Lily's Fancy Nancy Tea Party Birthday

A few weeks ago my grandaughter Lily turned 7. 

Lily and her mother Julie planned a tea party using the Fancy Nancy Tea Parties book by  Jane O'Conner.  Lily has a Fancy Nancy doll and enjoys the Fancy Nancy books.

I wasn't able to be there for Lily's Party because they do not live close by.  Lily told me about the party on the phone and she was so excited and it sounds like they all had a wonderful time.  I want to share some of the pictures of the table setting for the tea party.

Colorful paper flowers, star shaped jello, pretty pink plates,lace paper doilies.

 I love the bright colors.

The marshmallow and  sucker place cards are great

Everything is ready for the party to begin

 

The cupcakes look yummy

Miss Lily blowing out her candle 

I know that my daughter Julie worked hard to make this party special for Lily and her friends and they will all

remember what fun they had for a very long time.

Lily told me all about the little girl who won the pin the flower on the teapot game.

 She pinned her flower almost exactly where it belonged.

It is so great that we can share photographs so quickly and celebrate with others from a distance.

Lily and Julie dressed for the party

Among the pictures I received is one of Lily and her brothers at Easter i just have to share.

Sammy, Tony and Lily

Aren't they just adorable!

I plan to link this post to Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps On The Porch. 

I Love My New Bird Picture and There's a Giveaway at By Your Hands

I wanted to do something creative. 

Something that I had a chance of completing this weekend.

After looking around and the many things I have on my list to do I decided to do add some personality to a bird embroidery I had done a couple of months ago. 

I had been thinking about this for a while after looking at some of the creative projects people do on the blogs I have been reading.

This is how it turned out.

I had planned to hang the picture in our bathroom and bring some of the green and brown from the shower curtain to the

other side of the room.

This is what the picture looked like before adding some crocheted lace and ribbon and removing the glass.

I had the picture ready to hang but it

 just didn't look right

I took it out of the frame and just started sewing lace and

ribbon on it. 

 I am very hesitant to do things like this unless I have a

picture of something

 someone else has made to guide me.

Maybe I have taken a step towards individual creativity,

who knows what will happen in the future.

This could be fun!

I have linked this post to Metamorphasis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.  Take a look at what creative things other bloggers are doing.

I wanted to share a Giveaway you might like to check out here at By Your Hands 

Enter to win this vintage look Clothespin Dress from

Handmade by Bette





Have a great Monday!

Sisters, Celebrating and Shopping

I have written several times these past few weeks about time spent celebrating my birthday.  Well, last Saturday some of my sisters and I got together and we celebrated again.  It wasn't just my birthday we were also celebrating my sister Michele's birthday, she has a birthday exactly one week after mine.  She would be quick to remind you that she is 8 years younger than I am though.

We traveled to my sister Laurie's home where she had prepared a delicious brunch.  Her round table was set with her pretty dishes and we sat for quite a long time enjoying the food and conversation.  We later opened a few gifts and continued chatting and enjoying each other.  I could hardly believe it myself when I realized that I didn't take my camera out once, we were so busy talking and eating and enjoying being together and I have not one picture of the beautiful table or the food or of us. 

After brunch we went to the local Goodwill store hunting for bargains.  I could learn a lot from  my sisters Michele and Lynda.  They walk down an aisle that I have already checked out and show me all of the things I didn't even see.  I am going to have to work harder at really seeing when I am looking, if you know what I mean.   I did purchase three glass containers that  will go along with the others I have gathered to help organize my sewing room.  I will share pictures of the jars again when they are filled.

Here they are, my great glass finds, or maybe I should say Michele and Lynda's finds that I bought.

The jar on the left was $1.99,

 the large one in the middle $3.99,

 and the small one with the blue top was 99cents.

They will look so pretty with colorful things in them in my sewing room.

We did a little more shopping downtown Mount Vernon at the street fair.  My exciting find was a little teapot I found a small antique shop on the same street as the fair.  It was made in Ohio and as soon as I saw it I thought it was exactly like the set I had purchased in Watertown, Wisconsin several years ago.  This set is one that my daughter Amy has decided should be hers because she was born in Watertown, Wisconsin after all.

The original set, Coffee Server, Sugar, Creamer

This is the Teapot I bought last weekend,

 don't they look alike?

Here they are all together.  They are not exactly alike after all.

The first three were made in Zanesville, Ohio

The new arrival was made in Massillon, Ohio

So for $10 I think the teapot looks like it belongs

It was a good time we had together.

Corner Cupboard Makeover

This antique corner cupboard has been in our home for about 15 years.  I found it in a small antique store in Edmonds, Washington.  I had looked for several years for a small corner cupboard and when I saw this cupboard in this shop I knew we had to find a way to purchase it.  My husband set up a payment plan with the shop owner and a few months later we brought it home.  I wanted to do something to make the items inside show up a little better without making major changes to the cabinet.

The plastic lace has been on the front of the shelves for several years 

 The back of the cabinet is dark and scratched as if it had paper on it in the past

I really do like the cabinet but the inside back and the lace we had on it for the past

15 years didn't seem to set off the items inside.

 I bought two kinds of scrapbook paper to use like wallpaper for the back of the cabinet.  I placed the two types of paper in the cabinet to see which worked better.

I really liked the paper onthe left but it may be too busy

After looking and looking I decided on the white on the top shelf

I measured and cut the paper and used a spray glue to attatch the paper to the back of the cabinet.  It will be easy to remove in the future if I want to change it, but I do like the way the items inside are easier to see.

My friend Dana gave me this tea set to use for tea parties with my grandchildren

I think things show up better even from a distance and with the doors closed.

The pitcher in the bottom reminds us of David's mission trip to the Dominican Republic

It wasn't a major transformation but I was happy with the results.  For under $5 and a little time spent measuring and cutting and rearranging the items inside my little corner cupboard had a makeover.

I am linking this to here to Metamorphasis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.    Take a look at what other bloggers are doing, it's a lot of fun and you're sure to get some great ideas. 

My visit to Fabric Chicks, Hancock Fabrics, JoAnn Fabrics and Shabby Fabrics

For a fabric lover, it won't seem too extreme to shop at all of these stores within one week.  We'll it is true I did accomplish this and also worked 40 hours this week and managed to get a few other things done.  The weather is beautiful here in Washington today so I did spend an hour or so weeding one of the flower beds this afternoon.  The flower beds, which look a little neglected are a story for another day. 

Lets get to the fabric!

The first purchase I made was from Shabby Fabrics, they send me e-mail messages about their latest sales and new fabrics and kits and of course I have to take a peek. 

This is what I bought. 

The Jelly Roll on the left and the fabric underneath are from Shabby Fabrics

The other Jelly Roll I picked up at Pacific Fabrics a month or so ago.

I have plans for both, a project from the book pictured below.

My book is from the library but it is a book that I will probably buy

The next stop on my fabric shopping adventure was Hancock Fabrics. 

I have been looking at this decorator fabric for a couple of weeks. 

It was in the clearance section for $5 a yard. 

I hesitated to buy it because it is bold and if I use it upstairs in the livingroom or our bedroom I will have to make other changes.  So after thinking about it I went back and bought enough to make curtains and pillows for the bedroom downstairs which will get a redo when our youngest son David moves out this summer.  We aren't kicking him out by the way, he is getting married.

The upholstery webbing is for another project

which I hope to do very soon.

Now that I have seen the fabric here at home I may have to go back for the last 5 yards on the roll.

My next stop was JoAnn fabrics. 

I received 2 gift cards for JoAnn's for my birthday. 

Thanks, Jen and Becky. 

I bought more fabric for the cloth bags I posted pictures of earlier and a large floor pillow form for the project with the webbing above and some essential rotary blades for my rotary cutter.

The bags are shown here in a post I did earlier

Now I want to tell you about one of my FAVORITE fabric shops in this area. 

It is called Fabric Chicks and it is located at 

101 NW Coveland Street

 Coupeville, Washington.

I travel around Whidbey Island once a month for my work and often stop for lunch in Coupeville.  A few months back I came across this lovely shop with wonderful fabrics and books.  Best of all, the owner Melanie was so helpful and pleasant it is just a delight to spend time in her shop.  If you ever get the chance to stop in Coupville, especially you fabric lovers, don't miss Fabric Chicks.  

The hours are Wednesday - Saturday  10 to 4

So now to show you what I bought.

The Jelly Roll is Rural Jardin by French General

The 2 bottom pieces are projects in the process that Melanie helped me with.

They are going to be gifts so I can't show you now.

I have made a decision to stay away from fabric stores for a little while.  At least until I have some projects completed 

 or I may just have to look at fabric for more inspiration.

Birthday Birds and Bunnies

I have already mentioned that I had a birthday last week and I wanted to share some of the blessings from dear friends and family.  First I will show you the flock of birds of all shapes and sizes that have landed at my house this week.  Thank you to all of you who sent them my way.  You know who you are.

These are my new bird friends and now I will show you them in their new homes.  I am sure that they will move around from time to time but this is where they reside at the present time.

She looks so proud of her eggs

What a sweet mother bird

They look like birds lined up on a wire

This bird will move to the garden soon

Another gift I received for Spring Decorating  was these cute bunny candlesticks.  I have mentioned before that I have not accumulated much to decorate for spring.

 

Thanks Michele

On Tuesday a couple of days after my birthday I stopped for a little stroll throught one of my favorite gardening and decorating stores called Wight's Nursery in Lynnwood, WA.  I looked at the Easter clearance and found this for $5.00 

I found the candle here at home and thought with it all together on my lazy susan it turned out to be a great centerpiece.  I have planned for some time to paint the lazy susan white, maybe I'll move that up on my list, or not.

Finished Projects and a Great Giveaway

I was reading some of my favorite blogs and came across great giveaway.  Shellagh of Ticking and Toile is having a Cabbage & Roses giveaway, Here.   If you like country you will enjoy the interview with Christina Strutt of Cabbage & Roses, the author of  At Home with Country

Take a look by clicking above or the Ticking and Toile button on my sidebar.

I wanted to update you on a couple of the projects I have been working on.  First I will mention the crocheted throw that I had started just before I started blogging.  It is now complete and covering my husbands chair in our bedroom.  The only problem is every time I look at the throw I am reminded that the chair needs recovering or a slipcover. That is a project that has been on my list of things to do for longer than I want to tell.  Here is the link to my post about beginning it and this is the finished project.

The upholstery on the chair is a bright orange. 

The chair is quite comfy though.

Another project that I just finished was two more of the 18 or so cloth bags I have made.  I was making one of them for a special friend who happens to share a birthday with me.  I found this pattern in a Crafts 'n Things magazine in October 2007.  I have used the 45" wide home decor fabric from JoAnn's because I like the weight and it is easy to find fabrics in colors that blend.  I have given many away over the past 3 years but the blue one in the pictures I decided to keep. 

this on belongs to my dear friend Jen

this is the one I use  

Pie Baking Contest

On Easter Sunday our family, meaning my sisters and their families had our second annual Pie Baking Contest.  We were all challenged to bake a pie that would be tasted and voted on by the whole crowd. Everything about it had to be home made, including the crust, of course. I am not much of a baker but did decide to join in.  There were four of us who made pies.  I thought and thought about what kind of pie I should bake and did not make my decision until Saturday while shopping for groceries for the weekend.  When I spotted the rhubarb in the produce department my was made up, Strawberry Rhubarb.  When tasting time came we set the pies out, along with the whipped cream and we started sampling.  I started with the lemon and instantly decided it was the best, then as I ate a bite of the chocolate pie, I wasn't sure anymore and next came the apple and I was really confused.  I had already decided not to vote for my own pie so I had a tough decision to make.  I am not going to tell you which pie I voted for though.  I am sure you are anxious to see pictures of the pies and hear  the results of the competition.

Pies ready for the tasting to begin

Laurie's Lemon

Jessica's Apple

Raydine's Chocolate

Sherry's Strawberry Rhubarb

The votes were counted and my strawberry rhubarb pie won!

I do need to clarify a few things though.  Easter Sunday just happened to be my birthday and there is a rumor that my boys said they had to vote for my pie because it  was my birthday.  I do know that they all like my strawberry rhubarb pie but I hope that my birthday did not influence them when they voted.  Next year we will have to do a much better job of keeping the names of the pie bakers secret until after the voting.

There is a little more to this story.  Every Easter the guys in our family will play a card game for a prize which is a trophy with a rubber duckie on the top.  It is called the Easter Keaster and has been won by one of our sons and has decorated our house for the past few years.  This year I am happy to announce that our nephew Tim won and he took it home with him for the year.

   

Look at Tim's smile and he hadn't even won the trophy yet.

My brother-in-law Duane, the creator of the trophys that pass from house to house at each holiday decided we needed a trophy for the "Best Pie" contest so he went out to his workroom and this is what he came up with.  It will live in our house until next year.

I made a little vest to make him more presentable.

I still think he will live hiding in my sewing room for the year.

Our family may be a little nutty but we do have fun!