A very special day!!

Today is a very special day to me. It's the day one of my cousins turns as old as I am. I love all my cousins, but my cousin Patty is the one nearest me in age. I was born one year in December and she was born the next year in February. So even though it's just a couple of months, she has always liked to remind me that I am older than her. Well, today we are the same age again. This is Patty in the front of the picture and me tagging along behind her.

Top row on the right end is Patty and that is me, second from the end, right beside her.  

I don't remember her ever being in a bad mood. She always has a smile ready for anybody she meets. This is her and my Mom.

Lots of wonderful childhood memories. She move to the beaches of NC recently and I hope to make a weekend trip over their to see her this summer. (L-R: Patty, me, and my sister Rachel)

She's very beautiful inside and out and I love her with all my heart. She is one very classy lady and I'm proud to call her family.

I hope you have a wonderful, fantastic happy birthday Patty. I love you!

Rebirth...

Join me at Friday Foto Friends over at Breathing in Grace.

It is beautiful here in East Tennessee. We had a glorious day yesterday and today the high is supposed to hit 78°. I only work 5 hours today so I will be off in time to enjoy some of the beautiful weather. Winds move in tonight with a chance of gusts up to 57 mph. 

I was driving with my sunroof open yesterday, and snapped a pic of the beautiful sky. 

My favorite thing about this time of year is the rebirth that the trees, flowers and shrubs go through. We have this big huge tree in the field across from my house. It has looked so naked and dead all winter. But lo and behold some daffodils popped up over the past few days, giving that feeling of regeneration we all need after a long, cold winter.

I woke up to a beautiful sunrise this morning with lots of birds singing.

It is always a great way to start the morning when I step out on my front porch and watch the world come alive.

May  you all have a very blessed day today.

Looking forward to a great day.....

I love when I have a day off that I have a clean house and all the laundry is caught up and I can go outside and "play". My friend Sherrie and I are going to head out to some antique stores today. We don't have anything particular we are looking for. This is just going to be one of those "window shopping" expeditions. She is looking for ideas on depression glass to add to a display she is doing. 

And I am looking to get ideas for my craft room/office. It is currently a hodge-podge of colors and themes and I'm trying to think about how I want to tie together what I have and bring in some vintage, but still keep it crafty looking. It's a big challenge. I have every color under the sun in my room. I'm just so torn on what to do. I've Googled and went to Pinterest until I am almost sick of trying to figure it out. Then this morning, by accident I came across this picture and my heart just picked up speed. And I got such a feeling of excitement. I would think it wouldn't be too expensive to make this white table with shelving unit.

I am 100% totally, absolutely in love with this idea. I could blend this in so easy. I am getting a vision and I am loving it. I have been obsesses with Mason jars for along time now and I see a way I could use them in this decor theme. Lots of cute little mason jars lining my shelfs with glue sticks, ribbons, craft sticks, lace, buttons, etc. I love this.

Just so you know, red is my favorite color of all time. I go through spells where I love other colors but red is my main fave. I could easily live in a red room. Since I spend so much time in my craft/office, red makes perfect since. And I need a new sewing box but can't find one I like. What about an old vintage red tool box cleaned up and the little trays lined with felt to hold my sewing supplies.

And a red vintage utility card to hold my printer on the bottom shelf and put my vintage phone on the top shelf when I find an old black rotary one I want. 

 I could also use Mason jars for my pens, pencils and markers. I don't have this many, but one little tray with a few jars on it would hold all mine.

Well, it's decided. This is what I am going to do to my room. I'm coming home this afternoon to see what items I have around the house that I can start incorporating some of these ideas. Even if it is only the Mason jars. It will be a start.

Working on it....

A few weeks ago, I shared this cute Pinterest idea and said I had this bowl. 

Since then, I have picked up a pair of little vintage scissors and got out a couple of small scissors I already had. I put some safety pins in the bowl (there's not enough to see yet) as I already had a pretty pin cushion for my stick pins. I need some more sizes of safety pins and I want to find some unique scissors but these will work for now. 

I love when I find something on Pinterest that I love and it actually works out the way it should when I try it. I'll show you the final project when I find more scissors.  It's a rainy, dreary Wednesday in my part of the world. Hope you are enjoying some sunshine wherever you are.

Making plans for spring and summer...

With this beautiful weather, it makes me look forward to spring which makes me think about Easter. I have actually found a dress I like for Easter Sunday. Just not sure if it is "the one" so I will keep looking, but for now I like this.

I want to pair it with a nice white tote purse.

And a pair of strappy low heeled sandals.

But we will have to see what I find. I have been doing some plastic canvas lately. I'm working on a set of coasters for a friend of mine. She wants the variegated threat in an assortment of patterns. I have the first one done. Five more to go.

I am also doing a small Easter egg basket for myself. I have four eggs done and started the bottom of the basket, just four more eggs to go on this project. 

I'm going to go to Myrtle Beach later this year with a friend. I'm thinking about taking a drive down toward Charleston on Hwy 17 so I can stop at one of the sweet grass basket roadside "shops" to pick me up a handmade basket. I have a little one I got a few years ago, but would like one a little big bigger.

I really want another trip all the way into Charleston sometime. I love the market in the middle of town.

I know I am going to Peggy's Antiques in Surfside Beach when I go. They have several booths that normally have Pyrex at good prices. 

I think I have beach fever because I am looking at places to go and things to do. I'm also scouting around for some great deals on new flip flops. I want a pair of these for my trip to the beach. 

And a pair of these for my trip to Columbus for the Thirty-One conference.

Can you tell I have travel fever today as well as spring fever?

Weekend Wrap Up

I can't remember the last time I have had so much fun .... or did so much in such a short amount of time. But it was worth it. Because I'm an employee at Dixie Stampede and we have pass exchange programs for other tourist attractions, I was able to take the four of us to Dixie and the Aquarium for a grand total of ...... drum roll ..... $7.00! You know I am a bargain lover so this just thrilled me.

We went to the Ripley's Aquarium. I love the way this picture turned out. I should have saved it for Ms. Debbie's Friday Foto friends, but couldn't wait to share it.

When we were on the conveyor belt walkway that goes through the middle of the shark tank, this dude kept following me. I snapped about a zillion pics of him. I never knew they have FOUR rows of teeth. Trust me, we were very up-close and personal with the dude. He was huge and didn't even scare me. Oh the wonders of heavy plated glass.

We even found this little computer system where we could all built our own jelly fish. I loved the little anchor tattoo on her cheek. 

And they loved popping up inside the various fish tanks. It was hysterical when they all got into one together. Then they got the giggles and could barely get out because they were laughing so hard. We just couldn't get a good shop without fish in front of their face.

So they tried it one by one and it was much better. Here is Colby.

Here is Shelby.

And here is Alexis.

Then we went through the Pearl Harbor exhibit in the Aquarium. It was amazing. They had to post for the WWII poster. Check out their little faces. It worked out perfect.

We came home, had lunch and rested up. Then at 7:00 we were back out and at the Dixie Stampede for Dinner & The Show. We had a great time in the saloon show before the main event.

We loved listening to the live band playing before time to go in the main arena.

And of course what night is not complete without a selfie of all of us.

Then it was time for the main event and they were all impressed with the buffalo, which is my favorite part of the show. Well, one of my faves.

It's our 30th anniversary at Dixie Stampede so they brought back the longhorn steer. If you want a good view, sit on row two. This guy was right below us.

They are so huge. I've never seen one up that close before. 

After the show, they wanted to go down and meet one of the stars of the show, our very own Skeeter. This guy is so entertaining that people come back year after year just to see Skeeter.

And my all time favorite emcee, Jay Teeter. He has been there about 16 years and me and Allen saw him many, many times. We have some great emcee's at Dixie, but Jay will always be my favorite. The kids loved getting to meet him.

Sunday morning arrived bright and fair with us all being totally exhausted. But it never entered our mind to not got to Sunday School and church. Don't they look gorgeous?

At Children's Church the Puppet People of our church put on a puppet show about God creating the solar system. We had cosmic cinnamon rolls and made our own edible rocket ships. Colby was so happy to see we had strawberries.

I was taken some pictures and my other teacher, Ms. Charlene photo bombed the boys. 

The girls had a good time hanging out with some of the friends they have made at church.

As you can tell, it was an amazing weekend. In closing, I want to let you know about a wacky and bizarre holiday that we have today (and no it's not President's day). It is Hoodie-Hoo day. (pronounced who-dee who). We are all supposed to go outside at noon, wave our hands in the air and yell Hoodie-Hoo! This supposedly chases the winter blues away and brings on spring. 

It's worth a try, because I am so sick of winter. Even though it is unseasonably warm, it still isn't spring. I am tired of being cold.