Front Door Decor for Spring

I drove by my front door this morning on the way to the post office, and saw that there was nothing decorating it except an old cracked magnet hook. Um, time to add a little touch o' Spring, I think.

Started out with a metal wall pocket I found at Goodwill back in the Fall. It began life as a green-ish color and I spray-painted with a texture paint that was supposed to make it look kind of rustic instead of cottagey. It's been on a shelf in the den ever since, waiting for inspiration. It was a long winter.

Ah, but today it just seemed like Serendipity the way I found all the components of a sweet little Springtime display here at home. The wall pocket, a forgotten silk ivy, the bird and nest that have been perched in the kitchen window. Made for an okay door decoration. But.

I kept going back to it, going out on the porch and looking at it from outside. It was nice, but something was missing. Oh, that'd be color!

Now began the hunt for some silk flowers. Wait. I donated all the silk flowers last Fall, keeping only a couple of small swags for candles.

My goal was to decorate the front door using only what I had in my house. Now I'm thinking that if I have to go buy a small flower pick, I will, but first I'll see what I have for ribbon. Perhaps a bow to add that little splash of Spring brightness.

I have lots of ribbon for scrapbooking, but nothing appropriate for this. Still thinking silk flowers. Still thinking I'll have to buy some. REALLY wishing we had a Hobby Lobby closer than 45 miles.

I turn around and glance around the room, and lo and behold, there it is, up on top of tall shelves, put away in "storage". A basket with a silk flower arrangement from my Dad's funeral. I've used it during the summer the past few years, so I really wasn't sure I wanted to tear it apart. I'll just look and see if there are a few picks I can pull out and then put back easily. Well, there were several that ended up in that wall pocket, and there is grave doubt they'll ever go back in the original arrangement, but that's okay. I love the results.

This brought a tiny touch of Springtime to an otherwise cold and dreary day, and helped brighted my heart just a tad.

Easter Wishes

I haven't taken much time to blog lately - it's just been busy around here.

I will catch up this next week, but wanted to take a minute to wish everyone a Happy Easter and post some old Easter photos of us.

The first photo was taken in Henderson in Grandma's and Grandpa's driveway. It's Tonita, me, and Alan. I don't know why Arlan and Randy aren't in the photo, since I'm sure at least Arlan was born. I don't know the year, but Alan looks to be about 2 or 3, so it'd be 1966-67-ish.

The second photo was taken Easter Sunday 1973, just before we went to Sunday School, then to Grandma Adams's for our Sunday morning gathering with all the Aunts and cousins. We celebrated Easter with baskets of candy and inexpensive toys like buckets with shovels or plastic kites. (I never got a kite to fly until I was an adult and Greg taught me how.) Mom always filled our baskets with jelly beans, Peeps, marshmallow rabbits, and chocolate eggs. Oh, and that green plastic grass.

We always went to Sunday School, and once in awhile the entire family would attend church services. After SS, we'd stop in at Grandma Adams's, then head to Henderson for dinner with the Regier's. Grandma Regier liked to hide chocolate eggs in the backyard and have us hunt them.

Tomorrow we will attend our church service and have lunch with Greg's family. No kites or Easter egg hunts anymore, but we'll enjoy being together.

Happy Easter!

It is Done...

The shaving of the cats, that is. They were both slightly traumatized, but only Max had to be sedated.

Why shave them? Both of them had fur so matted I couldn't even begin to comb them out. It got so bad that they'd run away if they saw the comb in my hand. That's what happens when they wiggle and roll around on the floor all the time.

Sounds like this may be an annual event - but I really am going to comb them every day if they'll let me. Sigh.

I'm sorry boys.

But it must be done...

Show and Tell Friday

After talking about my crafting heritage, I decided that March's Show and Tell photos will be of some of the things I mentioned in my last post. Since I was able to dig these out of the hope chest with little difficulty, today I photographed my two ceramics projects. These are both dated 1969, so I about 8 years old when I made them. Mom was taking ceramics classes at a place in Waco (NE). It was in the basement of a lady's home, and she had shelves and shelves full of "green" (is that the correct term?) items already molded, just waiting for paint and glaze. When Mom decided that my sister and I could go with her, I was thrilled.

I remember searching the shelves for just the right project, then having to very carefully scrape and sand off the seam lines the first week, paint the second week, then glazing the third week, then finally getting to bring it home. The lady would fire our creations in-between classes. Making ceramics is not for those who need instant gratification.

The pink heart dish was my first project. I don't remember why I painted it pink, but I do remember choosing the blue spotted glaze to go over the top. I thought it was so cool how the little blue dots sort of "popped" during firing and became "soft". This dish has been on my dresser wherever I have lived, ever since I brought it home. It has a fair share of chips and dings. A few years ago I tucked it into my hope chest for safekeeping after I chipped it once again. Hopefully there will be a granddaughter to give it to one day.

The kitten has a glaze that was called "brown sugar". I think we painted the kitties white, then added the face, ears, and paws details, then put on the glaze. My sister made a matching kitty and we displayed them together in our shared bedroom.

If I ever went back and made anything else, I don't remember. Mom made several projects that were distributed to family after she passed away. This is the one piece I kept, and it has hung on my dining room wall for almost 11 years now. It is a bas-relief of the Last Supper. This, too, I hope will become a family heirloom.

(Click on the Show and Tell photo at the top of this post to see what everyone else is sharing this week!)

March is National Crafts Month

I have always enjoyed creating, and when I think about where that love of crafting came from, I have to give credit to my parents and grandparents.

Mom used to sew. When I went to Kindergarten she made all my new dresses. She did this with four small children, and was about 20 months pregnant with her fifth. Oy. When I was in High School, she made us each a pieced comforter for Christmas. I knew she was making them, but she was good at keeping them hidden when we were home. They are all well-used and loved. Mine finally shredded in the washer, but I have a small piece of it in a hoop that I hang on the wall. My kids also each have a comforter she made for them a year or two before she died.
She also took ceramics classes in 1969. I have the piece she did that is the Last Supper. Mom also took my sister and I to classes. I have my pink covered heart dish, and my "brown sugar" kitty. Tonita and I made matching kitties. Mine is standing, hers is lying on it's back like Max and Tucker do when they're shamelessly begging for attention. :o)
When I was in High School, cousin Barbie (I think?) taught Mom to crochet. We all learned how to make those zig-zag afghans. I don't have the first one I made anymore, but I do have one I started, oh, four or five years ago. It's long enough to keep me warm while I crochet, but I haven't worked on it in probably 2 years.
Many of you may not know that my dad was kind of artistic. I have some award-winning drawings he did in elementary and Jr. High. I don't recall that he ever "created" art or crafts as an adult, but that doesn't mean he didn't. I do remember he told me he really didn't care for construction. The man was a mechanic. Perhaps that was his creative outlet?

Grandma Regier sewed. I have a pieced quilt she made for my High School graduation. Some of the fabrics in the quilt I remember from her clothing when I was a small child. My kids each have a quilt she made and gave them when they were born, as well as a knitted blanket. When they were a little older, she used polyester fabric scraps to make them "TV blankets". Just lap quilts for them to snuggle up on the couch with when they watched TV. Again, I recognized some of those fabrics from my childhood.
Grandma told me once that she didn't really like to sew. I don't know that she meant the creative part of making a quilt, I'm thinking she meant more the mending. She had a husband and three sons on a farm. She mended a LOT of denim! My mom used to take Dad's jeans to her to fix, and I was always impressed with how nice they looked for someone who didn't enjoy what they were doing. :o) She also embroidered a set of "Weekday" tea towels for my 7th grade graduation. I used those puppies for years, and I still have them. I'd like to frame the embroidery for the kitchen, but they're so stained and ragged, they wouldn't even be charming. Yet, I'm glad I used them. I thought of Grandma every time I picked one up.


Grandma and Grandpa also gave us handmade gifts for Christmas sometimes. I still have a shadowbox from the mid-70's. I think Grandpa built the box, and Grandma filled it. Then they sealed it with a piece of glass. Grandpa also built a knitting "thing" using a board and nails, and Grandma made scarves one year. Mine was a deep red. I don't know where it is, but I wish I still had it... Grandpa liked to do woodcrafts. In his later years he built birdhouses, that I think he then sold.


My Grandma Adams was the person who taught me to embroider. I still have my first piece. For our wedding gift, she made Greg and I goosedown bed pillows and embroidered pillow cases she had done. I've never used the pillow cases because I didn't want to ruin them. I know, I know. They won't have meaning for anyone unless there are memories connected to them, and that means using them. I'll get them out of the closet and see what I can do...

Me, I like lots of kinds of crafting, but especially cross-stitch and paper crafts. Yes, I can sew, but I'm not neat, and I don't like tailoring (my sister has set the bar REAL HIGH on that one - she loves to tailor and does a great job!). I love things with texture and have done indoor, outdoor, and even concrete crafts.


Lucky for me, I married a man who enjoys building and creating. I don't think I knew this about him the whole three years we dated. The first year we were married, his mom gave him a latch hook rug kit. He worked on it awhile, til I asked him to show me, then I finished it. :o)

(Okay, I know I need to show photos, and I will. It might take some digging in the photo boxes and scanning, so just keep an eye on future posts.)

Coffee center

Here is the finished coffee center. Now our occasional overnight guests will be able to partake of their favorite morning beverage. Oh, and Greg, too. If he ever will make coffee. The idea of the coffee center was to have everything easily accessible so he'd use it... :o)
It is so nice to have these mugs out of the cupboard. I'm sure it'd look more "decorated" if I used matching cups or mugs, but each of these has a story and mean something to us. That's more important to me.
The frame on the wall was $1.99 from Goodwill. I picked it up last Fall when we first talked about building the coffee center. When the weather warms up I'll spraypaint it black.

Greg did a great job on this project - once again I'll say I'm married to the man who can do anything! :o)

Show & Tell Friday

After spending the morning at the library with my niece and two nephews, I was inspired to share a photo of these little books I have from my Grandma's house. They're called "Treasured Whitman Tiny Tales" and I remember looking at these when I was a little girl, but they're even older than I am, with a publication date of MCML (1950). The price on each is 5 cents. They're just a little larger than a regular playing card, just perfect for tucking into a pocket or purse and taking to church - which is what I'm sure Grandma did.

None are great literary works, but these are probably the first books I ever had in my hands, so they are important. Grandma must've purchased them at a garage sale, because the name written inside the front cover is "Mrs. Jeffers", who, coincidentally was my second grade teacher, and one of my favorites of all time.

These "tiny treasures" are usually displayed on a wall shelf, and will be again soon as I continue to take down the winter things and replace them with the "usual" stuff. Slowly but surely, winter IS going away... :o)

Go on over to Kelli's blog and see what everyone else has posted for this week's Show & Tell!

The Wine Center

"The Spirit of Wine

Sang in my glass, and I listened

With love to his odorous music,

His flushed and magnificent song."

William Ernest Henly

It's DONE! Greg hung the wine glass rack this afternoon. It took a mere 3 minutes for me to fill it up.

Most of the wine glasses are crystal, and all were purchased at Goodwill for between 50-99 cents each.

The artwork is printed from the internet.

The plants are basil and chives. The two herbs that have survived all winter.

The fruit bowl is usually more full - just a couple of avocadoes and a pear at the moment.

I will look for a nicer night light...

There is some touch-up painting to be done also, but that will wait until this summer when we replace the countertop in the rest of the kitchen with the same that we put back here. And I'm thinking a black and white floor.

Whadda ya think?

More sweet girl

I watched the kids this afternoon for awhile at their house. Greg and I had a dinner party for his office tonight, so I washed my hair at home and took my makeup and curling iron with me to get ready while I was babysitting. I let Grace have some makeup and Wyatt watched with us with interest. Garett had fun sticking the plunger to the wall, then pulling it off and falling on the floor. Yeah.
So after I was ready, we moved back into the living room where we sang preschool songs. Grace crawled up on my lap and looked into my face:
Grace: "You have blue eyes."

Me: "Yes, I do have blue eyes."

Grace: " You're a Princess!"

I'll take it. :o)

Show & Tell Friday

Sorry I missed last week. My schedule just didn't allow blogging time...




This week I want to share my kitchen window. It seems that winter is just going to hang on until the end of time, and I think this little floral display kind of looks wintry. These are Gerbera daisies, white with a touch of pinkish green. I put one stem in each of five small glass jars/bottles that I collect. I like this look sometimes better than as a bouquet.


The view out the window is of the neighbor's back yard. Still partially covered in snow. The snow that will not leave because winter will not end. :o)



Head on over to Kelli's blog to see what everyone has shared this week: http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/

Alphabet Time!

One day last week I had Garett and Grace here for the day. They got out the foam letters and played on the living room floor. Garett dumped his container, then as he picked up each letter or number, he said a letter from the alphabet. He wasn't identifying the letter he picked up, but he knew they were letters, and he knew the alphabet consists of letters, too. That's a pre-reading skill.Grace took her letters and lined them up in a row. When she finished, she declared to Garett, "There's our name!" Ah yes, relating print to spoken words, another pre-reading skill.

Grace brought her backpack full of library books, so we spent some time reading several of those. She helped me with the rebus book, and just giggled when I told her, "Grace! You're reading this book!" :o)

Seven Things

My internet friend Penny has tagged me to post seven things about myself. Here's how this works:
1. When tagged, place the name of the person and URL on your blog
2. Post the rules on your blog
3. Write 7 things about yourself
4. Name 7 of your favorite weblogs
5. Send an e-mail letting those bloggers know they have been tagged

I've been thinking for a couple of days about what seven things I could post about myself that would be at all interesting to people. Most of you who read this are my family or long-time internet friends, and you know me pretty well, but here goes anyway...

1. I have never broken a bone. (Yes, I'm knocking on my wooden table right now. There, I should be safe.) I have, however, had stitches. When I was in Kindergarten, we were playing "monster" on the soccer field, and I was being chased by Dale Owens and Randy Collingham. I turned to see how far behind me they were, and turned back around just as I ran into a steel pole. Cut my eye and Mom had to take me to the clinic for stitches.

2. I went to college for a year and a half, and never declared a major. Just couldn't decide what I wanted to do with my life besides get married and have children. When I was 27 years old and my kids were 2 and 5, I realized how much I enjoyed preschool. Thus, my 15 years at Head Start.

3. I wanted to have LOTS of children. Okay, I would have been happy with four. That's twice as many as I got. I love the kids I have with all that I am, but they are so different from each other in looks and personalities, I always wondered what a few more would be like.

4. I'm not a big amusement park fan. I've been to World's of Fun in Kansas City, Silver Dollar City in Branson, and Disney World in Orlando. All were fun because I was with family, but I don't need to go back. Well, maybe to Disney, just because Greg and Nick haven't been and would like to, so I'd go with them.

5. I never flew on a plane until I was 40 years old. In the past 6 1/2 years I've flown all over the country and to Canada. I don't care for flying, because I have NO CONTROL over the plane. My survival depends on the pilot and God. I always pray before take-off and landing. Always.

6. My family is descended from the oldest passenger on the Mayflower, James Chilton. He did not survive the first winter in America, but his young daughter Mary did. She is rumored to be the first female to step onto Plymouth Rock.

7. I've only ever had two traffic tickets. Both when I was 17. The first was for "negligent driving" when I rear-ended a car in downtown Lincoln. Traffic was heavy and I was looking to change lanes when the woman in front of me stopped. I hit the brakes just as I hit her bumper. Got a ticket. Had to go to court. On the way to court, I got a speeding ticket. For going 79 mph in a 55 mph zone. Oops. Haven't had another ticket in 29 years. I learned my lesson early.

Now I must tag seven more bloggers:
Susan from My Cottage Life
Robin from Life with Robin
Rhonda from A Home with a Smile
Tanya from At the Honeysuckle Tree
Joanne from Joyful Blessings
Tracy from Seaside Enchantment
Melanie from http://melathome.blogspot.com/

Happy Day of Love!

Well, the florist mucked up delivery of my flowers again this year. Greg had arranged to have them delivered to Fitness Worx last night, so they'd be there at 4:45 this morning when I arrived. Wasn't that sweet?!
I think he's going to go pick them up this afternoon, and I'm glad to not be there when he does...

He only started sending me flowers for Valentine's day about 5 years ago - that first year they were delivered to me at Head Start. I was teaching class, but had to run to my office to get something, and there was a vase full of roses on my desk. I just started crying! I don't know what prompted him to start this tradition, but I'm not complaining. Even with the mess-up with deliveries, I feel very special and appreciate his taking the time to do this for me.

(Edited: the florist called me at 4 p.m. and arranged to deliver my flowers here at home. I called Greg to see if he'd yelled at them. He hadn't been there yet. The flowers arrived at 5:30. No charge. With a huge, free, heart-shaped balloon. And I'm supposed to go to the store for a free gift certificate. Photo of my gorgeous red potted tulips will be posted on Saturday.)

I wanted to share a few of the pretty things around here to remind us of the day:

This is a heart-shaped basket filled with Valentines from my internet friends.

A sweet-scented candle nestled in a holder full of converstation hearts.

The Valentine's Day tree, many of the ornaments from friends. The cross-stitched hearts are from the "family tree" we made for my Grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary in 1987. The tree "skirt" is an old lace table runner from a thrift store. At the bottom of the tree is a pretty Valentine card that I framed to display.

I wish you much happiness on this happy day of love!

Time with Taylor

I returned home last night from Sioux City, where I was able to spend a couple of days babysitting Taylor. She's a delightful baby, very easy-going, unless she's hungry. Then you had better have that food ready, pronto! :o)

When I got to town on Tuesday, I went to Cousin Patty's house to pick up the baby. We spent a couple of hours chatting, then I realized that Angela was probably home from work already, and I should take the baby home to see her mommy.

We stayed home all day on Thursday and played. It's so fun to see Taylor at home. When she's here, she's pretty quiet, watching all the people who are usually around. At home, she talks to herself, eats all her toys, loves to bounce up and down and back and forth. She shook her head "no" to me a lot, too.

On Friday morning, we went shopping. So many people stopped us to coo at her and she smiled at everyone.

We slept all afternoon, then after a snack, I held her the last hour I was there. I had promised Alan and Angela I wouldn't hold her the entire time I was there, so they didn't have to "de-program" her when I left, but I wanted to get as much snuggling and hugging in as I could.

She even "kissed" me, mouth wide open, tongue licking my face. You know, those wet, baby kind of kisses. I think she just kept doing it because I was laughing. :o)

I get to go back again next month, and am looking forward to it already.

Show & Tell Friday

I'm joining in again for 'Show and Tell Friday'.

This is another piece that is hanging on a wall. My 20-yo daughter Jessica made it in Sunday School when she was very young - maybe 7 or 8 years old - and her teacher was her Aunt Fran. Tucked behind it is a cross made from a dried palm frond used in church for Palm Sunday a few years ago. We have a several of those around the house.

Over the years this has been a comforting reminder to give up my problems and trust that I would have the strength I needed to do what needed to be done. This was most apparent when my parents were each terminally ill and we cared for them while trying to hold together the rest of our lives.

To see what everyone else has shared, go to There is No Place Like Home and check it out.

Thirty years ago today...

She was a high school Junior. Student manager for the boy's basketball team. Waitress at the Village Inn pancake house.

He was a Freshman at UNL, majoring in engineering. Drove a 1968 Chevy Impala that had an eight-track tape player in it. Worked weekends for his dad.

They had met a year earlier at her friend's birthday party at Pizza Hut.

He called her several Saturdays in a row, asking if she would like to do something. She had away basketball games, and wasn't able to make plans.

Finally, he decided he'd try one last time.

She didn't have a game, but she did have plans to go to the girl's basketball game with her friend. She invited him to join them.

He showed up just after half-time. They watched a little bit of the game, then decided to go get a soda and drive around. Awhile later, they dropped off her friend, and drove around some more.

At one point, the traffic lights started blinking yellow, so it was late. He stopped at the yellow light, and they talked and talked and talked, all the while the light was blinking... Pretty soon she noticed that and asked how long was he going to sit at a blinking traffic light? :o)

They've been together ever since. Married three years later and looking at their 27th wedding anniversary in May.

Thirty years ago today we had our first date. I still tease him about the flashing traffic light. :o)

Show and Tell Friday

Recently I started reading Kelli's blog, "There's No Place Like Home" where she hosts "Show and Tell Friday". This is when you share a photo of something you have in your home or garden, and it is my first time to participate.

Since the weather has been so incredibly "wintry" the past few months, this painting seemed appropriate to share. It was done by my mother's great aunt, Pearl Collins, and given to Mom and Dad as a wedding gift, 47 years ago last month. It is still in the original frame with the paper backing and wire hanger.

According to my Aunt Janet, Aunt Pearl's paintings were greatly treasured by the recipients. No matter where we lived, Mom had this painting hanging on the wall. I only display it during the winter, but I love it as much as Mom did, and I was happy I could bring it to my home after Mom passed away.

A Year of Savings

Okay, I didn't post every day, or even catch-up every few days as I'd intended, so I decided I will do an end-of-the-month post to talk about what frugal happenings there were in the previous weeks.

So for January, in addition to my previous posts, we have:

Purchased unfinished cabinetry, stained and finished it ourselves (okay, mostly Greg did it).

Installed said cabinetry ourselves (yeah, Greg again).

Continued using drying rack. Combined small laundry loads in the dryer. (I don't want to wash them together - sorry, Marilynne embedded into me a need to sort my laundry - but I saved several separate usages of the dryer by not being quite so OCD.)

Participated in a pantry/freezer challenge and didn't buy groceries except for milk and lettuce for a few weeks.

Made sure that leftovers from our meals have been packed so they're convenient for Greg to take for his lunches. (You know men, if it's not right there in the front of the frig, all together, then "there isn't anything to take"...)

Signed up for several freebies to be mailed to me at this website. So far I've recieved some free cat food.

Made my own Valentines using some of my scrapbooking "stash".

Signed up to work a few extra hours at the gym to make up for the two days I'll be gone next week.

Used my huge evergreen Christmas wreath with a wooden snowman for a porch decoration instead of tossing it after the holidays. (Let's not talk about how last year's wreath hung on the garage until, um, June...)

Used gift bags from my stash for the twins' birthday gifts. I "stash" these bags, but rarely use them. No, they weren't child-oriented, but they hid the gifts, and Garett loved his with the cars on it. I also used scrapbooking stash to make tags for the gifts, and to scraps of scrapbook paper to make them a "happy birthday" banner.

I'm thinking there were a few other things I had intended to list, but they're not coming to mind and it's time for me to leave for work, so we'll call this good.

My friend PennyAnn Poundwise lists the $$ amount she saves each day - I have no idea what I saved (except that it was $100's on the cabinets), but I will say this challenge makes me think twice - "is there a less expensive way to do this?" - before I spend.

Okay, I'm off to sell some ridiculously overpriced popcorn. LOL.

A Sneak Peek

For our Christmas presents to each other, Greg and I decided to add some new cabinets to the sun room, just off the kitchen. A small corner for a "coffee center", then a larger area on the other side for a "wine center".

We purchased a wine frig at Best Buy when we were Christmas shopping, then received a second one as a gift. Now we have one for white wine, and one for red, and since they're kept at different temps, this works great!

The drawer space has doubled from what I had in the kitchen alone, and there are a few new cabinets, too. I'm so excited about 78" more of counter space - sad, I know.
We purchased unfinished cabinets, then Greg and I stained them. Greg did all the rest - finishing the cabinets, installing them, and installing the counter top. My coworkers want me to loan him out. :o)

The wine center

The coffee center (Tucker loves it, too!)

These photos are what they looked Sunday morning. There is still some work to do: finishing the sides and toe kick, installing the rack to hang wine glasses, and the cup hooks for coffee mugs, handles on the doors and drawers, and a little painting, but I really wanted to share this with you.

I wish you all could join us for some refreshment, be it warm or chilled. Consider yourself invited! :o)