9 years ago today...

9 years ago today I married my best friend. We had been living together for 6 years at that point so we have been together for 15 years now and it certainly does not feel like it has been that long.

We had our wedding at Millpond in Bishop California. It was a beautiful blue sky day just like it is today. I guess it was kind of a country wedding, casual not formal, although my groom and I were very formal we suggested our guests dress as casually as they wanted. We had a tasty BBQ buffet that was grilled by our good friends Rob and Chris, who graciously stepped in when our cook didn't show. Our bar was the family row boat, we just filled it with ice, beer and wine etc.

All of the flowers were given to us by generous family members, and my sweet cousin Debbie did all of the flower arranging with a lot of help from all of our cousins.

Debbie also saved the cake! You see, I had a funky topsy turvy cake ordered and just before I walked down the "aisle" someone came to me and said "just don't look at the cake"! What?!

Well it turned out that the decorator showed up and said she was ill so she had a hard time making the cake. It was basically a three tiered blob of white lumpy fondant. Awful. So Deb just covered the entire thing with fresh flowers! Genius, everyone thought it was gorgeous. I would post a photo of it but I glued all my photos into a scrapbook and to get the photos above I had to photograph my photographs and the photos of the cake are too dark. :0)

It was such a wonderful day.

Here's to many many more of those wonderful days with my best friend, my husband.

Tie-Dyed Treats

Have you ever seen something so cute that you fear you may bite your own lips off?

I have... many times actually.Usually its a puppy or a baby that causes this and I am often squealing when it happens. Well... it happened again today when my husband untied his latest creations. Tie Dyed Onesies!

Oh, how I wish I had a sweet little babe with a plump little tummy to model them for you. You will just have to use your imagination. I will be selling them as well as his adult sized tee's here when I get my shop up and running. It will be soon I hope.

Careful don't bite your lips off!

I Scored at the Book Sale, again

This morning I went to the bi-annual "Friends of the Library" book sale and found many fantastic deals. I have so much fun every time I go. I love the hunt, not knowing what great book is waiting there for me. I always keep my eye out for vintage children's books, cookbooks, Halloween and Christmas books, Craft books and hardback novels that intrigue me. The challenge is not to buy too many, when they are only a dollar or two each it is tough.

Here are a few of todays finds.

One of my favorite painters

Love anything Disney

an addition to my Bobbsey Twin collection

I pick up this one just because of the Pagoda, then I realized it was a Pearl S. Buck book. Score!

I actually bought this one before but when I went to read it, it was missing. I am so happy I found another copy.

And this is the best one of ALL!!!

I have wanted this forever and today I got it for only $10. Yippeee

Look both ways, deer!

Kevin and I were on our way to a chimney sweeping job when I saw a beautiful deer. I love deer, they are just so sweet and innocent, I will always think of Bambi when I see one. I am a Disney girl. I never get tired of seeing them, who would? Although I AM tired of seeing them on peoples walls as decoration...

I digress...

The many yellow deer crossing signs warned me in advance to have my camera out. When I spotted her I yelled out something like"Look a Deer"
and Kevin pulled over, that's my man.

Then something happened I had never witnessed before. This gorgeous creature looked both ways!

Really!

She looked left

and then right

and then she crossed the road, completely calm and methodical. She went so cautiously that I was able to capture the whole thing. Amazing.

That reminds me of a couple other deer moments we had while visiting Yosemite National Park last August, which is so close we should go much more often than we do.

Under a bush right next to a outdoor restaurant patio bustling with tourists lay this beautiful Buck. Impressive huh?

His antlers were covered in a mossy velvet. So Lovely. I could have watched him all afternoon.

Then in the parking lot we came across this little family. They are actually called Mule Deer, due to those lovely large ears.

Aren't they pretty? I was so close to them and I had this crazy desire to reach out and pet that furry head or slide my hand over that velvety antler, but then I saw myself in the news as one of those people who messes with the wildlife and ends up getting gored.

Oh Boy!...Never touch the wildlife. and remember...

Slow Down and always Look Both Ways!

So Cherry!

I have finished yet another project!

Pretty isn't she? It is going to be a gift for someone special but I don't think she reads this blog so...I think I am safe.

I stitched onto the bodice a couple yo-yo's for cherries and a hand embroidered stem.

Here is a close up of the sweet checkered cherries. The hem was screaming for a little peek of eyelet lace.
I have been doing so well when it comes to finishing up my Huge back log of projects, that I pieced together a quick scrappy Block to make into a pillow. I love the color combo.

Makes me think of cherries and caramel.

I wonder what is up with me and all the cherries lately?

September Flowers

Just a few flower shots

I just can't believe that summer is almost gone.

Falling Needles

The needles on our pine trees began falling today. It is always the first real sign from nature that summer is over. The wind has picked up today as well so we are actually getting piles of needles, quickly. They rain down with every gust. I know many people who rake up the needles and put them in the trash. I consider the needles natures winter blanket, in the Spring I can just lift up the blanket and there is a green, thriving world under there. Really...I am not being lazy! :0)

One of my favorite things about living here in the mountains is the smell of hot, dry pine needles, there is nothing like it. In the fall when there is a good thick layer of needles on the ground and the days still get hot, the smell is amazing. Pungent. Piney fresh!

We spend many hours collecting our wood for the winter this time of year and it is a job that I don't mind. The forest is so peaceful, except for the chainsaw running, and I love the feeling that I am preparing for winter in the most simple way. I imagine it is the same for people who can fruit and veggies for the winter. This is a photo of Kev last year. We haven't started yet, but we do have our forestry tickets and we will be starting soon. I don't want to end up like the grasshopper in Aesop's Fable that played all summer! Brrrr

Upgrade!

I have finally bought myself a new sewing machine. It is a Singer and it is a beauty... sigh...


It is so smooth and quiet, doesn't "walk" across the table as I sew. My new baby has over a hundred fancy stitches and I can't wait to make a button hole and put a zipper in something.


It isn't the Bernina that I REALLY wanted but I just couldn't pull that off...yet.



My trusty little old Brother machine has been chug a lugging along for many years now with its bobbin thread constantly breaking, tension falling out for NO reason. Sometimes it would just eat my fabric!


Kevin wants me to donate it to charity but I just can't let it go... yet. I have made soooo many things with it, it's not useless... what if I need it again? We have agreed it can sit in the garage for a year.
I spent all day yesterday sewing and I have a kink in my neck to prove it. I have finished quilting the "quilt sandwich" I have been working on. Yipeee! It is going to be our "beat around quilt" for picnics and concerts and such. All I have to do now is bind it. Then it's done. Here is the back.
I am thinking of using this Anna Maria Horner print for the binding.
What do you think?

Spiderman's Cape

I can finally post about a splendid cape I made for my nephew Jesse. He received it a couple nights ago. This was a tricky project for me. You see I have a hard time coming up with homemade gifts for young boys. I can come up with dozens of ideas for little girls but I struggle with the boys. Girls like flowers and buttons and bows just like me, boys like... what?
My son is only interested in sporting equipment, always has been.
He is all about bikes, scooters, skateboards,snowboards etc. so he hasn't prepared me very well.


Jesse likes Super Heroes! So I decided I would make a cape. My first idea was something along the lines of "Joseph's Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat" or a "cape of many colors" however it started to look a little bit... well... fruity!
A little too "Harry Potter" not enough "Defender of the Universe".



So I decided to find spiderman fabric. I do realize that Spiderman does not wear a cape but he is Jesse's favorite and I wanted to make a cape. The Black Spiderman is actually Jesse's favorite character but I couldn't find fabric with the Black Spidey. The cape is reversible, black with a red panel and a blue panel on one side and all spiderman cityscape on the other side.

Here he is...

Super Spidey Jedi Master!

I also made him an apron but I don't think it was nearly as exciting as the cape. You see... I am better with girly things :)

Pillow Giveaway

I have discovered another great blog full of fantastic recipes, creative ideas and best of all... humor, it is V and Co. Vanessa is giving away a gorgeous decorative pillow, go check it out here.

The day Elvis died

Today we are celebrating Elvis Presley by watching his movies and cooking barbecue All Day! Turner Classic Movies has Elvis movies on most of the day and I can fill in the blanks with the ones I own. We do this on January 8th every year for his birthday but I decided this year we would honor the day of his death as well. He died on August 16th in 1977. I am wondering what today is like in Memphis, Tennessee?

I adore his movies and his music, it is impossible to be anything but happy when watching Elvis sail along in a convertible full of pretty ladies singing his heart out. He is always ridiculously charming, the music is... of course, always great, the sets are beautiful and often in Hawaii and there is always a happy ending! Whats not to like. I realize many people think his movies are cheesy but that is exactly what I love about them. They are... what they are, Fun!

Birds and Berries

Today's high is a comfortable 71 degrees and my garden is my favorite place to be. I wish I could do all my sewing out there. I have tried and the breeze always becomes a problem, no fun chasing paper and fabric around and how do I get the ironing board to stay up?
We have some juicy raspberries turning red, I usually eat them right off the bush, one by one, If I wait to get a bowl full the birds, bears and raccoons will get them first. You know... early picker gets the berry!

I finally got a shot of one of this years hummingbirds enjoying my new yellow glass feeder and a Stellar's Blue Jay! We have these guys all over but they HATE to get their photo taken.

and an Evening Grosbeak. Several years ago we had dozens of Grosbeaks on our feeders. When you came up to the house they would all fly up in alarm, it was very impressive... they kinda look like Parrots and they have these brilliant yellow feathers that show when they fly. That plain little lady behind the Grosbeak is a Cassin's Finch, they are my best customers :)

and have a look at our tomato plants! These are the biggest ones we have ever grown. We have Yellow Pear and Purple Calabash. They are both covered in fruits, yippee! We have had a few nights with frost and we have to bring them in the house on those nights but if we stay diligent we will have a lot of plump tomatoes this fall.

well I am headed back out there, I have some lavender to plant.

oh how I love summer days.

what are you up to today?

Farm Chicks Winner

I won the Farm Chicks Giveaway! They sent me the sweetest stencil of an apron and an adorable sticker with a pink tractor. So cute!

So Farm Chicks.

I couldn't get a good photo of the stencil because it is clear, but it is the same apron design that the sticker on the pink tissue has, in the photo above.

A Big Thank you to The Farm Chicks.

and something else... I learned how to do Hyperlinks properly!!!

Whew, what a pain in the butt. I've got it now though. Finally!

I apologize for my messy links in previous posts. THAT won't be happening again.

Always improving :)

P.S. I Love Giveaways

Announcing a very generous giveaway!
http://www.rachel-griffith.blogspot.com/2009/08/lets-celebrate-with-giveaway.html


Rachel at P.S. I Quilt is giving away a $50.00 gift certificate for

The Quilt Shoppe

http://www.thequiltshoppe.net

You have a chance to win! Good Luck

Hummer Territory

A few weeks ago my garden had its first Hummingbird visitor of the summer.Very exciting. I have been trying to get a photo ever since but they are sooo fast. However I did get a few photos last year so I am posting those. These photos really don't show their beauty. They have a slight reddish color staining their plump little white bellies and their backs are a variety of greens and blues. They have the tiniest little feet! They make kind of a kissing sound. I believe our Hummers are Calliope Hummingbirds, they even have a pretty name.

This year we have three visitors and they are constantly chasing each other off! They have fascinating aerial battles all day long. When we are outside we watch these little guys do "fly bys", they zoom right past your head, so close you can feel the air move from their wings.

I saw a photo somewhere of a feeder with four Hummers on it at once, that will never happen here. My guys are VERY territorial, they will not let another Hummer near. It is really crazy, I currently have three different feeders spread throughout the garden and all three of the Hummers seem to think that all three of the feeders and ALL the flowers are theirs and theirs alone! They spend far more time defending the food than eating it, and there is plenty to go around if they could just learn to share.

The feeder in the photos above had four little red perches for the birds to land on, but the raccoons pull down the feeders and suck out the sugar water and in the process they broke it.There are little teeth marks all around the holes. :) Their tiny feet are so cute wrapped around a perch. Hummers that is, not raccoons.

I have read that our Hummers fly from Mexico to Canada and back again, stopping off at flowers and feeders all along the way. If a feeder is put out year after year the Hummers remember and make your house a regular place to stop! Isn't that fantastic?