Sweet little violets.

How can one pick just a couple of photos to show of these pretty little
violets when it is the only thing blooming in one's garden??????
.

I have a lot of these violets in the garden and so yesterday I dug a few up
to bring in the house and take some photos of.
I hope you will enjoy some of the photos I took of them.

Things in the garden are starting to emerge from the ground and the buds on the trees 

are getting fuller by the day. 

I'm getting excited to be outside more and even get into the hard work of 

weeding and dressing the flower beds. I have a couple of plans for the garden but

 I'm trying to hold myself back as far as creating too much more work for myself.

I think I'm at my limit as to what I can do in a day.

While I love to garden, my son's care comes first and then there are all the 

other things I love to do. Last year it became apparent to me that

maybe, just maybe, I was biting off a little more than I should. 

I would like this Summer to be a little calmer so I can spend more time with 

my children and my extended family.

I really want to make another couple of garden beds, I even made out plans over the winter

 but I am going to re-think it.

The wonderful thing about gardening is that there is always next year...and the next...

and the next!

I think I will put the garden plans aside this year and make of list of 

summer activities that don't require garden gloves.

It might include smelling the roses in some of my friend's gardens

and going on a few shopping trips with my daughters :)

and I can't believe I'm saying this,
but I think I even want to go camping more!

WOW...that even surprises me!

**************
I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who read my blog and
leave such wonderful words for me. I don't think anyone can know what it means to me,
but you enrich my life so much and
I feel your friendship and thoughtfulness
and am so grateful.

many hugs from me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Coming up roses.

What a crazy month March was!
We had snow, then sun, then snow again---
over and over and over!
We also had a new baby join our family.
Little Evelynn Lorraine arrived on the 16th
and is being loved by everyone.
We had five birthdays, Spring break, Easter
and the flu that decided to hang around awhile.

Now it's April and Spring's here and we are all healthy again!

I saw a pretty collage posted on Cowparsley the other day and thought it was
was so pretty and then noticed that one of the photos was mine :)
It was taken from the site of Peony and Sage.

I had taken a few photos for Kimberley at Peony and Sage with some

fabrics she had sent to me.
She has posted a few of them on her website and blog.
I realized that I hadn't posted any of them on my own blog yet so I thought
I would share a couple here.
If you would like to see more you can go to her site and see what
she has shared there and on her blog.

Then I made a pretty pink collage of my own with some of the photos I have been snapping of
the dried rose strings and other rosy things.

I love the little ceramic turquoise berry basket given to me by a dear friend.

I can't seem to STOP making these rose strings! They are everywhere!

I made a few hearts with some of the scraps of Peony and Sage linen leftover
from the pieces I was sent. The fabrics have been sewn up into other
projects that I will share another time. In a previous post I did share the curtains
that I had made already. I love Kimberley's fabrics!

Speaking of roses.
I picked these up at the market the other day and have really enjoyed
their lovely pinky-ness.

Hope you fill your Spring days with a little pink goodness too!

Hugs from here...

Homemade Happiness

I finally have a new table for dining.
I have been saving photos of tables for a long, long time to show my son who is a builder,
but when I showed
them to my husband he said, "I can build that"

(and you have to know what I thought---yes, but when?)

                          I was a little stunned when the next day he went to get the lumber for it.

I have been wanting a new table for a long time. One that would 

accommodate the family when they come to visit.

I loved my little iron garden table with the glass top but it didn't allow for enough

room for chairs because of the way the underneath was designed. 

 I am loving the way it turned out!

I painted it and now it's ready for food!

The photos aren't great because we have had clouds, clouds, clouds

and today it is snowing. It is warming up now so it will be rain soon and take 

the snow away. 

My husband is on a roll I tell ya!

I told him I wanted to take the little wall next to the refrigerator

and put plate rails up the entire wall to hold some of my favorite 

plates and when I explained what I wanted he made it happen.

I LOVE it!

I get credit for the cookies!

I thought I would share some things I found while I was out of town
visiting the dentist. I had to reward myself for having a good check up you know!

I love this tiny little plaque and coin purse.

Of course I found lace too! 

I was thrilled to find this piece of tin (or aluminum) can art.

I have seen pieces before, but nothing I really liked.

but this I love.

It's about 8" in diameter.

I would love to try and make something like this someday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is what I am starting to look forward too.

It will be amazing to look out the window and see the trees in bloom again.

This was taken in May of last year.

The little violets will bloom again soon too.

Oh yes, and I also found this tiny little doily yesterday,
So I had to show you the extent of my Easter decor this year ---
sad, but true!

and of course...

some cheap peeps

and one non-conformist : )

always has to be one in the crowd!

I hope all of you are enjoying a beautiful Spring no matter the weather!!!
hugs,
June