Project Friday

This is my first 'Project Friday' hosted by Rosemarie at http://sugarplumcottage.blogspot.com/

Teacup Posies


These little Teacup Posies are easy to create and make wonderful springtime gifts or when massed...a fabulous centerpiece for your Spring buffet or table.

Materials Needed: teacups and saucers, (mine came from Old Time Pottery for $1.00 each) some floral foam styrofoam, moss, silk flowers, hot glue.

Instructions: Dab several dots of hot glue on the inside bottom of the teacup and insert a small piece of styrofoam; it should take on the shape of the inside of the teacup.

Cut the stem on the flower to fit your teacup and the height you want it to be.

Hot glue the stem into the styrofoam.

Tuck a bit of moss, loosely, around the base of the flower and that's it.

I also hot glue the cup to the saucer; makes it easier to handle.

Enjoy!

~ Barb ~

Little Touches for Spring

I'm working on my kitchen shelves for Spring...I always like to change them out for just about everything!

Here are a couple of little touches. I will 'tweak' them over several days until I come up with the perfect combination. The bottom picture shows another set of the little birds I just adore.

Don't you love Spring?

~ Barb ~

Peach Cobbler

I have a peach cobbler in the oven for dinner. Can you smell it?

Oh, I know I am being bad. HA!!

~ Barb ~

Ready for Spring

The weather is lovely here in Florida.

I am ready to get outside and plant some flowers....we are still having a bit of cold weather here and there... so I am a tad nervous just yet about planting delicate little flowers. Everytime I pass a nursery of plants my heart beats a little faster.....so I know the day is coming!

I am outside redoing some things on the porch though...like the table above. How fun.........I love Spring.

~ Barb ~

Yellow...Yellow...Yellow!!!

Okay, the picture above has set my head spinning. Don't you just love the mellow yellow cabinet? I am totally in love with it and I have an antique secretary....very old....that would look fabulous done over like this.

Oh, my, what a job this would be....do you think I am up to it? I am so excited I can hardly contain myself.

Oh, the woes of an imagination!! (I have too much of one.)

~ Barb ~

A Great Find

I wanted to share the beautiful cakeplate I found in Marshall's for a great price. It goes perfectly in my kitchen with all the red accents.

I placed one of my faux cakes with strawberries on the cakeplate top.

Too bad it isn't real!

~ Barb ~

An Award!

Carol at Carol's Heirloom Collection gave me this wonderful award. Thank you Carol!

The rules of this award are:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.

2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

Here are the sweet 'sisters' I am passing this award along to:

1. Terri @ http://bobandterri.blogspot.com/

2. Susan @ http://thegillmanfamily.blogspot.com/

3. Becky @ http://hospitalitylane.blogspot.com/

4. Koleen @ http://angelsrabbitsandroses.blogspot.com/

5. Rosemarie @ http://sugarplumcottage.blogspot.com/

6. Peggy @ http://pegslifeinthebuttonjar.blogspot.com/

7. Glenda @ http://dabofthisandthat.blogspot.com/

8. Katherine @ http://countryromantic.blogspot.com/

9. Daisy @ http://giveusadaisyaday.blogspot.com/

10. Lallee @ http://lalleescottage.blogspot.com/

The Little Things

I love scented candles and almost always have one burning somewhere in the house. I especially like bakery scents.

A steaming hot cup of cinnamon spice tea is a favorite of mine. I also like English Breakfast tea. I always serve my tea in a cup and saucer...makes me feel extra special and pampered.

I love beautiful soaps and have an abundance of them. They are such a small luxury but really make me feel special.

What are some of your favorite little things?

My Shabby Chic Desk

I thought I would post a couple of pics of my shabby chic desk that I purchased a while back....hopefully this will cheer me up while I wait for yet another plumber to come. Yikes.

The desk was white-washed with a green paint but I felt it needed something else so I decided to hand paint some rosebuds and leaves on it. I really like the way it turned out.

~ Barb ~

Bunny Love

I couldn't resist this little fellow when I was out yesterday!

All of a sudden, I am into my bunny phase...oh, my goodness. Does that happen to you? I go through cycles with my passions.

I decided to place him on the kitchen table and he is just so cute and perky. Makes me excited for Spring. Oh, yea!

Pink Cake for Valentines

I was supposed to be part of Pink Saturday but somehow my information didn't get through. Yikes!

Here's my cake, anyway. Want a bite?

Happy Valentines

I know Valentines is still one more day away but I wanted to wish everyone a very happy and bright Valentines Day!

I love Valentines Day and this one is extra special as it marks the 30th anniversary of my darling Ron asking me to marry him. Wow, that is a lot of years and yet it seems like yesterday. A happy marriage is a thing of beauty and Ron and I are so blessed to have that.

May your Valentines Day be filled with blessings and love!

Sick Husband--Oh No!

That's right...I have a sick hubby on my hands!

Ron is the world's best husband and the world's biggest grump when he is sick. Example: he wants chicken noodle soup but doesn't want the chicken in the chicken noodle soup....are you with me? Ha! So here I am picking chicken out of soup in the early morning. Yikes!

He has some kind of cold and will be better soon. Then I will need a rest!

Colors

What colors are you drawn to?


I like quiet and calming colors....as you can see from my blog layout in large places but love intense jewel-like colors in small doses like pillows or counter top appliances.I am attracted to deeper colors in friends' homes (in fact recently, I went wild over a deep red rug in a friends' craftroom!) but find I need to stay with more soothing colors. Some find that soothing colors put them to sleep.


Do intense colors jolt you and make you feel more alive? Red is often used in restaurants because it increases one's appetite...isn't that amazing? I love blue but find it difficult to work with. Tell me what colors you love and why. Would you love to paint a room in your home a particular color but you are afraid to? What colors do you wear most often?


Inquiring minds want to know.

Bunny Time!

I got this bunny at Hobby Lobby to add to my growing bunny collection and placed him on my kitchen island. I couldn't resist those ears and feet! Don't you love it?

Just to Make You Smile

I snapped these pictures from one of my favorite books. I hope they make you smile on this beautiful Saturday.

My Love of Books

Books...a subject that I am passionate about.

I have books everywhere in Bella Vista....hundreds, thousands of them! They give me so much pleasure and joy. As far back as I can remember I have always loved books and would save my lunch money to buy them when I was just a kid. I always wanted to read something I could learn from and read very few novels...something I am trying to change.

I love books that lift me to a higher plane...that stretch my imagination and my creativity. I also love beautiful books...they nurture my soul and fill me with endless possibilities in my thinking.

I always place the date I purchased a book in the front cover and that is so much fun to look back on. I also have some treasured books that are over a hundred years old (and in remarkable condition) from Ron's family.

Do you enjoy books?

My Animals

Annie and Missy are my pets. Annie is a six year old Cocker Spaniel and Missy is a ten month old domestic kitten.

They are my babies and more precious to me than words could say.

I came to love and appreciate animals much later in life than the average person. I was raised in a household where animals were considered 'dirty' and totally out of place in a home. I cannot believe how much I was missing out on; how closed off my mind was to this incredible joy. I have come to realize how much, these people who think this, are missing out on....I actually feel sorry for them.

My husband is an animal lover and after we were married, he worked with me for twelve years, along with a childhood friend, to accept animals into our home and my heart. Twelve years...this is how brainwashed I had been!! I finally said I would give it a chance knowing full well that Buffy (my first Cocker) would ruin my house and chew my nose off; I was very fearful of her. (My home is still intact and I still have my nose. Ha.)

Within a week my heart simply melted and I knew that Ron had seen what I didn't know all along.....I am an animal lover. These little things have brought so much joy and love to my heart. I thank God everyday that my heart was finally opened to feel the love of an animal. I intend on having one or more as long as God gives me the strength to care for them.

Collections

This is one of my Lladro's.

Do you collect anything?

I have been thinking about my collections a lot lately. They give me such pleasure and are so random in nature. For example, I collect Lladro's and roosters! Can you imagine?

I also collect small bird sets and Byers Choice Carolers....I just adore these and am passionate about them to the point of refusing to put them away once the holidays are over. I store them in a hutch in my living room so I can see them year round. I have also stopped collecting many items that I used to be crazy about like pink milk glass. I think we all have seasons for everything in our lives, don't you?

What do you collect? Are you passionate about it?

Birds Everywhere

Recently I have become mad about collecting sets of little birds. Actually, this has been going on for a bit....but my collection is certainly growing. I got these two sets recently. I just adore placing them here and there throughout the house.

Enjoying Your Things

I was taking down a pretty cup and saucer this morning for my tea and thought how much pleasure this simple act gave me. It didn't cost a thing and was already there for the 'taking.'

The cup made my morning tea seem all the more special.Do you enjoy your things? I don't save anything for tomorrow....except money for a rainy day. I enjoy my things right now....this day. Years ago, I would put away my good house items or save them for company; I don't do this anymore. Ron and I deserve to use and enjoy these things as much as anyone; they make us feel special. Treating yourself special makes an ordinary day....extraordinary!

This day is all any of us have....treat it and yourself in a special way. It will change your life.