catching up

{My sweet boy serenading the passersby}

With the exception of my Easter post and my one last week, my posting has been, well pretty non-existant. And to tell you the truth, that is not the way I want this blog to exist. You know, to sink and sink and then come up gasping for air when I throw it a lifeline like once a month.

In the past few months I have been thinking about the blog and exactly what I want it to look like. I feel that my "taste" in blogs has changed and it has made me look differently at mine. I mean, my taste hasn't changed drastically, more like a smidge. Still, I want this blog to have more purpose or direction or something (as you can see, I am very clear on this mission).

Apparently, when I have all these thoughts going around in my head, instead of continuing to blog, I just freeze with panic. OK, maybe panic is a strong word. But I do freeze.

At times I have even wondered if people even read the blog. (It is kinda hard to read if I'm not posting. Hmm.) But then someone will say something about my blog that encourages me. And I realize people are reading even if they don't comment.

Anyway, I feel like I am about to start rambling. So, I will just cut to the chase. I am back. Hopefully, now that summer is upon us and school is out, I can really try to resuscitate this blog and give it purpose. I know you all aren't dying to read the words flowing from my head, but I still have a need to put them out there. I enjoy documenting life...capturing the simple everyday bits that make it so special.

In an effort to make up for lost time, I thought I would just give you photos that kinda document the past few months. And yes, they were all taken with my phone. The Instagram app is just too addictive and easy to use. But as I type, the battery for the real camera is charging.

{A little thumb war with Grandpa}

{Date night with the most amazing husband and father}

{Learning how to make salves and tinctures with my fellow farmgirls}

{A bit of resourcefulness}

{A whole lot of trips to the library}

{Blooming calendula (good for all sorts of things)}

{My little ballerina waiting her turn}

{Vintage girl wearing a dress that belonged to me}

{Some good ol' Rice Krispie treat making}

Oh, by the way, since I am trying to give the blog more direction, if you think of something you do like about it, feel free to tell me!

flower girl

I have really been loving the trend of necklaces with multiple charms on them. The other day I was going through a box of old trinkets when I came the charm that I got when I was a flower girl in my cousin Peggy's wedding. In the same box were this little heart charm that I had when I was little as well as the clear heart with a mustard seed in it (referencing Matthew 17:20). I immediately thought it would be great to place them on a necklace together.

I found the perfect chain at Target that was 18k gold over silver for just $9.99. And I have been wearing it a ton in the last week. I love that each of the charms has a special meaning for me. Here is the back of the flower girl charm. I have had it for 30 years! Wow!

And to impress you even further, I even have a photo of me at the wedding wearing the charm! I'm the blond on the far right. I kindly stole this image from my cousin's Facebook photos. Thanks Dana!

fun with labels

Since I love vacation so much, I think I will post about it one more time. Sort of. For over 20 years we have spent our vacations in St. Augustine, Florida. It is a place I hold near and dear to my heart. The photo above is a necklace that I got this year while we were there and I think it sums it up pretty well for me. St. Augustine a beautiful old town (the oldest town in the U.S.) and it is chock-full of history. The most historic area of town still has cobblestone streets and a lot of original buildings including the oldest wooden schoolhouse. While we were walking through one day we stopped into The Old Drugstore. I remember going when I was a little girl but did not remember anything about it. As we walked in I was amazed by the walls full of old bottles of elixirs, tonics, tinctures and beauty products. I could have spent the whole day just reading labels. I wanted to share a few with you...

What would you do with these? I can't even begin to imagine.

I'm thinking that something that requires me to take a dessert spoonful three times a day has to work. I mean, really, how could it not? Plus, it is famous...

Does anyone else have a problem with the word "tincture?" I sounds like it hurts.

Hemaboloids? Arseniated? No thanks.

This one wins for clearest instructions ever!

The middle bottle boasts that it prevents hair from falling out. I wonder if that is still true.

What exactly is hair dressing? No matter, the packaging is perfect.

Who wouldn't want to be Polly Peachtree? She sounds splendid.

This is isn't from the drugstore, but is a little charm of the oldest wooden schoolhouse (kinda fitting for a homeschool mom since our "schoolhouse" is old and wooden). Isn't it adorable?

all that for free?

Last weekend I hit the jackpot on freecycle. Someone posted a variety of vintage Christmas decorations. I didn't know exactly what I was getting except that it involved some Shiny Brite ornaments. Well, I got a total of 31 of those ornaments. The photo above gives you an idea of the selection. I also got these little paper buildings...the ones with sparkles.

I have wanted some of these for a while. In retrospect I should have taken them out of the package for a better photo, but too late now as they are packed up in the attic. I also got this little kitchen wreath. It has some damage, but it otherwise rather cute...

I am very excited about these items and am looking forward to being able to use them next Christmas. OK, just so you don't have to worry, that is the last of the Christmas related posts for at least ten months. Coming up? Some one quilt related posts since I have been a little behind.

lucy wren is three

my sweet lucy wren is three years old today. time is going by so fast! we had a birthday party for her this weekend at my parents' house. these are some of my favorite photos that we took that day. i found this dress at a thrift shop over a year ago and i thought it was perfect for a birthday celebration (she is wearing it again today).


and of all things, she asked for a worm birthday party. yep. i love to make birthday cakes for the kids, but since i was in my hometown and the local bakery makes divine cakes, i had them make a plain pink sheet cake for me and i decorated it with the worm. the best of both worlds...
happy birthday my sweet girl. i love you!

more about quilts

i am so excited to be part of a new project called one quilt. dorie emailed me a while back to see if i was interested and of course i was! a group of twelve very talented women are joining together to help each other make a quilt. each month the selected block recipient will decide what they want their quilt to look like and they will send the fabric out to each of the other participants who will then make a quilt block and send it back to them. and the other months they will receive fabric and do the same for the other participants. so by the end of the year each participant, after they assembly their blocks and quilt them, will have their very own quilt made by women from all over the world! that is twelve quilts! i am so excited. dorie started us off this month with the fabrics above. my month is not until february, so i have a little time to decide on my theme. you can see all the participants and check our progress here.

in other quilting news...dana is having another quilt giveaway. and again, i hesitate to tell you about it because i really want to win. but it is so beautiful and her blog is a lot of fun, so go and enter the giveaway here.

and just because, check out these great finds i got while we were in florida last week. two books from a thrift store for only fifty cents for both!

and i got two yards of this cute fabric and vintage pattern from a great little shop in ybor city just before eating at mr. empanada (a place dedicated to empandas? yes. need i say more?)

well, i am off to work on that same project for this weekend. stay tuned...

curly q

just had to post these pictures of lucy wearing an outfit that my grandmother made for me when i was little. and i love the little curl that formed on her forehead. i am planning to use this outfit as a guide to try and make another one for her.

buttons

i love buttons. i mean, really love buttons. i got this card during the last weekend of the lakewood antiques market. i just love the colors.

handsome

over a year ago, while michael was out on the road, he bought me this wonderful vintage boy's pajamas pattern from the 1940s. i picked out a wonderful amy butler fabric from a local quilt shop and i love the result. and larkin is quite excited about them. i just love them on him!