~Sewing & Crocheting~

 Happy Monday to you all.
Thank you all  for the wonderful comments on Gary and I new retro appliances we really are enjoying them.
Did you all have a heat wave like we did over the weekend?. We had over 100 degree weather and our air conditioner pooped out! I'm melting......
Anyway I wanted to share with you a fun and easy quilt I made for my niece Amber, she is having a boy next month. I love bright colors for babies and the pinwheel block seems to be so colorful and happy for a little one. I also like to use primary colors. Amber's theme for her nursery is owls as you will see.

 Look close and you will see owls quilted on the blanket.
 A closer look.

 The back of the quilt all happy little owls with their big eyes just staring at ya...

 I used orange fabric for the binding.

 I always make a softy blanket its crib size and easy to take along for baby to sleep on or play on for the babies.

 I love the turquoise blue fabric both sides are wonderfully soft and so cozy for babies to cuddle up with, Mommy too.

 I saw a pattern for crochet diaper covers and I thought how fun are these! so I whipped up a few for our new nephew. I made a few different sizes so Amber can check out the sizes as he grows..

 Another quick crochet project is this little lavender pillow I made for my grand-daughter, I enjoy crocheting while I'm watching TV. I found this  pattern and the pillow below
 in the Goose Berry Patch Farmhouse Crochet book.

This afghan I made for a dear friend in the theme colors of our local football team the Oakland Raiders...So these are a few of  the projects I have completed lately. So tell me what have you been making to keep your little hands busy?

Joining in with the following blog parties;

Mary-Boogieboard Cottage Masterpiece Monday





Susan-Between Naps on the Porch metamorphosis Monday



Shannon-Cozy home Your Cozy Home Party Tuesday



Kim-Savvy Southern Style WOW us Wednesday



Bunny Jean -Bunny Jean Decor and More Bunny Hob Wednesday



Cindy- My Romantic Home Show and Tell Friday



Courtney- French Country Cottage Feathered Nest Friday



Sherry-The Charm of Home Home Sweet Home Party Fridays

~Buttons & Embroidery~

 Happy 4th of July everyone! Hope your day was filled with fun. Gary and I decided to stay in today and catch up with the "office mess" yep we have papers everyone in our office, and besides it was just to HOT to go outside to play..... while Gary worked in the office I decided to finally make a pillow out of the embroidery my sister Margo had made for us for our 20th anniversary, that was 15 years ago, "LOL"

 I know it took me for ever, I went into my stash of buttons and found these sweet red and blue ones that my friend Shirley had given me. Just look at the price yep you read it right (08 cents) and were from JC Penney. When was the last time we bought buttons for 08 cents?.  
 I love the little girl  she kinda reminds me of Shirley Temple.

 And these pretty blue ones..look closer they are stamped made in the USA.

  I had three pieces left  of embroidering that Margo had done on a pillow case of us. I tried to save as much as I could to make the pillow. And here it is, the red fabric was left over from the king size quilt I made that is being machine quilted right now and the buttons are the red vintage ones..I can't wait to see the pillow  with the quilt.

So that's how I spent my 4th of July, now its time to go start dinner. How did you spend your 4th.
Hope your week is sweet and may your heart be light.

~Great Room & Art~

Happy Sunday Everyone!

Today I'm going to show you the other half of our living room/great room. In the previous post I showed you our T.V/family room, as I had mentioned in that post we have 700 sq ft of living space, with in that I had to make three liveable and functional spaces.

 In these last two spaces we created a formal dinning room and ladies visiting room. Remember our home is a very open floor plan, almost like a loft with everything in one room. 

Gary and I both enjoy our collection of art work that we have purchased through the years. I will show you a few of your collections hanging in the dinning and ladies visiting room.  

Please come in and stay awhile I always enjoy visiting with you.

In the last post I had a seashell wreath that I had made hanging above the bench, I moved it and now it's hanging in our bathroom. I know silly me, I' am always changing things around. Above the bench now is hanging this lovely cottage photograph taken in England, I love the thatched roof and the red door!. Gary purchased this photo  as a surprise gift for me while on work travel and had it shipped home. He really did surprise me! (he's such a sweetheart)

Moving on around the room the formal dinning area was placed right by the three windows that face outward towards the back yard pool and waterfall, I painted the table top white it use to be stained brown. With the two table extensions and the extra chairs we have we can comfortably seat 12 for dinner. The large painting in the dinning area is a Kincaid.

The Ladies Visiting Room, may I offer you Tea or Coffee with dessert?

The wall you are seeing has many of our favorite artists paintings or photographs displayed. The theme is "Cottages and Gardens" I would love to live in any of these cottages and stroll through their gardens. Come closer and I will show you the cottages and gardens.

The three painting above are by Dwight Hickman. Gary and I had the pleasure of meeting him in person. A delightful man! and so talented.. I have a few more of his paintings in mind to purchase for the master bedroom.

 I crossed stitched this little Welcome cabin in the woods sign years and years ago... to many now to remember (is this a sign of old age)LOL

These ever so lovely photographs were a gift from the very talented and sweet Monica, you can visit her here at "The White Bench". Monica is not only a photographer but she makes the sweetest teddy bears I have ever seen. Monica lives in Italy and I am so happy to have meant her through blogging.

I won Monica's give away in witch the winner was able to choose two photo's of their liking. I was so excited I think you could have heard me scream!. If you do not know Monica please go over to Italy and visit her at "The White Bench". I know you will love her as much as I do.

 

I chose the cross stitch "M" and flowers in the wash bowl because the letter "M" is the first initial of our last name and also that the "M" was crossed stitched and I love to cross stitch. It was just the most perfect photo for me to have in our home.

 

Isn't this garden just so welcoming! and look there are red flowers all in bloom.. and you all know how much I love red.

 

A closer look at Monica's photographs

The little bear in the card is one of Monica's creations 

 

Monica also put into the gift package as a surprise this Christmas wreath ornament she made for the "Green craft Magazine" the wreath was published in the current issue (volume 3). Thank you so much Monica for your talent and friendship!. The photographs bring me "joy" every time I see them and that is every day!

Today I am  linking up to Cielo at (Show off Your Cottage Monday) This is my first time linking, I hope I did it right. It was fun, I hope you try it sometime.

P.S I think I might be having some trouble with the size of my photo's. If they seem to be cut off to you, please let me know and if you would like to see them larger just click on the photo to enlarge.

Home is Where the Heart is ~ and any where you are is home~

~ Counted Cross Stitch Pillow Case ~

This is one of my cross stitch projects that I hope to finish soon. A cottage feeling pillow case. It seems to take me longer than it used to, I have such a hard time seeing the tiny little squares to stitch in at night, even with my reading glasses on. It's tough getting older!.
For the edge I will crochet a lacey trim. What I really like about this pattern is that it was made in the USA.
This is what the cross stitch pattern will look like when it's finished. What projects are you working on I would love to know?.