Happy Birthday Jonathan

Our son Jonathan celebrates a big birthday today. This guy is a talented photographer, a hard worker, a great brother, friend. Tough on the outside, pure marshmallow inside... special friend to our little bird, and a wonderful son!
As you celebrate your birthday today, remember how much you are loved, admired and cherished by me and your family and friends. Happy Happy Birthday dear Jon Jon, and may all your dreams come true.


MOM! 

Baking Bread the Coop Keeper Way

Jayme, at Tales from the Coop Keeper has a tutorial on her blog with the directions on making a fantastic loaf of bread. It's a technique that I had never heard of, but Jayme made it sound so easy and it looked so good I just had to try it.

The recipe made the MOST delicious loaf of bread to ever come out of my oven. It is easy, inexpensive and fun! What more could you want from a recipe.

My husband and everyone who happened to be visiting agrees, this bread is Great! Jayme you're the best.

Check out some of her other videos too, this girl is amazing. Have a great weekend.

The Going is Slow!

It's like trying to put 10lbs of flour in a 2lb bag. I have too much stuff. This is just the start. I am sorting through ALL my stuff. Making piles here and there. I lose the will to clean.  I come back after a little while and start with gusto... Then I find something..."Wow, I forgot about this..." It's gonna take a while.

I filled the spaces in the closet door with chicken wire. I like the look. I still need to address the holes from the slats I removed.  I'm finding cool stuff I forgot I had. If I live to be... you know, a long time, I'll still have unfinished projects.

Had to throw in a pic of Mom and Dad, on my wedding day. This wire will be filled before too long with memories and such.

I've been sewing and crafting for over 40 years. It may take another 40 years to sort things out. ;-)

It's a miracle...

So, I was having trouble posting all morning... It was just a diversion from what I am really supposed to be doing, which is organizing. Before I got down to work, I thought I'd try one more time and voila! A silly post of procrastination! I was just playing with my iphone and a new app, and trying my husband's camera. My dear SIL Elizabeth brought me a beautiful hydrangea and some creamy white roses. A perfect photo op when you are tired of doing actual work.

The first photo is from my iphone with the Old Photo app.

Just playing and enjoying having some fresh flowers in the house.

The sweet birdcage, one of two I purchased with my birthday loot from my sweet sons, Mike and Jon. Photos of my new and improved office to come. Have a beautiful day.

I'm still working...

but Picasa to Blogger isn't.  This is my preferred way to blog, but isn't working this morning.  I've got Plenty to do, but would appreciate any help or suggestions to get things working again!

The Quest for Organization

Last year when I took over the lightest brightest bedroom to be my office/craft/sewing room, I used what I had. I never had a place to put most things. I just used some plastic storage containers on the floor in the closet. That got pretty messy, very fast. My husband took charge and built this Ikea piece for my closet. Those by-fold closet doors are the worst. Impossible to clean, (Wow, they look even worst in the photo) and just plain unattractive.

I took my hammer and got rid of the slats. Now the gaping holes need to be filled.

Stage two of this quest is fabric organization. I don't have the stash I used to have, but would like to be able to find what I need when I need it. Fabric, felt, vintage finds all have a place thanks to this sturdy but inexpensive solution.

It's a work in progress, with pile piles of stuff turning into organized & labeled bins and baskets. I'm working towards an efficient space, so I can tackle some big projects I've haven't had the space to attempt. This is gonna take a while... More snow is on it's way, a perfect day to organize! Thanks for stopping by.

What's she up to?

You might be wondering... Well, I recently finished this prayer shawl. I used all my bright colors, and used the granny 1/2 square pattern that is so easy and quick. If you're not familiar, prayer shawls are given to people who are facing illness, or to comfort in any situation. It's a sign of support that means so much to the recipients. The maker is putting their work to prayer, and I find comfort in making them. Sometimes, when you don't know how to help, a prayer shawl says it all.

One of our Guild Sisters is new Mom! She adopted a beautiful baby boy named Jake, and we'll be celebrating with a baby shower this weekend. He's an answer to our prayers, and his Mom's dream come true. This is the first baby for our Guild in many years. We are so fortunate to have younger members joining us, so Jake will have some "cousins" in the years to come. We really do share our joys, and are there for each other in the hard times too. It's so beautiful that this baby boy found this wonderful Mom and we ALL get to be Aunties!

This is my latest project. The closet in my craft room. As a gift for my recent birthday, (Yep, the old girl is 56!) my husband purchased a shelving unit that will fit nicely inside the closet. I plan on using my collection of picnic baskets as additional storage. I also have a plan for the louvered doors. Come back and see how this project turns out!

Have a great weekend my friends and thanks for visiting.

Nesting

With Valentine's Day a happy memory, it's time to clear the decks again. I opened windows this morning for the first time in weeks. We're enjoying temperatures in the 50's today. It would be a great day to get outside, except for the gloom and rain. The snow is melting, and it's good to see bare ground again. Spring is suggested... if you know what I mean. I've lived in Chicagoland long enough to know that this is just a tease. Winter will be back. Today, I'll nest. I'll put away the Valentine decorations, change the sheets, air the house out and enjoy this warm day.

Life is Good

A busy weekend. A visit from our daughter. The birth of a baby! A guild meeting. A bake sale. A ride up Sheridan Road. A visit to Lake Michigan. Visits with our little bird. A Valentine family dinner.

We had our Guild meeting, though the location change didn't bring the girls out in the numbers I had expected. We had a good meeting, and it was warm inside, always good to reconnect.

Kristen is visiting, and though she has been busy with activities of her own, it's great to have some time with her. Her dear friends Mo and Tim had a baby boy named Timmy on Sunday. His delivery perfectly timed for a visit from "Auntie Kristen".

We had a bake sale on Saturday and Sunday to fill our Guild treasury. Strawberry cupcakes and the usual pumpkin bread and cranberry orange loaves were my contribution.

We spent a large amount of time back and forth to the city. Some things never change, as we've logged thousands of miles chauffeuring our kids (now adults!) round the city.

We detoured off the usual route home and took one of our favorite rides, up Sheridan Road. Lake Michigan is beautiful in any season, but especially on this 50 degree Sunday. This beach is our favorite. It's in Wilmette across from the Baha'i House of Worship.

We call this section of the road the "Ravines". I don't know if that's just our name for it, but we've enjoyed this twisty section of the road for over 40 years. The homes along Sheridan are spectacular! If I could live anywhere, (without worry about the cost...) I'd live on the lake shore, off Sheridan Road in Wilmette. My husband says Mequon, up north in Wisconsin... Then we decided that if we had the money for one, why not both! That's what happens when a dreamer loves a dreamer!

Speaking of Love, we had dinner on Valentines Day with our kids. That's something that hasn't happened in years. Then they were gone again, to their own celebrations, as it should be. Our little bird is flying south to Texas today to visit with Lolly and Pop (Grandma and Grandpa), as Kristen heads back home. The house will be too quiet for a while, but then we'll settle back into our regular routine. Life is Good!

Dear Valentine

Thanks for visiting me... and letting me share my heart with you.

Wishing you love and happiness...

I'll never forget all of your kindness and support.

Happy Valentines Day!

With Love...

Think Spring Valentine!

I made some favors for my guild, using the crochet hearts I made, and flower seed packets. We had to cancel the meeting once due to the weather and now the meeting has been relocated. The large amounts of snow are making our streets hard to park on and navigate. One of our wisest girls suggested the Parish building... with the parking lot all plowed and cleared.

The good news, I don't have to clean my house. The bad news, I have to bring the meeting to the meeting room. I'm always carting my home to events...bringing everything I might need but the kitchen sink. It's worth the trouble so everyone arrives safe, and we get to have an evening of warmth and friendship, wherever we meet.

We took our son Jon home Monday. The city was hit really hard by the storm last week. With the narrow streets and giant mounds of snow, Jon's neighborhood is almost impassible. I had to take a few photos of the way folks save a parking space in Chicago. It's an art form really, creatively using household items to save the parking space you spent hours shoveling out. My personal favorite, the 2 drawers... Do you think someones socks and undies are in a grocery bag until the thaw? ;-)

Yes my friends, enjoy today...but think Spring!