Magnolia's

Spring has sprung.
Just look at these beautiful magnolia trees
Can't you almost smell them?
Such a sweet fragrance.

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Three more bird houses have been completed.

What color do you like? They are all ready to go, just in time for spring nesting.

Easter Table Centerpiece

Spring is in the air!!! Birds are singing, and the tulips are poking their heads through the earth. Nests are being built and eggs are being laid.

Thought I would go with birds and nests for my Easter table centerpiece.

A CAFE IN PARIS

Here is a little update on the basement reno.
We finished the window frame in the bar area, but it still needs to be painted.

I was thinking of installing a rope lite to illuminate between the window and the picture.
Don't you think the two waiters look like they are actually serving at the restaurant?

My next project, is to make canvas awnings for the two basement windows, and they will be red and white stripes, like the ones you see in the picture.

A little escape to Paris, non?


Click the butterfly at right to visit Between Naps On The Porch Blog, and more Met Monday Projects.

It was prettier in the Catologue

Be sure to visit Tootsie's blog for Fertilizer Friday. Her blog is listed on the right hand side.

These are some impatiens that we plant in the summer time at the cottage.

Out Of Africa

This is my first attempt at Tablescape Thursday, hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. To visit her blog and view several beautiful table scapes, just click on the Tablescape button at right.

Kitchen Towels

My sister-in-law showed me how to make these cute little towels to hang on your stove.

You just need a pot holder and a kitchen terry towel folded in half and gathered to fit the width of the pot holder.

Stitch the towel to the middle of the pot holder.

Fold in half and add a button to the top.

The pot holder loop goes around the button to hang from the handle of your stove.

They make great little hostess gifts.

Renovations

Remember a while back, I showed you our basement and the renovations we had started.

Well , we have been busy with the continuation of our reno.

In the empty cubby behind the bar, we added a counter and overhead cupboards. We tiled the counter, walls and part of the ceiling. I had painted a scene on the walls, similar to the painting you see, and on this painting, we are going to add a window frame around the picture, so that it will look like you are looking out the window, across the street.

Hope you stay tuned to see the continuing project.

Finished Sock Monkies

Here are the finished sock monkeys, I couldn't show them before, because they were gifts for Christmas.

I embroidered faces on them, but for older children, you could sew on buttons for eyes.

Wouldn't it be fun to make clothes for them?

The monkey with the long eye lashes, reminds me of my grandson, when he opens his eyes up wide in amazement. I made that one for him.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of my friends in blog land a very "Merry Christmas" and a "Happy & prosperous New Year".
Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and visit my blog. It has been a very busy year, with my new grandson arriving in September. He is such a joy!
Hope to do a lot more posts in the New Year.
Thanks again for following along with me.
See you in 2010.
Deb

Sock Monkey

In one of my earlier posts in September, I mentioned that we became first time grandparents. Our little grandson Jackson is such a sweetie.
His nursery is decorated with monkeys, so for Christmas, I wanted to make him, his very own sock monkey.
I went on the inter-net and found a site that teaches you how to make a sock monkey.
They are so easy and fun to make.
You just need a new pair of men's work socks and some batting.
There is some machine stitching, and the body parts are stitched by hand.
He just needs some eyes and a mouth. You can use buttons for eyes, for older children, but because he is still young, I think I will embroider them on along with a mouth.
The site also directs you to other sites for different embroidery how-to's, which I haven't done in years, but will give it my best shot.
Hope he likes it.

Pine Cone Topiary

Just finished my pine cone topiary trees .
I glued pine cones to a white styro foam ball, and added a stick, then I mixed a plaster compound and filled the metal pots with the plaster.
I then pushed the sticks into the compound and allowed it to dry for 6 hours.
You have to support them as they dry.
Then I filled in the spaces between the gaps , around the pine cones, with faux berries and ivy.
I sprayed it with clear coat gloss, to make it shine.

Toy Soldier

Found this old piece of plywood kicking around in the garage and thought it wood make a cool toy soldier to stand guard by the garden gate for Christmas.

Its that time of year again, to start decorating for the holidays. I always try to make one decoration each year for the holidays. Here is this years creation.

Busy Building Birdhouses

I'm back to building birdhouses again. Hopefully we will have enough ready for christmas time as gifts. Isn't this little retro travel trailer the cutest thing?