GRAND-PETS

 

 

Recently we got to babysit our grand pets for a week.

We have a dog and a cat....

Louise and Ralph, or affectionately known as

Wheezy and Ralphie.

 

We got to walk Wheezy and play with them both.

(Ralphie is an indoor cat)

 

From the pictures that follow, you might think

that there is no love lost between these two.

NOT SO!

 

There is a ritual going on every day, which amused us to no end.

After we came home from dogie walking, this is what took place every day........

 

 

 

Ralphie..... "Oh, you are back"

hug, hug.....

 

 

"Where have you been?

You smell all funny....is it squirrel?..no,

I think it must be chipmunk....."

 

 

"Hold still, I need to clean you......"

 

 

"OK, that's better.......

Wait, wait, that ear is next"

 

 

"I have told you to hold still..... So don't let me have to tell you again!........

I am not done yet.

Move one more time, and I will bite."

 

 

"Okie-dokie, all done for now.

Now, that wasn't that bad!"

 

 

"People, do I look like I would bite?

Not little old me.

See how cute I am, sweet right, right?!"

 

"Now you can have your reward.

Is this big enough for you?

Don't know, why our folks don't

downsize this bone to fit this mutt!"

 

These are the musings of Ralphie.

As for Wheeze, she loves being taken care of

by her Ralphie.

 

And we had fun taking care of these two.

 

My posting will be "spotty" the next few month.

I have three shows coming up,

and my family will be arriving the end of September

from Germany for a visit.

We are really looking forward to it.

Our family will meet the youngest member,

little Lucas.

 

I will try to post when I have a chance.

Does anyone else out there feel like you missed a whole season?

 

I certainly do!!!!!

 

God bless you all,

Evi

 

DOMESTIC ART

For many years, I have been collecting antique

mending clothes - embroidery samplers.

I love the idea of saving things, and learning the how-to.

When I see these wonderful pieces of "domestic art",

I can envision a young girl, being taught either by her

mother or in school, how to mend and embroider.

A hundred -or so- years ago,

things were not thrown away, you took good care

of them, and passed them down to the next generation.

When I visit many of my favorite blogs,

I see, that luckily there are still many people out there,

that give new life to things of the past.

With this post, I would like to share one of  passions,

reminders of a time gone by,

where you did not just run to the next store to replace,

but to save something.

Enjoy!

Many of the pieces that I own, come either from Europe,

or from European settlers that came to America.

Unfortunately I could not separate these last two pictures,

oh well, you get the "picture".

This  sampler is either French or from Belgium.

Look at all this beautiful hand work.

Lovely, just lovely!!!!!

I wonder who Babetta Popp was.

Did she enjoy working on this sampler?

Did she get to use her skills in her life?

Where did she live?

Was she happy taking care of her family?

Every time I see these wonderful things,

I wonder who these people were,

and what their lives were like.

What I find special about this work, is that

this young woman was not about to just put her

sampler in a draw to be pulled out once in a while,

no, she was going to wear it!

How charming!!!!

This sampler and the 1901 Guensberg are one

of my recent discoveries.

I found them at the Elephants Trunk in CT.

They where in a box with many other

VERY "filthy" things, and went really CHEAP.

I was in heaven, and after washing them numerous

times, I could not be happier with my new finds!

I wish you happy days,

filled with new discoveries.

God bless,

Evi

GOODIES I BROUGHT HOME

As promised, I am doing a show and tell

of the goodies that made it home with me.

I have been wanting an old olive basket since I

first saw them awhile ago.

I even had my friend Laura@52 flea

looking for me, since she visits fleamarkets more than I do.

She had seen them while in Florida, but did not get to buy

one for me.

 I was soooo happy to see them at Lillian August,

the store we first visited.

The price, with their sale, was even better.

Hooray for me!!!!!

I have it in the entrance foyer-breakfast room

where it holds some of my favorite magazines.

Loved this chair at Lillian August, and it moves between the

outside and our family room.

I have wanted this book ever since it came out.

I love his clean decorating style,

and the wonderful teddies he makes.

If you gals own this book, you know what I mean.

His bears are absolutely charming......

....and so is his home.

I got both chair, book and all the other things I had to have on sale.

Woohoo,Yippee, hooray!!!!

The hanging "chandelier" came from Terrain.

I think it was meant to be just a wire cloche.

Since I also bought the glass jars....

(well, you know from my last post, the trouble I got into)....

the two things just went together.

The little glasses became the clappers.

I keep them filled with cut flowers and herbs.

Sometimes I put a candle in the top....

....or a fern.

It looks to me like it is supposed to hold a plant.

Anyway, I like the look over the little

round table where hubby and I eat most of our meals

in the mild seasons.

More goodies from Lillian August.

The ribbons will adorn my dolls......

love them.

And of course I have been playing with the jars.

The contents keep changing.

At Terrain I bought some unusual little ferns and plants.

In the fall I will make a terrarium.

That store inspired me so much!

My new doll is starting an Americana series,

(after all, we are in an election year)

and which I will post for sale soon.

So, my doll and I wish you all a happy and safe

Independence Day.

I am happy to be a citizen of this country,

proud of the freedom to live as we wish,

to express our thoughts freely.

 I want to thank everyone in the Armed Forces

for keeping us all safe.

My gratitude goes out to them.

 To everyone out there,

Happy 4 TH of July.

Happy Birthday America!

God bless,

Evi

I AM IN LOVE.....PART THREE

As promised, I am taking you to a store that took my breath away.

I love all things to do with gardening, yes, even weeding.  

 My mind can wander, and I find it relaxing......

well, most of the time.

When Debbie and I arrived we had a brief downpour.

As she was rushing inside,

I stood in the rain absolutely fascinated with what I saw.

And once I set foot inside, I was stunned!

One of the sales girls chuckled when she saw my face.

My mouth must have been open...

for once speechless.

This is what greeted me.....

There were tables and tables filled with

the most gorgeous flowers and plants.....

but also furniture and all other things

garden related and inspired.

I was walking around  like I was in a dream.

Floating.....

Interesting vignettes bedazzled you where ever your eye went.

Who would have thought that slices of wood could look so good.

I think my hubby better get busy cutting some for me

since we have tons of it.

I have something in mind for Christmas already, ha ha.

Don't you think you landed in France?

Lavender and wonderful old baskets,

it could not get more French.

Oh, I want one of these.....

.......and a few of that....

oh, and this could replace my couch in the family room.

I kept on dreaming and wishing.

And what would a garden dream be without birdies,

here in sweet or "tweet" pillows...

....and a hand towel too pretty to use.

What stood out the most for me, were the many

beautiful terrariums.

In my life I have never seen sooooo many,

done so artistically.

And here came an oops moment.

I fell in love with these little bottles.

There were either six strung on a wire or two on one wire.

While I was trying to gather three sets of two's

they all became entangled.

You can imagine what happened next....

some came crashing down and broke.

Luckily nobody got upset with me, and I did end up with three sets of two's.

In my next post I will show you what I did with them.

This tree trunk was enormous, hmmmmm,

we have these too on our property.

But I would definitely need a much larger house.

Loved this very tall antique window.

On the right side there were many, many garden related

books to peruse.

Had to have one of these soaps, since my hubbies nickname

for me is Bee.

A  beautiful living wall....mainly with ferns.

This is the largest selection of bath related things I have seen.

Many unusual items.

Now, in my previous posts about the

Lillian August store,

you have seen chandeliers made from bottles.

I cannot believe, that this is again a new version of it.

An intriguing terrarium.

When it had stopped raining, I went outside.

Right away I came across this shed with a living roof.

Really interesting, but how do you cut it?

I suppose very carefully!

How pretty is this!

You can see the back of the shed with the

living roof.

The walls were neat too.

Wish you could have smelled this...heavenly!

Another living wall was greeting you on the outside,

close to the entrance.

Watering must be interesting.

This is one big piece of driftwood.

Unusual combinations of plants greeted me everywhere.

It is a bit hard to see that this is a string ball

in which Thyme was growing.

Loved that!!!!

There were a ton of containers....too many to show...

Now this is one GREAT idea.

What to do with all the old windows,

leftover vintage lumber etc.

Lots of pretty posies.

Fascinatingly weird.

Want, want, want that....including the blue bike...

This great old watering can would look wonderful in my collection,

alas, out of my reach (money wise).

SIGH!!!!!

I am ending this post with this pretty terrarium.

I think I am ready to make one myself.

Terrain inspired me, made me gosh, made me totally happy,

and my very first encounter will forever stay with me!

Yes I truly am totally in love with this store

and Lillian August.

If you gals ever get a chance to go there,

you will know what I mean!!!!

Next time I am doing a show and tell on

what actually did come home with me.

I wish you a pleasant Sunday.

Enjoy whatever you do.

God bless,

Evi