2017 May

Wedding Central...
5/26/2017

It is happening! Wedding central is set up and we're checking the list twice. As in the last blog, what I think can happen can't possibly or humanly happen. You know... the fact that I thought I could get 15' of treasures (like camel saddles and Moroccan tents) into a 10' truck. Not happening. And neither are all the wedding and rehearsal dinner pictures and DIY directions I prepared just for this issue. 

But... I promise to start on next weeks blog while on the yacht cruise as soon as the kids leave for their honeymoon on Saturday. You should have lots of info then... and maybe even a video if I'm feeling brave!

I shipped lots of supplies and pre-made items for the wedding and rehearsal dinner... 

                    ...lots of heavy boxes. 

The FedEX driver was a good sport as he delivered the first of three days of supplies I had packed and shipped.

Below are just a few of the pictures of all the stuff sitting around the kids house when I arrived. I think EVERYTHING has been custom made for this wedding and, as you can see, it was spread out all at one time. Here are just a few pictures of projects that were under way and in the way!

Left: These are the large succulent container bases for the backdrop setting. The large candle globes and candles will go in them when we set up at the venue.

Right: These are the 16 x 20 hospitality signs that kept folks in the right direction. SO important for a relaxed and easy flow of an event.

Left: Just a few of the succulent planters for the end of the rows during the wedding. These are IKEA 99 cent buckets spray painted in a rose gold. The succulents just need to last a little longer! 

Right: Such time and care they took in getting the Place Card holders spray painted a rose gold with a little greenery attached. Metal frames are a Dollar Tree find... My favorite go to place.

Left: The table top succulent holders are made of wood and have a conduit pipe inserted in that was also spray painted rose gold. Lots of work, inexpensive price.  Who'd ever guess that something from the electrical section of the hardware store could look so elegant?!! ​

Right: Natalie and Brent were playing with their ideas for the tabletop displays. They left it up for me to look at when I arrived. And, of course, we have to keep it up off the floor to avoid Murphy hair!

​Lots of boxes sitting around in piles. 

My way to make all the stuff that we have going on a little more organized. 

This is the pile to head to the yacht for centerpieces.

Sorry to run... wedding setup is calling. I promise to give you all exact details and ideas next week. It will be a FULL blog!! the photographer will share his professional pictures with us soon...

I ask for your prayers and happy thoughts for all of us, but especially for Natalie and Brent as they share their special day. here is to 'no rain', no 'OOPS' moments, and lots of fun and laughter!!

2 Comments

Mary - You are the most creative person I know! You can design wonderful decorations with just about anything! Congratulations to Natalie and Brent!

Jayn Lando - I know it was all gorgeous and the most beautiful wedding ever! You can do anything you set your mind to and do it wonderfully!

Multi Tasking...
5/24/2017

Road trips on the spur of the moment can be great fun.  Patty and I took off on Thursday afternoon with excitement in our steps and ready to hit the road! We were headed to pick up a load of stuff I had found the week before that I couldn't live without ( you know... like Moroccan tents and Camel saddles ). 

I had rented a 10" U-Haul with unrealistic expectations that it would be big enough. Fortunately for us they didn't have a 10 foot one and gave us a 15 foot for the same price. No problem.... just as easy to drive and only slightly bumpier. We headed out and drove most of the way through till midnight when we crashed.  NOT LITERALLY! Hmmm.... these bodies are not quite as young as they used to be! Oh!, were we ever tired!  It was well past our bedtime!!

I just had to do a little multi tasking on the way down and back. Fortunately, Patty likes to drive and I like to stay busy in the car... because, of  course, just sitting is a waste of time and there is so much to be done!! After all, I have a wedding to help finish! I'm sure they don't get many U-Haul trucks returned with glitter on the seats and floor!

This is a picture of one of the beautiful Moroccan tent sides with the sticks in them to stick them in the sand. there was stuff piled way high in the warehouse that we had to unstack and I was ready for the climb! That also isn't as easy as it used to be 30 years ago! I think this trip made me realize that the mind may still be young but the body is having trouble keeping up!!

We did it! We filled a 15' truck, and this stuff is packed TIGHT! A lot of my finds will be going to Crescent Hill TRADING COMPANY  after a little bit of work. Patty is checking out one of the camel saddles that is embroidered in gold thread on the front and is Moroccan Leather on the back. So very pretty.  Now to figure out what to do with all of them. Any of you have ideas?... and Jeff already said 'NO!' to a camel, so I need you to come up with something else, please! Check out the great ottoman frames stacked behind Patty. Looking forward to making them up!

Oh yea... climbing into the truck was a trick in itself. Patty, being quite a  bit shorter than I am, struggled a little as she climbed in...  I know that there had to be a stool in the back that she could have used... we just couldn't find it!

I wish I could share all the discussions we had about getting old. They included things like 'as young people, we always wondered why old ladies had mascara spread under their eyes.' I swore I would never go out like that. Hmmm... That is before the eyesight went and I can't see to put it on without my glasses!!

This trip with Patty was special since she and I were in college together, and we just realized that we're both in that late 50's early 60's age bracket. Oh, say it's not so!! Time has flown... We now have an 'old lady pact.'  It includes telling each other when the mascara is smeared!! LOL...

Patty and I started home on Saturday and just had to take a tiny detour over to Random Arts in Saluda, NC. 

I woke up that morning to a Facebook message about a Flea Market that they were having at the studio. 

OH yeah... what's another two hour drive in a 15 foot truck? 

Great success... I found a big cheese tub and some great clothes in Jane's cute little store, and Patty found a wonderful shirt. If you don't already follow Jane on herRandom Arts Facebook page, you might find it a treat. Like her page and tell her 'hi' and tell her that you are one of my blog readers. She has an amazing little independent shop!

​

This is how Jeff and I spent our 39th anniversary. 

I arrived home and needed help finishing the flowers for the rehearsal dinner that I'd worked on during the road trip. So, Jeff taped and I added black dots. SO romantic!  

Thanks honey for all your support. You did a great job!!









On a dead run now... Packed and sewed all day Sunday and Monday and then flew out on Tuesday. Got in at 11pm and have the lists ready to go.... Next blog will be  the dinner cruise and rehearsal pics!

Wedding countdown is on and June 1st is coming fast!!

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Sitting on Flowers...
5/17/2017

                                        It's here! 

​I just picked up my newest chair from the furniture manufacturer... The Clematis Bloom Occasional Chair is from the My Garden Collection - Where You are Welcomed to Sit on the Flowers - can be ordered in any color combination you desire! 

The fabric is all pieced and stabilized so that it is durable for upholstery, and then the flowers are appliquéd on top of the fabric. The center of the flowers are stitched in a metallic thread and there's a place at the top of the back for a custom coordinating flower. The frame of this chair sits straight and would be great in a dining area as a pair of host and hostess chairs or in the corner of a bedroom. Order yours today in the colors of your choice.

On my way home from ARW, I visited a cute little town just outside of Asheville, NC named Weaverville. The town is small but oh so inviting... The first thing that I noticed were the beautiful trees that surrounded everything. The main street area is only about 2 blocks but had  lots of energy and many different shops with signs of new businesses coming soon.

And, Of course, the one shop that caught my attention first was a cute quilt place called 5 Little Monkeys Quilt & Sew in the heart of downtown.My fabric friends will appreciate this sign that resonated with me too!

Meet Angie, DJ, Marie and Jean.

Angie is the owner of this great shop. It is welcoming, spacious - something MEM never was! lol, has a nice variety of fabrics to offer, and they were so eager to help me and find just what I needed.

If you are ever in the area of Asheville, this is well worth the short detour for a visit with these great folks and fabrics.

In the short two block area there there are several art galleries, and LOTS of local eateries with a wide variety of different foods. I can't wait to go back and explore when I'm not in a rush!

I returned home from ARW on Saturday night and have spent this whole week working on items for the Rehearsal Dinner that isn't even really a rehearsal dinner -since there won't be a rehearsal... So I guess I'm working on decorations for the Pre-Wedding Dinner. 



I think the evening should be a lot of fun, being that it'll be 'dinner and a cruise' on the Lady Delray. Jeff and I both love good food and being out on the water!It seems that all the pieces and parts of wedding planning are falling into place - with a lot of late nights and early mornings. I'm ready for this to happen so I can post and share all that we've created so far.

Check out this beautiful bouquet of flowers that were sent to me for Mother's Day. If you need an extra special flower arrangement, check out Flowers By Sharon.  Sharon and her crew are always so happy to do that extra special and different arrangement with unique flowers.

And check out the green bushy flowers she added to the bouquet. They're a type of Carnation. Its genus name is Dianthus but it's commonly known as Barbatus Green Ball or Green Trick Dianthus. I love the way they look with the peacock feathers and the other flowers. Thanks Sharon and crew!!

Even though they're too far away to actually do the flowers for our Florida wedding, Sharon and her staff have been a great help to me as I'm planning and prepping.

Just want to wish my sweet husband a
   Happy  Anniversary!


39 years this Saturday. I had picked Lily of the Valley out of the garden of my family home so that my wedding bouquet would be just right! Fun memories... but where has all the time gone? 

What beautiful little flowers that I found on one of my walks while in the mountains. They were all over the hillside and just made me smile as I headed to the Dutch Oven Cooking class. 


Enjoyment... that is what it's all about.

ROAD TRIP!!!!

And we are off again!  The U Haul is rented and so is the storage unit.  Patty and I are headed back to Montreat to pick up my Moroccan tents , the camel saddle - everyone needs one of those! - and the furniture frames I purchased last week. Can't wait to see what I really got as we sort through it all and pack it up!! 

                 SEE YA!!!!

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Are You a Hoarder...??
5/10/2017

Oh it is so peaceful to be back in the mountains! I love spring in Montreat, NC at the Montreat Conference Center. The trees are so green and the Rhododendron is in full bloom!! This is the quiet peaceful part of the week... and then ARW happens!!  The Art and Recreation Workshop is all about spending time with old friends, making new ones, crazy parties, creative worship and lots of play! 

Here are a few pictures of the fun we had during our week.

Our theme for the week was "Back to Our Future." 

We had fun playing scrabble with tiles made out of cut pieces of pool noodles (your electric knife is the best way to cut these), and paper hats made of old newspapers was a real hit. 

Paper hat creations sure are fun and inexpensive play. this activity is also good for multigenerational events.

Ready for the week to begin... love adults who aren't afraid to play and create, and just have fun!!

Back to the future stars for the evening are ready to go! Check out my friend, Sonia who is dressed for the 70's auction and game night. Oh what a throwback... I remember those days!! Though, I'm not sure I had pants that bright or a top that wild!

And the week wouldn't be complete without a barn dance called by Glenn and Beth!!

Go, Mark, Go!!

Here are some of the raffle baskets that I finished putting together when I got to Montreat.

All the money from these goes to help fund the scholarship auction and keep costs lower for everyone. It also adds a little bit of fun during the auction for those on a tighter budget. The theme this year centered around game show type activities. A great model for a fundraiser.

I took a free afternoon and headed into High Point to pick up a chair that I had designed. that picture will be posted next week when I get the inset in the top!! I'm so pleased witht he way it turned out.

I thought I'd just go in, pick up the chair, drop off some new fabric designs for more chairs, and pick up some other frames that I had purchased and, of course, buy a bolt of fabric or two. WRONG.

All of this is waiting to be picked up, so I'll be renting a truck next week and taking a little road trip to bring it all home! That wasn't in my original plas as I'm getting ready for this wedding!

As I was pulling and poking and digging and starting my pile, several people came up to me and asked me if I was a hoarder. The nerve!! I told them I didn't think so, but that Jeff might disagree.

I have plans for all the things I purchased (except the tents and the saddle), and besides, Judy says I'm not a hoarder. She says I'm a 'creative opportunist!'  I like that!!

And look at this great pine drop leaf table that I found. It's about 7'-8' long and just right for a big party. I think this will be a perfect addition to the 'next' house that we are contemplating. Now we have a porch design and a table! Making Progress!

Now to rent that box truck and head back to pick up all the treasures... and then, figure out what to do with it all! Please don't tell Jeff!!

The other fun thing I worked on during the week was a stole for Mark, a friend of mine. It's close to being done and I hope to finish and ship it as soon as I get home.

I so enjoyed the beading and stitching.

the process was created as I went along and it has just kind of emerged.

We sold a custom stole at the auction, so I have another one to create for Vicki by December... now to get it done and not wait to the last minute!!

Keep me on task, Vicki!!

Home again to concentrate on last minute wedding details, and think through all the new furniture possibilities to showcase at Crescent Hill TRADING COMPANY as soon as the wedding is over. I sure have a lot of supplies waiting for me!! Have a good week and take time to play! Happy Mothers Day!

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Pillows & Potted Plant...
5/3/2017

Creating, playing, and sharing is what it's all about!... A special thanks to Libby, Rhonda, Jo, Laura, and Greta for a fun work day working on pillows for AWAKE Ministries. This is just a start for some of the women who will come through the Women's shelter that's being refurbished. We have a lot more pillow tops coming in and will continue to make them as needed. Let me know if you are interested in making a few.

I remember when I was going through my bout with cancer. My funky pillow was a great source of comfort to me, to squeeze under my arm when the lymph node removal hurt, or to hit and throw when I'd had enough of it all. Let's hope these pillows will be a source of comfort for others as they struggle through hard time. But best of all, is that these ladies know that other women care and took time to create a gift just for them!!

Don't you just love friends with a sense of humor?! Greta, Patty, Laura and I headed off to Cincinnati again for a day of shopping both for Awake Ministries Women's Shelter and for my ARW baskets.

Laura and I were trying to track down Patty and Greta. It's so easy to get lost in IKEA! We finally found them in the children's section digging through stuffed animals.... they figured they didn't have grandchildren yet and that they would take these cute critters home instead. 

HMMMMM I think I'll wait for grandchildren... and Laura already has some. Well... those critters sure won't cry or eat much!!

We had such a successful day at  IKEA!  - Thanks Patty, Greta, Laura - and now I have a big stack of supplies for the women's shelter stored in Jeff's office.

Poor Jeff... 

My ETSY stock, extra ottoman frames and now the Women't Shelter stuff are now stored in his University of Louisville office. The office that he has never been able to use in 14 years because my stuff always seems to expand in his office. The office that he looks at from the doorway with a longing look..... 

I did clean it up once for you, dear.... but I just needed a little more space, after all, I can't just get rid of these craft supplies!. When you retire I'll make sure you have that "little" corner of the house that is just yours!! 

Keep that in mind, Julie Kinsolving for the next move!

I'm getting ready for the ARTS RECREATION AND WORSHIP Conference. 

Almost packed and ready to go and have boxes and boxes of gift basket supplies to head to Montreat on the 6th. I'll take all these supplies and get them carefully and tightly packed into the car. 

Hopefully there'll be room for my suitcase! Doesn't this look like fun?!

It is a good thing Jeff is headed down in his truck for the Annual Golf Scramble that kicks off ARW. He'll need to take the stuff that comes out of the PCUSA warehouse!

I decided to make a fun planter for one of the blue light specials at ARW since it only takes a week or two for the plants to establish themselves and start to look full. I understand they don't take much water and so it should be fine to travel with and will stay nice looking. It'll be a pretty addition to someone's home.

The one thing that I've learned about succulents is that they propagate easily. If you break off a petal just lay it on a piece of paper towel or on top of dirt and it'll start to root.

While I was on a roll getting ARW stuff together, I decided to pull out an old copper bowl and teapot that I had in the storage room and make a fun succulent planter for my great room. I figure I might be able to keep this one alive for a little longer than most plants. 

I'm having the worst time finding the succulents with the deep purple and rose colors around here. I'm spoiled by the beautiful colors in the plants that I've found in Florida. Maybe they'll be around here when the weather gets a little warmer.

This was fun!  I headed into the PCUSA Warehouse in Louisville to hunt up some supplies that need to go to North Carolina with me 

Thanks to Karen and her crew for helping me to find the giant Lite Brite boards, and the 'well' we made last year in a full, full warehouse.

Love the fact that youth conferences will be able to use what we created for Triennium.
​Reuse and Recycle... that's what it is all about.

OK>>>> You may think I'm writing a book this week... but I want to share one last picture.

Look at the cute Tooth Fairy pillow that I FINALLY have ready to deliver to Casey. 

Her little one is only a year old so she's not loosing teeth yet... So... technically, you can't really say this baby gift is late! LOL

Headed to Montreat as you read this blog. Hope life is treating you well... and that you have a little time to play and create!!

1 Comment

Jayn Lando - Love the Awake pillows! I'm glad you will be making more because I didn't get my blocks done in time but will get them done. Great project. See you at ARW soon!