~ Happy Easter ~

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter....have a joyous day. Hugs, Linda

~ Weekend News ~

Hi everyone, hope you are having a nice weekend. Today we've spent most of the day watching sports but let me tell you what I did yesterday. Lisa and I went to a sewing and craft festival, it was so much fun...there was so much to see and do. Lots and lots of quilting and sewing booths and lots of little workshops you could sign up for. Lisa and I both took a punch needle class..... This was our project...a small basket of flowers. After learning how to mount the fabric on the form and thread the needle....which for me was kind of tricky, we punch needled the flowers and greenery and then added the basket charm and ribbon. I love this little project...and I think I see a new hobby in my future:). I also made this....

little needle keep. This is a little heart shaped yo~yo, for my first one I'm happy with it but I'm going to stick with the traditional round yo~yo. I bought a little yo~yo maker and for my first project plan to make a little table runner. Have a nice evening, hugs, Linda

It is....

a soggy Saturday here. We have had so much rain the past few weeks and more is forecast for every day next week. I think "Mother Nature" has forgotten that tomorrow is the first day of Spring. For me, I'm going to have a cozy weekend indoors...I'm going to finish J. Chiaverini's latest novel, The Union Quilters which I have thoroughly enjoyed. She is a wonderful author, I've read all her books and have never been disappointed. And then I have two cozy mysteries by Laura Childs........

waiting in the wings. Have a happy weekend and please send the sun my way...hugs, Linda

~ Happy Saint Patrick's Day ~

Have a wonderful day....hugs, Linda

We have .....

been having lots of rain and more wonderful Spring showers are in our forecast. With all the rain my little Dewdrops....are just making an appearance and.........

so are the Calla Lilies. So far.....

I spotted three nice buds.....

here is the third one peeking out from under the leaf, it's hiding from me. Not to worry I'm not going to pick you until your are blooming.....:). There are more little buds just starting to come up, can hardly wait for lots of these pretties.

Well, I'm off to the grocery store.....I need to get a few more things for our Saint Patrick's Day dinner.....hugs, Linda

And The Winner Is....

"The King's Speech!" This was a great movie and I'm so happy... it won for best picture....the acting was just awesome. I hope you had a chance to see this movie, if you haven't and it's still showing in your area go see it....you are in for a treat...hugs, Linda

~ A Wild Weather Weekend ~

Hi everyone, the weekend is nearly here and we are having some wild, wild, weather here. It has been raining pots and pans and we might even get a touch of snow...now that would be amazing since the elevation here is 25...but I would love it. Usually we like to do a bit of running around on the weekend but this weekend I think we'll just be staying in and keeping warm and cozy. If that's the case, I'll be working on a couple of sweet stitchies of the Sampler Girl's.One is the "Queen of Hearts" and I'll be finishing her as a pincushion and the other is a fun Irish Cupboard Sampler.......plus

I'm reading an excellent book, The Forgotten Garden....it is so good I can hardly put it down and the latest......

edition of Southern Lady just arrived...it is one of the prettiest magazine, full of wonderful recipes and Southern charm...I love it. So I think I'm set for whatever Mother Nature sends my way......you have a cozy weekend too...hugs, Linda

~ A Rainy Friday ~

I couldn't wait any longer, I'm having a cookie break...It's been raining all day, perfect for baking cookies and I have a huge pot of stew cooking for dinner. Do you have plans for the weekend? Lisa and I were thinking of going to lunch and maybe a movie or a little shopping, maybe just stay in if the weather is icky. Last weekend was the WX Peddler's Faire...Carl and I both found a couple of little treasures...I

have a small collection of sugar shakers and the green one in front is my latest...I love it! Well, I have biscuits and a salad to fix for dinner so it's back to the kitchen for me...Have a happy weekend....hugs, Linda

Pretty

Valentine flowers to brighten my day and...... yours too...hugs, Linda

~ Happy Valentine's Day ~

Sending Happy Valentine's Day wishes your way, have a lovely day....hugs, Linda

~~Steelers All The Way~~

Yahoooo....the Steelers are going to the Super Bowl... Go Steelers! Go Steelers! Go Steelers! Go Steelers!

~ Something Different ~

Today was a baking play day...have you ever heard of the cake recipe where you add a can of diet cherry soda to a chocolate cake mix...well it's a Weight Watchers concoction and suppose to be sooooo good. So I decided I'm going to make it. Off I go to the store...can't find any diet cherry soda but I did find a diet chocolate soda and I thought why not try that with a white cake mix...see what happens. Just two ingredients soda and cake mix...plus cute cupcake liners...I love cup cakes. All you do is....

dump the dry cake mix in a large bowl, add the soda and mix well. This mix will be lumpy. I used a 1/3 cup to fill the cupcake liners and baked according to the box directions. In this case it was a 350degree oven for 18 to 22 mins. Here's the ...

finished little cakes...I sprinkled them with a bit of red sugar crystals...a perfect little touch... Now for the taste test....

Pretty good.....now for the real test.....

honey thought they were good too. These cupcakes are very different and not for everyone, but if you are doing Weight Watchers they are = to 1point and may be just the thing for you...hugs, Linda

~ A Little Whimsy ~

Agatha, my iPhone has a new outfit......... While out and about my DH found this darling cover for her.

Isn't she pretty? I love it....thank you honey. Hugs, Linda

~ Weekend Happenings ~

This weekend was really nice...it was so cold here we just stayed in. Saturday we had a ... Jane Austen film fest and on Sunday watched all the football games plus I did a bit of stitching and got a little reading in too. Did anyone else watch the games? I'm happy with all the wins and hope the Steelers go all the way. The days are still foggy and very grey....

but these pretty tulips from the grocery store just add a bit of cheer and a promise that Spring is in our future. It's amazing how a bouquet of flowers lifts your spirit....hugs, Linda

~ Lunch And A Sweetie ~

Hi everyone! The Johnson Girls, as I call our "group"~~friends from high school, got together for lunch this week at the Riverside Cafe. It was great seeing everyone and catching up with each others news. Here we are...starting in the lower left corner....Sharon (pink sweater), Jeanie, Susan, Marcia, me, Judy, Janet and Ann. The picture was taken with my i-Phone that's why it's a little dark...sorry about the quality, but at least it a remembrance of our happy get together...

Look at the darling nest Marcia brought me...she found it abandoned in an arrangement on her porch. It is very delicate and the construction is amazing, very intricate When..

you turn it over look at the darling little flowers the mama bird found and added to her little home. This is why I collect bird nests...they are just little treasures, each so very different and I think each made with love...

Marcia, thank you for this little sweetie, I love it.....hugs, Linda


Note~I think you can click on the pictures to enlarge.

~ Sweet Pretties ~

Today the postman delivered a wonderful surprise package to me... Look at this beautiful handmade doll Lib and her sweet niece Little Shadow created. Lib is one of my dearest blogging friends and Little Shadow visits her auntie often to bake, make jelly, have tea parties and lots of other fun things.....

My doll is made with vintage linens and costume jewelry pieces plus they also sent this pansy heart....they are both darling pieces and I love them. She has the prettiest face and isn't her hat cute?

It's a fancy little doily. Her dress is fashioned from a vintage.......

dresser scarf with a crochet edge...so pretty. She even.......

has lace pantaloons. Lib and Little Shadow, thank you ever so much for these gifts...there is nothing more special than gifts from your heart and hands...hugs, Linda

~ It's Foggy Today ~

Good morning. Today is the 4Th day of our new year and........ it's a wonderful foggy day. I know lots of people do not like fog but I love it! This is a picture of the little park just four houses away from me. With all the fog it's a perfect day to stay in and finish taking down the tree...that's my last little bit of Christmas to finish tucking away and I will be so glad when I'm finished. Then I going to make a little pot of tea.....

and read. For Christmas I received four great books, right now I'm reading A Darcy Christmas...it's a holiday tribute to Jane Austen and just wonderful. I also plan to stitch a little on .......

Winter Woolens by Staci Nash. This is such a sweet little stitch....that bit of stitching in the right corner is going to be a reindeer~~really it is. Have a happy day. Stay warm and cozy, hugs, Linda

~ Happy New Year ~

Sending wishes to each of you for a Happy New Year. May our new year 2011 treat you kindly....hugs and warm regards, Linda