Button Challenge

I just happened upon the "button challenge" that Analise is hosting today. Since I have a love for vintage buttons I thought it would be fun to join in and show a few of my favorites.

Rhinestone buttons are probably the ones I love best. You can never have enough sparkle!

Glass buttons are a close second - cuz they sparkle too.
Mother of pearl, abalone or shell buttons are another favorite of mine - love the lustre.

Anything pink....

or jadeite green are some I always search for.

Gotta love all white too!

I guess it's fitting that I love to collect buttons. According to my mom, "pretty buttons" were the first words I spoke as a child.

Spring Snow

This snowy view from our front steps was taken this afternoon. It's been sooo cold here this week. We can't seem to get out the 40's. It was about 38 degrees when the snow was falling. Everything turned white for a bit - now it's just raining...

Show & Tell Friday

Happy Friday!

Today, I'd like to share the centerpiece I made for a baby shower last night at church. We have had a baby and bridal shower boom at church recently. I'm on the "celebrations" ministry team and last night was my turn to decorate the table.

This little duckie sat up on the top of the diaper cake centerpiece I made.

I forget now how many diapers I rolled up to make each layer of the "cake". I think there were about 20 or so on just the bottom tier. I tied string around each layer and then added a card stock band to cover up the string.

For the baby garland, I stenciled the letters onto some tags, painted in the letters and sprinkled with glitter. I also found some cute painted wood animals: a frog, turtle, and duck which I hot glued to the paper band - one on each tier.
Little itty bitty buttons at the corner of each square were hot glued on to add some texture. The coordinating bows added the finishing touch.

Here is a picture of the diaper cake at the shower.

Thanks for dropping by today. Have a terrific weekend!

Make sure to stop by Kelli's House for more Friday Show & Tells.

Karla & Beth's "Bling Your Birdhouse" Party

Woohoo! It's party time!

I've been anxiously awaiting for Karla and Beth's "Bling Your Birdhouse" party to begin. It's so fun to join in their parties! It's especially great to see what everyone has created. Please be sure to stop by and thank both Beth and Karla for hosting.

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Ok, so... here's the birdhouse I decorated. I used scrapbook paper that I thought would look pretty in my kitchen. Before I decided how I was going to go about blinging, I set the birdhouse on the cast iron fleur-de-lis candlestick that's been on my kitchen window sill since forever. It really made a cute pedestal for the birdhouse so I permanently attached it with epoxy.

I don't have much (hardly any) vintage wallpaper to use for projects so that's why I used scrapbook paper. (Also if I really messed up, I wouldn't have to freak out because I wasted unique vintage paper.) This particular paper has a linen look to it, which I love.
I glittered the fascia boards and steeple, added a few roses with rhinestone centers and red berries too.
For my first try, it didn't turn out so bad...
I like how it looks on my window sill above the sink. I'm gonna keep it.Thanks so much for stopping by today! I'm looking forward to visiting all you other birdhouse blingers. Enjoy the party!

Egg Hunting Fun - Saturday & Sunday

The girls did a pretty good job cleaning up Saturday for our company on Easter, so we had an egg hunt as a reward. Saturday was a really nice day here - no rain! It still doesn't look very Spring like around here, but at least the trees are showing some budding now...

They had so much fun hunting that they really didn't seem to care what was inside the eggs. Oh, I take that back...they liked the dollars that were in a few. he he
Dexter was just as excited. He can smell chocolate a mile away, his nose is amazing!

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On Sunday, when we got home from church, there was time before our company arrived for the girls to look through their Easter baskets.

It poured down rain all morning.... After we had dinner, we noticed it had stopped, so we were able to get outside and have an egg hunt with the cousins.

Here are Mick and Sydney finding a few eggs...

Sydney points out a few easy to find eggs for Daphne.

Sydney, Patricia, and Daphne. I guess Mick and Ellie were still hunting...

Easter Dinner Preparations

For the last couple days I have been getting things cleaned and set up since we're hosting Easter dinner for my side of the family.

Here is what I've been up to...

I picked up this egg wreath at TJ Maxx the other day. It was in pretty sad shape since it was missing a couple eggs and lots of them were unattached. I never do this... but I asked the sales clerk if they would offer me a discount because it had so many defects, and they gave me $5 off! It didn't take much to fix it up. I love the colors and it really is a welcoming addition to our front door. For the centerpiece on the dining room table, I gathered up Easter and Spring themed items I have around the house. I got the idea from Karla to create a centerpiece with lots of mismatched things tied together with a mirror as the base.

Since there will be 16 of us Sunday, I have 3 tables to set. I'm using this china in the dining room. The other 2 tables will be set with Franciscan Desert Rose. These beautiful crystal goblets belonged to my Grandma and were given to me after she passed away. I've always loved their style and each time we use them, I think of how happy she'd be knowing they are being used and enjoyed.

I made little nut cups for each place setting that will be filled with some yummy chocolates. They haven't been filled with the sweets yet since there is a certain 3 year old in the house who can't seem to ever get enough candy...

Now that the table is set, I can concentrate on the food. This is what we have planned:

Smoked salmon spread and crackers

Deviled eggs

Caesar salad

Spiral honey glazed ham

Romanoff potatoes

Green bean casserole

Grilled bread

Relish plate

Strawberry shortcake

We wish you all a very Happy Easter!

March 20, 1965

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY !!

Today my in-laws celebrate their 43rd wedding anniversary.

42 years ago today, they celebrated their first anniversary by taking a drive with their 8 day old newborn son, my hubby!

I'm so thankful for their fantastic example of marriage and for raising a terrific son who is the best husband in the world to me!

I am blessed!!!

Bella-Enchanted's Easter Basket Swap

Genevieve from Bella-Enchanted hosted this super fun Easter basket swap.

This was the 2nd swap I've participated in. I must say, it really is so fun putting things together for your assigned partner but really, it's even better opening up what she sends you! he he he :o)

My partner was Tamy. Here is a picture of the goodies I received from Tamy before I dug in...

Wow! Now look at all my Easter treasures spread out. I was overwhelmed with goodness.

Tamy made the sweetest pink yarn wreath. I love it! It looks so cute hanging on a hook on my hall tree. She spoiled me with such great things to be creative with. Beautiful old wallpapers, some roses, bunny playing cards, pre-cut tags, vintage trims, and crepe paper fringe.
I now have some darling ballerina's (which I have been wanting) and little bunnies too that I already have plans for. Oh yes, this is so fun!!!
And the gifts kept on coming.... Check out at the fabulous vintage postcard - I love the Easter lily's on it! I can't wait to use the porcelain server too, the yellow roses are just so pretty. Can't forget the painted wood eggs that already look so great on my coffee table!
Thanks so much Tamy! I am in aah of all the beautiful things you sent me. You are too kind!

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OK.... so this is the basket I sent to Tamy. On the profile she filled out, she said she preferred chicks to bunnies, so that's the theme I went with.... I made her a pin cushion that has a chick surrounded by lots of vintage buttons.

and since Tamy is ga-ga for garlands, I made her this Easter banner from vintage tablecloths too.

This was a really fun swap! Thanks again Tamy! Happy Easter!

An Award, A Meme, & Something Else

I am so excited!!

Thanks so much to Cathy of Hazelruthe's who gave me my first blogland award.

I've been so inspired and have had so many others "make my day" with their wonderful blogs, that I feel a little strange that someone would recognize little ol' me. Thanks so much Cathy, you made my day!!!

The rules for the “You Make My Day” award are to present it to those whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blog land. Let them know through email or by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on.

I pass the You Make My Day Award To.....

Lisa

Sarah

Suzanne

The other day I was tagged by Charlotte At Home in Scottsdale to do a six word meme.


Here are the meme rules:


1. Write your own six word memoir

2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like

3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post and to this original post if possible, so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere

4. Tag five more blogs with links

5. Remember to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!

Here’s my six word memoir: “Wholeheartedly believes, He cares for me.”

I’m tagging:

Paula
Sarah
Jennifer
Sandra
Kathi
Sharon

Oh.... and something else. I just noticed that this was my 51st post, I really should have been paying more attention for a 50th celebration - but these things have a way of sneaking up on me.

Anyways, I feel a "50 something" post giveaway coming on... I'll have something together soon, so please check back!

Show & Tell Friday

Whoa... I'm late to the party today! I guess it's better late then never, right?

Today, I'd like to share some belongings from my Great Great Uncle Martin O. Svendsen. Uncle Martin was born in Norway in 1873. He came to America about 1893 and lived here until his death in 1956.

Many years ago my daddy was given Uncle Martin's pocket watch because he was partially named after him. It's a very thick silver watch with a engraved gold locomotive on the back (which I forgot to take a picture of ... ) It really is very beautiful.

Uncle Martin worked for many years in the United States Marine Hospital in Port Townsend, Washington. In a newsapaper article dated July 20, 1933, it describes Martin as a deeply religious man who sought to give spiritual comfort to those whom he thought would appreciate it. Here is one of his Bible's from 1917.
I have enjoyed reading through it especially noting which verses he has highlighted, and there are many!
In 1986 my Great Auntie Edith wrote a little book about Uncle Martin. This is a picture of the inside cover.
Martin was known for writing many letters to his family and friends and he always wrote an inscription on the cover of a book he'd give as a gift. Here are a couple pages from Auntie Edith's book. (I think if you enlarge the pictures, you'll be able to read the text.)

She mentions a cookbook that Uncle Martin gave her when she was seventeen.
One of the things he wrote was:
"Home, a smiling woman and a good dinner, Does not the heart of man yearn for this trio at evening time?" I've always thought that would make a nice motto to hang in our kitchen...

Here is the inside cover of that cookbook! I was given the cookbook when my Auntie Edith passed away. What a treasure!

At the end of Edith's tribute to Uncle Martin she writes:

The memory of a man whose love for God enabled him to see the beauty in nature, in words and in music. The memory of a man whose love for God enabled him to find contentment in work or repose, for whom nothing and no one was above, beyond or beneath.

I can still hear him saying, "Isn't this a beautiful day that the Lord has given us?"

Yes, Uncle Martin it is.

I feel so blessed that my family was given some of Uncle Martin's belongings. Although I never knew him, his wonderful testimony has lived on.

Don't forget to stop by Kelli's house for more Show & Tell fun!

Happy Birthday!!!

My hubby and mom share today as their birthday with exactly 30 years between them.

Friday, we'll celebrate together.

Happy Birthday to two of my most favorite people ever!!! I love you both so very much!!!

Oh...we also have a niece that turns 5 years old today too. Happy Birthday Ericka!

Easter Basket Swap - Sneaky Peek

OK... so I'm really loving this swaping thing. It's so fun!

Today I shipped out the Easter basket I made up for my swap partner Tamy.

Here is a little peep... oops I mean peek.