School Days and other milestones..

It is that time of year again... we have the new back pack on the bed, that "new crayon" smell in it that brings back such memories to me of all my "first days", the crisp new clothes, socks and undies, new lunch box, and a clean new calender to fill in with all the upcoming school events. I love this time of year, not only because it means I will have some time to myself again, but also because I am lucky in that my boys love school and can't wait to get back into their school routine and see all their friends.

We have another milestone event happening this weekend, that makes me a little teary eyed. My sweet Sarah is 20 and is moving into her own apartment. She is starting her second year of college and I am lucky that I had her for one extra year after high school. Thankfully it is only about fifteen minutes from us and five minutes from her grandparents. She is totally thrilled and it is a sweet little apartment. It is a super safe area (but then, we live in a wonderfully super safe small town!) and she is so excited to have her own space where she can "do whatever she wants, whenever she wants", as she puts it. We have had fun this week going back and forth taking little things and Saturday will be the day she will move in and spend her first night alone. It is time, but nonetheless I will miss her. She is my second child to move out, and I still have two more to go, but I know it will seem a little empty here with her gone. ANYWAY, I always think of this poem each year as school starts and wanted to share it. I am anticipating next week when it will be just the animals and I at home each day and I will have time to sit and create.. Hope you are enjoying these days last days of summer.

World, I bequeath to you today one little girl in a crispy dress, with two blue eyes, and a happy laugh that ripples all day long, and a batch of light blond hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs. I Trust You'll Treat Her Well

She's slipping out of the backyard of my heart this morning and skipping off down the street to her first day at school. And never again will she be completely mine.Prim and proud, she'll wave a young and independent hand this morning, and say goodbye and walk with little-lady steps to the nearby schoolhouse. Gone will be chattering little hoyden who lived only for play, and gone will be the delightful little gamin who roamed the yard like a proud princess with nary a care in her little world.

Now, she will learn to stand in lines and wait by the alphabet for her name to be called. She will learn to tune her little-girl ears for the sound of school bells, and for deadlines.She will learn to giggle and gossip, and to look at the ceiling in a disinterested way when the little boy across the aisle sticks out his tongue.

Now she will learn to be jealous, and now she will learn how it is to feel hurt inside, and now she will learn how not to cry. No longer will she have time to sit on the front porch steps on a summer day and watch while an ant scurries across a crack in the sidewalk. Nor will she have time to pop out of bed with the dawn to kiss lilac blossoms in the morning dew.

Now she will worry about important things like grades and what dresses to wear, and whose best friend is whose. Now she will worry about the little boy who pulls her hair at recess time, and staying after school, and which little girls like which little boys, And the magic of books and knowledge will soon take the place of the magic of her blocks and dolls.

And she'll find her new heroes. For five full years I've been her sage and Santa Claus, her pal and playmate, her parent and friend. Now, alas, she'll learn to share her worship and adoration with her teachers (which is only right.)

No longer will her parents be the smartest, and greatest in the world. Today, when the first school bell rings, she'll learn how it is to be a member of the group, with all its privileges, and, of course, its disadvantages, too.Today, she'll begin to learn for the first time that all who smile at her are not her friends. That "the group" can be a demanding mistress, and I'll standon the porch and watch her start out on the long, long journey to becoming a woman.

So WORLD, I BEQUEATH TO YOU TODAY ONE LITTLE GIRL in a crispy dress, with two blue eyes, a happy laugh that ripples all day long, and a batch of light blonde hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs.

I TRUST YOU'LL TREAT HER WELL - Daniel Valentine-

summer lovin..

I have been making some fabric postcards, but since my old printer won't work on the new computer I can't scan them and I am too lazy to get the camera out and set them up!! BUT, here is a picture of our pumpkin patch. Patrick is excited to see we have five little pumpkins about hte size of grapefruits on there. It is fun to go out each day and check on them.

The Dog days of summer are here.

My computer just gave up and died last week. After my dd's bf, who is a whiz at computers, checked it over, he said it wasn't worth fixing.. I did buy it four years ago at a "day after Thanksgiving" sale for $250. I think I got my money's worth out of it!! SO, shopped around and got a wonderful buy on this new one. LOVE the flat screen, love the new operating system.. Vista. Now, I just have to transfer everything I need to keep from the old one to the new one..

Haven't had time to make a card.. Well, I did make a couple of fabric postcards, but can't post them just yet. Instead, here is a photo of the love of my life.. he is devoted to me, never talks back and doesn't mind if I am late feeding him once in awhile. He watches me with adoring eyes, will go with me wherever I want and is happy to just "be" with me..

Tucker, my golden retriever. The "girls" are sweet too, but he is just my sweet boy..

This little light of mine

The whole time I was making this card I kept singing that Sunday School song in my head..
I have enjoyed making some round cards the past few days, but think I prefer the square ones!
Used up some Daisy D scraps and a K and Company sticker and a little red gingham brad. I do believe that red polka dots and red gingham are my all time favorites.. no wait, I love pale blue and yellow too.. Patrick and I made a giant Reeses peanut butter cup today for Williams birthday tomorrow. We found this hilarious site called Pimp that Snack. It is British, and since my mom is English and all my kids have visited quite a few times, many of the treats were familiar to us. Basically you take a snack and make it HUGE.. It is fun just to check it out. The peanut butter cup was easy to make. I will post a pic tomorrow..

Happy Day,,

I finally get to spend some time just "pottering". I love days like today. I am getting caught up on some cleaning jobs, finishing some cards and later today will finish canning those beets!

I love this old BG paper. the frogs are such fun and I am glad I have several sheets of it still. This card was made for a little boy in England. His mommy is dealing with cancer and I thought I would
send him his own card and a lizard beanie baby. (Still have TONS of those things in boxes from the days when we went crazy collecting them!!) The second card is for a friend who loves bears. I was the lucky recipient of some wonderful treasures from her moms old sewing box. Since she lives in England they were that much more special to me as they brought back memories of going through my own grannies sewing box. Thanks, Janet!!

Beets, Beets, Beets!!

Goodness me, it has been so busy around here the last few days..
It is "party week" at our house every third week in July. We have three birthdays this week.. the 21st Sarah turned 20, William will be 17 on the 26th and my oldest Emily will be 24 on the 28th! When they were little it was really exhausting. We always had three parties and three cakes.
Now, Sarah just takes a homemade cake into work with her. This year I made her a French Vanilla cake with white chocolate buttercream and strawberries. William wants a mint chocolate chip ice cream cake to take in and share with his co workers and so I will be doing that tomorrow and my dear sweet Emily just asked if I will make her pumpkin cookies.
I got a wonderful buy on beets today at the local fruit and veg stand.. 13 lbs for $10. Since we all love them I bought two boxes!! What was I thinking?? I have been boiling beets all day and have 10 quarts pickled so far! They will taste mighty good this winter!!

I did get a couple of cards made. I have been wanting to make a round card for awhile and this is what I came up with. I dont' have a circle cutter, but found a round piece of cardboard and used that as a pattern. I am not totally happy with this, but so wanted to use that daisy sticker from Melissa Frances. It was easy to sew the lace trim around the front and I do like the look of it.. Going to try some more round cards tomorrow, but for now I am off to the shower to try and remove some of this red beet juice from my hands and face!!

Strength...

That is what it takes to fight the horrible disease of cancer. A friend of a friend was diagnosed with it. She is young and has a four year old son.. I made these cards to send her. In part I used some of the Melissa Frances Thankful line. Also, I discovered this site The Breast Cancer Site I got the the breast cancer tag on the side of my blog from here.. You can put one on your blog and anytime someone clicks it it will take them to their site and you can click to fund a free mammogram.. Easy Peasy!

We continue to enjoy summer and I hope you do too. We took a drive out to the orchards the other day and got lots of fat, sweet cherries and succulent apricots. Peaches will be next and then fresh corn on the cob..Yum, Yum!! Needless to say my freezer is now well stocked with apricot and strawberry freezer jam. I love opening the door and seeing the red and orange containers.. so colorful..

Vintage for me..

I chose the name of my blog , NOT in reference to me, but because I just love things that have been aged. Anything I make I like to use "found" vintage objects on it or papers that look old and shabby. I like shabby chic, but I also like just plain old vintage. This card I made using an old elastic cardboard holder from a long ago dimestore.. Notice the price?? 29 cents..those days are long gone. Also used some old sewing paper and an image from the net. Made for a sewing friend.. Even the rick rack is old. not the new stuff..

Red, Yellow, Polka dots and sunflowers..

My favorite color combination. I always think "Rhubarb and Custard" when I think of these colors.
Love sunflowers too and I happened upon a yummy candy at Michaels the other day.. Mary Janes. Do you remember eating these when you were little.. Kind of like Bit O Honey with some peanut butter inside!! I was looking at one of the wrappers (red and yellow!!) and knew I had to make a card with it and use my Mary Jane Shoes stamp.. Stamp is from Paperbag Studios. Polka Dot paper from Daisy D's, Big Brad from Queen and Co. and the sunny yellow library pocket is from Bazzill. I stamped on the sunflower with my music stamp. Have a wonderful holiday tomorrow..

Summertime and the Living is Easy...

Dinner tonight was a summer delight! Fresh corn on the cob, garden beets, new potatoes, asparagus and a sweet, sweet watermelon.. No meat!! Just veggies. We all enjoyed it!! The days are definitely lazy..
I still have to get up early each morning to give my little diabetic dog, Puck her shot, but I don't mind it a bit. She is worth it! Other than that, we are having a lovely summer. I have been able to do a little bit of creating. My first Row House for a swap I am in and I had fun with it. Not quite what I usually do, but it was fun. I did the background by squighing (is that a word?) some modge podge on the paper and crinkling tissue paper over that. Let it dry and then put some ancient page inks on top. Had some of the memory glass laying around so I punched a square and put some glass behind it for the window. The image is my aunt when she was a little girl. Did some embossing, some Tulip Fashion paint beads, a little hand made paper that I printed the sentiment on and then some alpha beads. I found the little keys in my stash, I bet I have had them for years! Love those little pearls that come in a strip..
The second card just used up some scraps. Hope you are all having a sweet summer too!! Had to post a pic of my little Puck.. Her name comes from Midsummer's Night Dream!