotel that our friend, Grace, manages and let me tell you, it's GORGEOUS. And for some reason ... too many pictures maybe???? ... I can't get the pictures to load in this posting. I'll post the pics though because I want you to see the Amish farm that we wake up to every morning ... the rooms are gorgeous, the view is gorgeous, the breakfast is FANTASTIC (can you believe it, I am eating YOGURT!!!!! Homemade by local Amish and it is absolutely incredible! And I don't eat yogurt! I'm so afraid to go home and never liking a store-bought yogurt. The stuff here at the hotel is oh so YUMMY!!! I'll miss it when we go home.)

Terri and I have had the most wonderful time visiting here ... our friend, Grace ... Grace is one of the sweetest people on the face of this earth -- TRULY! There isn't anything she hasn't thought of in the way of bringing peace, ease, and total comfort for Terri and I. Saying she is the hostess with the MOSTEST is such an understatement!! Grace, if you're reading this, you know what's in my heart and I can never, EVER thank you enough, girlfriend.

Terri and I rolled into town late Saturday night and after ooh'g and aah'g about our hotel suite, we hit the hay probably around midnight. Sunday morning found us getting up early and rolling up to Adamstown for extravaganza!!! We met up with Linda S. (my kindred spirit -- I love ya!!), visited a few antique shops, and Grace discovered that her favorite prim dealer has taken a break from selling. Poor Grace ... she was really heartbroken. She was able to spot a couple of this gal's pieces in another booth and they were veryyyyyyyyyyy nice. I could see why Grace was disappointed to find her gone. We all wandered down to Shupp's Grove to the outdoor antique market ... Lordy, was it HOT! Weird, hot, sunny weather! All of us got a bit of a sunburn ... but we also all found treasures! You'll see mine once I get home and get unpacked. It was a great day in the Grove and of course, I took NO pictures! I was so mad at myself when I realized what I had done. We had a late lunch at an Italian restaurant and I had my first Philly cheesesteak sandwich. YUM!!!!!!!!! We visited a couple of shops with some of the BEST early textiles! Wayyyyyyyyyyyyy outta my price range, but so FUN to look at and fondle a bit.

On Monday morning, Linda took us to an Amish farm ... it was beautiful there ... everything so neat and well-kept ...

We had a blast rooting through Mr. Esh's barns!!! Lots of treasures came home with each of us. A one-of-a-kind adventure with special friends ... special memories to be treasured forever ... hey, I don't go rooting through junk with just ANYBODY!!!!

I know I missed tons of treasures ... there was just too much to see ...

Terri found a treasure ... we each got one ... they're sunflowers ... see 'em??? I KNOW my hubby is gonna SUPER love this yard art! NOT!!!!! lol And believe me, he doesn't call it art ... I do ... but he doesn't ...

Look at that Grace go!!!!! She's on a mission!!!!

Linda had to leave us shortly after leaving the farm and Grace, Terri, and I continued our shopping in Intercourse, PA. We visited a great prim shop owned by a friend of Grace and Linda's, Julie. Great shop ... great owner!!!! You'll see pictures from a class that Grace arranged for us to take there soon. Grace treated Terri and I to lunch at a quaint little place where I had the most delicious chicken salad with orange marmalade and delicious homemade bread ... I don't think I've ever really EATEN orange marmalade ... always assumed I wouldn't like it I guess ... couldn't have been more wrong ... this stuff was INCREDIBLY delicious!!!! We wandered through a few shops ... I picked up apple butter for my work mates ... jellies for my son who loves the little variety boxes of home canned Amish jams and jellies ... he'll be thrilled when he sees what I've brought him. We went to a quilt shop, a wool/yarn shop with the yummiest hand dyed wool fabric and yarns, and a small antique mall. We finished out the evening at Grace's house making prim fly screens. Fun project and Grace's house is LOVELY!!! Perfect! Her vignettes are such fun to discover throughout her house. Her kitty, Casey, is a sweety ... and her hubby Jim ain't half bad either ... lol. The ride back to the hotel late at night on unfamiliar, windy backroads was, well ... let's just say it was interesting ...

Tuesday morning our friend, Kim, joined us ... she's the tiny one in the middle ... Terri's on the left ... and Grace is on the right ... guess it was about time I intro'd them, huh???? We wandered up to Hummelstown to the Olde Factory where we each found a few new treasures that we just HAD to have ...

and then wandered into the scrapbooking shop next door. I LOVE THIS SHOP!!!! Oy vey, there is just too darned much to look at!!!! It puts my entire brain into overdrive ... I'm completely overwhelmed here. Kim and I were able to find a few new papers for our next banner swap (SUMMER in vintage reds, yellows, and blues -- think Grandma's apron ... fun, fun). We talked to the owner about teaching a class when we're here next spring for the Prim & Rustic Gathering ... she showed us a few memory book projects that were so imaginative and creative!!!! I know the Gathering galz would love this project!!!! And the prices she quoted seemed veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy reasonable too.

We finished our day with a trip to Primitives by Kathy and an Amish dinner buffet where I ate ENTIRELY TOO MUCH!!!! It was all so darned GOOD! I couldn't stop!!!

Our evening entertainment was a class at the prim shop Family Creations. Grace arranged for a class where we made painted and distressed paper mache boxes with grubby labels and a fabric pin cushion on top. Loved the class ... love the finished project!

Here we all are taking our class ... starting front left we have Teryn, Linda, Terri, Kim in the center back, Grace, and Susan Byrd, and then what should have been Teryn's sweet daughter, Nikki that I cut off on my right ... I'm an AWFUL photographer and am eternally grateful that I do not have to attempt making a living at taking pictures ... I STINK at it!!!

Here we all are with our finished projects (see Nikki in the back row, third from the left? Cutie patootie, huh???? A truly sweet, sweet spirit that kid. I really enjoyed sitting between her and her mom, Teryn. They have a special relationship that is really refreshing.) This was my first time meeting Susan Byrd. She's beautiful ... inside and out ... and soooooo very talented ...

So here we are on Wednesday (was that REALLY only YESTERDAY?????) ... this picture is for you, Linda T.!!!!! Yum, yum, YUMMY candles at the Cinnamon Stick ... we all took many, many whiffs for you, girl!!!!!

The Cinnamon Stick shop!!!! The owner, Judy and my girls. FANTASTIC prim shop! And Judy is just tooooooooooooo sweet!!!! Loved our time there!!!

Off we go to the shop next door ... Homespun. Yet another incredible shop! Stocked to the hilt with yummy hand dyed wools and reproduction fabrics and set in an old general store with all the shelves and built-ins still there. Be still my wooly prim lovin' heart!!!!!

A wonderful display of antique sewies ... back wall loaded with wools ... by this point I'm thinking I might just die and go straight to wooly heaven ...

The owner, Kay, is a doll. I chatted with her about teaching a needlefelting class for the Gathering next year ... she was very excited about it ... I will definitely be in touch with her in the coming weeks.

We ended our shopping day with a trip to Burkholder's Fabrics ... we enjoyed browsing through all the fabrics and selecting a fat quarter for a swap we're going to do.

We ended the day with a delicious spaghetti dinner at Grace's house (I told you she was the hostess with the MOSTEST!!!!) and a fun-filled night crafting together. I'll post pictures of our projects when I get home and unpack ... Terri's poor car is pretty filled at this point ... I think we could almost open a prim shop in there! ha ha

Today's our last day and we shopped until we dropped today ... ATI, Keystone, Flower and Craft ... supplies, supplies, SUPPLIES!!!! And a special trip to Carson's in the Cornfields ... a really unique shop filled with architectural pieces and parts ... anything and everything ... it's all available here. We really enjoyed getting new junk ideas ... creative and whimsical ... a fun afternoon that ended with a nice lunch at a quaint little restaurant I have no idea where ...

It will be sad to leave in the morning ... this area and the people in it have really stolen my heart ...

We leave in the morning and drive 9 hours west to see our friend, Jackie. I haven't seen her since last June and I can't WAIT to give her a hug and maybe pull a stitch or two with her ...

He's home ... safe and sound ...

My Josh is home!!! He's the tallest one in the back ... all graduated from Air Force security forces training ... gotta love that blue beret!!! He spent the past couple of weeks guarding the gates at his base here in Illinois. And now he's taking a two week break to relax, unwind, adapt back to civilian life, and take a short trip to Canada to visit friends before going back to work at the cable company full-time. He reports to his base the first weekend of every month for drill and for two weeks in the summer for training. A group from his base will be leaving shortly to serve six months in Saudi Arabia. I'm relieved that he's not leaving already ... I know he will eventually ... although I can't bring myself to think of it ... not yet ...

There's just something so special ...

about gathering with girlfriends!!! I was lucky enough to spend a day last weekend in the company of a great bunch of gals ...

A wonderful get-together with friends old and new ... Em, Rhonda, Terri, Neenee, Donna, Cat, and Ro -- love you all!!

a little something to eat and drink ...

good "sisterly" talk, hugs, and laughs ...

We don't do it near enough!!!!